Creation began on 07-14-20
Creation ended on 11-14-20
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Welcome to your Escape: Upgrade
A whole month had passed since the battle with the Yeager Team…and by then, the Clover Team had reached Class "A" because the other Zoid teams they went up against had been either overconfident or underestimated the remaining three pilots after hearing that one of their Zoids had been totaled and it was taking a long time to find a replacement Zoid. And with four other teams having been hired by Shinji's father, Shinji, Geisha and Valerie had fought harder to ensure that they had consecutive victories to avoid having to lose another one of their members.
Drake found the variety of Zoids still in production were not to his liking, and for various reasons. While Nico wasn't technically in charge of ensuring he got a Zoid whereas his parents had to, she had very few suggestions that never made it past the simulations. Shadow Fox, Leo Striker, Diablotiger, not even a Geno Hydra met Drake's standards. It had been deduced by Nico that Drake had a taste for the most basic models with standard weaponry that didn't exceed the measure of being a modification fanatic.
"I don't understand how none of these Zoids feel right for Drake," said Geisha to Shinji and Valerie as they watched Drake crash and burn in the simulator cockpit again. "I mean, even a Geno Breaker would make him a badass, but he doesn't consider it."
"I don't believe it's about power, Geisha," said Valerie to her. "It's about aesthetics, functionality and balance. The Zoid and pilot have to be compatible and the Zoid has to be a good blend of speed, strength, artillery and endurance. How'd you get your Storm Sworder to be a good Zoid for you?"
"Increasing its speed and decreasing its heavy artillery. How about you and your Geno Saurer?"
"In the beginning, there was nothing wrong with its standard weaponry, so I had no problem with how it operated," she explained, "but then I just got tired of using guns on my Zoid, so I put in a request to alter my Zoid's weaponry. I decided to switch to the Buster Claws, similar to the kind designed for rare Berserk Fury, but that meant switching out every last bit of the original armor in exchange for armor that would accommodate the feature. In addition, the armor under the Buster Claws would have an intake fan for its cooling system, which in turn made my Geno Saurer the adaptive powerhouse that it is. Some would consider my aesthetics to be a mockup of the Berserk Fury, but those that have fought against me see that I'm not a copycat."
"You're too badass to do that," went Shinji, sharing his honest opinion.
"Thank you, Shinji."
The simulator cockpit opened up and out came Drake, coughing from the built-in smoke system.
"Okay, Matrix Dragon isn't happening," he told Nico.
"True that," the girl agreed with him. "Fuzor Zoids are a no-no."
"Fuzor?" Shinji questioned, having never heard of the word before.
"That's what you call a Zoid that can fuse, or combine, with another Zoid, forming a new one that has the combined strength of both Zoids," explained Geisha. "There's very few Zoids that can combine into one, and the Matrix Dragon we saw Drake crash in the simulator was the first instance of a Fuzor being made from four Zoids. I heard an old story that there was a Matrix Dragon around eighty years ago. There was a feud between these two groups and a Matrix Dragon was involved. It got defeated by an energy blast from an Energy Liger. Nobody has attempted to use a Matrix Dragon ever since."
"What Zoids made up the Matrix Dragon?"
"Nightwise, Mosasledge, Unenlagia and Leoblaze," Valerie explained, having heard the story, as well. "Not every Zoid is capable of fusing with another Zoid it's supposed to be compatible with. Even the ones that are supposed to be don't always turn out to."
Shinji then looked over at Drake as he reset the cockpit, wondering what new Zoid he'd be trying in the simulator.
"Maybe Drake did better with a Gun Sniper than any other Zoid," he suggested.
"Yeah," Geisha agreed. "Say, Nico, what do you suppose are the chances of the Gun Sniper series coming back?"
"What's less than 'unlikely'?" The little girl asked.
"Very unlikely," went Valerie. "Which Zoid is he trying now?"
"A Lightning Saix."
