"All public broadcasting on the Washington Treaty Organization - Staff Entertainment Channel has been momentarily suspended for an emergency announcement on the authorization of Article 70, Section 9 of the Free World Security Charter, we apologize for any inconvenience, thank you."
"We have been in conflict for years, and many do not see nor have hope for an end in sight to this conflict. To those who have sought to impose their will on humanity and it's future, then you shall be repaid with wrathful justice 100 than 1000 times over in a lake fire. To all who seek only to live in a world at peace with the ones they love to share such, they shall be repaid with such 100 than 1000 times over. All shall be judged and rewarded according to their works, that is what this mission is. To all who hear this transmission, to all who are our friend or foe, we have returned from the shadows intact."
Misato watched from the various monitors on her desk replayed the announcement. Ritsuko was standing to her right, while Asuka and Mari, both in their WILLE-issued red and pink jumpsuits with specialized white vests, were standing to her left. All of them were somewhat in disbelief but even greater confusion as they heard the words uttered from the broadcast.
"I didn't think something like this would occur," Misato stated bluntly. "A declaration of war by the Jerusalem Treaty Organization, but who the hell are they declaring war against?"
"Colonel Katsuragi, with all due respect," Ritsuko chimed in. "I have reason to believe this is a doing. Just 3 days before this broadcast, our electronic intelligence branch picked-up a short but large and concentrated spike in electromagnetic signals from various locations, all near exactly the same time, with the source being traced to where this broadcast is being aired. I would recommend that we send a team to investigate."
"No." Misato sharply replied. "I intend to take a leave of absence and investigate myself. I already know who might be behind this."
Epic of Evangelion
As the sun rose what upon what would be a clear sky in the Desert of Judaea, a land of winding canyons, rocky plateaus, and arid shrub-dotted dunes, the echo of ram's horn could be heard in the distance. At the center of the noise, was a silver-grey metallic-walled settlement in the shrub-dotted plains of the desert. It was heavily reminiscent of the Old City of Jerusalem, but the biggest differences were that the buildings were metallic and/or concrete, bearing resemblance to those of warehouses, storage depots, loading facilities, hangars, and processing plants. In the middle was a structure similar to that of Solomon's Second Temple. The only difference was that it was made of grey stone bricks and was built in the style of stripped classicism. The building itself sat atop a mound of concrete bricks with a flight of stairs coming down each of the four sides. Behind the building was a massive public square. The ram's horn was ceremonially blown seven times by the guards standing in the watchtowers every day when the sun rose upon the horizon. Serving as both a wake-up call to operatives, and to serve as a reminder of the "crusade" that they dedicate themselves to complete.
As the ram's horns sounded across the settlement, TRIFORCE operatives and staff wearing their combat equipment and uniforms gathered in the front of the building, standing at attention beneath a balcony beneath the central building. Suddenly three figures stepped on to the balcony, one wearing an olive jumpsuit under a fern-green tactical vest. The person's black and silver-streaked hair reached down to their waist, and their eyes were covered by a visor that wrapped all the way around his head resembling postoperative sunglasses. Such a sight did well to hide the individual's identity, portraying them as a ruthless and mysterious individual, one who was part man and machine, but their identity didn't matter at this point. Flanking the individual were two others wearing skin-tight olive jumpsuits with a similar fern-green tactical vest. At the collar of each of the vests was an inverted dark-blue triangular gem encased in a metallic silver frame. Suddenly the lead person on the balcony yelled war chants to the rest below.
"FOR OF THE WICKED DESPOTS' THEIR IMMORAL BLOOD FLOWS?!"
"THAN WE SHALL SHED IT SO THE FORESTS GROWS!" the crowd below the staff replied below, their voices filled violent zeal and passion.
"FOR IF THEIR CONQUEST IS FOR THEIR UNRIGHTEOUS NAME?!"
"THAN WE SHALL REPAY THEM IN RIGHTEOUS FLAME!"
"EITHER DESTINY IN DEATH?!"
"OR LIFE IN LIBERTY?!"
The chants and screaming went on from what seemed to be a full minute. The sheer vitriol, passion, and unbridled aggression of those who screamed and chanted would intimidate any weak-willed or gentle person. Immediately afterward everyone again stood at attention as an anthem of some kind played over the loudspeakers within the settlement. As the song played, the individual unexpectedly received a notice from one of the individuals flanking him.
"A few people were found on the edge of the Exterior Security Restriction Zone," they explained. "I think it's best I Investigate."
"No, assemble the Central Operations Group, order them to raise Area Security Threat to Level 3, bring the External Security System online, and secure all entry and access points," the visored individual replied. "I don't have a good feeling about this."
