Author's Note: Without further ado, here's the next chapter!
While Shinji was at school, Misato was busy with a presentation she put together explaining NERV's plight, for the lack of a better word.
"As the battle with the Third Angel shows, their destructive capabilities have surpassed previous estimates." Misato explained as a picture of the mangled Unit 01 was shown on screen. "Eva Unit 01 sustained severe damage during the battle and will require extensive repairs to resume operational status."
Misato then switched to the next slide, showing Rei's white-and-yellow Eva Unit 00.
"In the worst case scenario of an immediate Angel attack, Unit 00 is the only Eva unit that is capable of responding to the threat. At its current state, valuable time will be lost in performing emergency repairs on Unit 00. Cannibalization of Unit 01 may be required to fully restore Unit 00's functionality." Misato continued. "This will obviously incur severe setbacks on Unit 01's repair progress. By using the battle with the Third Angel as an example and accounting for the First Child's experience, Unit 00 would still sustain severe damage and may be out of commission."
The screen then showed a maintenance timeline for the Eva Units.
"There would be no guarantee the Angels will refrain from attacking Tokyo-3 while both units are out of commission. Should the unthinkable happen, we will be completely defenseless, and even complete cannibalization may not be sufficient to restore a unit to working order." Misato said, restraining her memories of the Second Impact. "Should that happen, Third Impact and the complete destruction of humanity are inevitable."
To illustrate Misato's point, the screen switched to a hellish image of a demolished Tokyo-3 with red skies and oceans. Misato said nothing and simply lowered her head in a moment of remembrance for her dead father, as well as to let the image sink in for her audience. Having collected herself after a brief moment of sorrow, she continued.
"In conclusion, my advice as the head of the tactical department is to increase the size of the Evangelion contingent in Tokyo-3 by transfer existing pilots world-wide as well as their Eva Units to this location. The infrastructure we have at present can provide for the holding and maintenance of up to six units." The screen showed an image of several hands put on top of each other. "This will ensure at least two units are ready to respond to an Angel attack at any given time while others are undergoing maintenance and repairs. Another benefit of this arrangement is the minimization of the level disruption on the daily lives of the pilots. Since the defense of Tokyo-3 against the Angels falls squarely on our shoulders, we must spare no efforts or expenses on our duty. Thank you for your time."
Misato's audience applauded her as she wrapped up her presentation.
All right, I got my message out there. She thought as the pounding in her heart calmed a little.
Now all I do is hope they approve my ideas.
"That was an excellent presentation, Major, and I am quite glad we are having this discussion before the Commander and I are due to leave for the Antarctic." Vice-Commander Fuyutsuki said after he finished clapping. "Let's take a break for now. We shall discuss this later in greater detail."
Chapter 3 - It's Raining Angel!
Later that Night
"Rei? Are you home?" Shinji rang the doorbell to Rei's apartment for the fifth time, after double-checking her address was correct? "I'm here to drop something off for you."
Shinji waited for a whole minute, but there was still no response from the blue-haired girl.
What if she's sleeping? Nah can't be. Shinji thought.
Misato said she keeps a strict schedule and doesn't sleep until midnight.
Suddenly, Shinji's eyes widened in horror.
What if…oh, no…she was still pretty beat up when I saw her after waking up in that hospital. Shinji thought.
What if her injuries got worse and she collapsed? She could DIE if nobody helped her!
With that thought in mind, Shinji turned door knob and threw his entire weight onto the apartment door, only for the already-unlocked door to open and for him to fall flat onto his face into the apartment. After dusting himself off and picking up the bag of notes, Shinji looked around and realized that it was about as run-down as the building she lived in. What little wallpaper remained was faded and peeling off, cracks in the exposed wall let in little drafts all over the place, stains were all over the carpet, and there were even a few spots that had black mold. The furniture was also fairly spartan, with a plain single-person bed, a simple wooden desk and foldable chair, a stove and a refrigerator that looked like they were made decades before the Second Impact, plus a cheap plastic bookshelf. Shinji walked over to the desk and noticed that there was only one thing on it: a pair of melted glasses.
I wonder what these are for. Shinji thought as he picked it up.
Suddenly, he heard a door creak open. Shinji turned and was immediately awestruck. Emerging from the steam was Rei wiping herself with a gray towel. Shinji's eyes widened as he stared slack-jawed at her naked form, with her pale skin, slender figure with curves in all the right places, and graceful posture. She didn't seem to mind Shinji's presence and simply strode towards him as she continued drying herself off. The male teen was so fixated on her that he stopped paying attention to the sensations on his entire body except his face, which simply felt hot…and a sudden stinging sensation from Rei's slap that snapped Shinji back to reality.
