X-Moderation-Queue-Date: 24 Apr 1998 19:16:34 GMT Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime.creative From: xifiritx@aol.com (X Ifirit X) Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Subject: [Eva][FanFic] Argon Genesis Evangelion v1.7 Followup-To: rec.arts.anime.fandom Approved: Brian Edmonds "Argon Genesis Evangelion" v 1.7 Quatragonal Limited Productions Design and planning: - Main designer/planner ~ Mien Diem ~ miendiem@hotmail.com - Co-planner ~ Ryo-Ohki ~ xyz47@hotmail.com - Co-planner ~ Aerith Gainsborough ~ aerith_gainsborough@mailexcite.com Writing: - Author ~ Mien Diem Revising / Editing - Revisionist ~ Mien Diem - Content Editor ~ Ryo-Ohki - Spelling Editor ~ Aerith Gainsborough Test Readers: - Veros Xrarshne - Kemjin - Greyman Well, before we take off on our adventure through the world of Evangelion, there are probably a few things I should warn you about. First, this takes place after episode 18, so it may and will contain spoilers for the first 18 episodes of the series, and the episodes thereafter as well. Second, this works on the time frame of these authors, not the original timeline as constructed by Hideaki Anno, so for those of you who have seen the rest of the series, your timelines will look a bit skewed when compared with this fic. Third, all characters, names, and what not else are property of Gainax, Movic, or whomever else I am forgetting to name. Just so they all know they are getting credit for the characters. As much as it pains me to say this, I did not create any of these characters. Much to my chagrin, I also did not create the initial plot for this series. That credit goes to Anno alone. Anyway, let me go ahead and turn this over to the Eva cast, since they must be much more interesting than I am. Oh, one other thing. This episode might look quite a bit like the original episode 19. I blame this solely on the fact that I made the mistake of watching the tape before I got started on this fanfic. I assure you, this will not happen again. With that in mind, here we go. _____________________________________________________________________ Hands clacked against the keyboard and blurred eyes stared at an almost equally blurred screen. * Retrieving data on the destruction and reconstruction of Evangelion Unit 03 * Misato watched with bloodshot eyes as colors flashed across the screen. She watched Evangelion Unit 03, possessed by Bardiel, take down both Evangelion 02 and 00, and almost defeat Unit 01 before Gendo Ikari ordered the use of the Dummy Plug system. Eva One fought back like a true demon, easily breaking the neck of its foe, then proceeding to tear it to pieces, and finally crushing the Entry Plug before coming to rest. Misato saw the horror-stricken face of Maya, watching what she had missed earlier come to life on the screen before her. She heard her own voice calling out to Shinji, the unwitting and unwilling partner of Evangelion Unit One as he saw who had been the pilot of the possessed Evangelion Unit. She heard the screaming cry of "No!" echo throughout the room . . . and then silence. * Further data on this subject is restricted * "Of course it's restricted. I Can't know the truth around here, can I?" muttered Misato under her breath, "What really happened after that incident? Why was Shinji allowed to stay with NERV even after having undergone such a horrible ordeal?" Misato cut herself off, breathing hard. This, she knew, was no way to go about getting answers. The only real answers come directly from the source. That meant she would either have to go to Shinji or Gendo to get the answers she wanted. Without a second's hesitation, she spun away from the tabletop computer and was on her way out the door before the screen even blinked off. _____________________________________________________________________ Shinji Ikari, Abandon All Hope. _____________________________________________________________________ Any bracketed speech is Shinji's thoughts unless otherwise notified. The only annotation used at this point in the story is {aS} meaning Alternate Shinji, or the Shinji Ikari who is always seen in the series sitting opposite Shinji in the "traincar of the mind." Shinji himself will be annotated with the designation {rS}, standing for Real Shinji. I hope this serves to clarify the next scene. _____________________________________________________________________ Shinji stood quickly, losing his headphones as he almost tripped over one of the legs of the table. Stifling a cry, he stood and walked from the main room to his own, disregarding the tattered sign that hung saying "Shinji's Lovely Suite." After sliding the door closed, he proceeded to his bed and threw himself upon it. "Ahh . . ." grumbled Shinji, "I'll sleep without music tonight." Instead of sleeping, however, Shinji just stared up at the ceiling, something that seemed to be his natural reaction to boredom these days. "This is no more my real home now than it was back then," he muttered to himself, "Still, I am actually welcome here. I can't say that about any other place I know. Doesn't matter, though . . . I still don't really feel at home here." As Shinji spoke, his thoughts transferred to the traincar of the mind. {{rS} Its nothing against Misato or Asuka, either. I don't necessarily mind being around them.