Epic of Evangelion
Misato Katsuragi, now in a black tank top tucked into a matching pair of combat trousers held up by a black belt, and in turn, tucked in black combat boots was sitting around a campfire with Aska, Mari, and Ritsuko. Except for Ritsuko, all three of them wore the same outfit, the only exception was that the pilots wore green-camouflaged combat trousers with dark-red and fern-green respectively. Ritsuko was wearing leather tights, with high-heeled black combat boots, and her signature sleeveless black turtleneck for this day in age. All four of them would look like badasses from some American action movies, but in this world, the situation was far from glamorous. They were all eating from trays of nutrient paste they packed during their investigation in the wilderness. Except for the clearing they were in, the tall narrow trees, thickly grown, unkempt grass, and rocky features of the surrounding hillside surrounded them. Outside their occasional planning, casual conversations, and crackling of the fire, the silence of the surroundings did well to unnerve them and keep them on edge. It's just those senses would come in too late.
"Colonel Katsuragi," Aska stated bluntly. "I really don't think the brat's capable of crap like this."
"That's just an assumption Captian Shikinami." the Colonel reminded, somewhat tired and annoyed from the long day of travelling by foot. "...And even if the rumour is false, I still have the feeling we're going to get the answers we want."
"But Colonel Katsuragi, even with over a week of travelling the Desert of Judea and mountains," Ritsuko explained. "I doubt we'll be able to locate the bae in time. It could be anywhere in the area."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Misato resolutely replied.
"So what's the deal with this rumour that the brat somehow leads the TRIFORCE," Aska chimed in. "...Cause no matter who I ask, people seem to act like guilty children or just lash out whenever the name's even mentioned."
"They have good reason Captain Shikinami," Misato explained to the young Captain. "TRIFORCE has been an organization that has been officially tasked with 'preventing the practice and proliferation of especially dangerous ideologies and/or individuals who are deemed a threat to international security'. To be honest, however, their real motives run deeper than what they say, what it is, it's hard to say. They're said to have wielded massive political and legal influence behind the scenes and operated without regard to international treaty or law, going undetected and unseen in almost every part of the world."
"So people are scared because they have to deal with an organization that has their own agenda? It's not like we dealt with something like that before, right Princess?" Mari snickered at Aska while she grunted back, irritated at her constantly playful but annoying behaviour towards her.
"That's not just it," Ritsuko responded. "According to intelligence, interviews, and eyewitness accounts, the ISO uses vehicles, equipment, and weaponry much more advanced than even what WILLE has. They are said to secretly engineer and carry out the capture or assignation of any individual without ever being noticed, and even if you do it would be too late. In fact, one could say they're activities are so covert and untraced, it could be something paranormal, supernatural even."
"So you're basically saying these people can kill or capture any person they want, and never be seen? Hilarious. Like I'd believe such a stupid myth." Shikinami sarcastically replied.
"I wouldn't underestimate them Captain Shikinami." the Colonel replied a hint of fear in her voice. "TRIFORCE is an organization that will do anything to win, and in many regards they operate with impunity, deciding who lives and dies, what is a threat, and what is not. Terror, ambiguity, secrecy, ruthlessness, repression, and paranoia are their core tenants for achieving their goals, and any form of mercy, cooperation, or reprieve is not in their vocabulary."
Suddenly an ominous noise that sounded like a foghorn echoed throughout the clear night sky. Everyone suddenly got up as they were put on edge. Misato held her hand close to her holstered handgun while Aska pulled out a dagger. The noise continued five or more extra times, continuing to put everyone on edge. Mari then pulled a handgun from her holster aiming it at the forest, while Ritsuko did the same.
"What the hell was that?!" Shikinami asked, on the edge because of the ominous noise.
"I don't know, but you three stay here, I'm going to investigate," Misato announced as she headed towards the forest. "I doubt we're the only ones here. Akagi, see if you can conduct any scans about the forest, Shikinami, Makinami, keep the camp safe until I return, understood?"
"Yes ma'am." all three replied.
With that Misato headed out into the forest, the darkness of the night quickly covering her. With that all three of them sat down, letting out a deep breath as they thought the noises finally stopped for now. Ritsuko than pulled out a small black kit from her backpack, opening it to reveal a small monitor attached to a keyboard, with an assortment of advanced equipment that was used for scanning the surrounding area. She then pulled out a divide that resembled a biometric scanner, connected by a wire to the keyboard. Suddenly a beeping sound came from the device.
"Captain Shikinami, Junior Officer Makinami..." Ritsuko was about to ask before her voice was abruptly cut off.
As the two officers stared her way, Ritsuko had disappeared. , Ritsuko was gone. Her scanning kit was also missing, almost as if no one was even sitting there.
