EVA: Mechas and Heroes

by Guyver04

What If Super Robots existed in Evangelions? In the 15 years since Second Impact various battle machine shave been built around the world. One has been sent to Tokyo-3, for good and ill others will come A strange story of giant robots, terrible enemies and what it means to be a hero whether you want to be one or not. (Formally called EVA A World twisted)

6. Chapter 6

TOKYO-3
A warm and beautiful day. On too few days, our heroes had the chance to spend some time as just ordinary teenagers. Today was a dull day in class.
"Another day, another boring history lesson about Second Impact "groaned Toji
"Well, it was an important event," said Shinji "but..I'd like to learn about the world before it"
"I want to learn more about that Chinese robot," said Kenuske "It was amazing!"
"Tell me you didn't sneak out to get pictures again" groaned Draven
Kensuke didn't answer but the smirk on his face told the story.
"You're going to get yourself killed," said Toji
"As long as I see some great tech, It'll be worth it!" Kensuke exclaimed his eyes shinning
"I'm surprised there are other robots like yours," Shinji said to Draven,
Draven shrugged "I never said the Danner was the only one. There are a handful of non-Evangelion robots in different countries around the world. Some of the pilots are...well, a little bitter"
"Bitter?" asked Shinji
"Most of them trained for years to prepare for the Angels' attack. Only to be shelved for the EVAs" Draven said simply "They're not real happy about being replaced by teenagers"

NERV HQ
"So what's up Rits?" asked Misato
The two women were in Misato's office, the blonde scientist had just arrived with a file folder.
"Technical data on the other non-Evangelion robots in different countries.
"Good, Intelligence finally got off their ass," said Misato happily taking the folder from her friend
"They had to, Commander Ikari ripped them a new one"
"Better them than me" commented Misato opening the folder.
She was disappointed to see how thin and heavily censored the documents were.
England had two robots, a sniper and a close combat specialist. A heavy armament type was in Spain, and a high-speed combatant type built in Russia was among the robots scattered worldwide. No pilot data was included that wasn't redacted
"Flimsy report, and nothing on the pilots," said Misato as she flipped through the folder "Do you think we'll have any problems with these other robots?"

"I doubt it, NERV's been flexing its muscles so they don't get involved. I hear they have already taken control of England's robots. said Ritsuko "Others have promised cooperation with NERV if needed"

"Good, last thing we need is another pilot going Getter Robo on us," said Misato

"Getter Robo?" asked Ritsuko with a raised eyebrow

"Oh come on don't tell me you never watched that show as a kid" exclaimed Misato

"I was busy doing other things as a kid," said Ritsuko simply "Speaking of children, have you told them about the school trip?"

"That they can't go?" asked Misato "Not yet, I'll tell them tonight"

"They're not going to be happy," said Ritsuko with a sly smile

"The pilots are smarter than we give them credit for, I'm sure if they haven't realized by now they'll understand" assured Misato

