"Anyone out there got a good view of the L.Z?"
" … Negative Unit Zero-Two, I can see some activity up there, but I can't tell what it is-
"Holy shit! Unit Zero-Three is down, Unit Zero-Three is down!"
" … What the hell is going on out there?!"
Prologue
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
"Okay, listen up people!"A voice sprang out. Shinji jolted awake recognising the harsh voice of his flight commander. "We have an extremely hostile situation on our hand. Recon has not been able to determine the amount of opposition so let's keep this tight, your mission is to-
A deafening boom interrupted the man as an explosion ripped through plane with a volley of shrapnel emanating a hail of shrieks while his head was thrown back into the aluminium alloy airframe. His mind ran disoriented, everything a blur as he slowly regained his composure now noticing how the rays from the searchlights below beamed through the assortment of punctures that the aircraft had been littered with, leaving theinterior with an angelic glow. The distant wails of sirens and thunderous booms far, but still leaving an echo as the obfuscated figures around him began to tend and administer care to those injured.
"The flight commander is unconscious!" yelled an officer kneeling to the man now crumpled, his white decorated uniform now staining a dark vermillion. More and more men began to surround him in a large commotion, though to one man he felt asense of duty to contain the chaos and separate the order from the anarchy.
"Good riddance... that's one less distraction from the Navy" Shinji heard anothergrumble, taking another glance at that someone, hewas able to deduce his identity through examining his dark blue attire.
"If the flight commander is unable to perform his duties, then the chain of command will follow through me, I will assume command of this operation!" He heard his commanding officer Colonel Tokunaga bellow out.
To Colonel Tokunaga's dismay, the world around him did not seem to care for his proclamation, shortly after finishing the speech with a loud growl from the airframe of the aircraft began to flex as it violently shook, to which he huffed again, emphasising his importance over the environment around him.
"This is no longer a Navy operation, and you will be under the command of the Army Air Force!" The man reaffirmed, superseding his authority. Moving to focus his attention on the flight crew, his head swivelled before his body did as he turned to face the cabin shortly making his way over.
"I want a sit-rep on the flight course, A.S.A.P!" The Colonel declared.
"Unit 'Zero-One' is minimum-fuel, Sir." The Pilot answered to his call.
Concerned at the less-than comfortable amount of reserve fuel keeping them airborne, he asked again.
"Do we have enough to return to the carrier group?" Colonel Tokunaga questioned, raising his eyebrow at his statement.
"In theory, we should, the additional drop tanks installed onto the wingspan was to provide extra fuel capacity to accommodate for the weight from the additional passengers over the eleven-occupant limit." The Pilot retorted to the Colonel's wariness, but deciding to alleviate the army officer's prudence, he spoke again.
"However, after the deployment of the First-Raiding Regiment, the weight reduction should leave us with enough propulsive efficiency to reach the Sory- "
"Engine failure on the right wing!" The Co-Pilot exclaimed as the cockpit was bathed in a marigold glow as the overburdened engine was set alight, bursting into flames.
"The structural integrity is weakening; I-I don't know how much longer we can remain airborne." The Pilot stated in a professional, yet concerned manner turning to face the Colonel of the Imperial Army while the plane began to croakin metal groans, its weight felt as it shook through the bones of its passengers.
"It'll hold!" Colonel Tokunaga demanded before querying again.
"Worst case scenario I'll order the Jumpmaster to initiate deployment earlier than scheduled. Status on ETA?"
"Inbound in twenty-five sir, we still have forty-fiveklicks until we are over the drop zone" The pilot had replied, but theechoes of metal creaking and twisting was felt throughout the reverberations of the plane. For a moment it had been calm, almost silent.
And then all hell let loose.
Shinji could only watch through porthole in horror as the right wing of the plane crumpled up under the pressure of the forces acted on it. The loss of the plane's wing sharply altered its trajectory as the aircraft began to spin uncontrollably, heading earthward exceptionally fast. Shinji held onto his seat tight as he watched others being flung around interior of the plane like a ragdoll.
"Mayday, Mayday, Mayday! This is Ki-Five-Seven designated Unit 'Zero-One'. Approaching thirty Klicks away, E.T.A in thirty. We have an engine failure and a broken wing. Requesting immediate assistance, over!"The pilot declared a transmission over the transport planes radio.
Clenching his hands over his head, he shut his eyes as he began to focus on anything other than the surrounding panic, Shinjicould feel his pulse throbbing around his skull letting out a soft, yet hefty thud... thud... thud... throughout his mind. However, before he could think too far, an embrace of much needed warmth graced him as awarm sensation brushed across his hand.
Alleviating his fear, he felt safe enough to open his eyes to the outside world again, upon the sight of a hand on his, his vision trailed up the pale limb towards the man in uniform beside him in silver hair. A smile broke out on his face as they met each other's gaze, maybe at that moment everything would be all right.
