Evangelion The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion

Anonguy

Well-Known Member
#1
Disclaimer: Because you'd totally pay for this if I actually owned Evangelion.


The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 1 The Road I Walk, is Paved in Gold
by Anonguy

Ah, smell that post Apocalyptic air, which is exactly what young Ikari Shinji did as he stepped off the empty tram. It stank with the usual big city smells, well, usual for post-Second Impact big cities anyways. Tokyo-3, the third Tokyo after the first was munched on by the sea and someone blew the second one to hell, was an eyesore to the outsider from the hills.

Granted, judging it for very minuscule amount of time he had been was a certain brand of folly, but he didn't quite care at the moment. Lonely and isolated though it was, the hills were peaceful and lacked the overwhelming crowds that Tokyo-3 was expected to have. Expected in the sense that he hadn't seen a single person since he had arrived and everything was closed.

ôJust my luck,ö he cursed under his breath, the light suitcase bouncing gently against his left leg as he strode with a purpose for a pay phone. ôI would have to come on some kind of holiday or something.ö

Sachiel looked up from his indomitable march through the UN forces confused, getting the sense that he was being ignored. This feeling was quickly forgotten when another V/TOL tried to shoot his face off. He felt it very rude and decided that no matter how entertaining the little pests' struggle was, it was still annoying.

Miraculously clueless to the deathmatch happening outside the city, equally ignorant of the sound of shit getting blown the fuck up, Shinji finally found his pay phone. Just as well, he had been eyeballing some of the abandoned shops like a rioter before he spotted it. It was probably just the effects of the city being such a ghost town, which is why he didn't dwell on his sudden desire to smash a window and go looting, only sliding the coin into the phone and working on finding whoever was supposed to pick him up.

They had forgotten about him obviously, hence his stroll through the town minus populous. It was the third time he had failed to connect to any of the numbers given to him when he had finally had enough. A snarl rose from his lips, well, as much of one as one so small and meek can muster, and he proceeded to bank the phone off the main body for a good minute,

Catharsis was the prescription for the young Ikari, and he worked to get it filled as fast as possible.

His wind was returning when the missiles decided to rudely interrupt his reverie by exploding harmlessly against a heretofore unnoticed by him giant alien monster thing. He promptly lost his wind again as he shrieked in terror, pausing only to grab his one suitcase and flee the area. In his flight, he missed spotting a blue hair girl who appeared from nowhere, and went right back to it before he could turn around.

As it turned out, salvation was upon him as a beat-up blue car skidded to a halt just in front of him, narrowly avoiding making a garish hood ornament out of him. He unceremoniously fell backwards onto his posterior, giving a slight ôwuffö of noise like an oversized dog as he landed. The distinct sound of laughter woke him from his daze, and he shot to his feet to give the careless driver a piece of his mind.

ôOh, I'm sorry,ö the woman said, her tone exactly patronizing as she looked down at him as pleased as punch. ôI'm late anyways, and I even set my clock early so I wouldn't be.ö

ôUh...ö Shinji didn't respond to that, though the overwhelming feeling that he should flee this mad woman attempted to arrest him, but his feet decided to commit treason at that moment and remained rooted to the ground.

ôI'm Misato Katsuragi,ö the woman continued professionally, well, as professionally as she could while restraining a series of snickers. The distinctly Western style introduction twanged a bit in Shinji's mind, before he reminded himself that he had no concept of what the West was outside of classes. ôAnd you're Shinji, correct?ö

ôNo, I'm the Pope.ö Shinji said bluntly, hoping the impossibility of the claim would annoy the laughing hyena some. There hadn't been a Pope since everything in the Vatican was incinerated in Second Impact. ôWho the hell else would I be?ö

ôWell sorrrry,ö she drawled, eyes rolling at the uncharacteristic sarcasm. She could only make this claim on appearance alone, and he looked too scrawny to be a wise ass. ôNo one gave me a picture of you.ö

ôGreat, just great. Now can we get out of here before whatever that monster I ran away from comes over here and kills us?ö He was completely serious about this, and had Misato not been the head of NERV operations, she'd be tempted to get a look at what it was.

ôGet in, buckle down, the ride's gonna get bumpy.ö Misato decided she liked the kid, after a fashion. He'd better watch his mouth or someone was going to shoot him in the face.

The drive was uneventful, since the two had gotten most of the banter out of their system, they settled into the routine of Shinji staring at Misato's tits and her letting him, since it kept him quiet and let her focused on the road. Most of the men who worked with her regularly had a tough time fighting the gravitational pull of her back pain inducing rack, so a fourteen year old kid in the throes of puberty was completely knackered.

Misato pulled the car into the final tunnel to NERV when the N2 Mine detonated, buying them some precious time as Sachiel was stunned by it. Still quiet as Shinji seemed oddly melancholic about all this, Misato lead him through the loops and turns that decorated the halls of NERV HQ. After a depressing length of time, the pair ran into a blond woman wearing the curious combination of a one-piece high school issued bathing suit and a stark white lab coat. Eyes met breasts for a second time before Shinji jerked his head away when he felt the woman glower at him.

ôYou're late Misato.ö the woman intoned, bored, measured voice rolling off the wall. ôIs this him?ö
The sale on people who loved asking obvious questions continued, much to Shinji's dismay.

ôNope, he's the new Pope. Turns out the Angel got lost on his way to Rome-5.ö Misato said, cutting off any potential conflict as Shinji looked to snap out something sure to offend someone. ôIt's not his fault no one told the Angel it's white smoke and not burning an entire city down.ö

ôYeah, hi, I'm Pope Wiseass the Fourteenth. Pleasure's all mine.ö Shinji said, playing along as he stuck a hand out to the blond.

ôCaptain...ö Ooo, she sounded angry.

ôOh grow up, Ritsuko, of course it's him. If I did bring back the wrong guy, well, who forgot to give me a picture of him, hmm?ö Rawr, the claws were officially out now. Shit looked to be turning quite real, quite fast in these parts.

ôWhatever.ö The scientific and well-thought out reply of Doctor Ritsuko Akagi came in the same bored tone that chirped through the halls as she spun to resummon the elevator.

ôGood one,ö Shinji whispered to Misato, ignoring the stewing blond.

ôWhatever you say, your holiness.ö Nope, definitely won't let him live this one down, no sir.

- - -

ôI'm sorry, did you guys not put lights down here or something?ö Shinji was trying to behave, but being lead to a dark room begged to be snarked at. ôIt's not my birthday and I don't know any of you, so a surprise party is out. Are there strippers? I'd like that, so no to that as well.ö

Misato's laughter came out like a bark, having blown through her attempt to suppress it.

ôThis is,ö Ritsuko said, voice growing to a reverent whisper, ôHumanity's last line of defense against the Angels. Evangelion Unit 01!ö The lights went up at her signal, sigh, you have to love your kohai sometimes. A distinct shudder went down the spine of Maya Ibuki, as if she knew she was probably going to be walking funny for a while.

ôIt's a giant robot?ö Shinji, for one, didn't care for the theatrics. Maya shot him a death glare, sempai had worked so hard to set this presentation up for the little ingrate.

ôIn the same manner you're a little shit,ö Ritsuko said evenly, not all that upset when she considered his parentage. Okay, so she was pretty riled by his attitude, but she wasn't ready to whip out a gun and shoot him in the face. Yet.

ôFrom the lack of information I'm getting, I take it I'm supposed to pilot this thing.ö If he were a little more self centered, he'd wail about how this was what his father wanted him for.

ôThat is correct!ö A sharp male voice rang out from the right of the screen, before he entered the picture, a spotlight shining on him as he glared down at the boy. Was that music in the background?

ôOh hey Father.ö The younger Ikari was trying to be respectful here. He had to phrase things in a delicate manner to Gendo, least he get shot in the face for it. ôI got a question, and I'm sure I won't like the answer, but why didn't you call me here a couple weeks ago? I'm not entirely unreasonable here, if you'd have explained it all to me, I'd be raring to go out there fly this thing.ö

Gendo's eyebrows climbed over his shades and waved to the world. It was a short list of things that could shock him, and his son not being a spineless coward was one of them. He kept his cool and refused to answer.

ôHey, Shinji,ö Misato said, trying to defuse the situation. ôYou have to understand-ö

ôUnderstand what exactly? That you're trying to strong arm me into doing something a five minute conversation could have done? I could understand if Father brought this up before and I gave him the finger, but FUCK woman, I didn't even know what he did for a living or that he was alive before that epic one word letter he sent me.ö Now Shinji was getting mad, as he had this distinct feeling that they were going to patronize him about this.

ôI'm not hearing a refusal to pilot,ö Ritsuko said, gazing up at Gendo. Mainly because she wanted to duck for cover if he whipped a gun out to shoot the little fucker.

ôYeah, like I'd be able to say no. Do you have another pilot? One that could go out there and fight?ö Silence, glorious silence greeted him. ôSee? This is the shit I'm talking about. I may have slight reservations in piloting something I know fuck all about, but to put a loaded gun to my head and say do it is just a bit much right?ö

ôPerhaps you're right.ö Gendo digested the surprising rant from his previous thought to be spineless coward of a son. ôIf you'll pilot it, then there is no further need for this discussion.ö

ôOf course, I could already be out there fighting it but somebody decided he had to make sure I'd have no choice to. And hell, I would have even known what I was doing! But hey, what's a fight against an alien monstrosity beyond human understanding without a lot of needless complications against it right?ö Shinji turned and looked up at the purple giant, hoping that he'd be able to make it through this battle.

There was only silence in the EVA cages, for there could only be after everyone realized that they were pinning their hopes of survival on a child untrained and unprepared for this battle.

- - -

Luckily, it seemed the time that was skipped with all the pointless dramatics, such as Gendo's backup plan of using their bedridden and severely injured other pilot in a sleazy way of ensuring that the Evangelion got its pilot. As it was, Shinji was getting a crash course in what was to be expected of him as he piloted it. He dutifully listened to the support staff fill him in on sync ratios and AT-fields, but it was a fight to keep his eyes from crossing as they waxed a little too nostalgic over numbers and theorems that went into the monstrosity in purple before him.

