Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Evangelion: OMEGA ❯ The Battle of Tokyo 3! ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

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Legal Stuff: Well I'd like to think that anyone who's made it this far would already *know* that I don't own EVA, its characters, symbols, etc etc. But just in case, I'd like to say right now that I don't. Oh yeah and I *do* own the characters I made. You'll know them by having never seen them before now.
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Dedication: To my constant, faithful, eternally patient pre-reader. You all know her as Kristen Elizabeth. But I just call her Ris.
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Neon Genesis Evangelion: OMEGA

Chapter 0:5- The Battle of Tokyo 3

* * * * *


"THE RIGHT ARM HAS BEEN SEVERED!"

The control room degenerated into chaos instantly. People ran back and forth, shouting orders and typing furiously at various consoles. On top of it all, Tai heard Michiru screaming. Her voice was tinny over the radio but the pain and terror it contained was heart wrenching.

She was being beaten, not just beaten, killed. Tai turned away from the giant screens. He had just found Michiru; he couldn't bear to lose her like this. He couldn't stand here, helpless, and watch her die. Normally someone would have probably stopped him from running out of the control room, but no one did. He was sure they had all forgotten he was there at all.

He ran through a door that he thought would lead back out into the hallway. Instead he found himself in a small elevator. There was nothing to do except press the single button in front of him. He certainly didn't want to go back into the control room and hear Michiru screaming in terror and pain.

The elevator shot down extremely fast. Within seconds, it reached the bottom and the door slid open. Tai stepped out onto a bridge spanning a huge chamber filled with a dark red liquid. Tai was halfway across the bridge before he noticed a huge presence next to him. He turned and found himself looking into a giant face. It was another robot!

"Well......" Tai whispered. "Hello."

He must have said some kind of password without realizing it, because an instant later, the robot's eyes glowed briefly. The armor on its back opened up and a large metal tube slid out. A hatch on the front of the tube slid open, revealing a large, padded seat inside.

"You've got to be kidding." Tai said.

The giant face did not respond.

* * * * *

"We just monitored a power surge in cage eight." Lieutenant Kusanagi called out.

"Now's not the time!" Misato snapped. On the main screen, Unit 01 was frantically scooting backwards to escape the pursuing EVAs, a process made more difficult by the loss of its right arm. "Michiru!" She said into the video link. "Get out of there! Use Escape Route 99."

"Understood." Michiru replied through gritted teeth.

"But there's still six of them out there." Tanaka said. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know." Misato said. "But we can't let Michiru stay out there with Unit 01 in its current condition."

* * * * *

Michiru grasped the ragged stump of Unit 01's right arm with its remaining hand, trying to stanch the flow of blood. She stood up and turned to retreat. She barely made it three steps before another pale white EVA dropped out of the sky in front of her. Like all the others, it held a huge, double-bladed sword in its hands. Her progressive knife was still clutched in Unit 01's right hand, wherever that was. *Six of them left, all with those swords; and I don't even have my knife anymore.* She thought. *Not exactly fair odds.*

Michiru ducked as the white EVA swung its sword at Unit 01. She rolled out of the way, planning a new course to the nearest escape shaft. "Misato!" She yelled. "99's a no-go. Where's the next...SHIT!" She threw herself to the ground as yet another EVA took a swing at her. "Damn it!" She screamed. "They're not going to let me out!" She suddenly found herself running frantically, dodging every few seconds. The EVAs were all around her, and she was beginning to lose hope. After all, she couldn't run forever.

* * * * *

Tai stared at the robot before him. Somehow he had made it open up its cockpit. But how? And then there was the bigger question. What should he do about it? Should he get inside? He had no idea how to pilot the robot. On the other hand, Michiru was up there alone, fighting for her life; and losing. He made his decision. A tray next to him held a few pairs of hair clips like the ones Michiru was wearing on the video screens. Tai grabbed a pair and put them on, just in case they were important. Then he climbed up the robot's back and into the cockpit.

"Okay." He said. "What now?"

* * * * *

"They're not going to let me out!" Michiru screamed.

"Just run!" Toji yelled. "We're trying to use the rocket launchers to draw them away."

"WELL IT'S NOT WORKING!"

She was right. The EVAs were completely impervious to the rockets. They ignored the assault and kept pursuing Unit 01.

"Major!" Kusanagi yelled.

"If this is about cage eight, just skip it!" Toji yelled at the younger man.

