Depth, Part 3
Note, the parenthesis indicate languages other than Japanese, in this case, English and German.
Please Read and Review. I'd like to know what I'm doing right (to keep doing it), and what I'm I doing wrong (to correct it).
Othello, Cargo Ship, Pacific Fleet
Shinji was extremely anxious. The warning from the Phantom Stranger had him on edge. He knew Gaghiel was in route to the cargo ship, and it would be only a matter of minutes for him to arrive.
From her perch over Unit-02's upper back, Asuka spoke, proud of the machine she had been selected to pilot against the Angels. "This is the first true Evangelion Unit built. Unit-00 was a mere prototype, and your Unit-01 is the combat prototype. This," she hit the plug armor, making a bell-like sound. "is Unit-02! The first real Evangelion!" She looked at him expectantly, awaiting for his reaction.
Shinji answered from his place over the pontoons that surrounded EVA-02-s prone form. "It's amazing! I would love to get one like it! Unit-01 is kinda temperamental, you know." He reverently reached for the helm with his right hand, but abstained from actually touching the EVA. "Have they ironed all the bugs?"
"Of course! It is perfect!" She was certainly satisfied he praised her Eva, but also a bit annoyed he hadn't even made a token effort to defend his own machine. It took the fun out of it…
"I can't wait to see it in action!" and grimly, he thought, 'I won't have to wait for long... Any minute now...'
Right then, the whole ship rocked, the LCL Unit-02 was partially immersed in spilled over the borders of the transport pool, splashing the deck. Shinji and Asuka ran outside. Just in time to watch a geyser of water pass under a ship, cutting it in two.
"An Angel? Here?" Shinji pretended to be surprised, but actually, he was relieved. "We must warn Misato!" He dialed her number in his cell. "Misato! Asuka and I are with Unit-02! There's an Angel attacking the fleet! Yes! I'll tell her!" He was so focused on calling Misato he missed the proud, oportunistic smile on Asuka's face. It was her chance to prove herself as the best pilot!
"It seem you got your wish, Third! Prepare to watch how an EVA should be piloted. Follow me!" Without waiting to hear Misato's message, Asuka grabbed a sports bag, and dragged Shinji towards the stairs. She looked up and down, and, satisfied, nodded once. "Wait here. I'm gonna change into my plugsuit."
"No! I have to warn the crew! There's a comms box near the door. I'll be right back!"
Asuka was simply surprised by the Third Child. Instead of trying to pervertly watch her change he was going away! It was a bit disappointing, she would have expected him to act like one more of the endless litany of admirers and stalkers she had accumulated in college, especially during her last year. Instead, the Third Child ran outside and closed the door.
While she changed, she could hear his voice, yelling frantic warnings to the crew. "If I am joking, throw me in the brig until we reach port! NO! How many kids do you think you have on board? I'm one of the pilots! Pilot Soryu and I saw another ship being cracked open like an egg! Didn't you feel the aftershock? Prepare to evacuate the ship! The Angel will come for us next!"
Asuka finished putting her suit on, and pressing a button on her wrist, she depressurized it uuntil it fit her like a second skin. She hated the physical sensation of being constricted, but her enjoyment of the status that suit gave her was compensation enough. An idea came to her mind. To properly impress her own superiority as a pilot on the mind of the competition, what better way than have him in the plug with her? She knew it was feasible, after all, a rookie pilot with near-zero experience had been able to fight with two dummies in the cockpit making mental noise; and he had won at the end.
Shinji knocked on the door, and waited until she answered with a dry "Come in, already!"
Just as he opened the door, he was welcomed with a thrown spare plugsuit, he barely caught it, "What?"
"What are you waiting for? Suit up!" She poked his chest as she went back to the transport pool, "I'll not wait for you."
Shinji looked at her, and nodded. "Time to fight."
And while he changed, he repeated his mantra, "I will not break.", and once the suit was depressurized, he ran after Asuka.
Over the Rainbow, Command Bridge
The Admiral was busy, coordinating the movement and attacks of several ships at the same time.
