The life’s work of the late Naoko Akagi had been the MAGI supercomputer system.
It was a trio of computers that she said represented three aspects of her personality, a scientist, a woman and a mother. Her reason for this decision had always been reasoned as three differing points of view could provide different solutions to various problems that Japan had.
Problems that ranged from the relatively mundane like the most efficient use of Japan’s utilities and transport infrastructure to the technically challenging, like the design, manufacture and maintenance of the Evangelion systems.
Due to the reduced resources of the post-Second Impact world, it had yet to be surpassed despite being ten years old. While there were limits on its physical hardware, it was still the best example of artificial intelligence ever created and still had a great deal of capacity for complicated problems.
Part of this was due to its decision to use a distributed network of computers for low security, low priority tasks. It was something that Gendo Ikari would approve of, given his distaste for what he considered to be the tedious inanities of everyday life.
The NERV Commander had often taken the attitude of “Let other people, the petty bureaucrats earn their pay dealing with such things: I have more important things to worry about†when it came to anything other than ensuring Instrumentality.
But the MAGI, spurred on by new knowledge gleaned from the Dead Sea Scrolls, was now looking into its new challenge. A challenge that would require the subtle manipulation of countless elements to shape the future of humanity.
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Impropagation
By Lord Raa
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Disclaim-me-do: This cup of tea and Eccles cake will restore England’s fortunes. I know it.
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Lieutenant Asuka Langley Sohryu was not happy about her superior’s attitude to the “boring details†of her job. She hated the paperwork as much as the next human capable of breathing, but that didn’t mean that she left it for as long as she could.
Major Misato Katsuragi was someone who Asuka would describe as a good person to know outside of work. She knew the good bars, the fast food places that were cheap but didn’t give you food poisoning.
The Major was able to keep a clear head in a crisis at work, too. Several times, Asuka had seen her formulate numerous strategies and innovative solutions during training exercises, all of them on the fly.
But it was fair to say that organisation was not Misato Katsuragi’s strong suit.
That was why Asuka was currently glaring daggers at the Major.
“Major Katsuragi, I can’t believe you haven't contacted this Shinji Ikari boy yet.â€
“I meant to, I just got waylaid. You know how busy we’ve been lately. These Evangelion combat doctrines don’t formulate themselves," the purple-haired woman replied, hoping to deflect the blame for her inattentiveness.
“Yeah, well the Commander asked you write to him weeks ago; I think he expected him here by now. You better phone him up and explain to him what’s going on,†Asuka advised.
“Who? The Commander or Shinji?â€
“I’d say whichever one means you don’t get into trouble. But if I was in your position, I think I’d go with Shinji. Phone him up, tell him to prepare a bag and bring him in to Tokyo-3.â€
“Yeah, I think you’re right, Asuka. I’ll phone him later.â€
“I’d phone him now, before the Commander asks any questions...â€
“Fine, I’ll do it now,†Misato said picking up the phone and dialling the first contact number listed for Shinji Ikari.
Asuka was about to leave when a thought occurred to her. “Hey, Major... the boy’s name is Ikari, right? Is he related to Commander Ikari?â€
The Major replaced the handset to her phone before picking up the file on Shinji Ikari. “Shinji Ikari... Mother: Yui Ikari, deceased. Father: Gendo Ikari.â€
“Doesn’t it seem weird to you that the Commander hasn’t contacted his son personally about this? I mean, piloting the Evangelion isn't exactly something you want to just fall into.â€
“Now that you mention it, it does seem a bit odd. But do you really want to talk to the Commander about his family life?â€
“Good point.â€
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Shinji Ikari was surprised to be called to the Principal’s office. While he wasn’t exactly a genius student, he wasn’t struggling with the workload he’d been assigned. And he certainly wasn’t the rebellious sort; he always kept his head down when there was trouble around.
Certainly after the incident with the bicycle that he’d found.
As he left the classroom, there were several questioning looks exchanged between his peers. As far as they were concerned, Shinji Ikari was reliably mediocre and unobtrusive. He was destined to be a salary-man in a large company one day.
He knocked onto the door of the Principal's office, waiting to be called in.
The Principal was a man approaching his sixties with a full head of grey hair.
“Ah, Ikari-kun, I'm sorry to interrupt your lesson, but you've got a phone call.â€
“Oh, ok, sir. I wasn’t expecting anyone to call me,†the teenager replied, slightly confused by the situation. He took the receiver. “Hello?â€
“¬Hello, is that Shinji Ikari?¬â€
“Yes it is, how can I help you?â€
“¬I’m Major Misato Katsuragi of NERV, and I’m calling you up to tell you that your presence is required in Tokyo-3.¬â€
“What? NERV? Tokyo-3? But why?†Shinji asked. “I don’t understand why anyone in NERV would want to see me.â€
“¬It’s a complicated situation. One that I can’t go into over the phone, but I need you to head home and pack your things. I’ll be heading over to pick you up later today.¬â€
“Oh, ok.†Misato hung up the phone and Shinji turned to the Principal. “I’ve been told to go home and pack my things and move to Tokyo-3. What should I do?â€
“Go home, pack your things and move to Tokyo-3,†the Principal answered. “NERV's authority supersedes that of the Education Department. They obviously need you in Tokyo-3 for something important. Do you know anyone in Tokyo-3?â€
“My father...†Shinji replied, unsure of what he should be doing. He hated the man, but he also wanted his approval.
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Asuka was standing Misato’s office, surprised at why she’d been called in.
“Something wrong, Major?â€
“You could say that. The Commander was a little bit upset that I didn’t tell Shinji about the need for him to come to Tokyo-3 earlier.â€
“How upset?â€
“Could have been worse – he was appeased a little by the fact that I’d already spoken with Shinji to tell him to prepare,†Misato answered. “However, he wanted him as soon as possible. And that means taking a VTOL out to pick him up.â€
“I’m not a VTOL pilot, why are you telling me this?†Asuka asked. “I had a few missions where I deployed from one, but that’s it.â€
“Yeah, I know. But the Commander said that he thought two friendly faces might be more convincing than just one. Since we’re uprooting him and everything.â€
The redhead sighed. “So, the two of us have got to play courier and bring in some miserable kid? Wouldn’t it be easier if we just picked him up from the train station?â€
“Yeah, but orders are orders, and the Commander said that this was of the utmost importance, Misato shrugged. “We leave in five minutes.â€
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It didn’t take Shinji long to pack a bag of his clothes – he didn’t have many outfits, just multiple sets of his school uniform and some casual clothes. The boxing up of his other possessions took only a little longer.
Ten minutes later, he looked over his spartanly decorated room for anything that he’d missed. He had the sheet music for his cello in a box, the cello itself was in its case.
All that was left was his mother’s SDAT player and the meagre collection of tapes he played through on heavy rotation. It was the only memento of her that he had, so he kept it with him whenever he could; though his school had rules prohibiting personal music players on school grounds.
Putting the player and tapes in his pocket, Shinji started to move his things to the front door. He had moved his clothes and was about to return to his room for cello when he heard the sounds of an aircraft approaching at low altitude.
Upon opening the door, Shinji was surprised to see a VTOL landing nearby, the backwash from the engines kicking up a small dust storm. Squinting, the young man was treated to the sight of a buxom woman with long, purple hair. She was dressed in a black, figure hugging dress that had a white trim around the collar. Over her dress, there was a short, red jacket that she adjusted as she walked up to Shinji.
“Err... can I help you?â€
“Hi, I’m Major Misato Katsuragi and I’m looking for you, Shinji Ikari.â€
“I... Ok... what can I do for you, Katsuragi-san?†the teenager asked, unsure of what to do in this situation. He saw another figure dismount the VTOL.
This figure was slightly taller than Misato and had red hair that gave her an exotic look. She was dressed in a black jacket, and a red skirt with matching blouse. As she approached, Shinji noticed that she looked less friendly than Misato did.
“So, you’re Shinji Ikari, are you?†the redhead asked.
“I am, yes...†Shinji swallowed nervously. These two women were both stunningly attractive and they not only knew his name, but they wanted him to go with them.
This was the stuff teenaged introverts’ fantasies were made of.
“I’m Lieutenant Sohryu and we’re here to escort you to Tokyo-3,†Asuka stated coolly. “Grab your things and load them onto the VTOL.â€
“Yes, right away,†the teenager nodded. He rushed up to his room to bring the rest of his belongings.
Misato turned to Asuka. “That wasn’t exactly friendly, you know.â€
“I’m not here to make friends, Major, I’m here to bring Shinji to Tokyo-3. Something you should have arranged weeks ago.â€
The purple-haired woman shook her head. “Look, Asuka, we need to tread carefully with this – we can’t just bundle the kid into a van and drive off with him.â€
“Really? I thought we were just hired goons,†Asuka deadpanned.
Shinji returned with his cello and box of sheet music. “I’ve just got to one more box and we can go.â€
“Hurry up,†the redhead said as she took the box from Shinji. “I think you know where we parked.â€
Misato frowned as Asuka left to stow the box onto the VTOL. She turned to face Shinji. “Sorry about Asuka, she’s not always this grumpy.â€
Misato’s phone rang. “Asuka?â€
“¬I said hurry up.¬â€
“Is that an order, Lieutenant?†The Major ended the call and rolled her eyes. “Like I said: she’s not always this grumpy; sometimes, she’s even grumpier.â€
Shinji smiled for a moment before heading back inside for the last of his important belongings.