ôSo here I am, waiting to save Tokyo-3.ö Shinji muttered to himself, figuring to keep his thinking small so as to avoid thinking about the larger implications as he waited for the Eva to be activated. No sooner did he stop paying attention that an orange liquid start filling the Entry Plug. ôOK, what the fuck is this?ö

ôIt's LCL, Shinji.ö Ritsuko informed him in the kind of voice you'd use telling someone else something you know and they don't. ôThe Evangelion won't work without it. Relax, it isn't water, and once immersed, you'll be able to breath.ö

ôWill you people quit leaving out important details like this?ö Shinji called back, instinctively closing his eyes as the LCL crept over his head. He opened his eyes and suddenly knew what an ice cube felt like in a glass of orange soda. ôWhat's that smell?ö

ôYou don't want to know, really, you don't.ö Well, now, didn't she sound positively nervous at that question. ôTrust me.ö

ôFine. Now what?ö Shinji said, deciding to get back to the task at hand.

ôJust sit there and clear your mind for a second. We need to get a baseline for your sync ratio so we can determine the best way to have you fight.ö Misato, surprisingly, provided that answer. Ritsuko gave her a bug-eyed look for the briefest of seconds. Maya shuddered some more for some reason, though she didn't seem to perturbed by the sudden onset of chills.

ôSounds easy enough.ö It was and it wasn't. The more he tried to clear his mind, the more crowded it got. Eventually, he amused himself with the idea of that his father genuine- hahahaha, just fucking with you. He simply managed to close his mind down by thinking about what a sync ratio was. They had explained it, in manner you would to someone who won't be around to actually learn more about it. Such faith these people had in him, which was their fault entirely.

ôSync ratio holding at 79 percent.ö Makoto Hyuga chimed in, finally escaping the dreaded Left Side of the Screen. ôNot bad for a first timer.ö

ôHell, walking and fighting might not be beyond him either.ö Shigeru Aoba added, rounding out the bridge crew cast as well as following Makoto out of the Left Side. They had a chance, in the same vein that you'd get super powers by being struck by lightning while being bit by a radioactive animal and a nuke going off in your face. Okay, so they were still screwed but maybe he could kill the Angel with laughter.

ôThe Angel is still about fifteen minutes away.ö Maya added, not giving in to despair. If only because she didn't feel it right to try and be the one that was the morose motherfucker on the crew. Let Shigeru or Makoto do that shit, she'd be content to state the obvious about things and generally be useless when it came to the actual fighting. Like a good bridge bunny did.

ôOkay, Shinji, focus for now on getting the Evangelion to move.ö Ritsuko commanded, getting a little too into being a bossy bitch for Shinji's taste. Not that it mattered, since he was in the damn thing and she was guiding him towards the glorious finish line of not dying like a stupid fuck.

ôAlright. One foot in front of the other, yes?ö He hoped that didn't sound too standoffish. To think, they could be doing this without a giant monster coming to kill them in the next fifteen minutes. The Evangelion lurched forward in the large area cleared for this emergency training session. Success! Another lurch and Shinji dared to think he was starting to see why all the kids back in the hills thought giant robots were cooler than a hooker with three vaginas.

ôSync ratio is holding,ö Makoto said, deciding to ignore what seemed to be a shudder from the Eva. ôSeems like the kid wasn't that bad of a choice.ö The alternative being Rei's malformed living corpse was a small comfort in this time of physical crisis.

ôMovement, while slow, seems to be good.ö Shigeru chimed in, as if to remind people he was still there. He really needed to speak more, or there was no point in him being on screen at all.

ôWalking looks to be conquered soon,ö Maya tossed her hat into the opinion ring. ôMaybe he should shadow box a little before we drop the AT-field generation on him.ö She was being reasonable here, because they couldn't afford to have a personal crisis over failure derail their ticket to not being murdered town.

ôOkay, that seems reasonable enough.ö Ritsuko only agreed because it was Maya, which loosened the red string that was attempting to strangle her. That and the other two were assholes. Anyways, she thought over what she had seen so far from the Third Child, and found herself not entirely in dislike of his sarcastic manner. Though she wondered where he got it from. ôSee if you can make it do some punches, Shinji.ö It was still plugged in, so powering the thing wasn't an issue.

ôWalking before running, hand to hand before weapons training eh?ö It was almost a well thought out plan, which he could respect. Then he remembered how he got to this situation, and he found that respect was the farthest thing from his mind. The Evangelion took a bastardized boxing stance, since Shinji didn't know the proper one and only remembered this stance from a movie his guardians made him watch. An awkward left jab poked out, harmless if Shinji himself did it, but being a giant robotic monstrosity whose very existence blasphemed against the heavens themselves gave it a certain power and menace. This was followed by an equally awkward right cross, the world's slowest one-two combo being executed as though time itself had been slowed to a crawl.

ôThough his form sucks, the fact he can do that is impressive.ö Ritsuko said, to reassure everyone else that while he looked every bit the amateur in there, he was exceeding what a first timer should be able to do. She watched as the Evangelion went through a sequence of punches and even managed a kick or two that didn't look completely horrible. It even started to dodge and weave a little, as Shinji fell into a silent rhythm and began to work the kinks out of his lack of fighting skills.

ôOur chances improve.ö That was Misato, though it was less hopeless than she had expected it to be. While he couldn't be guaranteed to win, he could at least not be horribly boat murdered in the first minute of the fight now. Don't sweat the small stuff, just have faith in the Evangelion, it'd make up the difference for what Shinji lacked. ôWhile it'd be nice to believe in Shinji wholly, we can't let that cloud our judgment in the coming battle. It's a small blessing he's getting this emergency training.ö Nine minutes before the Angel was on top of them. Nine minutes to train the kid to defend all their lives.

ôHey, I think I'm starting to get the hang of this.ö Shinji was lying through his teeth, but he knew that they knew that he was a pretty shit pilot at the moment. If they didn't have to rely on him, he'd still be up in the hills, not giving a shit about any of this. ôI think I got this down. What's next?ö

ôThe progressive knife.ö Misato was adamant about that point. It was the only weapon ready for the Evangelion at the moment, and being a little versed in the art of stabby was as important to their chances as the AT-field. ôIt'll only take a few minutes for him to get this too. If we're lucky, he'll be ready for the AT-field by the end of it.ö

ôI agree.ö A surprise entrant to the observation, Mr. Gendo Ikari his damn self! Flanked by Kouzo Fuyutsuki, the papa of the boy in the monster machine sauntered in pleased as fuckin' punch. ôThe AT-field is a delicate thing, Doctor. Let's not shoulder too much more on him.ö

ôAlright.ö Ritsuko relented, having the Commander come out of his hole to all but issue the order for the knife training next was enough to erase any countermand she might have. ôShinji, in the left shoulder of the Evangelion, is the progressive knife. I want you to pull it out and practice using it.ö

He complied without comment, and yanked free a small knife, it almost looked like a box cutter had a love affair with a switchblade.

ôBefore you decided to make a snarky comment,ö Gendo said, shouldering past Ritsuko to cut off the impending rant. ôYes, we got caught off guard by the Angel. Yes, it would have been better to have started training you a long fucking time ago. But the Angel had no courtesy to let us have these luxuries. There will be more weapons forged for the Evangelion, if the knife dissatisfies you so, then defeat the Angel and live to see them come to life.ö

ôHoly shit, is that you Father?ö Shinji was taken aback by the almost positive reinforcement from his sole parent. ôWell then, I guess I can't argue against that.ö He so could, but fuck it, if his dad was making excuses for this shit, he knew there was something larger than the robot he was sitting in at work. ôSo let's get on with this.ö The Evangelion, however clumsy and awkward it was, began to swing and thrust the progressive knife around with earnest.

ôYou ever wonder why the Commander is the Commander?ö Shigeru whispered to Makoto, looking at the elder Ikari with the doe eyed stare of one caught in high beams.

ôAt times, but then he does something like this and it's like, how do you question the guy?ö Makoto whispered back.

- - -
ôThe Angel is here!ö Maya yelled nine minutes later, the Evangelion just getting loaded into the catapult. ôIt hasn't attacked yet!ö

ôLaunch the Evangelion straight away!ö Misato ordered, it was go time. This was the point of no return, would they live like Kings or die like urchins? Only Shinji could answer that now.

ôHello,ö Shinji murmured under his breath as the Eva emerged from below ground directly opposite Sachiel. ôI'm the welcoming committee. You have an appointment?ö

Sachiel roared and raised its AT-field.

ôOh ho, already on the defensive huh?ö Shinji chortled, before he raised his own almost casually. ôThen let's get dangerous my giant alien friend.ö

The Angel needed no further prodding, as he charged forth with a mighty scream!

AT-field met AT-field, their wavelengths merged and disappeared. Shinji jerked the Evangelion into a swift right cross, thundering into the facial mask that he thought was Sachiel's head. His foe, caught off guard by the sudden attack, took it full on, rolling back out of the Eva's range, AT-field reblooming to life.

ôAttack successful! Damage is minimal but he hit the son of a bitch!ö Makoto cheered, the tense atmosphere threatening to choke them all.

ôSo, is that all you got?ö Shinji taunted, putting the Evangelion into the loose boxing stance he had taught himself. ôI'd almost dare to hope that was enough, but I'm not stupid enough for that.ö Sachiel gamely got to his feet, and was ready to have it out with the Evangelion right fucking now.

ôI'd complain about the lack of damage,ö Misato said, ôbut I'm not delusional enough to believe a punch like that could do what the N2 mine failed to accomplish. It wouldn't have even pierced the Angel's core.ö

And like that, the battle for Tokyo-3 broke down to a good old fashioned case of fisticuffs. Shinji stayed active and loose, peppering Sachiel with light jabs and crosses, doing no damage but keeping the monster off balance and frustrated. By contrast, the Angel's swings seemed wild and sloppy, missing by a good margin as Shinji somehow fell into the rhythm of the fight. A swift right front kick to the chest sent Sachiel tumbling away, the civilian shelters behind the Evangelion safe for now.