"Sir, I *really* think you should take a look at this." The lieutenant insisted. "There's a huge power surge coming from the cage."

"Lieutenant....." Toji began.

"Wait!" Kensuke cut him off. "Did you say cage *eight*?"

"Yes sir!"

Kensuke turned to Dr. Ibuki. "Turn on Unit 14's monitors!" He said.

"But it's not activated." Maya protested.

"Just turn them on!" Kensuke yelled.

Maya nodded and pulled up the data graphs. "My God...." She said. "65 percent synchronization? What the hell's going on?"

"Someone's in there." Toji realized. "Open Unit 14's video monitor!"

"Uh......well." Kensuke said.

"What?"

"The construction schedule was pushed back to refit the cages. We.......haven't installed the video monitors yet. All we've got is audio."

"Well then open that!" Toji ordered. "We need to know who's in there."

* * * * *

"So now what?" Tai said to himself. Before he was even finished speaking, the hatch above him slid closed. He felt the cockpit sliding down into the robot. Seconds later, a thick liquid began to fill the small chamber. Tai suddenly realized that he had made a big mistake. He had done something wrong and now he was in a locked tube, about to drown in some kind of disgusting yellow slime.

Tai held his breath as long as he could before finally gulping in a lungful of the yellow liquid. Amazingly, instead of the pain he expected drowning to cause, he felt the cool, refreshing sensation of air rushing into his lungs. Somehow, he could breath this strange slime.

The surprises just kept coming. The blank metal walls of the cockpit began to glow. Huge bands of color and light flashed across the walls for a few seconds. Suddenly, the walls became clear, allowing Tai to see the hanger in front of him. Tai felt his arms and legs falling asleep, the rest of his body also seemed to be going numb.

Before Tai could fully grasp, or even partially grasp, what was happening, a voice rang out in the cockpit. "This is to the person inside Evangelion Unit 14. Identify yourself immediately!" A woman's voice demanded.

"Uh.....this is Tai......um....Tai Matsumoto." He said reluctantly.

"Matsumoto?" The woman asked.

"What?" A man's voice interrupted. "This *isn't* what I meant by 'don't touch anything'!"

"I'm sorry sir." Tai said. "It just opened up on its own and I got inside."

"And then it activated on its own?" The man asked.

"Yes sir?"

"It can't do that, kid. Tell us the truth."

"That *is* the truth! I swear!" Tai said. "I just sat down in the seat and the rest just.....happened."

* * * * *

"Are you buying this?" Toji asked Misato.

"I don't know." Misato said.

"Well *something* happened." Maya said. "Unit 14 is active. And that boy is synchronized."

"But.....65 percent?" Toji said. "That can't be right. That's higher than Michiru!"

"Oh God! Michiru!" They had almost forgotten that Michiru was still in the thick of it. All eyes turned to the main screen, where Unit 01 was still frantically dodging attacks from the EVA Series.

"I can't keep this up much longer!" The girl screamed. "Do something!"

* * * * *

"SEND ME OUT THERE!" Tai yelled.

"Are you crazy?" The man on the radio said. "You'd be killed!"

Tai considered that for a moment. In all likelihood, what the man said was true. He had never seen anything even remotely like this robot before. It probably took years of training just to master the controls. On the other hand, if he did nothing, Michiru would definitely die. Besides, something told him it would be all right. Tai couldn't explain it to the others so he didn't even try. He just knew, somehow, that he *could* pilot the robot.

"Please!" He begged. "I can save her! Please let me help her!"

* * * * *

Misato sighed, weighing her options. She hated making decisions like this. "Move Unit 14 into launch position." She finally said.

"Are you serious, Commander?" Toji asked. "That kid can't pilot an EVA!"

"I don't know about that." Maya interrupted. "He's synchronized at 65 percent. Who knows *what* he can do?"

"The EVA responded to him." Misato said. "That's the only explanation that makes sense. And if it did that, then maybe he *can* pilot it, especially if we help him. Either way.....he's our only chance at saving Michiru."

* * * * *

"Tai?" The woman who had spoken before came back on the radio.

"Yes?" Tai said.

"We're going to launch Unit 14. All you have to do to pilot it is relax and move like normal. Now this is *very* important: Do not engage the other EVAs in combat! Just get to Unit 01 and help Michiru get to the escape route. She'll know where that is."

