From: sephirius@japan.crosswinds.net (James Grabowski)
Subject: [Eva][Fanfic] Neon Genesis Evangelion: Other Paths - Prologue


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NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: OTHER PATHS
- Prologue

Written By: James Grabowski
Revision: 1.00 - Official Release
Date: August 18, 1998
Time: 12:35:30 PM (EDT)

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 * See the end of this document for the Author's Notes *

 ***SPOILER-WARNING***:  This fanfiction will weigh in HEAVILY on
                         Evangelion storyline.  This is in a sense a
                         replacement for the series, so if you haven't
                         seen it yet and wanted to, do it now.  Otherwise,
                         continue.

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LEGAL INFORMATION:

All characters contained in this fanfiction are copyright GAINAX,
Project EVA, Movic, and any other company and/or division associated with
the creation and/or production of Neon Genesis Evangelion.  A.D.Vision
holds the copyrights to the translated version of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
At this time, they are used WITHOUT the permission of the aforementioned
institutions.

This fanfiction is a production of James Grabowski, and may not be used in
any way, shape, or form without prior permission of the author.
Distribution is subject to prior approval by the author. (i.e.: ASK before
putting it on a web page if you wish to do so, no posting on a newsgroup
w/o permission, etc. etc. etc.)

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 Neon Genesis Evangelion: Other Paths
 - Prologue


        Deep underground in a secret facility, a seemingly elderly man
 dressed in a brown uniform silently made his way towards his goal;
 information.  Despite his 58 years, he was younger than he appeared to
 be, but even his appearance didn't give way to old age.  He looked much
 as he had just 15 years ago... perhaps his hair had become whiter than
 it used to be.  Reaching his destination, he pulled open the door handle
 and entered the massive room.

        "Ikari."

        "What is it Fuyutsuki?"

        Kouzou Fuyutsuki made his way across the large room which could
 house a few hundred people with plenty of room for a few hundred more.
 Ironically enough, it was an office, rather than a social gathering
 place.  On the ceiling was a hand crafted design, the Sephirotic System
 of the Kaballah.  A painstakingly detailed, crafted image, explaining
 their beliefs, and the reason such a large room was needed..  Kouzou
 walked the familiar long strides he was used to walking after so many
 years, up to the Commander's desk.

        "I need to talk to you," he said, as he made the trek.

        "Go ahead."

        Kouzou regarded his friend Gendou Ikari for a moment.  He'd known
 this man for 16 years, and he hadn't changed all that much, in attitude
 anyway.  In appearance his skin had become lighter in colour, and a beard
 which encircled the perimeter of his face had grown where once there was
 none, but his ideas and dreams hadn't seemed to change after all this
 time.  Only 10 years of life separated the two, but in spirit, it seemed
 like much less.  Despite his dress, status, and serious demeanor, the
 brown-haired and dark-eyed Gendou Ikari tended to leave his jacket
 undone, the only thing that could be considered "casual" about him.

        "You know that today is Unit Zero's reactivation test, don't you?"

        "Yes."

        "Have you spoken to Rei?"

        "Yes.  She will be there as scheduled."

        "Sometimes I wonder Gendou..."

        "About what?"

        "What you see more of in Rei.  Which of them is it?"

        "Now is not the time for such discussions."

        'A cold man...' Kouzou thought to himself.

        "Are the preparations for the reactivation complete?"

        "Yes.  Dr. Akagi is waiting for you.  She said you wanted to be in
 control for this experiment."

        "That's correct."

        "..."

        Gendou turned his attention to the intercom device on his desk.
 Leaving the receiver as it was, he tapped a few numbers on its keypad.
 A soft female voice could be heard on the other end.

        "Commander?"

        "Ibuki.  Tell Dr. Akagi that we're on our way down."

        "Yes sir."

        Gendou pressed another button on the device, severing the
 connection to the control center of Experimental Station 2.  He looked up
 at his friend through his gold rimmed glasses.  Grunting, he slowly rose
 up from his seat and walked around to the other side of the desk.

        "Let's go."

                   ------------------------------------

        Kouzou reflected on the situation at hand.  'The reactivation of
 Unit Zero...  It stopped functioning shortly after the pilot was finally
 able to synchronize with it.  There was no explainable reason why it had
 stopped.  The explanation given by Akagi had to do with defective wiring
 and frayed nerve impulse relays.  It has been a long time since it had
 first been constructed... what has it been, 10 years?  More perhaps.'

        But Kouzou didn't believe her.  He knew Akagi wasn't telling the
 complete truth, and he knew Gendou held the same suspicions.  It mustn't
 have been important if Gendou hadn't bothered to follow up on it.  Still,
 something in the back of his mind told him he should have investigated
 the occurrence, but he simply let that thought dissipate.  There were
 more important matters at hand.

        "Kouzou."

        "Hmmm?  I'm sorry.  I must be getting on in my years..."

        "Heh.  You wouldn't expect me to believe that now, would you?"

        Smiling, Kouzou softly replied, "I guess not."  It wasn't often
 that something resembling a grin would appear on Gendou's face.  He
 missed the days when Gendou's moods were of a lighter humour.  But of
 course, those days were long gone, and his current mood didn't last very
 long.  He saw the man slowly observe his surroundings from the tram
 before he phrased his next question.

        "Have their been any reports from the Marduk Institute about the
 Third Children?"

        "Yes, there has actually.  A candidate has been found.  He comes
 from outside the normal candidate area, but then again, so did the
 Second."

        "And?"

        "It seems that he would be an ideal choice.  His mother is dead,
 and he doesn't know the majority of his family.  There is one
 exception... but that isn't of importance.  He's located a fair
 distance outside of Tokyo-3, placing him near the Atsugi district.
 According to the report, he would be exceptional as one of the Children.
 He's ranked far higher then any of the local candidates."

        "I'm not surprised."

        "I find it strange that you requested him to be added to the
 list, especially considering his situation..."
 
        "It relates to that time.  It would be fitting, and I've had
 suspicions for some time now.  If Unit One can be used, then the project
 can come to fruition.  And if this will be our only chance, so be it."

        "Is that the only reason why you inquired about him?"

        "..."

        "I see."

        "We've arrived Kouzou."

                   ------------------------------------

        The pair entered the control center of the 2nd Experimental
 Station of the primary branch of NERV.  The room seemed to be somewhat
 lacking in activity, despite the event which was about to occur.  A few
 of the higher ranked bridge operators were present for the experiment.
 A young woman with short brown hair walked up to them with a clipboard in
 her hand.

        "Commander.  Sub-Commander."

        "Ibuki, where is Dr. Akagi?" asked Gendou.

        "She's in the test area with Hyuuga doing a manual check of the
 connections to Unit Zero.  The two of them should be finishing just about
 now."
        
        "I see."

        Maya Ibuki returned to conducting checks in the control room,
 making sure nothing was misconfigured or not ready.  She knew that this
 experiment was of the upmost importance.  All other projects had
 practically been on suspension because of it.  Not officially, but so
 much time was being spent on getting Unit Zero in working order that no
 one had had the time to do anything else.  She silently laughed at the
 Commander, thinking how he must be paranoid to the events of 15 years
 earlier, as if anything like that would happen again.  But she concluded
 that if the Sub-Commander and her sempai truly believed in their
 necessity, then she would do what she could to aid in the project.

        Kouzou walked over to a long-haired man near a control panel by
 the window facing the testing area. "What is our present status Aoba?"

        "We are ready to begin on the Commander's orders."

        Shigeru Aoba thought to himself about the lack of awareness in the
 Sub-Commander's tone as he waited patiently for Hyuuga and Dr. Akagi to
 finish with Unit Zero.  Fuyutsuki was normally a hard working man.  He
 should have scolded him already for not doing anything during such an
 important event.  But today he seemed somewhat distracted... as if he
 had more important things on his mind.  He quickly turned his attention
 to the controls in front of him in the case that the Sub-Commander
 changed his attitude.

        Kouzou looked out the windows into the testing area.  He began to
 mumble his thoughts out loud without realizing it, but softly enough that
 nobody else heard.

        "This man-made creation, the Evangelion Unit Zero.  The Prototype.
 Orange in colour, immense size rivaling that of taller buildings...
 human-like in form, created by us.  Why did we create it?  Why did I help
 to create it?"

        A large red eye blankly stared forth from its head.  It seemed as
 if it was staring into the souls of everyone in the room, but especially
 Kouzou.  Thoughts on how he had become involved in this entire operation
 briefly caught aflame in his mind, but they were soon extinguished by the
 sounds of reality, the voice of Gendou Ikari breaking his concentration.
 
        "Dr. Akagi.  How's Rei?"

        Dr. Ritsuko Akagi looked up from the clipboard she had in her hand
 as she entered the control center, letting her blonde hair flip behind
 her head, only to return to its normal position.  The bridge operator
 Makoto Hyuuga took a position in front of a control panel near the center
 of the room.

        "She's already in the entry plug, and we've already loaded it
 into the Eva.  We are ready to begin the reactivation process."

        Makoto looked on as the Project Chairperson and the Commander
 discussed procedure for the event.  He found it funny how she was one
 of the few people who could actually talk to the Commander without
 looking as if she wanted to be anywhere else.  Was it because she had
 known him since... that thought left his mind quickly.  The Second Impact
 was one of the last things he wanted to think about at a time like this.
 He didn't know what the result of the experiment would be.  Everything
 had checked out alright at the Evangelion itself, and the pilot seemed to
 be prepared for the experiment, but... once more he pushed the thoughts
 out of his mind.  He decided it would be best to go through with the
 experiment, get off his shift, and read some of the manga he kept in his
 desk elsewhere in the facility.  It would be a miracle if the Eva would
 even activate at all...

        "Very well."

        Gendou walked up to the window facing the control panel, his firm
 expression seemingly set in stone.  Kouzou stood a few paces behind him,
 pondering the impending outcome of the experiment.  The same thoughts ran
 through the minds of everyone in the room.  Gendou's voice was crystal
 clear as it sounded through the room, silencing any idle chatter there
 may have been.

        "Begin the activation sequence."  He adjusted his glasses.  'There
 isn't any more room for failure,' he thought to himself.

        Ritsuko began to direct the available staff of the experiment.

        "Connect the main power supply and all circuits together."

        A green panel on the top of the Eva's head lit up.

        "The main power supply has been connected.  Starting the
 activation system," replied Maya.  "Voltage increasing to the critical
 point: 0.5, 0.2, rising!"

        Once more, the voice of Ritsuko Akagi was heard. "Start the second
 phase of the activation system."

        Shigeru began to work at his control panel.  "The pilot link-up
 has been completed."

        "Starting System Phase II." called Maya.

        Ritsuko nodded and looked to Shigeru. "What is the status of Unit
 Zero's neuron impulses?"

        "The synapses have been inserted.  The junction has been started.
 No problems detected."

        "Ibuki?"

        "The pulses are being transmitted." 

        "Hyuuga?"

        "All circuits are operational."

        "The initial contact has been made, no problems detected,"
 announced Maya.

        Shigeru looked up from his control panel.  "Power is now being
 transmitted.  Currently, power is available up to the brachial muscles in
 both arms.  There are no problems with the nerve links."

        "Nerve links completed up to 2500, 2530, 2550."

        "Understood.  Arrange for the third connection."

        "Understood.  Up to 2580 have been completed.  0.9 until absolute
 border line."

        Kouzou reflected on the situation quietly.  It had been 15 years
 since the last time an Eva had been needed, but at that time the Evas
 hadn't even been created.  Was the future truly set in stone?  Are the
 events that were written so long ago determined to act themselves out?

        Maya stared at the display in front of her.  They were almost
 there.  Just a little further, and everyone could celebrate at finally
 achieving what they had set out to do, albeit secretly.

        Makoto kept his eyes locked on the Eva.  He prayed silently that
 this would work.  The last thing anyone needed was more problems.

        Shigeru took a silent, deep breath and held it.  Either it was
 going to activate, or it would just shut down.  He was getting tired of
 working on Unit Zero.  What was the point?

        Gendou continued to stare at the Eva with his set expression.  He
 wondered if the pilot was alright.  She was of importance to him.

        "... 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2, ...it's..."

        An alarm began to sound, and was shortly cut off.  The wails of
 the Eva could be heard throughout the room.

        "Damn it!  The pulses are beginning to flow backwards!  The
 connection was reversed!"

        "Problems encountered on the third stage.  Rejection is setting in
 on the nerve center elements!"

        One thought unanimously struck everyone in the room.  'Damnit.'

        Ritsuko suddenly grew very serious.  This had to be stopped now.
 "Stop the contacts.  Break the circuits up to the 6th."

        "Negative.  The signal's not being received!  Unit Zero has gone
 completely out of control!"  To herself, she continued to curse.  Why
 wouldn't it work?  Why were there always problems?  And why had the Eva
 suddenly taken on a mind of it's own?

        The wails of the Eva inside the testing area grew louder.  It
 bellowed furiously, and proceeded to rip the arm restraints keeping it
 bonded to the wall off the wall.  It did the same for its legs.  It
 howled once more, clutching its head in pain.  The murmurs of the
 non-essentials were drowned out in the back of the room.  The Commander
 finally spoke up.

        "Abort the experiment immediately.  Cut off the power supply."

        "Yes sir!"  Ritsuko quickly complied by smashing a glass case with
 her hand, and pulling the handle underneath.  A long cord that had been
 attached to the Eva's back ejected itself and landed on the floor with a
 satisfying crash.

        "Unit Zero's power supply has been switched to its internal
 battery."

        "35 seconds until complete standstill."

        Ritsuko's angry voice suddenly became louder than the Eva.  "35
 seconds?!  Damn it, why wasn't the battery drained for this?"

        She took a deep breath.  "Who's incompetence let that slip
 through..." she muttered angrily under her breath.

        The Eva suddenly straightened and began to punch the glass window
 directly in front of Gendou.  Shigeru sprang from his seat to where
 Makoto was to monitor the situation from there.  The both of them were
 trying to keep under control.  Commander Ikari remained completely
 motionless... until the Eva shattered the window and sent glass flying.
 Shards of jagged glass grazed his face, just missing him.  He looked
 behind him with an expression almost resembling concern, to see what
 officers who weren't directly involved in the experiment fleeing the
 room.  Those who were involved crowded around Makoto's workstation to
 monitor the crisis from a safe distance.

        He heard a cry of agony from Kouzou, and quickly turned to see him
 holding his left arm in pain.  The glass that had missed himself had
 cleanly sliced the upper portion of Kouzou's arm.  He suddenly felt sick
 to his stomach.  That should have been him.

        "It's dangerous--step back!"

        "For the love of god Akagi, that's more than obvious!" growled
 the injured Kouzou.  Blood was seeping through his uniform.  That woman
 could be an idiot sometimes, he thought to himself.  Needless to say, he
 wasn't in a good mood.

        "Fuyutsuki!"

        "I'm fine Ikari.  It can wait..."

        The life and death drama was interrupted by Maya's voice.

        "Auto ejection system engaging..."

        "Damn it!" yelled Gendou.  Everything was going wrong.  He began
 to curse silently.

        The back of Unit Zero erupted suddenly, and a long white tube was
 shot out from it.  It rumbled and flew its way into one of the higher
 corners of the testing area.

        "Time until complete standstill: 10, 9, 8, 7..."

        "Enable the emergency coolant.  Start the Bakelite spray.  Hurry
 up!" yelled Ritsuko.  She began to think about the situation.  'Why did
 any of this happen damn it?!  Why did it go berserk like this?  Is it the
 pilot's will, or is it something else?  Could it be after someone?'

        A thick red liquid began to cover the Eva.  It seemed to slow it
 down as it continued to punch the wall, but it didn't help very much.
 Suddenly, the engines of the entry plug, still containing the pilot, gave
 out, and it crashed to the floor with a loud clank.  A yellow-orangish
 liquid began to spray itself from the entry plug.

        "Rei!"  He didn't know if she could have survived that kind of
 drop.  The entry plug may have been designed to keep a pilot as safe as
 possible for piloting the Evangelion, but without the Eva to absorb any
 of the shock from such a fall...

        "..4, 3, 2, 1, 0."  Maya prayed that it was over, but she knew
 that just wasn't the case.  There was the aftermath to deal with.

        Evangelion Unit Zero finally came to a halt, a fist still embedded
 in the wall.  The liquid continued to spray the Eva.

        Gendou's shout echoed through the silent room, "I'm going down
 there!"

        "Ikari!  Wait!"

        Seeing that the walkway was now in shambles, Gendou rushed to a
 lift in the corner of the room and banged the controls.  It activated,
 but not before Kouzou had joined him.  It rushed downwards at a high
 speed, until it had reached the bottom level of the testing area.  Gendou
 rushed through the small corridor and flew open the door at the end,
 leading into the testing area.  Kouzou followed him, but at a slower
 pace, still clutching his bleeding arm.

        Gendou ran towards the entry plug that had formerly inhabited
 Unit Zero.  He couldn't believe the outcome of all this.  'First Kouzou,
 now Rei...'  He reached for the emergency release handle of the escape
 hatch.

        "AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHH!!!"

        He pulled his hands back, feeling the palms of his hands searing
 with heat and pain.  His glasses flew from his head and landed in the
 liquid that had drained itself from the entry plug.  His expression grew
 fierce, anger boiling up inside him.  This had been nothing but one
 disaster after another, and he couldn't let anything else happen.  The
 entire project had been endangered, and so had everyone's lives.  For a
 brief moment, the lives became more important to him then the entire
 project.  He reached again for the release handle.  Despite the pain,
 he did not let go this time.

        "Aaaaagghhh..... urrrrr..... turn damn it... TURN!!!"

        Ritsuko looked down from above.  This had been a complete
 disaster.  All she wanted to do was just destroy any records of what just
 happened.  She'd be credited with failing, and she couldn't stand being a
 failure.  She couldn't believe that any one of them could have lost their
 lives, and that perhaps someone already did.  She couldn't believe that
 such careless precautions had been taken.  She couldn't believe that any
 of this had even happened.  It shouldn't have...

        At last the handle turned.  Both of Gendou's hands had been
 severely burned.  He yanked open the hatch and looked inside.

        "Rei!  Are you all right?  Rei!"  Then he saw her.

        A young girl dressed in a skin-tight white suit, with blue hair
 and pail skin slowly looked up at him.  Her red eyes were half open, the
 right one slightly bleeding.  There was a gash running halfway across her
 forehead.  Her right arm appeared to be slightly dislocated, and there
 was another gash running from her left shoulder to her chest.  Both her
 legs were slashed around the thighs, and her lower right leg also
 appeared to be cut.  None of the wounds appeared to be very deep, but the
 metallic debris that had broken from the entry plug and had caused them
 rested by her right leg, and seemed to suggest otherwise.  She looked at
 him for a moment and slowly nodded.

        "I see."

        The glasses which had fallen from Gendou's visage slowly bent
 over, and the lenses cracked.

        The girl passed out, her injuries too much for her.

        "Damn it..."

        Gendou exited the hatch and began yelling orders to those in the
 control center.  He was in a dark mood.

        "I want a medical team in here immediately!  We have a pilot
 suffering from multiple serious injuries, potentially fatal."  He looked
 at Kouzou.  "And there's also an officer in need of immediate medical
 assistance.  Move!"

        Kouzou couldn't help but grin slightly at the concern Gendou was
 showing for the both of them.  It was a rare occasion to see Gendou in
 this manner.  For a moment, he wondered how Rei was, but he knew it was
 pointless to think about that.

        Gendou left Rei and ran over to Kouzou.

        "Are you alright?"

        "It's just a scratch."

        "I doubt that."

        "Heh.  I can't lie to you, can I?  I guess you're going to need
 some new glasses now."

        Gendou chuckled at the remark.  Kouzou once more pondered his
 friend's actions.

        The medical team arrived with a stretcher.  Half of them went to
 attend to Rei, while the other half went to see Kouzou.

        "I'm fine you fools.  I can walk.  My arm's injured, not my leg."

        Gendou walked over to Kouzou, "I need to see you in my office
 after you've been attended to."

        "I understand.  I'll come as soon as I can."

        Gendou nodded his head in agreement, and returned to check on Rei.

        Kouzou began to think to himself once more, which of the two it
 was that Ikari saw more of in Rei.  Briefly, he wondered if he saw
 anything at all...

        He couldn't help but begin to laugh when he saw one of the medical
 team leading Gendou away to treat his hands.  Gendou didn't seem to be
 very happy about it.

                   ------------------------------------

        "You wanted to see me Ikari?"

        Kouzou's injury had already been bandaged up, and he had already
 changed into a new uniform.  It was impossible to tell that he had been
 injured before, except that his arm appeared to be somewhat stiff.
 Expectable, considering the injury.  He noticed that Gendou was wearing
 a set of white gloves now.  Another set of glasses adorned his face,
 heavily tinted, though the eyes could still be seen underneath.  It
 seemed to bring a darker atmosphere around the already shrouded man.