} {{aS} Don't you?} {{rS} Well, not really. Sure, Asuka's loud, and Misato's always out with Kaji, but they're not really that bad.} {{aS} You're deceiving yourself again. You know you don't really want to be here. Still, you're willing to hide yourself within your lies.} {{rS} I don't hide myself. They accept me for who I am. Much better than father. He just uses me to kill.} {{aS} You fear killing? No. You just fear that your father may not need you.} {{rS} He doesn't really need me. He never did. He just chose to use me. Chose to use me for his own ends regardless of what I wanted or felt.} {{aS} So you fear losing the one who causes us pain. Instead of facing him, you ran again. You ran away from him instead of facing him for doing what you thought was wrong. You hid yourself away, shut yourself up, and denied that it ever happened.} {{rS} It was all I could have done. He wouldn't have listened to me anyway. I am just a tool to him, and Eva is his avatar.} {{aS} You could have turned his avatar against him.} {{rS} And proven that I am no better than he is.} {{aS} You have already proven that.} {{rS} I refuse to believe that. You have no proof.} {{aS} You forget . . . I am you. I have all the proof I need based on your actions. Tell me something. Why do you pilot the Evangelion?} {{rS} I am praised when I pilot the Eva. I am praised by my father!} {{aS} But why do you care if you are praised by the man you dislike? The man who uses you as a tool for his own ends . . . Ends that almost resulted in Touji's death.} {{rS} I . . .} {{aS} You don't. It isn't your father at all. You didn't get into the Entry Plug because of him the first time. You didn't pilot for him then, and you don't do so now.} {{rS} You lie to me.} {{aS} No, you lie to yourself and everyone around you. You refuse to admit things which you know to be false. You refuse to admit why you pilot.} {{rS} Then why do you say I pilot?} He was interrupted by the sound of his door opening, and a shadow falling across his face from the figure standing in the doorway. Shinji, confused, turned his head to face the door. "A little early to be falling asleep, isn't it, Shinji?" asked the voice from the doorway. "Not really, Misato. I've got nothing better to do," replied Shinji, rolling over. "Sleep well, and remember you've got some tests to run tomorrow. Ritsuko will be waiting for you, so good night, Shinji," responded Misato. "G'night," Shinji said into his pillow. ********** "A replacement for the fourth?" asked Fuyutsuki. "Yes. Evangelion Unit 03 is nearly complete, and there are still more Angels according to the Dead Sea Scrolls. We will need to train him soon, in order to have him prepared by the time his Evangelion is ready," replied Gendo. "I see," replied Fuyutsuki, "And is everything else proceeding according to the plan?" "There are no problems. Everything is proceeding according to the scheduled scenario," Gendo stated coldly, "You will oversee the selection of the replacement of the fourth." "I understand," said Fuyutsuki, turning and walking out the door. ********** Minutes later, Fuyutsuki was standing in a small, rectangular room. Looking down at the opposite wall, he saw a multitude of small slips of paper stuck there. "Ah . . . the list of candidates. And I need to select only one. This shouldn't be difficult," observed the sub-commander. Out of his right desk drawer, Fuyutsuki produced a pack of three darts, engraved with the name "Marduk Institute," and pulled one out, testing the weight and balance. Unsatisfied, he dropped the dart to the ground and pulled out another. Finding this one more to his liking, the sub-commander proceeded to take aim at the papers. "Fuyutsuki, haven't you selected a candidate yet?" blared the voice of Gendo over the communications system. "It will be done momentarily," replied Fuyutsuki, stifling a cry as he stepped on the dart he had dropped. Taking aim once more, the sub-commander drew back his arm, then launched the dart at the papers, piercing one of them, and imbedding the dart in the wall. "Hmm . . . I wonder which one that was . . ." mused Fuyutsuki as he started walking towards the far wall. "Mmm hmm . . ." muttered the sub-commander with a nod, "This one should work out nicely." After