"Okay." Tai said. Now that he had made his decision, he began to feel the first twinges of fear creeping into him. He was about to be sent into battle. He didn't mind giving his life to save Michiru, if it came to that. But he didn't want to get in the way or make things worse for her with his lack of experience.

"You might want to hold onto something." Another man said. Before Tai could respond, explosive charges detonated under the robot's feet. Immense g-forces pressed down on him as he shot upward, emerging seconds later in a field outside Tokyo 3. Tai would have fallen backwards if not for the restraints holding Unit 14 to the launch pad. Staring straight at him, grinning like a demon, was a pale white face.

* * * * *

Michiru was running out of energy. Every three or four steps she had to dodge a swing from the EVA series' giant swords. Fortunately, the white EVAs were not working together; or they would have cut her down already.

She was doing all right until two of the EVAs happened to swing at the same instant. Michiru just barely avoided both swords. She didn't have too much time to plan her dodge, however. Unit 01 tripped over its own feet and fell to the ground, throwing up a cloud of grass and dirt. When the dust cleared, Michiru looked up and saw one of the EVA's looming over her. That was it. She couldn't run anymore. They had her.

Suddenly, her view was blocked by something huge and black shooting out of the ground between Unit 01 and her attacker. In her panic, she had barely noticed the EVA lift in front of her. Now she found herself looking at the back of an Evangelion. The EVA looked similar to Unit 01 but its armor was flat black. Michiru stood up and realized that the new EVA was huge. Well, huge was relative; Unit 01 itself was hundreds of feet tall. But this new EVA had to be at least twenty-five feet taller than even Unit 01.

"Who is that?" Michiru asked.

* * * * *

"Should we tell her?" Minako asked.

Commander Katsuragi shook her head. "No." She said. "They'll never get out of there alive if Michiru's distracted by being worried about him."

Major Suzahara opened the audio link to Unit 14's entry plug. "Tai, were releasing the safety locks now. Unit 01 is behind you. Move out!" He punched another button and Michiru's face appeared on-screen.

"Who is that?" She asked again.

"There's no time." He replied. "They're on our side, that's the important part. Now find the nearest escape route and get to it!"

The white Evangelion raised its sword high in the air, getting ready to bring it down on the giant black EVA. As she had been in her first fight, the pilot appeared to be unable to move the EVA. "Look out!" Michiru screamed, lunging at the big EVA and throwing it to the ground.

* * * * *

Tai was paralyzed. The hideous face before him had stolen his power to move. The monster raised its huge sword over its head, but Tai was still too terrified to move. Suddenly he felt a huge weight slam into his back. He fell to the ground. Looking up, he saw the armored face of Michiru's robot looking down at him. Behind them, the white robot was lifting its sword again. With almost balletic speed and grace, Michiru's mech pivoted its waist and pointed its shoulders at the attacker. As Tai looked on, amazed, the plates on its shoulders opened and a volley of huge spikes exploded out of both, embedding themselves in the ugly white creature's chest before the beast even had time to scream.

The entire chest caved in with a shower of red liquid...was that blood? The force of the impact threw the monster backwards. It landed on its back and twitched a few times before lying still. Tai's first instinct was to turn away from the grisly sight. Without even realizing it, that was what he made Unit 14 do. "That's it!" A voice called over the radio. "Just like that."

"Like what?" Tai hadn't even realized he had done anything.

"You just moved the head. The rest of it works the same way; as long as you don't think too much about it, your nerve impulses will be sent to the EVA's muscles instead of your own."

"I don't get it."

"You don't *need* to get it!" The woman yelled. "Just do it!"

*Well it's worth a try.* Tai decided. He took a deep breath and stood up. It worked! His own body had remained still, but Unit 14 was now on it's feet.

* * * * *

Michiru turned back to Unit 14 in time to see it rise, clumsily at first, to its feet. Her initial assumption had been correct. With both EVAs standing upright, the new unit still towered over Unit 01. This was also the first chance Michiru had to really study the EVA's physical appearance.

Unit 14's armor was almost entirely black except for a few areas that were dark crimson. As with the EVA Series, it was the head that set Unit 14 apart. It had the same protruding, skeletal jaw as Unit 01, though somewhat smaller and angled forward instead of down; and the horn that rose from its forehead was practically identical to Unit 01's. Strangely, Unit 14 seemed to have an extra piece of armor bolted on top of its helmet; a piece of dark gray steel that stretched across the front of its face, giving the EVA the disturbing appearance of a muzzled animal. At least it had eyes. Four of them, actually, two on each side of its face.