-x-
NERV had seen less than easygoing days in the last month. They had managed to defeat the Fifth Angel, capture the Sixth Angel for study, and manage to defeat the Seventh Angel with the aid of the Fourth and Fifth Child, a pair of twins from the States that were the embodiment of teamwork with Units-03 and 04. But even with all the time and preparation they had now to stand up to the Angels, that didn't ease the temperament of Gendo one bit, who still fumed over the general fact that his son wasn't on the planet or at NERV HQ, and with each passing day that the boy continued to elude his authority, fighting in these sanctioned matches that had nothing to do with the fate of the human race, the more he wanted to just cause the kid suffering, as if he deserved it or something.
"I know you're not going to forgive me for this, Father, but I'm not going back to that life I had in Japan. Call me a coward if you want, but it's my choice." Gendo recalled Shinji's decision to refuse his order to return to Earth and pilot the Eva.
He continues to put us in jeopardy the more he refuses to fall in line, he thought, looking at Shinji's Zoid pilot profile, seeing that his participation in the Clover Team's matches helped to move the whole group up to their Class "A" rank after this Drake Toros became unable to continue after his hand-me-down Gun Sniper was destroyed. This is unbelievable. Before he was even approached by that little girl, he was a nobody. He was a pathetic boy that had nothing and no one to live for, and now… Now, he's this up-and-coming Zoid pilot that fits in with these other rejects that got put together by this pathetic, little girl!
Another recent update in Shinji's profile included a quote from Shinji, stating, "My life wasn't going anywhere until after I met Nico Megumi. I wouldn't be where I am right now if it wasn't for Nico picking me for her Zoid team. I owe her everything." To Gendo, it was just another insult to what everyone at NERV did each day, trying to ensure that the human race had the next day to look forward to. But nobody in general really knew of this; everything Angel-related was kept out of the public, fed cover-ups and told to talk about other matters. Of course, the public that focused on other matters watched the Zoid broadcasts and learned about Shinji through social media, some people wondering how someone like Shinji was picked out of countless other fourteen-year-olds that were better or worse than he was expected to be.
And SEELE was not pleased that Gendo had been unable to get the Third Child through the bribery of other Zoid teams to face the Clover Team and win against them five consecutive times. The fact that the boy was paired with a Zoid that was undefeated and worked in tandem with at least two other Zoids that belonged to other animal categories that clearly resembled dinosaurian species, his team's winning streak had made the very idea of him losing five times in a row a fool's errand, prompting them to consider giving up with going after the Third Child. If he wasn't even going to consider working for NERV in the capacity that he was expected to by his father, then there was no point in trying to recruit him. But Gendo still wanted Shinji for the Eva program, even if it was through force.
"How would you propose making the boy join NERV, Ikari?" One of the Committee members questioned him when the decision was made to abandon trying to get the Third Child. "This All-for-One Risk Gamble you found out about is clearly not working in your favor."
"Interfere with the Clover Team's affairs," he suggested; if these other Zoid teams were unable to beat the one his son was on just once, then they would have to create their own Zoid team or send an Evangelion to Zi and cause interference.
-x-
Drake was in his room looking on his computer at Zoid parts and weapon accessories on his tablet when he received an update on his phone from his mother. It was a text that read, "Day of New Beginnings is upon you, Drake." This made the young man chuckle as he texted back, "Hours or weeks?" It was mostly because he had no clue as to how long he had to wait.
"Two more days from now," a response text came from his mother. "Have your operating software ready."
He chuckled again and texted back, "You got it."
-x-
"…So, is this how we're going to progress with your scenario, Ikari?" Fuyutsuki asked Gendo after discovering what the commander of NERV had chosen to do about his son's refusal to return to Earth and join the agency. "If you can't convince your son to return or defeat the team he's on five times to force him to return, the goal is to create a Zoid team associated with NERV or send an Eva to Zi in order to harass him?"
