Chapter 3: Am I Responsible For Setting This in Motion?
For a brief time it appeared that life was returning to normal for Shinji when he went about the next few days. Misato it turned out had only recently turned 30 years old and made Shinji feel as though he had just added another burden upon the hardships that were affecting her by not preparing some sort of celebration. Much like everything that happened under Misato's roof however, this event was brushed over with a growing sense of uncaring that became prevalent to everyone living there.
Such a demonstration of indifference for one another had become more uniform among Shinji, Asuka, and Misato. Ever since he was salvaged from the core of Unit-01, Shinji had to learn secondhand hand that Asuka's synchronicity with her own unit had been on the decline. He had only known her for a few months but could not prevent himself from wondering how he was meant to make her return to her original self.
Such thoughts made him wonder as he was brought back to the encounter that he had with Misato a few nights ago. Under any other circumstances he never would have believed he could make someone feel anything other than remorse for their current situation. Allowing such thoughts make his way through his mind gave him flashbacks to when his soul regained self-awareness inside his unit's core where he received visions of not just her, but Rei and probably most foreshadowing, Misato. An encounter where he was receiving what seemed to be a unified offer to become one with all of them. Such a memory caused him to stir in his futon when he realized what he was recalling not just from the surreal imagery he was flashed in front of him, but from the thought of where that encounter ended up leading him to.
He tried to tell himself that he would not be affected by the act that he and Misato made that one night, he believed it would amount to nothing that would make him question his stability. The more he recalled that moment however, the more he was reminded of what sort of weakness he had in returning to the world he called home. Unconsciously or not, he could hear that same question he heard inside the core but clearer than before.
"Shinji? Do you want to become one with me? Do you want to become one, body and soul?"
Hearing that question made Shinji turn on his side before placing his pillow over his head and curled into himself in a desperate act of defense. Even with no one there to challenge his personal space he could not keep himself from fearing the possibility that he would once again be brought into the close proximity of someone who might turn to him for whatever reason. Just like a hedgehog, he kept himself curled at the introspection he allowed himself to recall, desperate to protect himself from being subjected to any sort of harm that threatened to come his way.
Simply the idea of having allowed himself to be subjected to that sort of unity outside the relative security of Unit-01's core made him try to understand what could have made him fear his recent act so much. Just days ago, he allowed himself to endure the pain that came from coming close to Misato and he could not describe what was going through him when he unified himself with her. His whole life he wanted to avoid being subjected to pain and yet every thought he made back to that night caused him to feel more and more like a hypocrite he should be ashamed of being.
Revolving back to such an observation became the moment Shinji felt he needed as he continued to sleep on his side and loosen his tension while remaining curled at the threat of the perceived threats that shot their way through his mind. Days would continue to pass by and there would be many challenges to the human race, but the promise only left Shinji in a state of confusion as he tried to determine how he could keep himself from losing his mind entirely. A moment such as this one became one of the few times where he realized how much simpler it was to prepare for battle against another Angel instead of allowing his problems in this world to be a block against him.
As much as he wanted to believe that she was still the lone beacon of security that he could look up to, the truth was that Misato Katsuragi could not convince herself that she was unaffected by the confusion surrounding the two of them. As she forced herself to seek the comfort of sleep, she could not help but feel the absence she feared nights ago catch up to her. She had been given the embrace of another individual and was left desiring it even more than her desperation accumulated into.
Misato knew the legality of what she had done was already a minefield she found herself walking but the acceptability had become another matter entirely. In mere seconds she knew the man she once loved was no longer among the living. She allowed desperation to take control as she felt the sheer pain of loss overwhelm her that night to where it became great enough for her to take hold of the first option she could take. As was the story of her adult life.
From its beginning and up to now, she always found herself relying on her sex appeal as the alternate solution to drinking. It was enough of a wonder that she managed to keep herself together for this long but knew that her recent approach was the last straw threatening to undo her entire life. That she would reach out to someone half her age made her wonder what her younger self would have thought about her now.