Michiru also took the opportunity to count the enemy. Five of the Mass Production Models remained standing. The two who had turned on each other lay still; apparently they had destroyed each other's cores. Still, five EVAs was a lot for them to take on, especially since this new pilot did not seem to have much experience. Well the least she could do was arm the newcomer.

Michiru rushed over to the EVA she had just killed and picked up its sword. She tried to indicate for the pilot of Unit 14 to take the sword from her. She didn't know the black EVA's frequency or she would have told him herself.

The pilot seemed to get the idea. Unit 14 took the sword from Unit 01 and seemed to take a moment to become accustomed to its weight. Suddenly, the big EVA shoved Unit 01 violently away. Michiru was not prepared for that, but seconds later, she saw the reason. Unit 14 lay on its back with a white EVA on top of it.

* * * * *

Tai had seen the white robot running toward them but he had no way to warn Michiru, at least none that he knew about. All he could do was shove Unit 01 out of the way and raise his new sword just as the monster crashed into him. There was a resounding *CLANG* as their swords met and both fell to the ground, the grinning monstrosity on top of him. Tai fought with all his strength against the white EVA as it tried to force the tip of its sword into Unit 14's head. He brought his legs up and kicked.

His enemy went flying. But instead of crashing back to earth, the EVA executed a perfect back flip and spread its massive wings, gliding safely to the ground a few hundred meters away. It folded its wings, raised its sword and charged again.

Acting half on his own and half on instinct, Tai threw himself backwards as the white EVA brought its sword down where Unit 14 had been standing. At the top of his arcing leap, Tai felt a strange sensation in his shoulders. He seemed to be falling much slower than normal. Looking over Unit 14's shoulder, Tai saw that a huge pair of leathery wings had sprouted from the EVA's back.

His attacker was struggling to pull its weapon up; nearly half of the blade had become buried in the earth when it missed Unit 14. Tai lifted his own sword and ran at the trapped EVA, but the giant wings caught air and slowed him down. The white EVA managed to free its sword and bring it up just in time to block Tai's attack. Sparks flew as the giant blades smashed against each other. Both EVAs were thrown off balance by the force of the blow.

* * * * *

"What the hell is he doing?" Misato yelled. "I told him not to fight them."

"It may be his only option." Toji said. "They can't escape with those EVAs still after them."

"And what possessed him to open Unit 14's wings?" Misato snapped. She was severely stressed. This situation was quickly moving from 'desperate' to 'hopeless'.

"It must have been an accident." Lieutenant Tanaka said. "He couldn't have known they were there. Much less how to activate them."

"Well disengage them!" Misato yelled. "They're getting in his way."

"Yes Ma'am!"

* * * * *

Michiru tightened her grip on Unit 01's injured arm and stood up. Unit 14 had somehow sprouted its own set of wings. But while the EVA series had feathered wings like birds, Unit 14's wings were more reminiscent of a bat, or a dragon out of some fairy tale.

Either way, spreading the wings had been a bad move on the pilot's part. The gigantic wings were causing wind resistance every time the EVA moved, making it clumsy and slow.

Fortunately, the remaining members of the EVA Series seemed to have become more cautious now that they had two opponents to deal with. Having their number reduced by half was probably a factor as well. The other four hung back as their comrade and Unit 14 traded blows.

After a few seconds, Unit 14's wings seemed to shrink and disappear into its back. That allowed Unit 14 to move freely again, and the pilot resumed his attack with renewed strength. His enemy was quickly being pushed back by the sheer force the giant Evangelion put behind each strike.

Finally, after several more bone-jarring collisions between the massive blades, the White EVA made a mistake. It tried to swing at Unit 14's head, probably assuming that the unusually tall EVA would be unable to duck. But Unit 14 did not even try to duck. Instead, it raised its own sword and blocked the swing with the broad side of the giant weapon. The impact pushed Unit 14's blade just far enough to the side, lining it up perfectly.

Unit 14 brought its sword down with deadly force. The blade easily parted flesh and bone, splitting the white monster's torso in half. Michiru could see sparks flying from the EVA's crushed core. One more down.