"Pilot Ikari, I did not give you permission to handle those glasses." Rei said flatly but
「menacingly」. "Put them back, now."
"Right, sorry about that." Shinji complied as he rubbed his cheek.
Second time I got hit on that cheek today, juts my luck. "Sorry for barging in here and all, I was just kind of worried when you didn't answer your doorbell."
Rei paid him no heed as she walked over to a laundry hamper and started to put on her outfit for the next day, which was her school uniform.
"Uh, Rei, you do realize tomorrow is a Sunday, right?" Shinji asked. "Don't you have something more casual?"
"I know. I have no need." Rei said as she tucked her uniform shirt into her skirt. "Why are you here?"
"Oh, right, the teacher told me to give you today's homework and notes since you were still at the hospital and all that." Shinji said as he emptied the contents of his backpack onto Rei's desk. "Plus Misato wanted me to drop off your new ID for you since she's busy tonight."
Rei muttered her thanks as she finished dressing, then headed over to the bookshelf and picked out a book. She then brushed past Shinji, pulled the chair with her towards the desk, and sat down. Shinji took it as a sign he should leave, and was about to head for the door when he noticed what Rei was actually reading.
"Hey, Rei, I didn't know you like Pink Dark Boy." Shinji said as Rei turned to look at him. "I actually met Rohan Kishibe a few times, having lived in Morioh and all."
Rei's red eyes suddenly widened at the revelation, and her mouth slightly gaped. It was the most emotion Shinji saw her show ever since they met.
"It is a very fascinating series. Would you like some tea or water?" Rei said, still no emotion in her voice. "As you said, we have no school tomorrow. We can conduct this discussion for as long as we wish to."
Monday
"Shinji, you got back pretty late on Saturday night?" Misato teased Shinji as she drove him to school. "You two had a good time?"
"It's nothing like that, Misato!" Shinji replied with a blush on his face. "We just talked, that's all!"
"Relax, Shinji, I'm all for young love." Misato said with a grin on her face. "Just don't let it get the way of your duties as a pilot. That, and don't knock her up."
"Come on, Misato, my aunt already gave me 'The Talk' before I left Morioh." Shinji said. "I know about being safe and all that stuff."
Misato just laughed as she drove on, making casual conversation with Shinji on the way to school. Soon enough, the car pulled to a stop in the school's parking lot.
"Shinji, before you go, I need to tell you that you'll be getting friends soon." Misato said before Shinji left the car. "My request to get more Eva pilots transferred to Tokyo-3 went through."
"That's great news!" Shinji said as he stepped out. "How soon?"
"I'm not sure yet, but hopefully we can get all of them by the end of the month." Misato began to drive off. "Have a great day!"
Having Misato driving me on her to work is a life-saver. I'd probably get lost trying to figure out how to take the train here. Shinji thought as he went up the stairs.
That reminds me, I better figure out the way to school on my own in case I can't ride with her.
As Shinji entered the classroom, he noticed that all the students were clustered around the back corner of the class.
That's weird. Did another Eva pilot transfer in already? Shinji thought as he approached the edge of the crowd and went on his toes to have a better look. At the center of the circle was Rei sitting and talking in her usual emotionless tone with several girls and boys including Kensuke and Hikari. On her desk were her notebook, writing utensils, a gift-wrapped box, and a card under said box.
"Ayanami, good to see you back at school." Shinji greeted her.
"Good morning, Ikari." Rei said. "It appears my return has caused quite a disturbance."
"Wait, you guys know each other?" One of the boys asked. "Didn't you transfer here when she was still in the hospital?"
"Are you two dating?" A girl demanded. "Don't tell me a handsome hunk like you is dating that prude."
"Whoa, back off a second there. I don't appreciate my friend here being called a prude." Shinji smiled as he scratched his head. "And no, we're not dating; we just know each other from…our parents' friends."
"Don't lie to me, mister!" The girl said. "You two are dating!"
"Come on, you're making things difficult. We all know Shinji and Rei here are both Eva pilots." Toji interrupted as he put his left hand on Shinji's shoulder. "They're just co-workers, right, Shinji?"
"Yeah, you got that right, Toji." Shinji smiled.
Thanks for the save, man. At least nobody knows about me visiting Rei's place.
After some little more excited chatter, the class representative decided it was time to lay down the law.
"All, right, everyone! Exit the classroom in a single-file line!" Hikari called out. "We need to be on time for the weekly assembly."
After sitting through fifteen minutes of the principle droning on, Hikari Horaki herded the class back to their homeroom and led them through the daily ritual of standing up, bowing to the teacher, and sitting back down. At around halfway into the lecture, Shinji heard a loud beep come from his belt. He looked down and realized that it was his NERV-issued pager. Before the teacher could turn around and scold whoever was responsible for the noise, another beep sounded from the direction of Rei's desk. Shinji soon felt Rei tapping his shoulder, and the civil defense siren sounded right after along with a chilling announcement.
