Neon Genesis Evangelion, the End of Evangelion, and the Rebuild of Evangelion are owned by Hideaki Anno and written by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. I own no elements from the original Manga, TV show, or Rebuild and EOE films but my OC's.
That said, Please Enjoy The Show!
Talking-"Hello"
Radio/EVA Voice-"Hello"
Thoughts-Hello
VEELE/Clones-"Hello"
A.I-"Hello"
Chapter 2: Wake Up Call
"I've missed you…. Brother….."
Shinji awoke for the first time in a long time with a gasp and jolt, bumping his head hard. "Ach!" He cried out, trying to pull his arm up. He felt cold metal around his wrists, glancing to his side to see "Unfamiliar ceiling again… Wait… Table cuffs….? What the….?"
He looked forward to see a glass screen before him, barely able to make out a far ceiling in the red chamber.
After what felt like hours he found himself on a surgery gurney, hands cuffed to the metal table with a holographic like screen above his head. "Cardiopulmonary function is normal," a female voice spoke out, teenage much to Shinji's slight dismay. He'd been hoping for an adult to speak up in the-what he assumed to be-elevator, explain just what the hell was going on and why there were guards pointing guard as him. "No palsy of extremities are discernible. Yes, he's opened his eyes."
A face came up before him, looking down at his slightly confused look. The face was young and a female at that, though she felt very familiar to look at. She also wore a hat by the looks of it, but he didn't look to see the symbol on it as she continued. "Do you understand what I'm saying?" she asked, coming away as he followed her with his eyes.
He raised an eyebrow, before finally looking around. "Um, where am I if I may ask?" Shinji blinked, not realizing his voice for a moment. It sounded deeper…. More mature, more…. "I sound… Older?"
"Good, he's able to talk." The girl stated, a hand to an earpiece he couldn't make out from under her hand. "Consciousness has returned to BM-03."
"W-Where am I?" He asked with slight confusion, blinking as slight memories came back. The Geo-Front exposed, the Tenth Angel destroying Null Unit and Unit-02, Unit-01 trying to fight it, and then him and Rei floating in an Entry Plug …. "Wasn't I just in Unit-01 with...Rei?"
"Yes, ma'am. His memories seem to be returning." The girl stated, looking to him with a concerned look.
"W-Where's Rei…?" He asked, though the girl nor did the troops reply as she looked back to his face.
"Tell me, do you know who this person is?" Her face vanished as Shinji's face appeared, and he recoiled fast enough to his head on the metal.
"Ow! That hurt…." He groaned, blinking before he looked back to his reflection. "Is that… Me? Jesus I look… Huh, I look the same?"
Nothing seemed to have changed drastically aside from Shinji's hair, which was slightly longer, ending just below his shoulders. Though his face and voice was the same, the same Child that'd fought with NERV. "He can recognize himself. No apparent problem, ma'am." She continued, the reflection vanishing.
"What… The hell is that thing on my neck?" He'd managed to get a glance of whatever it was around his neck, it appeared to be a collar with a red square in the center with a black line going through it. "I… Didn't know the army was enlisting that sort of stuff into the military attire now…"
The girl gave a slight giggle before pushing it away, mostly due to the troops glaring to her. "Do you have to urinate? Or are you hungry?" She asked, though Shinji seemed to have little say in even that at the moment.
"U-Um, no. No miss, I do not…." He replied, sighing as he felt the elevator they rode stop. "I'm guessing we've arrived somewhere important….?"
Command deck, unknown location
He got his answer once they'd rolled him to a door which rushed open. Before sat a plethora of wire connecting from the ceiling to whatever was in front of them. At the far end were several large red openings in the shape of circles.
"Delivery clearance is up to 86%."
"Maintain N2 Reactor power generation to 90%..."
"No NEVEC or NERV cruisers defected within the twelve hundred radius."
"Open the pressure valves manually…."
"No flying objects discernible."
"Don't worry about the condenser…."
"Prioritize the Black D battleships to transferring personnel."
"We need more people to bring up the rations!"
"….Hurry it up then!"
"Checking the gyro compasses of ships 3 & 5."
"Gauge is inaccurate. Requesting calibration."
"Outfitting all ships. Checking the road-map."
"Armament work is at 3% behind schedule."