Now he was mad. Before, the UN forces annoyed him, but their futile struggle only served to amuse him enough to abate his rage. Sachiel roared again, and a small part of Shinji felt that it could understand the message beneath the sound and fury.

ôSeems he's feeling a bit peeved.ö Shinji muttered, pulling out the progressive knife and taking what he thought was a knife fighter stance. ôI'm glad, I wouldn't want him to think I'm fucking around here.ö

Onward came Sachiel, faster than before as he sought to overwhelm the purple monstrosity before him. It was not to be, however, as Shinji ducked low and brought the knife into the right wrist, the vibrating blade slicing through the flesh of the Angel quite readily. Blood spayed from the wound, and back stumbled the once unstoppable monster, clutching his wound.

Another roar, and Shinji sighed and shook his head.

ôIt doesn't matter, you know.ö Shinji seemed apathetic at this point, but not quite bored. He just didn't care anymore. ôYou can cry all you want, but I'm not going to roll over and die because you're feeling pissy that I'm fighting back better than you thought I could.ö The Evangelion came forward, slashing the knife recklessly, forcing the Angel to twist and turn to avoid the blade.

ôH-he has it on the ropes.ö Maya politely stated the obvious, the unnerving silence of the bridge drove her to say something to alleviate the pallor.

The end came fast and brutal, and played out like something from a movie. Shinji twirled the progressive knife into the air before twisting the Evangelion inside of Sachiel's arms, catching the blade in a backhand grip and slamming it into the orb in the center of the Angel's chest. Sachiel's dying wail was muted by Shinji pulling the knife free and punching it hard enough to clear the city bounds.

Sachiel's death throes guttered out, and it glowed in a brilliant light, before it exploded in a dazzling fashion. The flames twisted themselves into a cross pattern, as if to remind them of the origins of this creature. The Evangelion stood triumphant, covered in the blood of its fallen foe.

ôAnd so, a young boy rises and becomes a legend...ö

End chapter 1

Teaser for Chapter 2 ôYour First Impression's Got to Be Your Very Bestö

ôNot that I mind you winning,ö Misato began as she drove them back to her apartment, where he'd be staying at during his time at NERV. ôBut why are you such a wiseass?ö

ôIt's nothing too special,ö Shinji said, offhand because he was coming down from the adrenalin high he was on earlier. ôWhen I was nine, I fell down the stairs and broke my collarbone. I was so fucked up on painkillers that I managed to have an epiphany that there was no point being an introverted loser because I thought the world was out to get me.ö

ôHow did you manage that?ö Misato wasn't sure she wanted to know, but she opened this can of worms

ôThis the part where I'd say something inspirational, but really, it was a pep talk from the spirit of some guy named Freddie Mercury. I figure I owed it to him after he saved me from the giant purple weasels trying to eat me.ö There was a long pause. ôI was nine and they gave me enough morphine to stun a bull elephant. I'm just glad I didn't turn into a junkie.ö

Post script: I will try to answer questions in the story, so please please wait for it to come. And really, I can't even explain it right now, so please just refrain from asking too much. Crack is fun for you and ya mum,. Laters.
 
#2
Huh. Not bad. It's hard to do something original with this premise, what with everyone and their mother emulating the Rebuild to make a shinier, snarkier Evangelion (myself included), but this works in a very nice, low key way. Kudos. Looking forward to more.
 

Prince Charon

Well-Known Member
#4
This is good.
 

Deathwings

Well-Known Member
#6
Well...lack of real originality aside, which was never the point if your commentary is to be believed, this isn't a grammatical monstrosity or anything...

Nothing all THAT great but not actually bad either. :huh.:
 

Anonguy

Well-Known Member
#7
Deathwings said:
Well...lack of real originality aside, which was never the point if your commentary is to be believed, this isn't a grammatical monstrosity or anything...

Nothing all THAT great but not actually bad either. :huh.:
Sometimes you need to have a story that's just there, you know? And besides, originality? With Evangelion? Perish the thought.
 

Gulping Again

Well-Known Member
#8
This is the Range Rover of EVA Fics. It's not particularly original or flashy, but it has a job to do and it does it well.

The low-key, sarcastic, 'fuck-it' tone serves as a good contrast to the bombast of S&WH40k, the melancholy of Canon, and the fusion-based insanity engine of Nobody Dies.

It's a worn, comfortable chair. It's ginger ale. It's a rerun of a favorite show. It's a perfectly fine thing to have around, and that's all it was ever really meant to be.
 

Anonguy

Well-Known Member
#9
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the filthy remains of letters butchered into the shape of words displayed here.

Author note: Second chapter time kids.

The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 2 Your First Impression's Got to Be Your Very Best
by Anonguy

When Shinji returned the Evangelion to its cage, there was no grand celebration waiting for him. NERV was a professionally run military operation, and thanks to Hollywood sinking under the ocean, the world forgot all about cheesy movie time dramatics. The engineers nodded to Shinji as he walked along, needing no words of praise to convey their approval.

It was a strange feeling to say the least, as a more introverted and approval seeking child might think no one liked what he had just accomplished. But Shinji was a well adjusted kid these days, and so understood the quiet acceptance for what it was. He arrived back in Central Dogma, standing quietly before Misato, his father, and Fuyutsuki as they waited for him to say something.

ôPilot Ikari, reporting in.ö He said, aiming to be a little professional. After all, this was a military organization, and being a part of it required a certain adherence to protocol.

ôWell done.ö This was all Gendo said before he nodded to Misato and slunk off into the night with the old man perched behind his shoulder. Shinji was shocked by the brief phrase of praise, and so missed what Misato had said.

ôI'm terribly sorry, could you repeat that?ö He turned his focus onto the woman before him.

ôCongratulations on a successful sortie pilot.ö She wasn't mad, as there weren't many in NERV who didn't know about the estrangement between their commander and his wayward son. ôThis will be the first of many successful operations.ö

ôYes ma'am!ö He saluted her, and she smiled again. She found she liked the boy, after a fashion.

- - -

ôSo,ö Shinji said as he stood in NERV's garage. He was waiting for Misato to fish her keys out of her purse. ôI suppose I'll be staying somewhere in Tokyo-3 then?ö

ôWith me,ö she corrected as she triumphantly held the blasted keys aloft. ôThere was no time to set up an apartment for you, and this way, you'll have nominal privacy without constant Section 2 supervision.ö

ôI wouldn't think that you'd have barracks here,ö he commented as she ushered him into the car. ôGlad to know there is some common sense here.ö

ôSadly, such attitude is reserved for the little stuff.ö Misato was still vaguely off put that this kid came out of nowhere and voiced the exact same protests she made to Ritsuko before. The blond had studiously failed to voice her concerns to either the Commander or Sub Commander. Bitch.

ôAlways make you wonder how something so uncommon can be called common yes?ö Shinji tried to enjoy the ride, rough and bumpy as it was.

ôNot that I mind you winning,ö Misato began as she took a left and started the slow trek towards home. ôBut why are you such a wiseass?ö

ôIt's nothing too special,ö Shinji said, offhand because he was coming down from the adrenalin high he was on earlier. ôWhen I was nine, I fell down the stairs and broke my collarbone. I was so fucked up on painkillers that I managed to have an epiphany that there was no point being an introverted loser because I thought the world was out to get me.ö

ôHow did you manage that?ö Misato wasn't sure she wanted to know, but she opened this can of worms

ôThis is the part where I'd say something inspirational, but really, it was a pep talk from the spirit of some guy named Freddie Mercury. I figure I owed it to him after he saved me from the giant purple weasels trying to eat me.ö There was a long pause. ôI was nine and they gave me enough morphine to stun a bull elephant. I'm just glad I didn't turn into a junkie.ö

ôThat's almost too fantastic to believe.ö Misato wasn't being lippy about it, nor was she trying to voice her very real doubts to the authenticity of the claim, but come on.

ôWell, the truth usually is stranger than fiction.ö Shinji managed not to be offended, simply because he had the proof to back it up. He gingerly exposed the scar on his left shoulder from the surgery that was needed to fix his arm. ôNot quite as pronounced as it once was, but you can still see it.ö

ôI guess you told the truth.ö She wasn't admitting defeat, just changing tracks. ôSo why the sarcasm though?ö

ôHave you SEEN the state of the world?ö He wasn't amused by her changing of the subject. ôBy refusing to draw away from the world, I could only be confronted by the sheer bold faced stupidity of my fellow man.ö

ôRight.ö She knew what he meant, as her mind flashed back to a saying the Sub Commander was fond of. ôIt is sad, but it seems the fires and floods of the Second Impact did nothing to dull the greed and vanity of man.ö Oops, she didn't mean to quote it out loud.

Silence reigned the rest of the ride, as Shinji became introspective at the unexpected philosophy bit.

- - -

In a more expressive world, Shinji's rousing defeat of the Angel would have made him an instant celebrity. But since there was no need to be so over the top from one battle that hadn't been all that impressive anyways, Shinji got to go to school for the first time in his new town without a wide array of reporters hounding him. He was at the school dutifully as expected, even though he carried himself in a manner that screamed out that he felt it and all the people there beneath his notice.

Suzuhara Touji, meanwhile, was having a bad day. The reason for this is the fact that while the shelter where his family was stationed had sustained no damage, he had been kept up by both his sister and his annoying friend. Said annoying friend, one Aida Kensuke, was still complaining about the lack of awesome in the fight between the Evangelion and the Angel.

Touji less than cared, and if not for the class rep hovering nearby, would be in the process of chucking the other boy out the window.