"Attention all residents, as per NERV directive D17, a general evacuation order has been issued for the city of Tokyo-3. Please evacuate immediately."
"Pilot Ikari, let us move." Rei said as she continued to pace forward. "The emergency recall has been sounded."
Rei went on a sprint immediately after she left the classroom, and Shinji went after her in hot pursuit to get to whatever transport she was using so he could catch a ride to NERV. As he chased after Rei, he realized something…
"Rei, wait! That's not the way down!" Shinji said. "Why are you going to the roof?"
Rei simply ignored him and continued to run up the stairs past the crowd of panicking students coming down, and Shinji continued to chase her out of frustration.
Maybe NERV is sending a helicopter? Shinji thought as he heard the door to the roof being slammed open.
Man, she's faster than I expected.
Shinji ran out the doorway only to see a bright blue beam of light zooming towards the Moon, which was still barely visible, then reflected towards the same general area as the NERV HQ.
Great, how the hell am I supposed to get to NERV now? Shinji thought as he threw his hands in the air.
What the hell was that anyway? Wait, Rei said she has a Stand. Maybe that was it?
After pacing around the roof for a couple of minutes and watching the multitude of helicopters either belonging to NERV, UN Forces, JASDF, or civilian operators evacuating Tokyo-3's residents, Shinji felt a strong wind hit him squarely in the back. Turning around, Shinji saw a NERV-branded V-22 Osprey with the rear ramp extended and Misato waiting inside. Taking the cue, Shinji jogged onto the ramp and into the aircraft.
"Good timing, Shinji." Misato said as she drove. "Looks like those online lessons did stick after all."
"Rei helped me a little too, actually." Shinji said. "By the way, I think she zoomed towards the NEV HQ on some kind of laser beam. Was that her Stand?"
"Guess you saw it in action, then." Misato replied. "Her Stand is
「Fly me to the Moon」. You can ask her about it when she's done with the Angel."
"Wait, didn't she just get out of the hospital?" Shinji asked. "What if she gets injured again?"
"That's just a risk we're going to have to take. There's no way you can go out in Unit 01 any time soon." Misato said. "We also haven't done a cross-synch test between the two of you, so there's no guarantee Unit 00 will even respond to your commands."
"All right, but that still doesn't make me feel any better about sending her out there." Shinji crossed his arms. "What am I supposed to do anyway if I can't pilot?"
"Trust me; this is not an ideal situation. There's a reason why I petitioned Commander Ikari to transfer more pilots here." Misato said. "As for you, you'll just sit with me and watch the battle. Part of the training is to have pilots on standby observe battles and debriefs."
"All right, guess it makes sense." Shinji said. "By the way, where is the Angel anyway? I don't see some giant monstrosity stomping around on the ground."
"That's because it's not on the ground." Misato replied. "It's attacking from space."
Earlier at NERV HQ…
"Morning, everyone. What did I miss?" Misato said as she sat down at her console in the operations center. "Any strange things or incoming Angel attacks I need to know about?"
"We do have something, ma'am. At 0730 we started tracking an unidentified object in high Earth orbit above the Indian Ocean slowly heading North-East and descending. Radar signatures indicate it is too large to be a satellite. JSSDF lent us multiple reconnaissance satellites for visual confirmation, but we can't get any signal back." Makoto Hyuga began his report. "The object appears to have some sort of built-in jamming function. We've just initiated the scan for Blood Pattern and the results…oh, no…Patter Blue confirmed. It's an Angel. Object is now accelerating, it's heading towards Japan."
"According to the MAGI's calculations, the probability of impact with the GeoFront is 99%" Maya called out from her readings.
"Damn it, this soon? Reroute all available orbit-based N2 launchers and mines to intercept the Angel!" Misato commanded. "Contact Commander Ikari immediately!"
"I'm trying, ma'am, but we can't get through!" Shigeru Aoba said. "The Angel is jamming satellite as well as phone communications! Communication is limited to Tokyo-3!"
"I see, this thing's a real crafty bastard. All right, as the ranking officer here, I'm taking command of this operation. I'm issuing special order D17: the evacuation of all residents of Tokyo-3 as well as non-essential NERV personnel." Misato said. "We still have telegraph as a back-up option, right? Send a message to HQ, UN Assistance Force Japan and the Ministry of Defense."