Though to Shinji's dismay, all good things must come to an end as another crackly voice spoke. "I read you 'Zero-One'.Encountered enemy resistance is far greater than expected, site is impregnable, recommend mission abort. Unit 'Zero-Two' relaying to Soryu. How copy?"
Few words could barely be distinguished from the overlaying static, struggling against the unexpected electronic interference. "N-N-NEGATIVE, Unit 'Zero-Two!" It stuttered. "We are U-U-UNABLE to spare any assets to assist you nor provide fire support, Unit 'Zero-One'… We A-A-ADVISE you to perform an emergency la-
"This is Ki-Five-Seven designated 'Unit Zero'! Taking direct fire into the fuselage, unknown number of casualties. P-Prematurely deploying ahead of schedule!" Another call had cut off the transmission amid the chaos.
The aircraft shook again upon another explosion, the chaotic calls from the radio now gone as it cut out, leaving only static coming through. Shinji looked at the pilot's shoulder, his uniform ripped from the shrapnel, and a dark stain of red growing in size yet carrying on as if nothing had happened to them.
"U-Uncontrolled descent! Seven-thousand five-hundred feet until we reach the surface… u-uh seven-thousand feet!" A less experienced co-pilot blurted out in horror.
The fact that it had been pitch black outside made it even more terrifying, he could not see anything but knew that land would strike without warning.
"Six-thousand five-hundred feet!"
Tick... Tick... Tick.. A pocket-watch ticked.
" ... Approaching six-thousand feet… Five-thousand five-hundred fee-"
" ... We're approaching jump deployment altitude at three-thousand feet!"
"Three-thousand feet! Prepare to drop!"
The fluorescent bulbs dimmed, casting illumination on the dark interior of the aircraft, pathing its occupants in a cherry-red glow.
"Hold it just a while longer! We just need to buy enough time until we're overhead the site!"
The air was tense as the plane roughly shook with all the emphasis placed on the pilots. He watched them pull the throttle down as much as possible, he felt the plane slightly pull and the shrieks of metal as it stabilised with the floor now near level.
The pilot began to state his concern again. "The airframe has significant damage! Any more stress placed on it, and we are at risk of in-air brea-"
"Do it! We are not missing the drop zone!"Colonel Tokunaga interjected before nodding to one of the crew onboard the flight.
The man recognising his authority obliged, moving forward to the end of the unstable aircraft, he began to voice and gesture his commands.
"Get ready! Stand up!"
The twenty or so men confined in the aircraft arose from their cramped seating and in an orderly single file line, turned to face him in tandem though in an attempt, as the turning of the plane had thrown them off-balance with some forced to hold onto the airframes walls.
Although Shinji could no longer see the Jumpmaster, he still felt his presence which had felt even more prominent than of Colonel Tokunaga's.
"Hook up!" He ordered.
The sounds of metal grazing over the other and clicking could be heard as metal hooks began to clip into place over the static line, providing much needed stability to those attempting to stand, the arduous footing making them seem as if they were clumsy or drunk. Not missing a single second, another command followed suite.
"Stand by for equipment check!" The Jumpmaster spoke imperatively.
The sounds of shuffling were only just audible over the last engine working overtime to remain airborne against the loud thuds from the surrounding anti-air barrages.
Shinji movements were methodical, moving his hands across the man in front like a surgeon, his hands grasping onto the parachute harness as he began to tug and buckle the straps as he was shaken around, ensuring each one had been tightly secured and not loose. He began to pick up the pace as he felt rough hands on him from behind, doing the same.
Moving from his back to his head, he began to tug around at his helmet, attempting to see if he was able to dislodge the bulky piece of headgear. A glance over at the modified Type-99 rifle wrapped around his side and the additional reserve chute confirmed that the man in front of him was conforming to standard safety protocols and procedures.
He was finished checking the man in front, but whoever was behind him had been much slower as Shinji felt his head was shaken aroundas his over-sized, yet snug helmet underwent inspection. If anything had been wrong, Shinji would have seen him place his arm on the line.
"Sound off for equipment check!" Another command was beckoned.
His command was followed through the cries of those behind him, becoming louder and louder as it approached him. "All Okay!" A shrill voice spoke right behind his hear with a rough smack against his shoulder.
"All-Okay!" Shinji yelped sharply as he tapped the side of the persons shoulder in front of him, the squawking following right after as it continued to progress to the front of the line.
"STAND-BY!" The Jumpmaster announced again, the voice drilling obedience into his mind. Shinji didn't even have enough time to think before another call was announced.
"ONE MINUTE!" His eardrums were hounded once more.