Misato leaned on the door jamb. Behind her, Toji and Kensuke looked into the bridge. Smiling, Misato asked "Did you ask for any information about the enemy. Countermeasures, perhaps? "
"Captain Katsuragi. This is not the time for jokes, enter now and tell me how do we kill that thing."
"At once, Admiral," she made a mental note to thank Shinji after the fight, otherwise, the Admiral would have been against the very idea of accepting NERV's help. "As Shinji said, there's not a single weapon here that has any chance to even annoy an Angel. We need to deploy Unit-02, now."
"Damnation! Can we at least distract it?"
"I think so, send torpedos and depth charges into its route, they might confuse it while Unit-02 gets ready to fight. We are going to need the umbilical cable too." A quick look around and she took a microphone from the stand. She set the frequency to the one the EVAs used. "Asuka! Do you copy?"
"Misato! We are in Unit-02's plug, we are deploying now!"
"Shinji is with you? Good. We are getting the umbilical cable ready for you." She turned towards the radar operator, "How far away is the transport? How long will it take for it to get next to us?"
"It's too far, Captain! The Angel," he tapped at a big blob on the screen, "is too fast, it will crash the Othello in a few seconds more!"
A cold sweat soaked Misato's blouse. "Asuka, Shinji, get ready for impact!"
Unit-02 Cockpit
Cargo Ship Othello, Pacific Fleet
"No! You have to think in German! You are making too much thought noise." All around them, Error messages in German blinked red and white.
"I'm not ready to think in German yet, Asuka, I'm still in the translation stage. It might be better for me to get out and let you fight."
"Are you crazy? This coffee pot will sink as soon as that Angel hits it." She turned to the front, and murmured a few words in German. "(Mental Language: Japanese.)" The Error screen vanished, replaced by a clear view of the exterior.
"Now, let's blow this joint!" Unit-02 stood up under the tarpaulin, looking like it was wearing a cloak. Shinji felt the EVA around them just as he felt he himself was Unit-01 when he hit a high synch rate. He felt the EVA strike a pose with a very far resemblance to the way the Batman used to wrap himself in his cloak. Unit-02 crouched low, and jumped, discarding the tarpaulin in a flowing movement that made Shinji think Asuka would have been a great dramatic actress had she had the chance.
Just as Unit-02 left the deck, a wave passed under the Othello, cracking her in half. Thanks to Shinji's warning, most of the crew had time to at least put life preservers on. Still, many sailors were dragged down with the ship, lacking the time to get to an exit.
Shinji kept an eye on the digital counter that showed the operational time Unit-02 had left. "Hurry, we only have 51 seconds left!"
"Shut up! You're distracting me!" Asuka yelled. Shinji grabbed the seat with all his strength.
From a distance, it would have looked comical, a red colossus jumping from ship to ship, like it didn't want to get its feet wet. As it was, the weight and the impact of the landing of Unit-02 on the decks of the ships was powerful enough to put a serious dent on both the Pacific Fleet and its repairs budget for the next two years.
Finally, Unit-02 landed on the deck of the Over the Rainbow. Almost crushing a couple of planes. Still, the sudden weight on the deck tilted the ship dangerously to one side, consigning the planes to a watery grave anyway. Kensuke openly cried the loss of the fighters, but he kept on videotaping everything.
Directed by Asuka's will, the giant grabbed the end of the umbilical cable. As she inserted it into the socket at the back of the colossus, Shinji looked around, with Unit-02's senses. He noticed a tall figure standing on top of the command bridge; his cloak flapping in the wind. He nodded grimly. He and Asuka might be fighting for their lives, but they weren't alone.
50m under the surface.
All around Gaghiel, explosive charges detonated, messing with his senses; sight, hearing and even sonar were somewhat fogged. He dove down, surrounding the Over the Rainbow. From the depth, he rallied back, and during a pause on the attack, he felt the abomination again. He dove deeper and swam at his top speed, getting ready to jump out of the water and bite that copy in two.