The UN originally sent a small contingent of military observers to Japan in order to monitor and moderate brewing tensions in East Asia in the years immediately following the Second Impact. In order to for the observers to remain impartial, the mission (dubbed the UN Stabilization Mission to Asia) was staffed by military officers from Canada and several Latin American countries. They were responsible for monitoring the activities of the JSDF as well as working with their counterparts in China, Korea, Vietnam, and other ASEAN member states to prevent their hosts from breaking out into all-out war.
As tensions in Asia died down and NERV rose in importance, UNSM - Asia was merged with the UN Peacekeeping Force - Korea to form UN Assistance Force – Japan, which is responsible for aiding NERV and the JSDF in fending off the Angel threat. UNAF-Japan mainly consists of air force, air defense, and naval units as well as the necessary logistical and medical support to maintain such a force. Curiously, while the United States has routinely sent personnel and equipment to participate in UNAF-Japan, the country continues to maintain its own military force in Japan separately from UN command. The presence of three foreign military forces, NERV included, remains a major point of contention in Japanese politics.
UNAF-J's headquarters is located in Narita Airport, which was expanded and fortified in order to accommodate both civilian and military traffic. Lodger units include the RCAF's 422nd Fighter Squadron, the Canadian Army's 5th Air Defence Regiment, as well as fighter and air defense units from other countries. A 2010 proposal to establish CFB Narita was quietly shelved after protests from Japanese ultranationalist groups as well as complaints from other UN member states that had forces stationed in Narita.
Narita Airport
The pilots of 422nd Fighter Squadron, RCAF scrambled towards their jets. The first flight, which were already on high readiness, took off after minutes of preparation. The jets zoomed gracefully through the air towards their target as they followed the live tracking data fed to them from a Chilean AWACS aircraft. Their radar screens and IFF tags indicated that the Canadians were being accompanied by Japanese, American, Argentinian, and Brazilian fighter planes.
"All crafts, this is Albatross. Be advised, hostile as jamming capabilities. Do not approach the 200-meter exclusion zone as indicated by NERV. Target has now entered atmosphere and hereafter designated 'Sahaquiel'. Break." An operator on the AWACS aircraft instructed. "End break. I'm receiving reports that ASAT weaponry has no effect. Engage as soon as you enter missile range. Refrain from entering visual range. I say again, refrain from entering visual range. Battle order is as follows: CAN, USA, JAP, BRA, ARG. Over"
All right, this should be a piece of cake. Major Mary Liu thought as she armed one of her missiles and watched her onboard computer lock onto the target using NERV's tracking data.
Bingo, asshole.
"Flight Vimy, this is Grizzly. You may engage when ready. Over" Mary fired a missile as soon as she spoke.
As one, the Canadian fighter jets let loose their barrage of missiles and broke off allowing for the American jets to their work and repeat the cycle. The N2 missiles impacted the Angel, causing massive explosions to ripple across the creature's AT-field. It was not enough, as the creature continued to fly through the air towards its destination. Without hesitation, the Canadians circled back to the front of the formation and fired off another barrage of missiles.
"Albatross, this is Grizzly." Major Liu contacted the AWACS plane right before she fired her missiles. "I believe I have a visual signature, transmitting image now. Over."
"Thanks, Grizzly. Will forward to NERV to analysis." The Chilean operator replied. "All fights, be advised. Retreat to secondary defense coordinates as soon as you finish engaging. Over."
The Angel's AT field continued to hold and ripple after the second wave of missiles hit, but the solid black sphere soon started to twist and strain. Like a demonic soft-shelled egg, the top of the sphere split open and long orange tendrils that resembled claws emerged. The claws then pushed to the sides, rippling apart and shedding more of the dark skin, which also bulged in all directions until all of it was torn off from the inside. From the remnants of the black sphere emerged a creature with gigantic orange wings with an eye-shaped body that had a circular rainbow pattern on the bottom completing the "eye" image.
"Albatross, are you seeing this? Sahaquiel has changed shape, and it looks like a piece is falling off." One of the American pilots said over the radio. "From where I am, it looks like the 'Angel' is about as long as three football fields. Over."
Just as the pilot was describing the creature, a lump appeared on the edge of one of its wings. It grew and took shape in the same way a drop of water would form. Once the
「drop」reached the size of large house, it detached from the creature's main body and fell onto the land below, creating a massive explosion and a new crater in the landscape. After shrugging off another volley of missiles to the front, the creature formed another
「drop」and sent it hurtling towards the ground, creating yet another giant explosion and obliterating a city block.
"Albatross, be advised. Sahaquiel is exhibiting behavior consistent with a bombing run. Creature has not shown any damage at all." Major Liu announced over the radio. "We have enough munitions for one more barrage, and then we need to return to base. Over."
"Copy that, Grizzly. Good luck. Albatross out."