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Shinji Ikari looked around him, taking in the grandeur of the installation he was being escorted around. To him, the design ethos of NERV Headquarters seemed be “you are insignificant compared to what is at stake here.â€
The young man found himself swallowing nervously as he was led to where his father wanted to speak to him, and not just because it had been four years since the two Ikaris had spoken.
It wasn’t just the armed men in uniform that made Shinji tense up. The views he, Major Katsuragi and Lieutenant Sohryu encountered as they crossed the Geo-front were jaw-dropping.
“S-so, what is it that you want me for?†Shinji asked, hoping to get some more information about the situation.
“You don’t know?†Asuka asked, mildly curious as to what had been divulged to the Commander’s son.
“I haven’t been told anything other than my father wants me in Tokyo-3,†the teenager answered.
“I see,†the redhead nodded. ‘It seems that the Commander isn’t the sort of person to reveal anything to people, regardless of how close he is to them.’
Major Katsuragi turned to look at Shinji. “A lot of what we do here at NERV is highly classified, Shinji. We have to be careful about what information is released to the public.â€
Shinji’s expression turned from one of mild confusion to utter bewilderment. “But I don’t understand what it is you think I could do to help you. There’s nothing special about me.â€
“I’ll say,†the redhead said dismissively. “Outwardly, no, there’s nothing special about you, Shinji Ikari. However, I’m told that there is something quite useful about you. Otherwise the Commander wouldn’t have asked for you to come here. He has no time for useless things.â€
“I see...†the teenager replied, turning his gaze to his feet.
Misato shook her head. Yes, Asuka was a talented and capable young officer, but she really did need to learn when to ease up on people.
The trio continued through the labyrinthine facility, the eerily similar corridors unsettled Shinji as he quickly lost track of where he was heading. They finally arrived at a door with some expensive looking security.
“Well, here we are,†Misato said as she swiped her ID card through the terminal.
Shinji watched the heavy, steel doors slide open to reveal the imposing form of Gendo Ikari. “F-father...â€
“I see that you’re finally here,†the bearded man stated. He shot a look over to Misato before returning his attention back to his son.
“W-what is it that you want from me?â€
Gendo gave a subtle gesture to an unseen technician.
The lights burst into life, illuminating the room behind the Commander and showing his son what was being kept secret.
A giant orange and white face stared down impassively upon Shinji, Misato and Asuka.
“Wait... you can’t be serious!†Asuka protested. “Are you really expecting Shinji to pilot this Evangelion?â€
“No,†the Commander answered. “He is to pilot Unit-01.â€
“What?†the redhead demanded. “What are you talking about?â€
“The three of you will attend a briefing in my office at 18:30,†Gendo replied. “I will explain things to you then, not before.â€
The bearded man turned on his heel and strode off, leaving everyone there in further confusion.
“So, you got any idea about what this is about, Major?†Asuka asked.
“Lots of things are classified, Asuka; not even I know all the technical details of Project Eva.â€
“That’s not very helpful,†the redhead replied through gritted teeth. “What can you tell me?â€
Misato rolled her eyes. Asuka’s brusque attitude could grow wearisome very quickly. “Be patient, Asuka. Commander Ikari will tell us what we need to know soon enough. I don’t know about you, but I want a cup of coffee before we start this briefing.â€
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Gendo Ikari sat impassively as he waited for everyone to settle down for the briefing he’d arranged.
Ritsuko Akagi had arrived with Kozo Fuyutsuki, the grey-haired man holding the door for the bottle blonde woman.
The Commander cleared his throat before starting the briefing.
“Today, our pilot, Shinji Ikari, arrived here in Tokyo-3. He will begin preliminary testing with Unit-00 in the morning. Akagi, do you have the file I asked to be prepared for him?â€
“Yes,†the blonde said as she handed a file with “Project Evangelion†on it to Shinji.
“T-thank you,†the teenager replied nervously. He blushed when Ritsuko smiled politely in reply.
‘He’s nothing like his father,’ the scientist noted.
“Read through that file, it will help you with tomorrow’s testing,†Gendo said matter-of-factly.
“Sir,†Asuka spoke up, “I was wondering why it is that you think Shinji can pilot the Evangelion?â€
“I shan’t go into the details now, but due to the nature of the technology behind the Evangelions, only people born after the Second Impact appear to be compatible with it. Extensive research was undertaken by the Marduk Institute to find suitable candidates for piloting and, as it happens, Shinji is the best option,†the bearded man answered. “Well, technically, he’s currently our only option. As for why we need Shinji to pilot it, there are details in the file he received.â€
It wasn’t lost on anyone there that Gendo Ikari had not directly addressed his son.
‘I guess that means we can rule out nepotism for why Shinji was picked to be the pilot,’ the redhead mused. She felt a little more sympathetic to the young Ikari. ‘It can’t have been easy having a man like that for your father.’
Not that Asuka had much experience with a traditional family structure.
Misato also felt sympathetic towards Shinji, her own relationship with her father had been difficult.
Shinji looked dejected. He’d suspected that his father had wanted him for something, rather than for a reconciliation. ‘Why would I think that he’s changed?’
“All of you, get some rest, we’ve got a busy day ahead of us tomorrow,†Fuyutsuki said, preventing Shinji from voicing his thoughts. “We cannot fail in our mission, humanity is depending on us.â€
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Misato looked at the address of the accommodation Shinji had been allocated and frowned.
“You really ok with living on your own, Shinji?â€
“It’s fine, really. I mean, I don’t want to be a bother,†the teenager replied.
“But won’t you get lonely?†the Major asked.
“I’m used to being alone,†Shinji insisted.
The exchange was annoying Asuka to the point where she rolling her eyes was no longer enough. “Leave him alone, Major. If he says that he can look after himself, then who are we to doubt him?â€
“How can you be so cold, Asuka? You heard the Commander – Shinji is the one who's going to be piloting the Evangelion. To force him to live alone like that would be inhumane!†Misato said with an impassioned voice.
“And your alternative solution is what, exactly?â€
“Well, he could live with one of us...â€
Asuka closed her eyes for a moment. “Let me get this straight, if you don’t want Shinji to live alone, then who is it that you want him to live with? And why?â€
“...†Misato was stumped by the Lieutenant’s point. It was clear to her that Asuka didn't think too highly of Shinji, so suggesting that he stay with the redhead was out of the question.
Offering to take him in had its own issues - she was a voluptuous woman, he was a hormonal youth. It didn’t take a PhD to see that there would be “accident†around the apartment. While Misato considered herself friendly and playful, she didn’t know how Shinji would react to her teasing him.
What if he thought she was serious and tried to kiss her? Or went even further? Who knew what kind of situation could arise from them living under the same roof?
“Err....â€
“Yeah, I thought so, too. Sorry Shinji, but you’re on your own,†Asuka stated.
“I told you, I’ll be fine,†Shinji repeated. “I don’t need anything fancy; just a bed to sleep in, a place to get clean and somewhere to cook.â€
“If you’re that worried about Shinji, why don’t you take him home, Major?†the redhead suggested.
“I suppose so,†Misato shrugged. “Hey, I’m the Major, you're the Lieutenant – I’m the one who gives the orders.â€
“You’re also the one with the personal transport. Unless you want to let me drive your car...â€
The purple-haired woman laughed. “As if I’m going to let you drive my car! I’ll make sure Shinji gets to his apartment safely!â€
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Misato helped Shinji carry his possessions to the apartment that had been arranged for him. The Major shook her head as she looked around the small residence.
It was neutrally decorated with white walls and synthetic flooring the colour of tatami matting. The furniture was most charitably described as functional, with its light colouring completed the rest of the decor to give the illusion of space.
“You really want to live here, Shinji?â€
“I don’t mind, Katsuragi-san, I’m used to spending time on my own,†Shinji replied cheerfully.
“But it’s so lifeless,†Misato replied. “Aren’t you going to be bored here?â€
The teenager shrugged. “I’ve got my cello.â€
Misato shook her head again. She was about to protest further, when Shinji followed up with a question.
“Even if I didn't want to stay here, who would I move in with?â€
That made the purple-haired woman drop the subject. She didn’t particularly want to have Shinji around her apartment. Sure, he seemed like a nice enough person, but it was a bit weird to invite him to move in with her after knowing him for an afternoon.
Asuka placed a great deal of value on her privacy, so the idea of a strange man in her apartment was a non-runner from the start. It would take one instance of Shinji seeing Asuka less than fully dressed and she’d throw him out. Possibly literally.
The only other roommate option for Shinji was his father. But if Shinji had been living away from the Commander for a number of years, then it would be highly unlikely for the two of them to reconcile overnight.
Misato’s relationship with her own father reminded her of that.
“Alright, Shinji, you’ve convinced me that you’re going to be OK on your own. I’ll send someone to pick you up tomorrow morning.â€
“OK, Katsuragi-san,†Shinji smiled as he saw the Major out of his apartment.
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After dinner and unpacking, Shinji finally sat down at the table in the kitchenette of his apartment. He looked at the folder that had been provided to help brief him on the situation.