His track suit felt heavy, as though the complaining of his bespectacled chum were weighing him down. He heaved a weary sigh and prayed to whatever supernatural force would listen for salvation. Surprisingly, his prayers were seemingly answered as Shinji sauntered in like he owned the place and was debating evicting everyone else.

ôA transfer student?ö He asked, well more like yelled to get it in over Kensuke.

ôSeriously?ö Kensuke said, slowing his rant down to look at the kid who looked about five seconds from fucking someone up. ôTo this shithole?ö

ôKENSUKE!ö The class rep, a cute freckled girl with an endearing trait for nagging everyone, yelled. Horaki Hikari suddenly loomed like a giant over him, causing him to scream and fall out of his chair.

Shinji laughed for about five minutes at this, finding it funny for some reason.

ôHey!ö Kensuke protested someone having a good row at his expense, making sure to wait so the laughing guy could hear him.

ôYeah yeah, save it. I don't care.ö Shinji simply slipped past the trio into an empty desk and claimed it as his own.

ôWhat a, uh, not nice person.ö Touji knew it sounded lame, but he didn't need Hikari all up on his shit this morning too.

The rest of the morning was uneventful, majorly because Shinji ignored everyone and focused on class. He was afraid the old man was a horrible teacher, but a master torturer, what with his horrendous accent and droning monotone that made him sound like an angle grinder. Luckily, the lunch bell rang.

- - -

ôOk Ikari,ö Touji said as he and Kensuke cornered the pilot outside under a tree enjoying his lunch. ôAre you, or are you not the pilot of that purple machine thing?ö


ôOf course,ö Shinji said around some rice. ôWhy else would I want to move to the place getting shit blasted by monsters unless I had to?ö His peers, they made him so disappoint.

ôI knew it!ö Kensuke sounded proud about the most logical explanation being the correct one.

ôYes, because it wasn't blindingly obvious or anything.ö Shinji was a cold shower on the fires of Kensuke's youth. Touji laughed a little, comforted by the knowledge he could break his nominal friend in half should he get violent about it.

ôDamn it, quit making me look bad!ö He seemed upset, maybe some tact was in order?

ôI take it you haven't seen a mirror lately. What with the huge zit in the middle of your forehead and all.ö Apparently not, as Shinji jabbed the other kid again.

Kensuke shrieked and fled for a bathroom.

ôI should be mad at you for doing that,ö Touji said, as he stood his ground. ôBut he kept me up all night going on and on about that fight you had with the monster. So I'll let it slide this time as long as you take it easy on him. He's not stupid, just easily excitable.ö

ôI suppose I could try.ö Not entirely a lie, he just didn't say how hard he would try.

ôAnd thanks for protecting the shelters like you did. Had you been knocked down, you would have crushed them.ö Touji totally wasn't trying to ply the new kid with some pretense of gratitude, why would you think that?

ôI figured the city had gotten fucked up enough as it was.ö He didn't take it, but he didn't sass the guy for trying to be civil at least.

Touji looked nervously around, and relaxed when he didn't see Hikari flying in from nowhere at the swear word. During this pause, Kensuke returned a little more subdued and totally sulking.

ôThat was totally not cool man.ö Kensuke took his skin care seriously, pimples had no rights except the right to swift and violent death.

ôNeither is bugging me at lunch about stuff I don't like talking about.ö Shinji failed to be apologetic for this misdeed.

ôWhatever.ö Oh NOW he was offended, sheesh.

ôFuck my life.ö Touji complained, feeling a headache coming on. He didn't react to Hikari appearing from out of nowhere. He ignored her and just continued to look defeated, like someone who knew his life was fucked so hard that he got herpes from it.

ôHey, I got today free.ö Shinji didn't feel too sorry for the dip in the track suit, but he was looking so damn pathetic he couldn't help but feel the need to cheer him up. ôHow about we hang out today? I saw an arcade on my way in to town I want to check out.ö

ôHikari.ö Touji never called her that at school unless he was having a terrible day. He turned his defeated visage to her and just let her have it. ôJust shut the fuck up already, okay?ö

The class rep sputtered before turning on her heel and vanishing into the ether from whence she came.

ôWow, I've never seen her move so fast.ö Kensuke peered around for a bit before he turned back towards Shinji. ôSo, where's this arcade?ö

- - -

Tuesday. Shinji hated Tuesday. Why, he didn't quite understand but there was something about them that made him angry. So very very angry indeed. As it were, he was at NERV for further Evangelion training, just so he wouldn't get by on the Angel being a total pussy next time.

ôTake the pallet rifle and aim for the core.ö Ritsuko yawned, she'd be up late doing some biological theory with Maya, with a specific care for anatomy. Coffee was ineffective and oddly bland today, must be something wrong with her tongue.

ôOkay, let's see how this works.ö Shinji grabbed the gun, a fully automatic assault rifle from the case hidden inside the building to his left. The Evangelion hefted the rifle and looked at it, the feedback of the Evangelion allowing him to slightly feel the heft and weight of it. A nice, solid gun, as it should be.

ôQuit staring at it and fire already.ö Ritsuko wasn't very patient today, or any day for that matter. On little sleep with bad coffee and it's a minor miracle someone wasn't being shot.

ôTwo questions come to mind: Where was this when I fought the first time, and why am I expected to know how to use this?ö It wasn't his fault his guardians refused to let him near even airsoft guns after the accident.

ôYou... you've never fired a gun before?ö And she would have figured he'd have at least played with a BB gun at least.

ôNever.ö Shinji worried about the twitching that came over Ritsuko, even more so about the choking noise from the back of her throat. It was like she was choking on her own rage.

ôContinue the exercise.ö She canceled the communication to the Evangelion for a second. ôGet Misato in here now.ö Someone was going to explain this bullshit, or someone would die horribly. Her finger briefly ran over the revolver she carried in her lab coat for uppity techs. It was a small comfort, but a comfort nevertheless.

ôAim for the core and fire.ö Sounds easy enough, maybe the robot would compensate for his lack of skills. He squeezed the trigger, the gun roaring to life as several rounds made their way towards the dummy Angel in front of him. It lost an arm to the inaccurate fire, and Shinji felt a sting of shame. ôMother of twelve bastards, how the hell am I supposed to hit specific shit with this?ö

ôOkay, okay, so what the hell do you want?ö Misato wasn't happy, she had other things to do since there wasn't an Angel to murder.

ôDid you know anything about our spare pilot lacking any formal skills in anything related combat?ö Stay calm Ritsuko, it's your old stupid friend Misato, it'll be okay. ôI could understand a lack of hand to hand training given how scrawny he is, but he apparently has no clue what to do with a gun.ö

ôHe missed the core by a mile.ö Shigeru helpfully added, ducking under the glare directed at him.

ôNot even a toy?ö Misato found that hard to believe. Most kids Shinji's age had shot tons of shit with BB pellets and other forms of nonlethal munitions by now.

ôThe Evangelion would cancel most recoil, he wouldn't even feel feedback of the kick of the rifle.ö Stupid psychosomatic issues, always fucking shit up.

ôSo you're saying because he believes there will be recoil, he's feeling it even though it wasn't there?ö The hell was that bullshit? Misato didn't seem to be thrilled by this development. ôWe need to get him some formal weapons training then, and if he proves receptive, some actual hand to hand.ö

ôEven if Rei returns, there is no point in discarding him. He seems to be an credible asset.ö Ritsuko would rather they keep someone who didn't get fucked up by the Evangelion around.

ôUh, hey, sorry to interrupt anything.ö Shinji had managed to connect to Shigeru, who patched him through. ôI got a question: Why are you asking me to accurately fire a fully automatic weapon?ö

Ritsuko and Misato both looked like they ate something rotten.

ôI'm going to see the Commander about our weapons program.ö Ritsuko stomped off, rather mad about shit.

ôOkay, clean down and meet me outside the lab in about twenty, Shinji.ö Misato was going to make this kid competent in the art of war, so help her whatever nondenominational entity was listening at the moment.

- - -

ôI don't get it, did I do that bad?ö Shinji asked, rubbing the back of his head, feeling like he screwed up.

ôNo, you didn't. It's our fault for not making sure you had proper training first.ö Misato said in way of soothing the boy's rattled nerves. ôAs such, we're going to the firing range and I'm going to teach you how to fire guns properly.ö

ôWhere'd the doctor run off to?ö Shinji was apoplectic about this, but if it meant he wouldn't die hardcore against the next menace, the better.

ôShe's going to talk to your father about the lack of creativity from our weapons division.ö Misato had a feeling that the nerds in NERV's weapons division spent too much time watching old pre-Second Impact action flicks and not enough time studying actual guns. ôDon't worry if you don't pick it up right away, but look at the bright side: with this new training program, you'll be excused from homework.ö

ôWhat really?ö Score one for totally sucking at something for once. ôSo where are we starting?ö

ôGun safety and maintenance,ö Misato answered, smiling at his apparent enthusiasm. ôI'm not putting a gun into your hands until you prove you won't kill yourself with it first.ö

ôI'd pout about that, but there's a very real chance of me doing something stupid with a gun.ö Like use it like a hammer and almost shoot himself in the balls.

ôThen let's begin...ö

- - -

ôIt's the fourth Angel!ö Makoto announced, as the form of Shamshel slowly made his way towards Tokyo-3. The beam tipped tentacles whipped furiously to take down several fighter craft trying to feed him a bullet sandwich.

ôYou've been training for this Shinji.ö Gendo intoned, hands crossed before his face in what some might say was his trademark pose. ôDo me proud, son.ö

ôRight, father.ö Nothing more needed to be said between the pair, an odd bond forming between them since Shinji's arrival.

ôEvangelion is ready to launch.ö Shigeru informed Misato, who nodded.

ôUse the regular pallet rifle to take the Angel's measure. Once you're ready, we'll start popping out the toys.ö Misato said, smirking as she remembered the haste the new guns for the Evangelion had been completed with both Gendo and Ritsuko up their asses.

