Untitled

NEON GENESIS
EVANGELION: R
ILLUSTRATED ORIGINAL FICTION

Prologue, part II

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Episode 28: Asuka wakes/ A new rival?

. . .

Ikari?!!!

. . .

IKARI!!!

IKARI!!!

Asuka: Hey!!! IKARI!!!

Shinji: Wh—what is it now?!?

Asuka: I need some help here, stupid! What does it sound like!?

(The scene is the somewhat messy bedroom of the quickly recovering Asuka
Langley Soryu . . . the girl stands, still dressed in sleeping clothes, supporting herself
on the wall next to the door as she ‘requests’ Shinji’s assistance. . .)

Shinji: I’m Coming . . .

Asuka: Well, Hurry it up!!

(a moment later, the sound of heavy footfalls can be heard outside, followed
by the whoosh of the sliding door . . . the third child enters, and nearly jumps out
of his skin as Soryu grabs his shoulder . . .)

Shinji: Wwuuaagh!!!

Asuka: Why do you have to be such a wuss?! I need you to walk me
down the hallway . . .

Shinji: A . .Again?? What for?

(The girl’s face turns a shade of red, as it contorts to one of pent-up rage . . .)

Asuka: (gritting her teeth) I Just . . .Need Too.

Shinji: Oh brother . . .

(Placing her arm over his neck, Ikari helps the girl away from the wall,
shaking his head)

Shinji: You wouldn’t have to go to the bathroom so often if you didn’t
drink so much all day . . .

Asuka: . . . .!!!!

(A string of more than colorful German curses answers the boy as he
takes her down the hallway, toward the all too familiar lavatory door . . . as he reaches for the doorhandle, however, Soryu swats his hand away, shrugging him off . . .)

Asuka: I can do it!

Shinji: . . .

(A half dozen additional imprecations can be heard as she struggles with the
knob for a moment, before finally pulling it open . . . stepping inside, she turns,
and glares at Ikari as he stands there, silent . . .)

Asuka: Well??

Shinji: . . . ?

Asuka: What are you waiting for, Pervesling!? A free show??

Shinji: I-

Asuka: Get Away from the Door!!

Shinji: But you’re just going to need me to help you back—

Asuka: I SAID GO!

(with an angered grunt, Soryu slams the door roughly to seal her point. . .

Shinji turns away, muttering to himself . . .)

Shinji: Was quieter around here . . least . . .

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

(Elsewhere . . . in a small, cable transport descending the main shaft
into terminal dogma . . .)

Fuyutsuki: I take it that the search for the 6th child is no longer necessary,
as Dr. Akagi informs me the second will be returning to duty within
the next ten days . . .

Gendo: You must understand by now that such assumptions simply do not apply
to the situation at hand.

Fuyutsuki: So you intend to continue? Despite what will be put at stake?
Do we really have the right to place yet another life in such dire straits . . .

Gendo: No matter what 'duty' we perform—we are all in the same grave danger.
            The EVA pilots as well as the civilians living a thousand kilometers from here
             will all share the same fate if things do not proceed as planned. The only
            variant in these matters is When.

Fuyutsuki: Not the most altruistic perspective . . .

Gendo: I learned long ago that such a view begs a certain . . . faith . . . in powers
that are absent in this world.

Fuyutsuki: I would hardly consider you an atheist . . .

Gendo: Of course I am not . . . but as the old adage
goes, God watches over fools and children.

Fuyutsuki: I think . . . events as of late would eliminate one of the two . . .

Gendo: . . .

Fuyutsuki: perhaps fools have it best.

Gendo: (grinning slightly) Ignorance is equivocal to bliss, after all.

Fuyutsuki: And what of Dr. Akagi’s pet projects?

Gendo: . . . Progressing.

Fuyutsuki: I don't see how you can her, especially now.

Gendo: Need I remind you, that looks can be decieving.
What you call 'trust' is hardly that.

Fuyutsuki: Even so . .

Gendo: Dr. Akagi's work is now under careful supervision.
I have taken the necessary steps to insure nothing goes wrong. . .

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

(A few hundred meters above . . .

Major Misato Katsuragi stands in the doorway of the office of Ritsuko Akagi.

The Doctor sits with her back turned, keying almost idly at her terminal . . .)

Misato: You called . . .?

Ritsuko: . . . .

( a drawn out silence ensues as Akagi seems to ignore her entirely—
her eyes affixed on the readout before her . . .)

Misato: Well? I don’t have all day.

(The other woman’s answer comes abruptly—as she does not turn
around to address her former companion . . .)

Ritsuko: You will find out soon enough, Major.

Misato: never thought I’d be happy to hear you get down to business.

Ritsuko: . . .

Misato: What is it you—

Ritsuko: Listen, Misato—whether you like it or not, I’m on duty. I don’t
care what kind of Tone you take with me, so long as it does not
interfere with my work.

Misato: (flatly) Impressive dedication. What the hell do you want?

Ritsuko: Do we have an understanding?

(Katsuragi sighs, annoyed . . . eyeing the empty ashtray on the very corner of
the woman’s desk for several seconds, she finally seems to concede, her tone
becoming a bit less condescending . . .

Misato: Alright.

(at this, Akagi ceases typing—swiveling her chair about to face the woman. )

Ritsuko: Take a look at this.

Misato: What is it?

Ritsuko: . . .

(Ritsuko does not answer, however . . .

Rather, she allows the screen to speak for itself . . .)

Misato: (shocked) What the---Six!?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

(Later that day . . .)

Rei: Do you require something to drink?

Asuka: . . .

Rei: . . ?

Asuka: No thank you.

Rei: Ikari told me he would return soon.