pulling the name off the wall, Fuyutsuki turned and left the room, inadvertently stepping on the dropped dart again. "For future reference," the sub-commander growled at himself, "no dropping darts on the floor when ones shoes are not on. End mental note." ********** "To use this child, we'll have to replace the core of Evangelion Unit 03," stated Ritsuko Akagi. "Then do it," responded Gendo from his desk. "Understood, sir," came the voice of the scientist, who was already out the door. ********** "It's Misato's turn to cook this morning, isn't it, Shinji?" asked Asuka. "Mmm hmm," Shinji replied with a nod. Asuka shouldered her bag and hurried for the door. "Where are you off to so early?" asked Shinji. "I'll just get something to eat on the way to school. Better to be early and skip Misato's cooking," replied Asuka before the door shut behind her. "Where's she off to so early?" came the voice of Misato from behind Shinji. "She . . . uh . . . wanted to get an early start. Probably has some work to get done or something," replied Shinji, avoiding Misato's eyes as he spoke. "Shinji," commented Misato, half-joking, "You lie just about as well as Ritsuko does." Shinji turned slightly red and swung about, clipping himself on the edge of the counter top. Giving a slight hiss of pain, Shinji shouldered his own bag and headed out the door. ********** Out on the street, Shinji started trudging off towards the school without his usual escort of Touji and Kensuke. Touji would still be out, he knew, since the incident five months ago. As for Kensuke . . . well, he would probably still be getting ready to go. "Where are you going, Pilot Ikari?" asked a cold, soft voice from Shinji's right. "School," came the simple reply. "You are aware, of course, that there are tests scheduled for this morning by Dr. Akagi," stated Rei. ______________________________________________________________________ The writer summarily stopped, unsure of how to proceed. After looking around the College Algebra classroom and finding nothing there to work with, he trudged on, regardless of the fact that he had no clue what to write next and somehow finding it strange to be talking about himself in the third person . . . ______________________________________________________________________ "Better warn Asuka first," said the now-confused Shinji Ikari, "She may be close to school already." "She has already been notified, and is on her way now. We, however, will be late if we do not begin," replied Rei, who turned and started walking off. Shinji turned and followed, dialoguing with himself in his head. {{aS} You're still uncomfortable around her.} {{rS} As though you have to say it.} {{aS} So you fear the one who is most like you.} {{rS} Most like me? I don't think so.} {{aS} Ah, you see, but she is. Alone for what she is, seeking the impossible, hating what she receives. Much like you, really.} {{rS} And as for this fear thing . . . Don't you think that's jumping to conclusions just a bit? She's just always alone. I know almost nothing about her, and no one else can say much more than that.} {{aS} Then what you fear is what is unknown to you.} ______________________________________________________________________ Flashback "Just what is Eva? This Entry Plug smells a lot like . . . blood, and yet I feel so comfortable here." Present ______________________________________________________________________ {{aS} See? And not only that, you go so far as to fear your own father. Our father.} {{rS} So, I even lie to myself. How pitiful this is. I don't fear my father. I don't fear the Eva for what it is, but rather what it can do . . . What it can do in the hands of a man like my father. And certainly I don't fear Rei. Not for who she is, anyway. Fear and discomfort are two different things. You and I both know that.} {{aS} Talkative today, aren't we? Very well, then, I'll have to agree with you. Fear and discomfort are not the same thing.} {{rS} Then why did you say one when you meant the other?} {{aS} Because I wanted to see how you'd react to it. After all, my job is to observe you.