        "Yes, I did."

        "How's Rei?"

        "...not in the best of conditions, but not in the worst either.
 Her injuries appeared much worse then they were.  The medical division
 estimated about 2 weeks until she's fully recovered.  Her appearance
 wouldn't give that impression, but nonetheless, she seems to be acting
 normally."

        'If you could call her actions normal,' Fuyutsuki thought to
 himself.

        "Fuyutsuki, I want you to contact the President of the Marduk
 Institute."

        "..."

        "Tell him that we accept the recommendation for the Third
 Children, and to begin the search for the Fourth and Fifth.

        "...I believe the President already knows."  His voice lost
 some of its serious tone, adopting one of concern.  "So... you're going
 to send for him?  When do you plan to?"

        "Now.  I want him here by tomorrow.  The failure of the Unit Zero
 reactivation experiment has made it imperative to find a new pilot.
 Unit Two and the Second are unusable as they are still located in
 Germany, where they shall stay... at least for now.  It's time to
 reactivate Unit One."

        "Immediately?"

	"If it's a possibility, yes."

        Kouzou suddenly became angered at his friend.  'After what had
 just happened, he'd so readily be willing to attempt another
 reactivation?  And on Unit One?  And immediately?  And above all, with
 him?'  He kept his anger in check, never betraying it in his voice.

	"How do you know he'll come?"

        "He will.  It's how he is."

        ".. Do you think what you're doing is right?  After so long?"

        ".. My first responsibility is to NERV.  After that, it becomes
 complicated."

        "And how do you think she would feel about it?"

        "..."

        Kouzou sighed discontentedly.  "I see.  I can't say I'm pleased
 with your decision, but this isn't any of my business.  I'll speak to the
 communications division.  They'll have a message delivered to him within
 the hour.  Is there anything in particular you want it to say?"

        "Yes.  Come.  Sign it with my name.  Send a second message to his
 sensei with instructions for him once he reaches the city, and to make
 arrangements with the sensei himself for... accommodating the Third to
 the city.  Arrange for him to take a government train into the city.
 Please look into finding an escort for him as well."

        "I understand."

        "And Fuyutsuki?"

        "Yes?"

        "Feel free to take a break after this.  You've had a rough day."

        "Heh."

        Kouzou departed from the room to leave Commander Ikari alone with
 his thoughts.  On his way to the communications division, he wondered how
 the Commander could do such things.  How had he become so cold?  These
 and other questions racked his mind, but he didn't have the time to think
 about them.  He had a job to do.  In truth, he just wanted to forget
 about the events of today.  He suspected that everyone involved in the
 experiment did.  The last thought on his mind as he entered the
 communications room was how the two of them would react to seeing each
 other after so many years.

                   ------------------------------------

        A few hours later, in a small house near the Atsugi district, a
 printed message had come through for a young man of 14 years living at
 that home.  With him deep in his studies, his sensei read over the note
 himself.  It seemed there was another one too, addressed to him, about
 his pupil.  Somewhat angered at the "request", or rather, the "order" on
 the note, but regretfully understanding the necessity, he went to speak
 with his pupil.  He showed him the first note.  The young man promptly
 stopped breathing.

        "..."

        "..."

        "...Father..."

        "...It is your choice.  We shall discuss it over dinner."

        After a deep discussion with his sensei about his father, they
 came to an agreement that it may be a good idea for the young man to go.
 Perhaps after all this time, things could change between the two.  The
 boy was slightly more optimistic than his sensei, but not by much.  Early
 morning the following day, the young man said his goodbyes and walked to
 the train station, the instructions given to him by his sensei still
 fresh in his mind, and boarded the government train for Tokyo-3.  He
 noticed that he seemed to be alone.  As the young man slipped a set of
 headphones into his ears to listen to his miniature portable tape player
 during the ride, a thought entered his mind.

        "... Why is father... calling for me?"

        The young man sighed to himself, troubled by the situation.  After
 a few moments of troubled contemplation, Shinji Ikari pressed the play
 button on the tape player, and let the music lull him into a state of
 relaxation.  He didn't know if he would ever be able to relax again after
 this time.  Meeting his father didn't build his confidence, to say the
 least.

        As the music soothed his anxiousness, he looked at the seat across
 from him, and discovered a small box with his name printed across the
 top.  He remembered the instructions from his sensei, and picked it up.
 Slowly he undid the bindings and opened it...


 TO BE CONTINUED...

==========================================================================
==========================================================================

 AUTHOR'S NOTES:

        Well, that takes care of the first installment of this series.
 Basically to set the mood.
        
        My goal is recreate Neon Genesis Evangelion.  Somewhat of an
 "Alternate Universe" type, but not the MAJOR "Alternate Universe" type.
 Simply put, I wish to keep the same characters from Evangelion and the
 same plot, but I want to be able to focus more on the characters rather
 than constant Angel battles.  I want to develop the Evangelion world
 further.

        In my opinion, Neon Genesis Evangelion is, and probably will be
 for a long time, one of the best anime ever created, both for animation,
 style, and content.  However, the problem with NGE, was that it was too
 short.  Because of this, there was little character development (yes,
 I'm aware of what has happened in the series).  In comparison to the
 general theme of Evangelion, there wasn't a high amount of character
 interaction, so many of the characters attitudes remained the same.  In
 real life, people change over time.  It is difficult to believe that
 considering the time span of Eva, that there wasn't much change.  If
 there had been more "life" in Evangelion, then perhaps there would have
 been a very different turn out to it, a different ending.  The only
 thing that is truly set in stone is the appearance of the Angel's (the
 Dead Sea Scrolls have ensured that), but characters like the Children
 can develop if others take the initiative.  This doesn't mean I plan to
 turn everyone into a bunch of ridiculously positive people that you just
 want to see dead, or everyone is instantly OOC (or even OOC at all!).
 I'm just saying that the characters deserve a chance to develop, and I
 intend to bring that in.  This series doesn't end until a Third Impact is
 completed or stopped.  Until then, a lot of things can happen which can
 change the flow of the story.  Whenever characters are introduced, they
 will be their "normal" selves: I don't intend to rewrite the past.  My
 purpose is not to determine the past of Evangelion, but the future of
 that world.  I find this very difficult to explain.  I hope you
 understand what I mean.  If you don't, then keep reading the series.
 You will soon enough.

        For all of you Evangelion enthusiasts out there, you've noticed by
 now that the flashback from Episode 5 was in here (albeit with extra
 description).  The reason for this was to establish a solid background
 for what happened prior to Shinji's arrival.  This will be important
 later on of course.  Note that the original time line of Evangelion was
 somewhat compact, and messed up.  My explanation:

        The experiment flashback was 22 before the day that Shinji
 started to wonder about Rei.  The 4th Angel attacked 3 weeks / 21 days
 after the 3rd.  Rei was to be returned to "status" 20 days after the day
 after the 3rd attacked, meaning 21 days to the day it did attack, meaning
 the accident with Unit Zero was the day before the 3rd arrived.  This
 also means that Rei would be back as a pilot the same day the 4th
 attacked BUT that would also be the day that Shinji began to wonder about
 Rei (I'm not talking about the day after when he begins to talk to
 her, and the 5th Angel appears).  However, this would also be the same
 day that Shinji got beaten up by Touji, talked to Rei briefly while she
 was still injured (and according to the above, she shouldn't be), fought
 the 4th Angel, and had run away that night.  The next day follows Shinji
 through Tokyo-3 (but by the time line would also be the same day that he
 began to interact with Rei, and the 5th Angel had appeared).  And then
 there's the day after, when he's caught, returns to Tokyo-3, resigns from
 NERV, and is admitted back the same day, but technically this is also
 supposed to be the same day that both Rei and Shinji fight the 5th Angel
 together.  Hence, the time line is completely screwed up, because it's
 obvious that the above is impossible. <g>  This is how I've interpreted
 the time line.  There is no need to go into the time line further.

        So, because of these flaws, I'll be writing the time line as I see
 as both fit, and reasonable.  For example, although Shinji is arriving
 the day after Rei's accident, Rei will be returned to pilot status 2
 weeks after the experiment (as this is the future, and the fact that her
 injuries, though many, were not very serious, it seems possible that she
 could be healed within 2 weeks).  This can also help with character
 development, but I think you get the picture.  Similarity, but
 difference.  At any rate, a lot can happen between the times of Angel
 attacks.  And different things can happen when compared to the series.
 The future is not set in stone, and the results are endless.  That is the
 truth behind fanfiction, Evangelion, and life in general.

        Well, that's all I have to say.  If you have any comments and/or
 suggestions on this, let me know ASAP.  The next installment will bring
 Shinji into the plot.  This was just the Prologue after all.  Comments
 are welcome, but flames will be put out with the electronic equivalent
 of water.  Ja na!

==========================================================================

James Grabowski
    - sephirius@japan.crosswinds.net

For The Most Recent Versions:
    - http://www.crosswinds.net/japan/~sephirius
          - Click on "Anime Fanfiction" to get to the latest releases of:
            Neon Genesis Evangelion: Other Paths
            (becomes available with an official/RAAC release)

------------------------------------

"Man is descended from one alone.
 One way or another, we're all related.
 With this knowledge, the wall blocking the "truth" is destroyed,
 Leaving an opportunity that can be used to a positive advantage.
 One that can change man's perception forever,
 And consequently, prove the theorem wrong..."

"And now it becomes a reality."

----

From: sephirius@japan.crosswinds.net (James Grabowski)
Subject: [Eva][Fanfic] Neon Genesis Evangelion: Other Paths - "Paths I - 1:1" (Chapter 1)


==========================================================================

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: OTHER PATHS
 - The First Book of Paths:
   Paths I - 1:1
 - Chapter 1 - A Welcoming / "First" Angel

Written By: James Grabowski
Revision: 1.00 - Official Release
Date: September 13, 1998 (Began 8/14/1998)
Time: 1:38:35 PM (EDT)

==========================================================================

 * See the end of this document for the Author's Notes *

 ***SPOILER-WARNING***:  This fanfiction will weigh in HEAVILY on
                         Evangelion storyline.  This is in a sense a
                         replacement for the series, so if you haven't
                         seen it yet and wanted to, do it now.  Otherwise,
                         continue.

==========================================================================

LEGAL INFORMATION:

All characters contained in this fanfiction are copyright GAINAX,
Project EVA, MOVIC, and any other company and/or division associated with
the creation and/or production of Neon Genesis Evangelion.  At this time,
they are used WITHOUT the permission of the aforementioned institutions.

This fanfiction is a production of James Grabowski, and may not be used in
any way, shape, or form without prior permission from the author.
Distribution is subject to prior approval by the author. (i.e.: ASK before
putting it on a web page if you wish to do so, no posting on a newsgroup,
etc. etc. etc.)

==========================================================================
==========================================================================

 Neon Genesis Evangelion: Other Paths
 - The First Book of Paths:
   Paths I - 1:1
 - Chapter 1 - A Welcoming / "First" Angel

 -------
 [OPENING: Thesis Of A Cruel Angel - TV Size Version - CLAIRE]
 -------

        She drove down the street like a bat out of hell.  She was running
 late; REALLY late.

        'He's going to arrive at the station at any minute!  If he left or
 something happened to him... I don't even want to think about what'll
 happen to me.  The Sub-Commander might be lenient, but the Commander
 would be outraged.  He'd kill me!  It's his son after all!  He'll
 probably be worried about him... won't he?'

        She subconsciously fingered the white cross hung around her neck
 and ran a hand through her long purple hair.

        'I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night unpacking...' she
 thought to herself.

        '...And drinking,' she quickly added.

        'I just moved into that apartment a couple of days ago, but I
 still haven't fully settled in yet.  It makes sense.  Still, I'm glad for
 the move.  Stuck in that last apartment for the past year... that thing
 was a rats nest, not an apartment building!  A city of advanced
 technology and they still have slums!  No one deserves to live in a place
 like that!  Now, this new place, really nice...'

        And then she suddenly snapped out of her trance.  'No time to
 think about that now.'  She sped up another ten kilometres per hour.

        She began to think about her mission.  'Shinji?  Yes, that's
 right.  I wonder if Shinji got the package that had been left for him on
 the train.  There was an ID Card for him from his father... and a picture
 so that he can recognize me.'  She laughed out loud for a moment.  'He'll
 probably like the picture.'

        She quickly glanced at the papers she had been given concerning
 procedures, and the photo of the boy so that she would recognize him.
 'He kind of looks somewhat like his father, only... younger, a softer
 expression.  Kinder.  Kind of cute too.'

        She put that last thought out of her mind.  She was fifteen years
 older then him after all.  'I'll probably have to disappoint him when he
 asks if I have a boyfriend... even though I don't.'

        She adjusted the black sunglasses which shielded her large brown
 eyes.  The glasses were starting to embed themselves into her skull from
 the extreme speed she was driving at.  She was decked out in her nicest
 dress: one piece covering from shoulders to knees with a higher collar
 around the neck, pure black with a white trim, sleeveless, and a bit
 tight, accentuating her figure nicely.  A pair of round, golden
 earrings hung from her ears.

        'I might as well look professional for this after all.'

        As she ran down another street sign and raised her speed another
 twenty kilometres per hour, Captain Misato Katsuragi recalled how she had
 agreed to go through with this...

                   ------------------------------------

        "So Ritsuko, how did the experiment go?"

        "Do you really have to ask?

        Ritsuko was busy smoking a cigarette while filling out seven
 piles of paperwork which were about a metre high.  Each.

        "Were there problems again?"

        "It was a lot worse than 'problems' Captain."

        "You seem upset.  Why do you sound calm?"

        "I am upset.  Very.  I'm just keeping it under control."  She took
 her cigarette and burnt a hole through one of the papers.  She looked as
 if she was ready to torch her entire desk.

        "Ritsuko..." Misato looked at her friend worriedly.  She was also
 ready to stop Ritsuko from acting upon any urges to set fire to her desk.

        Ritsuko took another puff of her cigarette and spoke again.

        "This wasn't just another failed test Misato."

        "It must've been something big."

        "It was.  Unit Zero went berserk during the reactivation."

        Misato blinked.  "It what?"

        "The Second Experimental Station was practically destroyed,
 Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki was wounded, and Rei was almost killed.  There's
 more of course, but I'd rather not get into it," she simply stated.

        Misato looked as if she were in shock.  She was.  "Oh my god..."

        "I know."

        "And Commander Ikari?"

        "Not in a good mood.  Don't talk to him if you don't have to."

        "I'll keep that in mind," she replied, not that she had any
 reason or desire to.  "Do you know what caused the accident?"

        "Not right now.  I'll be starting an investigation once I'm done
 with all of this paperwork.  Some essential precautions were not taken
 during that test."

        "Hmmm..."

        "And I want to know what caused Unit Zero to go berserk for
 myself as much as for scientific reasons.  It doesn't make sense...
 Apparently, the pilot had no input, but I'm sure that it must have had
 something to do with her, no matter how remotely.  Even if the computers
 didn't pick it up, something had to have caused this result, and the
 pilot seems like a good place to start."

        "The pilot?  Rei?  You think she tore up the entire Experimental
 Station on purpose?"

        "No, not on purpose.  Not intentionally, or even with or without
 noticing it.  I have some theories... but I'd rather conduct the
 investigation first.  No point in making guesses if they're wrong."

        "That's what guessing is all about though."

        Ritsuko didn't reply.

        "How is Rei?"

        "A good portion of her body didn't escape unscathed.  She'll be
 fine within two weeks.  I've been asked by the Commander to see to her
 recovery personally, in addition to the treatment she's receiving under
 the medical division," Ritsuko replied off-handedly.

        Misato began to reflect upon a thought, but it quickly left her as
 she observed Ritsuko beginning to fill out another form.

        "Hey Ritsuko, I was wondering, what's all of this paperwork for?"

        Ritsuko sighed, and then took another puff.  She wiped her left
 eye, brushing the mole just under it.  The bangs of her short, blond hair
 hung further over her forehead than usual.  "An application to the UN to
 increase our budget by... this amount."  She pointed to a spot on the
 paper she was currently writing on.

        Misato's eyes widened.  "That much?"

        "We have a lot of repairs to do on Unit Zero, and the Commander
 wants it ready within three weeks time.  For now, we're abandoning the
 Second Experimental Station.  We have better ways to spend this money."

        "But don't you think you're asking for... a LOT extra?"

        "Yes.  The failure of Unit Zero's activation isn't the only reason
 why NERV is applying for so much money.  Commander Ikari plans on
 returning to testing on Unit One.  And that starts tomorrow.  Or at
 least, discussing it with the pilot starts tomorrow.  It would be
 ridiculous to throw a potential pilot into such a situation on the same
 day."  A far away look appeared in her green eyes.  "Sometimes I wish I
 wasn't in charge of this project..."

        "Unit One?  But..."

        "I know.  We can discuss it later.  I have to get back to work.
 If we want the application for the supplement passed sometime this week,
 then I need to finish this by tonight at the latest.  It has to be sent
 out by tomorrow afternoon, and I doubt I'll have time to work on this
 tomorrow.  And then there's that meeting that Commander Ikari called for
 later this evening for myself and the Sub-Commander... I should make
 myself a pot of coffee."

        "..."

        "You'd better go.  You're on duty in about five minutes,
 aren't you?" she asked, a light smile starting to creep up on her lips.

        "Rub it in why don't you?  Have a GOOD night Project Chairperson
 Akagi," she replied, ending with a huff.

        "Look who's talking!"

        The two said their goodbyes as Misato left her friend's office.
 She entered the main terminal area and hoped she wouldn't get lost this
 time.  It didn't matter the length of time that she had been a member of
 this organization, she just couldn't find her away around in this maze
 called NERV Headquarters, Central Dogma.  And after so long, it was
 getting to be very embarrassing.

        As she stood on the tram taking her to God knows where, because
 she certainly didn't, she wondered about what Ritsuko had said.

        'It must have had something to do with her, that's what Ritsuko
 said.  I've never seen very much of that girl, but somehow, I can't see
 Rei being a direct cause of the accident.  She's too... quiet, too
 reclusive.  If anything that girl needs to get out more.  Maybe I
 should get involved...'

        She took another wrong turn and continued to think.

        'Commander Ikari plans on returning to testing on Unit One...
 that's crazy.  I haven't seen it activated even once since I joined this
 organization six years ago, even if it was different back then...
 Unbelievable, that the Commander would actually try to use it now.  The
 purpose of the Evangelions seems doubtful too.  The Commander sure seems
 sure of himself though... it's odd, to say the least.  Even if it is
 NERV's purpose...'

        She stepped off the tram, and made another turn, this time in
 the right direction (when she was supposed to go left), and walked right
 into Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki.  He dropped his papers.  She noticed he was
 holding his arm.

        'That must've been where he had been injured...'

        "Please watch where you are going Captain," he said.  She could
 tell there was a slight hint of pain in his voice, but otherwise
 unnoticeable.

        "I'm very sorry Sub-Commander."  She bowed in apology.

        They both bent down to pick up the papers that Kouzou had
 dropped.  Misato couldn't help but look at the papers as she collected
 them.  She saw the words 'urgent', 'important' and 'Shinji Ikari' printed
 on them in different places.

        'Wait a minute... Ikari?'

        "Sub-Commander?  If I may ask... who is Shinji Ikari?"

        "You shouldn't be reading those Captain."

        'Not even on duty yet and I'm already in trouble,' she thought.
 She started to turn red.

        Kouzou sighed.  "It's of no consequence.  This was about to be
 made common knowledge to NERV personnel anyway."

        "I don't understand."

        "To begin with, Shinji Ikari is Commander Ikari's son."

        'That bastard has a son?!' she screamed in her head.  The image of
 the Commander smiling and holding this boy's hand made her want to burst
 out laughing.

        No matter how anyone acted, no one really liked the Commander.
 The only exceptions were Ritsuko and Kouzou, and even they sometimes
 didn't seem to like him very much.

        "The Commander has a son?" she asked formally.

        "That's correct.  He has made a request for this boy to come to
 headquarters."

        "To come here?  What for?"

        "According to the Marduk Report, young Ikari is the Third
 Children."  Misato noted a hint of regret in the man's voice.

        "The Third?  Another has been found?"

        Kouzou solemnly nodded.

        "Is that why the Commander plans to start testing on Unit One?"

        Kouzou looked surprised, and then somewhat angry.  "How did you
 know about that?  That information hasn't been released."

        "Ritsuko told me about it."

        "..."

        Misato became nervous inwardly.  The Sub-Commander didn't appear
 to be in a very good mood.