The most tragic part of the experience for Misato was how she so easily accepted Shinji's suggestion the morning after. The nature of her cowardice that came on full display as she accepted his suggestion that they move on with life as though it never happened. It was just another in a long line of breakups she had through her life, and it was with someone she was supposed to be the guardian of.
The analogy brought Misato back to her conversation with Kaede and her reminder of what breakups always left her with. Loneliness and absolute indifference towards how life would continue even if she were to disappear. With Shinji she believed that she had been offered a hand of someone who would offer her the sort of adoration she wanted. Unconditional, loyal, appreciative of being at his side, qualities that seemed to be hard to find in men her own age.
It should have been wrong, repulsed her at the very idea, but Misato was left in sorrow forced to accept that she might not feel Shinji against her again. The sense of ease that should have come from the confirmation should have been enough to assure her that things would improve but instead made her feel that familiar hollowness that she bore for so long. Offered a chance to see what true affection from another was only to have it taken from the fear of being judged and looked down on by those few who cared about her.
Like Shinji did rooms apart from her, Misato curled under the covers bringing her knees to her stomach. Curling just like a hedgehog but out unbridled sorrow instead of fear. It was the way she was approached before and wanted it to happen again but knew that she would not receive so brave an action this night. From his unwillingness to build on what he started and her fear of the consequences reaching out would be, they were both assigned to bear for the remainder of their lives. Curled up and quills prepared, waiting for an approach that would never come.
It was for the weight of the issues on both Shinji and Misato's mind that the arrival of the 15th Angel the day they woke up too should have been the blessing they were hoping for. It should have been the moment that they needed to charge out into battle against something that would take his mind off the stress of the world that he lived in. Neither would be so fortunate however when he discovered what sort of strategy the might opponent far above the Earth would employ.
Much like the 10th Angel, Sahaquiel, before it, Aarael was not a being that attacked upon the ground of the Earth but was content to remain in the heavens high above where physical contact with one of the Eva units was not immediately possible. The mysterious creature did not require it to perform the damage it was prepared for however when it made its power apparent to all who witnessed Asuka's attempt to shoot it down. Not even from an appendage of its body but from mighty beams of light that pierced through the raining skies of that day as though they gave way to the arrival of God himself to proclaim his presence.
Such an arrival proved not to be a joyous one however as the mighty beams of light touched Eva Unit-02 and caused it to demonstrate a fit of twisting and bending to signal its inability to continue its assault. The one thing that managed to take hold of Shinji as he saw the attack unfold was the idea that Asuka was clearly feeling the pain deep within and unable to commence the attack that was expected of her. As he continued to be cut off from the chance to face the Angel himself, Shinji became desperate in the hopes that he would be permitted the chance to solve the Angel crisis himself as he had times before.
He used this opportunity to offer, "Misato! Let me go out in Unit-01!"
Misato had no chance to give the order when she heard one of her superiors, Kozo Fuyutsuki, deny the opportunity, "Forget it! This Angel's ability to attack the pilots mind… It's way too dangerous!"
As if to she needed to be reminded of how detached from everything he was, Gendo Ikari agreed with the current state of the battle, "Yes. We cannot allow Unit-01 to be touched by an Angel."
The rationale confused Shinji for a brief second before he allowed his desperation to be made known again as he tried to appeal to his superior officers, "But that can't happen as long as I'm not defeated!"
Gendo remained unmoved by the appeal as he demonstrated his doubts of Shinji's strength when he dismissed, "There is no guarantee of that."
Desperate to bring himself out into the field and remind others of his capabilities again, Shinji emphasized the dire situation of at hand when he pointed out, "If we don't do something Asuka will die!"
Gendo remained as indifferent as he did before when he simply ordered, "That is true. Rei, go to Dogma and get the Lance."
Shinji did not even have the opportunity to ask what sort of order his father was making when he saw Fuyutsuki attempted to appeal to his superior officer's sense of rationality, "Use the Lance of Longinus? You can't do that Ikari!"
Gendo remained indifferent to the warning when he ordered, "There is no other way to destroy a target that remains in orbit beyond the reach of our AT fields. Proceed."