* * * * *

Tai brought his huge sword down with every bit of force he could put behind it. The blade sank into his enemy, nearly splitting it in two. Tai's satisfaction was immediately transformed into revulsion as he felt a hot liquid spraying all over him. He saw immediately what it was. A thick, red substance poured out of the wound he had made. From this close, there could be no doubt as to what the substance was. It was not fuel or oil or hydraulic fluid, as Tai had thought when Unit 01 impaled one of the white EVAs on its spikes. It was blood. And those were organs glistening in the exposed chest cavity, not engine parts or electrical cables.

Tai felt like he was about to be sick. Up until now, he had been able to convince himself that the Evangelions were only machines. But looking at the creature he had just cleaved in two made it impossible to sustain that belief. The EVAs were living creatures. He wasn't piloting a robot; he was controlling some kind of monster.

* * * * *

"Five down!" Lieutenant Kusanagi called out. "The remaining four units seem to be proceeding with caution."

"They've just been reduced by half." Kensuke commented. "They would be stupid *not* to change their tactics."

"Maybe they're just scared of Unit 14." Lieutenant Tanaka said, in a voice that made it clear that she sure as hell was.

"No." Misato said. "Kensuke's right. They've just adopted a new strategy because the old one didn't work. They don't feel; they just fight."

"But we're winning." Tanaka said. "If they really do think strategically, shouldn't they be retreating?"

Maya shook her head. Long ago, she'd had a hand in creating the system that operated the EVA series. She knew how the system worked. And she knew the white EVAs would never give up. "That's not how they think. The Dummy System copies a human thought pattern, but it's still just a computer program. Somehow their program has been set to target Unit 01. Their entire strategy revolves around destroying their target. The only reason Unit 14 was attacked is that it got in the way. Retreat isn't even an option for them."

"If they're really after Unit 01 then we have to get Michiru some kind of weapon." Toji spoke up. "Tai's been lucky so far. Michiru's the only *actual* pilot out there."

"She lost her knife and there are no weapon depots near there." Kusanagi said. "I hate to say this Major, but there's no way we can arm her."

"What about Unit 14's knife?" Kensuke said. "He certainly isn't using it."

* * * * *

"Michiru, we're about to engage Unit 14's prog knife." Misato said.

"Got it." Michiru replied. The pain from Unit 01's severed arm had faded to where she could fight. But she was right handed, and fighting with her left hand wasn't going to be easy especially with the pain distracting her. She looked and saw Unit 14's shoulder armor open, revealing a large progressive knife. Michiru took the knife and looked for the next attacker.

She didn't have to wait long. Her attacker dove out of the sky, completely ignoring the still motionless Unit 14 and driving its sword straight at her. She dodged quickly and swung her new knife at the beast's neck. She succeeded in nearly beheading the EVA. Its deformed head hung from a thin strip of tissue as blood sprayed from its neck. As Michiru watched, the muscles in the neck began to weave back together. The EVA was already healing itself! Michiru lifted her knife again and drove it into her enemy's back, piercing its core. The neck immediately stopped healing as the EVA screamed and collapsed.

Michiru barely had a chance to pull her knife free before another EVA flew at her. She didn't have time to do anything except scream as the EVA's huge sword drew nearer. She readied herself for the pain, but instead felt only blood spraying on her. Looking down, she saw the tip of the sword covered in blood, protruding from the huge back of Unit 14.

* * * * *

Tai had been unable to move since he cut down the white EVA with his sword. The giant monster's insides were far too similar to a human's for his comfort. He barely noticed when His EVA's shoulder opened up and Michiru pulled a knife out of it. He hardly flinched when she decapitated another white EVA and stabbed it in the chest. But when he saw her about to be speared by one of the three remaining EVAs, he was finally galvanized into action.

Moving faster than even he would have thought possible, Tai leapt in front of Unit 01. Tai felt a cold sensation in his stomach. An instant later, the cold erupted into raging heat, like someone was holding a lit match to his belly. Looking down, Tai realized that Unit 14 had been impaled on the massive sword. He fought the urge to scream from the pain as it spread though his entire midsection.

"Tai! Fight back!" The woman on the radio yelled. "Kill that thing."

Tai tried to reply but he could only moan in agony.

"I know it hurts." The woman said sympathetically. "But Michiru still needs your help."

"I'll....try....." Tai managed to gasp. He gritted his teeth and lifted his huge sword above his head. His attacker responded by twisting its sword slowly, causing him to double over from the pain. The burning pain in his guts blocked nearly all conscious thought, but some part of him realized that Unit 14's shoulders were now pointing straight at the EVAs chest.