        "Again, it doesn't matter.  That would have been made public to
 NERV personnel as well."

        Misato silently breathed a sigh of relief.

        "He arrives late tomorrow afternoon.  The Commander has asked for
 someone to act as a liaison for him, to pick him up tomorrow and deliver
 him safely to headquarters."

        "He must be worried about him..."

        "..."

        "Sub-Commander?"  She noted that the Sub-Commander didn't seem to
 be very open to the subject.

        "At any rate, if you see Operator Hyuuga, please tell him to
 report to the Commander's Office.  I'm assigning him the responsibility
 of acting as liaison for---"

        Misato suddenly interjected her voice into the one-way
 conversation.  "I could do it."

        "---young Ikari tomorrow."  The man blinked for a moment, and
 looked somewhat surprised.  "I'm sorry?"

        "I said I'll do it.  I don't mind volunteering my time for this.
 Better to get someone willingly then have to order them, right?" she
 asked smiling.

        "Hmmm..."  He seemed to contemplate what she just said.  "You do
 make a point Captain."

        "Well?"

        "Follow me to my office.  I'll explain the procedures to you for
 tomorrow.  From this point on you're off duty for the remainder of your
 shift.  You were late anyway.  Still getting lost after so long?"  A
 smirk was present on his face as he turned around.

        As she followed the Sub-Commander through the maze of trams, two
 thoughts came to mind.  'Why did I volunteer to do this?  And... how does
 everyone know my time table?!  With all the people who work here, why
 mine?  Even if he IS Sub-Commander!"

                   ------------------------------------

        She adjusted her sunglasses again.  Just a few more minutes and
 she'd be there.  She just hoped no one would notice the smell of burnt
 rubber and the black tire treads in the streets of Tokyo-3.  Then again,
 the streets were completely empty today.  A state of emergency had been
 declared earlier that afternoon, but the reason was almost preposterous.

        'A possible sighting of...'  She let it slip from her mind.
 'But it's late afternoon now, and that was quite some time ago.  They
 made the sighting at 12:30, and it's almost 5:00...'

        She remembered the question she had asked herself the day before.
 'Why did I volunteer to do this?'  The answer had come to her soon
 afterward.

        'I figured that it would be... interesting to meet the Commander's
 son.  To see if the two are alike.  For all I know, they could be Yin and
 Yang.'

        It just piqued her, and her nose for curiosity always led her to
 explore, to find the truth.  It was her way.

        And then, she heard a loud crash.  She looked ahead of her and
 was almost tempted to hit the breaks.  There were twenty UN aircraft
 flying out from behind a mountain.  This didn't bother her.  What
 bothered her was what was following them.

        "Oh, dear god..."

        She sped up another thrity kilometres per hour.  Her voice took
 on a tone of reproach.

        "So... they were right when they detected something strange this
 morning.  And... the Commander was right all this time.  They still
 exist..."  She looked up once more.  "Purpose..."

                   ------------------------------------

        "All phone services are suspended due to the current state of
 emergency.  Please try your call again later when restrictions have been
 removed."

        Shinji Ikari stood just outside the train station at a public
 phone.  He put the receiver on the hook and sighed.  He ran his hand
 through the short brown hair which covered his head, and tugged on the
 collar of the white school shirt he wore.  He looked at the reflection of
 his aqua coloured eyes in the metal of the telephone, the blue infinitely
 more prominent in them, blinked, and sighed.  He rubbed his hands on his
 black pants and turned around.  Soon, he heard a female voice making an
 unceremonious announcement throughout the city, the same one he had heard
 since he arrived at the station an hour ago.

        "Today at 12:30 JST, a state of special emergency has been
 declared all over Kanto and Chubu areas surrounding the Tokai district.
 Please take refuge in the designated shelters until further information
 is available.  Repeat: Today at 12:30 JST..."

        He tugged on the indigo shirt he wore under the white school
 shirt.  He turned around and looked at the train schedule posted on the
 monitors at the station.  Every line read 'Out of Service.'

        "Well, so much for going back."

        The train that had brought him was still at the station, but the
 driver had already left for a shelter once they had arrived.  No one
 appeared to be around.

        He pulled out the small box that had been placed on the train with
 his name on it.  He quickly glanced at the paper inside, with brief
 instructions on what to do once he had arrived.  Unfortunately, he
 couldn't carry them out.  With phone services down, he couldn't contact
 his liaison.  He briefly glanced at the ID Card with his last school
 photo on it.  He had only vague knowledge of what NERV was, explained to
 him by his sensei the day before.  He took out a picture which was inside
 the box and looked at it.  A way for him to identify her when he arrived,
 his liaison.  She was seemingly young, with flowing purple hair and a
 bright smile, brown eyes shining with good humour.  She was wearing a
 sleeveless yellow shirt and blue-jean shorts.  She was bent over to face
 the camera, and was holding one of her hands making a "V" with her
 fingers.  He read the message written across the top of the photo:

 'Dear Shinji.  I'll be coming to meet you as soon as you arrive.  Please
  wait for me!  Misato.'

        Then he noticed a smaller caption written underneath:

 'PS: Look over here!'

        There was a small arrow leading from the message to her breasts.
 Apparently, she liked to wear somewhat revealing clothing, as part of her
 shirt was draped open leaving a view of her cleavage.  Funny how he
 hadn't noticed that part on the train.  Shinji wondered if she thought
 that was all boys were interested in.  He followed to wonder if he was
 interested... and then decided that he had no clue what to think.

        He put the picture and the note back in the box, and put it in the
 shoulder bag he had slung over his right shoulder.  He spoke aloud,
 sounding somewhat distressed.

        "She told me to wait for her... but I don't think I can.  I'd
 better go to a shelter and try to contact her later..."

        He glanced around once more in hopes of seeing his liaison
 waiting for him.  "I shouldn't have come," he muttered, and began to
 walk down the nearest street.

        But he didn't even take a full step.  He felt as if someone was
 watching him.  He turned his head around and looked down another street.
 In the distance, a blue-haired girl was watching him.  Shinji blinked for
 a moment, and then was startled by the sound of a flock of birds.  He
 watched as they flew off.  When he looked back, the girl was gone.

        "That was odd..."

        Before he could return his trainof though to heading toward a
 shelter however, a loud crash sent him stumbling back into the phone.
 Unfortunately, he had stumbled into the side of the phone, causing him to
 flatten out against it.

        "Ow..." He stood up straight again, and put his back to the
 public phone's side.  "What happened?"

        Telephone wires and power lines were swaying about in the air,
 and a few of the vehicles on the road had jumped forward slightly.

        "Was it an earthquake?" he wondered aloud.  "It couldn't have
 been."

        He paused and looked up into the sky.  He saw a group of aircraft
 flying slowly away from a small mountain a mere half a kilometre or so
 away.  More were flying overhead through the openings in the buildings
 of the city, heading for the others.  He noticed they all had the letters
 "UN" stamped on them.

        He squinted slightly at the site.  "United Nations?  What's
 happening in this city?"

        The answer to his question lumbered out from behind the same
 mountain.  Shinji gasped loudly and stopped breathing.

        "... w... what is that thing?!"

                   ------------------------------------

        "... w... what is that thing?!"

        Maya Ibuki looked up at the monstrosity on the view screen from
 her position on the right end of a joint workstation.  She could feel
 light beads of sweat beginning to develop in her short black hair and
 on her face.

        This screen was one of the many which suspended itself as a
 holographic image in the gigantic room, meaning it was extremely large
 itself, especially considering that she was only at the mid level of the
 room.  Far below her, many other workers glanced up at the gigantic
 display, much in the same state as her.  Needless to say, the display
 gave a perfect view of the present events.  

        "This has got to be impossible..." muttered the ashen faced
 Shigeru Aoba, seated at the other end of joint workstation,
 subconsciously pushing his longer brown hair behind his shoulders.

        "It sure doesn't look impossible..." whispered an equally pale
 Makoto Hyuuga, who was seated between the two.  He took off his glasses
 and wiped them with a small cloth which he had produced from his
 pocket, running a hand through his straight brown hair in disbelief.

        The same thought ran through the minds of the three operators at
 the same time.

        'The Commander was right.'

        In the back of the large room, on a spire a level (about three
 metres) higher than the one the three operators were on, a brown haired
 and brown bearded man sat down at a desk, his chin resting just above his
 his white-gloved hands, folded neatly in front of his face.  His dark
 glasses reflected the images on the screen.  The jacket of his dark blue
 uniform hung open, his red shirt a direct contrast to the uniform.
 Beside him, a gray-haired man who looked to be somewhat older than the
 first stood with his hands folded behind his back.  He brushed the arms
 of his brown uniform, identical in every way to the former's with the
 exception of colour and that it was fastened.  He held his right arm for
 a moment, and then reverted to his previous position.  Behind them was
 another larger spire, a few leves higher than the first, which branched
 out in three direction, producing three workstations like the one below,
 two staircases at opposite ends leading up to it, just like the
 staircases leading down to the area below them.  On the wall of the
 larger spire directly behind the two men the word "NERV" was written,
 the letters "NE" on one line, "RV" on the next beginning from under
 the "E", and the image of half a fig leaf, its stem extending from the
 top half of the "E" and the main cross-section of the leaf itself
 completing the shape at the bottom half of the "R", the entire design a
 dull red.

	Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki turned to the man sitting at the desk.

	"Ikari.  Has it been so long?"

	"Fifteen years."

        "There's no doubt about it then.  It seems you were right."

        "It would be nice to say that I wasn't.  But my sources were
 highly reliable."

        Both men looked up at the screen once more.  A creature of immense
 size was walking forward, surrounded by about twenty UN aircraft.  It was
 humanoid in form, but not in appearance.  Its skin was of a dark green
 hue, and its long limbs were like rubber in appearance and action.  The
 arms were oddly shaped, as long large points jutted out of both of its
 elbows.  It had an exoskeleton, a single oddly-shaped bone which covered
 it's shoulder blades, and another which reached out from inside its skin
 to cover its chest like large claws.  Behind the prison formed by the
 bones on its chest a large red orb silently glowed.  Its visage was
 rather strange, apparently part of the highest point on its chest.  It
 was an off-white hemisphere, with two black holes which could be called
 "eyes", and a long white bone protruding from it, which could have been
 called its "nose".  It looked as if it were a mask of sorts, but the
 "eyes" would occasionally blink, and it kept turning its "head" looking
 at its surroundings.  It was an odd and frightful site to most people.

	"The Angels have returned," spoke Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki.

        Commander Ikari grunted in agreement.

 ==================------------------------------------==================


                                Chapter 1

                       A Welcoming / "First" Angel


 ==================------------------------------------==================

	"How are the commanders from the UN?"

	"Highly amusing.  They're discussing strategy."

	"What a waste of time."

	"Man's arrogance will lead him where he wills."

	"Do we have the right to say that?"

        "Of course.  It's arrogance within truth."

	Silence.  The shouts and orders of the commanders from the UN
 could be heard.  The three of them were seated on a spire directly in
 front of NERV's Commander's, the three behind a large desk.  The spire
 seemed to be out of place in the room, indicating that it was removable.
 From the view of the NERV Commander, the one on the right was smoking
 heavily, his short black hair unwavering.  The one on the left was
 intently watching the screen, saying nothing.  The one in the center was
 different, his hair gray in contrast to the blackness of the others, his
 face much more aged.  He was the superior commander of the three.  He was
 shouting loudly into a portable microphone attached to the lapel of his
 uniform while a flood of anger washed over both his face and his voice.

	"I don't give a damn!  Open fire!"

	"Yes sir!" came the reply from the speaker on the desk.

	The two men in the background looked on, seemingly unfazed by
 the events unfolding before them.

	"I don't know whether I should laugh or feel sorry for them,"
 the Sub-Commander whispered.

	"It's best not to do either."  The calm reply was rather
 indifferent in nature.  "Let them have their fun for now.  It won't last
 for very long."

	The Sub-Commander nodded slightly, and continued to stare at the
 screen, as the first of the UN aircraft opened fire at the Angel.

                   ------------------------------------

 -------
 [Begin BGM: Angel Attack]
 -------

	The young Shinji Ikari looked on as each aircraft began to fire a
 barrage of missiles at the creature.  He nearly jumped to the ground as
 one of the aircraft from overhead launched a missile at the creature,
 which passed a mere two metres over his head.  It was the time to faint,
 but he couldn't move; he was frozen in place.  Whether it was from
 curiosity, absolute terror, or a mixture of both he didn't know.  All he
 knew was that something was happening before his eyes that he deemed
 impossible.  Except that it wasn't.

	He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "This can't be happening," he
 managed to stutter.

        'What is it?  If the UN are trying to destroy it, then it's
 something bad.  I have to get out of here!'

        But still, he couldn't move.  He desperately wanted to.

        He looked on as a cloud of fire engulfed the creature.

        'The UN forces must have destroyed it.'

        And that was when a solid beam of energy rushed out of its palm,
 smashing into one of the aircraft, impaling it, and sending it crashing
 to the ground.  More accurately, crashing into a building directly in
 front of the young Ikari.  Shards of metal flew by his prone body,
 missing him by mere centimetres.

        Shinji began to breathe heavily.

        'Tha... that girl... if I hadn't... if she... I...'

        But he didn't have time to think about how he had almost lost his
 life.  The beam retracted back into its arm.  Shinji gasped once more and
 turned white as he saw the creature rise off the ground, light spreading
 around the area it had just stood, destroying the area around its feet.

        It was coming toward him, and it was coming fast.

        He fell to the ground, and looked at the creature heading toward
 him.  It was then that Shinji Ikari realized he was going to die, and
 that he would've been better off if he had stayed with his sensei in
 Atsugi.

	But his final thoughts were interrupted as the squealing of tires
 filled his ears, and a light blue car came jetting towards him, stopping
 a metre away from him, the passenger side of the door facing him.
 The door flew open, just missing his head, and the smiling face of a
 young woman popped out.  She sounded surprisingly optimistic to him.

	"Sorry to keep you waiting!  Are you ready to go?"

	"YES!"

        He immediately realized that this was the woman he had been
 waiting for, his liaison.  He hastily scrambled into the car with his
 bag, and the woman backed up the car... just in time to avoid getting
 crushed by one of the large feet of the creature as it finally set down
 in front of them.  The woman slammed her foot to the gas pedal of the
 car and raced off in the direction of the mountain that the creature
 had just come from.

	"Why are we going this way?"

	"I don't think it will be following us, if that's what you're
 worried about."

	As it turned out, she was right.  Moments later, the creature
 began to walk out of the city, but at a ninety degree angle from where it
 had just come from.  The aircraft continued to fly in formation around
 the creature, not risking another attack for the moment.  The woman left
 her foot pushing the gas pedal into the car floor, and continued to drive
 straight ahead.

        "Well.  Welcome to Tokyo-3."

        Shinji gulped and managed a weak "Thank you."

        He looked out the window and stared at the creature, which had
 brought down another of the UN aircraft flying around its upper body.
 Neither he nor the woman said anything else as they continued to race
 farther away from the creature, heading toward a road which encircled
 the entire city of Tokyo-3.

                   ------------------------------------

        "This is pathetic."

        "I know Fuyutsuki."

        "And you intend to let them play this out?"

        "If we don't, then we won't get a chance ourselves."

        The Commander and Sub-Commander continued to watch the three
 Commanders from the UN as they attempted to direct the situation.  The
 three of them stared at the screen as the Angel brought down another two
 of their aircraft.

        "Sir!  Our current air force resources don't have enough firepower
 to bring the target down!  What are your orders?" the speaker crackled.

        "Deploy the divisions from the American base at Atsugi and all
 aircraft available from the Japanese Air Defense Force at Iruma!.  Open
 fire with all land-based artillery available in the surrounding regions,
 and continue the missile launch from the current aircraft!" ordered the
 elder commander.

        "Don't let that thing get away!  Lure it away from the city and
 destroy it at any cost.  Full-scale assault!" the smoker added.

        The Sub-Commander looked on with disinterest.

        "Idiots."

        Everyone in the room watched as more military vehicles entered
 the scene, firing every piece of artillery available to them.  Surface to
 air missiles, air to air missiles, guided missiles, cannon shells,
 machine gun fire, and in an extreme case, even a foot-soldier attack were
 used against the enemy.  None of them even left a scratch on the Angel.
 Within two minutes time of the arrival of the reinforcements, the
 military had completely drained its resources of firepower, and had lost
 most of their land-based infantry, both soldier and vehicle alike.  The
 last assault on the Angel came from a newcomer to the battle scene, a
 black jet flying overhead.  It fired a missile about five times the size
 of the other aircraft, which split open on contact with the Angel's arm
 as it attempted to block it.  The resulting explosion took out the
 remainder of the land-based infantry, and the land under it.
 Nonetheless, when the smoke cleared, the Angel was still standing in all
 of its horrific splendor, with about fifteen aircraft flying around it.
 That became thirteen as it took down two more with one swipe of its arm.

 -------
 [End BGM: Angel Attack]
 -------

        Kouzou tore his eyes away from the carnage to look directly at
 Commander Ikari.  "This is pathetic Ikari.  How can we let them throw
 their lives away like this?"

        Gendou glanced up at the man while giving his reply.  "If we
 don't, we may lose even more.  You know that Fuyutsuki."  He returned
 his attention to the display.

        "..."  Kouzou looked back up at the display, his eyes beginning
 to narrow.  "Fools.  They continue to waste their lives when they know
 they have no chance.  The only plus side to this is that they are far
 enough outside of the city boundaries that no damage is being inflicted
 on us."  He watched as the black jet crashed to the ground, another
 victim of the Angel's attack.  "Arrogant fools."

        Meanwhile, the commanders from the UN were beginning to conference
 among themselves, but loud enough that everyone in the vicinity could
 hear them.

        "Every attack out there was a direct hit!" shouted the commander
 on the left.  He was still slouched in his seat, staring at the display
 in disbelief.

        "None of our standard artillery had any impact on the creature.
 It's disgusting.  How are we supposed to take that thing out with such
 pathetic weapons?" asked the elder, fingering the lapel of his jacket.

        "Pathetic weapons?  Damn it, we could have taken out half a
 country with all of that firepower!" the smoker yelled at his compatriot.
 He put out his cigarette and lit another.

        Kouzou spoke quietly to Gendou again, this time keeping his eyes
 on the display.  "Absolute Terror Field... that's helping to protect it,
 isn't it."  It was a statement rather than a question.

        "Naturally," came the reply.  "But it's able to repel the firepower
 without the need of the AT Field."  He let out a brief grunt.  "It's more
 effective to transport it around the city than to use it to defend itself.
 Its skin is taking care of that.  How else would it have stayed alive
 after this bombardment?"

        Gendou watched the continuing efforts of the UN military on the
 screen.

        "Regular weapons won't have any effect on it."

        "What do you think they plan to do?" Kouzou said, indicating the
 commanders.

        "The only viable option available."

        The Sub-Commander's expression changed from passive indifference
 to a hint of rage.  His eyes narrowed.  "At the least, we won't bear any
 of the damage."

        "The most incurred will only effect a small section of the
 outside perimeter."  He glanced up at Kouzou.  "Which was evacuated
 earlier," he added.

        Kouzou continued to stare at the screen.  'Is it really worth
 it?' he wondered, knowing full well what would happen next.

        The commanders had concluded their conference.

        "This can't go on anymore.  We're just leading our officers to
 their deaths.  I'm contacting central command.  There's only one more
 alternative," the man said as he put out his cigarette.

        "The N2, Iwasaki?" asked the one who had decided to sit up.

        "The N2, Matsuo," he replied.

        The phone on the desk rang.

        "It looks as if there's no need to contact them," the elder
 commented.

        Iwasaki pulled out a small card and slid it through a slot next to
 the phone.  After a short beep, Iwasaki picked up the receiver.  "This is
 Sub-Commander Iwasaki.  Yes... yes, I was just about to request clearance
 for... yes... yes, both Sub-Commander Matsuo and Commander Maruyama have
 come to the same agreement.  Yes... we know what to do if this fails.
 Understood sir.  We'll deploy it as originally planned."  He replaced the
 phone on the receiver.  He nodded to Maruyama, who began to talk into the
 communicator on his lapel.

        "Cease fire.  Deploy the N2 bomb, and then pull out immediately.
 Halt all attacks from the air.  I repeat, deploy the N2 bomb and pull
 out."
 
        Kouzou looked on.  'Arrogant fools,' he thought.

        'I wonder... if Katsuragi was able to find the Third Children...'