"All right, let's try something different this time. We're going to probe the strength of that AT-Field. Showdown, you're with me and attack the front like last time." Major Liu announced to her flight. "Hammerhead will attack from the left while Lynx will engage from the right. Fang and Ghost will engage from the top and bottom, respectively. Acknowledge. Over."
After receiving acknowledgement from her comrades, the Canadians burst into action, with Liu and her wingman hanging behind the other 4 jets while they veered off towards their assigned directions. This time around, they flew a little bit closer than the last few attempts before launching their missiles.
"Grizzly, this is Ghost, the AT-Field looks extremely strong on the bottom. Missile didn't even create any ripples. Over." The pilot said. "Shit! Several
「drops」are forming! Looks like it's trying to bomb me out of the sky!"
The fighter jet pulled sharply to the right before it could fly directly under the Angel, where several
「drops」rapidly formed, fell, and detonated on the ground below. Meanwhile, Hammerhead and Lynx reported that attacking the flanks made no difference.
"Fang…the AT-Field on top…weak…discoloured the AT-Field." Fang reported in through heavy static. "We…break…missiles…"
"Fang, come in again." Major Liu asked as she and the rest of the jets flew in the direction of Narita. "Did you just say the top AT-Field is vulnerable? Over."
"Corre...unresponsive…controls…jam…top." Fang could only manage the words until there was nothing but silence.
As she could not just turn around and look, Major Liu just said a silent prayer for the pilots' safety and carried on with her return to base. Meanwhile, Fang's jet completely shut down while it flew over the Angel despite the pilot's best efforts to regain control. While the plane flew forward and down due to the inertia, it was able to escape Sahaquiel's powerful jamming field on top.
"Comeoncomeoncomeon…" The pilot whispered as he desperately tried to steer and restart the jet's engine and other systems to no avail. The jet would not activate even when he followed all the recovery procedures drilled into his head. After he exhausted all the options for restarting the jet, the pilot pulled the ejection handle and prayed it was the only thing that worked.
NERV HQ
"Senpai, I have good news and bad news." Maya called out from her console right as Misato and Shinji walked in. "Which one do you want to hear first?"
"Bad news, please." Ritsuko replied. "I'd rather be surprised than disappointed."
"Despite several countries throwing N2 munitions at it, the Angel hasn't been damaged." Maya said. "It's using pieces of its body as bombs to home in on hour location, and the MAGI's calculations indicate that a full-on impact would turn Tokyo-3 into an extension of the Pacific Ocean."
"Well this is just a damn fine start to the day." Ritsuko took a drag from her cigarette. "What's the good news?"
"Right after the Angel made landfall in Japan, some fighter pilots discovered that the Angel's top AT-Field is the weakest and were able to penetrate it." Maya said. "However, the N2 missiles failed to cause any significant wounds. The Matsushiro facility has also finished backing up the MAGI."
"Great, the Angel's only weakness is one the Eva Units can't exploit unless it's willing to let Rei climb on top of it. Tell UN command to cease all attacks against the Angel. This is our fight now. " Misato said. "Guess we'll just have to do it the hard way. Rei, are you ready for Operation CATCHER?"
"Yes, Major Katsuragi." Rei replied from inside Eva Unit 00's entry plug.
"All right, Rei, you're going to be our eyes out there. The Angel's jamming became a lot more powerful, so we only have radar signatures to rely on. Remember the plan we talked about." Misato said into her radio. "When we finish calculating the Angel's landing zone, I want you to run there, boost your AT field to max power, and catch the Angel. Once the Angel has come to a stop, use your progressive knife to stab the Angel's core in the middle while you hold the Angel with the other hand."
"Major Katsuragi, I've said this before and I'll say it again. You do realize this plan has about 0.00001% chance for success, right?" Ritsuko said. "Twenty repeated calculation can't be wrong."
"Do I need to remind you that I'm in command of this operation, Doctor Akagi?" Misato used Ritsuko's title for the first time in months. "I will not have anybody second-guess my decisions, not even the MAGI."
"Say what you want." Ritsuko crossed her arms. "But you're the one who's putting us all at risk with your insane plan."
Misato's face went red with anger and her teeth clenched as she seriously considered slapping her long-time colleague and friend.
Just calm the FUCK down, Misato. Starting a catfight in the middle of a mission is going to kill us all. After taking a few breaths in and tightly curling her hands into her fists, she calmed down a bit.
"Look, just say so if you want to leave. That goes for the rest of you, including Shinji." Misato said flatly. "I can handle this operation from this point. None of you have to stay here and put yourselves at risk anymore."
"This is our job too, ma'am." Makoto replied. "There's no way we'll abandon our stations."