MISATO'S APARTMENT
Shinji and Draven had cooked another wonderful meal for them all. Afterward, when everyone was content and peaceful Misato decided to break the bad news.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE CAN'T GO?" shouted Asuka
When Misato's hearing returned she answered "If an angel attacks while you guys are gone, what would we do?"
"So you keep the Idiot, the Pervert, and Wondergirl here," said Asuka
"Nice to know she thinks so highly of us" muttered Shinji
"But what would we do without the Great Asuka Soryu to lead us?" asked Draven
"He's right Asuka," said Misato "All pilots must remain here on standby. The future of the world is in your hands. Look I'll clear to so you guys can use the pool at NERV so you can go swimming and relax but a multi-day vacation is out of the question"
"THIS SUCKS!" exclaimed Asuka nearly shattering the glass in Misato's apartment.
The NERV pool was Olympic size but rarely used so the pilots had it to themselves. Rei was doing laps in the far end
The boys sat poolside with some cards in front of them. A new game has been growing in popularity among teens and young adults. Kensuke had convinced Shinji and Draven to try it.
"Alright, I draw, discard." said Draven stating things off "I play this card..and can't forget this Energy Generator thing. I think that's all I can do."
"I draw' said Shinji, " I play Patrol of..."
"What are you idiots doing?"
The boys turned to see Asuka walking over to them. She was wearing a bikini that was far from age-appropriate but she filled out very well. In her hand was some scuba gear
"Well," Asuka asked happily "what do you think?"
Shinji's face began to show a trace of red "It...it looks good on you Asuka"
"Defiantly" agreed Draven "When this war is over you could be a model"
The redhead smiled "Model. Actress, I'll do something to ensure the world never forgets the name Asuka Soryu"
The German girl walked towards the pool occasionally glancing over her shoulder to see if the boys were still watching her.
"She's so humble, it's inspiring," remarked Draven.
Shinji didn't answer, he was staring at the other end of the pool. Draven turned to see Rei emerge from the water in a white one-piece suit. The bathing suit showed off her figure as well as her pursuit did. The boys watched in awe as she reached for her towel.
"Oh boys" Asuka called
The boys' attention turned from Rei to Asuka who was dressed in scuba gear
"Back roll entry!" Asuka said as she rolled into the water.
They turned back to Rei.
Draven poked Shinji "Now's your chance, go talk to her"
Shinji looked at the blue-haired beauty. He had thought about this chance for the last few days. Gathering up his slowly budding courage he walked over to the First Child
"Rei," he said walking up to her
Rei turned to Shinji, They had not spoken privately since the defeat of the Splitting Angel. She had also not been able to have a conversation with Captian Katsuragi
"Yes?" Rei responded quietly
"I was wondering if you were free tomorrow?" asked Shinji
"I must be here in the morning but I am free in the afternoon" responded Rei
"I was wondering, would you like to spend some time with me, maybe go to an ice cream parlor or something..." Shinji's voice trailed off, he had no idea what else to say. Surprised he had managed to get that much out
Rei studied Shinji for a moment, was Shinji asking her out on a date? True, he had not used that word but she knew it was the same idea.
"I have never eaten ice cream" replied Rei "I look forward to it,"
Shinji's heart did a small jump " So you'll go?" he asked
"I have previously agreed to go with you, I still wish to go" explained Rei
Rei saw a smile break out across Shinji's face.
"That's great!" he said Rei could hear joy in his voice "I'll pick you up about 2, is that good for you?"
"That is fine" replied Rei
The two teens heard aloud splash and shouting that followed
Asuka standing next to the pool, glaring at the water. They watched Draven come up from underwater.
"What was that for?" he asked irritated
"That will teach you to try to feel me up!" Asuka shouted, "How dare you try to touch my breasts!"
Without another word, the fiery German walked back to the locker room.
Shinji ran over to his friend, hanging on the pool's side.
"There's a fine line between bravery and insanity," said Shinji crouching down at the water's edge.
"Teasing Asuka is bravery, trying to grab her chest that's insanity!"
Draven looked at Shinji, then asked "Do you have your phone or SDAT on you?"
Shinji shook his head "No"
"Good", Draven reached up, grabbed the other boy by the collar, and pulled him into the pool.
Shinji was underwater for a few moments before surfacing. He turned to shout at his friend when they heard a quiet laugh. The boys turned to see Rei, covering her mouth in an obvious attempt to hide her amusement
"She's laughing at us Shinji," Draven said
"I don't really blame her" replied Shinji simply
Rei walked to the locker room as the boys climbed out of the pool
She was not used to feelings like this. This lightness inside her. She had felt joy when around Commander Ikari but nothing to this degree. These boys were having a strange effect on her, one she welcomed. The afternoon with Shinji, she was looking forward to this but her conversation with Captain Katsuragi must happen soon. Before any of that, there was something she needed to do, perhaps it was time to deal with Pilot Soryu
Asuka dropped the scuba gear next to her locker. She had gotten out of the water to take it off to do laps but, it was heavier and more awkward than she realized. It didn't help the ground was wet. She slipped into a puddle and lost her balance. Asuka fell against someone and a pair of arms wrapped around them, catching her. She heard a voice say "Easy, we don't need you cracking your head open"
