Doctor Who: The Evangelion Error (Book One)

Part 2: A Troubled Child

It was pitch black inside of the train car. As far as Shinji could tell, every single light - both inside the train and outside in the tunnel - had gone dead all at once.

Next to him, Shinji could hear the Doctor scramble around. "Hold on a tick - know I have one somewhere -" There was a sharp crack that sounded like a bone breaking in two. Then he could see the Doctor sitting next to him, holding up a bright green glowstick, like the ones in earthquake kits.

"Right. That's better now, isn't it?" The Doctor glanced around the car. "I'm guessing that this sort of thing doesn't happen too often around here."

Shinji shook his head. The Doctor sighed. "Blimey. What is it about me and public transportation? Could've sworn trains were still all right..."

"Mommy, who turned out the lights?" a child's voice asked.

"Shh," a woman's voice said. "You heard the driver. They're fixing it."

Shinji looked down the train car. There were three other people in the compartment: a middle-aged woman and her son, who looked to be about three or four years old; and a young woman in a secretary's uniform, who was looking through her purse.

"Here, hold this." The Doctor handed Shinji the glowstick. Shinji took it without thinking. The Doctor pushed the paint can onto the seat next to him and stood up. "Everyone all right down there?"

"Yes, thank you," the mother said politely.

The office lady groaned and held up a cell phone. "There's no service," she said. "We must be too far into the tunnel. I can't even text." The phone let out a musical tone and died. She banged it against the side of her seat. "Oh, come on, dammit! I just charged this thing, I swear..."

There was a knock at the door to the next car. A middle-aged man with a thinning hairline slid it open and stuck his head in. "Is that a light?" he asked.

"And more where that came from, I think," the Doctor said. He started to rummage through the pockets of his coat.

"Ah, is that so." The middle-aged man wandered into the train car, a rolled-up magazine under one arm. He was followed by a young salaryman with five o'clock shadow that looked at least three days old, a beat-up suit jacket thrown over one shoulder.

Before Shinji knew it, they were all gathered at the center of the train car. In addition to the glowstick, the Doctor had managed to unearth a candle, two flashlights (neither of which worked), and what appeared to be a small oil-burning lantern from out of his coat. He stood towards the center of the group. "So, names. I like names. Names are a good start. I'm the Doctor. And you?"

"Kotono Miyamura," said the secretary. "And that was Doctor... ?"

"Just the Doctor. That's all."

"I'm Izumi Yamashita," said the mother. "And this is Hiroshi." The little boy waved shyly.

"Call me Sato," said the salaryman. "Everyone does."

The middle-aged man with the magazine raised his hand. "Yoichi Sadamoto. Pleased to meet you."

They looked at Shinji. "Shinji Ikari," he said.

He knew immediately that he had made a mistake. The train car fell silent. "As in, Commander Ikari?" said Sato. "You're the Evangelion pilot?"

"An Eva pilot?" Mrs. Yamashita's voice quaked a little. "Are you serious?"

Shinji stared down at the floor. It really wasn't fair, he thought, that no matter how much you might wish you could melt into the ground and disappear, it never seemed to happen.