} "Why do you have to observe me?" Shinji asked aloud. "Who are you talking to, Pilot Ikari?" asked Rei. Shinji stopped walking and turned bright red. He half-turned, fumbling for words to explain with, but found nothing useful to say. The other pilot simply looked at him for a moment with a look that would almost pass for concern flickering at the edges of her face. "Never mind," said she, "It is inconsequential." Moments later, the Tokai district alarms sounded, waving heavily as they bounced off buildings. All around them, Tokyo-3 began to change. Buildings depressed into the ground, locked securely away into Geo-Front. New buildings arose, housing weapons and power supplies for the Evangelions. Lock bolts came up from the street, blocking the roadways as the third Tokyo was reformed into battle formation. "An Angel attack? Now?" Shinji half-yelled. He turned to look for Rei, but found her already running hard towards the nearest entrance to the Geo-Front. He looked up, half expecting to see Unit 02 coming out onto the street, but instead saw nothing but the empty, forbidding armament buildings. "No," he said aloud to himself, "I promised myself that I would never pilot the Eva again. To pilot again would only prove to my father that I cannot even stick to what I've said I would do." Unbidden, he started walking towards the sounds of the explosions where the intercept system was engaging the newest Angel threat. Shinji looked skyward, expecting to see some outlandish monstrosity like the black and white Leliel, or perhaps more strange yet. What he saw, however, was even more nightmarish. The rock-gray face was deep-set in the thick body. The eyes of this latest Angel lit up, unleashing four energy blasts that decimated the intercept system defense line. Instead of walking like the first Angel he had faced, this one floated along slowly, yet great in the strength it possessed. Short, blocky arms hung down from broad shoulders, appearing to be completely useless for combat of any kind. Out of one of the many launch tunnels popped Evangelion Unit 02, piloted by Asuka. Carrying dual rifles, she unloaded the complete spray of ammunition in only a few seconds. Seeing that the Angel was unfazed, Asuka ran Unit 02 to a nearby weapon supply building, pulling out yet another rifle, and turned the new weapon against the Angel. After expending the ammunition of the new rifle, Unit 02 reached back into the weapon supply and drew out two massive rocket launchers. Shell after shell poured out of the barrels of the twin launchers, but the Angel did not so much as blink. "Weapons aren't having any effect," Shinji mused, "It's almost like Asuka isn't even neutralizing its AT Field." Inside the Eva, Asuka screamed, "Dammit! Still no effect. It's almost like I'm not even neutralizing its AT Field!" Suddenly, as if responding to her cries, two tentacle-like whips extended from where the stubs of arms had been only moments before. Seconds later, the Angel whipped both tentacles at Unit 02, severing its arms clean off. "Ahhh!" Asuka screamed, shuddering as pain wracked her nerves. With the next two whips, the Angel punched two holes straight through the chest of Evangelion Unit 02. The Angel retracted the whip-arms and spun in the air, letting the whips spin out to full length, cutting the chest and head off of Unit 02. "Unit 02 is severely damaged. It can't possibly continue combat," yelled Makoto. "Rei will sortie in Unit 01," responded the ever-calm voice of Gendo Ikari, "Prepare the fourth for combat in Unit 03. They will work as a team. Once they are away, ready Unit 00 for combat with the Dummy Plug system and send it up as a reserve unit." "The fourth?" questioned Shigeru. "Unit 03?" came the voice of Maya. "Yes. It is prepared in the fourth cage," replied Gendo, "And the fourth will be arriving shortly." "You're going to use Touji after what happened with the 13th Angel?" asked Misato. "No. A new candidate has been selected as a replacement to the fourth. He will be the new designated pilot of Evangelion Unit 03." The roof overhead rattled violently as the latest Angel attacked the streets above. One of the hanging buildings fell clear of its moorings and crashed to the Geo-Front floor. "The first eighteen layers of armor have been boiled clean away with that shot!" Makoto yelled. "Eighteen layers in one shot?" exclaimed Misato, "How is that possible?" "I don't know, but one more hit on that section of armor will blast a path straight into the Geo-Front," replied Makoto. "Deploy Units 01 and 03 in the Geo-Front. Prepare a rescue operation for the pilot of Unit 02. If Shinji arrives to pilot, send him out as a last resort in Unit 00," said Gendo. "Pilots are loaded into Units 01 and 03. Commencing A10 Nerve connection," said Ritsuko. A bright red alert sign flashed on the overhead screen. "Unit three activation successful. However, Unit One is refusing the connection with Rei!" yelled Makoto. "Launch Unit 03. Prepare Unit 00 with Rei, and reinitialize Unit 01 with the Dummy Plug," said Gendo, standing as he gave orders. "Launch Evangelion Units 00 and 03!" came the command from Misato. At the same time, the Dummy Plug was loaded into Unit 01. Again, the warning flashed on the screen overhead. "No good! Unit 01 is refusing the connection with the Dummy Plug!" yelled Maya. "Is she refusing me?" Gendo quietly asked himself. "Keep trying the connection," commanded Fuyutsuki. ********** Within the