"Ma'am, we've brought Specimen BM-03!" The girl stated, the gurney Shinji rested on stopping next to a high command platform surrounded by metal railings. On the platform stood alone figure with another by a machine on the other side, feminine from the phrase "ma'am" which had been thrown around by the girl. She wore a red jacket like attire with black pants, and a red captain like cap to finish it off.
"Excellent," the woman stated, the familiar emotionless tone Shinji had grown familiar with edged into her voice. "Release him. The rest of you may all go."
Immediately the large cuff holders on the gurney unlocked, the troops slowly walking away as Shinji rose up with a groan.
"Recheck all ship steering equipment. No problems noticeable." Shinji blinked, looking around. That voice, he thought to himself. Is that… Makoto Hyuga? He didn't feel like notice it at first, but he slowly began to realize everything went silent aside from the radio buzzing as everyone stared silently.
More specifically at him. "Oh, God…. I'm going to get jumped…." He whispered to himself, looking around before up to the-what he assumed- captain or commander. "Wait…. Is that…. Misato?"
"Shinji Ikari." Shinji blinked at the voice; it was definitely Misato. Something was off though, she sounded more like his father, like some sort of robot rather than herself. "Can I call him that?"
"I suppose." Another voice came familiar to him, he found it to be Ritsuko Akagi's, NERV's Project Evangelion overseer. "His physiological data matches the Code 03 Boy. His dental profile and body compositions are 100% identical to the Near-Third Impact incident."
"Though the results of his Deep Level Synchronization tests are currently being analyzed." Captain Katsuragi clanked to her side, looking down at 'Shinji.' She didn't want to say it anymore, the words she'd held onto so long ago then. Or better yet, she didn't feel the need to. Not after the other incidents….
"And the DSS Choker on his neck?" She asked her friend/second-in-command.
"Already installed on him, Captain Katsuragi." Ritsuko finally turned to face her friend, her hair no longer spread out or long as it was cut short, though she still kept her makeup and ear pieces.
"Captain Katsuragi? I could have sworn you were a Colonel….?" He whispered, before it finally dawned on him. "You really are Misato Katsuragi…."
A sudden beep caught his attention from his neck, making him blink with worry and touch his collar piece. Ritsuko now held a device similar to a revolver grip and trigger, though it didn't have a gun barrel and had a red sphere at the back. She looked to the circular end point on the grip, which created a hologram that was too far for Shinji to make out. "It's functioning at full power, and I've had it set to your personal pass code, Capt."
"Alright." Cap. Katsuragi took the trigger from Ritsuko, looking down at it with a glare under her visor like sunglasses. Once more, you old tool she thought to herself. Another few years, another twisted reflection of our past failures.
"The hell is this thing?" Shinji asked slightly louder, tugging at his collar piece, or the 'DSS Choker' as Ritsuko and Misato dubbed it. "Damn it, come off!"
Definitely Shinji, Misato thought once more with a barely noticeable pint of humor. None of the others cursed like him. Stupid fucking goody-two shoes clones….
"T-There is no way to take it off." The girl explained, looking up with affect. "Or rather, there's no way we'll take it off."
"We're done here, with him." Cap. Katsuragi stated, turning around and back to the bridge like set up. "Take him up to quarantine."
The familiar red hexagon warning and holographic images came up at the front. "Decoys-01 and 05 have been obliterated." Another voice, Shigeru Aoba in particular, spoke up from one of the seats. "Wavelength has been detected!"
"Huh, what's this?" Another voice spoke up, this one new. It came from another female technician, with pink hair who sounded like she just started working at NERV.
"Akrid?" Cap. Katsuragi raised her head up slightly, slight fear at the tip of her tongue.
"Negative on that Captain, it's a Pattern Blue!" Makoto yelled out, glaring down to the technician. He sighed, looking back to his superior. "Targets have been identified; Nemesis Series, Cap!"
"Damn, they're here." Cap. Katsuragi responded not in fear, but rather annoyance.
"They're attacks are three-dimensional!"
"Targets are identified as Mark.04-C's, ma'am." Ritsuko stated, looking to her superior. "They want to lock us here. But we can't leave just yet-"
"Stop working on everything but the main engine." Cap. Katsuragi interrupted, crossing her arms as she studied the situation before them. "All ships, Battle Station Level 2! Target all Nemesis Series!"