He looked at the picture of him that was on the front page; it was from his school records. The teenager winced at the less than flattering photograph.
Shinji would never deny that he could do more to improve his appearance, but it was all too much of a bother for him. Being the most fashionable boy in school seemed rather pointless, especially since he had other things to spend his time on – keeping the house he stayed in tidy took up most of his time.
He read through the opening paragraphs, there was something about a “Marduk Institute†that meant nothing to him, followed by a brief biography.
Shinji Ikari:-
DOB: 06-June-2001
Blood Type: A
Mother: Yui Ikari
Father: Gendo Ikari
Place of Birth: Tokyo-2
Current Residence: Neo-Osaka
Shinji blinked, while he was hardly remarkable, to be distilled down to six points of basic information was a little disheartening.
‘At least it’s more than just a serial number,’ he thought with a sigh. Deciding to make himself something to drink, he placed the file on the table and stood up.
Five minutes later, he retook his seat and looked through the rest of the dossier.
‘¬Shinji Ikari is, to date, the only known candidate with the minimum requirements for the piloting of the Evangelion units. While further testing may reveal alternative pilot candidates, it is recommended that Candidate Ikari is brought in to NERV for training.¬’
“A pilot?†Shinji’s mouth dropped open. This was news to him – how could he have ever been considered a pilot? He’d never taken anything resembling an aptitude test, and while not a prime physical specimen, he certainly wasn’t a sickly child, so the doctors had never given him more than a cursory examination.
The ability to play a cello to a standard that didn’t make the listener want to beat you to death with your instrument was hardly proof that you could be trusted with something as expensive as an Evangelion.
At any rate, he still had no idea what an ‘Evangelion’ really was. A robot of some description hardly seemed appropriate, but that was all the information he had to go on.
The rest of the file seemed to have some kind of report on the results for tests that Shinji didn’t remember taking. Various graphs and charts with technical notation that meant nothing to him littered the pages.
Shinji reached for his tea and glanced at the page that showed a schematic of some kind of suit.
It had various sensors built into it for measuring heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. That looked interesting to the teenager, then he saw just how little room there was inside.
“It’s going to be skin-tight!†he exclaimed. “I’ll look like I should be in some kind of superhero show!â€
Shinji continued through the file but found no details as to how the Evangelion was supposed to be piloted. In fact, the dossier barely mentioned anything that might have been of use to him to explain what it was they expected him to do.
“I give up. I’m going to bed,†he decided.
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Misato Katsuragi had just parked up her car when her mobile phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was someone from NERV.
“Major Katsuragi here, what can I do for you?â€
“¬Major Katsuragi, this is Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki. I need you to make sure that Shinji is at NERV on time for tomorrow’s testing.¬â€
“What? Since when did I get demoted to taxi driver?†the purple-haired woman protested.
“¬This will only be for a few days, Major. Until Shinji gets properly orientated with Tokyo-3 and its transport system.¬â€
“Fine,†Misato sighed. “What time do you want me to pick him up?â€
“¬His training starts at 0900 sharp, Major. Plan your route accordingly,¬†Fuyutsuki said before ending the call.
Misato glared at the phone in her hand. “I need a drink.â€
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Shinji hadn’t slept well due to his unfamiliar surroundings. The bedroom felt confining despite it being having similar dimensions to his old room.
The walls with their neutral, utilitarian decoration made the place feel a little like a glorified prison. It certainly lacked a warmth that made you want to make it your home.
After a quick shower, Shinji was surprised to hear the doorbell ring and rushed to the door.
When he opened it, he saw Misato standing there, appraising him.
“Is this how you greet all your guests, Shinji?†she asked in a neutral tone. “What would the neighbours think if they knew that you answered the door half-dressed?â€
“I... I was just getting dressed,†Shinji insisted. “A few minutes ago, I was in the shower.â€
“I gathered that,†Misato smiled. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?â€
“What? Yes, sorry,†the young Ikari said, bowing apologetically. “Do you want something to drink?â€
“No time, Shinji, we need to get to NERV as soon as possible to start your training.â€
“Oh, I’ll be ready in a few minutes.â€
Misato nodded, idly musing that Shinji was going to need to bulk up soon. Otherwise, he’d never survive the physical training that had been planned in for him.
‘There’s more meat on a butcher’s pencil,’ the Major noted.
A minute later, Shinji was ready to leave for NERV. “I... what about breakfast, Major Katsuragi?â€
“If we get going now, and there’s not too much traffic, we can get something at NERV.â€
“Oh, OK.â€
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Asuka looked at Misato and Shinji as they walked into the briefing room.
“Good morning, Major Katsuragi,†the redhead’s smile was pleasant enough, though her tone wasn’t as friendly as Misato’s had been during the drive in.
“Morning, Asuka,†Misato replied, continuing on to where the coffee pot was.
“G-good morning, Lieutenant Sohryu,†Shinji said nervously.
“Morning, Shinji. Take a seat and we can begin.â€
“What about breakfast?â€
“You should have eaten before you left.â€
“I didn’t know what time you were going to pick me up,†Shinji whined. “Nobody tells me anything.â€
“Get used to that, kid,†the Lieutenant replied as she opened up her folder. “Oh, and here’s some free advice: don’t whine so much.â€
“You don’t have to be so grumpy all the time, Asuka,†Misato chided as she took her seat at the table.
“I’m not grumpy, Major, I’m acting in a professional manner. There is a difference,†Asuka said as she clicked the ballpoint pen in her hand. “Now, Shinji Ikari, believe it or not, you’ve been psychologically tested for several months now.â€
“I have?†Shinji asked, blinking in surprise.
“According to this file you have. Looking at the results before me, I can’t say that I’m impressed. However, pilots are not selected on psychological profiles alone. Otherwise we’d have professional soldiers in the entry plug.â€
The teenager slumped slightly.
Asuka ignored the change in Shinji’s body language and continued. “The Evangelion is a biomechanical construct, it represents the pinnacle of human ingenuity and technical expertise. It’s also very expensive, so don’t break it.â€
“Break it? I don’t even know what it looks like!†Shinji protested. “I only saw its face yesterday, so how can you expect me to pilot it?â€
“Thankfully, we’ve got some time to familiarise yourself with the systems,†Misato smiled reassuringly.
“Yes,†the redhead nodded. “I dread to think what it would be like if we just dumped you in the entry plug and told you to fight a monster.â€
“Why do you have to be so negative, Asuka?†the Major asked, shaking her head in disbelief.
“OK, since you insist, Major. Shinji, my job is to make you into a pilot who can stop something the likes of which you can’t comprehend. It would be nice to have trained you from an early age, but that wasn’t possible. I don’t know the details of the Marduk Institute or how it compiles its reports,†Asuka explained. “All I know is that you were revealed to be the best candidate for piloting the Evangelion a few weeks ago.â€
“Oh...†Shinji swallowed nervously.
“And that’s brought you up to date with your situation. As for piloting, well, you’ll need to be measured up for a plugsuit. I gather they’re tight-fitting. Once we’ve gotten you in a plugsuit, we’ll head over to the test area.â€
Misato nodded before continuing the briefing. “There, we’ll put you in the simulator. It’ll get you used to the control systems, including something that’s unusual – you’ll be immersed in something called LCL, it’ll help you interface with the systems. It also smells like blood.â€
“A liquid?â€
“I know, Shinji, I’ve never encountered anything like that before, but it is necessary for the neural connections,†Asuka replied. “This is technology so advanced, it borders on science fiction. We are developing it as we go, so there will be refinements in the coming weeks and months.â€
Shinji nodded out of reflex. He didn’t really understand what was going on and he thought that they were making a terrible mistake, but they seemed to be sure of themselves.
Misato continued the outline for the day. “Once you’ve started to familiarise yourself with the control systems, we’ll break for lunch. After that, we’ll move onto the next stage: calibrations.â€
“Calibrations?†the teenager repeated.
“Yes, so we can prepare for the synchronisation testing. If all goes to plan, we could find ourselves starting the preliminary tests this afternoon. If not, then it’ll be first thing tomorrow morning,†Asuka explained. “Now, let’s get you fitted for your plugsuit.â€
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“It’s perfectly natural for Shinji to be self-conscious about his body, he is going through puberty,†Misato said as Asuka let out a sigh.
The pair were waiting outside the changing room as Shinji was being measured for his plugsuit.
“I know, Major,†the redhead replied. “And I’m not trying to beat Shinji into submission by being an uncaring bitch.â€
“But?â€
“But we’re soldiers. We’ve been through the training; we’re capable of putting two pistol rounds in the forehead of a man at 50 metres and surviving out in the wilds. And we’re being pushed aside for some kid to pilot something we don’t even fully understand. Are you trying to tell me that you’re comfortable with that?â€
“No,†Misato answered truthfully. “But what other choice do we have? We need the Evangelion and the only way we can use it is for Shinji to pilot. I, too, would have preferred it if we could’ve had an older pilot, but we’ve got to play the hand we’ve been dealt.â€
“I know, Major,†said Asuka. “I think we’re doing the right thing by fighting instead of rolling over. I just wish we didn’t have to rely on one insecure teenager. He’s going to break if we’re not careful.â€
The purple-haired woman smirked as a thought occurred to her. “What’s this, Asuka, are you warming up to Shinji’s charms? Don’t tell me you’re starting to care about Shinji Ikari...â€
“No,†the Lieutenant said coldly. After a moment, her eyes took on a mischievous glint. “Just concerned that he could snap while he’s in control of most powerful weapon in Tokyo-3 and destroy our city. Including your lovely car.â€
Misato rolled her eyes at Asuka’s comment. Yes, she cared about her Renault Alpine but it wasn’t the only thing she cared about. Admittedly, the only other things that sprang to mind were beer and spicy food, but her car wasn’t the be all and end all to Misato’s life.