Asuka looked up into a pair of hazel eyes and realized whose arms she was in. Her face turned red, and she shoved the American into the pool. She accused him of trying to feel her up to cover the embarrassment.
Asuka stripped off the bathing suit she had hoped would bring Kaji into her arms. He wasn't even here, why was he so focused on Misato? Couldn't he see that Asuka was a far better choice? All she had were the Idiot, the Pervert, and those cowards at school who put notes in her locker but didn't dare to speak to her face to face. She was putting her bra back on when she felt someone next to her. Asuka turned quickly, to see the Rei standing there.
"Did you need something First Child?" asked Asuka with a touch of smugness
"You are wrong" the blue-haired girl answered
To Asuka, those words are like a red flag to a bull "What did you say?" she fumed
"Draven would not try to 'feel you up', he was trying to prevent you from injuring yourself" answered Rei "I saw the entire event over Shinji's shoulder. Had he not intervened you could have been badly injured."
"Why are you standing up for that pervert? I thought you were interested in the Idiot" taunted Asuka
"Both of them would do better with me than with you" Rei answered simply "You are too childish both in mind and in body" Rei added the last part with a faint taunting smile on her face.
"WHAT?" shouted Asuka "You think you're better built than I am?"
Rei didn't answer, she turned and walked away from the enraged German. Such actions were usually beneath her, but it felt good to say something to enrage the 2nd Child, perhaps she would do this more often.
The boys were in their locker room changing into dry clothes
"So you finally got an afternoon with Rei, I admit, I'm envious," said Draven smiling
"Yeah" replied Shinji, eager for tomorrow to arrive
"How's it going with the beam katana?" asked Draven
"I think I got the hang of it." Shinji replied putting his shirt on
"Excellent" replied Draven. "How about the day after your date with Rei we start sparring?"
Shinji blushed slightly "It's not a date it just..."
He paused, his growing courage starting bubbling up again.
"Yeah the day after is fine by me," he said firmly
Draven clasped him on the shoulder "Well said"
"ATTENTION ALL PILOTS REPORT TO THE BRIEFING ROOM" came the call over the intercom system
"Damn it" muttered Shinji
The children dressed in the usual uniform, assembled in the briefing room several minutes later. Ritsuko and her ever-present assistant Maya were already there.
"Misato has discovered an Angel in the volcano at Mount Asama" explained Ritsuko
"Great, so we're going fishing?" asked Draven
"Actually" replied the blonde scientist "we're going diving"
"What?" asked three of the four together
The display screen flickered on, it showed an image of an embryo
"This is what Misato found. An Angel is still in the embryonic state. Our goal for this mission is a live capture" explained Ritsuko
The plan was as simple as it was crazy. One of them would dive into the magma and capture the Angel. Asuka had eagerly volunteered to dive with the others on standby.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY UNIT-02?" shouted Asuka
"Special equipment for you to survive the intense heat and pressure of the volcano" explained Ritsuko "Your plug suit is special too, click the trigger on your left wrist"
When Asuka hit the trigger, her plug suit began to swell like a balloon, soon she looked like a red berry with arms, legs, and a head
"Whhaaaa" cried Asuka.
"Special insulation for your protection" Ritsuko explained, doing little to hide her amusement at Asuka's reaction
"I won't do it, this is embarrassing," said Asuka stubbornly
"I'll go," said Draven
"The Danner can't withstand the heat or pressure and our equipment won't work with it," said Maya
"I'll use Heat Boy. That was tested in a volcano wasn't it?"
"The Heat Boy cannot withstand the pressure as deep as you would have to go. It can go down a few hundred feet but after that, it would be smashed like a tin can" explained Ritsuko "We have to use an EVA" responded Ritsuko
Ritsuko turned to the other pilots, while Draven muttered something about cheap bootlegs
Rei raised her hand "I will go to Unit-02" she said calmly
"Oh hell no" shouted Asuka, glaring at Rei "You are not touching my Unit-02!"
A taunting smile tugged at Rei's mouth "Perhaps you would feel better if you wore a plug suit that exposed most of your body"
"Bitch!" snapped Asuka "Fine I'll do it!"
"Too easy" thought Rei. For all her bragging this German girl was far too easy to manipulate.
The redhead turned to her EVA "I'm sorry. They're making me do this."
There goes my date with Rei again thought Shinji bitterly
He was right, for within 24 hours the team assembled at the base of Mount Asama
By Commander Ikari's orders, Rei and Unit-00 were to remain behind as a just in case.
EVA-01 and Heat Boy stood at the volcano's edge, Both boys were anxious, neither liked the idea of Asuka diving into the magma
Shinji looked down into the magma pool and asked "How can anything survive that kind of heat?"
"That which is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may die." quoted Draven
"What does that mean?" asked Shinji
"Cut the chatter you two, we're beginning the operation" announced Misato
Slowly the harness containing EVA-02 entered the volcano.
Even with all her protection the heat was intense. The blinding light given off by the lava made for a unique and eerie feeling, like sitting in a room with heat lights covering every square foot.
Then there was the silence. Normally the pilots could hear what was happening around them through microphones built into the EVAs. There was nothing now This world was silent, hot, and blinding red, it was not a place humans should be in.