"How....do I shoot.....my spikes?" He struggled with every word.

* * * * *

The new pilot, whoever he or she was, had Michiru's full sympathy. She couldn't imagine the pain of being speared on one of those huge swords. When the white EVA began to twist its sword, grinning all the while, she could practically hear the pilot's screams, even without a radio link.

Unit 14 bent at the waist as its attacker continued to twist the giant sword inside it. Suddenly, a cloud of blood and smoke erupted between the two EVAs. When the cloud cleared, Unit 14 was on the ground, clutching its stomach. Blood poured out between its clenched fingers. The white EVA lay still a few hundred feet away with a full round of shoulder spikes protruding from its chest.

Michiru saw the shadow just in time. She ducked underneath a swinging sword. Spinning around, Michiru dropped her knife and tackled the other EVA, causing it to drop its sword. Her enemy was pinned beneath her, but she couldn't reach her knife. She had no way to kill it.

* * * * *

Tai didn't even have to do anything; the crew in the control room sent a signal that fired his spikes into the white EVA, killing it instantly. The spikes propelled it backwards, ripping the sword out of Unit 14, along with a few internal organs that he recognized far to well. That was too much. Tai fell over, gripping his injured midsection and finally screaming in pain.

Through his squinted eyes, Tai saw Unit 01 tackle another white EVA. There seemed to be no end to them. Gasping for breath, Tai did his best to slide Unit 14's exposed organs back inside the EVA. Then, with one hand covering the gaping wound, he slowly stood up. He turned and saw the last remaining EVA trying to sneak up on Unit 01. The EVA was completely ignoring him. Bad news for it.

Tai lifted his sword and swung it with a scream composed in equal parts of pain and anger. The white EVA never saw it coming. The sword ripped through its thin waist and cut it in half. The EVA barely even acknowledged Unit 14, it dragged itself toward Unit 01 with its arms, even as it bled to death. The grin on its twisted face was more than disturbing. Tai suddenly became aware of a high-pitched, electric whine coming from the EVA. The whine grew progressively louder as the EVA inched closer to Unit 01

"TAI!" He heard a man yell. "It's gonna self destruct! Destroy the core! NOW!!"

"Where is it?" Tai yelled.

"IN THE CHEST! WHERE THE HEART WOULD BE!"

Tai wasted no time raising his sword and plunging it through the white EVA's chest. The whining sound fell silent immediately as the EVA let out one final scream before dying.

* * * * *

Michiru did not notice any of this. She was too preoccupied with how to destroy her enemy. She couldn't reach any kind of weapon. It took all the strength in her single remaining arm just to hold the struggling EVA down. As far as she could tell, Unit 14 was down for the count. She doubted she could choke her enemy to death. So close to victory, all of her options were exhausted. There was nothing she could do.

That was when Michiru noticed the stump of Unit 01's right arm. She could see a white bone jutting out from the ragged flesh, a very sharp bone. She immediately wished she hadn't noticed. Now she felt obligated to follow through with the plan that popped into her mind. God, was she really ready to do this. *Come on, Michiru* She said to herself. *Take one for the team.*

She tightened her grip on the EVA beneath her. Then, positioning Unit 01's right arm over the EVAs core, she gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. This was going to hurt like hell.

Before she could change her mind, Michiru plunged Unit 01's arm down into her enemy, straight through its S2 Core. Michiru realized that she had been wrong.

Hell *couldn't* hurt this bad.

* * * * *

With the last of the giant monsters dead, all Michiru wanted to do was lie down and sleep. Instead, she had to lead Unit 14 back into the Geofront. She welcomed the EVA's deactivation, breathing a sigh of relief as all the pain of her wounds disappeared. She jumped out of Unit 01 and ran to where Unit 14's pilot was being helped out of the giant EVA. She had to know the identity of the pilot who had saved her life. She was totally unprepared for what she saw.

At first she refused to believe it, even though the evidence was right in front of her. There, lying on the metal deck plates, soaked to the skin, coughing up LCL, was Tai.

* * * * *

Tai thought he would never make it back to the launch bay. Every few steps, he felt like the pain would overwhelm him. Finally, he reached the cage and they turned off Unit 14. The pain disappeared, but Tai knew the memory of it would be with him for a long time. He stumbled out of the cockpit and lay on the cold metal deck, coughing violently.