“Your concerns are noted, Lieutenant Sohryu,†the Major drawled.
The door opened, cutting off any further discussion. Out stepped Shinji, dressed in a blue and white plugsuit.
“I... this isn’t very comfortable,†the teenager replied as he tried to adjust the tight-fitting garment. “I’ve never worn anything like this before.â€
Misato appraised Shinji, noting the way the plugsuit clung to his body. ‘Shame only Shinji can pilot the Eva. Putting a male soldier in one of those suits could prove interesting...’
“Let’s get going, shall we?†Asuka asked, trying not to think about how if she was able to pilot the Evangelion, she’d be forced to wear something that looked like thinly disguised fetish wear. ‘I would look good in it though.’
@@@@@
Shinji didn’t know what to make of the controls for the Evangelion. He knew that they could be complicated, given the way Misato and Asuka talked about the Evangelion project. If piloting an aircraft was challenging, then what about a walking, bipedal robot?
He had half expected a wall of toggle switches, dials and various buttons to be laid out in front of him. When he saw the simplified layout, a few things did make sense.
The Evangelions were designed for combat, so automating certain controls, like the balance systems, would free up a pilot to focus on things like prioritising targets, and avoiding incoming fire.
Shinji sat down on the chair, his legs separated by a console. There was a pedal for each foot and a pistol grip control stick for each hand. He was slightly intimidated, but he didn’t feel overwhelmed by everything.
“O-OK, what do you want me to do first?†he asked.
Misato replied over the comm. system. “¬Shinji, basically, we’re going to go with a hand-eye coordination game. The display will tell you what control it wants you to operate and you’ll have five seconds to press the button, move the control stick or whatever it tells you before the next instruction comes on the screen.
“¬After a few minutes of this, it’ll reduce the time between instructions. Think of it as gaining a difficulty level. We’ll keep doing this until you can get your reaction time to less than a second on all the controls.¬â€
“¬Oh, and the sequences will be random, so don’t think you’ll be able to get it right from pattern recognition,¬†Asuka added over the intercom.
“OK,†Shinji nodded. “I think I can do this.â€
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Asuka looked at the results of Shinji’s hand-eye coordination testing.
“So, what do you think, Asuka?†Misato asked as she refilled her coffee mug.
“Not bad, not bad at all.â€
Rolling her eyes, the Major leant over to point out that Shinji was actually doing really well with the exercise. “See, he’s got a 94 percent accuracy already. Why do you have to be so hard on him?â€
“Fine, we’ll do it your way,†the redhead sighed. She hit the talk button on the intercom. “Shinji, your results are good. We’re going to break for lunch.â€
“¬OK,¬†the teenager replied happily.
Asuka took her hand off the talk button and turned to Misato. “Doesn’t he seem a bit too happy about that encouragement? Like he’s really needy?â€
“You’re imagining things, Asuka,†the purple-haired woman insisted. “Shinji’s just nervous about things. You’d be nervous too if you were in his position.â€
“I get the feeling that it’s more than just nerves.â€
@@@@@
Gendo Ikari sat alone in his office. He was quietly contemplating the direction of his plan and what the alternative scenarios could have been.
‘Sohryu would make a good pilot. She’s intelligent, brave and can follow orders. Her desire to prove herself would prove a valuable asset; not just as a pilot, but also as a means to control her.’
The bearded man considered this scenario and wondered if the unpleasantness of having an arrogant teenager trying to prove her worth all the time was better or worse than just relying on Shinji to stop the Angels.
‘If only the clones hadn’t failed...’
Gendo had hoped that Project Rei would have given him another piloting option. Had it been a success, there would have been a number of spare pilots. It was expected that only one clone could be active at any one time and that each successive activation would have reduced the capabilities of the clones, but it would have given NERV an option in the event that Shinji was incapacitated or needed assistance on a mission.
Instead, it seemed that Shinji Ikari, the son Gendo abandoned, was the last chance of defeating the Angels.
The Commander looked at the raw data from the early tests that Shinji had taken part in that morning. The young Ikari’s hand-eye co-ordination was enough to warrant continuing the tests after lunch.
‘It seems that his cello playing has come in useful,’ Gendo noted, recalling a fact from Shinji’s dossier. He paused for a moment. ‘How much control do I have over Shinji? Intimidation will only go so far. Even if he doesn’t realise how much he is needed, others will mention it; possibly to him.
‘I may require an additional method of control.’
@@@@@
Shinji’s first experience with LCL was unsettling. It was tinted, but clear enough for him to see through without any serious problems. What unsettled the teenager was the smell of blood.
Shinji may not have had the same amount of experience as some of his sportier peers, but he still recognised the smell of blood.
“¬Just relax, Shinji, Misato instructed through the intercom. “¬It’s easier if you breathe normally.¬â€
“OK, I can do this,†the teenager said, mainly to himself as the level of LCL reached his neck.
The entry plug quickly filled up, and the liquid forced its way into Shinji’s lungs, causing him to cough violently in surprise.
@@@@@
In the control room, Asuka looked on impassively. She was taking Misato’s words about not being so harsh on Shinji to heart, and consequently she wasn’t voicing her opinion.
Misato was about to make a teasing comment on the need for Shinji to man up when she noticed that Asuka wasn’t complaining. Instead, it was the redhead who was the recipient.
“What’s this? Are you finally understanding how difficult this is for Shinji?â€
Asuka rolled her eyes. “Yes, Major Katsuragi. The scales have fallen from my eyes and now I finally see what manner of hardships Pilot Ikari is going through in order to save humanity.â€
“There’s no need for sarcasm, Asuka!â€
“Now who’s being sarcastic?†the redhead sniped back. “Let’s see if we can get Shinji synchronised today.â€
The technicians running the test wisely remained silent as they initiated the start up procedure.
@@@@@
Inside the entry plug, various screens flickered into life. They displayed numbers that made no sense to Shinji. After a few moments, he guessed that they related to various statuses of the Evangelion systems.
It seemed that everything was reaching the minimum operating conditions, then the intercom barked into life with Misato and Asuka giving orders.
A humming sound washed through the entry plug, increasing Shinji’s tension levels further.
“¬Shinji’s heart rate just jumped to 110,¬†an unknown male voice declared.
“¬Shit. Shinji, it’s me, Major Katsuragi, I need you to remain calm, OK?¬â€
“Y-yes, I’ll try,†the teenager replied.
@@@@@
Back in the control room, Misato looked anxiously at the numbers being displayed before her.
“His heart rate’s not going down. And yeah, I know that it’s not ideal, Asuka,†the purple-haired woman said, not turning to face her subordinate.
‘Now you understand my concerns about using a teenager in this thing,’ Asuka thought. ‘How can we get Shinji to calm down before he has a heart attack? Wait, earlier...’
“Major, I think you should try to reach out to Shinji. Talk to him, let him call you by your first name.â€
Misato turned to face Asuka. “You really think that’ll help?â€
“He seemed a bit needy earlier. Reaching out to him might help him focus. I’m not saying you should offer to take him out on a date, just make nice.â€
“Best idea we’ve had so far... Shinji, it’s me, Misato.â€
“¬Major Katsuragi?¬â€
“Please, call me Misato,†the purple-haired woman said, a small amount of friendliness seeping into her voice. “We are going to be working together, after all. Now, Shinji, I need you to relax. Breathe deeply.â€
“¬OK, Misato-san.¬â€
When Shinji’s stress levels lowered slightly, Misato turned to Asuka. “Good catch, Asuka.â€
The redhead nodded in acknowledgement before turning her attention back to the task at hand. “Shinji, we’re about to start the next phase.â€
“¬OK, Lieutenant Sohryu.¬â€
Misato blinked. “How come Shinji has to call you by your last name?â€
“Fine,†Asuka muttered before hitting the intercom. “Shinji, you can call me Asuka if you like. We’re going to be working closely together, after all.â€
“¬If you want me to, Asuka-san.¬â€
“Right, now that we’re all on first name terms, can we please get to the next part of the test?†the redhead asked with a forced politeness. “Initiating neural connections!â€
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Yes, some of this will feel familiar if you were unfortunate enough to ever read Scissors, Paper, Stone.
However, I have a different idea that I want to explore and I have my reasons for reusing what I'd written before.
Laziness is probably the biggest reason, but there are others.
The major changes to NGE setting that you should be aware of/have picked up upon already:
1) Asuka is older.
2) There is no Rei
3) The MAGI are possibly a little more advanced than canon.
4) Expect less soul-crushing misery for Shinji.
