"Talking"

'Thinking'

Flashback

Chapter 19: Preparing for the worst

Toji, Kensuke, and I were all walking back from a synch test. Shinji and Kaworu were still being as mysterious as ever and Asuka and Mari went off on their own. Normally I would've went with them but Mari decided against it. Despite us being on the same side now Asuka still seemed ticked at me, not only for confronting her about her past but now she also seems to hate me for keeping all that information a secret from her.

I thought she was being totally unreasonable, I mean would you provide information pertaining to the fate of the world to someone as egotistical as her. She could've went off and tried to save the world by herself for the sheer glory of it possibly fucking something up in the process. I wasn't willing to take that chance.

My thoughts are interrupted by a familar yell.

"This is awesome!" Kensuke yells. "For God's sake would ya stop saying that?" Toji retorts, tired of having his friend ranting and raving about how cool piloting an Eva will be. I was slighty less estatic to put it lightly. "Piloting an Evangelion isn't all fun and games you know, you have your teammates counting on you." I think back to the battle with Ramiel where I had learned that very lesson.

"REI! RESPOND DAMNIT!"

I turn around to face him. "Are you prepared to put your life on the line for not only them but the fate of the world as well? If not then you might as well not even attempt to pilot Eva." this might seem harsh to some but you have to understand I'm just looking out for him, getting in Unit 04 is a death wish what with bardiel most likely hijacking it. Maybe just maybe I could get him to rethink being a pilot.

"Look with how powerful the angels are you'll need all the help you can get, whether you like it or not." Kensuke responds. "What we need is a pilot who understands the stakes, not someone who wants to pilot Eva because it looks cool."

Toji leans over and whispers something to Kensuke I couldn't hear what he said but I could hear Kensuke's response "Your guess is as good as mine." Damnit! He's not even thinking twice about piloting the Eva, time to go with a new strategy. "I forgot something back at headquarters, I'll catch up to you guys in a little bit." I announce as I run off.

Nerv HQ (Misato's Pov)

Ugh, I hate it when we get a new pilot, so much paperwork. At least that's what usually happens anyway but the seventh child, Kaworu Nagisa is almost a complete mystery. There's no paperwork other than his name, just like Rei, and just like Brandyn for that matter. The higher ups must be insane, letting these mysterious kids pilot our mechanized death robots.

"Misato!" the call for my name breaks me out of my trance. I turn around and see Brandyn standing there. "Oh, what are you doing back here? Forget something?" I ask. "Let me pilot unit 03." he says cutting right to the chase. "You know I can't do that, the decision has already been made." I reply. He seems devastated, maybe even desperate.

"Why are you asking anyway? If you think the others won't respect you as much because you're not currently piloting I can assure you that they're not like that. Well except maybe Asuka but you know her." I try to reassure him. "That's not what this is about!" he yells. "Well then what is it about?" I question, curious about his reason for coming here. "I'm sorry-I can't...just forget about it." he fumbles for his words. Before I can say anything else he runs off.

"Don't you think you should go talk to him?" Ritsuko's voice surprises me. I turn around and see her standing in the door frame. "Oh Ritsuko when did you get here?" I say surprised. "Long enough." she replies. "Oh, well anyway something tells me that whatever he's upset about is going to be fixed just by talking about it." I reply to her earlier question.

(Brandyn's POV)

'Damnit. Damnit! DAMNIT!' I repeat over and over in my head. Kensuke's going to die and I can't do a damn thing to stop it. I keep running, letting my legs carry me where ever. Soon enough I lost track of time, just running, jogging, walking, whatever I could do, I wouldn't let myself stop.

After a while I take a look around, I'm in the middle of town and it's night out. I should probably go back to the house. No, I couldn't, not now not as a failure. Kensuke's going to die tommorow because I couldn't stop it. I yawn, it was just now that I realize how badly my legs needed a rest. I decide to sit underneath a building, I'll just rest my eyes for a minute.

I snap my eyes open, it was still dark so I couldn't of been out for too long. I stand up and look around. Abandoned, just like I expected but something doesn't feel quite right. Suddenly I hear yelling in the distance "What the hell are you doing Dad?!" is that Shinji? The yelling seemed to come from up above so I move my eyes upward and see Unit 01 tearing Unit 03 apart just like in the series. I barely contain my instinct to puke.

I stand there, knowing there I was nothing I could do to stop the battle between the giants. Once the damage was done Unit 03's body starts to morph and change. Is that...Kensuke?! Suddenly I fall to my knees in shock. Unit 01 begins to morph too. No it can't be, that's me!

"No, stop this! STOP IT!" I yell out at the top of my lungs.

Outskirts of town (Asuka's POV)

Where did he run off to? I mentally sigh. That idiot Brandyn never came back home, it's 2 Am and Mari and I are stuck looking for him. "That idiot is going to get it when we find him." I threaten. Mari just chuckles a bit while replying with "I'm sure he had a good reason."

"You guy's should've told me sooner you know." I say, finally getting something off my chest. "Look I'm sorry but Brandyn wasn't sure who we could trust." Mari explains. "Oh yeah because I'm totally in league with this Seele or whatever their called. And besides he's the strangest one out of the bunch, I mean knowledge of the future how strange is that?!" I ramble on getting angrier by the second.

Mari puts her hand up "Shhh, do you here that?" she asks. What is she talking about I don't here...wait there it is. It's faint but definitely there. "Stop it. Stop it. Stop it." Is that...oh don't tell me he's having a mental breakdown.

Mari bolts off and I follow behind her. The idiots curled up in the fetal position repeating "Stop it." Mari puts her hands on her shoulders and tries to snap him out of it. He didn't seem to be responding though. I sigh, aggravated. "Let me do it." I say before slapping him. That seems to snap him out of it. He looks around, "Oh god what time is it?" he asks. "It's about 2 Am." Mari responds, a bit shocked about how fast he recovered. He stands up "Well what are we waiting for, we've only got a few hours to stop that synch test."

So yeah I tried to mess around with perspectives a bit, if you guys enjoy it I'll keep doing that. Next episode we're finally going to see the synch test I keep putting off.