ôRoger that, ma'am. Ikari Shinji, ready to sortie on your mark.ö The small crash course in guns had instilled a bit of understanding in protocol. Cutting off the comm line, he continued to himself. ôI'm going to fuck your shit up buddy. You don't know it yet, but you've just met the King of the Bastards and I will shit in your lungs for trying to destroy this city.ö

ôLaunch the Evangelion!ö

End Chapter 02
Teaser for Chapter 03 ôRight Where You Wanted Me (Feed Me From the Inside)ö

The Evangelion surfaced right across from the Angel, arms crossed like it was the bouncer at a high level club. This destroying humanity shit was gonna stop right fucking now, so help me whatever deity was watching over the events. As it were, Shinji wasn't about to let this Angel succeed where Sachiel failed.

ôYo fish head.ö Shinji muttered as greeting, swiftly arming himself with a provide pallet rifle and pointing it at the Angel. ôIt's garbage day and I'm the trash man.ö He opened fire, Shamshel using his tentacles to swat away the burst of bullets in lieu of using his AT-field.

ôI think it's showing off.ö Maya said, eyebrow furrowing at the Angel not using their trademark barrier defense.

ôWell, if that's how it wants to play...ö Misato left the point hang in the air as she grinned, face morphing in to sheer madness.

ôLet's play.ö

Apologies in advance to any Hikari fans out there. >_>
 

Anonguy

Well-Known Member
#11
Disclaimer: So like, I totally don't own anything that someone else has a copyright okay?

Author note: Hey hey, Reprint 3! Hold onto your hats people, we're just getting rolling.

The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 3 Right Where You Wanted Me (Feed Me From The Inside)
by Anonguy

The Evangelion surfaced right across from the Angel, arms crossed like it was the bouncer at a high level club. This destroying humanity shit was gonna stop right fucking now, so help me whatever deity was watching over the events. As it were, Shinji wasn't about to let this Angel succeed where Sachiel failed.

ôYo fish head.ö Shinji muttered as greeting, swiftly arming himself with a provided pallet rifle and pointing it at the Angel. ôIt's garbage day and I'm the trash man.ö He opened fire, Shamshel using his tentacles to swat away the burst of bullets in lieu of using his AT-field.

ôI think it's showing off.ö Maya said, eyebrow furrowing at the Angel not using their trademark barrier defense.

ôWell, if that's how it wants to play...ö Misato left the point hang in the air as she grinned, face morphing in to sheer madness.

ôLet's play.ö That was Shinji as he started firing again as he moved to gain cover around another empty building. He would do his best not to smash the shit out of the place, but they had to understand that this shit was hard not to break. And if anyone gave him problems for it, he'd probably tell them to go fuck themselves with a rusty razor.

Shamshel blocked in much the same manner, but more frantically as it appear Shinji's next burst was better aimed than the first. Not content to play defense all day, the Angel lashed out with the tentacles, just missing a picture perfect skewer of Unit-01, which rolled to avoid it. He fired mid-roll, rounds clattering harmlessly off the Angel's AT-field.

ôGood good, seems like they learned from the first guy.ö Shinji said, smiling to himself despite the life or death struggle in front of him. ôMisato, is the grenade launcher ready?ö

ôAffirmative, but don't use it carelessly. The grenades will pack a high amount of explosives.ö Misato responded to his query professionally, even as she felt her spirits soar as Shinji did his training proud.

ôReady it for Weapon House 07. I'm going to take a few more swipes at him before I switch.ö Shinji responded, he rushed from cover, drawing Shamshel away from House 07 by firing at his face. Tentacles swimming rapidly, the rounds met a swift end as the Angel stalked his prey.

ôSwitching Weapon Houses 04 and 06 to defense cannons.ö Maya called, as she swiftly worked to that end.

ôGrenade launcher will arrive in 45 seconds!ö Shigeru called, monitoring the weapon launch closely. It was only their lives on the line here.

ôCollateral damage is zero! All rounds have confirmed to have impacted out of Tokyo-3's limits.ö Hyuga added, deciding to keep track of how well Shinji did defending Tokyo-3.

ôIt seemed it was prudent to use the MAGI as firing computers.ö Fuyutsuki said quietly to Gendo.

ôSome might think of it as using a nuclear weapon to mow your lawn, but it's good exercise for them to do something other than probability crunching.ö Gendo replied, hands clasped before his face, a tone that hinted a parental pride sneaking into his usual frank monotone. His boy was really doing it.

ôIkari, about Rei.ö Fuyutsuki said, watching the battle with a tiny sliver of hope.

ôAyanami will be placed on Unit-00 upon recovery. If she can't get it to move, then she will be removed from active duty and placed into a back-up role.ö Gendo was blunt, like an iron club to the face. ôMy own bias aside, the Third hasn't shown any reason to be removed from Unit-01.ö

ôThat he hasn't.ö Fuyutsuki could only agree as Shinji used the defense cannons to move and acquire the new grenade launcher made for Unit-01. ôHow did they manage to complete it so fast when it took them so long to finish even a basic rifle?ö

ôI'm told I can be... persuasive when I am irritated.ö Gendo's response and smirk of perpetual evil gave the old professor the shakes.

ôI-I see.ö Fuyutsuki cleared his throat to hide his nervousness.

/-\ /-\ /-\

ôOkay, I have five grenades, so I can't really waste any,ö Shinji said to himself as he aimed at Shamshel with his new toy. ôBut I need better firing data if I'm to use this effectively so screw it. I got other guns.ö A loud thump sounded as he fired the grenade, the artillery's impact against the AT-field pushing the invader from the city borders.

ôNo damage!ö Maya said, doing her job in stating the obvious about the battle. ôBut the Angel couldn't intercept the round and blocked with its field.ö

ôField variance holding at 57 clicks.ö Shigeru reported, using a new term for the frequency at which the AT-field vibrates at. ôIt seems to have lowered over the course of battle.ö

ôUnit-01 is being kept out of the mesh zone.ö Hyuga added in, pouring over the data from the battle. ôIt would seem that the Angel has no desire for a hand to hand encounter.ö

ôNormally, with those tentacles, it'd have a good reach advantage.ö Misato said, surmising the Angel's battle plan. ôBut thanks to our training, Shinji is keeping himself armed and able to bombard it from range as well.ö Another thump signified Shinji's use of a second grenade, and sadly for Shamshel, he was lax in keeping his AT-field up and took it straight to the face. The explosion knocked the Angel over and sent him skidding along the ground.

ôDirect hit! Damage is minimal and already being regenerated.ö Maya said, heart soaring at the sight.

ôSo they can get cocky.ö Shinji and Misato unknowingly said together, the former smiling to himself. The latter though kept her features neutral. It wouldn't pay for them to get overconfident either.

ôPrepare another pallet rifle and the DMR!ö Misato ordered, surprising everyone with the sudden change from letting Shinji go out there and rumble. ôWe can't get too caught up with this and fall into a trap.ö

ôUnderstood,ö Shinji said, the protocol bubbling to the surface again. ôSwitching to suppression tactics.ö He set the grenade launcher down and cracked his knuckles. The pallet rifle arrived a moment later, and Shinji took it.

ôThe DMR will arrive in 5 minutes.ö Shigeru called, not surprising anyone since it was only finished yesterday.

ôOkay Shinji, you have five minutes to play some more, but once the DMR is ready, I expect to to bag this son of a bitch, alright?ö Misato said, crossing her arms authoritatively.

ôOrders received and acknowledgedö he replied, leaping from cover to fire at the just recovered Angel. Tentacles whipped furiously as they cut the rounds down. Boy, Shamshel was pissed now. This had probably been what had gotten Sachiel killed: underestimating their prey.

ôAngel is moving erratically.ö Hyuga supplied this report, using his instruments to track the movements of the tentacles for the MAGI. ôIt is becoming increasingly agitated and angry.ö

ôOh no, the big bad Angel is upset with me.ö Shinji failed to be distressed by this fact. In fact, he thought it was rather funny. ôI'm sorry, but I'm not some warrior therapist that you can complain to about how unfair life is and how much you hate your dad.ö That was what most psychology seemed to boil down to in his opinion.

The beam tipped tentacles failed to pierce the Evangelion's AT-field.

ôDon't act like a child.ö Man, why couldn't he have a cool giant robot nemesis to trade cheesy quips with man? Stupid unintelligible monsters and their growlspeak.

Shamshel scooted forward in a very sulkish manner, as if throwing a tantrum.

ôThe... the Angel is throwing a fucking hissy fit!ö Shigeru summed up nicely, and no one cared that he swore. They were thinking much the same.

ôOh this is too rich!ö Shinji said, using the MAGI to properly fire between the tentacles from the approaching Angel and knock it ass over tea kettle again. ôHere it is, the greatest threat to mankind and it's throwing a fit like a spoiled teenager!ö He laughed heartily at that. Still another minute left until the DMR arrived. ôSo what's your problem? Horrible acne? Puberty fucking with your head? Maybe you struck out with a hot lady Angel and are just taking your frustrations out on us? Work with me here, this is too funny to not mock.ö

Shamshel shot back upright and began attacking wildly, as if to say shut the fuck up you asshole.

ôLook here, you invade this city, want to kill everyone in it, and expect me to be all accepting of it?ö Shinji grabbed the tentacles and yanked the Angel towards him, which he used as momentum to kick it back away from Unit-01. In his head, a bitching guitar solo started up and though he had no clue why, he found he liked it. ôIt's time I put you down like the rabid menace you are.ö Just in time for the DMR to slide up into the Weapon House next to him. Because that's just how things work right?

Shamshel managed to get up again, but was barely standing straight now.

ôSorry, but you're gonna have to die now.ö Shinji wasn't repentant in the least, he was just saying something he figured sounded cool. He aimed the DMR carefully, before he extended the outer layer of his AT-field out far enough to crash into Shamshel's and remove the Angel's last defense.

ôHe did what?ö Hyuga called, shocked as his readings told him the Evangelion still had most of its field.