                   ------------------------------------

        Shinji and his liaison had driven far from the perimeter of the
 city.  The creature had been led further from the city, albeit in
 twisting directions as it had been the one doing the leading.  It ended
 up being closer to them then the city was, but the distance between it
 and them was still far enough for the both of them to feel some relief.
 It was currently walking over a large hill, decimated by the UN's
 attempts at destroying the creature.  Misato had been watching the whole
 affair through a pair of field binoculars since she had stopped the car.
 Shinji had remained silent since they had pulled out of the city,
 somewhat in shock at the events unfolding before him.  His head was also
 being crushed by Misato's breasts as she leaned over him to get a better
 glimpse out of the window.  He was steadily regaining his composure from
 the shock of how he had almost been killed.  Misato wasn't affecting him
 at the moment, nor did she seem to be anytime soon.  Still, he discovered
 that breathing would be very important if he wanted to stay alive.

        "Mi... Miss..."

        "Shhhhhhhhh..."

        He remained silent and managed to squeeze out of his position to
 get a better look out the window and to take in some air.

        'I'm not that much closer to the creature then she is, and she
 does have the binoculars...'

        He stared at the creature in the distance.

        'I wonder... what it is...'

        Misato looked on at the creature as it walked away.  This wasn't
 how she had intended to spend her day.  She thought she would actually
 have gotten to talk the boy, rather than have to ignore him like this.
 This was far too important, and it was too dangerous to attempt to get
 back into the city at the moment.  She continued to look out the window
 with the binoculars.

        'So... they're back.  But... why now?  Why did they return so
 suddenly?  It doesn't make sense...'  Her thoughts were cut off as she
 saw the remaining aircraft pull away from the Angel, very quickly.

        "What's happening?" she wondered aloud.

        And then it hit her.  She had seen the entire scene unfold in
 front of her.  She had seen the military move in without any results.
 There was only one thing left to try.

        "Oh damn!!!"

        Shinji glanced up at his liaison.  He had no idea what was
 happening.

        "They're going to use an N2 Weapon?!  Damn it!  Get down!!!"

        Before he could say anything, he found himself under his liaison,
 keeping him pushed down hard to the car seat.  He never knew what to do
 in situations like this.  He didn't think about things like this very
 much.  However, he knew that this situation wasn't good.  She had looked
 horrified when she had jumped on him.  He knew something was about to
 happen to them.

        And he was right.  The next thing either of them knew, an
 extremely loud explosion filled their ears.  Shinji managed to raise
 his eyes to look out the window.  Though he couldn't see straight ahead,
 he could see a gigantic pillar of fire raising high into the sky, and it
 was very thick.  Large rings of smoke were moving outward from it.

        It was obvious that it wasn't going to come close to them, but it
 didn't have to.  He could feel the ground around him beginning to rumble.
 The next thing he knew, the car he was in was being tossed along the
 ground like a child's toy.  Unfortunately, a real car isn't as durable.
 It was being repeatedly smashed as it was rolled along the ground, a good
 twenty-five metres before it stopped to rest on the passenger side.  He
 was suddenly thankful that he had been pinned to the seat the entire time.
 He would have been dead otherwise.

        He looked at the woman still pinning him down.  She didn't appear
 to be injured.

        "I... I think we've stopped," he said to her calmly.

        She looked up at him and nodded.  She carefully let him go and
 stood up on the passenger side window.  Shinji did the same.  This was
 quite a feat considering the two of them had been upside-down to that
 side.  They both silently stared out at the explosion.  The flames
 at the center of the explosion were still burning high and strongly.
 An extremely strong wind was still blowing, but not quite strong enough
 to blow over the car.  The ground around them was somewhat devastated
 from the shock wave, but it appeared they were safe for now.  The two of
 them both subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

        "I wasn't expecting this when I came," they both said at the
 exact same time.

        The two of them blinked, looked at each other, and then continued
 to stare out at the explosion's origin.

                   ------------------------------------

        Everyone in the room looked on as the explosion decimated the
 landscape, and ultimately, the Angel inhabiting it.

        "Success!" shouted Maruyama.

        "We did it!  A job well done," declared Matsuo.  He was letting
 his formalities escape him slightly.

        "I'm sorry Mister Ikari," called Iwasaki behind him, a smirk
 having developed on his face.  "But it seems as if your services won't be
 required.  You can clean up the mess, if you'd like to feel as if you
 had a part in this."

        Kouzou began to smirk, and talk in low tones that only Gendou
 could hear.

        "That man is an arrogant bastard," he stated.  "He has no idea
 what he's talking about."

        "Let him enjoy it Fuyutsuki.  It will be worth it."

        "It would be nice to make a retort when the time comes.  But
 sadly, that would make us no better then they are."

        "Which is why we lay in wait in silence.  Why sink down to their
 level when the results of their idiocy will be their punishment?"

        "Exactly."

        Kouzou noticed that, behind his gloves, Gendou was smirking as
 well.

        'Not a surprise,' he thought to himself.  'No one is perfect,
 after all.'  He returned his attention to the screen, awaiting the
 inevitable.

        "Incoming shockwave," Maya's voice resounded through the room.

        The display changed to static.

                   ------------------------------------

        "Are you all right?" she asked him.

        "Yes, I think so.  My mouth is full of dirt though."  He spat
 some out for emphasis.  That was from attempting to talk to her while
 the wind had continued to blow.

        They had both climbed out of the car.  The wind had died down, and
 any possible danger appeared to have disappeared.  Flames and smoke
 continued to billow in the distance.  The ground around them was
 devastated.  It would be a rough ride to get back to the road, which
 wasn't too far.  They both hoped it had fared better.

        "Do you think you could give me a hand with my car?"

        "Sure."

        The two set themselves against the roof of the car, in a pushing
 position.

        "Okay.  One... two... three... PUSH!!!"

        The two struggled with the car for about half a minute.  At last,
 their patience and perseverance were rewarded as the car flipped over,
 landing on its wheels.

        "Whew.  Thank you very much."

        "You're welcome.  Miss Katsuragi.

        "There's no need to be so formal," she said as she removed her
 glasses.  It was the first time Shinji had gotten to take a full look at
 her face.  She was very beautiful actually.

        "Please, call me Misato.  Even though I've been with you since
 this started, we haven't been able to talk.  It's nice to finally meet
 you Shinji Ikari."

        "Well, thank you Miss Katsu... I mean, Misato."

        Misato continued to smile.

        "That's better.  Well, I guess you know that I'll be your liaison
 until we get to NERV."

        "Yes.  I got the package that was left for me on the train, and I
 read the note."

        "Does that mean you got the picture too?"

        "Errr..." Shinji blushed slightly, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

        Misato giggled.  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you.  So,
 are you ready to go?" she asked, as Shinji's normal skin tone returned.

        "Yes, I'm ready."

        "Well, climb in... uhhh..."

        She looked at her car.  There were was a large crack running
 through the windshield, the passenger side window had been completely
 smashed out (luckily on to the ground, rather than in the car), and parts
 of the car were threatening to fall off (side mirrors, bumpers, and some
 plating).  As she glanced under the car, she noted that the gas tank was
 also missing, some ten metres away.  Along with the multiple dents and
 scratches, the car looked like something out of a junk yard.

        "Ummm... could you wait a moment?"

        "Sure."

        She walked over to the car, and gently turned the key in the
 ignition.  She heard the engine sputter, and then die.

        "Lovely.  Shinji, this may take a while..."

        "Do you need any help?"

        She tossed him a roll of duct tape.

        "Do you mind taping pieces of my car which are falling off?"

        "Uhhh... sure."

        "Great.  I'm going to get to work hot wiring the engine."

        "Hot wiring?!"

        "Relax, it's my own car.  We have to get going, right?  I can make
 it work without any gas."

        She proceeded to open the trunk of her car and undo some
 fastenings which had kept a large covered pile securely tied down.  Under
 the covers were a large number of car batteries.

        Shinji just stared.  He decided it would be better to work on
 taping the car then to wonder if his liaison was a potential thief.

        "Well, time to get to work!" she said smiling.

        'I want to cry...' she thought to herself as she started
 connecting some wires.

        It was very quiet as they worked.

        'Maybe it would be better to talk once we're on the rode,' Misato
 thought to herself.  'Shinji seems kind of distracted at the moment.'

                   ------------------------------------

        "Still nothing..."

        "Don't worry Matsuo," his fellow commander, Iwasaki, said to him.
 "The scanners should be up again momentarily."

        "The target couldn't have survived that.  It's impossible," stated
 Maruyama.  "Still..."  He looked up and spoke in a louder voice.  "What
 is the status of the target?"

        Maya spoke up from the front of the room.  "The target's status
 is unknown.  Too much interference was caused from the blast."

        The three UN Commanders sat discussing their achievement.  In
 the back, the men of NERV continued to stare at the screen.

        "...disgusting..."

        "And yet, they are like us.  That is why we 'respect' them."

        "We respect them because they hold power over us.  It's that which
 we respect."

        "Too true Fuyutsuki."

        Maya spoke up from the front.  "The sensors are coming back
 on-line."

        A three dimensional graph representing the energy levels in the
 area where the N2 bomb had been detonated came on to the display.  It was
 nearly empty.

        "And that proves it," said Iwasaki with a grin.

        Suddenly, directly opposite Maya on the other end of the
 triple-manned workstation, Makoto spoke up.

        "High energy readings detected at the explosion's epicenter!"

        "Confirmed.  No relation to activation of the N2 Weapon," Shigeru
 added in quick succession.

        On the graph, a number of lines started to rise high up, all at
 the center.

        "THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" yelled a stunned Matsuo as he fell out of his
 seat and smacked his head on the floor of the spire.  He couldn't believe
 what he had just heard.

        Both Kouzou and Gendou suppressed chuckles.

        "The visuals are coming back on-line," stated Maya.

        The screen's display changed from the rapidly fluctuating graph
 to the scene where the N2 bomb had just gone off.  Although still fiery,
 something was quite clearly shown at its epicenter.

        It was the Angel, and it was very much alive.

        "Damn..." whispered Matsuo, as he climbed back into his seat,
 rubbing his head.

        "That was our last alternative.  Th.. there's nothing else
 left..." stuttered Maruyama.  He looked somewhat pale.

        "What kind of demon from hell is this?!" an angered Iwasaki yelled
 as he pounded the desk with his fist.

        The Angel stood still and didn't move.  It appeared to be injured,
 two faces where there had been one before, as if the first had been
 nothing more than a mask.  However, both showed signs of life, the new
 one more prominent.  It was just like the other, except that it didn't
 have a 'nose'.  Parts of its body had been ripped open, but not very
 much.  Not one drop of blood came from any of its wounds, although organs
 of both pink and blue hues could be seen.  Its injuries were pulsing
 slowly, a pale green liquid beginning to secrete from them, covering the
 areas which had been injured.

        Kouzou and Gendou looked on from the background.

        "And now would be the time to laugh Fuyutsuki."

        "If this were the time."

        "I agree."

        "I guess that is the end of the military's attempts."

        "Most likely."

        The two stared on.  Kouzou looked at the Angel's faces.  The
 original face was beginning to solidify into position next to the new
 one.  The liquid which was being secreted from the wounds was beginning
 to solidify, matching the colour of the Angel's skin.

        "Not surprising.  It's beginning to regenerate, just as expected."

        "Naturally.  If it couldn't, what would be its point of being an
 autonomous weapon of invasion?  It would simply die."

        The eyes of the newer visage began to glow, and a beam of energy
 was released.  Static returned to the screen.

        "Scanners are off-line," announced Maya.  It was already obvious
 to everyone.

        "And it can increase its functions.  Rather impressive."

        "And it continues to grow in intelligence with each passing
 moment."

        "Well Ikari, how long do you believe until it will attack us
 again?"

        "Not long enough.  It may not attempt to fully heal itself before
 it continues on the offensive, even though there's nothing that the UN
 can use against it to halt it.  An hour.  Perhaps two."

        "..."

        "..."

        "Do you think that if the UN hadn't initiated an assault, this
 may have been avoided?"

        "Perhaps.  It's much too late to reflect on the past now.  A
 testament to the will of man."

        "To the will of the ignorant."

        There was a brief silence between the two.

        "We are wasting our time," Kouzou muttered.

        "Agreed."

        "It is about time we had a talk with our... observers... from the
 UN."

        "As soon as they are ready to speak to us."

        Kouzou looked up at the screen again.  The Angel was regenerating
 itself fairly quickly.  It could be a few hours, maybe just one before it
 decided to renew its assault.

        "Ikari."  It was Maruyama.

        Kouzou looked up at the ceiling.  "And so it begins..."

                   ------------------------------------

        "I'm really sorry about this."
 
        "..."

        After getting her car running, Misato had decided that the "scenic
 route" would be the best way to get back into the city.  This was because
 she decided that driving within range of the Angel after what had just
 happened would be a very bad idea.  This involved driving around the city
 until she decided it would be a good idea to turn back in.

        "There's another road leading back to the city somewhere around
 here..."

        "I know.  We just passed it."

        "WHAT?!"

        Misato slammed on the brakes and spun the steering wheel of her
 car around, making a 180 degree turn on the spot.

        "Aaaa!"

        Misato waved her hand at him and smiled as she out her foot back
 on the gas pedal and took the turn-off into the city.  "Oh calm down.
 I know what I'm doing."

        "That's what you said about the engine, wasn't it?"

        "And it's working, right?"

        "Yes it is.  Although how you managed to make it work with twenty
 car batteries attached to it is beyond me..."

        "Just something I learned in my college days."

        "Uh huh.  And I was wondering... just why do you have those in
 your car anyway?"

        Misato blinked, and began to explain nervously.  "Well, you see,
 err... I just moved, and I had them all at my old apartment, and I never
 really got to unpacking them..."

        'I hope he buys that,' she thought.

        He looked at her suspiciously.  "...Who would keep car batteries
 in their house?"

        Misato replied, trying to act inconspicuous.  "Oh who asked you
 anyway.  Even if it doesn't look like it, I work for a branch of the UN,
 so it won't be a problem.  Okay?  It is an emergency anyway..."

        "... but... you had them BEFORE this happened."

        Misato looked at her charge.  He had an expression on his face
 showing his disbelief of her.  The frown signaled to her that it was
 time to get out of this conversation.

        "You're starting to bother me, and bore me too.  You're so unlike
 your age.  You're not as cute as I thought you were."  She sighed,
 trying to make him jealous.

        Obviously it didn't work, because he just kept the same
 expression.

        "Really."

        She started to chuckle.  "Oh, did I get you angry?  I'm sorry.
 But you're a boy after all, so that makes it fun!"

        "...you're childish for your age, aren't you?"

        Misato twitched.  She grinned... evilly.  Then she floored the
 gas pedal and sped off, swerving back and forth between the lanes leading
 back to Tokyo-3, doing her best to come as close to the railings as
 possible without hitting them.

        "AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

        "Are you sorry yet?"

        Shinji continued screaming.  Misato had just smashed through the
 railing on the road.

        "Why don't you want to apologize?"

        "BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE INTO THAT TREE!!!"

        "What?  Oh, you're right."

        She happily turned the wheel and redirected herself back on to the
 road, smashing another railing.

        "Does that make you feel better?"

        Shinji's skin and hair colour came close to matching his white
 shirt.

        "... I... I... I... I'm... sor...ry..."

        "That's better."

        She slowed down to a much slower, and much safer driving speed.
 Colour returned to Shinji's appearance.

        "Oh, I'm sorry Shinji.  I wouldn't do anything to hurt you.
 You're too cute."

        Shinji just gulped and nodded.

        'I guess he won't say much right now,' Misato thought.

        "Oh!  I just remembered..." Misato exclaimed aloud.  "I have to
 make arrangements with headquarters... Shinji, could you hand me the
 phone please?"

        "Sure."

        He shakily picked up the receiver end of the car phone and handed
 it to her.  She dialed a few numbers and soon got a response.

        "Who is this?"

        "Hyuuga?"

        "Captain?  I'm switching you to a scrambled line.  Hold on."

        A few moments of silence passed.

        "All right."

        "Hyuuga, could you please put me on with Dr. Akagi?"

        "She's unavailable right now."  There was a pause.  Makoto spoke
 again, but with a lower voice.  "And this isn't a good time.  The
 commanders from the UN are deep in discussion with the Commander and
 Sub-Commander."

        "So, it's gone that far..." her voice drifted off.

        "Captain Katsuragi?"  Makoto's question was one of concern.

        "It's nothing.  Listen, I have the Third Children with me.  I'm
 on my way back into the city.  I need you to tell me where the closest
 entrance is."

        "I see.  Hold on... I have your location on my screen.  The
 coordinates should be coming through to your computer now..."

        The miniature display in Misato's car lit up.

        "That's closer than I thought."

        "Are you sure the two of you can make it here safely?"

        "Don't worry about it.  Keeping him safe is the most important
 thing to me right now."

        Shinji looked up at that comment.

        "I need you to prepare some transport for us.  Do you think you
 could have a car-transport train ready once we reach the location?  A
 linear one---my car won't fit into the other models.  Preferably an
 express."

        "Don't worry.  One will be ready within 15 minutes."

        "So it'll be there by the time we arrive.  Perfect."

        "I'll get on it right away.  Be careful now Captain..."

        "Don't worry Hyuuga.  If something happens to him, I'll take full
 responsibility.  I'm the one who said I would pick him up after all."

        "The both of you take care."

        And the line was disconnected.

        "Strange..." thought Misato aloud.  "He sounded like..."

        "Misato?  Are you all right?"

        "Hmmm?  Yeah, I'm fine Shinji."

        Misato's thoughts entered her head.  How she had volunteered to
 pick him up.  That had felt good.  How they had outrun the Angel.  That
 had been exhilarating.  How her car had been nearly totaled.  An image
 of herself standing in her dress next to her totaled car, with pieces
 taped to it, and herself looking somewhat depressed popped into her mind.

        'My car!' she exclaimed in her image.  'My beautiful car!  What
 happened to you!'  Tears started to well up in her image's eyes.  'I
 haven't even finished paying for you yet!  33 loan payments to go...
 And I didn't have any insurance!  I just had you fixed, and now repair
 costs... AGAIN!'  She started sniffing in her image, on the verge of
 crying.

        In the real world, she looked down at her dress.  She noticed a
 small tear across the thigh area, barely noticeable... but she noticed
 it.

        'And my best dress is ruined!  And I was feeling so good today!'
 she cried in her image.  She collapsed onto the hood of her car crying.
 That's when her entire car fell apart, and she sat in the mess continuing
 to cry as the batteries caught fire and formed large dollar signs
 while...

        "Misato?"

        Misato smiled at Shinji.  Her thought was quickly washed away by
 the sound of Shinji's voice.  "What is it?"

        "Before on the phone... you said that you were the one who would
 pick me up... did you want to?"

        "Of course!  If I didn't want to, I wouldn't have asked to."

        "Oh."

        She noticed that his mood seemed to lighten slightly after that.

        Misato kept smiling as she drove into the city.

                   ------------------------------------

        Gendou Ikari and Kouzou Fuyutsuki stood on the lower spire where
 the three head operators were toiling away.  Gendou was staring straight
 ahead at the inserted spire a few metres away from him, where the
 commanders from the UN sat.  He did not look up at them.  Kouzou had
 even less interest.

        "So you understand Mister Ikari that in no way are we suggesting
 that we are incapable of fighting this creature," mused Matsuo.

        "It is just that we feel that NERV would have a better chance of
 success than us.  And under these conditions, it would be best that we
 succeed," commented Iwasaki.

        "So, you do understand the situation, don't you?" asked Maruyama.

        "Of course," came the reply of the unfazed Gendou Ikari.

        Kouzou looked on from another metre or two away at the
 discussion taking place between the UN commanders and the Commander of
 NERV.  He had long since lost interest in their discussion, and had
 preferred to stand among the head operators of NERV, directing them
 instead.  Even if it wasn't a large difference in distance.  He watched
 the screen above, Maya already having gotten the scanners on-line.  The
 Angel was still regenerating itself, but it seemed to be taking longer
 to do so than it had originally.

        'How much longer...' he thought to himself.  He could hear the
 UN commanders in the background making excuses.

        "Their pride is more important to them than their own lives.  It's
 abominable."

        That was when he noticed the three bridge operators in front of
 him looking at him.  One glance was all the convincing they needed to
 return to their work.

        'The truth is... they probably agree.'

        A snicker from Shigeru confirmed that.

                   ------------------------------------

        "This looks like a parking garage... but it's closed off."

        "It's much more Shinji.  Watch."

        Shinji sat and stared ahead.  Misato had driven down a long road
 leading to what looked like a small tunnel.  The only problem was the
 blockade in front of it, restricting access.  Large steel poles rose up
 from the ground, and appeared to be letting off energy... they were
 electrified.  Behind it, a normal barrier for blocking access to a
 street, like a toll booth, blocked off the road.  It suggested to him
 that this was usually open, and probably wouldn't have used the blockade
 set before them.  There was a way around he noted, looking at the roads
 to the left and right.