"And just what other alternatives are there if not this, Fuyutsuki?" He responded. "He turned his back on all of us. He brought this outcome upon himself by constantly refusing to listen."
"He walked away when he was given a choice by someone that clearly suspected something was off with why he needed to be here on the same day an Angel shows up and threatens to wipe out the human race, Ikari, and he made a decision he could live with. This…this is just venting over the fact that he's out of your reach and won't return to do as you say."
"He had no right to when he was instructed to come here…and that girl had no right to poach him right from under us."
"In their defense, Ikari, he wouldn't have found out about the Angel until it was too late for him to turn away, and the girl gave him everything that only a handful of NERV personnel knew about that the rest knew nothing about, which further estranged him from everyone here. Miss Megumi didn't give him select information when he showed up to meet her for the position she offered him when she was building her Zoid team; she gave him everything that was hidden within the MAGI. What the Evas are, what the Angels are, the list of pilot candidates, what was expected of him, how little of a life he'd have if he was forced to go down this path, everything she felt he had a right to know about. Even if you hassle the Clover Team, you can't expect your son to join NERV and face the Angels if he makes his voice heard and says 'no'."
But Gendo had already made up his mind about how to deal with the Clover Team. He already had the candidates selected for the Zoid team he was building to smite the one Shinji was on, and the Zoids that were to be chosen while an Eva was built and transported in pieces were underway. In due time, he'd make his son's life on Zi a living Hell if he had to.
You will pay for your refusal to fall in line, boy, he thought, looking down on his desk at a picture of Shinji and Liger Rogue. You think your little…robotic pet can keep you away from here? You're wrong. You are dead wrong!
-x-
"…I wonder why he's pacing outside the hangar?" Geisha questioned as she, Valerie, Shinji and Nico noticed Drake outside the hangar after breakfast.
"Probably waiting for his new Zoid from his parents," suggested Nico as she was sitting in a bubble chair, drinking a canned coffee.
"Isn't that your fifth can today?" Shinji asked her, concerned for her because canned coffee was a bit addictive.
"Yeah, but you forget that I'm a Zoidian, Shinji. I have a much stronger resistance to the effects of what certain beverages can do to humans."
"Yeah, that's right."
Shinji still saw everyone on the Clover Team as being no different from himself, but had to be reminded that, despite their physical and biological similarities, he was the only actual person that had an Earth origin and was merely a transient guest in a way on Zi.
"But, hey, you're only as restricted as you allow yourself to be while you're here," she told him, and tossed him a canned coffee. "You're not under any supervision outside my own. Live a little more. Get out of your comfort zone and take risks."
Shinji chuckled and popped the can, taking a sip.
"Whoa," he reacted, feeling the caffeine go through his nerves. "You sure you got this from Earth? It feels like it's got more kick than any drink from there."
"You haven't had coffee, I take it?" Geisha asked him.
Valerie looked outside and noticed a black Gustav approaching the hangar.
"Looks like his new Zoid has finally arrived," she uttered to them.
"Really?" Geisha sparked. "It's about time he got back in the fight. I wonder what his parents got for him?"
As the Gustav got closer, they could see a large, blue crate that was big enough to hold a Zoid of considerable size.
"What kind of Zoid did you get?" Nico asked Drake as the Gustav got closer.
"You'd be surprised," he told her when it came to a complete stop and opened up to reveal three men in blue, cargo uniforms.
"Drake Toros?" One of them holding a clipboard asked.
"Yes," Drake responded as he approached them. "Was there any trouble?"
"Hardly. This Zoid is unique, being the only one of its kind. What boggles me is why you'd want a Zoid like this, anyway?" The man informed him.
"I guess some things get hardwired after a couple of years. Zoids, though, people have their preferences when it comes to what type they choose."
"Yeah, maybe. Sign here, please."
Drake signed his signature and gave the clipboard back to the man.