Also, the title is a pun that will become clearer once you get to the next chapter, assuming that you want more of this nonsense.
It was a trio of computers that she said represented three aspects of her personality, a scientist, a woman and a mother. Her reason for this decision had always been reasoned as three differing points of view could provide different solutions to various problems that Japan had.
Problems that ranged from the relatively mundane like the most efficient use of Japan’s utilities and transport infrastructure to the technically challenging, like the design, manufacture and maintenance of the Evangelion systems.
Due to the reduced resources of the post-Second Impact world, it had yet to be surpassed despite being ten years old. While there were limits on its physical hardware, it was still the best example of artificial intelligence ever created and still had a great deal of capacity for complicated problems.
Part of this was due to its decision to use a distributed network of computers for low security, low priority tasks. It was something that Gendo Ikari would approve of, given his distaste for what he considered to be the tedious inanities of everyday life.
The NERV Commander had often taken the attitude of “Let other people, the petty bureaucrats earn their pay dealing with such things: I have more important things to worry about†when it came to anything other than ensuring Instrumentality.
But the MAGI, spurred on by new knowledge gleaned from the Dead Sea Scrolls, was now looking into its new challenge. A challenge that would require the subtle manipulation of countless elements to shape the future of humanity.
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Impropagation
By Lord Raa
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Disclaim-me-do: This cup of tea and Eccles cake will restore England’s fortunes. I know it.
@@@@@
Lieutenant Asuka Langley Sohryu was not happy about her superior’s attitude to the “boring details†of her job. She hated the paperwork as much as the next human capable of breathing, but that didn’t mean that she left it for as long as she could.
Major Misato Katsuragi was someone who Asuka would describe as a good person to know outside of work. She knew the good bars, the fast food places that were cheap but didn’t give you food poisoning.
The Major was able to keep a clear head in a crisis at work, too. Several times, Asuka had seen her formulate numerous strategies and innovative solutions during training exercises, all of them on the fly.
But it was fair to say that organisation was not Misato Katsuragi’s strong suit.
That was why Asuka was currently glaring daggers at the Major.
“Major Katsuragi, I can’t believe you haven't contacted this Shinji Ikari boy yet.â€
“I meant to, I just got waylaid. You know how busy we’ve been lately. These Evangelion combat doctrines don’t formulate themselves," the purple-haired woman replied, hoping to deflect the blame for her inattentiveness.
“Yeah, well the Commander asked you write to him weeks ago; I think he expected him here by now. You better phone him up and explain to him what’s going on,†Asuka advised.
“Who? The Commander or Shinji?â€
“I’d say whichever one means you don’t get into trouble. But if I was in your position, I think I’d go with Shinji. Phone him up, tell him to prepare a bag and bring him in to Tokyo-3.â€
“Yeah, I think you’re right, Asuka. I’ll phone him later.â€
“I’d phone him now, before the Commander asks any questions...â€
“Fine, I’ll do it now,†Misato said picking up the phone and dialling the first contact number listed for Shinji Ikari.
Asuka was about to leave when a thought occurred to her. “Hey, Major... the boy’s name is Ikari, right? Is he related to Commander Ikari?â€
The Major replaced the handset to her phone before picking up the file on Shinji Ikari. “Shinji Ikari... Mother: Yui Ikari, deceased. Father: Gendo Ikari.â€
“Doesn’t it seem weird to you that the Commander hasn’t contacted his son personally about this? I mean, piloting the Evangelion isn't exactly something you want to just fall into.â€
“Now that you mention it, it does seem a bit odd. But do you really want to talk to the Commander about his family life?â€
“Good point.â€
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Shinji Ikari was surprised to be called to the Principal’s office. While he wasn’t exactly a genius student, he wasn’t struggling with the workload he’d been assigned. And he certainly wasn’t the rebellious sort; he always kept his head down when there was trouble around.
Certainly after the incident with the bicycle that he’d found.
As he left the classroom, there were several questioning looks exchanged between his peers. As far as they were concerned, Shinji Ikari was reliably mediocre and unobtrusive. He was destined to be a salary-man in a large company one day.
He knocked onto the door of the Principal's office, waiting to be called in.
The Principal was a man approaching his sixties with a full head of grey hair.
“Ah, Ikari-kun, I'm sorry to interrupt your lesson, but you've got a phone call.â€
“Oh, ok, sir. I wasn’t expecting anyone to call me,†the teenager replied, slightly confused by the situation. He took the receiver. “Hello?â€
“¬Hello, is that Shinji Ikari?¬â€
“Yes it is, how can I help you?â€
“¬I’m Major Misato Katsuragi of NERV, and I’m calling you up to tell you that your presence is required in Tokyo-3.¬â€
“What? NERV? Tokyo-3? But why?†Shinji asked. “I don’t understand why anyone in NERV would want to see me.â€
“¬It’s a complicated situation. One that I can’t go into over the phone, but I need you to head home and pack your things. I’ll be heading over to pick you up later today.¬â€
“Oh, ok.†Misato hung up the phone and Shinji turned to the Principal. “I’ve been told to go home and pack my things and move to Tokyo-3. What should I do?â€
“Go home, pack your things and move to Tokyo-3,†the Principal answered. “NERV's authority supersedes that of the Education Department. They obviously need you in Tokyo-3 for something important. Do you know anyone in Tokyo-3?â€
“My father...†Shinji replied, unsure of what he should be doing. He hated the man, but he also wanted his approval.
@@@@@
Asuka was standing Misato’s office, surprised at why she’d been called in.
“Something wrong, Major?â€
“You could say that. The Commander was a little bit upset that I didn’t tell Shinji about the need for him to come to Tokyo-3 earlier.â€
“How upset?â€
“Could have been worse – he was appeased a little by the fact that I’d already spoken with Shinji to tell him to prepare,†Misato answered. “However, he wanted him as soon as possible. And that means taking a VTOL out to pick him up.â€
“I’m not a VTOL pilot, why are you telling me this?†Asuka asked. “I had a few missions where I deployed from one, but that’s it.â€
“Yeah, I know. But the Commander said that he thought two friendly faces might be more convincing than just one. Since we’re uprooting him and everything.â€
The redhead sighed. “So, the two of us have got to play courier and bring in some miserable kid? Wouldn’t it be easier if we just picked him up from the train station?â€
“Yeah, but orders are orders, and the Commander said that this was of the utmost importance, Misato shrugged. “We leave in five minutes.â€
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It didn’t take Shinji long to pack a bag of his clothes – he didn’t have many outfits, just multiple sets of his school uniform and some casual clothes. The boxing up of his other possessions took only a little longer.
Ten minutes later, he looked over his spartanly decorated room for anything that he’d missed. He had the sheet music for his cello in a box, the cello itself was in its case.
All that was left was his mother’s SDAT player and the meagre collection of tapes he played through on heavy rotation. It was the only memento of her that he had, so he kept it with him whenever he could; though his school had rules prohibiting personal music players on school grounds.
Putting the player and tapes in his pocket, Shinji started to move his things to the front door. He had moved his clothes and was about to return to his room for cello when he heard the sounds of an aircraft approaching at low altitude.
Upon opening the door, Shinji was surprised to see a VTOL landing nearby, the backwash from the engines kicking up a small dust storm. Squinting, the young man was treated to the sight of a buxom woman with long, purple hair. She was dressed in a black, figure hugging dress that had a white trim around the collar. Over her dress, there was a short, red jacket that she adjusted as she walked up to Shinji.
“Err... can I help you?â€
“Hi, I’m Major Misato Katsuragi and I’m looking for you, Shinji Ikari.â€
“I... Ok... what can I do for you, Katsuragi-san?†the teenager asked, unsure of what to do in this situation. He saw another figure dismount the VTOL.
This figure was slightly taller than Misato and had red hair that gave her an exotic look. She was dressed in a black jacket, and a red skirt with matching blouse. As she approached, Shinji noticed that she looked less friendly than Misato did.
“So, you’re Shinji Ikari, are you?†the redhead asked.
“I am, yes...†Shinji swallowed nervously. These two women were both stunningly attractive and they not only knew his name, but they wanted him to go with them.
This was the stuff teenaged introverts’ fantasies were made of.
“I’m Lieutenant Sohryu and we’re here to escort you to Tokyo-3,†Asuka stated coolly. “Grab your things and load them onto the VTOL.â€
“Yes, right away,†the teenager nodded. He rushed up to his room to bring the rest of his belongings.
Misato turned to Asuka. “That wasn’t exactly friendly, you know.â€
“I’m not here to make friends, Major, I’m here to bring Shinji to Tokyo-3. Something you should have arranged weeks ago.â€
The purple-haired woman shook her head. “Look, Asuka, we need to tread carefully with this – we can’t just bundle the kid into a van and drive off with him.â€
“Really? I thought we were just hired goons,†Asuka deadpanned.
Shinji returned with his cello and box of sheet music. “I’ve just got to one more box and we can go.â€
“Hurry up,†the redhead said as she took the box from Shinji. “I think you know where we parked.â€
Misato frowned as Asuka left to stow the box onto the VTOL. She turned to face Shinji. “Sorry about Asuka, she’s not always this grumpy.â€
Misato’s phone rang. “Asuka?â€
“¬I said hurry up.¬â€
“Is that an order, Lieutenant?†The Major ended the call and rolled her eyes. “Like I said: she’s not always this grumpy; sometimes, she’s even grumpier.â€
Shinji smiled for a moment before heading back inside for the last of his important belongings.