"Roger." Another screen came up, this time a hexagon longer, as it read: All Stations: CONDITION II. "All ships, the Battle Stations 2. Prepare for aerial, sea or underwater assault and confrontation!"
"Abandon all transfer of supplies." Shigeru pulled up a phone, throwing in orders at the person on the opposite side. "Yes, prioritize transfer of personnel!"
Northern epicenter, Arctic Circle
"All ships abandon supply transfer and prioritize personnel transfer!" Across the freezing Arctic, a large fleet of naval warships sat around a larger vessel in the red sea. The vessel was huge, dwarfing even the Naval Aircraft-Carrier Over the Rainbow.
It was red, wither several large with three parabolic dishes on the top. Across its worm were several large stations with large cranes, moving parts and pieces all around the form of its hull.
"Continue work on the main engine!"
"I repeat, prepare for aerial, sea or underwater assault and confrontation!" Makoto's voice repeated, alarms now blaring as ships began readying their cannons. "Prepare for long-range cannon ray assault!"
"Confirm the opening state of all power supply lines." Helicopters rushed into the air, with large crates and machines being pulled fast through the blizzard. "All aircraft, leave current airspace now! Head to meeting Point 02 with all haste."
"Abandon all remaining cargo! Personnel transfer is now top priority!"
"Continue ship outfitting!"
"Keep working, even to the last second!"
"All those who can help the power lines, assemble at the utility boat immediately!"
"All cannon towers, prepare for assault." Without haste, Navy destroyer cannons rushed to turn, aiming high and trigger fearful at the attack. "Activate all remote control linkage systems. Be ready for any surprise attacks!""
"Keep working on the injection for the main engine transfer system." A technician ordered, moving on the control console he stood at.
"Hurry!"
"Understood, N2 Reactor is now functioning at 99% output!"
"Working on injection!"
"Now opening 1st 90 valves."
"Lower power pipes now connected!" On the Over the Rainbow carrier, hundreds of large power cables ran off the deck and onto the large vessel, warm with power as more orders were yelled out. "No irregularities in 3rd or 4th Hub Stations to port!"
"Roger, opening all 1st 90 valves."
"Beginning energy supply."
"Power supply to N2 Reactor now going smoothly."
"Inspecting LCL Circulation Pumps." Deep in the vessel, the familiar Unit-08 laid in a bath of red LCL with large machine and pipes around it. "Checking all filtering systems."
"All right, Battle Stations everyone!" Another familiar voice, specifically Maya Ibuki, spoke up with pure authority as she and others stared outside. "Take positions immediately! You there, move it now!"
"No dice, it isn't working Chief!"
"This is what we get for having a motley crew with civilians working." Another technician groaned, making Maya turn with a glare.
"That's no excuse! Back to work!" She barked, glaring with hands to her hips. A lot had changed, and she did not plan to be the same sly little girl she was back at NERV since then. She tsked, glaring away with a snarl. "This is why I hate newbies, especially younger men…."
Jesus, these people are doing horrible with planning this, Shinji thought with sadness as he watched people work with manuals. "Let's see," another technician spoke up, looking from his screen back to the manual fast. "Stop the outfitting here…. Start closure of barrier walls…. Is this is?"
"Watch the skies carefully," The pink haired technician spoke to herself, much to Shinji and Shigeru's unknowing concern. "And here's sonar direction…."
"Kitakami!" the Ex-NERV technician called out, glaring to the newbie in front of him. "What's upper decks status?"
"Wait, I'm in charge of that?" Midori Kitakami asked, looking up at the frustrated glare of Shigeru.
"Yes, you dummy! We all have double jobs!" Ritsuko couldn't help but sigh silently. Oh how much she missed the organized and perfect command structure of NERV technicians, now she had to deal with complaints and the many groans everywhere she went.
"Seriously?"
Shinji groaned. "Jesus, NERV let itself go bad…." He muttered silently, looking to the girl from earlier as she looked under a flight of stairs. He pondered on who she was, and just why she felt so familiar to him. He also wondered where he was, and if NERV was still fighting the Angels since then. It they are, they're doing a piss poor job then….
"You know it's dangerous to be standing while we move. You should stay here." She exclaimed, point to the area as more radio voices came up.
"AA cannons and guided missiles ready on all cruisers and ships!"
"I hate to say it but there's so much tension around the bridge during Battle Stations!" The girl exclaimed cracking her back as she looked up to the Captain.