"As the head of NERV's tech branch, there's no way I'm leaving the MAGI and the Evas behind." Ritsuko said as she lit another cigarette. "Besides, someone has to keep your insane decisions in check."
"Well, I'm already here." Shinji put his arms behind his head as he leaned backwards. "I might as well cheer Rei on while she kicks the Angel's ass."
"All right, it's settled then." Misato said as she leaned to the right as she put her right in front of her face. "Let's get to work!
Eva Unit 00, launch!"
The Eva launch system immediately catapulted Unit 00 towards the surface. As soon as it hit the surface, Rei assumed a position similar to one used by track athletes before the starting signal.
"I'm transmitting radar tracking data to Unit 00 now." Maya said as she worked her console. "Pilot Ayanami, this data is continuously updated. It will help you determine where to conduct the interception."
"Understood." Rei said. "I have visual signature of the Angel."
"Roger that, Unit 00." Misato said. "The estimated impact coordinates are on your tactical display. Head there now."
As soon as Misato finished speaking, Rei detached her power cable and began her sprint towards the area marked on her map.
"The Angel is changing trajectory! Recalculating the coordinates now." Maya called out from her station. "Revised time of impact: 2 minutes!"
In normal circumstances, the tactical display would have used satellite imagery and radar technology to create a precise holographic projection of the battle zone. With only radar available, the tactical display only showed a 3-D wireframe map of the area of operations. The white blip representing Unit 00 sharply turned and headed to the updated direction. The entire control room held their breaths in silence as they watched and hoped for the white blip to get to its destination before the massive orange blip representing Sahaquiel could get there first.
"Time until impact: 1 minute 30 seconds!" Maya said. "Unit 00 is approaching the estimated landing zone!"
"You know, Misato, I've had the MAGI ran the numbers. In order to stop an Angel this size with an AT-Field that powerful, Eva Unit 00 would need to be at least 200% stronger even with the safety locks disengaged. That's with both hands, too." Ritsuko said. "If we're actually going by your plan, Unit 00 would need to be 500% as strong as it is now in order to be able to hold the Angel with one arm while Rei pulls out the prog knife. Even at that strength, Eva Unit 00 would only hold for 10 seconds before the arm is put out of commission."
"Just relax, Ritsuko. I know what I'm doing." Misato said as she focused on her own screen. "Rei'll pull it off."
Come on, Rei, you can do it. Shinji thought as he watched the tactical display. His fists were clenched so tightly, the nails were being pushed back into the fingers. On the display, Rei's blip rapidly picked up speed while moving towards the mountain while the Angel's speed stayed the same.
"Forty seconds until impact!" Maya said with panic in her voice. "Unit 00 is on the mountain!"
"Unit 00 in position." Rei's voice came on the speakers. "Preparing to intercept."
"It's all or nothing, Rei." Misato said as she crossed her arms. "This is your chance to shine like a star."
"Angel is focusing the AT field on the bottom!" Shigeru said. "Looks like it wants to create a pretty deep bay."
Shinji looked at the tactical display and saw that the Angel was now descending on the mountain from a moderate angle. Eva Unit 00 was completely at rest on the mountain, ready to intercept the massive monstrosity.
She has the weight on the world on her shoulders. Shinji reflected.
I need to have faith in her.
"Twenty-five seconds…wait!" Maya cried out. "Data feed lost! Signal from Unit 00 has also terminated."
Misato looked down at the bomb shelter hatch that appeared at her feet, and got ready to rush her coworkers into the shelter below that only she could activate.
"Well, Misato, it was an honor." Ritsuko finished her cigarette and immediately lit a new one. "Nobody can say we didn't do our best."
Just as Misato bent down and put her hand on the hatch's handle, the entire GeoFront shook from what sounded like a tsunami hitting the city above.
"This is Ayanami." Rei's voice came over the speakers. "The Angel has been terminated."
"YEAH!"
"WE DID IT!"
"WAY TO GO, REI!"
"WOO-HOO!"
The entire control room erupted into cheers as every congratulated each other, with Maya pulling Ritsuko into a tight hug and planting a kiss on the surprised scientist's cheeks, and Shinji high-fiving Misato.
"Hey, Misato, I just realized something." Shinji asked her. "How did Unit 00 suddenly become strong enough to catch the Angel?"
Misato quickly looked around the control room and saw the other still too busy celebrating their victory to notice their boss talking to the newest pilot. Confident that nobody would notice their conversation or their sudden absence, Misato led Shinji outside the control room.
"Cocoon." Misato commanded, and what appeared to be a hatch to a fallout shelter suddenly appeared on the hallway's floor. "Don't worry, just follow me."
Misato pulled on the handle, and the hatch swiveled open without her exerting any more strength. She then led Shinji down the dilapidated stairs into the darkness below, and the hatch hissed shut behind them.