Preparing to hit landfall, Colonel Tokunaga returned his attention to the twenty souls on board ready to deploy, the chances he was going to see greet any of them again onboard the Soryu were slim, the odds were stacked against each of them.
"Alright men we are dropping into a hostile A.O! Ther….
... "
His commanding officers voice was drowned out as the sounds of the propellors turning filled his head the sound of a siren building and building in his head, feeling as if it were to explode...
... Then nothing.
It had eerily been silent as he watched the plane seemingly disintegrate in the air like sands in the wind, the structural integrity of the aircraft gave through no longer able to handle the stresses acted upon it. The welded sheet metal scraped off into flakes against the sky as its occupants had turned from a cohesive fighting force to a sea of flesh, bodies thrown like ragdolls around the interior of the plane knocking each other over, with some unlucky enough being sucked through the engorged punctures and openings across the fuselage.
His hand unconsciously maintained a strong grip on a section of the plane he had been sitting in, holding onto it with all the strength he could muster as the plane continued his rapid descent to impact.
Despite the frantic attempts of each member of his regiment to regain footing, the mob had been thrown around as if they were in a cement-mixer, his commanding officer ill-fated, had been pressed against a gaping hole on the fuselage, his body contorting unnaturally as he was pulled through. The sight alone froze Shinji in fear, unable to move an inch beside his iron grip on a still stable piece of the airframe.
Only a helpless bystander to the chaos around him, Shinji desperately wanted to maintain control over the fleeting resource, and as he watched another one of his comrades adorned in silver hair struggling like them, his bodystarted to move before his mind did. Leaping forward, his other free hand began to wrap his arm along the adjacent, pale limb, clenching tightly on the fabric covering his bicep not wanting to let go.
"H-Hold on, please!" Shinji pleaded not only to him, but to himself.
He wasn't strongest, but his sheer determinationpushed on despite the strain and acute burn radiating in his his gaze into his friends' rosey eyes, he let out a silent plea for him to keep holding, Kaworu upon realising this, began to smile warmly, with Shinji reciprocating one of his own.
In spite of all the chaos around them, nothing else mattered as the world seemed to be just them asboth held on for dear life like drowning sailors onto the side of a lifeboat. Shinji felt reassured that at least his friend would be here, he wouldn't be alone in the very end.
The fact is that Shinji had already seen almost everything that could make a man crumble and quiver in fear. Particularly his curse, a monkey's paw where he survived against all odds when others could not... though in effect this meant he was forced to witness and hold onto his dying comrades as they bleed out, watching the life drain from their eyes.
But the truth is, although maybe selfish. That underneath the surface his greatest fear in life had been and had always been one thing.
Shinji Ikari was terrified of dying alone.
But today he was seemingly going to face this fear head-on, his heart plummeted deep into his chest aswailing bellowed out just as the fuselage underwent full self-disassembly. Now hurled out of the aircraft, a chunk of debris from the aluminium sheeting had caught them off-guard, with both knocked off, his grip was ripped from him as Shinji's hand was involuntarily thrown back, leaving him to watch as his friend faded into the dark abyss adrenaline pumping through his body rivalled the oxygen carried in his bloodstream while an acute pain singed across his arm along his back, littered with shrapnel from being pummelled around the aircraft.
Fortunately for him, however, his mind was either unwilling or simply unable to register this, combined with the experience of weightlessness he was left alone hurdling through the night sky, his mind running blank like an engine without oil.
Kaworu's warm grace was still able to keep him some comfort... but how? He knew his friend was gone, he had just seen him disappear right then! consumed by the abyss of the night, yet still there, he could sense it.
Shinji could swear that he was still there with him, still holding his...
The boy's spine locked into place, stiff as concrete as his eyes looked downward, the soft, warmth touch of his hand still lingering. His breath hitched painfully along petrified eyes as he was forced to accept the image now burned into the deepest parts of his mind.
He was still holding the mangled remains of his bygone friend.
His throat tightening had threatenedhim with expunging the contents of his stomach, choking him as his cobalt eyes noted the soft, creamy pale skin of his bony hand trailing to its severed end. The cut had not been clean nor precise, the jagged bone sticking out like a sore thumbbeing of mangled flesh composed of the deep maroon blood seeping from his bodily tissues. The strands of muscular tissue flayed, flying defiantly in the wind like the vermillion on the inverted Philippine flags on fortifications he and his men now many moons ago, had been sent to overrun.
The misery of silence gave way for the gift of sound as Shinji's hearing returned. The howling windgreeted his ears, sobering him in an instant dropping the severed limb. The gust of wind rushing through mirroring the ordeal of blood gushing in his head, he could hear his erratic and heavy breathing from mind currently spinning along with his body.
The thumping sensation enveloping his mind from either stress or adrenaline progressively worsened as hestarted to grasp at his harness and backpack in a frenzy, desperately trying to grip onto the ripcord of his parachute to manually deploy after the static line was destroyed, having failed to deploy the main parachute.