"Good," Cap. Katsuragi replied, watching the holographic video link the battle showed. "Link all AA systems together. Protecting EVA Unit-01 is our top priority."
"U-Unit-01?" Shinji blinked with surprise, shocked to hear the familiar call sign of his Evangelion. If it's here then Rei is definitely here! He thought silently before he was pulled out of his thoughts.
"They're here!" Kitakami called out, her radar screen flashing with multiple targets enclosing the area. "Pillars of Light from targets confirmed! Numbers are increasing!"
"Identification of target Core blocks are impossible!"
"Must be hiding in a cloaking cocoon." Ritsuko thought aloud. "That is a problem, at this rate we'll be sitting ducks in the saturation attack."
"600 seconds till contact!"
"Captain Katsuragi, I advise we spread the fleet out immediately." Ritsuko continued, looking to her superior once more, who simply stared forward in silence. "We have insufficient and unskilled personnel, and our ship is still in the process of being outfit for flight. Worst of all, we're unable to identify the targets Core blocks. Our chances of victory in a sense are 00.00%."
"We have no choice but to retreat, Captain!" Ritsuko finally exclaimed, hoping to get a raise from her friend. She got nothing, just the silence which reminded her so much of the bastard Gendo Ikari.
Cap. Katsuragi finally looked slightly up, glaring under her shades. "All the more reason to change the situation and get rid of all anxieties in the future." She reasoned. "From this point on we're flying, Vice-Captain."
"Flying?!" Ritsuko blinked, before realizing just what Misato meant. "You aren't serious about using the main engine?!"
"All cruisers and stations, prepare for launch!" Cap. Katsuragi ignored her Vice-Captains exclaim of fear, glaring forward with the order. "Prepare to ignite the main engine!"
"What?!" Everyone turned with fear to the Captain. Never had they tried to use the main engine, not even during the MB-01 and 02 incidents. No the Captain wanted to use it, even with the risk of killing every one of them?!
"That's insane, we can't use this ship in battle Captain!" Ritsuko tried to reason, fearful of her friend's insane idea.
"I agree!" Another technician cried out, looking up to the emotionless commander of their force. To use the engine was suicide, even with complete power and a powerful energy supply. "We haven't performed a single test flight let alone a VR simulation of one, it's too dangerous!"
"And I have no experience in Gravity control." Another cried out, looking up with fear. "I don't think I can do it!"
"I-I'd rather not fight a battle we'll lose!" Kitakami retorted. "I don't' want to die in a fight we'll lose!"
"Oh you'll die when the time comes, it's that simple!" Another technician growled out, looking to his pink haired companion behind himself. "You younglings really need to stop complaining so damn much…."
"Excuse me, but aren't you a bit too old to say that?!" Kitakami snapped, glaring at the man who returned the glare nervously. The last thing they needed was a fight at a time like this. "Shouldn't you be watching out for yourself?"
Tension rose more and more, the older fighting with the old. But this was not the place or time, especially with others outside in the fight! They needed to act, not fight anymore! This is getting us nowhere, Katsuragi thought to herself.
"Yes, I admit it is insane." Cap. Katsuragi finally stated, fixing her hair slightly as she continued. "But we aren't going to fight! We'll simply use our ships to bait the enemy targets out!"
"The power to kill God, huh?" Ritsuko asked, sighing before looking back to the control console. "I'll see what I can do. But I should remind you the ignition systems haven't been installed. That is…. Unless you plan to use EVA?!"
Katsuragi didn't reply, but she did take up a radio and spoke with haste. "Mari?"
"Unit-08 isn't ready yet!" Came the reply. Oh great, she's here Shinji thought with a shiver. I really need to ask her about being connected to my family. Maybe she knows something I-
"And Asuka?"
"Asuka?" Shinji blinked, looking up sharply at Katsuragi when she said the name. "Sh-She's here too?!"
"I'm already on it!" came the answer, the familiar voice of the Second Child rushing to Shinji's ears. He felt time freeze and his heart stopped. "I just have to fix the igniter into the engine right?"
"Yeah, I'm counting on you." The Captain encouraged, before she continued. "But you should know there is a barrier density situation around the engine."
"And no one's working on that right now?"
"The Captain adopts the "Prioritize objective over human lives" motto if I recall." Ritsuko called out, though she could feel Katsuragi's glare from the side.