Unit-02 Cockpit
Unit-02's timer reset, now displaying 8:88:88. Unless they lost the connection, they had now all the energy they would need. But they needed something else. Shinji grabbed Asuka's shoulder. "We are unarmed!"
Asuka dismissed his worries, at her mental order, the left shoulder pylon opened, and from it, she extracted the extendable weapon it contained. She scoffed, "We have the progressive knife, Third. It will be enough."
A push of the button on the handle extended the blade. The weapon started to vibrate, a deep hum resonated in the plug.
Over the Rainbow, Command Bridge (Spiritual Plane)
Deadman jumped into the radar operator, hijacking his body, he yelled "It's coming up from the portside! It's going to jump on us!"
Over the Rainbow, Command Bridge
The Admiral gripped his microphone, and screamed his orders. "All hands! Brace for IMPACT!" everybody grabbed consoles or safety rails, whatever they had close at hand. A massive monstruosity jumped from the sea, landing heavily on the now ruined flight deck. All the windows on the bridge blew up, showering the lower decks with glass fragments. For the first time, the crew saw the face of the enemy. A chill ran up and down their backs. The EVA and the Angel relative sizes and shapes reminded them of a man fighting a big crocodile. The way the Angel snapped its jaws at the red giant only reinforced the image.
Deadman, still controlling the radar operator, yelled, "They are going to step on the elevator! It's gonna give!" The Admiral and Misato tried to relay his warning, but it was too late, the EVA's weight crushed the structure that held up the platform. Asuka lost the EVA's balance, dropping the progressive knife. It embedded point first into the deck for a moment. The ultrasonic vibrations that made the blade so dangerous acted as an exotic lubricant; the weapon slid down like a guillotine, cutting a plane in half.
Asuka tried to recover the knife, but Gaghiel pushed the EVA off the ship, and followed it into the sea.
Over the Rainbow, Command Bridge
Misato choked an incredulous '…no…', she realized the EVA couldn't fight, it was equipped to fight on dry land, not underwater! "Shinji! Asuka! Are you OKAY?"
Over the Rainbow, Next to the Umbilical Cable Spool (Spiritual Plane)
The Phantom Stranger put his gloved hands on the structure that held up the thick cable that fed energy to the EVA. Focusing his power, a jolt of energy traveled down the cable, reinforcing it's AT-Field.
Unit-02 Cockpit
100m Under the Surface
Unit-02 hanged limply from the umbilical cable, it had reached a depth where it's weight and flotability canceled each other.
"We can't fight underwater with B-Type Equipment, Asuka!"
She pulled the control yoke, and shot him a glare. "You know what I think? We have to try anyway."
Shinji nodded grimly, "You are right. What do you suggest?"
"Me? Aren't you the great Third Chosen Child? All-mighty Slayer of Angels? Think of something!"
"Very well. Let me think." Around them, Gaghiel circled like a shark, Shinji focused his mind, looking at their enemy, looking for any clue to a weakness they could exploit. Silently, he asked his inner representation of Robin for a little help.
He received it. A flash of inspiration. "A creature that size shouldn't be able to move at that speed. It's cheating. It's using its AT Field to propel itself! Its fins are more for maneuver than propulsion."
"So? How the hell is that any help?"
Shinji smirked, "We can cheat too."
"What?" the redhead looked at him like he had grown a second head. Misato's voice interrupted them, "Shinji is right, Asuka! Use the AT Field to move! Share control with him, you fight while Shinji manipulates the field!"
Asuka was about to shot a glare at Shinji, when Gaghiel lounged at them. She froze for a second, for the first time she saw clearly into Gaghiel's maw. "Teeth!" she hissed. Instinctively, Shinji usurped control of the EVA, and evaded the attack with a push of the AT-Field. "That's the enemy. Did you see the core? It's at the back of the mouth."