Misato could not understand what was making Gendo make the decisions he was ordering but began to feel the same sense of urgency that Shinji was feeling as he remained confined to the cockpit of Unit-01. She used this opportunity to point out to him, "But I thought that if Adam and Eva were to come into contact, it would cause the Third Impact! We can't take that chance Commander! It's too dangerous!"
Misato's observation was met with complete silence as Gendo waited to see his order fulfilled. Much to the disappointment of both her and Shinji, they attempted to point out the dangers of what Gendo's order would bring and of keeping Unit-01 outside of battle. The end of the battle brought everyone in NERV only a little relief as they saw Unit-00 throw the mysterious red spear into the heavens high above the Earth before eradicating the 15th Angel from existence.
Misato listened to the exchange between her superior officers as she realized the mighty lance was hurled so far into orbit that it could not be retrieved. Circumstances would have immediately congratulated Rei for being able to defeat the monster from so high above, but the conditions in the base remained solemn as they lost such an invaluable weapon for their cause. More immediate to Misato however was the lingering thoughts of what sort of danger Gendo Ikari had placed the human race in.
Adam was supposed to be the entity that NERV was supposed to keep from being made accessible to the Angels and yet it proved only to be a minor inconvenience before Unit-00 could deliver the killing blow. What other notions she believed true were in fact deceptions? Who could Misato consider being truthful among the living?
The questions that began to race their way through Misato's mind would not be answered any time soon as she saw Fuyutsuki and Gendo leave the main bridge of the headquarters. Gendo had little time to contemplate his next motive when he heard Fuyutsuki point out, "I believed that the warning of SEELE would have been enough to make you reconsider what you were thinking out there."
Gendo was unmoved by the accusation when he told him, "We utilized every option available to us. If they are unable to accept that circumstances demanded such an action, they are not worthy of being our superiors."
The indifference caused Fuyutsuki to sigh when he warned, "Your reliance on SEELEs leniency is easily going to put you at risk Ikari."
Gendo turned to face him when he reminded, "They will not be so quick to replace either of us when they are informed of our recent development in Jordan."
The recent development captured Fuyutsuki's attention when he realized what Gendo was referring to. If what he revealed was true, it would be enough to command the attention of everyone who was paying attention to the status of the Angel invasion. With such sensitive information at hand, Fuyutsuki made his way over to Gendo when he kept his voice low and requested confirmation, "Our teams have confirmed the legitimacy?"
Gendo confirmed the suspicion Fuyutsuki had when he told him, "There is no mistake now. It is imperative that we meet with them immediately."
Fuyutsuki breathed as he tried to process what was being revealed when he reminded, "As long as it is immediate. We have matters here to address such as our new candidate that will need to go through final approval."
Gendo turned away from Fuyutsuki when he instructed, "Accept him. The second child is bound to be useless eventually."
Accepting that he would have to go along with more of Gendo's evaluation, Fuyutsuki voiced his disapproval when he told him, "To think that we will once again be placing our hope's in the hands of another child."
While Gendo did not voice optimism of the new candidate who was about to make his way through the selection process, he kept Fuyutsuki's attention on the immediate mission when he dismissed, "If the initial reports are anything that we can determine, this one will have potential."
Shinji only had the opportunity to overhear a little of what his father was going through when he tried to determine how to face the incoming future Angels that remained. He could not tell if he was ever eager to face an Angel before but the disappointment that he did not have a chance to engage in battle with it left him with a sense of incompleteness when several hours ago he was determined to use that opportunity as one to relieve himself of the confusion he was in. Even more alarming was the apparent damage that had been done to Asuka in her attempt to make the finishing shot before Rei had to.
He overheard some comments about how her psychological situation was improving after the defeat of the Angel but doubted the initial shock of the attack was going to leave her any time soon. He had initial thoughts that it was time for him to reveal what had happened to Kaji, but the fear of what would happen if he revealed so devastating an announcement after an attack such as this one left him questioning if it would be a good time to reveal it. Adding her trademark display of pride and need to show off to others kept her from being the first person to go to who seemed to be someone who needed assurance at any time.