Geo-Front, Rei stood in Unit 00 holding a progressive knife in the one hand of her Eva. To her right stood the jet black Third Evangelion Unit, whose pilot's identity yet remained a mystery. Above them, a cross imploded into the Geo-Front as the Angel melted the rest of the armor away. "Unit 03, you will lay down a cover fire for Unit 00. Unit 00 will then charge and make an attack with its progressive knife. I'm counting on you both," the voice of Misato came over the comm circuits. "Right," responded both pilots in unison. Shinji got to the Geo-Front just in time to see the death's head of the latest Angel peer into NERV's hidden underground base. At the same moment, Unit 03 opened up with a rifle barrage on the Angel, which was descending towards the Geo-Front floor. Unit 00 set off at a break-neck pace directly for it, progressive knife raised overhead in a berserker-like charge. "Unit 00 spreading AT Field," said Rei coolly. Having depleted its rifle, Unit 03 took hold of two replacements and set down another spray against the enemy's AT Field. "Unit 00 has reached the target!" yelled Makoto. The progressive knife swung down, slashing through the null space created by the AT Fields of Unit 00 and the Angel, speeding towards the S2 Globe on the enemy's stomach. Just at the instant the knife should have contacted the red globe, an armor plate sealed itself over the S2 Organ, deflecting the blade out of Unit 00's one hand. In one fell swoop of its cutter blade, the Angel severed both legs from Unit 00, nearly disabling it from further combat. "Units 00 and 02 are both down, and Unit 01 is still refusing the Dummy Plug! This shouldn't be!" growled sub-commander Fuyutsuki. "Unit 03, you will combat the Angel on your own. Prepare your progressive knife for combat and attack when ready," ordered Gendo. "I'll do it my way. Check this out!" came the response. At these words, Evangelion Unit 03 jumped at the Angel, both rifles blazing. Evading the enemy's cutter arms with the jump, Unit 03 brought the butt end of the rifles down on the head of the Angel. The Angel, staggered by the attack, missed Unit 03 with its next attack, blasting the top off of Central Dogma instead. Unit 03 threw the depleted rifles at the Angel, imbedding them deep into its flesh. Then, taking out its own progressive knife and picking up a new progressive knife, it threw those as well, tearing gashes around the face of the Angel. "One more hit and our armor will be compromised. Where the hell is Unit 01 when we need it?" asked Makoto. "Let me pilot Unit 01!" came the voice of Shinji Ikari. Commander Ikari turned to face the Eva cage. "After what you tried during the last Angel attack, do you think you have any right to pilot an Evangelion again?" asked Gendo. "Either you let me pilot Unit 01, or NERV and everyone on earth are going to be killed!" yelled Shinji, climbing towards the Entry Plug. "Very well, you will sortie in Unit 01. Rewrite the data files for Unit 01 for Shinji, then activate!" commanded Gendo. Shinji loaded himself into the Entry Plug of Unit 01, and was then inserted into the back of the Evangelion. "Commencing A10 Nerve connection," called Maya. "Eva Unit 03 is beating back the Angel!" came the voice of Shigeru. "Position Unit 01 in the Geo-Front behind the Angel," commanded Gendo, "Shinji, you will attack the Angel as soon as your Evangelion is unlocked and released." "I understand," came the reply. ".8 to Absolute Borderline, Point 6, Point 4, Point 2. Borderline clear, Evangelion Unit 01 is ready for launch," said Maya. On the way to the launcher, Evangelion Unit 01 grabbed two progressive knives. "Launch Eva!" yelled Misato. Shinji's Eva, by strange coincidence, came up directly under the Angel. This served to catapult the Angel over the leaping attack of Evangelion Unit 03, and position Unit 01 right in the way instead. The clash and grinding metal was horrendous as the two Evas fell to the ground. "Unit 03's armor is compromised, but it can continue combat," affirmed Shigeru. "Unit 03, you attack from the back. I'll draw the attention of the enemy from the front," Shinji yelled over the comm. "Right on!" came the voice of Kensuke Aida. "Kensuke, they took you as a pilot?" asked Shinji in shock. "Yeah, this is great. I've never had so much fun in my entire life! Now, lets kick some serious Angel ass!" "Don't deviate from the plan, Kensuke. Just get behind the Angel and launch your attack." {{rS} I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't RUN AWAY!