@@@@@
Shinji Ikari looked around him, taking in the grandeur of the installation he was being escorted around. To him, the design ethos of NERV Headquarters seemed be “you are insignificant compared to what is at stake here.â€
The young man found himself swallowing nervously as he was led to where his father wanted to speak to him, and not just because it had been four years since the two Ikaris had spoken.
It wasn’t just the armed men in uniform that made Shinji tense up. The views he, Major Katsuragi and Lieutenant Sohryu encountered as they crossed the Geo-front were jaw-dropping.
“S-so, what is it that you want me for?†Shinji asked, hoping to get some more information about the situation.
“You don’t know?†Asuka asked, mildly curious as to what had been divulged to the Commander’s son.
“I haven’t been told anything other than my father wants me in Tokyo-3,†the teenager answered.
“I see,†the redhead nodded. ‘It seems that the Commander isn’t the sort of person to reveal anything to people, regardless of how close he is to them.’
Major Katsuragi turned to look at Shinji. “A lot of what we do here at NERV is highly classified, Shinji. We have to be careful about what information is released to the public.â€
Shinji’s expression turned from one of mild confusion to utter bewilderment. “But I don’t understand what it is you think I could do to help you. There’s nothing special about me.â€
“I’ll say,†the redhead said dismissively. “Outwardly, no, there’s nothing special about you, Shinji Ikari. However, I’m told that there is something quite useful about you. Otherwise the Commander wouldn’t have asked for you to come here. He has no time for useless things.â€
“I see...†the teenager replied, turning his gaze to his feet.
Misato shook her head. Yes, Asuka was a talented and capable young officer, but she really did need to learn when to ease up on people.
The trio continued through the labyrinthine facility, the eerily similar corridors unsettled Shinji as he quickly lost track of where he was heading. They finally arrived at a door with some expensive looking security.
“Well, here we are,†Misato said as she swiped her ID card through the terminal.
Shinji watched the heavy, steel doors slide open to reveal the imposing form of Gendo Ikari. “F-father...â€
“I see that you’re finally here,†the bearded man stated. He shot a look over to Misato before returning his attention back to his son.
“W-what is it that you want from me?â€
Gendo gave a subtle gesture to an unseen technician.
The lights burst into life, illuminating the room behind the Commander and showing his son what was being kept secret.
A giant orange and white face stared down impassively upon Shinji, Misato and Asuka.
“Wait... you can’t be serious!†Asuka protested. “Are you really expecting Shinji to pilot this Evangelion?â€
“No,†the Commander answered. “He is to pilot Unit-01.â€
“What?†the redhead demanded. “What are you talking about?â€
“The three of you will attend a briefing in my office at 18:30,†Gendo replied. “I will explain things to you then, not before.â€
The bearded man turned on his heel and strode off, leaving everyone there in further confusion.
“So, you got any idea about what this is about, Major?†Asuka asked.
“Lots of things are classified, Asuka; not even I know all the technical details of Project Eva.â€
“That’s not very helpful,†the redhead replied through gritted teeth. “What can you tell me?â€
Misato rolled her eyes. Asuka’s brusque attitude could grow wearisome very quickly. “Be patient, Asuka. Commander Ikari will tell us what we need to know soon enough. I don’t know about you, but I want a cup of coffee before we start this briefing.â€
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Gendo Ikari sat impassively as he waited for everyone to settle down for the briefing he’d arranged.
Ritsuko Akagi had arrived with Kozo Fuyutsuki, the grey-haired man holding the door for the bottle blonde woman.
The Commander cleared his throat before starting the briefing.
“Today, our pilot, Shinji Ikari, arrived here in Tokyo-3. He will begin preliminary testing with Unit-00 in the morning. Akagi, do you have the file I asked to be prepared for him?â€
“Yes,†the blonde said as she handed a file with “Project Evangelion†on it to Shinji.
“T-thank you,†the teenager replied nervously. He blushed when Ritsuko smiled politely in reply.
‘He’s nothing like his father,’ the scientist noted.
“Read through that file, it will help you with tomorrow’s testing,†Gendo said matter-of-factly.
“Sir,†Asuka spoke up, “I was wondering why it is that you think Shinji can pilot the Evangelion?â€
“I shan’t go into the details now, but due to the nature of the technology behind the Evangelions, only people born after the Second Impact appear to be compatible with it. Extensive research was undertaken by the Marduk Institute to find suitable candidates for piloting and, as it happens, Shinji is the best option,†the bearded man answered. “Well, technically, he’s currently our only option. As for why we need Shinji to pilot it, there are details in the file he received.â€
It wasn’t lost on anyone there that Gendo Ikari had not directly addressed his son.
‘I guess that means we can rule out nepotism for why Shinji was picked to be the pilot,’ the redhead mused. She felt a little more sympathetic to the young Ikari. ‘It can’t have been easy having a man like that for your father.’
Not that Asuka had much experience with a traditional family structure.
Misato also felt sympathetic towards Shinji, her own relationship with her father had been difficult.
Shinji looked dejected. He’d suspected that his father had wanted him for something, rather than for a reconciliation. ‘Why would I think that he’s changed?’
“All of you, get some rest, we’ve got a busy day ahead of us tomorrow,†Fuyutsuki said, preventing Shinji from voicing his thoughts. “We cannot fail in our mission, humanity is depending on us.â€
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Misato looked at the address of the accommodation Shinji had been allocated and frowned.
“You really ok with living on your own, Shinji?â€
“It’s fine, really. I mean, I don’t want to be a bother,†the teenager replied.
“But won’t you get lonely?†the Major asked.
“I’m used to being alone,†Shinji insisted.
The exchange was annoying Asuka to the point where she rolling her eyes was no longer enough. “Leave him alone, Major. If he says that he can look after himself, then who are we to doubt him?â€
“How can you be so cold, Asuka? You heard the Commander – Shinji is the one who's going to be piloting the Evangelion. To force him to live alone like that would be inhumane!†Misato said with an impassioned voice.
“And your alternative solution is what, exactly?â€
“Well, he could live with one of us...â€
Asuka closed her eyes for a moment. “Let me get this straight, if you don’t want Shinji to live alone, then who is it that you want him to live with? And why?â€
“...†Misato was stumped by the Lieutenant’s point. It was clear to her that Asuka didn't think too highly of Shinji, so suggesting that he stay with the redhead was out of the question.
Offering to take him in had its own issues - she was a voluptuous woman, he was a hormonal youth. It didn’t take a PhD to see that there would be “accident†around the apartment. While Misato considered herself friendly and playful, she didn’t know how Shinji would react to her teasing him.
What if he thought she was serious and tried to kiss her? Or went even further? Who knew what kind of situation could arise from them living under the same roof?
“Err....â€
“Yeah, I thought so, too. Sorry Shinji, but you’re on your own,†Asuka stated.
“I told you, I’ll be fine,†Shinji repeated. “I don’t need anything fancy; just a bed to sleep in, a place to get clean and somewhere to cook.â€
“If you’re that worried about Shinji, why don’t you take him home, Major?†the redhead suggested.
“I suppose so,†Misato shrugged. “Hey, I’m the Major, you're the Lieutenant – I’m the one who gives the orders.â€
“You’re also the one with the personal transport. Unless you want to let me drive your car...â€
The purple-haired woman laughed. “As if I’m going to let you drive my car! I’ll make sure Shinji gets to his apartment safely!â€
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Misato helped Shinji carry his possessions to the apartment that had been arranged for him. The Major shook her head as she looked around the small residence.
It was neutrally decorated with white walls and synthetic flooring the colour of tatami matting. The furniture was most charitably described as functional, with its light colouring completed the rest of the decor to give the illusion of space.
“You really want to live here, Shinji?â€
“I don’t mind, Katsuragi-san, I’m used to spending time on my own,†Shinji replied cheerfully.
“But it’s so lifeless,†Misato replied. “Aren’t you going to be bored here?â€
The teenager shrugged. “I’ve got my cello.â€
Misato shook her head again. She was about to protest further, when Shinji followed up with a question.
“Even if I didn't want to stay here, who would I move in with?â€
That made the purple-haired woman drop the subject. She didn’t particularly want to have Shinji around her apartment. Sure, he seemed like a nice enough person, but it was a bit weird to invite him to move in with her after knowing him for an afternoon.
Asuka placed a great deal of value on her privacy, so the idea of a strange man in her apartment was a non-runner from the start. It would take one instance of Shinji seeing Asuka less than fully dressed and she’d throw him out. Possibly literally.
The only other roommate option for Shinji was his father. But if Shinji had been living away from the Commander for a number of years, then it would be highly unlikely for the two of them to reconcile overnight.
Misato’s relationship with her own father reminded her of that.
“Alright, Shinji, you’ve convinced me that you’re going to be OK on your own. I’ll send someone to pick you up tomorrow morning.â€
“OK, Katsuragi-san,†Shinji smiled as he saw the Major out of his apartment.