His searches to find a reason to reach out to her made him recall the feelings he had that night he was entangled in Misato's embrace. He was in a situation where he feared the outcome of reaching out to others even if it seemed like all they needed to be able to feel some form of normalcy again. While it was a notion that he feared greatly in the moment before, he ended up asking himself if he was making the right decision in doing nothing.
It was apparent there seemed to be no consequences for the night he spent with Misato and he believed there was no need for him to go as far as he did with Asuka. He had reason to believe that if what he did last night was indeed allow himself to be pierced by a source of harm, perhaps it was worth having the same approach here as well. If only to make sure that she understood that she was not completely isolated from him and Misato as it became worryingly more evident.
Shinji could not say in the moment what his original plan was when he made his way to Asuka and offer some sort of consolation for her but forced himself to be determined it was the only way he could begin trying to free her from the woes that were taking hold of her. If he was going to free himself from the hypocrisy that he could be accused of, he needed to approach Asuka with the same level of respect that he was willing to offer to someone who was potentially in as much distress. Like his willingness to thrust himself into battle in his Eva unit that day, he needed to demonstrate that he could answer a cry for help as much as any other.
Without a reason but with intent at his foremost offer, Shinji saw Asuka sitting in front of the loading bay where Unit-02 was being loaded. He did not allow himself to cross the caution tape but felt he was close enough to be heard when he offered, "Hey Asuka. Um… I'm glad you're okay."
"Shut up! Who the Hell is okay?! How could it get any worse?! That little bitch… That little bitch Rei rescued me! Don't you know I would have rather died? I hate her! I hate you Shinji! I hate everything!"
All in an instant Shinji found his intentions shattered. He tried to reach out to someone who despite her attitude could still be seen as a friend. Asuka had curled herself up just as he did last night in his efforts to sleep and he attempted to approach her. If he pierced himself last night, the infliction that was done to him in this moment was stricken closer to a more vital part of his body that would mortally wound him.
"I hate her! I hate you Shinji! I hate everything!"
How was he supposed to react to that statement? Asuka was moved to tears from the humiliation she assigned to herself but now demonstrated no signs of hope or comfort. There seemed to be nothing that made the root of Asuka's grief something he could challenge. She was much further from the edge of hope than Misato or anyone else he knew and could not begin to comprehend how this was an issue he could face.
"I hate her! I hate you Shinji! I hate everything!"
The words rang through his head like a bell at every point he tried to think of what he was supposed to say. Reaching out to others to offer comfort was supposed to be a simple matter that stemmed from the human desire to be with others. Yet this sentiment rang dominant through his mind when Shinji felt himself stunned at the sight of Asuka remaining in a state of grief.
A small glimmer of hope ignited itself through him when he saw Asuka stand up however and realized that she had stopped giving audible sobs as well. For as long as she had her quills folded and her face turned away from him, Shinji felt the possibility that she simply gave an outburst before preparing to reclaim her composure. That all she needed was the chance to voice her disappointment before she continued as her old self.
The moment she turned around to face him was the moment Shinji felt all sense of hope dissipate from him. Her face was captured in a scowl as she stepped towards him and made him feel a growing sense of defeat in every that his attempts to reach out to someone was for nothing. What she needed to hear in this moment was something that eluded him as he felt himself desperate to avoid being pierced again by the threat of pain so much greater than he was used to.
As though he needed a reminder of what sort of failure he had brought about, Asuka stopped right in front of the caution tape where she ordered, "What are you waiting for?! Get the Hell out of here! Get out before I kill you!"
It became the last thing Shinji needed to hear as he turned away and ran. He made his way to the stairway he came up from as he slammed his fist into the wall before slamming his head against it. His grief began to take over when he felt tears of confusion make their way down his face when he tried to comprehend what sort of mistake he made.
Was he simply not there for her enough? Did he offer condolences that she did not want to hear? Would she have preferred to be alone all along?