ôRitsuko did have him read the theories on the AT-field, so he probably picked it up from there.ö Misato said as way of explanation. She closed her eyes as the series of gunshots rang out, severing Shamshel's tentacles before another shot took it in the core. It all happened so fast it couldn't even prime an on-death explosion like Sachiel, and so left an extremely ugly corpse.

ôTango is down.ö Shinji said, feeling it appropriate to say.

/-\ /-\ /-\

Sometime after the operation had been successfully completed, Shinji was resting in the pilot's lounge when the door opened, and in stepped a blue haired girl from the Fetish Zone of the Uncanny Valley. She stared him down, covered in bandages all over, as he wondered who she was. While he could admit she looked pretty cute, the way she just appeared gave him the creeps.

ôGreetings, Third Child.ö she said as way of greeting, seeing as how he was too busy squirming under her glare to initiate the meeting. ôI am Rei Ayanami, First Child and pilot of Unit-00.ö

ôYou're the pilot of that grotesque orange monstrosity?ö He didn't mean to sound so surprised. She certainly was as unnerving as that thing was. ôI assume you already know my name.ö

ôIkari Shinji, Third Child and pilot of Unit-01.ö Rei intoned, glancing at the other pilot, who was dressed in a vague school uniform. As she herself was, as she remembered being dressed this way when the meds wore off.

ôSo where have you been?ö he asked, not as angry as he thought he'd be at the pilot whose accident brought him to NERV in the first place.

ôConvalescing from injuries sustained in syncing with Unit-00.ö she answered smoothly. Perfect diction too, nice. ôYou should consider yourself fortunate, the Evangelion are touchy creatures.ö

ôSo I've heard.ö He sounded rather dubious, which annoyed her somehow. Who was he to doubt her? ôWell, it'll be nice to have some help from now on. I'll be counting on you.ö

ôYou mean to stay on?ö She was rarely surprised, but hearing him essentially say as much put off her preconceived notions of him. ôAs the more experienced pilot, it would be better if I took Unit-01's reigns for now and allow you to retire. You have been a helpful stand in, but I am better now.ö Was it Shinji, or did she sound almost... desperate to get rid of him?

ôMore experienced? You haven't seen live combat and you took seven months to properly sync with Unit-00, which by the way congratulated you on your success by trying to kill you.ö He was as astounded as he sounded. Cute or not, nice rack or not, he wasn't about to let some blue haired freak chick push him out the damn door, not after being so reckless as to force him into service. ôI, meanwhile, have killed two Angels without a hit in return. Oh and Unit-01 hasn't tried to kill me on any of my attempts to sync with it. I don't know if you hit your head at some point, but I'm the main pilot on Project E and you're MY wingman. You're either going to sync properly with Unit-00 or you're MY back-up.ö Oh shit son, no he did NOT just say all that. ôAnd these orders are from my father, the Commander.ö Well that was an unnecessary twisting of the knife, you asshole.

ôThe... the Commander ordered this?!ö Oh shit, she was freaking out now. The whole emotionless thing was a facade, what lurks in the true heart of Rei Ayanami?

ôYep.ö Shinji was failing to be sympathetic or even the tiniest bit tactful. Well to be fair, she was being a self-important bitch earlier. ôSorry if you thought you'd wake up from your vacation and just kick me out. This is my show now and you're just a support character now. Deal with it.ö He left the room with that, and in doing so missed the absolutely furious look on Rei's face.

/-\ /-\ /-\

A few days after the confrontation between the two pilots, Rei was well enough to try and sync with Unit-00 again. It went as usual, a lot of slow build up that bored the shit out of everyone watching it. The ratio climbed like tortoise with four broken legs until it hit the sweet spot, upon which Unit-00 unsurprisingly went crazy and thrashed in its restraints.

ôSpirit of the Evangelion, listen to me and listen well.ö Rei said as the ratio shot through the roof. Her eyes glowed red and her tone took on freezing properties. ôYou have been a nuisance and hindrance to me in the past, and I have allowed you your childishness before. But now, I am no longer in the mood to cater to your whims and I will not take your shit anymore.ö

Unit-00 thrashed again, but could do nothing to bring harm to its pilot.

ôSpirit of the Evangelion, my name is Rei Ayanami, one of many who would claim that name as theirs. But I AM the Rei here and now, the one who says this name is mine alone. The Rei Ayanami before you is about to embark on the path to glory and you will be my steed. The Unit-00 is now MINE but I will allow you to stay on my property and join me in my journey to victory.ö

The Evangelion slowly stopped thrashing as Rei overrode the soul within it.

ôBut if the light of victory is too bright for you, I will give unto you a darkness that borders on infinity.ö Boy she was really going, with no sign of slowing down. ôI am Rei Ayanami, The First Child. And I claim this Unit-00 as my domain and you are trespassing on my turf. If you seek to hinder me, I will obliterate you. If you decide to rebel against me, I will devour your essence whole as you are no longer necessary to this Unit's function! I AM THE CLOSEST THING TO A GOD ANY OF THESE PEOPLE WILL KNOW AND AS THAT GOD, MY ORDERS ARE ABSOLUTE.ö

Unit-00 glowed brilliantly for a second before it dimmed, while still obscuring the Evangelion from the eyes of the observers.

ôFufufufufuufufu, I see your desire of self preservation has won out over your desire of freedom. Very well, Spirit of Evangelion, you are now my first disciple. Mark yourself with my color and speak to the world the Advent of Rei Ayanami!ö

The crew gaped in horror as they took in the sight.

ôWhat the hell did she do?!ö Hyuga cried, looking at Unit-00 with eyes wide.

Upon her wicked throne, the wretched blood of Rei sang in her veins as she threw her head back and laughed in triumph. The Evangelion had turned blue.

End Chapter 03

Teaser for chapter 4 "Turn Away From the Ones, Who Hurt Everyone":

ôThe Fifth Angel has appeared!ö Maya reported, having just detected the blue signal. ôIt appears to be stationary 45 kilometers outside of Tokyo-3.ö

ôGet Rei and Shinji ready, we're using the emergency launch tubes to go and say hi.ö Misato ordered as everyone scrambled to get the Evangelion ready for battle.

ôIs there a reason for it to stop?ö Shigeru asked, perplexed by this change in usual attitude, which was to charge headlong for the city.

ôI hope it isn't because it can attack from there.ö Hyuga said, before his eyes bugged out as the realization sunk in.
ôWe'll begin monitoring the Angel for signs of hostility and do our best to ascertain its fighting capabilities!ö Maya called, as the bridge crew went nuts with their own prep.

ôWelcome to NERV, where everyone here is the best there is at what they do.ö
 

Prince Charon

Well-Known Member
#14
Interesting version of Rei. I quite like the description ('Fetish Zone of the Uncanny Valley', indeed), it fits her well.

Makes me wonder what this Asuka will be like.
 

Anonguy

Well-Known Member
#15
While I won't spoil anything that is at minimum 2 chapters away, I would ask you to try and keep your expectations grounded in reality. Nothing against you, but I'd like to be able to meet your expectations and not feel like I need to shit gold bricks and piss diamonds to satisfy them.
 

Prince Charon

Well-Known Member
#16
Anonguy said:
While I won't spoil anything that is at minimum 2 chapters away, I would ask you to try and keep your expectations grounded in reality. Nothing against you, but I'd like to be able to meet your expectations and not feel like I need to shit gold bricks and piss diamonds to satisfy them.
You don't, but that is an amusing, if painful-sounding, image.
 

ascote

Well-Known Member
#17
Im trying to control myself and not make extensive use of scat reference and use it as a subjective argument.
 

sworded

Well-Known Member
#18
Interesting story, but shit how I'm still trying to imagine an Eva sized grenade launcher in RL. OTOH, any Eva sized weapon counts as an artillery piece.
 

ascote

Well-Known Member
#19
Play any of the super robot wars game where EVA appears and youll see. I recall EVA 02 using 2 automatic rocket launchers or something.
 

Anonguy

Well-Known Member
#20
IIRC, Asuka used twin rocket launchers against Zeruel. It ended badly for her.
 

Anonguy

Well-Known Member
#21
Disclaimer: Yeah, still don't own anything. One day Anno! ONE DAY!

Author note: The beginning of this chapter will feature a lot of pointless fluff and as such, if you want to skip past it, just use the find function and look of the Fifth Angel. If you want to read it all, please do, but don't complain if it sucks or it isn't as funny as (insert terrible Evangelion fanfic you like.) That said, let's get to it, Ramiel will be appearing this time. Hurray for beam spam.

The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 4 Turn Away From the Ones, Who Hurt Everyone
by Anonguy

And so, time passed after the defeat of Shamshel, and Shinji settled into the routine boredom of school. Most everyone thanked him for his defense of the city and left it at that, though Kensuke was a bit over the top in his gratitude for showing them the true might of a giant robot. He hadn't meant to laugh, but the endlessly reverent expression just seemed so hilarious.

His training schedule eased up, allowing him the occasional bit of free time, which he spent hanging with Touji and Hikari, with Touji's shadow Kensuke lurking about. The class rep was the very definition of a well meaning girl, if you could get past her unending henpecking.

To say nothing of how awkward things had become since Ayanami had finally been cleared to return to class.

Whatever happened after their first meeting, she didn't seem to be taking it well. Shinji thought Rei would be happy that she successfully synced with her Evangelion, but it appeared he was incorrect in that assumption. There was something... angry to her demeanor that hadn't been there before, as though she stopped pretending to be a robot and started acting like a fourteen year old girl.

Of course, this new attitude reignited the loser portion of the school once again harass her for dates. No place on the campus was safe for her to avoid being propositioned, not even the girl's locker room. It appears that the end of the world loosened the moral standards that used to govern the world, much to Rei's continued consternation.

Shinji found it all to be quite hilarious really, which is why he was running at the moment from an angry Ayanami in arduous pursuit.