} Evangelion Unit 01 launched itself at the enemy, with Eva 03 racing around behind, and unleashed a flipkick on the Angel. In response, the Angel fired a blast that took the left arm of Eva 01 off at the bicept. As the action went on, Unit 00 crawled along the ground on its only good arm, working its way slowly towards a grounded progressive knife. Unit 01 followed up with a jumping knee to the face of the Angel, landing behind the crawling Unit 00. Just as Rei reached the knife, however, the cutter-arms of Zeruel sliced down, stabbing through the back of Evangelion Unit 00. Rei screamed in pain, which came to the ears of Shinji and Kensuke over the open comm circuit of Unit 00. "Aaahh!" cried Shinji, using Unit 01's good arm to backhand the Angel. "Unit 01's umbilical cable has been severed! Activation time remaining five minutes!" called Maya. "Shinji, you've only got five minutes left. Beat the Angel by then, or get off the battlefield. We can't let you stay out there unpowered," Misato's voice came over the comm. Reacting on clear instinct, Shinji laid into the Angel with a spinning kick and a chop to the face. By that time, Kensuke had worked his way around the cutter tentacles of the Angel and gotten behind it. "Kensuke, look out!" came the voice of Shinji as the Angel turned. Zeruel reeled in one of its cutter arms and thrust it through the torso of Evangelion Unit 03. "Kensuke, NO!" yelled Shinji, running his Eva right at the Angel. Evangelion Unit 01 ran smack into the back of the Angel, sending both down in a heap. Eva 01 came up clawing away at the Angel's back with its one good hand. Suddenly, Unit 01 stopped on the battlefield with an energy level of zero. "Eva has depleted its energy reserves. Unit 01 has gone completely silent!" said Maya. "Can we rescue the Eva?" asked Fuyutsuki. "No. He's not near any escape hatch," replied Maya. Meanwhile, the Angel righted itself and wrapped a whip arm around the head of Unit 01. Following that, it flung the Eva against the outside of Central Dogma. ______________________________________________________________________ "Damn it!" yelled Ritsuko, glancing around at the blinking monitors flashing warning and error messages. The Angel's next cutter attack stitched open the way to Eva 01's Entry Plug, then blasted the chest plate away with a cross-shaped blast. Both of the tentacle-cutters rose up like the backs of cobra snakes, then started dancing down onto the exposed end of Unit 01's Entry Plug. "Move! Move! Move! Damn it, move now! If you don't move now there's no damn point to any of this, so move, move, move! GOD DAMN YOU TO HELL, MOVE YOU FILTHY, STINKING MONSTER!" cried Shinji. Deep within the heart of the Eva, a fire boiled over. A deep sound recoiled from within the belly of the beast "Tha-thump . . . tha-thump . . . tha-thump." "What the hell is that sound?" asked Shinji aloud. ______________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Awakenings ______________________________________________________________________ Suddenly, the Eva reacted to his commands once more. The right hand came up and shredded the incoming cutter, clutched it, and pulled Zeruel in. After ripping off the cutter, Eva 01 kicked the Angel away and set the cutter-arm to the stump of its own left arm. A fusion between the two took place, the new left arm of Evangelion 01 being partially a human arm, then a long length of cutter falling to the Geo-Front floor. Following this, Eva 01 gave an inhuman howl and leapt onto the Angel. "This can't be possible!" said Maya incredulously, "It must be wrong. How in hell could Shinji's synch ratio with Unit 01 be over 400 percent?!" "Its happened at last. Evangelion Unit 01 is AWARE," said Ritsuko in a scared voice. "What do you mean 'aware'" Makoto whispered. "Evangelion is a being made of humans in humans own image. Eva Unit 01 has found its own humanity and existence, and a human will is now within it. Now that will has set the Eva free of its bindings to our own will. It began this journey going berserk against Sachiel, continued on the path against the Angel Leliel, and now has completely broken free of our control. She's taking the S2 Organ into herself, dissolving the last bond, the bond of energy that bound her to our will. Evangelion Unit 01 is free at last," explained Ritsuko. "What do you mean 'a human will is inside it'? You mean that this is the will of Shinji Ikari?" asked Misato. "Quite possibly," responded Ritsuko. Unit 01 was joined by Unit 03, and both mouths tore in as one to the body of the Angel. Sounds of teeth grinding and gnashing flesh could be heart among the animalistic howls of the Evangelions. As they ate, the damage to their armor was almost magically repaired. Bloody streaks caked the front of the black and purple Evas as they continued their feast. "Shinji, this thing's out of control," came the voice of Kensuke Aida, "How do you make it stop? At the sound of his voice, Eva 03 stood bolt upright and let out a loud scream, then went completely silent. "Evangelion Unit 03 has stopped responding to the power supply from the umbilical cable," said Maya. "This can't be happening," muttered Ritsuko, "Everything is going to hell in one big handbasket! Don't tell me Unit 03 took on an S2 Organ as well . . ." "Actually, mam . . ." began Maya. "No, I don't want to hear this," said Ritsuko, covering her ears. "The target has gone silent," said Shigeru, reaching for his mug of Dr. Pepper. {{M} We've won, but at what cost? Headquarters is damaged, Units 02 and 00 both lost limbs, and Shinji and Aida are trapped inside of awakened Evas. Is victory even worth the cost we're being forced to pay for it?