But fanning the flame of his piled-up struggles, his flimsy hands failed to grip the loose thread, slipping off with rope burn in each attempt he tried. The blood pooling in his cranium only fuelled the symptoms of nausea and light-headedness he felt throughout his body, weakening him as his vision darkened, fading in and out of consciousness. In one final effort, he forced himself to grasp onto the ripcord, this time managing to wrap a few digits consisting of his index finger, middle finger and thumb over the knob.
'Please! No-no-no, Damnit, move... why won't you move!' He beseeched.
In his desperation, his stress turned into frustration with a tear shed from the sheer hopelessness and desperation of his predicament. His arm took the brunt of the strain as he began to pull with all the remaining strength his body had left.
'Pull... Pull... Pu- Yes!' He brooded desperately.
His body jolted, being tugged by hisnow released parachute dragged him across the air nowbeginning a slow descent. Allowing his body to relax, he felt drained as his blood pressure and adrenaline calmed, now noticing the damp feeling of his uniform from the rain.
Though the calm descent was like being in the eye of a storm. For he still had one last hurdle to overcome, as his tired eyes wore, he could now make out the vague outline of trees, realising that in the pandemonium he somehow forgot one crucial thing.
Landfall.
With contact with the forest floor below now imminent, Shinji tensed as he brought his forearms to cover his vital areas being his head, neck and face. He pushed out his hind-limbs together, positioning the lower extremities of his feet and kneesto barely brush against each other. His knees bent on a slight angle preparing for contact.
"A-Aahh!" Shinji voiced, letting out a grunt.
Although he had tried his best to minimise getting caught in the branches of the forest canopy, he had been caught inattentive by the lush forest hidden by its gloomy demeanour, causing him to collide against a hardy branch, experiencing phrenospasm as a result.
The collision, although short had closed the distance between him and the parachute, causing Shinji to fall hastily until the suspension line stretched. In his braced position his arms which were held outwardhad been left with grazes and shallow cuts as he grinded against the branch and trunk of the tree he had been caught in. Bracing his legs further as he expected to hit the ground running, only to remain immobile mid-air.
The parachute, now caught in the canopy above had ripped and left him dangling in the air, a single riser remained, with him spinning as if he were a fly in a cobweb. Shinji took his eyes off the chute canopy above, facing earthward. There was no indication on how far the ground was, but the distant crackles of gunfire and the thunderous blasts of flak-cannons could be heard over the weather and thunder, he had been left with no choice but to fight.
Bracing himself, his breathing became more frantic while mustering the courage to dive into the unknown. The weak, tensile strength of the remaining riser attached him to his now parachute, now unable to abseil down, with a bayonet in hand hedecided to begin cutting away at the rope.
The faint sounds of the small connecting threads of fibre could be heard as each one snapped incrementally being pulled against his weight. The frayed string slowly stretched and stretched as the elasticity of the rope gave way until...
"G-AAHH!" Shinji gasped as he fell.
Even while bracing to drop from a height, no one could truly prepare for falling from such a height into the unknown. His body tumbled along the tree's canopy, treated like a pinball onstray branches, a doll dropped by a child from up high. The acute pain surged throughout his nerves, his body protesting with loud, painful cracks as his arm bent sliding down a rock face, he cried out in pain as he contacted the ground while attempting to roll over to lessen the impact. The weight of his body pushed against his foot on an angle causing his ankle to sprain, but had finally come to a stop, now lying against a damp boulder.
Leaning his back against the damp rockface, he had never felt his body in this much agony ached until now. Replaying the events through his mind he evaluated his situation which was now unfavourable to say the was frigid, in need of medical attention, and isolated from his regiment deep behind enemy lines or for a matter of fact any form of communication at all. In all certainty, Shinji was on his own.
The distance they had travelled to was far beyond any method of recovery, now onthe enemy's homeland. Shinji struggled to even see past his outstretched palm consumed by the Cimmerian, thick wilderness which trapped him. But worst of all he was all alone, and alone with his thoughts.
Morning was tocome but his day had already come to an no condition to fight, all the stress had come to a grinding halt, now emptied of adrenaline there were no orders or commands for him to obey, an ally to fight with, or even an enemy to fight against.
The only conflict he would find was one in his head, the events of the day had been all too much to keep bottled inside, needing an outlet to expunge this before it would consume him, gnawing away at his sanity. Shinji wanted to scream until his lungs gave out. To lash out at a world which cursed him.
But the only thing that could have been heard, that was if anyone had even been there, were not the cries of grief and vexation from a war-torn veteran. In fact, it was anything but that and could only be recognised as one thing.
The soft whimpers of a crying, wounded boy in a forest alone.