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After dinner and unpacking, Shinji finally sat down at the table in the kitchenette of his apartment. He looked at the folder that had been provided to help brief him on the situation.
He looked at the picture of him that was on the front page; it was from his school records. The teenager winced at the less than flattering photograph.
Shinji would never deny that he could do more to improve his appearance, but it was all too much of a bother for him. Being the most fashionable boy in school seemed rather pointless, especially since he had other things to spend his time on – keeping the house he stayed in tidy took up most of his time.
He read through the opening paragraphs, there was something about a “Marduk Institute†that meant nothing to him, followed by a brief biography.
Shinji Ikari:-
DOB: 06-June-2001
Blood Type: A
Mother: Yui Ikari
Father: Gendo Ikari
Place of Birth: Tokyo-2
Current Residence: Neo-Osaka
Shinji blinked, while he was hardly remarkable, to be distilled down to six points of basic information was a little disheartening.
‘At least it’s more than just a serial number,’ he thought with a sigh. Deciding to make himself something to drink, he placed the file on the table and stood up.
Five minutes later, he retook his seat and looked through the rest of the dossier.
‘¬Shinji Ikari is, to date, the only known candidate with the minimum requirements for the piloting of the Evangelion units. While further testing may reveal alternative pilot candidates, it is recommended that Candidate Ikari is brought in to NERV for training.¬’
“A pilot?†Shinji’s mouth dropped open. This was news to him – how could he have ever been considered a pilot? He’d never taken anything resembling an aptitude test, and while not a prime physical specimen, he certainly wasn’t a sickly child, so the doctors had never given him more than a cursory examination.
The ability to play a cello to a standard that didn’t make the listener want to beat you to death with your instrument was hardly proof that you could be trusted with something as expensive as an Evangelion.
At any rate, he still had no idea what an ‘Evangelion’ really was. A robot of some description hardly seemed appropriate, but that was all the information he had to go on.
The rest of the file seemed to have some kind of report on the results for tests that Shinji didn’t remember taking. Various graphs and charts with technical notation that meant nothing to him littered the pages.
Shinji reached for his tea and glanced at the page that showed a schematic of some kind of suit.
It had various sensors built into it for measuring heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. That looked interesting to the teenager, then he saw just how little room there was inside.
“It’s going to be skin-tight!†he exclaimed. “I’ll look like I should be in some kind of superhero show!â€
Shinji continued through the file but found no details as to how the Evangelion was supposed to be piloted. In fact, the dossier barely mentioned anything that might have been of use to him to explain what it was they expected him to do.
“I give up. I’m going to bed,†he decided.
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Misato Katsuragi had just parked up her car when her mobile phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was someone from NERV.
“Major Katsuragi here, what can I do for you?â€
“¬Major Katsuragi, this is Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki. I need you to make sure that Shinji is at NERV on time for tomorrow’s testing.¬â€
“What? Since when did I get demoted to taxi driver?†the purple-haired woman protested.
“¬This will only be for a few days, Major. Until Shinji gets properly orientated with Tokyo-3 and its transport system.¬â€
“Fine,†Misato sighed. “What time do you want me to pick him up?â€
“¬His training starts at 0900 sharp, Major. Plan your route accordingly,¬†Fuyutsuki said before ending the call.
Misato glared at the phone in her hand. “I need a drink.â€
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Shinji hadn’t slept well due to his unfamiliar surroundings. The bedroom felt confining despite it being having similar dimensions to his old room.
The walls with their neutral, utilitarian decoration made the place feel a little like a glorified prison. It certainly lacked a warmth that made you want to make it your home.
After a quick shower, Shinji was surprised to hear the doorbell ring and rushed to the door.
When he opened it, he saw Misato standing there, appraising him.
“Is this how you greet all your guests, Shinji?†she asked in a neutral tone. “What would the neighbours think if they knew that you answered the door half-dressed?â€
“I... I was just getting dressed,†Shinji insisted. “A few minutes ago, I was in the shower.â€
“I gathered that,†Misato smiled. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?â€
“What? Yes, sorry,†the young Ikari said, bowing apologetically. “Do you want something to drink?â€
“No time, Shinji, we need to get to NERV as soon as possible to start your training.â€
“Oh, I’ll be ready in a few minutes.â€
Misato nodded, idly musing that Shinji was going to need to bulk up soon. Otherwise, he’d never survive the physical training that had been planned in for him.
‘There’s more meat on a butcher’s pencil,’ the Major noted.
A minute later, Shinji was ready to leave for NERV. “I... what about breakfast, Major Katsuragi?â€
“If we get going now, and there’s not too much traffic, we can get something at NERV.â€
“Oh, OK.â€
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Asuka looked at Misato and Shinji as they walked into the briefing room.
“Good morning, Major Katsuragi,†the redhead’s smile was pleasant enough, though her tone wasn’t as friendly as Misato’s had been during the drive in.
“Morning, Asuka,†Misato replied, continuing on to where the coffee pot was.
“G-good morning, Lieutenant Sohryu,†Shinji said nervously.
“Morning, Shinji. Take a seat and we can begin.â€
“What about breakfast?â€
“You should have eaten before you left.â€
“I didn’t know what time you were going to pick me up,†Shinji whined. “Nobody tells me anything.â€
“Get used to that, kid,†the Lieutenant replied as she opened up her folder. “Oh, and here’s some free advice: don’t whine so much.â€
“You don’t have to be so grumpy all the time, Asuka,†Misato chided as she took her seat at the table.
“I’m not grumpy, Major, I’m acting in a professional manner. There is a difference,†Asuka said as she clicked the ballpoint pen in her hand. “Now, Shinji Ikari, believe it or not, you’ve been psychologically tested for several months now.â€
“I have?†Shinji asked, blinking in surprise.
“According to this file you have. Looking at the results before me, I can’t say that I’m impressed. However, pilots are not selected on psychological profiles alone. Otherwise we’d have professional soldiers in the entry plug.â€
The teenager slumped slightly.
Asuka ignored the change in Shinji’s body language and continued. “The Evangelion is a biomechanical construct, it represents the pinnacle of human ingenuity and technical expertise. It’s also very expensive, so don’t break it.â€
“Break it? I don’t even know what it looks like!†Shinji protested. “I only saw its face yesterday, so how can you expect me to pilot it?â€
“Thankfully, we’ve got some time to familiarise yourself with the systems,†Misato smiled reassuringly.
“Yes,†the redhead nodded. “I dread to think what it would be like if we just dumped you in the entry plug and told you to fight a monster.â€
“Why do you have to be so negative, Asuka?†the Major asked, shaking her head in disbelief.
“OK, since you insist, Major. Shinji, my job is to make you into a pilot who can stop something the likes of which you can’t comprehend. It would be nice to have trained you from an early age, but that wasn’t possible. I don’t know the details of the Marduk Institute or how it compiles its reports,†Asuka explained. “All I know is that you were revealed to be the best candidate for piloting the Evangelion a few weeks ago.â€
“Oh...†Shinji swallowed nervously.
“And that’s brought you up to date with your situation. As for piloting, well, you’ll need to be measured up for a plugsuit. I gather they’re tight-fitting. Once we’ve gotten you in a plugsuit, we’ll head over to the test area.â€
Misato nodded before continuing the briefing. “There, we’ll put you in the simulator. It’ll get you used to the control systems, including something that’s unusual – you’ll be immersed in something called LCL, it’ll help you interface with the systems. It also smells like blood.â€
“A liquid?â€
“I know, Shinji, I’ve never encountered anything like that before, but it is necessary for the neural connections,†Asuka replied. “This is technology so advanced, it borders on science fiction. We are developing it as we go, so there will be refinements in the coming weeks and months.â€
Shinji nodded out of reflex. He didn’t really understand what was going on and he thought that they were making a terrible mistake, but they seemed to be sure of themselves.
Misato continued the outline for the day. “Once you’ve started to familiarise yourself with the control systems, we’ll break for lunch. After that, we’ll move onto the next stage: calibrations.â€
“Calibrations?†the teenager repeated.
“Yes, so we can prepare for the synchronisation testing. If all goes to plan, we could find ourselves starting the preliminary tests this afternoon. If not, then it’ll be first thing tomorrow morning,†Asuka explained. “Now, let’s get you fitted for your plugsuit.â€
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“It’s perfectly natural for Shinji to be self-conscious about his body, he is going through puberty,†Misato said as Asuka let out a sigh.
The pair were waiting outside the changing room as Shinji was being measured for his plugsuit.
“I know, Major,†the redhead replied. “And I’m not trying to beat Shinji into submission by being an uncaring bitch.â€
“But?â€
“But we’re soldiers. We’ve been through the training; we’re capable of putting two pistol rounds in the forehead of a man at 50 metres and surviving out in the wilds. And we’re being pushed aside for some kid to pilot something we don’t even fully understand. Are you trying to tell me that you’re comfortable with that?â€
“No,†Misato answered truthfully. “But what other choice do we have? We need the Evangelion and the only way we can use it is for Shinji to pilot. I, too, would have preferred it if we could’ve had an older pilot, but we’ve got to play the hand we’ve been dealt.â€
“I know, Major,†said Asuka. “I think we’re doing the right thing by fighting instead of rolling over. I just wish we didn’t have to rely on one insecure teenager. He’s going to break if we’re not careful.â€
The purple-haired woman smirked as a thought occurred to her. “What’s this, Asuka, are you warming up to Shinji’s charms? Don’t tell me you’re starting to care about Shinji Ikari...â€
“No,†the Lieutenant said coldly. After a moment, her eyes took on a mischievous glint. “Just concerned that he could snap while he’s in control of most powerful weapon in Tokyo-3 and destroy our city. Including your lovely car.â€
Misato rolled her eyes at Asuka’s comment. Yes, she cared about her Renault Alpine but it wasn’t the only thing she cared about. Admittedly, the only other things that sprang to mind were beer and spicy food, but her car wasn’t the be all and end all to Misato’s life.
