"The Plugsuit is basically your communication, life support, monitoring and telemetry array we use while you are inserted into the Evangelion via the Entry Plug. Hence the name, Plugsuit."
Looking behind him to make sure he does not have a visible ass crack, Shinji nods as Makato continues the introduction.
"Your right hand has, on the back of it, controls for the visual array and volume. The suit feeds the visual data from Central Dogma and the other Entry Plugs into a hologram display focused on your peripheral vision."
Shinji taps the buttons, a panning view of the large control center for NERV appearing.
"Your left hand has bioreadout and emergency controls, such as manual injection of painkillers and adrenaline."
"Wait…how can I be hurt in the EVA?"
"It's called sympathetic pain. You're mentally connected to the EVA and feel what it feels."
Shinji looks down, seeing the two lumps on his white plug suit, and chalks that up to the fact that the other two pilots are girls.
"So…this is a new Angel?"
"We're calling it Shamsiel. It's labeled as the Fourth Angel."
The doors open, Shinji following him out.
"However, Unit 02's fixed. You're backup, so keep a feed with the outside cameras, and watch how Asuka works."
The massive form of the Fourth Angel hovers over the landscape, gliding and leaving a shadow that can cover cityscapes. Its form, alien to everyone who sees it, has no apparent eyes, ears, or other sensory organs. However, as the ground parts and two railings spike up, crackling with electricity, it turns.
With a rush of air and cry of sirens, Unit 02 rises, the red and green Evangelion released from its restraints and popping one of the shoulder strips to grab a massive knife.
"Hi there," Asuka's voice booms from the speakers on the Eva's grill, "Welcome to Earth. I'm here to hit you!"
The Eva leaps, digging both feet into the Angel's midsection as she brings the knife back for a stabbing blow at the red core. This plan, however, did not count on two energy tentacles grabbing the Eva and then slamming it head first into the ground.
The doors open to the top level of Central Dogma, and Commander Sohryu walks in, glaring at the video feed of the battle as if he could change it by force of will. He rubs the bridge of his nose, walking up to his seat at the top of the bridge, and sits down as Kozou walks over.
"She's getting her ass kicked," Sohryu says.
"It is possible we spent so much time dealing with the Third Angel we did adequately prepare for the Fourth."
Sohryu glares at him, and sighs. As much as it infuriates him, Fuyutsuki has a disturbing tendency of being right about these things. Calling up a screen showing the current standing resources, he strokes his chin, grimacing as he takes in the whole picture.
"Unit 00?"
"Still another week until it's fully repaired. I did put in the request for Unit 04, but that will take some time."
"Crap. Change of plans, then. Sortie Unit 01."
Inside the Plug, strapped into the chair to keep from free floating in the blood-like liquid, Shinji raises an eyebrow as he sees the red Eva flip back up and land a flying kick in the Angel's face.
Or whatever it is that's at the top of the body. Either way, the Angel stumbles back and Asuka swings the knife to the core…and bounces off the field, which then pulses and sends her flying back.
Out of the corner of his eye, Shinji sees Misato's face appear.
"Shinji, Asuka needs backup. Get ready for activation procedures and prepare for sortie."
"Okay," Shinji squeaks.
He grips the controls, knuckles turning white at the prospect of fighting another one of those…things. Centering his mind, or trying at least, he closes his eyes. Something pulls at the back of his mind, a comforting presence.
The plug lights up, and his mind expands. Willing his head to turn, he sees a massive hangar instead of the compact cockpit.
"Unit 01 activated," Lieutenant Ibuki's voice announces, "Commencing arming procedures and activating lifts."
A handgun the size of a small truck clamps itself in the Eva's hand. Making a mental checklist, options appear in his field of vision.
Progressive Knife, check.
Defensive screens, check.
Full mobility, check.
System response at 100%.
Synchronization holding at 43%
The plates above him open. He thinks, 'look up,' and he sees the path to the surface and the homicidal monster.
Great, is the last thought to go through his head, before Misato's announcement, and the Eva speeds up to the surface.
The ground above them rumbles, and Touji once again wonders if his function in his friendship is making sure his buddy doesn't get killed. This is one such example. Following his humiliation, the two snuck off from the shelter to watch the fight, but ended up here.
A cave opened up due to impact, and Kensuke felt like exploring.
"This is weird. This cave has been excavated, but no one's been inside here for years, maybe decades. Maybe even centuries."
"Uh-huh. Giant monster fighting above ground? Doesn't that, ya know, concern ya?"
"Yeah, yeah. This is a real find."
Kensuke shines his flashlight into the cave, squinting his eyes as he takes a step forward…
And freezes when the light reflects off of something. It is black, not like an onyx but like it absorbs the light and radiates it. It pulses in the light, the cavern seeming to bend inward towards it.
"Okay, that's new," Touji says, grabbing his friend's shoulder, "Let's go. Let's tell someone but let's-"
The cavern shakes. The object glows. And in their minds, in the back of their heads, a single voice shouts,
"DO YOU WANT THE POWER?"
In the corner of Asuka's eye, a video screen folds out. Given, she has trained herself to divide her attention, but doing so in a simulator and doing so when an Eldritch Abomination is trying to kill her are two different things.
"Asuka, Unit 01 is on sortie. What's your situation?"
"I'm great. I'm fine. How are you doing?"