        He thought of ways to get through it.  'The only way through the
 blockade would be for someone to open it, by remote obviously.  Maybe an
 attempt to ram it with the car could work, and...'

        His gaze locked on the blockade.

        'Oh no.  She couldn't...' he thought worriedly.

        Misato slowly eased the car back.

        'She wouldn't...'

        Misato floored the gas pedal.

        'She did!'

        Shinji gulped.

        Misato pressed a button on the computer in her car.  The steel
 bars of the blockade retracted upwards out of the ground.  Shinji was
 very relieved.

        Then he noticed that the normal barriers hadn't gone up.

        'I knew it...' he thought as the car drove right through them,
 smashing them to bits.

        "That shouldn't have happened..." muttered Misato.

        Shinji looked back.  The stubs of the barriers moved upwards.

        'I don't think you were supposed to drive at it at that speed,'
 he thought.

                   ------------------------------------

        "What's the Angel's current status?" asked Kouzou.

        "According to these readings... it has succeeded in regenerating
 50% of the damaged tissue.  The pattern shows that the time between
 the percentage intervals increased, meaning it's taking longer to
 regenerate with each moment," replied Shigeru.

        "Well.  At least we have some luck.  And still we can't do
 anything.  The UN... the organization has deteriorated over the years.
 Image seems to have become more important than decisive action."

        Three heads nodded in agreement.

                   ------------------------------------

        "You see?  All safe now.  No more driving."

        Shinji smiled at the comment.

        "If I ever drive with you again, I promise I won't be such a
 maniac, okay?  It was just an emergency today, that's all."

        "Th... thank you," he replied.

        They were parked on what appeared to be a large gray lift, divided
 into sections.  It looked like there was room for more cars, the same
 size, or similar to the size, of Misato's.  However, they were alone.
 Behind them a large door had closed, the NERV logo printed across it.
 The lighting in the room was deep red.  An announcement sounded through
 the area concerning the car-transport train, its destination only known
 to Misato, despite the announcement.

        "The gate is now closed.  The train is now departing.  This train
 is leaving from station B-22 and heading for station G-33."

        "Misato?"

        "Yes?"

        "Could you please tell me... what this place is?"

        The lighting in the room changed to normal, white lighting.  The
 shades of red disappeared.  The two passengers of the car felt the ground
 rumble underneath them as the train lurched forward, and began its slow
 and steady voyage.

        "You don't know?  You haven't been given any information?"

        "Just an ID Card.  I had instructions for once I reached the city,
 but they were to contact you, and you already found me."

        "Well, to begin with, the name of this organization is NERV."

        "NERV?"

        "Yes.  It is a secret organization which is officiially under
 direct influence by the UN.  In reality though, we're more independent
 than not."

        "This... this is where my father works, his organization, right?"

        "That's right," she looked at him.  She noticed his mood had
 become more depressing.  "Are you all right?"

        Shinji's face had a look of fear on it.  Briefly, the image of a
 young boy with a small bag, crying, came to his mind.  A large shadow,
 a man, was walking away from the boy.

        Shinji realized where he was and looked up.

        "Yes... I'm fine."

        "You do know what he does, don't you?"

        "Not really.  Last night, my sensei told me that it had to do with
 protecting the human race..."

                   ------------------------------------

        The previous night's transaction played over in his mind.

        "Shinji."

        "Yes, sensei?"

        "As I said earlier, we would discuss this over dinner.  We are
 eating now."

        "Yes.  I know."

        "Your father... has 'requested' that you go to him.  That much you
 already know."  He strained 'requested', distaste in his voice.

        "I know."

        "There is more.  This isn't temporary.  Your father has requested
 that you permanently move."

        "What?  ...Why?"

        "I do not know.  I do not understand your father."

        Shinji could tell his sensei was lying, no matter how hard he
 tried to hide it.

        "Arrangements will be made to have your belongings transported to
 Tokyo-3."

        "Why do I have to leave?  I do not want to."

        "Shinji... I am sorry, but you have to.  In the end, it is still
 your choice to make.  However, this is more important than you realize.  

        "What do you mean?"

        "...Do you know what your father does?"  He realized what he just
 said.  "No, of course you don't.  I am sorry."

        "..."

        "Your father... he is involved with the UN... in a way."

        "Father is?"

        "Yes.  He has a very important job.  He works for the safety of
 the human race."

        "..."

        "I realize this must be too much for you too take in all at once."

        "But sensei... I..."

        "Shinji, it is your choice.  Personally, I would prefer it if you
 didn't go.  There is much I can still teach you here."

        "..."

        "But... it may be best for you if you did go.  How long ago was
 it?"

        "...three years."

        "Three years.  Shinji.  It may be time that you stand up and learn
 the truth.  The time to confront your fears, your curiosities, your
 desires.  The time to confront your father, and the time to confront
 yourself."

        "..."

        "The first lesson I taught you is the most important thing I will
 ever be able to teach you.  You must remember it well.  It is what will
 decide your life Shinji.  At times you have listened to it, and at times
 you have not.  But remember, it is what makes you, Shinji Ikari.

        "..."

        "The first lesson I taught you.  The way you should live your life
 so that your life shall be the way you wish to live it."

        Shinji looked at his sensei, determination in his voice.  "I
 understand sensei."

        His sensei smiled at him.  "You must not run away."

                   ------------------------------------

        Shinji looked at Misato, who was staring at the windshield of her
 car.  She had a distracted look on her face.

        Shinji looked at his reflection in the side mirror.

        "I mustn't run away."

                   ------------------------------------

        Gendou Ikari stood before the UN commanders.  To Gendou's left,
 Iwasaki, to Gendou's right, Matsuo, and directly before Gendou, Maruyama.
 The commanders' presence was rather... commanding, forcing those who
 wished to speak with them to look upwards.  No one did.  Kouzou had his
 head turned, looking out of the corner of his eye, a smirk spread across
 his face.  he looked at Gendou rather than the commanders, not giving
 them the pleasure.  Gendou, though very close, kept a level head and a
 firm expression.

        Maruyama spoke.  "As of 18:00 hours JST, all command of this
 operation and any further operations concerning these circumstances
 should the occasion arrive have officially been transferred to NERV."

        Matsuo turned his head down to face Gendou.  "From now on, you
 will have full command.  We will be observing how you handle the
 situation.  You do understand that, don't you?"

        "Yes sir," replied the Commander of NERV.

        'He's humoring them,' thought Kouzou.

        "Commander Ikari, it is true that we are ineffective both
 offensively and defensively in this situation, considering the available
 weaponry.  Anything stronger would destroy the city," remarked Iwasaki,
 not at all pleased with the UN's inefficiency.

        "But despite the beliefs of our superiors, we find it... odd that
 you believe you can succeed where we have failed.  Are you that confident
 that you can destroy it?"

        Gendou adjusted his glasses and grinned.  "Of course.  That is
 the purpose of NERV."

        'He is humoring himself as well,' thought Kouzou.

        "Very well.  We expect much of you.  Do your job," responded
 Maruyama.

        Maruyama pressed a button in front of him.  The spire lowered,
 sinking deep into the area which contained it.  Once the three Commanders
 were below the level of the floor, a hatch over the spire closed.  It
 blended in perfectly with the floor.  The room was back to its proper
 shape, the sole spire being that of the Commander's.

        "If the hatch were open longer, perhaps we could have thrown
 something at them to knock some sense into their heads," remarked
 Kouzou.

        "This isn't a time to joke."

        "And I am not joking."

        He had almost gotten a chuckle out of Gendou.

        "Ibuki, what is the status of the target?" asked Kouzou.

        "The target has regenerated 55% of its damaged structure.  No sign
 of it moving."

        "If we decided to attack now, the intercept effectiveness rate
 would be at 7.5%.  Higher than the UN by 5%, but still not nearly
 high enough for effective combat," announced Shigeru.

        "Well Ikari, it seems we have a job to do.  The UN will not help
 us.  They can't.  How do you plan to combat it?"

        "Simple.  I already have Dr. Akagi working on the plan."

        "And what is that?"

        "We will activate Unit One."

        Kouzou's voice took on a slightly more angered tone.  "...Are you
 serious Ikari?  After the experiment with Unit Zero yesterday?"  He
 rubbed his arm without realizing it.

        "Yes, I am."

        "Very well.  And just how will we do that?  I do not think Rei is
 capable of piloting.  You said so yourself."  Kouzou remembered the
 image of the young pilot being removed from the entry plug as his arm
 had been treated.  It wasn't the most pleasant of his memories.

        "That is correct.  It is convenient that one is being delivered
 today."

        Kouzou's voice took on a surprised tone.  "Do you truly mean
 that?"  He regained his composure.  "Three years... and you would
 immediately put him in this situation?"

        "That is the only choice available."

        Kouzou's eyes narrowed.  "That is the only choice you're willing
 to look at."

                   ------------------------------------

        "Misato?"

        "Hmmm?"  Shinji had shaken her out of another trance.  She looked
 over at him.  "What is it Shinji?"

        "My father... are we, going to be meeting him?"

        "Well, yes, of course!  Why wouldn't we?"

        "..."

        Misato saw the distressed look in Shinji's face.  She knew
 something was wrong.  And somehow... she understood him.

        "Father..."

        'I should change the subject...' she thought to herself.  She was
 beginning to worry.

        "You said you received an ID Card.  Would you mind giving it to me
 please?  The letter from your father too.  I have to verify everything."

        "Hmmm?  Oh, sure..."

        Shinji opened the shoulder bag set before him.  He rummaged
 through it until he found the box he had gotten on the train.  He then
 pulled out a folded sheet of paper which he handed to her.

        "Hmmm..." she muttered. 'Come.  This might explain something.  It
 doesn't seem like they have a father-son relationship.'

        Shinji opened the box and pulled out a small plastic ID Card and
 handed it to her.  She took it from him, and matched the face on the
 card with the photo she had and the boy in front of her.

        "Everything checks out."  She handed him back the paper and the ID
 Card.

        Shinji put them both in the box.  While it was open, Misato
 noticed the photo she had left him still in it.

        "So Shinji, how DID you like the photo?"

        Shinji didn't blush this time, but he didn't say anything either.
 Misato giggled.

        "You already asked me about that," he said.

        "I know, but I couldn't resist," she responded, smiling.

        "..."

        "Well, since everything is in order, I'll give you this."

        She handed him a fair-sized green-covered book with the word
 'NERV' printed across the cover.  'Top Secret' was printed in both
 English and Japanese across the back.  In addition, the phrase 'For your
 eyes only.' was also present.

        "A full description of NERV, what it is, basics of laws, its
 purpose, etc.  Since you'll be here for a while, it's important that you
 know all of this."

        "I see..."  He looked at the book cover.  "This is all about my
 father's work.  He asked me to come only to work for him?"

        Misato didn't respond.  She didn't know how.

        "It's not surprising," he continued in a mildly depressed tone of
 voice.  "He only wanted something from me.  Why..."

        Misato spoke to him in a calm voice.  "It doesn't sound like you
 get along too well with your father..."

        Her voice perked up a little.  "Don't worry about it.  I find him
 cold too.  Just like my father was..."

        Shinji's head snapped up.  "Your... father?"  he asked her, very
 surprised.

        He didn't get a response.  Misato was looking out the window.

        'Is she like me?' Shinji wondered.  For a brief moment, he felt
 content.

        The transport train continued to travel downwards.  Shinji had
 no idea where it was taking them, but it wasn't the most important thing
 on his mind.  He had questions about his father...  Then something that
 had been out of reach in his mind suddenly came into view.

        'The girl.  That was a strange experience.  She disappeared as
 soon as I looked away.  Almost crushed by... I would've been standing
 where it hit if I hadn't seen her.  But... it doesn't make sense.  No
 one could have moved fast enough to disappear like that, so... how did
 she disappear?  Did I imagine her?  Maybe I just saw something that
 looked like a person, a reflection of light...'

        He reflected upon his last thought.

        'I don't even believe that myself.  There was a person there.
 Why?'

        Any further thoughts about the girl and his first near-death
 experience instantly fled as the train emerged out of the tunnel they
 had been traveling through into a much larger area.

        "Amazing!!!"

        'That impressed him,' Misato thought.

        "It's an underground city!  A real Geo-Front!" Shinji exclaimed.

        It was certainly a sight to behold.  As the train descended the
 rail leading to the floor of the Geo-Front, Shinji was able to take in
 a view of it all.  Above them were towering buildings, built into the
 ceiling.  Apparently, these were the shelters of the city.  It was a
 massive site.  Below them was the Geo-Front itself.  A variety of
 structures dotted the land, much of it surrounded by an underground
 lake.  It was very bright in the Geo-Front as well.  Artificial lights
 gave the impression that the Geo-Front had its own sun.  He noticed that
 the level of brightness was the same as above ground, that it adjusted
 with the time of day.  It was truly a marvelous vision, and very
 beautiful.  Large cable-like structures were attached throughout it, the
 tracks for car-transport trains like the one he was currently on.  At the
 very center of the landscape below was a pyramid-like structure, larger
 than any other structure on the floor of the Geo-Front.  It wasn't very
 large, but as he noticed in a large pool of water next to it, it seemed
 to progress underground.  Just how far he had no idea.

        "Do you like what you see Shinji?" Misato asked him.

        Shinji nodded.

        "This is the hidden base of the main branch of NERV Headquarters,"
 she explained, smiling.  "This is what the rebuilding of our world
 depends on, its foundation.  This is the fortress which is a symbol of
 the future of the human race.  Welcome to NERV, Shinji Ikari."

        Shinji looked at her.  Slowly, but surely, he smiled.

        'The smile looks better on him.'

 ==================------------------------------------==================


      NEON GENESIS
      EVANGELION: OTHER PATHS

      Paths I - 1:1

      "Are you truly satisfied with this?"
        - Genesis 0:1 (1), Kouzou Fuyutsuki


 ==================------------------------------------==================

        "So, Akagi actually agreed to it," Kouzou said.  His voice held
 a hint of spite, but not enough to attract the Commander's attention in
 that manner.

        "Of course.  She had to," replied Gendou.

        "And where is she right now?"

        "Swimming."

        Kouzou looked confused.  "Swimming?"

                   ------------------------------------

        Ritsuko Akagi, dressed in a wet suit, goggles, and an oxygen tank,
 was about eight metres deep in a pink liquid, examining a large metal
 fixture.

        'He actually plans to operate Unit One today?  I didn't think he
 would be so serious...' she thought as she worked, looking for any flaws
 in the structure.  'I knew he wanted to return to testing on the Eva, but
 when he said he planned on doing it with his son, I didn't think he
 meant on the same day he arrived.  Even with the Angel...'

        She began to swim to the surface.

        'It just doesn't seem right.'

                   ------------------------------------

        "What is this place Misato?" Shinji asked.

        "This is Central Dogma.  The base of NERV Headquarters."

        The two of them were walking down a large hallway.  Far ahead of
 them behind a large pane of glass, Shinji could see the building expand
 to immense proportions, a gigantic maze.  They had entered through
 another tunnel on the base of the Geo-Front floor, and it had progressed
 downward, so just how far under the ground he had no idea.  He felt
 odd without his bag, having left it in Misato's car.  Especially
 considering it could fall apart at any moment.  But Misato had insisted
 that it would be nothing but a hassle.  He wouldn't need it for now
 anyway.  However, he did carry the NERV manual under his arm.

        "How big is it?"

        "I've been part of the organization for six years and I'm still
 getting lost."

        His eyes widened.  "That big?"

        "Yes... but I also have trouble with directions," she said looking
 embarrassed.

        Shinji said nothing.  He began to sweat slightly.

        "Follow me."  They shortly reached the end of the hallway.  Misato
 held a red jacket slung over one of her arms, and in her hands, a group
 of papers.  She pulled out a map from among the papers she had with
 herself and unfolded it.  The drawing on it was hexagonal in shape,
 filled with intricately detailed routes and passages.  She quickly
 glanced out of the pane of glass.  "Let's see now... we're here, so that
 means we go... that way!" she exclaimed as she pointed to her left.
 She began walking in that direction, still looking at the map.

        "Ummm... Misato?  There's a---"

        He closed his eyes as he heard the sound of someone smacking their
 head against something hard.

        "...glass wall, there."

        "I can see that," mumbled Misato into the glass.  She pried
 herself off of the wall and looked at her map.  Shinji peeked over her
 shoulder.

        'She's holding the map upside-down,' he thought to himself.  'Is
 she just acting this way on purpose?'

        Misato blinked and looked at the map again.  "Oh.  That's why the
 writing was upside-down."  She turned the map right-side-up and walked
 toward a tram in the opposite direction, leading into the much larger,
 complex network.

        Shinji slowly opened the book Misato had given him and began to
 read silently while he followed her.  'Welcome to NERV.  Introduction,
 Page Two...' He flipped the page. 'NERV is an organization established
 under the United Nations.  It has been in existence since the year 2010.
 Formerly known as Gehirn, the main responsibility of NERV is...'

                   ------------------------------------

        Ritsuko sat down on a small metal pier outstretched five metres
 into the liquid she had been swimming in.  She slowly removed the oxygen
 tank from her back and looked up at the machine she had been working on.

        "So odd... but not as odd as if it works."

        She removed the goggles from her head and looked at her
 reflection in the water.  She smiled for a moment, and let her normal
 expression replace her smile.

        "It's too bad that it must be him," she said.  "Should he have to
 do this?  Should he have known what was awaiting him?"

        Silence answered her.  She looked up and sighed.

        "I wonder if they're back yet?  Or..."

        She laughed for a moment.

        "Or if she got lost again."
 
                   ------------------------------------
        
        'I got lost again!' she thought to herself.  An image of the tram
 exploding and sending her flying across Central Dogma came to mind.

        "I was sure this was the right way," she said out loud, looking at
 the map.

        Shinji continued to read the book he had been given.  He spared
 one glance to look ahead to see a large access hatch open, allowing the
 tram to continue onwards.

        A large gust of wind blew through the hatch as it had opened.  If
 Shinji had kept his eyes looking ahead of him rather than on the book, he
 would have noticed Misato keeping one hand on her skirt to keep it from
 fluttering upwards.  Apparently, it wasn't as tight as it seemed.

        "This place isn't the best for comfortable clothing," she
 complained out loud.  Then she sighed.  "How am I supposed to find you
 Ritsuko?"

        Shinji kept reading.

        "I'm really sorry.  I should spend more time in the main complex I
 guess."

        Shinji looked up from the book.

        "Misato?"

        "Yes?"

        "Ummm... we've... already passed this place... three times..."

        Misato frowned, and sighed again.  Shinji returned to reading.

        "Well, don't worry about it.  These are here for a reason, so that
 people like us will use them.  It's not like we're going to be here
 forever..."

        She pulled out a cellular phone.

        "...because I give up!" she shouted, very frustrated.  She dialed
 a few numbers.

        "Hyuuga?  Please let Ritsuko know that I'm looking for her.  It'd
 help if I knew where to look..."

                   ------------------------------------
        
        Ritsuko was in the middle of removing her aqua-coloured bathing
 suit which she wore under her multi-coloured wet suit when she heard the
 announcement.  It was Makoto.

        "Would the chairperson of Project E, head of Section 1 of the
 Technical Department, Dr. Ritsuko Akagi, please report to Captain Misato
 Katsuragi, head of Section 1 of the Operations Department immediately."

        "Just when I'm changing.  It figures."  She quickly replaced the
 straps of her bathing suit over her shoulders and put on a long lab coat
 and some sandals.  "That must've been heard throughout the entire
 complex!  Let it be a testament to Misato's... abilities, I guess."

        She grabbed a cellular phone from the locker in front of her and
 dialed a few numbers.  She walked out of the changing room and down the
 hallway.  Makoto picked up the line on the other side.

        "Dr. Akagi?"

        Ritsuko sighed.  "Where is she?"

                   ------------------------------------

        Kouzou looked on with mild interest as Makoto gave Dr. Akagi
 Captain Katsuragi's location.  He rolled his eyes and almost grinned.

        "She must've gotten lost again."

                   ------------------------------------

        "Just great.  Now EVERYBODY knows."

        Shinji kept reading.  He didn't want to get involved.

        The two of them were riding an elevator upward.  Neither of them
 knew where they were, but Shinji was the only one with an excuse.

        Misato's expression changed to a smile as she watched herself in
 the elevator's doors.

        "Well, this isn't a big deal.  At least she'll find me now!  Of
 course, maybe that isn't such a good thing..."

        Her thoughts were shattered as the doors opened.  She found
 herself face to face with Ritsuko.  Ritsuko had a strange grin on her
 face, and her eyes were staring directly into Misato's.  Misato looked
 both embarrassed and scared at the same time.  