"I know! I know! Who do you think you're talking to?" Actually, she had seen it, but was too distracted by the sight of scores of sharp teeth to actually get any useful info from the sight, the smaller fangs were the size of EVA-02 forearm while the largest were longer than the EVA's torso! "Don't get any ideas, Third! This is the only time you ever, EVER! get to pilot my EVA! Got it?"
He squeezed her shoulder. "Got it. Let's do it." He was looking straight ahead, tracking Gaghiel's movements, his eyes were grim and pitiless. Asuka suppressed a chill.
"Do we have any other weapon?" He asked, still looking at the Angel.
"No! The shoulder spikes haven't been installed yet. The prog-knife was the only weapon we had."
"Damn!" He pushed the AT-Field again, barely evading another attack. "I cannot keep like this for long!" A thin trail of blood followed his head movements. The stress of manipulating the AT-field was tremendous, his nose was bleeding. Shinji looked at the thin stream of bloody LCL. 'This is like Green Lantern's power. Just imagine it, and put your willpower at work.' He thought.
Over the Rainbow, Command Bridge
Misato heard Toji gasp. The jock was looking at the radar screen. He looked at her, his expression was completely miserable, "It will eat them, won't it?"
Flash! An idea struck Misato like a lightning bolt. "Asuka! Shinji! Confirm! The core is in the throat?"
Their voices chorused back "Yes! But we have no weapons!" Shinji added, "And I can't go on for much longer!"
"You won't have to! I have an idea!"
A silent beat answered. Then a hesitant "What are you thinking?" from Shinji, he knew his guardian would have a crazy idea that was barely practical, but very effective.
"Let it eat you!"
"Whaaaaat?"
"Don't let it bite you! Make sure it swallows you whole, then you will be able to attack the core directly!"
Unit-02 Cockpit
200m Underwater
Shinji and Asuka looked at each other. Both nodded simultaneously. "Ready?"
"Ready." Asuka waited until the last moment, and tucked Unit-02's arms and legs, forming a ball; Shinji propelled them into Gaghiel's wide open maw, making sure the sharp teeth missed them. Still, the jaws closed around them with terrible finality, it sounded like the closing of a coffin.
Asuka switched on the external lights. Unit-02's eyes shone brightly, illuminating the mouth. Shinji sighed, and almost collapsed in the plug. "That… takes a… lot of me…"
"Don't sleep in the job, Third!" She slapped him to keep him awake. "The core is right there.", she pointed at the red sphere.
Asuka willed Unit-02 to move. It dragged itself down Gaghiel's gullet. She measured her strike. Pulled back EVA-02's fist, and punched the core. A loud noise enveloped them. But the core was unharmed.
She struck again, and again, to no avail. The core was too hard, and Unit-02 hadn't enough space available to strike with all its might. "Damn. If we only had a knife.." She hit the control yoke.
"What do you mean? We are surrounded by knives!" Shinji chuckled weakly. Asuka stared at him, about to slap him again, when she realized what he had meant. She grinned a predatory smile. "Let's grab one!"
Over the Rainbow, Command Bridge
The Admiral barked orders on the microphone. Basically, the larger ships were to put distance among them, while the frigates rescued the survivors of the three ships Gaghiel had attacked pursuing Unit-02. It was a hard blow to the Pacific Fleet, but at least Shinji's warning had saved scores of sailors.
Unit-02 Cockpit
380m Underwater
Asuka focused all her will on the arms and legs of her war machine. But Gaghiel's teeth were too deeply imbedded into the jaws. Grimly, Shinji put his hands over hers. A silent agreement later, both pulled on the control yoke with all their strength. 'We are not gonna make it…' Shinji thought. "…unless…"
He sent a fraction of his will into Unit-02's core, looking for the woman he knew was imprisoned there. "Dr. Soryu? Kyoko? Are you there?" A wave of curiosity responded. Shinji pushed his thoughts harder. 'Asuka needs your help!' After that, a wave of worry and anger enveloped both pilots. Asuka gasped, not knowing why. She reacted with her guts and channeled her own anger into pulling a fang from the Angel's jaw.