Epic of Evangelion
Aska and Mari radioed Misato multiple times to inform her of the ominous turn of events, to absolutely no avail. The only reply they got was static. As they stared at each other, they realized they were already in serious trouble.
"Four-eyes, get your Powered Armour Unit then go and find Lt. Col. Akagi and meet me back here." the young Captain ordered. "I'll put mine on and go find Misato. We've gotta' haul ass and get out of here."
"Got it, princess," Mari replied with a thumbs-up.
Soon the two girls headed their separate ways off into the forest after donning and equipping their Special Operations Type Powered Armour Units, coated in the same blue colour of WILLE to signify their allegiance. As they walked through the forest, utilizing their systems' scanners to detect any human presence or activity of any kind, they both begun to feel increasingly uneasy. They had the feeling of somebody or something might be watching them. Both girls traversed the forest for what seemed to be close to an hour. With no luck, Aska radioed Mari to meet her back at the camp. The imposing height of the trees, the dead silence of the forest, the clear night sky, it did well to keep Shikinami on edge. Even for someone who put up an exterior as fearless as her own, she grew increasingly fearful of her surroundings. As she arrives at the area where everyone set up camp, what she saw scared her shitless, and she knew she had to find everyone and leave. The wood that was stacked forming the campfire was gone, their camping supplies and backpacks as well. All that was seen as a clearing in the middle of a silent forest.
"Pick up, Four Eyes, pick up. We're being stalked by an unknown entity." Shikianmi quietly demanded as she tried to radio her second-in-command, only being met with static.
Suddenly, a silent rustle could be heard from the bushes and trees behind Shikinami. The young Captain pulled out her handgun, aiming it at the source of the noise. She then pulled out a flashlight, shining a light in the same position to get a better visual. As she moved the light up higher, it shined on an individual wearing green-clad armour not dissimilar from her own but featuring a more muscular build, standing on one of the tree branches. She was startled as she quickly stepped back. As she slowly shined the light in the same area again, the figure was no longer there. The young Captain was starting to think she was losing her mind, but that was clearly not the case. Suddenly she saw the same figure out the corner of her eye, standing behind her. She quickly pulled her curved dual-bladed halberd, strapped to her back, aiming it at the figure as she got into a fighting stance.
"What the hell do you want with us you freak?!" The Captian angrily demanded, but to no avail.
Suddenly, a double-handled katana like a sword with a pulsating red blade morphed in the figure's right hand, while a curved dagger with another pulsating red blade morphed in the figure's left hand. Thinking the mysterious individual wanted a fight, Shikinami bolted forward, aiming her dual-blades halberd for the individual's chest. Without warning, the green-armoured individual blended backwards, dodging the strike. It soon maneuvered to Shikinami's backside, slashing its sword across Shikinami's back taking out her unit's propulsion system and causing sparks to sprinkle across the ground as electricity sparked from the crack. Angered at being bested so easily, Shikinami tried to strike the being's head, but not before it could block with it's pulsating red sword. As Shikinami tried to push one of her halberd's blades through the individual's skull, if they had one that is, she suddenly saw the armoured being pivot itself behind her as they slashed her right hip with their dagger. A trail of blood sprayed on to the ground as Shikinami clutched in pain, placing her left hand over the wound to slow the bleeding. Soon, the mysterious being grabbed them by the neck with just one hand, holding her off the ground, like a dangling piece of frozen meat. As the being prepared to deliver the finishing blow, the being was electrocuted, as it jolted and fell on to its arms and knees. Behind them stood Mari in a battered, dented, and blast stained unit, it's vibrant pink obscured from the wounds of its own battle, holding a specialized handgun loaded with EMP bullets.
"Four-Eyes, what the hell happened to you?!" Aska frantically asked.
"Oh nothing Princess," Mari casually explained. "...I just finished off dealing with another one of those armoured beings. I think they might be from NERV."
"I don't think so Four Eyes," Aska explained. "The one I faced just dogged my attacks than struck me before I could move, and I only know one other person who is capable of using a Powered Armour Unit like that. Then again I could be wrong and this is a new type of freak from NERV."
Without warning, however, the mysterious being quickly sprang back up on to their feet and charged with their dagger towards Shikinami, but not before she grabbed her dual-bladed halberd and swung across the individual's head. As the mask flew off, as a result, long black hair with silver streaks, going as low as the waist unfurled as the being slowly turned its face over to Shikinami and Makinami. The being slowly turned their head to reveal themself as Shinji Ikari, but his eyes' irises glowed a vibrant crimson as he gritted his serrated teeth, streams of blood trickling down the sides of his mouth. Aska and Mari looked both in shock and horror, they had never seen Shinji like this, a being resembling that of a bloodthirsty, feral, human. They didn't have long to take in the sight however as they saw Shinji's arm, sparkling with electric currents, knock them both out cold.