        "Ri... Ritsuko..." she stuttered.

        Ritsuko stepped right up to Misato, nose to nose.  Misato took a
 step back, not sure what to do.

        "Getting lost again are we Captain?" Ritsuko asked her, obviously
 enjoying the situation.

        "Well... errr..." Misato stuttered, beginning to squirm under the
 pressure.

        Ritsuko's grin suddenly disappeared, and was replaced by a more
 serious expression.

        "You know Misato, this isn't the time, not with the current
 situation.  We are short on manpower, workers, and time.  At least I was
 able to send the application, but money isn't a factor at the moment."

        "I'm sorry," responded Misato, her voice dejected.  However, her
 mood lit up instantly.  "But I called you for a reason.  I found him!"

        "Him?"

        That was when Ritsuko finally noticed the young man standing at
 the other end of the elevator.  His nose was buried in a NERV manual, and
 hadn't been paying any attention to their conversation.

        "You found the boy?" Ritsuko asked her.

        "Yes," Misato replied, growing serious, although her tone still
 suggested her light mood.  "According to the Marduk Report, this is the
 Third Children, Shinji Ikari.  Shinji?"

        Shinji looked up from his book at the mention of his name.

        "Yes?"

        "This is Dr. Ritsuko Akagi."

        "It's nice to meet you Shinji." Ritsuko said, smiling.  She held
 out a hand to him.

        "Uh... yes.  Hello, Dr. Akagi," he replied, a little unsure.  He
 shook her hand

        "You can call me Ritsuko," she said.

        "...All right, Ritsuko."  He returned to reading the book,
 somewhat nervous.  He just wasn't very social.

        "It must be the swimsuit," Misato whispered to Ritsuko.

        "You're the only one who thinks like that Misato," came the reply.

        "I know, I know.  But seriously... he's a lot like his father...
 in the social sense..."

        Ritsuko smiled at him.  She noticed that his expression had become
 a little more... depressing.

        "Well," she said.  "We had better get going."

        "Where to?" Misato asked.

        "The cage," came the reply.

        "So soon?" she asked.

        "There's no harm in introducing them, right?" she asked.

        She held back the truth about the situation.  'Why do I?' she
 asked herself.

        "I guess."

        Ritsuko walked out of the elevator.

        "Hey, where are you going?"  Misato asked her.

        "To finish changing of course!" she replied.  "You didn't actually
 think I would go up there dressed like this now, do you?  I don't work in
 this outfit."

        Misato caught up with her, Shinji tagging along behind, still
 reading the manual.

        "Why ARE you dressed like that anyway?" Misato asked.

        "I was working," came the reply.

        Misato's mouth opened and closed as Ritsuko continued to smile.

                   ------------------------------------

        "Dr. Akagi has contacted them," announced Makoto from the front of
 the main workstation.

        "I understand," came the Commander's reply.  He was still in the
 lower area of the room, and facing the wall opposite of the display.  He
 walked over to a small transport lift to his right, next to one of the
 two staircases leading to the upper portion of the room.  He put his
 hands on the railing and faced the Sub-Commander.

        "I'm leaving the situation to you until I return Fuyutsuki."

        "Understood," came the reply.  "And Ikari?"

        "Yes?"

        The next words were said very seriously, but a hint of concern was
 apparent.  "Watch yourself."

        "A double meaning..." came the response.  He pressed the button at
 the base of the railing, and the platform descended downwards, along with
 Gendou Ikari.  A hatch closed over his head.

        "Three years... since they last saw each other," Kouzou softly
 spoke aloud, a small grin spread across his face.  "You say you still
 care about her Gendou... you have a chance to prove it."

        He suddenly saw the intensity of the light change in the room.
 His expression instantly grew serious, as he turned around to face the
 display, a red topographical map replacing the display of the Angel.

        "The target has regenerated 95% of its structure," Shigeru stated.
 "It has resumed movement, but at a slower pace than before."

        "Estimated time of arrival until it reaches the city?"

        "Twenty minutes."

        "All right," said Kouzou, his military instincts starting to take
 control.  "Red alert.  All hands proceed to battle stations, Level 1.
 Prepare for defensive countermeasures, but wait for further orders
 before initiating any sort of retaliation.  We don't want to lose
 any more lives today."

        He glanced at a digital watch on his wrist.  '7:00... it did not
 take that long for the Angel to heal... just how long did the Captain
 wander around?'

                   ------------------------------------

        Ritsuko walked out of the changing room still wearing the lab
 coat.  However, instead of an aqua-coloured bathing suit, she was now
 wearing a blue shirt with a high collar and a zipper down the middle,
 dark nylons, and a short black skirt reaching halfway down her thigh,
 with a set of black high heels.  Her normal outfit.

        "Shall we go?"

        Misato followed Ritsuko through a few hallways, Shinji beside her,
 and still reading.  Misato moved on ahead to talk privately with Ritsuko.

        "He doesn't talk very much, does he Misato?"  Ritsuko asked her.

        "No, not really," she said.  "Before he did... maybe it was
 because I teased him too much."

        "I don't think so.  He is just like his father in that respect..."

        "But just in that.  He seems to be a lot..."

        "A lot what?"

        "Nicer.  Easier to get along with."

        Ritsuko only nodded silently.

        "Cuter too."

        "Misato!" Ritsuko snapped.

        "That's all I said.  Nothing else."  She began to whistle.

        "I should hope not," Ritsuko replied.  "Come on, the lift to the
 upper area is here."

        "Why not take the docking elevator?  Wouldn't it be faster?"

        "About the same time actually, but it's on the other side.
 Besides we need to get to the bridge first."

        "Up close and personal?"

        "Exactly."

        The three of them entered a chamber just off the side of the
 hallway, and got onto a large lift.  Ritsuko slid an ID card through an
 opening in the panel and keyed in a few controls.  It rumbled for a
 moment, and began its assent at a steady pace.  It was quite dark, except
 to one side of the lift, which had an odd dark pink colour to it.
 Shadows were present in it.  It seemed to be some sort of large
 container... very large.

        "Amazing..."

        "What Misato?"

        "That they've come."

        "I know."

        A voice disturbed their short conversation.  It was another
 announcement, this time from Maya.

        "Red alert!  This is an emergency!  All hands to battle stations,
 Level 1.  Assume defensive positions and await further orders before
 ground interception.  This is not a drill."

        "Damn.  This is serious, isn't it Ritsuko?" Misato asked as she
 slipped on her red officer's jacket.

        "Extremely.  I wish it weren't."

        "So Ritsuko... how is Unit Zero today?"

        "Much like yesterday.  We'll proceed with plans for it once this
 situation is taken care of."

        "And... Unit One?"  She had less hopefulness in her voice this
 time.

        "It has been fitted with the B-Type equipment, and is currently
 undergoing refrigeration, unlike the total cryo-stasis of Unit Zero.
 Just look to your left Misato."

        She looked to her left.  She could make out the shadow of a giant
 hand in the container.  How far away it was from them she couldn't
 judge.

        "Of course, it's ready to be pulled out if need be."

        "I see.  And you plan to return to testing on it?"

        "That's right."  Ritsuko furrowed her eyebrows for a moment.
 'Another lie.  It's gone further than testing because of this...'

        "Do you think you'll actually manage to get it to work?  All
 attempts in the past came up... well... empty."

        "I know.  It's sad.  The probability of it synching with a pilot
 is zero decimal zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero one (0.000000001)
 percent.  One in one-quadrillionth.  We call it, ironically enough, the
 O-Nine System (O-9 System), or Unit O-Nine (Unit O-9), rather than Unit
 One.  Perfect names, don't you think?"

        "So, it doesn't work.  That was simple enough to explain."

        "Don't insult me!  It's the letter 'O', not the number zero.
 There's still the possibility, even if it is small," she said
 defensively.  "It's different from the Production Model in that respect."

        "Well, they are only numbers."

        "That's right."

        "And I guess it's a bit late to be saying 'sorry, it didn't work',
 isn't it?"

        "That goes without saying, especially at a time like this."

        They both sighed at the same time.

        Shinji continued to read.

                   ------------------------------------

        Gendou Ikari silently walked down a brightly lit corridor to his
 destination, a vantage point overlooking the "cage", Unit One's present
 location.  Two rows of video terminals on either side of him were
 blank; turned on, but nothing displayed.

        He reached the end of the corridor and looked down.  He was
 standing in front of a large pane of glass, the same width and height as
 the corridor, which was part of a lowered section of ceiling suspended
 directly over the Eva.  Beyond it, the ceiling rose to a higher height,
 where other passages were available, including stairwells and railings to
 observe or direct the situation.  Raised higher above the pane at the
 base of the higher portion of ceiling was a platform that extended
 outward over the Eva, and near it, a hydraulic device holding a white
 tube.

        Gendou had seen this room many times before.

        He momentarily thought of what Kouzou had said to him.

        'Watch yourself.  A double meaning.  Be careful, that was for the
 others.  In truth, he means my actions.  Why is he concerned about what
 happens here...'

        Gendou looked down at the Unit, then at one of the terminals.
 They all suddenly lit up, displaying the room below.  Total darkness.

        'Is it because... perhaps... but there is no other way this can be
 done.  There is no other way I would want to.'

        Silence.

        'But what would she want?  And... is it what I want?'

        Silence.

        'I do not have an answer.  I will do this as how I see fit.'

                   ------------------------------------

        "Would you mind driving Ritsuko?"

        "Not a problem.  I'd feel safer actually."

        The three of them were in a small speed boat.  Not far from them
 was the lift from which they had just walked off of.  Ritsuko was at the
 helm, heading for a stairwell attached to a large structure ahead of
 them, an out of place wall.

        Shinji had finally put down the book, although he wasn't done
 reading yet.  He had decided to observe his surroundings.  He found it
 odd that the water was pink.

        "Hmmm... what's that?"

        He noticed the large structure ahead of him was not uniform in
 colour.  Although the majority of it was green, he noticed that around
 its center, a large multi hued piece of metal, mostly purple with
 touches of orange and green in it, extended downwards for some distance.

        'That's strange.'

        "If I may ask... where are you taking me?"

        "To show you something," Ritsuko replied.

        Nobody said anything for the remainder of the voyage.

                   ------------------------------------

        "Current status?" asked Kouzou.

        "ETA 5 minutes until it enters firing range of the city," Shigeru
 answered.

        "Before we can fire, or before it can?"

        "It."

                   ------------------------------------

        The door to the stairwell was left slightly ajar.  Shinji was led
 across a large platform by the two ladies.  The room was filled with
 total darkness, except for a crack of light from the open door.

        "...otherwise, we'd fall off into the coolant," Ritsuko explained.

        "That's coolant?"

        "I know.  You think it's strange.  It's just a colour though,"
 Misato commented.

        "I can't see anything..." he whispered.

        The three of them stopped walking.  The door closed behind them.

        "How did it close by itself?" Shinji asked.

        "Electronically.  I just used a remote control to operate it,"
 Ritsuko said.  If Shinji could have seen anything, he would have seen her
 holding a small remote in her hand.

        "I still can't see anything..." he said.

        "Hang on.  Let me take care of that."  She pressed another button
 on the remote and the room instantly lit up.

        Shinji screamed.

                   ------------------------------------

        'It appears they have arrived...'  Gendou observed the scene from
 above.

                   ------------------------------------

        The three of them stood on a large platform which extended from
 one side of the room to the other, left to right, forming an "H".  The
 ends of the "H" which moved deeper into the room bent upwards, transfixed
 into the wall.  The three of them were standing in the very center of
 that "H".  The areas not covered by the platform were filled with the
 coolant.  Some technicians in orange uniforms were working around the
 room, although how they had worked in the dark Shinji didn't know.  He
 didn't care either.  This had no impact on him.  It was what was directly
 ahead of him that had caught his attention.  He was near the edge of the
 platform, and he stared ahead in shock and amazement.

        Staring back at him was what appeared to be the head of a gigantic
 robot.  It was mostly coloured purple, but there were ensembles of gray
 along the joints and partially along what would be its chest, except that
 most of it was in the coolant.  As well, colours of orange, green and
 red appeared on various features, though they seemed to extend further
 downwards.  Its face was frightening to look at, but an aura of safety
 surrounded it.  It's mouth was formed from two jagged metallic gray
 areas, top and bottom, giving the impression of a large set of teeth.
 Its eyes were empty of any emotion, but instead, panes of yellow glass
 could be seen in the sockets.  A large horn stood out from the top of its
 forehead, extending upwards and backwards, which extended near a lowered
 section of the ceiling of the structure.

        Shinji was speechless.  He quickly regained his composure, albeit
 somewhat shaken.

        "It's a... face... a giant robot?"

        He quickly reopened the book he had been given and started to skim
 over the pages.

        "Don't bother wasting your time," announced Ritsuko, walking
 closer to him.  "You won't find it in there.  This is heavily top secret,
 even more so than what's in that manual."

        "Then... what is it?"

        "This is the General Purpose Humanoid Decisive Combat Weapon -
 Artificial Human Evangelion, which has been under development for many
 years now.  The quest for the safety of humanity has led us to create
 it."

        "It's impressive, isn't it Shinji?"  Misato had walked up next to
 him.

        Shinji looked somewhat stunned, even intrigued.  "This is part of
 my father's work, isn't it?"

        "That---"

        Ritsuko was cut off.

        "That is correct."  A deep male voice sounded through the room.
 Everyone looked up to see Gendou Ikari looking down at them, a grim
 expression on his face.  He focused his eyes on Shinji.

        "It has been a while, hasn't it?"

        "Father..."

        Shinji looked up at him for a moment, unsure of what to do.  He
 made a decision.  He averted his eyes, turning his head away from him,
 an expression of distaste clearly printed across his face.

        Gendou smirked.  "You haven't changed I see."  All of the displays
 showed Shinji's face, turned away.

        Misato looked on at the confident elder Ikari and the angered
 younger Ikari.  She didn't know what to say.  So she said nothing.

        "It is time.  We are moving out."

        This, Misato reacted to.  She was more distressed than angered.
 "Moving out?  How can we do that?  After Unit Zero's experiment
 yesterday, there's no Eva we can use!"

        Suddenly it donned on her.  She turned to Ritsuko.  "You're
 planning on using Unit One now?!"

        "There are no alternatives.  Believe me."  Ritsuko's tone had
 become much more serious.  However, faint traces of regret could be heard
 in her voice, though barely.

        "Now hold on!" exclaimed Misato, still in shock.  "Rei definitely
 can't do it!  Not after yesterday!  You were there, you know what
 happened!  We don't have a pilot.  It's impossible!"

        "That's not true.  One has arrived."

        Misato's expression took on anger.  She attempted to keep her
 voice calm, with much difficulty.

        "You can't be serious."

        "There is no choice."

        "DAMN IT RITSUKO!"  Misato had lost control.  "I didn't do this to
 bring someone here who could die in it!  Why damn it?!"

        'I'm sorry Misato, I didn't want to.  I didn't even think this
 would happen until a few hours ago,' Ritsuko thought.

        She said nothing.

        Misato continued to glare at her.  Ritsuko broke her gaze from
 Misato's piercing eyes and looked down at Shinji, his head still averted
 from his father's gaze.  She spoke softly, but firmly.

        "Shinji Ikari."

        He looked up at her.  "Yes?"

        "You have been chosen to pilot the Evangelion.  Unit One."

        Shinji's eyes widened.  He looked at her.  No words came out.

        Misato spoke again, under control, this time with pleading in her
 voice.

        "But even for Rei Ayanami... it took her seven months to
 synchronize with the Evangelion.  And even then, something happened that
 made it stop... don't you remember?"

        Ritsuko's voice continued, unwavering.  "At the moment, stopping
 the Angel is our highest priority.  We have to take this chance, as small
 as it may be.  The odds of finding someone who can synchronize with an
 Eva are small, and for Unit One, near zero.  He has the potential to
 accomplish this, and it's our only possible option for defeating the
 Angel.  Do you understand, CAPTAIN Katsuragi?"

        Misato looked at the Eva out of the corner of her eye, an angered
 expression across her face.

        'Damn it.'

        "...understood."

        Shinji finally spoke up.  He didn't want strangers deciding his
 future for him.  'This isn't right.'  His voice was wavered between
 sadness and anger.

        "Father... why did you call me?"

        "What do you think?  You already know why."

        "You called me, to get into this... this thing, and fight.  Fight
 the creature out there."

        "You understand."

        Anger won.

        "NO!!!  YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ME TO DO THIS!!!"  He paused.
 "I knew you didn't want me..."

        "That is not true.  I have a use for you now.  That is why I
 summoned you."

        "And why me?"

        "Because, you are the only one who is capable."

        "You have no right to do this to me.  Do you care about what I
 think?"  Shinji began to fight back tears, his eyes closed in anger.

        Everyone looked up at that comment.

        "That is not my concern."

        Shinji felt as if his heart had been torn out of his chest and
 ripped open.  His voice became nothing more than a strong, hoarse
 whisper.

        "I can not do this.  It is completely foreign to me.  Unknown.
 Why do you think I can?"

        "You will be instructed.  You will learn."

        'What is he hiding.  He avoided my question,' Shinji thought to
 himself.  It wasn't his highest concern.

        "I can't... I won't... It's impossible!"  he yelled, staring at
 the floor, his eyes closed.

        "If you are going to do this, stop wasting time.  Otherwise,
 leave!  Just get out!"  Gendou's voice was cold and deadly serious in
 nature, reproach and spite also making their presence known.

        The last words echoed through the room.  Shinji's eyes opened
 widely.  Everyone in the room looked at Shinji with sullen expressions on
 their faces.  They could see the emotional beating he was taking.
 Everyone in the room felt, in one way or another, sorry for the situation
 he was in, but they also knew the desperateness of the situation.
 Gendou was unique; he blocked out any feelings he may have had.  He had
 more important matters than the emotions of a child to worry about.

        And suddenly, everything was thrown out of proportion.  The entire
 room shook, maintenance workers holding on to anything sturdy.  The three
 on the platform and Gendou above struggled to maintain their balance.

                   ------------------------------------

        "Reports are confirmed.  That blast took out an area nine blocks
 in size!" announced Makoto, looking grim.

        "Damn it!" shouted Kouzou.

        Everyone in the room looked on at the scene.  The Angel, though
 still a fair distance away, standing on top of a hill overlooking the
 city, had just glanced at the landscape.  The eyes of its central head
 had glown, and instantly a beam of energy had shot out of the ground
 high into the sky, forming a cross.  It had expanded, wiping out an area
 roughly three blocks long by three blocks wide.

        "Extent of the damage?"

        "Total.  Nothing is left there.  No casualties, the entire area
 had been evacuated.  The shot penetrated the ground... no damage to any
 of the shelters."

        "Damn it, this is not good..." muttered Kouzou.

        "Should we order an attack sir?" asked Maya.

        "No.  It would be pointless.  We'll have to wait."

        "Then why did you order defensive countermeasures?"

        Kouzou looked at her, a sullen expression on his face.

        "Sometimes... people just need hope."

                   ------------------------------------

        "Damn it!" muttered Gendou.  "It has discovered our location.
 Time has run out."

        "Shinji, we have no time.  Please."  Ritsuko looked at Shinji with
 a firm expression.

        Shinji looked at her, not liking what he saw.  He turned toward
 Misato, but she had the same expression on her face, perhaps even more
 serious.

        "Board it and pilot," was all she said.

        'Why are they abandoning me?' he asked himself.  'They are more
 concerned with their lives... it's understandable.'

        "I didn't come all this way to be made to fight.  It isn't right."
 He continued to stare at the floor.

        Misato walked over to him and bent down, to be face to face with
 the young Ikari.  Her concern was apparent on her face.  She spoke calmly
 to him.

        "Shinji?  Why did you come here then?"

        "I..."  He stopped.  He turned his head away, refusing to face
 her.

        "You can't run away Shinji.  Not from your father, and not from
 yourself."

        The words struck a cord in the boy's heart.  His sensei's words
 returned to him.  His own words returned to him.  But it wasn't enough.
 The pain was too great.

        "I understand... but... no... I... I CAN'T DO THIS!"

        He shouted the last part out so that everyone in the room heard.
 The words sunk into every heart and mind in the room.  Misato's
 expression became firm and set once more.  She stood up and backed away
 a few steps.

        There was no action in the room for half a minute.  No one moved,
 no one spoke, no one thought.  They simply existed.

        The elder Ikari had had enough.

        'Very well.  It appears that some convincing is in order.'

        He turned to one of the displays and pressed a small button on it.

        "Fuyutsuki."

        A moment later, Kouzou's face showed up on the display.

        "What is it Ikari?"  His tone was serious.  The situation had
 begun to darken his mood.

        "Wake up Rei."