"It's all yours now," he told Drake as the crate was lifted off the trailer and placed onto the ground in front of the hangar.
"So…what did you get?" Shinji asked, and the front of the crate opened up to reveal the new Zoid. "Oh, my…"
"Yeah," Drake stated. "I guess I've gotten too accustomed to the oldest of animals that exist."
Inside the crate was a large, military-style camouflaged-colored bipedal Zoid, but it didn't correspond to any of the past models. If anything, it was some sort of tyrannosaur, but it had a longer pair of arms and a smaller head.
"Does this Zoid have a name?" Nico questioned Drake, unable to make heads or tails with this biomechanical organism. "It's made with so many different pieces that I can't tell what it is."
"It has a scientific name," he explained, "but my parents just refer to it as…Gunner Rex. G-Rex for short."
"G-Rex, huh?" Valerie expressed, seeing this Zoid as a chimera-type, as it had to be made with different parts belonging to other dinosaur-type Zoids. "Has it been battle-tested yet?"
"Care to help me break her in?"
Stomp, stomp, stomp! Behind them in the hangar, Liger Rogue had moved forward and growled.
"Uh, I guess Rogue is volunteering," Shinji suspected.
"Has G-Rex been registered yet?" Nico needed to know; even if the Zoid was a custom model, unless it was registered for use in matches by the ZBC and affiliated with the Clover Team, it was only impressive until it was legalized for use in the tournament and under management.
Drake held up his Zoid Gear that contained his original operating battle software.
"All it needs is my passcode," he told her.
"Well, then, I suggest you install it now," she told him.
"Yes, ma'am."
-x-
"Oh, man," Asuka heard one of the NERV personnel say as they were looking on a tablet. "It looks like the Clover Team is mostly a prehistoric team."
"Hey, what are you talking about?" She asked him as she approached him; her synchronization testing would have to wait a few more minutes because answering this curiosity was now a priority.
"The Clover Team member Drake Toros just got this new Zoid that is similar to the Zoid owned by Commander Ikari's son, only it's some kind of dinosaur. There's no other Zoid like it. It's clearly a custom-made biomech."
Asuka looked at the tablet and at the Zoid in question, finding it very unusual.
"What is this thing?" She wanted to know, looking at its profile. "Gunner Rex? It makes his hand-me-down Zoid look like an antique."
"Technically, his Gun Sniper was an antique. It was over one-hundred years old."
Meanwhile, Misato was looking at the same update on the Clover Team and wondered how anyone could make a custom Zoid like this G-Rex, which looked like it was made with so many different Zoid parts used in other models that it was all jumbled up. Parts of it looked like the previous Gun Sniper, but there were other parts that made her think it was like that Geno Saurer owned by that Valerie Axiom lady, only it didn't have those weird claws on its back. And this, even without the arsenal that was built into it, which could've probably made any military on Earth a powerhouse if it was being used in a demonstration of its power. For the most part, some of its armament seemed like the standard ones you would find in most other dinosaur-type Zoids, like the Gun Sniper and Geno Saurer.
Forget the JSSDF, she thought as she checked for a scheduled match between the Clover Team and whichever opposing team decided to face them, this Zoid, if ever mass-produced, would turn war into a game on Earth. But it has yet to see action.
Even Gendo had been monitoring the Clover Team's newest asset, and he refused to let this interfere in his plans. It didn't matter if the majority of his son's team's Zoids were dinosaurs or mammals, he would find a way to lay waste to them to them all.
To be continued…
A/N: Sorry about the delay. Everything seems to have taken a relapse with the pandemic. As you can see, or rather, can't see, I decided to give Drake Toros a unique Zoid of his own that is in the same vein as Liger Rogue: One of a kind. Gunner Rex, a tyrannosaur/chimera-type made from different parts of other dinosaur Zoids, so you have to use your imagination when seeing it in any way you can until the next chapter. See ya!