"Fine whatever, I'll go in and out. Simple!" Asuka called out, her EVA slowly humming back to life over the radio. "EVA Unit-02 Dash, launch!"
"Launch the Unit-02 Dash!" Cap. Katsuragi ordered.
"Understood, launching Evangelion Unit-02 Dash. Deploying underwater motor and left Container No.01."
"Man, this new makeover is crap for my Unit's debut." Shinji couldn't but smile at that; definitely Asuka. No one cared more about their EVA then her. Walking towards one of the many windows, Shinji looked out in time to see Unit-02 Dash pass by him. Its left arm was a large motor like cell, pulling the EVA as it moved faster with its feet.
"It IS Asuka, so she really is alive!" Shinji smiled happily. Never did he think she's survive the Bardiel/Unit-03/Unit-04/VEELE incident. He only prayed she was still the same bother mentally and physically wise. He did not want to see Asuka with robotic parts and arms and legs like…. "Shiro…."
Shinji's eye widened as he recalled the memory of Null Unit exploding as Tenth Angel destroyed it. He felt his heart grow fast and his eye water slightly, feeling dread at the memory and thought of his brother being dead. "N-No…. No, don't think that…." He told himself, placing a hand over his eye with fear. "He can't de dead, he just can't be…."
He felt everything crash inside, but he forced himself out of that before it was worse. If anything, Shiro would want me to help these people in any way possible he thought, looking up to Misato's platform. Maybe I can… "Misato, what can I do to help?"
"All ships, prepare for Battle Stations 01!" the Captain ordered, the lighting in the room going red as her platform raised two large grips on either side of her.
"Roger, all ships to Battle One Stations." Makoto stated, fixing his glasses as he continued. "Shifting all control to battle command systems."
"Good; all key personnel report to the bridge. Prepare the gravity ballast."
"Roger," A technician began working on the systems, pulling and pushing certain button and levers as she continued to report. "Checking all vents."
"Focus all primary controls of the ship to anchoring plug."
"Understood, preparing the decent.
"Injector confirmed."
"Starting the timer. Preparing move for Hirnstamm Tower."
Shinji finally sighed, glaring up to Misato who seemed to think he was invisible. "You're going to make me yell huh? Didn't want to do this, but now I have to yell…" he uttered, before he finally raised his voice. "Misato! Unit-01 is here right? Please, let me pilot it! I can at least assist Asuka outside!"
Cap. Katsuragi didn't reply, she simply kept to herself as usual. It should have been as clear as daylight that she had no intention of letting Shinji near an EVA, but he could at least try and reason with her. He didn't notice the glares or silence from the other crew, or the girl from earlier hand tighten into a fist. "Please at least tell me you don't need me to go out there?!" he tried again; no response. At least, not to him.
"Ready the Plug-In charge."
"Roger, Plug-In charge now ready."
"Preparing entry…."
"Yes, that is correct." Ritsuko finally spoke out, looking to Shinji with barely little emotion in her eyes. "We don't need you to pilot EVA."
Shinji flinched at that. Never, in all his life at NERV, fighting Angels and occasionally going crazy with drinks alongside Rei, Asuka and Shiro, all the while fighting with his father about the truth regarding his mother's death did he ever think he'd here those words.
To him it was a blessing at first glance, yet now that he heard her say that it made him feel badly uneasy. It was like he'd just got what he wanted and lost something he either wanted or needed.
"Separating Hirnstamm Tower." A voice called out, and soon the command system like control and crew were lifted off the ground. "Command Center now being transported to bridge."
"No… Need…." Shinji repeating, once more feeling a new sense of dread at the remark. It didn't come off as a good tone with Ritsuko, no more like a disapproving or annoyed one. "So then…. What can or… What should I do?"
"Shinji Ikari," Katsuragi stated aloud, taking off her glasses to reveal a darkly familiar emotionless glare. Shinji blinked, the dark memory of his father glaring down from above Unit-01's Cage flashing before him as Misato spoke with pure malice and hate laced in her voice. "From now on, you will no longer do anything."
And with that, the command system and crew were enclosed into a sphere like piece, spinning upwards into the ceiling like that of an EVA Entry Plug. "I…." Shinji was at loss for words; he never thought Misato would be so… so… harsh.