Shinji wanted to ask Asuka all these questions only to realize how much closer he was to harming not only her but himself as well. The type of harm that he could not bear the thought of placing upon himself. He was brought to remember how he was placed in the encounter before while struggling to remember how this could have happened. If Misato wanted to have someone reach out to her and ease her pain, it should have made sense that Asuka would have wanted it as well.
This way of thinking ran its way through his mind as he tried to comprehend what had happened to him as he was made to conclude, "I'm worse than a child…"
The recent developments of the battle came under swift review for many of the members of NERV, but Misato was reluctant to force herself to give any of her own input. She had the opportunity to lead the Eva units into battle again only to find that the threat was so far out of reach that she would not even have the opportunity to see the remains of the Angel hit the Earth. Everything that manifested her worries remained as firmly on her own shoulders and with seemingly no one to care about what she was going through.
Misato accepted this indifference from the others as she made her way to the halls and prepared to pick up Shinji and Asuka for what she hoped would be grounds for a celebration to take their mind off serious matters. Knowing her luck however, she was forced to accept that Asuka was likely going to have several ways to display her frustration with how she was unable to be the one who threw the Lance of Longinus. No matter what other scenario she could come up with, there just seemed to be no other outcome for how the remainder of the day would proceed.
She was stopped from proceeding as soon as she heard Kaede ask, "It's getting to be difficult to keep the pilots in proper mental stability isn't it?"
Misato looked behind her to see Kaede closely behind before turning back to add, "I don't know how Rei manages to keep herself composed. A lot of the staff seems like they're just one attack away from snapping."
"Then you know how important it is for you to have a clear mind for such situations. Especially if you are afraid of anything being left unsaid."
"How am I supposed to? I can't even get myself motivated to set my mind on a guy who's just as confused as I am."
"You still have... Mitsuru on your mind?"
That question caused Misato to stop in her tracks as she realized she was being interrogated again. There did not seem to be any getting away from Kaede when she was determined to see others have their issues resolved. Such dedication briefly made her wonder why she or the others were not assigned to more time with the pilots but knew there was no point in asking about it.
What mattered most to Misato at the moment was trying to make sure that she did not start a commotion before turning around and asking, "You didn't start spreading that rumor around did you?"
Kaede remained in place as she looked Misato in the eye to remind, "I'm trying to make sure you can function. You kept yourself level out there today, that is you at your finest."
'Misato gave a light tut before she dismissed, "Sure dad, I can act like your proudest accomplishment all the time."
Kaede recognized the sarcasm in Misato's voice and knew it was a sign that the issues she was enduring yesterday was definitely still on her mind. Able to confirm this much, she emphasized her observation, "You can still reach out to Mitsuru if you keep that confidence and reach out to him. He probably won't even know if you never tell him."
"Yeah, I have no idea what he's into. I guess if we keep flirting with the end of the world, it shouldn't be keeping us apart."
"That is how you should approach this. It looks like you still have some growing up to do after all this time Misato."
"If I had a beer every time I heard that from one of my kids..."
"Just approach him and I'm sure you'll be able to move forward in life for the better."
Everything Kaede said was one truth after another that Misato wished she could have arrived at herself sooner. Forcing herself to accept a life where she was constantly enduring the pain of loss all because she was unwilling to face whatever hardships might have come from reaching out for the alternative had begun to wear out its welcome. Try as she might, the reach out to happiness remained as an invitation to hardships that she would have to face not only out of the eyes of NERV, but away from everyone she knew.
As much as she desired to see that alternative be a simpler one, it all stemmed from a crucial omission that she was not willing to reveal. The fact that she was not seeing Mitsuru, or even someone who was around his age, already left her wondering what could happen to her if she pursued her desires any further. She could not even believe the idea herself but after all this time was struggling to comprehend how she could have arrived at a simple solution that would not cause such a rupture in such a crucial point in human history.
Misato crossed her arms as she thanked Kaede for her insight, "Talking to you is like getting a second chance to hear my mom tell me what I should have took seriously the first time you know?"
