I've seen it before, I remember that shape...
The robot loomed before him, its imposing presence akin to a formidable war machine that sent shivers down Shinji's spine.
"Is this my father's work?" He turned to Ritsuko, his eyes reflecting his bewilderment. What had his father been involved in?
"That's correct." A powerful male voice emanated from behind a towering window.
"Father! What is this?" His voice echoed through the bridge, a plea for clarification.
"This, Shinji, is humanity's mightiest weapon—the Unit 01 Evangelion. And you, are the one destined to pilot it."
"Pilot this?" Shinji's apprehension surged, an undercurrent of nerves now heightened.
"Indeed." A curt response held a gravity that left no room for doubt.
"Wait, really? You expect me to pilot this? After all these years apart, you want me to control this thing against an unknown monster?!" Shinji's frustration grew tangible
"That's correct" The commander did not give an inch of empathy
"Commander, how can you throw him into combat without proper training?" Misato's concern for Shinji was palpable.
"Misato, time is runnning out. He needs to synchronize with the Eva and settle it now," Ritsuko supported the commander's urgency."I just need him to sit in the robot, I don't expect anything else"
"Just place me in a robot? Is that your solution? Do you even care about what's happening to me?!" Shinji's voice wavered with emotion, his distress manifest.
"Yes I just need you to sit there and nothing more. Pilot the Eva or leave." The commander's response was stern, unyielding.
No! I won't! I'm not doing this!"
Misato detected a fleeting, sinister smile on the commander's lips, though she dismissed it as mere imagination.
"Fuyutsuki, wake Rei."
Fuyutsuki, the elder figure by Gendo's side, regarded him with surprise. "Are you sure, Ikari? Given her state..."
"She's not deceased." Fuyutsuki nodded, obliging the order to establish communication with Rei.
"Rei"
"Yes?" A soft feminine voice emerged from the communication channel.
"The new pilot is unviable. You'll have to pilot in his stead."
"Yes." Her response was unwavering, obedient.
"Shinji, wait!" Misato hurried towards him as he headed for the exit corridors, only to freeze in his tracks.
A girl with light blue hair stood before him, bandaged and bloodied. Wasn't she the same girl he had encountered on the street earlier?
"Rei, the angel approaches. You must get in the unit."
"Yes, Commander." Without hesitation, she obeyed, stepping off the stretcher. However, a tremor shook the facility before she could act.
"He has detected us," Gendo's voice resonated, prompting debris to fall and the ground to shake.
"Hey, are you alright?!" Shinji asked, concerned for the injured girl, his actions stalling.
The girl coughed and twisted, her response a struggle.
"Rei, there's no time. Enter the unit," Ritsuko's directive was urgent, the wounded girl's condition precarious.
Empathy for Shinji and Rei tugged at Misato's heart. While understanding Shinji's reaction, she was also aware that inaction could lead the angel to the base.
YOU ARE READING
Evangelion - Beyond Apocalypse
FanfictionA world scarred by the second impact, Shinji Ikari finds himself thrust into the pilot's seat of a enigmatic humanoid robot known as Evangelion. Now Shinji must confront not only the external threats but also the crisis of his own existence. This fa...