} "Recovery teams have retrieved Asuka and Rei, and Units 01 and 03 are both shut down in the Geo-Front. Both S2 Organs are completely inactive," came the voice of Makoto, interrupting Misato's thoughts. ______________________________________________________________________ Oh yeah . . . anything stated in Italics is a character's thought. The designations are as follows: : Misato : Asuka : Makoto All others use full names. If there's anything else I forgot to mention, just let me know before I get too far along down the road. Mien watches as Ryo-Ohki hands him a piece of carrot cake, then turns and offers one to Aerith. Glad he did not call her Aeruel, the author continues writing. "No, I hate carrot cake," yelled Aerith. "What? Hate carrot cake?" questions Ryo-Ohki, with a look which seemed to ask, "How could anyone possibly hate my carrot cake?" Mien chuckles nervously, sitting at his desk in the Gendo position, periodically taking small sips of his Dr. Pepper. ______________________________________________________________________ "Can we get Ikari and Aida out of those Evas in this condition?" asked Shigeru. "Who would volunteer to try? The plug ejection system is disregarding the signal. We'd have to cut the backs off of the Evas and force-remove the Entry Plugs," replied Ritsuko. "All monitors are working in Unit 03, but Unit 01's scanners are still down. The monitors are working, though. I'll put it up on the main screen," said Makoto. On the screen, the image of the inside of Unit 01's Entry Plug appeared. Shinji appeared to be there, but was almost see-through in nature. "Oh my God! Just what in hell happened to him?" asked Misato incredulously. "This is what triggered the 400 percent synch ratio. Shinji has been physically bonded to Evangelion Unit 01," responded Ritsuko, "Essentially speaking, Shinji is trapped in Unit One unless we can manage to separate one from the other." "Are you trying to tell me that Shinji is bonded to the Evangelion and we can't get him back?" asked Misato. "Correct," responded Ritsuko. ********** {{rS} What is this place? Where am I?} {{aS} Inside the Eva.} {{rS} But I swore I'd never pilot the Eva again. So how did I get here?} {{aS} You cannot deny it. You did pilot the Eva again. It was inevitable that you did so. It is your destiny to continue to pilot the Evangelion.} {{rS} Did I do well? Did I defeat the one that they called the Enemy? The enemy that they called the Angel?} {{aS} Yes, by piloting the Eva.} {{rS} Did I save my friends? Is Rei safe? Asuka, Misato, Kensuke, did they all live? Did father live?} {{aS} Yes, you protected the father who hurt us, but you saved our friends as well.} {{rS} I want to go back to them. Let me out of here! Let me OUT!} {{aS} You cannot get out. This is your repayment for saving your friends. It is possible that you may never get out. Ever.} {{rS} No! Let me out! Let me go back to my friends! Let me go back to Ayanami! Damn you, you God-Forsaken monster! Give me back to my reality!} {{Yui} Wouldn't you rather stay with me?} {{rS} Mother? No, it couldn't be . . . She's dead. But then why do I always find her here? Why did Eva protect me that first time? Mother, where are you?} {{Yui} I am here, son. I have always been here.} {{rS} Here, in the Eva?} {{Yui} Yes. I am here to prepare this place for you. I am the human soul, the guiding force behind Evangelion Unit 01. I am the only power capable of controlling this Evangelion for you and bending it to your will and control. Without me here, the Eva would be beyond your control, like it was against Sachiel, again against Leliel, and finally against Zeruel. Now the Eva is purely yours to control. You were not taken by it as I was. You are still physically present in the Entry Plug. My physical body died in that Entry Plug. I only exist now in metaphysical form. Me essence is the core of this Eva now.} {{rS} But I can't stay here. I have to return to the real world where father is. I cannot leave all my friends behind just for you. I cannot leave the world behind for my own interests. I must return back to the world I come from.