Kaede smiled, "I'm sure even the commander would prefer the chance to hear some words of encouragement if he would allow it to be seen in public. Speaking of which, I suppose it is best that we do not let him catch us trying to work in overtime hours he wouldn't approve."
The warning made Misato sigh before preparing to make her way to the exit and admitting, "Yeah, this conversation has been really appropriate to have after fighting another Angel hasn't it?"
The two separated as Kaede went down a nearby hall before Misato heard her part, "Nothing is too trivial when it's a question of how we can continue to be at our best."
While Misato remembered that there were a particular few among the top control of NERV who were ready to betray the human race for reasons that she could not fully comprehend, there were few indications that made Misato believe there were those among the standard crew who had a reason to lie about their true intentions. If Kaede was true about making sure her intentions were followed, she knew she was risking the necessity to have a lie be part of her life, but the constant torture and the loss of someone dear to her managed to be the one two punch that made her dismiss any second guesses about her approach. Just the fact that she was able to hear her own initial instincts take the form of words from someone she could trust managed to provide the context she needed to realize what sort of life was waiting for her.
It was for this reason that Misato decided there would be no more turning away from what happiness she had been denied for so long. The hollowness she was forced to endure was becoming a greater burden to deal with by the day and she knew she had the chance to reach out and take hold of that comfort she only brushed fingers with a few times before. Instead of keeping her quills prepared for an onlooker to approach, she would prepare to move towards another set stretched out and waiting for her to come.
There were concerns, there were implications, Misato could not help but wonder if she had completely lost every rational thought she could have had before. As she heard herself admit the end of the world seemed to be on an ever-encroaching date, concerns outside of such danger ultimately became less of a concern for her no matter whose approval she risked losing. As much as she looked forward to the opportunity to that night however, she was forced to realize that life was about to demand more of her as the effects of the battle were about to be brought into context.
While the fate of the human race continued to be mysteriously fought for in the land of Japan, much of the attention around the world had been taken away from the other parts that were still trying to recover from the devastation brought about by the Second Impact. A contrast could be found in the land of Jordan where it seemed that time had long ago been frozen in the 20th century at the latest. The Bedouin people were more content to live with survival than aspiring to connect with the remainder of the world.
They were not left in complete isolation however in the Valley of the Moon where staff from the European division of NERV were hard at work to recover an artifact that was believed to be lost to the ages. The cave it was found in was already searched from its most obvious areas all the way down to its most obscured crevice where hopes for discovery were still held by the few staff members remaining behind.
The site was greeted by the arrival of Gendo Ikari and Kozo Fuyutsuki following having made a long hike up the mountains where the Bedouin did not wish to be disturbed. Such a demanding journey pushed both men to their limits but the promise of what awaited them became the great motivator that made them find their way to the top. Fuyutsuki tugged the mule behind him as they made their way to the nearest tent where the observation could finally begin.
As Gendo made his way to the tent, he heard one of the NERV members greet, "Commander. Your journey was well?"
Gendo set his cane on a nearby table when he answered, "I am here to confirm the acquisition. Has the document been preserved?"
Another member announced, "It has been vacuum sealed sir. It is available for you to view."
Gendo made his way to the trailer when he went inside and made his way to the table waiting for him. He looked over the glass when he took in what had been discovered. There was no mistaking what had been found, it was indeed the genuine document that he had been made familiar with before. Its existence captured his attention as he poured his attention over it in his own desperate attempt to make sense of what the document's text offered. He could not deny the great temptation that came from viewing something that had the potential to change the very foundations of SEELE.
Fuyutsuki made his way up to Gendo when he observed, "The authenticity is certainly undeniable."
Gendo looked up from the document when he agreed, "We believed we were close to ending the threat of the Angels. Our plans will have to adapt to the changing circumstances."
Fuyutsuki agreed with the observation when he recalled his insistence to move ahead with the new pilot yesterday, "I see what made you fine with our new candidate. We cannot afford to turn him away even if we wanted to now."