        Kouzou nearly screamed.  'Is that man insane?!' echoed through his
 head.  He kept his expression set nonetheless.

        "Are you serious?  Are you actually planning on using her?"

        "She isn't dead."

        "But Ikari, you know the condition she's in.  If she even attempts
 to pilot, it will kill her."

        "Nothing will happen to her.  It's just for... persuasion."

        "So, you just plan to use her for your own ends, don't you."

        Gendou blinked.  Kouzou almost thought he saw a flash of guilt
 in Gendou's shrouded eyes, but only for an instant.  It didn't last.
 
        "Wait," Kouzou said.  He turned away, the display cutting off
 to blackness.

                   ------------------------------------

        "Damn it," Kouzou spat, staring at the screen.  "At times, that
 man is..."

        He decided to forget about it.  This wasn't the time.

        "Hyuuga?"

        "Yes sir?"

        "Open an audio only channel to Rei's hospital room at your
 workstation."

        "Sir?"

        "Just do it."

        Makoto worked for a few moments.

        "Channel opened."

        "Understood."  He walked over to Makoto's workstation and began to
 speak a little more softly.  "Rei?"

        No response.

        "Rei?"

        A soft female voice answered him.  "...Yes?"

        "Commander Ikari wishes to speak with you."

        "I understand," came the reply.

        "Put her through to the Commander."

                   ------------------------------------

        Moments later, a message stating 'Sound Only' appeared on the
 display formerly inhabited by Kouzou's face.

        "Rei?" came Commander Ikari's question.  His tone remained serious
 to the situation at hand.

        "Yes."

        "Our spare is unusable.  You will pilot Unit One."

        "...Yes."

        The channel closed.

        'It's only a matter of time now...' he thought.  He looked down
 into the room at Ritsuko.

        "We will be using Rei."

        "What?" came Ritsuko's shocked reply.  She wasn't expecting this.
 "You can't mean that.  Not after---"

        "We will be using Rei," he said, cutting her off.  He was not in
 a mood to have his orders questioned.

        Ritsuko looked up at him with a worried expression, then at the
 Eva.  Her face was soon replaced by a very serious expression.  She
 glanced at Shinji, then started to walk away down the left side of the
 platform.  Her voice was one of a commander, giving orders to be obeyed.

        "Cancel all work on the current project," came her angered tone,
 annoyance was obviously present.  "Reconfigure all systems for Rei
 Ayanami and then reactivate!"

        "Understood," came Maya's reply from the control centre.  "Sending
 orders to all members of Project E.  Aborting current process and
 restarting."

        Misato looked up at Gendou for a moment.  'That man is mad,' she
 thought.  'There's no other way to describe him.'

        She looked at Shinji for a moment, his head still staring at the
 floor.  Her expression became dead set, and she too walked away, to the
 right.  There was nothing she could do.

 -------
 [Begin BGM: Rei I]
 -------

        Shinji stared at the ground, unmoving.  In his mind, thoughts
 rolled through, one after another, never stopping.  'I knew he didn't
 need me.  I wasn't necessary to him.  He never cared about me... I can be
 replaced...'

        The image of the young boy came to his mind once more.  A memory
 from the past... it was how he felt.  It was the past repeating itself.

        'No one needs me... no one wants me...'

        He continued to emotionally torment himself, until he heard a set
 of doors slide open to his left.  That was when he looked up and saw a
 group of three doctors rolling in a hospital table.  He looked at it from
 a distance.

        'Who are they?' he wondered, somewhat of a puzzled expression
 showing through his depressed face.  'This isn't the place for an injured
 person.'

        He took on self-pity.  'This isn't a place for me.'

        The doctors continued to roll the table slowly, their destination
 the other end of the platform.  As they passed, Shinji was able to get a
 good luck at its inhabitant.

        It was a young female.  She looked to be about his age, the best
 he could tell from the brief look he got.  Short and fairly straight blue
 hair hung loosely from her head, almost reaching her shoulders, bangs
 reaching over her forehead.  Her skin was pale with a slight pink tint,
 that of an albino.  What truly caught Shinji's attention however were her
 eyes.  The pupils were completely red, and in which for a brief moment,
 he lost himself...

        But that wasn't what was important to him at the moment.  It was
 how she looked.  She was dressed in a skin-tight white body suit, which
 covered her from the end of her legs to her neck.  The only exceptions
 were the sleeves which appeared to have been removed.  There was an
 extension to the suit, a white object with green ends, which formed a
 "C" shape around her, just under her breasts.  Black stripes seemed to
 stretch out from the side of the legs, towards the back, but he couldn't
 tell for sure.  Other occurrences of black appeared sporadically around
 the suit.  In her hair were two small devices, about five or six
 centimetres long each, on either side of the top of her head.  She could
 be considered to be quite beautiful, but it didn't matter to him, not at
 the moment at least.  There was something much more important.  She was
 injured.  Badly.

        He didn't know if both of her eyes were opened, just her left one.
 Her right eye was covered with a type of eye patch, bandaging, held in
 place by a small piece of tape and a wrapping around her forehead.  A
 tube from an IV unit was attached to the center of her left arm.  On both
 of her arms, from her elbow to her wrist, they were completely wrapped in
 bandages.  Another wrapping was around her left shoulder, which proceeded
 to continue under her uniform and wrapped around her chest.  The sides of
 the upper portion of the uniform, along with the arms, had been removed
 to make room for the bandaging.  Shinji was sure that there was more
 under the uniform around the lower area of her legs, because they were
 somewhat thicker.

        His eyes widened.  He realized that this was the girl he had seen
 earlier that day, the one who had indirectly saved his life.

	'But, it couldn't have been her... she hadn't been injured like
 this...'

	He didn't know what to think... but the thoughts left him as he
 realized something else.

        This was Rei.  She was supposed to pilot instead of him.

        He felt sick.

        He felt guilty.

        He felt anger towards his father.

        'How can he expect her to do this?' he wondered.

        The doctors reached the other end of the platform and stopped
 pushing the bed.  They took off the IV device attached to the girl,
 returned to the other side of the room, and walked out the same door
 they had entered from.  The girl slowly forced herself to sit up.

        She whimpered in pain.  She was breathing heavily, small cries
 escaping her mouth.

        Shinji looked on, an expression of nervousness and guilt spread
 across his face.  'She can't do this!  She can barely sit up!  This would
 kill her!' he thought.  'This can't happen... What happened to her...?'
 He continued to stare at Rei, unsure of what to do.

        'What is my father thinking?'  He was tempted to look up.  'He
 can't let her do this...'

        The entire room shook.

 -------
 [End BGM: Rei I]
 -------

                   ------------------------------------

        Kouzou regained his footing.

        "Damage report!"

        "The Angel has succeeded to destroy another 9 block area
 of the city.  No casualties above ground.  But... the blast has extended
 into the Geo-Front.  Shelters 23 and 24 have been uprooted."

        "Occupancy?"

        "They weren't highly populated, about 30 or so people in each.
 They won't survive impact," Shigeru announced, a grim expression on his
 face.

        "Damn it!"

        "Impact into the Geo-Front in 5 seconds.  They are heading for...
 shit, right next to the main area of Central Dogma!"  He was nervous now.

        "Prepare for impact!"

        Everyone grabbed on to something.

                   ------------------------------------

        The entire room shook again, worse than before.  A loud crash was
 heard.  Something had almost hit them.

        The room was in turmoil.  People were thrown to the floor left and
 right.  The elder Ikari was the only one who managed to keep his footing.
 Maintenance workers struggled to hold on to railings.  Ritsuko was thrown
 to the floor of the platform.  Misato nearly fell into the coolant, but
 managed to fall over on to her stomach on the platform instead, her
 papers scattering around her.  Shinji toppled over backward, landing on
 his back, but managed to sit up.  Rei's cry was heard as the table
 toppled over, sending her crashing to the ground.

        Directly over Shinji, the wiring from a group of large lights
 had dislodged from the ceiling, and they were heading straight for
 him at a tremendous speed.

        "SHINJI!" Misato yelled.  She was going to see him die.  She felt
 sick to her stomach.

        He did the only thing he could.  He covered his head with his
 hands and yelled.

        But the impact never came.

        With a short rumble, the right arm of the Evangelion broke away
 from its restraints within the water, raised its arm around the bridge,
 and its hand over its own head, and consequently Shinji's.  The lights
 crashed into it and bounced harmlessly off it into the coolant below.
 One of them took a different path.

        It was heading straight for the glass shield which Gendou stood
 before.

        It smashed into the glass and fell into the liquid below.

        It didn't even scratch it.

        Gendou smirked.

        'Perfection.'

                   ------------------------------------
        
        "Dear lord..."

        The people in the control centre had seen the scene happen at each
 step.

        "It moved!  How did that happen?!" Maya muttered.

        "It took out the restraints on the right wall!  That was
 impossible!" exclaimed Makoto in amazement.

        Kouzou looked at the screen and closed his eyes for a moment.

        'It seems Gendou may have been right about him after all.'

                   ------------------------------------

        "That was impossible!" shouted Ritsuko.  "It simply can't do that!
 There was no entry plug inserted.  There's no power running into it!
 THAT COULDN'T HAPPEN!"  She was in shock, and still kneeling on the
 floor.

        "That was interesting," muttered Misato under her breath.  She
 started speaking aloud, but to herself.

        "How could it do that without anything interfacing with it, much
 less without power?  It doesn't make sense."

        She looked up and saw Shinji slowly bringing his arms down,
 staring at the Eva in amazement.

        Something in the back of Misato's mind told her this wasn't an
 accident.  "Was it trying to protect... him?"  She looked at the young
 man.  He seemed frightened, but oddly calm.

        She smiled.  "He CAN do it."

                   ------------------------------------

        "The Angel has ceased fire.  It is entering the city."

        "Tell all units to pull out immediately.  Cancel the operation."

        "Sir?"

        "I don't think they will be necessary now," Kouzou replied as the
 sounds of metal being displaced in the "cage" echoed softly through an
 audio only channel.

                   ------------------------------------

        Shinji stared at the machine before him.  It had saved his life.
 It had reacted the same way he had... he didn't understand it.  'Why
 did it save me?  How?' he wondered.

        But his thoughts were cut short.  He heard a small whimper coming
 from his right.  He looked over and saw Rei lying on the ground.  She was
 in serious pain.

        His eyes widened.

        'This is horrible.'

        He scrambled to his feet and ran over to her as fast as he could,
 at a speed that only a person under extreme pressure or in an urgent
 situation could accomplish.  He knelt beside her, reaching around her
 back and gripping her shoulder to help her sit up, holding her right arm
 to support her.  Her eye remained closed tightly, a reflex at attempting
 to bear the pain coursing through her body.  She was still breathing
 heavily, small cries escaping her lips, her teeth tightly clenched.
 Shinji looked at her for a moment, the only thought on his mind being his
 concern for her.

        'She can't be made to do this.  She'll kill herself is she tries,
 I know it.'

        He looked over at the Eva.  It wasn't moving.  He didn't know what
 to do.

        That was when he felt his right hand was somewhat wet.  He turned
 his head back to Rei.  He took his hand off of her arm and looked at it.

        It was covered in blood.  Hers.

        His eyes widened again.  A tight knot formed in his stomach.

        He couldn't let his father make her do this.  She needed help.

        He looked at her again.  She was suffering in pain, attempting to
 bear it but failing miserably.  The fall had made her injuries worse.
 She continued to whimper, unable to do much else.

        Shinji closed his eyes tightly, the images flowing through his
 mind.  His father abandoning him.  His arrival to Tokyo-3.  The Angel
 rampaging around the city.  The N2 explosion.  His first look at the
 Evangelion.  Rei injured, his father ordering her to pilot it... because
 he didn't want to.

        'The first lesson I taught you.  The way you should live your life
 so that your life shall be the way you wish to live.'  He heard his
 sensei's words echo through his thoughts.

        His voice was a hoarse whisper, meant only for himself to hear.

        "I mustn't run away.  I mustn't run away.  I mustn't run away.
 I mustn't run away."  He opened his eyes.  "I MUSTN'T RUN AWAY!"

        He looked at Rei one more time.  She had fallen unconscious in his
 arms.  The bleeding had stopped.  Nonetheless, the expression on her face
 looked more at peace, rather than the painful one which had dotted her
 face just moments before.  He felt the feeling of regret once more.

	'This is my fault... or is it my father's...'

        "I'm sorry," he whispered quietly.

	He looked up from the unconscious girl.

        "I'll do it," he said in a determined voice.  "I'll pilot it."

                   ------------------------------------

        Gendou looked on from above.  No one saw him, but he was genuinely
 smiling.

        'Of course he will... It's the way he is.'

        He glanced at the unconscious form of Rei in Shinji's arms.

        'I'm sorry...'

        He spoke up, his voice in its usual serious manner.  "Get the
 medical team back in here.  Have Rei taken back immediately."

        He opened a channel to the control centre.  He continued to speak,
 so that both the workers below and those in the control centre could
 here.

        "Cancel all orders to restart Unit One with Rei's profile.  We
 will be using the Third Children.  All maintenance workers leave the area
 immediately."

        With that, all the displays around him shut off.  He turned around
 and walked back towards the lift to the control centre.

                   ------------------------------------

        "You heard the Commander!  Everyone clear out of here!" shouted
 Misato.

        It seemed that she had decided to take control of the situation.
 That was enough for every maintenance worker in the room to clear out
 within a minute.

        Shinji watched as the doctors reentered the room, and placed Rei
 back on the hospital table.  They had wheeled her out quickly.

	'She seemed much more calm, at peace as they had taken her away.
 Is she going to be all right?...  What happened to her?'

        "Shinji?"

        He shook his gaze from the floor and his thoughts about Rei from
 his mind and looked up at Misato.  "Yes?"

        "Follow me.  We need to get you up to the plug."

        "Plug?"

                   ------------------------------------

        "You weren't kidding."

        They had taken a lift in the right wall up to a doorway near the
 ceiling of the room, somewhat higher than the window from which Gendou
 Ikari had stood behind.  They had walked out over a walkway affixed to
 the upper walls of the room, its origins from both the left and right
 wall.  However, at the center of the walkway, high above the Eva, a
 large obstacle entered the path, and was the purpose of the walkway
 altogether.  It was a large white tube, one of its further ends attached
 to a large hydraulic device, suspended in a long ways position parallel to
 the walkway, and directly over the center of the Eva, albeit higher up.
 Along the top of the tube, a section which was about half the tube's
 length, most of the width, and centered was mostly open; the portion of
 the tube which would have filled the gap was raised and slid back,
 suspended over the tube and yet still attached.  A red ring was painted
 around the circumference of the tube, a metre away from its apparent
 front.  About three metres away from its rear, a gold ring was painted
 around its circumference, small covered holes present along it.  Next to
 the gold ring and extending towards the plug's end for about a metre and
 a half, it was painted gray, although some circuitry was melded into that
 pattern.  On either side of the tube, the number '01' was printed across
 it in large black numbers which were as tall as the tube itself, about a
 metre away from the red ring.  The remaining end of the tube was shaped
 slightly different, its end somewhat of a bulb due to the thinning of the
 tube between the gray section and itself.  The hydraulic device was
 attached to a higher portion of the ceiling, and the bulb attached to the
 device.  Along the side of the tube which the two of them faced, another
 metre or so away from the painted '01' and about three eights of the way
 away from the tube's front, an emergency hatch large enough for someone
 to comfortably fit through and outlined in red was present.  Inside, on
 the floor of the tube just slightly further back than the hatch was a
 unit which filled up the width of the tube.  It was composed of a large
 chair, and a variety of controls extending from a rounded, hemispherical,
 and yet oblong metal structure protruding from the seat's front.
 Extending from the back of the seat was another metal structure, yet much
 larger in that it extended back into the tubes interior for about two
 metres.  The designations of the NERV logo, followed by "Evangelion",
 "01" and "2014" on subsequent lines were printed across its back.  The
 'plug' itself was extremely long, about the same length as the bridge
 Shinji had found himself on just moments before, and about the same
 height and width as his own height.

        "This is the entry plug.  It's an interface for the pilot of an
 Evangelion so that he or she can control."

        "It's big."

        "You noticed that too."

        "What... do I do?"

        "Just sit down."

        "I see."

        He moved towards the entry plug, but stopped as a hand came to
 rest on his shoulder.

        "Wait."

        "What is it?" he asked puzzled.

        Misato reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out two small
 devices.  They were identical to the ones that were in Rei's hair, except
 they had somewhat of a faint blue tint to them.  She handed them to him.

        "What are these?"

        "Neural enhancers.  They'll help you to synchronize with the Eva."

        "Synchronize?"

        "I'll explain it to you afterwards, all right?"

        "...All right."

        Shinji looked at the devices in his hands.

        'I don't understand what they do... but Misato must know what
 she's talking about.'

        He remembered how they had been placed on Rei's head and did the
 same.  He walked up to the edge of the entry plug and put his hands on
 the metal.  It was cold.  He carefully and quickly climbed up to the
 large opening on the top of the tube and lowered himself into the seat.
        
        He placed his legs around the metal structure on the base of the
 plug in front of him and looked around.  Before him were a set of
 controls.  Two handles were the most prominent thing set before him, in
 addition to a panel of buttons and switches.  There were a variety of
 small displays surrounding him, and a thin piece of glass to his side.
 A small network of extremely thin and nearly invisible wiring ran though
 it.  He noticed the same thing covering the orange-tinted walls of the
 interior of the entry plug entirely.  If the light of the room hadn't
 been shining in the plug, he never would have noticed.  Another display
 was affixed in the entry plug, a large digital clock of sorts.  It wasn't
 active, all the lines for the numbers darkened.

        "Misato, what is all this wiring for?" he asked, pointing to the
 glass panel and the inside of the plug.

        Misato pulled herself up and popped her upper body into the hatch.

        "They are used as displays.  They generate perfect images of the
 area seen by the Eva, giving the impression that you're actually there,
 as if you were in a cockpit rather than a sealed tube.  That," she said
 pointing to the panel, "is for communications with us."
 
        "Oh."

        It felt somewhat strange to be where he was.  Yet somehow it
 seemed... comfortable.

        "What do I do now?" he asked.

        "Just wait.  I'm going down to the control centre.  Once I get
 there, the hatch will close and the entry plug will be lowered into
 the back of the Eva in a few minutes.  Can you see the panels down
 there?"

        He carefully stood up in the seat and looked down through the
 platform grating to his side.  Sure enough, he could see the back of the
 Eva had panels placed on it which indicated that they were removable, and
 as such the location for the entry plug.  He nodded and sat back down.

        "Okay.  Just wait in the seat then.  I'll contact you as soon as
 I get there, all right?"

        He nodded.

        She half-smiled, then let go of the entry plug, dropped on to
 the walkway, and walked away.

        He stood up and looked out of the entry plug again.  He could hear
 a sucking sound emanating from outside the area he was in, and could
 visibly see the coolant level dropping.  The Evangelion was becoming much
 larger than how it had first looked.

        Shinji looked around again and sighed.  'What have I gotten into?'

                   ------------------------------------

        Ritsuko and Misato were silent.

        Ritsuko had had the boat removed from the premises and had quickly
 ordered the draining of the sea of coolant.  Misato had met her back on
 the platform in front of the Eva, the aptly named 'Umbilical Bridge'.
 The two of them quickly exited out the same door from which the doctor's
 had arrived, opposite of the one which Misato had used to bring Shinji to
 the entry plug.  They had taken the lift past the doorway which led to
 the walkway surrounding the room and leading to the entry plug, to the
 uppermost section, the ceiling above the Evangelion, and into a long
 hallway.  They walked by a lift leading directly into the Central Dogma
 area, the one which the doctors and Rei had come from, covered the gap
 between it and another lift, the same one which the elder Ikari had taken
 from the control centre.  Just off to their right was a small staircase
 which led into another larger hallway.  Although much shorter, it lead to
 the viewpoint over the Evangelion, where the elder Ikari had been seen
 earlier.  Further down was another lift leading into the right wall.  The
 hallway continued appeared to extend great lengths in both directions,
 but for some odd reason, abruptly stopped in both directions, sealed off
 by an oddly coloured metal wall.  They both stepped on to the lift and
 had begun the journey to the control centre.

        Ritsuko and Misato had been silent the entire time.  Misato
 decided to change that.

        "Ritsuko," Misato said.

        No answer.

        "Why did you lie to me?"

        No answer.

        "Damn it Ritsuko!"  She grabbed her friend by the collar of her
 coat.  Her voice was filled with anger, but was eerily calm.  "Why did
 you lie?"

        "I only found out a few hours ago.  I didn't have the chance since
 then."

        "Didn't have the chance?  You said in the lift that there were no
 pilots.  You had known.  You could've told me then.  You lied to me
 then."