Unit-02's four eyes lit up, blazing like green fury. The EVA's throat emitted a deep, angry, powerful growl.
A long, straight fang broke from Gaghiel's jaw, a cloud of angelic blood enveloped Unit-02 for a moment. Gaghiel shook its head frantically, blinded by the pain.
With barely a thought from Asuka, Unit-02 struck at the core, frantically stabbing it with Gaghiel's own tooth, over and over again. Cracks appeared on the surface, until it was clear that the core was about to break into pieces.
Had Gendo ikari, Kozo Fujutsuki or Ritsuko Akagi seen it, they would have said the same thing.
"…Berzerker…"
They would see the onboard recordings later, but they wouldn't see the red EVA's savagery in all its glory. They would think it was all Asuka's anger and desperation.
Over the Rainbow, Command Bridge
The radar operator yelled a warning, "The Angel changed shape! It looks like… like a ball!"
Misato realized what would happen, and screamed in the microphone, "It will self-destruct! Everybody get ready for impact!"
Unit-02 Cockpit
400m Underwater
Misato's warning shook Shinji back into full consciousness. He grabbed a surprised Asuka and covered her with his own body. "It's gonna blow! Hang on!"
Gaghiel's body flowed around its core, forming a white sphere. Near its center, Unit-02 tucked its arms and legs to protect the plug as best it could, its AT-Field shone for a moment, despite being in too close proximity to another active field.
Shinji and Asuka screamed.
Over the Rainbow, Command Bridge
An energy blast erupted from the water, it rose hundreds of meters up in the air, until it flared into two prongs at its sides, forming a cross high in the air. Tons of water were thrown to the sky, and then fell like a hurricane over the ships.
"Where's Unit-02?" Misato yelled next to a very disoriented radar operator. Deadman had already left his body, and the man had no memory of what had happened in the meanwhile. Still, he obeyed, and a look at the screen revealed the EVA had disappeared!
Over the Rainbow; Next to the Umbilical Cable Spool
(Spiritual Plane)
The Phantom Stranger directed his power through the umbilical cable, guiding Unit-02 back to the carrier. He also cushioned its fall, enough to keep the EVA from going through it like a progressive knife through butter. He preferred not to reveal his presence too soon. This could be seen as an improbable, yet very welcome coincidence.
Over the Rainbow, Flight Deck
The mechanoid landed on its feet and one hand, it held position for a moment, and then fell down like a drunk man next to his bed.
Unit-02 Cockpit
Over the Rainbow, Flight Deck
Once the plug stopped moving, Asuka pushed Shinji off her. "Don't you touch me, you creep!"
Shinji was practically unconscious. Manipulation of the AT-Field underwater was extremely taxing. He had a splitting headache, and then, his cheek burned again.
"…Wha..?" he mumbled, realizing he had been slapped by the third time in a single day.
Asuka pushed the release button, and the plug was ejected from its place on the back of Unit-02. The German pilot jumped down, mumbling "Why must all teenage boys be such immoral perverts?" She dragged Shinji out of the cockpit, and left him hanging on the edge, half inside the plug. "Get down! I don't want you in my EVA, you glory-hogging idiot!"
Shinji grabbed his head with both hands, moaning. Her screams were not helping him with his headache, that was for sure.
Fortunately for him, Misato appeared right then, accompanied by the Admiral, a group of sailors carrying stretchers, and Toji and Kensuke. His friends looked at him, worried; while Asuka stomped her way down to the showers, still mumbling.
The Medical Officer directed the sailors to get Shinji down, and he examined the pilot. A couple of minutes later, he said, "He will be okay in a few hours. He just needs some rest." The sailors sighed in relief, put him on the stretcher, and carried him to the sick bay.
They transported Shinji as fast and smoothly as possible, the kid had saved the lifes of many sailors that day. They would make sure the kid got the medical assistance he needed.
Epilogue 1
Over the Rainbow, Mess Hall
Misato found Asuka in the mess hall, fuming over a cup of coffee. She sat next to her. Asuka kept looking at the table.
