Second Chance

Chapter nine: Showdown Act I

  (A/N): The title of this chapter is soundtrack you should listen to from the Evangelion 1.0 soundtrack while reading this.

  Shinji Ikari breathed deeply. He leaned backwards, heaving, allowing the LCL to soak into his lungs. He placed his hands on the controls, and sunk into the warmth of the plug.

  There was a smell, so familiar. Was it mother? He couldn't trust her, surely, after what his father told him. But he was sure he will be protected. She would be with him. 

   A screen opened up on the side. 'Are you ready, Shinji-kun?' Misato asked him. 'The progressive knife is in the shoulder pylons. You will have five minutes of battery if you lose the umbilical cable. Nagisa will engage the Angel first. You simply have to enter the fray if any error occurs. Are you all clear?'

  He nodded, his eyebrows tightening. He let out a breath he did not know he held as the Eva rose through the shaft. He stepped forward, dragging the umbilical cord behind him. From the distance, Eva Zerogouki rose, with a Progressive knife in hand, ready for battle.

  He sighed. He would have to wait. His mind was still one the hard drive given to him by Rei Ayanami.

  Nagisa Kaworu was confident that he, both as a pilot, and an Angel, could surely defeat Shamshel. However, he knew that the soul within this Unit found him alien, different, intrusive. So cautious he was, holding the Progressive knife, as he crept behind the trees, hidden from the other Angel.

  The soul probed, searching. Who are you, she asked. Why are you here? Why not her?

  He did not respond. Surely if she looked deeper, she would find the answer, clear though unspoken. Shamshel was his priority now. He shook his head. Thoughts of the night he spent with Rei remained in his mind. They watched the stars glide across the sky, by the hillside, finding peace within themselves doing that.

  I see. She said, warmly. You like her. But only with me is she whole. I will aid you.

  A surge of strength went through him. He raised his sync rate a little, not too obviously. The soul in Zerogouki and he had a single wish now.

  Protect Rei.

  Without hesitation, he ran. Throwing off the umbilical cable, the timer started counting down, 05:00. He held his progressive knife before him, rushing towards Shamshel at the speed of light. The Angel turned, with mild surprise, and sent its whips of light towards him. He jumped away, out of reach, before making a leap onto Shamshel's head. Taking his progressive knife, he tried to cut away the A.T. field, but was not given the chance before another of its whips threw him off, several hundred metres away.

  He looked at the timer— only two minutes left. It was too far away to grab the umbilical cable now, and he knew he did not have enough in himself to push this Evangelion to berserk mode. Just then, Evangelion Shogouki ran out, the umbilical cable dragging out behind it. His eyes widened. This was not in his plan.

  "Shinji-kun, get back!" He cried out.

  But he was not heard. Shinji rushed at the Angel, his mother's soul with him. This was his chance. He had to prove to his father that he was worth it all. If he had to pilot the Evangelion, he would do it. He would do anything, as long as his father cared about him. His heart pulsed furiously, as he found himself shaking. He was so very afraid, but he could not falter.

  It was not long before he threw off his umbilical cable also, which Kaworu attached to his own Evangelion. Shogouki spread its A.T. Field, blocking the whips of light.

  Mother, Shinji whispered. Please protect me as you always have.

  He abandoned all caution and gave a beastly roar, tossing his progressive knife at the Angel's core while trying to grab at the the whips. It would go well. This was where his worth lay. His father would always be with him. He would trust him—

  And then the A.T. Field of Evangelion Shogouki faltered.

  The whips of light soared through the air, cracking and glowing, as he braced himself for the blow. Why? He cried out inwardly. Why did his mother abandon him?

  It never came. Standing in front of him, pierced through by two glowing tendrils, was Zerogouki. Shinji watched in horror. What had happened?

  "You fool," Nagisa raised his eyebrows. "That is why I couldn't let you get in the way. Take the umbilical cable, I will finish off the rest."

  Shinji complied as he watched him pull the tendrils even closer to himself, despite wincing through the pain. The Evangelion inched closer and closer to the Angel, so close they could be in an embrace, before it collapsed onto the Angel. Zerogouki's timer had sounded. He had ran out.

  But the Angel was held in place, unable to move. Shinji moved forward, careful not to break the umbilical cable. He had to reach it. The progressive knife lay just a little further before him. He would not fail. Even if his mother would not support him, he still had to win.

  He didn't need to. A red Evangelion soared down from the sky triumphantly, like a Phoenix. It had four green eyes, and held a progressive sword in its hand. A jetpack kept the Evangelion in flight, spinning in the skies.

  "Sorry I'm late!" A girl's voice sounded out loudly. "I'll finish it up!"

  The red Evangelion landed swiftly, and cleanly removed the tendrils. Pointing her sword towards the sky, she cried out, "ERSTE!"

  The sword went down and cut through the Angel's core, as Shinji watched on, amazed yet disappointed. How could he compare to someone like that? That exuberant attitude without fear, when he himself was always afraid. What was he now, if he couldn't beat a single angel on his own?

  The three Evangelions all ejected their plugs, waiting for rescue. In his own, Nagisa Kaworu smiled.

  "Now this is going according to plan," he narrowed his eyes. "The second child, Asuka Langley Soryu, has arrived."