Tai suddenly had the feeling he was being watched. Looking up, he saw Michiru. A wave of relief washed over him. She was all right. She was soaked in the same liquid as he was, and her eyes were red from crying, but to Tai she had never looked better. The skin-tight flight suit she wore didn't hurt either. It took Tai a moment to realize that he was staring. He looked away quickly, blushing. When he turned back, he struggled to keep his eyes moving.

He was about to say something when a hand fell on his shoulder. He turned to see a NERV officer looking at him. "Come with me." The man said. Tai wanted to stay and make sure Michiru was all right, but he decided it would be better to comply. Casting one last glance at Michiru, he followed the man.

* * * * *

"Okay." The man with the metal hand, whose name, Tai had learned, was Major Suzahara, said. "You ran out of the control room and found the EVA by accident. Then you got inside and activated it."

"I...guess so." Tai said quietly.

"Now I'm not asking why you got in the EVA." The Major said. "I...think we've all pretty much figured that out. But I want to know *how* you activated it."

"I don't know how." Tai said. "It just...happened." They had been at this for over an hour. Tai was beginning to realize just how small a chance he'd had of being able to pilot the EVA or survive the battle. Apparently what he had done was a stone's throw short of impossible, and NERV refused to believe he had done it by accident. "Is...Michiru all right?" He asked.

"Private Ikari is just fine." Major Suzahara said.

"Then what does it matter how I did it?" Tai asked. "Those things are dead and she's alive." He sighed. "Look if you're going to put me in jail or something then just go ahead."

"Actually, we have something different in mind."

"Huh?" Tai said.

"The Commander has a proposal for you."

* * * * *

"Hello Mr. Matsumoto." A woman with long, purple hair stood up as he entered the large office. Tai recognized the Commander's voice as one of the women who had spoken to him on the radio. "Commander Misato Katsuragi." She introduced herself. So this *was* the boss Michiru lived with. She seemed friendly enough, but Tai had to wonder what her 'proposal' was.

"That was pretty impressive the way you handled yourself out there today." The commander said, sitting down and gesturing for Tai to do the same.

"I was...just lucky."

The woman nodded. "We were all lucky." She said. "But I was particularly impressed with how you were able to pilot Unit 14. You say you had never seen an EVA before."

"I know it sounds crazy." Tai said. "But it *really* did activate on its own."

"I believe you." She assured him. "Video surveillance confirmed that the entry plug ejected on its own. I just have one question for you. You did it once, do you think you could do it again?"

"I honestly don't know ma'am. I don't even know how I did it *this* time."

"Would you be willing to try?" She left the question hanging in the air.

"I'm...not sure I understand." Tai said.

"We're in a war, Tai." Misato said. "And so far, Michiru has had to fight that war alone. Today it nearly got her killed. She needs help. That's why we built Unit 14."

Suddenly it dawned on Tai. "You want me to..."

"Once someone pilots an EVA, it tends to form an attachment. The likelihood of someone else being able to synchronize with Unit 14 now that you have is extremely slim." Misato said. "Even if they could, we don't know how to find them. We need you, Tai. But I can't force you. All I can do is ask."

"It'll help Michiru?"

"It will help everyone." Misato replied. Tai nodded. "Okay." Misato said. She stood up. "As Commander, I hereby grant Tai Matsumoto an emergency field commission of Private in NERV. Private Matsumoto will serve as the designated pilot for Evangelion Unit 14." She smiled at Tai. He felt someone behind him and turned to see Major Suzahara, also smiling, though more grimly than Commander Katsuragi.

"Welcome to the war." He said quietly.

* * * * *

--OUR SERVANTS HAVE FAILED US.--

--EVA SERIES IS NO MORE.--

--HOW COULD THE SIXTH CHILD BE SO STRONG?--

"She isn't." Keele said quietly. "Not alone. NERV has found the Seventh."

--THE SEVENTH CHILD?--

--IMPOSSIBLE!--

--WHO IS IT?--

"A boy. We don't know much else. But Katsuragi made him pilot."

--SO NOW THERE ARE TWO.--

--THE SCENARIO IS RUINED.--

"Well, things fall apart." Keele said.

--A RATHER CASUAL ATTITUDE.--

"I prefer it to your hysteria."

--THE SITUATION IS OUT OF CONTROL--

--THE PLAN CANNOT WORK NOW.--

"You are absolutely correct." Keele said. "The original scenario is beyond recovery. But all is not lost."