"Okay, what happened?" Misato asked.
Asuka looked at her, only Misato and Kaji could have read the hurt feelings on her face; to everybody else, it was pure anger. "He tried to cop a feeling off me, Misato!"
Misato stared into her eyes. "Did he?"
"Yes! And to think we were getting along." She thightened her fists. "But he had to act like a… a… perverted teenager!"
"I might be wrong, you know." Misato said softly, "But from what I heard, and keep in mind I've known him for a good while now, I think he really was trying to protect you."
"I don't need his protection! I can fend by myself." Asuka slammed her fists on the table, shaking the cups.
"I know. But he doesn't; yet. And he has a really serious hero complex." Misato took Asuka's hand in hers. "Anyway, with the splitting headache he has, I seriously doubt he could even think of copping a feel. I mean, and this is strictly between you and me, he has had plenty of chances with me."
Asuka looked at her former guardian, not believing her ears. Misato shrugged, and continued, a touch of sadness tinged her words. "You know I drink, a lot. And sometimes I fall asleep in front of the TV? "
Asuka nodded.
"Well, the first few days he stayed with me at my apartment, I put him to the test. I needed to know if I was safe with him, and so I feigned I was asleep, to see what he would do. I just snored in the couch. More than once, And guess what? Every time, he took the beer can from my hand, put a pillow under my head, and covered me with a bedsheet. He's very sweet." She looked into the distance. "You know, if he was older or I was younger, I'd claim him up." She snapped her fingers. "Like this!"
Asuka remained silent. Misato patted her shoulder. "Don't be so hasty to dismiss him."
Epilogue 2
NERV, Central Dogma
Ryoji Kaji had finished his introductions to the bridge bunnies. Makoto Hyuga and Shigeru Aoba were just two more grunts, but Maya Ibuki was certainly a pretty girl. Still, it wouldn't pay to ignore the others. For now, at least. His status as a UN inspector granted him the right to watch NERV's operations, as long as he didn't interfere.
So he had listened to Misato's report. He felt a bit bad about having left Misato and Asuka before the Angel had attacked, but everything had worked out at the end. Still…
"Say, Hyuga, right? Who do I need to ask for a transport to New Yokosuka? I'd like to check on Misato and the pilots. In person."
Epilogue 3
NERV, Commander's Lair
"I see. Good job, Captain. A recovery crew will be waiting for you. Bring the pilots to NERV for check-ups and debriefing. The recovery crew can take care of the Evangelion transport. That's all."
Commander Ikari hung up the phone, and turned back towards his companion, tenting his fingers in front of his face, hiding his mouth. "Everything went according to the Scenario. The Sixth Angel has been neutralized, there might be enough left of it to study its workings; that's more than the Dead Sea Scrolls implied. Adam has arrived safe and sound. Now the true Human Instrumentalization Project can begin."
Kozo Fujutsuki stared into the block of Dura-Bakelite that contained the foetus-like form of Adam. "What will you do with it?"
"Put it in a safe place, of course." Gendo Ikari took off his right glove, looking intently at his hand, mostly at the scars that covered the palm; and pressed a button on his desk. "Dr. Akagi. We have received the samples. I'm in my way to your lab to start the procedure. Once you have finished, report to New Yokosuka, and bring Unit-02, the pilots, and Captain Katsuragi for check-ups and debriefing."
From the intercom, a tiny, electronic voice answered, "Yes, Sir."
Author Notes
This is the longest action chapter I've written (the longest chapter even!). I enjoyed it immensely. I want to aknowledge the inspiration I got from various stories.
The Second Try, by Jimmy Wolk, the first fanfic I read, and my personal head canon.
Advice and Trust, by Panther2G, Still in progress and a fascinating read.
Once More With Feeling, by Crazy-88. Sadly, unfinished, but still one of the best Evangelion fanfics.
And of course, the Superwomen of EVA series, by OrionPax09 and Mike313.
if you haven't read these stories, you are in for a treat!