Misato promised them, a trip to the local hot springs after this was all settled. She was going to need it
She could hear a cracking sound through the EVA, her Prog Knife was gone. Where was that damn Angel? Then she saw it, and moving as carefully as was possible she surrounded and captured the angel.
"Congratulations Asuka, you've achieved the first live capture of an Angel," said Misato
"Of course, who else could do it?" asked Asuka
"Can we stuff and mount it?" asked Shinji
"I was gonna say barbecue it," said Draven
"Will you two shut up?" said Ritsuko "We're not done yet we still need to get it out of the volcano.
"Killjoy" muttered Draven
Asuka slowly began to ascend with her prize. She was close to the surface when the cage began to shake wildly.
"It's reaching maturity," said Ritsuko "The heat must have sped up its growth cycle"
"ASUKA" shouted the teens standing on the volcano's edge
Shinji threw his Prog Knife into the volcano, while inside the molten sea, Asuka was fighting for her life against the awakened angel. She grabbed the weapon but its blade wasn't working against her enemy.
"What now?" asked Asuka frantically as the Angel swam around her like a shark looking for its first meal
"Counter hot with cold!" said Shinji
"The coolant!" Asuka exclaimed. "Misato!" She cut through her coolant lines. Misato gave the order to divert all coolant to one line.
She cut most of her lines. NO! thought Draven seeing the problem with her panicked strategy
The Heat Boy dived into the volcano, as a perplexed Shinji looked on
Asuka forced her coolant line into the jaws of the attacking angel. There was an instant reaction to the angel's body weakening its heat-boosted defenses, and with a shout, Asuka drove her knife into the now vulnerable creature. Later Asuka would swear she heard a mournful scream as the angel died in that burning ocean. Her victory was short-lived, she saw her coolant lines, her way back to the surface shredded, hanging on by a mere thread. As that final thread broke she realized I won, but I'm dead.
The red EVA broke free of its lifeline and began to fall deeper into the magma sea. As soon as it started her descent stopped. Looking up Asuka couldn't see anything, except two large frog-like eyes shining down on her.
"You show off," she said happily.
"She's too heavy," said Draven struggling with the controls "You'll have to use the winch to get us out"
As the two robots rose through the magma, Draven kept a cautious eye on his control and display. A warning light came on
"Warning, system compromised, heat shielding at 75%"
"Of course" muttered Draven 'Misato, this piece of junk breaking down!"
He watched as systems began to go offline throughout the Heat Boy, inside the already intense heat was getting worse. As long as it held on to EVA-02 he didn't care, as long as Asuka made it out of here safely, nothing else mattered. Finally, they broke the surface and Shinji rushed in to get the two damaged machines to safety. He could see the Heat Boy's armor melting.
"Come on!" Draven said he had tried the emergency eject. The doors refused to open, and the heat was unbearable, much longer and he would be a roasted pilot. Sweat poured down his face stinging his eyes. "DAMN IT!" he shouted
There was a loud metal shearing noise and he felt a cool breeze. Looking up Draven saw the roof of his cockpit was missing. The whole top half of the robot was missing. High above him the face of EVA-01 looking down at him.
"Thanks, Shinji" he called giving his friend a thumbs up. With a sigh, he said "These damn Chinese knockoffs always break after one use" Shinji never realized a hot bath could feel this good. PenPen floated in the water nearby
Draven was leaning against the rocks on the other side
"This is great," Shinji said happily
Draven stretched his arms "Oh yeah. You see hot springs in anime and manga but I never knew they felt this good."
He paused as PenPen floated by
"With everything I've seen since coming here, that is still the strangest," remarked Draven
"You get used to PenPen after a while," said Shinji
The American turned to his friend "I owe you one for today, if you hadn't gotten me out of that thing I would been baked teen"
"Forget it, I owed you for that beam-firing angel. So we're even" replied Shinji
Before Draven could reply, the girls on the other side asked for the body soap. Since neither of the boys had bothered with it, Shinji threw the full bottle over the wall. Asuka complained Shinji had hit her in a very private place. His face turned red as Draven laughed. Shinji's face changed to a smile not normally seen on the shy boy
"Draven," he said loudly "Get that camera Kensuke lent us. I found a hole in the wall"
The reaction was immediate and caused both boys to break out laughing
" DON'T YOU DARE YOU PERVERTS I WILL KILL YOU BOTH AND FEED YOU TO THE NEXT ANGEL" shouted Asuka
"I don't mind if you guys take pictures" teased Misato "As long as they're only for your 'private' use"
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Asuka shouted at the lavender-haired woman
"I'd rather have them looking at me than Kaji" replied Misato
"You'd rather have those perverts ogling you than a guy like Kaji?" asked Asuka shocked.
"You have no idea how much of a pervert Kaji can be," said Misato "I can trust those two not to pass the pictures around, I can't say the same about Kaji"
"But. But" Asuka stammered
"Asuka, you need to learn there is a lot about Kaji you don't know," Misato said sternly "Those two over there are already far better men than he will ever be"
"I don't believe it," said Asuka with a huff
"You'll learn," said Misato simply. "Now did you want more body soap or not?"

End Chapter 6