"Misato, why did you bring me down to some forgotten section…"Shinji trailed off. "Wait a minute; this is your Stand, isn't it?"
"My Stand's name is
「Cocoon」, which you probably heard already. I come down here when I need to be by myself or if I need to discuss things in secret." Misato said. "The plan was never for Unit 00 to catch the Angel in the first place."
Earlier
"The Angel is changing trajectory! Recalculating the coordinates now." Rei heard Lieutenant Ibuki voice on the comm. "Revised time of impact: 2 minutes!"
Rei immediately jerked to the right and headed to the new projected landing zone, which was on a small mountain on the outskirts of the city. She looked up and saw that the Angel's massive
「menacing」shape descending onto the city. She willed her Eva to run even faster. With Rei's sync ratio at 80% the blue-haired girl soon felt a faint soreness in her own legs. Rei gritted her teeth and pushed Unit 00 to run even faster, hoping to reach the mountain before the Angel could destroy the entire city.
"Time until impact: 1 minute 30 seconds!" Lieutenant seemed more distressed than last time. "Unit 00 is approaching the estimated landing zone!"
Increase speed. Rei commanded the Eva.
I must reach that mountain.
The Eva exerted even more force than before as the legs fought to pick up speed while running towards the mountain. The sore feeling in Rei's legs intensified into a sharp pain as she ran up the mountain to the peak, exerting Unit 00's legs to near breaking point in order to maintain the speed she had on the surface. The Eva Unit came to a halt as it reached the peak; the sudden negative acceleration sent Rei jerking forward, with her seat's safety harness being the only thing preventing Rei from flying through the LCL and colliding with the screen. The Angel's
「menacing」shape loomed over the countryside as it drifted downwards on a slant towards the mountain. While it was close enough to block out most of the sunlight, Rei noticed that the Moon was still visible due to the early morning time.
"Forty seconds until impact!" Lieutenant Ibuki said, this time clearly distressed. "Unit 00 is on the mountain!"
"Unit 00 in position." Rei said calmly and quietly. "Preparing to intercept."
"It's all or nothing, Rei." Major Katsuragi said as she crossed her arms. "This is your chance to
「shine like a star」."
Upon hearing the code phrase Rei and her superior agreed upon while discussing the mission within Cocoon. Rei turned Unit 00's head towards the Moon and focused.
"Fly me to the Moon."
Rei said, and a humanoid feminine figure appeared behind her within the Entry Plug. The yellow figure had long plates resembling feathers extended from the arms to form a wing-like cape, a dome-shaped head with a black canopy that roughly resembled an astronaut's helmet, a jointed antenna located on the side of the helmet, green eyes peeking out from within the canopy, as well as various celestial shapes such as moons, stars, and ringed planets inscribed all over its body in alternating patterns.
At Rei's command,
「Fly me to the Moon」exited the Entry Plug and hovered behind Unit 00. The Stand laid its hands on the Eva and bent its antenna bent towards the Moon's location. The entire Stand started to emit a blue glow which also spread from its hands onto Unit 00. While the glowing portion continued to slowly but steadily spread over Unit 00, the Stand's antenna shot a thin blue beam that connected with the lunar surface. Upon seeing how dangerously close the Angel is to landfall, Rei took a few deep breaths and exerted her mind to make the glowing patch grow even faster. She screamed and clutched at her head in pain while more and more of Unit 00 became bathed in the blue glow.
Please…go…faster. Rei thought as she gritted her teeth and tried to fight off the growing nausea.
Must…keep…eye…on….Angel…position!
Soon, the area within the entry plug was bathed within the blue glow as well. "Twenty-five seconds" were the last words Rei heard before her entire world was bathed in a bright blue light.
「Fly me to the Moon」and the entirety of Eva Unit 00 were converted into a blue beam and shot towards the lunar surface, which then bounced back onto Earth and rematerialized.
The bright blue light disappeared, leaving Rei looking down at the mountain she dematerialized from moments ago as well as a glowing red orb right under the Eva. The orb was attached to several undulating strings of what appeared to red flesh that steadily grew in size. Time seemed to slow down for Rei as she glanced to her side and noticed the giant orange wing-like structure beside her with the end close to her looking like a giant bleeding wound, with the blood flowing towards the glowing orb. Rei suddenly realized two things. One: she was falling. Two: the glowing red orb was the Angel's core. Thinking quickly, she took out the two progressive knives in Unit 00's shoulder pylons and jabbed them into the core. The Eva dangled in the air briefly before the core ruptured, sending red liquid showering down onto Unit 00. The rest of the Angel let out a loud ear-piercing shriek as its body rapidly inflated and exploded, sending a gigantic torrent of red liquid flooding down onto Tokyo-3, washing away anything that wasn't firmly anchored to the surface.