Gendo remained unshaken by the "We have faced many challenges over these past five months. Each Angel that comes after today will simply be another one."
Without any grounds to debate what was about to be coming, Fuyutsuki prepared himself for the incoming future conflict ahead of humanity when he added, "We have come so far already, there is not turning back for any of us."
With the document secured, Gendo made his way out of the trailer when he ordered the nearest NERV member, "Have the text digitized and translated immediately. Pay the natives whatever fee they deem appropriate compensation."
The development in Jordan would eventually prove to be a great revelation for the people who worked in NERV, but the occurrences of what happened in a far-off land were not on the mind of those who prepared to face the arrival of another Angel. The attack from yesterday was enough to keep Shinji anxious when he knew that Asuka and Rei would be present to prepare themselves for what they knew would not be the end of the attempted destruction of humanity. The people he was keeping with him however seemed to become less and less stable the more the greater conflict continued to wear away at what remained of their wellbeing.
The situation had become even worse in the case of the fragile Katsuragi apartment when Asuka did not even return home to Shinji and Misato that night until the late hours of the day when they were both asleep. After the small exchange from the previous day, Shinji felt that he had crossed a line that caused Asuka to detest the idea of being around anyone who irritated her even a little. This alone kept Shinji from wanting to subject himself to the potential of having to endure the pain of harming Asuka's already visibly deteriorating mental state.
It was one reason that Shinji was not anticipating the unscheduled sync ratio test but knew that he would have to prepare himself regardless of what he wanted the officials of NERV to accept. While he was grateful that he had a schedule to focus his mind on for the moment, he still struggled to comprehend how he was going to face anyone who thought he was worth being considered. What he did not anticipate was the announcement Ritsuko Akagi had for everyone when he prepared to make his way into his entry plug.
He focused his attention on the buzz of the intercom above him when he heard Ritsuko announce, "Testing will begin momentarily. It is important for all of you to know there will be a fourth pilot joining you today."
Asuka crossed her arms when she told her, "Whatever. If they're planning to make a big show of it, they're not going to impress anybody."
Rei remained silent as she waited for her order to be sent into the entry plug while Shinji turned his attention to see the entry door open and reveal the new pilot he would be working with. The sight of the one he was potentially going to fight alongside shook him to his very core as he tried to comprehend just how everything could have led up to this moment. What little joy there should have been came instead in the form of a mighty weight that fell in his stomach when he saw what he had just reaped from his unwillingness to reveal his true intentions.
The new pilot gave a grin when he asked in a struggle to contain his excitement, "Can you believe I'm starting today Shinji?!"
A/N: Not sure why I left this on a cliffhanger, I'm pretty sure everybody is able to tell what the previous chapter was building up to. It did seem like a pretty decent place to end it though. I like to think that every two chapters end in an "episode" and I think this scene could be considered the commercial bumper so to speak.
So I ended up using a lot of transcribing from Episode 22 because it seemed like it would be pretty foundational to the rest of the story as well. I know a lot of people aren't fans of that, but I plan to continue with the changes that were more relevant in the previous two chapters. Believe me, not only am I worried about coming off as lazy for doing it, but it just makes me a bit anxious that I might not be spot on with the show's characterization compared to the rest of the story.
Don't know if you caught it, but yes the scene of Gendo and Fuyutsuki making their way up the mountains in the desert was inspired by the clip from the Evangelion 3.0 preview. I figured that would have been a decent way to implement the clip into a certain context. It also plays into the development of future Angels coming but that will be another few chapters before it begins to really become a focus.
So there's everything I thought about adding, I should be able to get back to the main characters pretty soon but the next chapter will predominantly focus on the new pilot which I think will be pretty important to the progression as well. I'm also grateful to everybody who has left reviews so far, I wasn't sure I would get that much attention but I'm glad to have hit 20 favs as of this writing. I will try to reply to reviews, just remember that if you would like me to respond, I'll only be able to do so through reviews that have accounts since this site doesn't allow me to respond to guest reviews. I hope you're all still looking forward to chapter 4 and I'll see you then.