ôCome on, why would I convince several girls to ask you out?ö This was mostly facetious posturing, as he had done this as a joke. He didn't know they were serious, the sick things people get off on. Not that he would blame them, but she was only fun to be around if you cracked her I'm a robot, beep beep shell.

ôBecause you're a shallow individual with the shame of an exhibitionist.ö Rei wasn't happy, keep running Shinji!

ôYou know how to hurt a guy.ö Verbally, though physically wasn't too much of an issue either. That poor kid in 2-C, he'd never walk right again.

ôI get a lot of practice.ö She smiled at that, but it was anything but friendly. In fact, she seemed almost feral in her demeanor.

ôDo you now? You sure get around, Ayanami.ö Shinji wasn't the type to stop digging once he was in a hole, no sir. If there was a hole to be dug, he dug with all his might. Tact was a word people used to lecture him about.

ôIkari.ö Oh. Oh shit.

ôI think I may have gone too far.ö Mostly to himself as he ducked under the ballistic missile Rei had become figuratively and rolled to avoid the rubble as she demolished part of the wall. ôThis is normally the part I'd ask if she's okay, but I don't ask questions I know the answer to.ö

Indeed, as Rei emerged from the wreckage, eyes all a glow. She looked pretty freaky like that, but Shinji wasn't the type to be afraid of a little bit of harmless light. The First Child dramatically strutted from the wreckage, dust billowing around her.

ôHaving fun, Ayanami?ö Shinji asked with a teasing smirk on his face. So many people enjoyed so many bits of pointless theatrics.

ôA little, yeah.ö Man, she had to slow down soon, or else her motor would get running too hot, and who knows what'd she do then.

ôGood good, I wouldn't want to bore you.ö Majorly because she was too fun to tease, so he had to keep her attention. ôBut, sad to say, we should stop before there is no school left.ö

ôYou'd just hate that wouldn't you.ö Cooling down, Rei walked over to stand beside Shinji.

ôOh yeah, I just love to study.ö It was a half truth, he liked to study guns and other weapons, as well as learn more about the Evangelion. But school work? Man, fuck that noise.

ôSo, you don't have any training after school today.ö Rei did have that annoying habit of trying to pick up a conversation dropped hours ago. But she had blue hair, so people let it pass.

ôYup, and I got a great idea for what to do today.ö Shinji was picking up his father's knack for annoyingly cryptic remarks.

ôOh? I don't recall playing arcade games until Misato-san drags you home being a great idea.ö Rei kept pace with Shinji's habitual snarking it seemed. Two could definitely play this game.

ôHmph. I suppose I deserved that.ö Shinji said, eyebrow twitching, before he produced a set of tickets from his pocket. ôTell me Ayanami, have you ever heard about the Games Workshop Island?ö

/-\ /-\ /-\

ôYou... you're kidding me.ö Kensuke said, words failing him as Shinji held up the Holy Grail of Nerds: a ferry ticket to Games Workshop Island. ôHow did you get that?ö

ôI brought them off the E-Net. The ferry company recently had some for sale, so I brought some.ö Well, Misato was kind enough to help him figure out how to do it, but he didn't need to say it.

ôYou're shitting me man, the E-Net boards would be exploding right now if there were tickets for this.ö Kensuke wasn't trying to play the skeptic, but he hated being one upped by Ikari.

ôSweet, let's get going then.ö Touji interrupted the proceedings by taking the first ticket in Shinji's hand. ôI don't know much about this place, but it sounds like a lot of fun.ö

ôBefore you complain, there's a ticket for you too.ö Shinji didn't like the looks of Kensuke's reaction, as it looked like the glasses wearing boy had turned to stone.

ôYou're my best friend.ö Kensuke snapped out of his fugue and took the proffered ticket.

ôI know, right?ö Shinji didn't comment past that and turned to Rei. ôAnd one for you too Ayanami.ö

ôWhile I doubt you have gentlemanly aspirations, I assume this is because you want to ensure I can't snitch on you for leaving Japan.ö She took the ticket, if only because she didn't want him to die before she could prove herself to him.

ôAnd that's all the tickets, so let's get going.ö Someone was certainly enthusiastic.

/-\ /-\ /-\

The ferry set out from port a small amount of time later, the four passengers being the only ones on this trip, lucky them. This of course meant that they had the entire boat to themselves, save the crew naturally. And so, here they were on deck, stretching out and settling in for the ride to come.

ôSo what is the Games Workshop thing anyways?ö Touji asked, deciding to figure out if he even wanted to get off the boat when they reached shore again.

ôTouji, you!ö Kensuke didn't get to finish his admonishment because Shinji socked him in the gut. ôGah!ö

ôYelling at him won't do anything you dip.ö Shinji shook his hand and turned to Suzuhara and took a deep breath. ôGames Workshop was a company in Great Britain that produced tabletop games, focusing mostly on the grim and dark future in the year 40, 000. I say was because at some point before Second Impact, they apparently had the building remodeled to withstand global flooding.ö

ôAnd by withstand, he means float away instead of swept under.ö Kensuke recovered from the blow and decided to help the lecture out. ôThe E-net story of it all is that writing of a time in the far future where peace was a foreign concept made them properly paranoid. So when global warming was all a flutter in the news, they had the place restructured to become an island.ö

ôThe crazy part is that it worked and they found themselves floating about the ocean for a while. Rumors say that they had started staffing engineers and other worker types that would help keep the island compound going for a while. For example, shortly after they started out, they somehow figured out how to motorize their land and keep it moving at a steady clip. It's how they've been able to become a tourist spot the world over.ö Shinji picked up for Kensuke as walked along the length of the deck, drawing Touji and Rei in to the picture the two were painting.

ôEven crazier is how they've pulled stuff from their game fluff and started putting it to work. The security on the island is done solely by Space Marines, with semi-legit Bolters to use for unruly visitors. Most of the security force are formerly guards and they deny rumors of them picking up mercenaries to fill out the ranks with crazier members.ö Kensuke jumped in again, seeing as Shinji was pausing to consider what else to say.

ôIt's become a sort of Nerd Mecca, simply because beyond Games Workshop, Wizards of the Coast and several other tabletop companies have set up shop on the place, giving anyone who wants to play say, Dungeons and Dragons, a place to go instead of the Workshop itself. They deny that Gary Gygax was on the island, or that he is buried somewhere on it, but the E-net persists in the rumor.ö Shinji paused and held up a hand, showing that he was going to continue. ôAnyways, I went here a couple years ago with my guardians, but I wasn't allowed to do much. They were oddly protective of me after an accident when I was younger. I'm looking forward to this.ö

ôMan, that's lame. Half the point of going here is to cosplay with the guards and even sit in on a game with the staff. It's even better when they let you take part in a Replay.ö Kensuke found he hated Shinji's guardians after a fashion. To take him to Games Workshop Island and not let him play? What a bunch of dicks.

ôA Replay?ö Rei asked, curious as to what that is.

ôA live action skit of a previously done campaign. ô Kensuke answered, seeing as he brought it up. ôSo if they had an awesome story they did previously, you could act it out.ö

ôI read on the E-net the current Replay scheduled for the Workshop is the Heresy.ö Shinji slipped in, causing Kensuke to flip out even more.

ôIs he going to be okay?ö Rei asked in a passive tone, indicating she was asking to be polite.

ôHis nerd senses have overloaded, he'll be fine.ö Touji sounded confident that Kensuke would be okay, so that was enough for the other two.

ôWe should be on land in a short while, so get ready. We'll be here a couple hours.ö That was all Shinji said as sat down and kicked back.

/-\ /-\ /-\

Five hours later, Shinji and company exited the ferry, decked out in full Space Marine regalia. Even Rei, who despite her initial misgivings had wound up having the most fun. Their Airsoft Bolters slung over shoulder, they jokingly sang songs of the Emperor as they were met by Misato.

ôI suppose you had a lot of fun?ö She didn't seem upset, which was largely due to how they looked.

ôOh man, it was great. Ayanami even kicked a guy in the balls when he badmouthed her for being small.ö Shinji beamed at his blue haired companion, who smirked back.

ôHe was asking for it.ö She tried not to sound to snotty, but it was hard when the guy did deserve it.

ôThe Emperor guides us all... to a good time.ö Kensuke chuckled to himself, hefting the fake weapon off his shoulder to look at it. ôMan, this was such a blast.ö

ôI had a lot of fun. If we get the chance, we should do this again.ö Touji had been skeptical of the experience, up until he got into it with someone playing an Ork. And then he had such an awesome time, he was the last one on the boat.

ôWell, let's get all of you home,ö Misato said, just shaking her head. ôAnd Shinji? We'll have to find a place you can keep that. It looks good on you.ö

ôI told you guys, I make this look good.ö And with that, they all busted out laughing.

/-\ /-\ /-\

ôThe Fifth Angel has appeared!ö Maya reported, having just detected the blue signal. ôIt appears to be stationary 45 kilometers outside of Tokyo-3.ö

ôGet Rei and Shinji ready, we're using the emergency launch tubes to go and say hi.ö Misato ordered as everyone scrambled to get the Evangelion ready for battle.

ôIs there a reason for it to stop?ö Shigeru asked, perplexed by this change in usual attitude, which was to charge headlong for the city.

ôI hope it isn't because it can attack from there.ö Hyuga said, before his eyes bugged out as the realization sunk in.

ôWe'll begin monitoring the Angel for signs of hostility and do our best to ascertain its fighting capabilities!ö Maya called, as the bridge crew went nuts with their own prep.

ôWelcome to NERV, where everyone here is the best there is at what they do.ö Misato sounded pretty proud of them, as she didn't have to even suggest it. ôAnd to you, Mr. Fifth Angel, we're not going to be very nice.ö

ôMisato, the Evangelion are ready to launch.ö Ritsuko called, entering the bridge to deliver the news. And to watch her kohai do her thang for once.

ôLaunch them in a staggered formation, and make sure we have armaments ready for them!ö It was showtime again. Misato tensed, even though the launch wasn't there. Some things just become a habit.