        "I'm sorry," she said, a distracted look on her face.  She was
 looking away from Misato's face.  "I didn't want you to overreact."

        Misato tightened the grip on Ritsuko's collar.  "Overreact?  What
 did you think Ritsuko?  That I'd watch you tell him that he'd be the
 pilot and I'd just smile and nod in approval?"

        Ritsuko turned her head and stared directly into Misato's eyes.

        "No."

        Misato's voice softened and she let go of Ritsuko's collar.  "Why
 didn't you tell me?" she asked again.

        Ritsuko looked at her for a moment.  "Because I didn't want to see
 you hurt.  I've known you long enough to know what will bother you.  We
 both knew he would become a pilot.  It wasn't my intention for him to be
 thrown into it like this, or even to force him into it at all."

        Misato looked at her.  On this rare occasion, her friend wasn't
 using her higher rank to her advantage, or her down to business attitude.
 She was speaking as a person.

        "I guess it was nice," Misato started, "that he didn't decide to
 do it because of orders, or his father."

        "What do you mean?"

        "I'm surprised that you don't understand Ritsuko.  It's obvious.
 He's doing it because of Rei."

        Ritsuko nodded her head slightly.  "A proper reason, but he should
 be doing it for himself."

        "True, but he has to start somewhere, right?" she asked,
 hopefulness in her voice.  That soon switched over to admiration.  "And
 in a way, he is doing it for himself.  He's doing it because he wants to
 keep her safe.  That's his reason right now.  In time, he will have
 others."

        Ritsuko looked at her long-time friend.  'At times she can be one
 of the most go-lucky people in the world; as if she were still a teenager
 back in college.  And at other times... she's the wisest person I've
 ever met.'

        "...The Commander used her to get him to do it.  You know that,
 don't you?" Ritsuko asked her, back to her normal, down to business
 attitude.

        Misato's voice became colder.  "I know.  And she has no idea.  It
 makes me sick."

        "Perhaps she does.  But I doubt that would be her intention.  She
 would have piloted the Eva if Shinji hadn't stepped in."

        "..."

        "I don't like it either Misato."

        Misato's eyes widened for a moment.  She hadn't expected to hear
 that.

        Misato smiled.  Ritsuko did the same.  An understanding had been
 reached.

        Friendship isn't an easy thing to destroy.

                   ------------------------------------

        The lift appeared in the control centre, Misato and Ritsuko its
 passengers.  The two walked over to the main control area, the one
 centered on the ground before the gigantic display, where Maya, Makoto
 and Shigeru were.  Misato took up a stance behind Makoto.

        "What's our status?"

        "The unfreezing of Unit One has been completed.  All coolant has
 been drained from the area.  The binding for its right arm has been
 repaired.  It's in proper position for loading the entry plug."

        A glass display had risen up in front of Maya's workstation.  It
 was identical to the one in the entry plug.

        "Termination signal confirmed.  Plug is ready for entry."

        "Insert the entry plug," Ritsuko spoke.

                   ------------------------------------

        Shinji was startled as the section of the entry plug above him
 slid closed.

        "I guess we're starting."

        Outside the plug, the back of the Evangelion took on some changes.
 A panel attached to its head flipped upwards, followed by another panel
 attached to its back.  A hole shaped for the entry plug was present.

        Shinji felt the plug rumble as the machine which had been attached
 to the plug began to move, moving the plug off of its platform and into
 the air.  He also felt the plug changing position; it was doing a near 90
 degree rotation.

        He was going to fall.  He gripped the chair with all of his might.

        But the impact he expected never came.  Strangely enough, the
 momentary sensation he had felt that he would fall to the front of the
 plug disappeared.  And even though he knew he should be falling toward
 the ground, he found himself sitting in the seat as if he had never
 changed position, as if the plug itself had its own center of gravity.

        "This is so strange... what kind of illusion is this?"

        He suddenly felt a sensation of falling as the machine moved the
 plug downwards, until it had placed the plug an eighth of the way into
 the hole.  It detached itself from the plug, and moved upwards.  The
 mechanisms inside the Eva went to work along with the hydraulic device,
 pulling the plug all the way in.  Shinji heard the sounds of the panels
 of the Eva closing behind him

        He was inside it.

                   ------------------------------------

        "Begin the first connection," Ritsuko announced.

        "Connection completed," Maya replied.

        "Open up a video channel to Unit One," Misato said.

        Makoto looked out of the corner of his eye.  "It's being taken
 care of."

                   ------------------------------------

        The glass panel to his right suddenly lit up.  Both Ritsuko and
 Misato's faces were present, as well as those of people he hadn't met.
 It was a view of the area of the control centre where they were working.

        "Shinji, can you hear me?  Are you ready?" Misato asked.

        "Yes."

        "All right."  She nodded to Ritsuko.

        Ritsuko nodded back and looked at Maya.  "Commence LCL injection."

        'LCL?' Shinji wondered.

        The entry plug began to fill with a yellow liquid.

        "Huh?  What is this?  I'm gonna drown!"

        The LCL proceeded to rise above his legs, stomach, shoulders, and
 head, to the very top of the tube, but not before he had taken a very
 deep breath and held it.

        Ritsuko looked at him, then realized what was wrong.  "Shinji,
 don't worry.  It's breathable.  As soon as your lungs have been filled
 with the LCL, it will directly supply your lungs with oxygen.  It will
 take a little time to get used to it, but soon enough, you won't even
 notice it."  She paused.  "You should breathe before you pass out from
 lack of oxygen."

        Shinji, who had been turning blue at the time, let his breath slip
 out, and by reflex, inhaled a large amount of LCL.  He choked and coughed
 for a few moments, but then found he could breathe easily, although he
 found it somewhat peculiar, and the sensation on his skin also felt
 strange.  The smell was... odd.  It made him feel a little ill.

        "I feel nauseous," he muttered queasily.

        "Deal with it!" came Misato's reply.  "You're a man, aren't you?"

        "What does my gender have to do with anything?" he asked.

        Misato raised her hand, her mouth open... and said nothing.

        "Are the technicians at ground level?"

        "Yes Captain," came Shigeru's reply.  "They took the lift to the
 floor of the cage.  All equipment is in place.

        "Good."

        "Connect the main power supply.  Transmit power to all circuits
 upon contact," Ritsuko ordered.

        "Roger," came Shigeru's reply.

        Shinji felt the Evangelion rumble slightly.  Outside of the unit,
 a large block of metal, with a long, thick power cord running out of it
 had been attached to its back, on its spinal column.

        "Begin A-10 nerve connection."

        Shinji looked around him as the entry plug's size seemed to have
 suddenly grown to an immense size.  The walls of the entry plug had
 seemed to have moved away considerably in distance.  The walls around him
 glowed a variety of colours, followed by bursts of white lights.

        "Switch language logic to the default, Japanese.  Make sure all
 initial contacts are set."

        The white lights soon faded away to total darkness, instantly
 replaced by a view of the cage in front of him, or rather, the Eva.  He
 had a large view of the area extending for metres in all directions
 covering the majority of the area in front of him, and partially to his
 sides, spanning as much distance as the Eva's eyes and external sensors
 could take in.  Where the walls of the entry plug had been before, there
 was total darkness, but Shinji sensed (and felt as he reached out his
 arms) that the walls were still there.  As he peered closely, he could
 faintly see the yellow walls of the entry plug surrounding him, but it
 was near impossible to notice.  Behind him was darkness, though it seemed
 that the plug continued to extend.  The sensation was that he was in a
 much larger area than he really was.

        In the control centre, a variety of displays appeared on the glass
 panel in front of Maya.  One of them showed a large amount of small green
 blocks, a different code written on each appearing, one after the other.
 Another showed a display of wires in various shapes connecting to each
 other in different sequences.  A third showed an outline of the
 Evangelion's body, and a brief list of its systems next to it.  The
 outline filled with colour as each system came on-line.  A fourth display
 showed two jagged lines, as they became more rounded and straight, they
 began to come together.

        Maya glanced at the fourth display in amazement.  "Connecting
 the pilot to the Eva.  Bi-directional circuits are open."  The lines
 continued to fluctuate, becoming more rounded, and then soon overlapped
 each other in the same shape.  They stopped moving, and resembled a nerve
 pattern.

        "Oh my...  Already?"

        Ritsuko stared at the display, a smile spread across her face.
 "Outstanding.  His synchronization ratio with the Eva is at 41.3%!
 Without any training... truly incredible."

        Maya smiled at the display.  "All harmonics values are nominal.
 No anomalies detected."

        Ritsuko looked up at Misato, a positive expression on her face.
 "We can do this."  She sounded irregularly positive.

        Misato stared at her in amazement.  'This shouldn't have been
 possible!'

        "Very well.  Shinji?"

        "Yes?"

        "I'm going to switch to an audio only channel, all right?"

        "Yes."

        She waved her hand to Makoto, who worked at his control panel
 momentarily.  Moments later, "Sound Only" replaced the visual in the
 entry plug of the Eva.

        "Prepare to launch!"

                   ------------------------------------

        Outside of the Evangelion, the structure of the room began to
 change.  Large gates which had served as walls in front of and
 behind the Eva slid away.  Shigeru's and Makoto's voices could be heard
 alternating through the massive room, and through Shinji's connection in
 the Eva.

        "Release the primary lock bolts."

        Large hydraulic bolts which had been attached from the side walls
 rumbled and dislodged themselves from the Eva, extending outward to the
 exterior of the wall.

        "Primary lock bolts have been cleared."

        "Remove the umbilical bridge."

        The platform which had surrounded the Eva began to slide
 backwards, leaving a large distance between it and the Eva.  The
 technicians below made sure to keep out of the path of the equipment as
 they worked for its removal.

        "Umbilical bridge at a safe distance."

        "Release secondary lock bolts."
        
        Another set of bolts which had been attached to the Eva dislodged
 themselves.  The walls which had encompassed both of the Eva's arms and
 had served as passages slid away to the back and front of the room.

        "Secondary lock bolts have been cleared."

        "Remove the primary and secondary restraints."

        "Disengage safety locks one through fifteen."

        A multitude of wires detached themselves from the Evangelion's
 body.  Various clasps and metal panels which had held the Evangelion in
 position slid away in the direction of the lock bolts.  Around its feet
 and arms, metal panels which had been formed to act as shackles dislodged
 and slid away with other nearby components.

        The entire time, Shinji observed as each restraint was removed
 from the Evangelion, and the workers below handled the operation.
 Nonetheless, he could not get a perfect view of it.  He was very high up.
 He waited patiently in his seat, a determined look on his face.

        'I can do this.'

        'I have to.'

        '...I won't run away.'

        "The internal battery is fully charged.  Five minutes are
 available if needed."

        "The external power supply socket is operational.  There are no
 problems detected with either power source."

        Maya's voice broke through the procedures.  "Evangelion Unit One
 being transported to the launch pad."

        The Evangelion itself began to slide backwards, and then upwards
 at a slant once it had cleared the ceiling fixture over its head.  The
 room was even more enormous than Shinji had imagined.  He felt the
 Evangelion stop as its back reached the wall behind him.  He looked up
 to see a multitude of portals opening directly over his head.

        "Oh no."

                   ------------------------------------

        "Ejection path is ready.  Eva surface extension are in place.
 Status is green," Maya announced.

        "It's ready for launch.  At your command Misato," Ritsuko spoke.

        "I understand."

        She turned around to face Commander Ikari and Sub-Commander
 Fuyutsuki.  Gendou assumed his common pose behind the desk, his hands
 folded across his mouth and chin.  Kouzou assumed his stance, hands
 behind his back, staring at the display ahead.

        "It doesn't matter if it works or not, does it?"

        "Yes it does Captain," Commander Ikari replied, his calm voice
 heard by all.  "If it doesn't, then our future will end here."

        "I see."

        She turned around to face the display.

        Kouzou turned towards Gendou and spoke in a tone of voice which
 only the two of them could here.

        "Do you truly agree with how you choose to accomplish this?"

        Gendou smirked.

        "To be honest... I do not know.  At the moment, this is the only
 way possible.  We will leave it at that for now."

        Kouzou continued to stare at the display.  'What does he think?'
 he wondered.

        Gendou stared at the display, the Angel walking through the city.

        'If I'm concerned for his well-being... I do not know.  I do not
 intentionally wish him pain if that is the question.'

        Gendou remained silent, his thoughts brooding within him.  The
 silence in the control centre was broken instantaneously.

        "Launch Eva!" came the shout of Captain Misato Katsuragi.

                   ------------------------------------

        "Uuurrrrrrrrrggggggg..."

        Shinji struggled to keep his eyes open as he was propelled into
 the air at an amazing speed.  How fast or how far he was traveling he
 had no idea.  His only thought was to remain conscious.

        Within moments, with the sound of the platform he had ridden
 locking into place, and a brief jolt, he found himself at ground level.

        He looked directly ahead.  In the distance, the creature known to
 him only as an Angel walked from behind a building.  It stopped and
 looked at him.

        He looked back at it.  He was not scared.  He was not nervous.  He
 was there.  All thought emptied his mind as he stared at what would soon
 be his opponent.  His enemy.

        Thoughts briefly filled his mind as he remembered the day's
 happenings.

        Tokyo-3.

        The Angel.

        Misato.

        NERV.

        Ritsuko.

        The Evangelion.

        His Father.

        Rei.

        His expression became firm once more.

        'I can do this.'

        'I believe I can.'

        'I have to.'

        The thoughts flashed through his mind one more time.

        "I won't run away."

                   ------------------------------------

        From within the control centre, everyone looked on at another
 display, one which was much wider and served to give a view of the entire
 scene.

        At the right end stood the Evangelion, Unit One, staring straight
 ahead, still attached to the platform which had brought it to street
 level.

        At the left stood the Angel, in all its gore and gruesome
 splendor.  It did not move or act.  It observed the other.

        Tension filled the room.  Everyone locked eyes on the display
 before them.  They all knew what would soon come.

        "Shinji," Misato whispered quietly.

        "Good luck."

        She paused for a moment, and then smiled.

        "I know you can do it."

                   ------------------------------------

        Within the Evangelion, the audio channel to the control centre was
 still opened.  He had heard Misato's words crystal clear.

        Shinji sighed, and forced himself to smile.

        "I can do it."


 TO BE CONTINUED...

 -------
 [ENDING: Fly Me To The Moon - TV Size Version 1 - CLAIRE]
 -------

 MISATO:  Finding himself flung into battle out of his own will, Shinji
          fights the Angel and overcomes all danger!  Nonetheless, the
          memories of his dreadful experience remain clouded in his mind.
          A caring but quick to judge Misato takes him in as her roommate.
          Is this what they really need?  Shinji closes in on himself that
          first night, the thoughts of his recent experiences too much for
          him all at once.  Little does he realize that he doesn't have
          to be alone in his struggle.  It's all in the next episode,
          "Welcome Home to the Unfamiliar / The Beast".  Watch for it!

==========================================================================
==========================================================================

 AUTHOR'S NOTES:

        I'd better start from the beginning with my chapter numbering
 system.  Here's how it works:


   The First Book of Paths
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
   1

   Paths I - 1:1
         ^   ^ ^
         2   3 4

   Chapter 1 - A Welcoming / "First" Angel
           ^   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
           5   6


   1 = (BIBLE = Formal Book Title)
       The formal book title.  Basically, the full book title when
       read, rather than the abbreviated version. ("Paths I" in this case)

   2 = (BIBLE = Book Number)
       Book number (i.e.: "Paths I" is The First Book of Paths,
                          "Paths II" is The Second Book of Paths, etc.)
       This number will change when there is a MAJOR change to the series.
       Example, if the world blew up, that would definitely be a new
       book number... provided anyone survived. <g>  This number
       shouldn't change more than once by my reckoning, maybe twice.

   3 = (BIBLE = Chapter Number)
       The grouping number in that book.  This number changes when
       certain plot elements change, allowing me to group Chapters
       together under a common theme.  For example, say 5:1, 5:2, 5:3,
       all had something running strongly in it.  However, if the
       following chapter, a different strong plot element was introduced,
       it would be 6:1.  To simplify, think of how the Evangelion tapes
       were grouped in twos (0:1, 0:2, etc.), and the two Episodes had
       something in common.  This is like that, except time gaps between
       Chapters will be much smaller, if any.

   4 = (BIBLE = Verse Number)
       The Chapter number within the grouping.  For example, the first
       chapter of a grouping would be 1 (5:1), the second 2 (5:2), the
       third 3 (5:3), and so forth.

   5 = The official chapter number, for easy reference, and the best
       and easiest way to refer to this series.  Think of it as an
       Episode number.

   6 = The Chapter title.  I might be developing mid-chapter titles,
       but this is how it goes.  So far, I'm sticking to a double-title
       genre, which is how I prefer it.  Explains two main points, the
       theory of the episode.


        Also, you may have noticed that I occasionally make references
 to certain music pieces.  They would fall into place as the BGM
 (background music) for the scene.  Looking for reactions on this.  BTW,
 at this time, I can't remember the names of certain BGM. <embarrassed
 look>  Probably because I don't own the CDs. =P  That'll change in a
 week, so expect to see a v1.01 of Chapter 1 so I can insert certain
 references that I couldn't remember the names of.  Also, the version
 of Fly Me to the Moon will change (as I couldn't remember the official
 title for the version from Episode 1).


        I'll also quickly bring up another point: I'm a Canadian.  As
 such, I use the Canadian spellings of certain words (which is the British
 spellings).  No comments on the words "metre", "humour", "colour", or
 other words like that.  These aren't errors, and yes, I do know how to
 spell. =)


        Well, this certainly was a trial and a half.  I never knew that
 I'd end up designing a complete layout for Central Dogma in NERV
 Headquarters!  Let me rephrase that: I never knew I'd end up designing
 a complete layout for NERV Headquarters, period!  That certainly took
 time, patience, re-watching parts of Episode 1 over and over, and so
 forth.  Just like designing the blasted entry plug meant re-watching the
 introduction to Episode 5 over and over... *whew*  To be honest, detail
 and explanation on the structure of NERV and the Evas was never really
 covered that well in NGE, so now I have that monstrous task ahead of me
 whenever I have to explain location. <g>  It sure is interesting mind
 you...

        This, this certainly turned out to be much longer than
 anticipated for a Chapter, and truth be told, this will be the average
 size.  If you hate reading, I'm very sorry (then again, why are you
 reading this then?).  At any rate, I said this would be a long project.

        I wasn't kidding. ^_^

        Chapter 2 will bring on Shinji's battle with the Angel and his
 own internal battle to understand what happened to him.  Also, be
 advised that I've finally passed the point where I can really start
 throwing in plot twists (and yet remain true to my goal).  Let me put
 it this way: most fans of Evangelion should like the end of Chapter 2.
 I'll leave it to you to ponder that statement...

        Keep in mind that I am still set to certain criteria, but there
 will be addition.  For example, Chapter 3 won't have any episode related
 instances (if there are any, very few), because Chapter 3 will be a
 complete writing of my own.  Please remember, between the time Shinji
 arrived and the time of Episode 3, there was three weeks (and in that
 same episode, they say there was two weeks as well <g>, unless they meant
 he only started school a week after arrival...).  That's quite a gap
 to fill, isn't it?  Of course, keep in mind that the time line belongs
 to me now... <evil laugh>  Don't worry, I'll be back to Angels before
 you know it, but remember, the Angels aren't my largest concern at the
 moment.

        The beginning of "other paths" for the characters of Neon Genesis
 Evangelion has already begun.  Who's to say what can happen now...
 except of course, those plans of mine...

        At any rate, if there are any comments and/or criticisms, let me
 know ASAP.  I want to get this out to a public release ASAP.  The next
 installment will be as mentioned above, and fans of Evangelion can expect
 a little surprise.  Trust me, no one will see it coming until they read
 it.  Here's a couple of hints; it has nothing to do with new pilots or
 Evangelions, and it doesn't involve face lifting any of the current
 characters.  And no, Asuka isn't showing up!  I'll leave this for anyone
 to take a guess. <g>  Comments are welcome, but flames will be put out
 with the electronic equivalent of water.  Ja na!

==========================================================================

James Grabowski
    - sephirius@japan.crosswinds.net
    - http://www.crosswinds.net/japan/~sephirius
          - Click on "Anime Fanfiction" to get to the latest releases of:
            Neon Genesis Evangelion: Other Paths
            (becomes available with an RAAC release)

------------------------------------

"Man is descended from one alone.
 One way or another, we're all related.
 With this knowledge, the wall blocking the "truth" is destroyed,
 Leaving an opportunity that can be used to a positive advantage.
 One that can change man's perception forever,
 And consequently, prove the theorem wrong..."

"And now it becomes a reality."