} {{Yui} Then I will send you back with a message for your father. Tell him that I will only allow you to pilot Eva Unit 01 from now on.} {{rS} I will tell him, mother, but I cannot guarantee that he will listen or even believe what I have to say. How can I prove my case?} ********** "Unit 01 has accepted the plug ejection signal. LCL now discharging," came the voice of Maya. "Shinji has resolidified inside of the Plug. Neural contamination is not detected. The pilot's life signs are confirmed," exclaimed Makoto. "Take over for me. I'm going with the plug-recovery squad!" yelled Misato, getting into the elevator. ______________________________________________________________________ Minutes later, the plug-recovery squad arrived at the grounded Entry Plug of Unit 01. One of the men forced open the hatch and Shinji gingerly climbed out of the Plug. "Oh, Shinji . . ." cried Misato, falling into tears. "I saw . . . saw my . . ." began Shinji. "We need to do a full medical scan on you, Pilot Ikari. You can talk all you want later," said one of the men. At nothing more than those words, Shinji collapsed into Misato's arms, asleep. ********** {{Asuka} How could I lose again? I lost against Leliel, Bardiel, and now Zeruel. Why can't I beat these Angels? Why can't I fight strong against the enemy? Why can't I win?} Asuka cried into her pillow, face down. Within her mind, deep in her unconscious, a battle was being waged. "It's no good. The Angel's gone again!" came the voice of Makoto. "Something like that can't just disappear," responded Misato. In the sky, the black and white Leliel reappeared above Unit 02. The Evangelion leapt onto one of the sinking buildings as the street went black. "Building's sinking too fast! This can't be happening!" yelled Asuka, trying to jump off the building and over the Dirac Sea on the street of Tokyo-3. "The Angel has captured Unit 02. All communication has been cut off," said Maya. ********** {{Asuka} Where am I now? Inside the Angel?} {{rS} Inside yourself.} {{Asuka} Myself?} {{Kensuke} Yes. You fell into the Angel, and thus you fell into yourself.} {{Asuka} So I lost again? But this isn't how it's supposed to happen. This angel was supposed to catch Shinji!"} {{Touji} But this is your reality. In your mind, what has happened to Shinji is instead happening to you.} {{Asuka} But why me? I don't want Shinji's life!} {{rS} Yet you have taken it.} {{aS} You have chosen to take it.} {{Asuka} No! That isn't true!} {{Mak} Sure it is. You have taken it on because you wanted to know where Shinji is coming from. You have taken it on to know how Shinji lives. You have taken it on because, deep down, you really care for him.} {{Asuka} You lie!} ********** Evangelion Unit 02 has gone completely silent! Damage to the head! Extent of damage unknown!" yelled Makoto. "Damn it! We've got to retrieve the Eva. We'll start again later!" said Misato. Evangelion Unit 02 reared up, roaring out of its two open mouths. Then, it started charging at the Angel. It met the enemy's AT Field and stopped cold. "No! I can't neutralize the enemy's AT Field! It's not supposed to happen like this!" cried Asuka. ********** {{Asuka} This isn't right. I didn't even fight this Angel.} {{aS} Correct. You were still safe in Germany. I had to fight this Angel all alone, with no help. Luckily, I managed to defeat it.} "I knew it. I'm not needed after all." ______________________________________________________________________ In the next episode, Asuka comes face to face with her worst fears, Shinji realizes his greatest strength, and Gendo testifies before Seele. All this and more in the next episode "Choices: Life or Death Forever". Oh, and if you're lucky I might decide to give you a little fan service too. ______________________________________________________________________ The author stopped and looked up at his co-authors. Sitting at his desk in the Gendo position, he eyed Ryo-Ohki and Aerith. "Well, guys, I think we've done it. We've successfully crafted the first volume of Argon Genesis Evangelion. Time to take a break, I think," said Mien. "Okay, but I still haven't gotten Aerith to eat the carrot cake," argued Ryo-Ohki. Mien shot Aerith a warning glance from the Gendo position, then took a sip of his Dr. Pepper. "Aerith, just eat the damn cake," muttered Mien. "Yeah, Aerith. Everybody's doin' it," agreed Ryo-Ohki, giving as cute a smile as she possibly could. "No," said Aerith, "I don't like carrot cake. You eat it instead. I'll never give up!" "Aerith . . ." warned Mien. Ryo-Ohki stood, mewling softly, "Meow meow, meow meow, meow meow meow. Meow meow, meow meow, meow meow meow." Then, Ryo-Ohki leapt at Aerith with a battle cry and slammed the piece of carrot cake into her mouth. "Well, I tried to warn you . . ." Mien drolled, taking another sip of his Dr. Pepper.