ôRelax Misato, you're about to jump out of your skin.ö Ritsuko tried to diplomatically calm the Captain's mind.

ôIt's just, this Angel isn't behaving like the two before and it's annoying the hell out of me.ö That and Rei and Shinji hadn't had much training together, so this would be their first co-op sortie.

ôHave faith in them Misato, Shinji's saved us all from impossible situations before. And Ayanami is there too.ö Ritsuko didn't voice her own doubts, as they would be inappropriate at the moment.

ôMake sure they know the emergency evacuation point,ö Misato ordered, resolving to give her a way to relax a bit. ôThe Angel isn't here yet, so we should be able to regroup should it get to hairy. I won't let their stupid pride jeopardize this mission.ö

/-\ /-\ /-\

ôContact in 45 seconds, Ikari.ö Rei's voice flickered over the radio, helping Shinji relax. The Evangelion gripped to its rifle tightly, ready for action once more.

ôRoger that Ayanami, let's get this son of a bitch.ö Shinji gripped the controls as he did his best to focus on the task at hand.

ôSurfacing in five, four, three, two, one!ö And with that, both Evangelion Units popped out of the ground in front of Ramiel. A sequence of lights flashed along the Angel's body, a curious diamond cube shape.

ôI see, so it appears to have been waiting on us.ö Shinji wasn't sure how he understood it, but there was something beneath the surface of the meaningless gesture. Shinji immediately broke away from Rei and circled to the left of Ramiel, as Rei herself circled to the Angel's right.

ôIkari, I will enter the mesh zone and lower his field, use the time to do damage. We'll rotate as we learn his abilities.ö Rei charged forward and deployed her AT-field, the wavelengths meshing together and falling apart.

ôI got a shot.ö Shinji said as protocol demanded, firing a small burst that clattered off the body of the massive Angel. ôHide is extremely tough, may need better rounds to penetrate.ö Shinji replaced Rei in the mesh zone, deploying his field to keep the Angel's barrier down.

ôI'm swapping out to armor piercing rounds.ö Rei quickly reloaded her own rifle before pounding a burst into the body of Ramiel. The fortress sized beast laughed before a light began to shine of his front.

ôDamage is minimal but a large energy signature is coming from the Angel!ö Maya said, eyes bugging out as she took it in. ôPositron reaction confirmed! Watch out!ö

ôOh you have got to be shitting me.ö Rei said as she backed away and put up her AT-field to full charge. The field managed to hold under the strain of the beam, but the super heated air was messing with her system. ôShit, what the hell is this?ö

ôLCL temperature in Unit-00 is rising rapidly, initiating emergency coolant!ö Hyuga called, hammering the command in.

ôAyanami, are you okay?ö Shinji called, as Rei got control again. He looked desperately up as Ramiel swiveled his cannon point at Unit-01. ôOh fuck me!ö He rapidly hopped back out of the mesh zone, Ramiel's AT-field no longer suppressed as it sprang back to life. The light intensified as it did so, meaning that the suppression had kept the last shot down.

ôPositron emission has spiked! The AT-field is also some kind of enhancer!ö Shigeru cried, covering his eyes.

ôIkari, hold on!ö Rei shouted, charging Unit-00 back into the mesh zone and lowering the power of the shot dramatically.

ôShit! This is going bad!ö Shinji yelled, projecting the field farther away from the Evangelion in hopes to avoid getting boiled.

ôWhen did you first notice it Shinji?ö Ritsuko mused on the bridge, smirking to herself. ôWhen did you start to understand the limit of the AT-field is the mind of the person projecting it?ö

ôThe AT-field is nothing but Domain Control, that's what you said right?ö Misato asked, unsure of what Ritsuko was saying.

ôCorrect, it is nothing more than the force of will upon reality. This is but a tip of the power of the Evangelion.ö Ritsuko smiled as she watched Shinji deflect the shot rather than smother it. That mountain wasn't important anyways.

ôAyanami, if you have to defend a shot, project the field away from you. The field isn't tied to the body!ö Shinji was desperate now, as he tossed aside his rifle and flexed the Unit's hands. ôHow long until you can get me some artillery?ö

ôThree minutes, Shinji!ö Maya answered, already getting the order out to send the grenade launcher to him.

ôThanks. We might just get this bastard.ö Shinji calmly sized up the passive Angel and found his blood burning in his veins. ôI'm going to fuck you up.ö

ôI'm leaving the mesh zone,ö Rei called, backing away and retrieving her own field. Shinji dutifully took her place, keeping Ramiel's field suppressed.

ôJust got to wait for better weapons.ö Shinji called, not even reacting to Rei's useless fire. ôTwo and a half minutes to go.ö He flexed the Unit's fingers and watched as Rei did her best to keep it occupied. She blocked a shot as he had instructed, preventing any collateral damage to the unit via heat.

ôI hope this is worth it,ö Rei muttered, watching as several auto-defense turrets sprang to life in a bid to hasten the end of Ramiel's. They were summarily destroyed in a display of rapid firepower.

ôSo it isn't stuck on single fire.ö Shinji filed that away for later, not sure how it'd be used. Another minute and he'd have his grenade launcher. ôAt least we're holding our own for now.ö

ôSo it seems, Ikari.ö Rei's voice didn't waver as she kept the Angel's attention on her. Sure she wasn't doing much, but you keep chipping away and even a mountain can crumble to dust. She blocked another shot and started to get into the battle a little more.

ôGrenade launcher in five, four, three, two, one and gotcha!ö Shinji caught the weapon as it sprang forth from the ground. ôOkay, let's switch Ayanami!ö

ôRoger!ö Unit-00 moved into the mesh zone as Unit-01 rotated out. Shinji raised the grenade launcher and let loose a mighty thump, the grenade exploding against the side of Ramiel.

ôDamage is still low, but the explosion has shifted the Angel's posture slightly.ö Hyuga reported, scratching his head as they tried to figure out how to win.

ôAnother for you!ö Shinji yelled, letting loose another round of the launcher, which crashed into the side of Ramiel, seemingly as useless as before. Ramiel responded by firing a quick beam, forcing Shinji to drop his weapon to defend himself. As the beam intensified against his field, Shinji responded by flexing the shield and beginning to capture the beam.

ôIs... is he catching that?ö Shigeru sputtered, not believing what was happening on the screen in front of him. Then, the beam guttered away. ôDid it understand what Shinji was doing?!ö

ôAnother reaction is happening in the Angel!ö Maya called, before she pounded her console. ôIt's targeting Rei!ö

ôNo, I have to pull back!ö Rei called, moving to reclaim her AT-field, Ramiel's snapping back to life.

ôShit!ö Shinji threw what he had gathered at Ramiel, but it was too late. The Angel's AT-field easily caught the shot, absorbed it, and then fired it back at Shinji without letting up on Rei at all.

ôThat son of a bitch, he saw through it all!ö Hyuga swore, pounding his console in frustration as well. Was there nothing they could do?

ôOrder the Evangelion to retreat once they've finished defending themselves. There's no point in wasting our time further.ö Misato's face was a mask of utter shame and fury, as she realized they had overestimated themselves in this battle. ôWe need to come up with a better plan.ö

Both Units finished defending the shots, staring hard at the Angel when the order came. Both reacted terribly, and a lot of colorful language was used. After a short pause, both Evangelion retreated from the field, the pilots within seething at their defeat. Nothing else was said as they entered the escape tunnels, as both Units slumped against a wall, reflecting the drain on the pilots.

ôNext, we're going to kill him so far beyond dead that we'll need a new word for how dead he is.ö Shinji looked over at Unit-00 and by extension Rei. ôAs long as you're with me.ö

ôI won't leave this to you. I will not bow to this fucker at all.ö Rei forced the Evangelion to stand, and extended a hand. ôAs long as you're with me as well, Ikari... no, Shinji.ö

ôOf course, Rei. I won't run away from him again. Never again.ö Unit-01 took the hand, and Shinji's smile was matched by Rei's.

End Chapter 04

Teaser for Chapter 05 ôI Will Shut the World Awayö:

ôSo, it would seem we have suffered a setback.ö Gendo Ikari stated this obvious factoid in his usual gruff and frigid manner. No one dared to speak out against this, as he usually took criticism with grace, followed by a retort in the form of a bullet to the head.

ôMm, yes.ö Fuyutsuki decided to engage the conversation as he knew Gendo was speaking to him. ôThe Fifth's abilities were beyond our estimations and we went in ill prepared. Misato is currently using the MAGI to help her concoct an actual battle plan.ö

ôAny input from the pilots?ö Not that he figured they had anything really good to supply, he was simply taking the conversation to the obvious points.

ôAh, Shinji suggested just dropping N2 mines on the Angel until it was reduced to glowing ash.ö To say nothing of what Rei suggested. Fuyutsuki shuddered violently for a second.

ôI see, Shinji does take after a Yui a bit.ö Gendo chuckled to himself.

ôUh... what?ö
 

Souffle

Well-Known Member
#22
I'm loving these battles. Short and to the point but radically different from others which are usually 'Shinji punches the angel to death until it dies'
 

sworded

Well-Known Member
#23
Souffle said:
I'm loving these battles. Short and to the point but radically different from others which are usually 'Shinji punches the angel to death until it dies'
But that's such a good plan. :rolleyes:

Why weren't they using armor piercing rounds from the beggining? Cost? Short Supply?
 

Anonguy

Well-Known Member
#24
The armor piercing rounds were largely just finished and they only had a few clips available. I'll make note to bring it up next chapter during the downtime. Most of the ammo projects got shunted aside for the radical refocus on weapon developments.

If there's one thing Reprint! NERV hates it's screwing up the little things, which is why they were so gung ho about changing in light of Shinji's criticisms.
 

Prince Charon

Well-Known Member
#25
:yay: :hail: :yay: :hail: :yay: I like it very much.

Thank you for updating.

More soon, please.
 
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