“Your concerns are noted, Lieutenant Sohryu,†the Major drawled.
The door opened, cutting off any further discussion. Out stepped Shinji, dressed in a blue and white plugsuit.
“I... this isn’t very comfortable,†the teenager replied as he tried to adjust the tight-fitting garment. “I’ve never worn anything like this before.â€
Misato appraised Shinji, noting the way the plugsuit clung to his body. ‘Shame only Shinji can pilot the Eva. Putting a male soldier in one of those suits could prove interesting...’
“Let’s get going, shall we?†Asuka asked, trying not to think about how if she was able to pilot the Evangelion, she’d be forced to wear something that looked like thinly disguised fetish wear. ‘I would look good in it though.’
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Shinji didn’t know what to make of the controls for the Evangelion. He knew that they could be complicated, given the way Misato and Asuka talked about the Evangelion project. If piloting an aircraft was challenging, then what about a walking, bipedal robot?
He had half expected a wall of toggle switches, dials and various buttons to be laid out in front of him. When he saw the simplified layout, a few things did make sense.
The Evangelions were designed for combat, so automating certain controls, like the balance systems, would free up a pilot to focus on things like prioritising targets, and avoiding incoming fire.
Shinji sat down on the chair, his legs separated by a console. There was a pedal for each foot and a pistol grip control stick for each hand. He was slightly intimidated, but he didn’t feel overwhelmed by everything.
“O-OK, what do you want me to do first?†he asked.
Misato replied over the comm. system. “¬Shinji, basically, we’re going to go with a hand-eye coordination game. The display will tell you what control it wants you to operate and you’ll have five seconds to press the button, move the control stick or whatever it tells you before the next instruction comes on the screen.
“¬After a few minutes of this, it’ll reduce the time between instructions. Think of it as gaining a difficulty level. We’ll keep doing this until you can get your reaction time to less than a second on all the controls.¬â€
“¬Oh, and the sequences will be random, so don’t think you’ll be able to get it right from pattern recognition,¬†Asuka added over the intercom.
“OK,†Shinji nodded. “I think I can do this.â€
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Asuka looked at the results of Shinji’s hand-eye coordination testing.
“So, what do you think, Asuka?†Misato asked as she refilled her coffee mug.
“Not bad, not bad at all.â€
Rolling her eyes, the Major leant over to point out that Shinji was actually doing really well with the exercise. “See, he’s got a 94 percent accuracy already. Why do you have to be so hard on him?â€
“Fine, we’ll do it your way,†the redhead sighed. She hit the talk button on the intercom. “Shinji, your results are good. We’re going to break for lunch.â€
“¬OK,¬†the teenager replied happily.
Asuka took her hand off the talk button and turned to Misato. “Doesn’t he seem a bit too happy about that encouragement? Like he’s really needy?â€
“You’re imagining things, Asuka,†the purple-haired woman insisted. “Shinji’s just nervous about things. You’d be nervous too if you were in his position.â€
“I get the feeling that it’s more than just nerves.â€
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Gendo Ikari sat alone in his office. He was quietly contemplating the direction of his plan and what the alternative scenarios could have been.
‘Sohryu would make a good pilot. She’s intelligent, brave and can follow orders. Her desire to prove herself would prove a valuable asset; not just as a pilot, but also as a means to control her.’
The bearded man considered this scenario and wondered if the unpleasantness of having an arrogant teenager trying to prove her worth all the time was better or worse than just relying on Shinji to stop the Angels.
‘If only the clones hadn’t failed...’
Gendo had hoped that Project Rei would have given him another piloting option. Had it been a success, there would have been a number of spare pilots. It was expected that only one clone could be active at any one time and that each successive activation would have reduced the capabilities of the clones, but it would have given NERV an option in the event that Shinji was incapacitated or needed assistance on a mission.
Instead, it seemed that Shinji Ikari, the son Gendo abandoned, was the last chance of defeating the Angels.
The Commander looked at the raw data from the early tests that Shinji had taken part in that morning. The young Ikari’s hand-eye co-ordination was enough to warrant continuing the tests after lunch.
‘It seems that his cello playing has come in useful,’ Gendo noted, recalling a fact from Shinji’s dossier. He paused for a moment. ‘How much control do I have over Shinji? Intimidation will only go so far. Even if he doesn’t realise how much he is needed, others will mention it; possibly to him.
‘I may require an additional method of control.’
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Shinji’s first experience with LCL was unsettling. It was tinted, but clear enough for him to see through without any serious problems. What unsettled the teenager was the smell of blood.
Shinji may not have had the same amount of experience as some of his sportier peers, but he still recognised the smell of blood.
“¬Just relax, Shinji, Misato instructed through the intercom. “¬It’s easier if you breathe normally.¬â€
“OK, I can do this,†the teenager said, mainly to himself as the level of LCL reached his neck.
The entry plug quickly filled up, and the liquid forced its way into Shinji’s lungs, causing him to cough violently in surprise.
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In the control room, Asuka looked on impassively. She was taking Misato’s words about not being so harsh on Shinji to heart, and consequently she wasn’t voicing her opinion.
Misato was about to make a teasing comment on the need for Shinji to man up when she noticed that Asuka wasn’t complaining. Instead, it was the redhead who was the recipient.
“What’s this? Are you finally understanding how difficult this is for Shinji?â€
Asuka rolled her eyes. “Yes, Major Katsuragi. The scales have fallen from my eyes and now I finally see what manner of hardships Pilot Ikari is going through in order to save humanity.â€
“There’s no need for sarcasm, Asuka!â€
“Now who’s being sarcastic?†the redhead sniped back. “Let’s see if we can get Shinji synchronised today.â€
The technicians running the test wisely remained silent as they initiated the start up procedure.
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Inside the entry plug, various screens flickered into life. They displayed numbers that made no sense to Shinji. After a few moments, he guessed that they related to various statuses of the Evangelion systems.
It seemed that everything was reaching the minimum operating conditions, then the intercom barked into life with Misato and Asuka giving orders.
A humming sound washed through the entry plug, increasing Shinji’s tension levels further.
“¬Shinji’s heart rate just jumped to 110,¬†an unknown male voice declared.
“¬Shit. Shinji, it’s me, Major Katsuragi, I need you to remain calm, OK?¬â€
“Y-yes, I’ll try,†the teenager replied.
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Back in the control room, Misato looked anxiously at the numbers being displayed before her.
“His heart rate’s not going down. And yeah, I know that it’s not ideal, Asuka,†the purple-haired woman said, not turning to face her subordinate.
‘Now you understand my concerns about using a teenager in this thing,’ Asuka thought. ‘How can we get Shinji to calm down before he has a heart attack? Wait, earlier...’
“Major, I think you should try to reach out to Shinji. Talk to him, let him call you by your first name.â€
Misato turned to face Asuka. “You really think that’ll help?â€
“He seemed a bit needy earlier. Reaching out to him might help him focus. I’m not saying you should offer to take him out on a date, just make nice.â€
“Best idea we’ve had so far... Shinji, it’s me, Misato.â€
“¬Major Katsuragi?¬â€
“Please, call me Misato,†the purple-haired woman said, a small amount of friendliness seeping into her voice. “We are going to be working together, after all. Now, Shinji, I need you to relax. Breathe deeply.â€
“¬OK, Misato-san.¬â€
When Shinji’s stress levels lowered slightly, Misato turned to Asuka. “Good catch, Asuka.â€
The redhead nodded in acknowledgement before turning her attention back to the task at hand. “Shinji, we’re about to start the next phase.â€
“¬OK, Lieutenant Sohryu.¬â€
Misato blinked. “How come Shinji has to call you by your last name?â€
“Fine,†Asuka muttered before hitting the intercom. “Shinji, you can call me Asuka if you like. We’re going to be working closely together, after all.â€
“¬If you want me to, Asuka-san.¬â€
“Right, now that we’re all on first name terms, can we please get to the next part of the test?†the redhead asked with a forced politeness. “Initiating neural connections!â€
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Yes, some of this will feel familiar if you were unfortunate enough to ever read Scissors, Paper, Stone.
However, I have a different idea that I want to explore and I have my reasons for reusing what I'd written before.
Laziness is probably the biggest reason, but there are others.
The major changes to NGE setting that you should be aware of/have picked up upon already:
1) Asuka is older.
2) There is no Rei
3) The MAGI are possibly a little more advanced than canon.
4) Expect less soul-crushing misery for Shinji.
Also, the title is a pun that will become clearer once you get to the next chapter, assuming that you want more of this nonsense.