"This is Ayanami." Rei said after Unit 00 landed on the mountain peak. "The Angel has been terminated."
Next Day, After School
"Wow! That's amazing, Rei! I can't believe you actually held that Angel back with one arm while you stabbed it with the other one." Toji beamed after Misato her story about Rei's fight against the Angel. "How does it feel to be the person who single-handedly saved the city?"
"I…do not know." Rei said as she chewed on a piece of tofu. "I feel…sort of relieved."
"Come on, Rei, don't be so humble!" Misato cut in. "That was all you! You earned tonight's dinner!"
"I was so bummed we had to evacuate." Kensuke said. "I was hoping to watch Rei fight an Angel in person!"
"Wait, what's that supposed to mean?" Shinji asked.
"Well…to get some quality footage, you know." Kensuke's face turned red. "I've always wanted to watch an amazing girl like Rei fight…"
"Whoa, back up a second there, lover boy! Did you just say…"Misato said as the table descended into chaotic chatter while Pen-Pen, Misato's penguin, slurped his noodles without a care in the world.
"Excuse me, are you Misato Katsuragi?" A teen girl's voice called out. "I'm supposed to meet you here tonight."
The group, including Pen-Pen, turned to looked at the girl. She had shoulder length black hair, a thin figure, and wore a school uniform consisting of a black blazer, purple tie, and a gray knee-length skirt.
"That's me. Glad to have you join us, Fourth Child!" Misato said. "I didn't expect the American branch to transfer you here so soon."
"They were already processing my paperwork, and the battle just made them hurry it up and pack me on the first flight here." The girl replied as she looked at the others. "Sorry, I don't think I've introduced myself yet. My name is Shizuka. Shizuka Joestar."
<====To Be Continued====
Little Shinji in Morioh
"Shinji, is everything OK?" Tomoko asked as she cleaned up the bruises on Shinji's face.
"Yes, Aunt Tomoko." Shinji replied barely above a whisper. "I just fell at school today."
"Shinji, you know you shouldn't lie, right?" Tomoko's expression became sterner. "What
really happened today?
Shinji stayed silent for a few seconds, then broke out into a full cry.
"It didn't work, Aunt Tomoko! I told those kids at school to stop bothering me, but it just made them angrier!" Shinji said while wiping his tears. "They said…they said…they said because I'm an orphan, nobody would care if they beat me up!"
"There, there, let it all out." Tomoko said as she hugged Shinji tightly. "Shinji dear, listen,
I care. I know Josuke and his friends definitely care too."
"Then why did the kids at school say all that?" Shinji asked.
"They lied, didn't they? That means those kids are not good kids." Tomoko patted Shinji's back. "I'll make sure to give the teacher a handful at the next parent-teacher meeting."
"Thanks, Aunt Tomoko" Shinji said as she let him go.
"That's not enough, though. I think it's time we taught you how to stand up and defend yourself." Tomoko said as she looked in his eyes. "I'll give Nijimura a call. He can start helping you get more fit."
The next day…
Shinji still remembered the scary-looking firefighter slowly walked across the school yard. Despite Cousin Josuke and Aunt Tomoko's reassurance, he still felt scared whenever he saw Okuyasu Nijimura's face.
"Move it, slowpoke!" A child roughly shoved past him. "Hey, that's a pretty good name for you. Slowpoke Ikari!"
"Yeah! I'm kind of bored with 'Crybaby Ikari' anyway!" A second child said as he kicked Shinji's leg as he walked by.
Suddenly, Shinji and the other two kids zoomed forward and came face-to-face with Okuyasu.
"So, you little punks like to pick on this defenseless kid?" Okuyasu said as he grimaced, showing his teeth. "If you're so tough, why don't you try to fight ME?"
Okuyasu roared, and the other two boys ran away screaming in terror.
"Th-thanks, Mr. Nijimura." Shinji said as he looked down on the ground.
"Any time, little man." Okuyasu smiled. "Now, let's go to another park and get started."
Stand Name: Cocoon
User: Misato Katrusagi
Power: None
Speed: None
Range: None
Endurance: A
Precision: None
Development Potential: D
The Stand takes the form of a blast hatch that opens into a bomb shelter equipped with various objects including a bunk bed, a simple table with 4 chairs, a microwave, and a lamp. The state of the shelter is directly tied with Misato's blood alcohol content, with the shelter becoming less dilapidated the greater the degree of Misato's intoxication. Occupants in the shelter cannot be harmed by any methods, and the door can only be opened and closed by Misato herself. Once the Stand is summoned; it can only disappear if Misato dismisses it or if she dies.