Misato glares at her, pursing her lips, as Asuka's eyes go wide when something on the Angel's eyes glow, and she wills Unit 02 to dodge a blast of energy which rips up the ground where she was.
It's not supposed to do that, she thinks, Unit 02 rising from a crouch, leaping and landing a kick to the Angel's face. Of course, to her, it doing something unexpected has little impact on how she approaches the situation.
It just means she'll have to hit it harder.
"I think we need to draw the attention of the Angel away from the Eva," Kozou says.
Sohryu nods, clicking a button on his console.
"Aoba," he calls out, "Arm up the artillery defenses. Get that ugly son of a bitch interested in us."
Blast after blast fires from Shamsiel's head, ripping up the ground as Unit 02 dodges, rolls, and maneuvers itself towards where the pilot knows weaponry is waiting. She needs a gun, because the Happy Tentacle Monster is playing keep away.
Salvation comes in an artillery barrage to the face, staggering the Angel as it turns to the turreted Howitzer guns that were installed on the nearby mountainside.
"If there's anything that can't be solved by heavy artillery, I don't want to know what it is."
Sohryu looks up as Kozou clears his throat.
"A suggestion, Pieter," he says, "Perhaps we're simply too used to the Third Angel."
"Possibly," Sohryu responds, watching as the Eva uses the opportunity to pound the Angel in the face, "If what we think is true, all of them will have extremely varied capabilities."
His eyes narrow as his cell phone chirps. He looks at the name, grunts, and opens it.
"Yes?"
"An artifact has appeared," the voice on the other end says, "I am going to intercept. It may be dangerous."
"Understood. You have five minutes."
He stands up, clapping his hands together and causing the bridge to turn to him.
"Code White. Scramble the alarm system."
All throughout Tokyo, the sensors which register the existence of AT fields go silent. A contingency put in place that allows for some more…unorthodox missions is put into effect.
And as the artifact deep in the cave glows and a beam of red light lances out and strikes Kensuke Aida on the forehead while throwing Touji back, there is a sound like a whine…
Rock pulverizes as the arrival drops through it, eyes glowing red as a blur movies between Aida and the artifact. A hexagonal field manifests, cutting off the beam, before collapsing into a ball in her hand and blasting the artifact, wall, and sending a tremor through the ground as the thing is no more.
Liquid fire pumping through her veins, the steady hum of her S2 organ filling her ears like symphony, Rei turns to the two of them. Kensuke has collapsed, and Touji is staring at her wide eyed.
"Come with me," she says, "If you want to live."
Commander's Log: After Action Report
Subject: Angel #4, Shamsiel
It may be time to revise our understanding of the Angels. In addition to Sachiel's frequent disappearing acts, Shamsiel apparently has a sense of humor, prompting it to use its energy tendrils to beat Unit 02 with Unit 01 when the opportunity arose.
Recovery crews stare at the sight, the foreman scratching his head in disbelief. The sun is setting, the birds are chirping, and the Fourth Angel is nailed to the ground by a cell phone tower.
They did manage to pull it together. Asuka nullified the AT field, and Shinji improvised a cell tower as a spear. Some work is needed on the Progressive Knives.
On another note, Rei's actions against a newly found Artifact of Unexplained Origin (AUO) has accelerated her healing, and she will be fit for duty within three days. This has allowed NERV to accelerate plans, and in three days Dr. Ikari, along with Captain Katsuragi, Shinji, and Asuka will rendezvous with the Fourth Child.
On the monitor built into his desk, Sohryu takes a moment out of tapping on his keyboard to view the camera feed. Katsuragi is ruffling Shinji's hair, congratulating him on his success. The boy is visibly uncomfortable with the praise but smiles anyway.
Due to the different nature of Shamsiel, it is to be expected that further Angels will also have radically different capabilities. To that extent, Dr. Ikari and Dr. Akagi have accelerated development of the F-Type equipment.
We have yet to see what to expect from further Angels, so we must be prepared.
In the empty apartment, the fish tank is down one occupant. Sighing, the female hand reaches in, tenderly cupping the fish as it looks expectantly up.
"Okay, then," she says, "You'll go next."
I will, without any hesitation, praise Asuka's abilities. She directed Shinji in combat and has demonstrated her ability in the field. Shinji has also shown great potential in piloting Unit 01. With the addition of the Fourth Child and Rei's return to combat status, Tokyo 3 and the Geofront will be in a strong position to defend itself against Angel attacks.
Sohryu looks up as the doors to his office open, and Asuka walks in. She walks over to his desk, kisses him on the cheek, and retrieves a card from his draw, walking into the side elevator and sliding the card into a slot.
It is primarily due to her relationship with Rei that Asuka has developed along the path that she did. The Committee's decision to appoint myself as head of NERV and to give me custody of Rei Ayanami has not been in error.
Despite the fact that both have been training how to pilot an Eva since childhood, neither of them display the arrogance or egotism such a position would in all honesty afford them. Most likely, this has its roots in the event that caused them to become friends, as well as caused me to reassess my own admittedly misaimed priorities.
The elevator doors open, and Asuka steps out into the white, sterile ward. Silently, she walks over to the chair by the bed, sitting in it. As always, the occupant of the bed does not respond.
"So," Asuka says, "Want to hear about my day?"
Which would be when Rei prevented my wife's suicide.