--EXPLAIN.--

Keele smiled. "The seed of NERV's destruction has been planted." He said. "Now, once again, we wait."

--IS THAT WISE?--

--WAITING HAS NOT BROUGHT OUR PLANS TO FRUITION.--

"Things are different now." Keele said. "The snake is in the garden. It is only a matter of time before Third Impact is incurred."

--VERY WELL.--

--WE WILL WAIT.--

* * * * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Toji asked after Tai had left the office.

Misato sighed. "This is necessary." She said. "We need pilots."

"Something about this just isn't right." Toji insisted. "He's never seen an EVA. He has no connection with Unit 14, but it opened for him *and* achieved the highest initial Synch Ratio *ever*. Doesn't that strike you as a little odd? Maybe even a little disturbing?"

"I know where you're going with this." Misato said. "And yes, the same thought has crossed my mind. So I had Maya examine him."

"And?"

"And aside from a slight headache, he appears to be one of the healthiest human beings alive." She said. "But he *is* human. Every test confirmed it."

"All right." Toji sighed. "We *do* need all the help we can get." He turned to leave.

"Toji." Misato called out. He turned. "Keep an eye on him. Just in case." Toji nodded and left the office.

* * * * *

Tai found Michiru exactly where Commander Katsuragi had told him she would be. The sun was beginning to set as Tai drove up to the lookout point where She stood, staring silently at the city below. In the distance, recovery crews were already gathering the bodies of the EVA Series. But Michiru's attention seemed entirely focused on Tokyo 3. In fact, Tai wasn't sure she even realized that he was standing next to her until she spoke.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" She said

"Yeah. It is." Tai agreed.

"I like to come up here after drills. Just to watch the buildings grow." She said quietly.

"I've never seen it." Tai said

She almost smiled as a siren began wailing in the distance. "Well you're in for a real treat."

Below them, hundreds of locks were released simultaneously. Huge doors all over the city slid open. One by one, the buildings that made up downtown Tokyo 3 began rising slowly out of the ground. Michiru hadn't lied. It was an impressive sight. In a few minutes, an entire city had sprung up, seemingly out of nowhere.

"It's amazing." Tai said.

Michiru nodded. "It's something worth fighting for." She agreed.

"Is that why you do it?" Tai asked.

"I used to think so." Michiru said. "And maybe that's still part of the reason. But when I was talking to you today...I realized the real reason I keep piloting."

"The 'real' reason?"

"You see...my Mother and Father were both pilots. So it's like you with soccer. As long as I can do what they did.....then it's almost like they're not really gone. Not completely. So even if I have to do it alone...I don't mind. I'll keep doing it; because it's all I have left of them." They were both silent for several minutes. "They want you to do it too. Don't they?" She finally asked.

"Yeah."

"Are you going to?"

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" Tai said.

"Don't say that!" Michiru said, turning to look in his eyes. "You can still choose. You don't have to do it."

"You don't want me to." Tai realized.

Michiru looked away. "I....don't know how to answer that." She said. "If I say I don't want you to...then I'll feel like I'm being....selfish. But I *don't* want you to. It's too dangerous."

"That's why I can't let you keep doing it alone." Tai said.

"I *have* to do it, Tai." Michiru said. "You don't know what you're getting into. Every time you get inside one of these things, it kills you a little. Even if you survive the battle...you die inside. I don't want that to happen to you."

"It won't." Tai said, taking her hands. "And it's not going to happen to you any more either."

"What?" She looked up at him, her dark blue eyes brimming with tears.

"You've had this....thing; this huge responsibility for what? A month now, two?" He said. "And you've had to do it by yourself and keep it secret. That would kill anyone, like you said. But you don't have to do it alone anymore. We're in this together now. And as long as we're together, we can keep each other alive."

"You really think so?" Michiru asked.

In response, Tai put his arms around Michiru and gently brought his lips down to hers. Their first kiss was brief, but wonderful. And when it was over, the tears were gone from her eyes.

"I promise." He whispered.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Michiru smiled and pulled Tai into another kiss. "You'd better be the kind of guy who keeps his promises." She whispered.


To be continued...

Next Chapter:

Michiru has never known much about her parents. As a result, she clings to what little she does know. But when a new Angel attacks, one of her deeply held beliefs will be called into question. Michiru finally learns the truth about her parents in Chapter 0:6- When the Earth Shook!