Asuka: First time I ever looked forward to that.

Rei: Why?

Asuka: . . ? Oh, Never mind . . .

(In the apartment of Major Katsuragi, Rei Ayanami sits next to the
Bed of Asuka Soryu—the girl is on top of the covers, her back turned
to Ayanami . . .)

Rei: . . .

Asuka: . . .

Rei: . . .

Asuka: . . .

Rei: . . .

Asuka: . . .

Rei: . . .

Asuka: . . .Aren’t you going to say something?

Rei: . . ?

Asuka: Why did you even come here? I never thought YOU
would have the nerve to come and watch me . . .

Rei: I don’t understand . . .

Asuka: . . ? What? did something affect your memory or something, wonder girl?

Rei: . . ‘wonder girl?’

Asuka: . . .

(Asuka falls silent—turning about, staring at Ayanami with wide eyes . . .

a moment later, however, she rolls them, grunting)

Asuka: I can’t believe I almost fell for that . . .

Rei: . . ?

Asuka: Hmmph. Something awful must have happened if YOU have a sense of humor . . .

Rei: . . .

Asuka: (mumbling) Stupid Shinji . . .where the hell is he?!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

(Meanwhile . . . at a isolated streetcorner telephone nearly a mile up the road . . .)

Shinji: Is---is that . . . Misato . . . is that true?

Misato: (over the phone) I saw the report myself, Shinji.

Shinji: . . . Why are you telling me this?

(There is a long pause as the woman considers her words . . .)

Misato: . . . I think I owe it to you.

Shinji: . . .

Misato: Do me a favor—tell Asuka. . . ?

Shinji: . . .

Misato: I’ll be home late tonight. Don’t wait up.

Shinji: . . .

Misato: Shinji? . . .

Shinji: Ok.

Misato: . . .

(there is an abrupt ‘click’ as the other end is disconnected. Shinji’s ear
remains on the phone, as an incessant beeping begins to wail from the receiver . . .

He sits there, oblivious to the noise for several moments, considering the woman’s
words . . .

Then, finally, he hangs up the phone, sighing to himself . . .)

Shinji: How am I supposed to tell her?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

(Meanwhile . . . in a large chamber far below the Geoid surface . . .)

Fuyutsuki: You’ve heard the ‘news?’

Gendo: . . .

Fuyutsuki: The UN is making quite a bit of noise over the acquisition . . .

Gendo: (interrupting) I am aware of that.

Fuyutsuki: Strange. You still seem troubled . . ?

Gendo: The boy will suit our purposes. . . . however, I have learned from certain
sources within the fold that he has already begun training.

Fuyutsuki: . . ? Where?

(The man does not turn around . . . he goes on, looking over the steel railing of the
catwalk into the noisy bay below . .)

Gendo: (darkly) I am not cognizant of exactly how this came to be . . . but
the child has already entered the first stage of instruction. I believe
it was, in fact, in France's unit 06 . . .

Fuyutsuki: Hmmph. Then I shall inform Dr. Akagi that the search is to continue . . .

Gendo: No.

(Surprised, the older man turns, facing Ikari’s back . . .)

Fuyutsuki: If there is risk of contamination, then it defeats the original purpose of selecting a
candidate outside our—

Gendo: (interrupting) The benefits still outweigh the stakes. That is
why I have decided to move ahead with the plan.

(at this, Fuyutsuki approaches, indicating the construction going on below)

Fuyutsuki: and what about this?

Gendo: This aspect of the chain will continue, regardless. They are all linked—
            we cannot halt one for risk of delaying the rest. The child shall begin our
            own training program; that is what was intended
             from the start. What time we have gained we must use wisely . . .
            and to the utmost.

Fuyutsuki: . . .

(Reluctantly, the sub commander seems to accept this state of affairs . . .
making no noise as he gazes down at the noisy containment bay below
where, amidst the rumble of machinery and the calls of construction crews,

An EVA sits, partially complete, bathed in coolant fluid . . .)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Ritsuko: The Boy will not be arriving alone, you understand?

Misato: . . .?

Ritsuko: We will have to contend with his guardian, as well.

(Meanwhile, in the control nexus that is Nerv’s command center . . .
Misato Katsuragi eyes Ritsuko Akagi curiously, as the woman leans against
a console, drinking from a mug of stagnant coffee . . .)

Misato: Who’s sending him? The Berlin branch?

Ritsuko: (quietly) No. The United Nations have elbowed their way
into the acquisition process . . .

(At once, Katsuragi seems shocked at the woman’s words--)

Misato: And how did they do that?

Ritsuko: (flatly) I certainly don’t have an answer. Either way, the UN Security
council has seen fit to assign an . . . uninvolved . . third party to
handle his transport and turnover to us.

Misato: (disgusted) . . . Who the hell do they think they are ? . . . Their bureaucracy
would have been this anal about it even if the angels were still attacking . . .!

Ritsuko: . . .

Misato: What?

Ritsuko: I doubt this is merely tugging at red tape, Major.

Misato: . . .?

(Ritsuko sighs, returning her cup to its place on the console, turning to the monitor screen)

Ritsuko: In the time it has taken for us to actually survive up to this point,
             The UN has made an absurd amount of policy changes—all of which focus on our tiny
             corner of the world. The Committee even wants to exert complete control over the EVA
             development and production programs . . .

Misato: So what are you saying?

Ritsuko: They are becoming cautious. Frankly, I wouldn’t be
surprised if this ‘liaison’ they are sending with the child has an ulterior purpose . . .

Misato: Hmmph. You Know command is going to be watching him like a Hawk.

Ritsuko: I suppose . . . but it’s always important to keep something in mind . . .

Misato: . . .?

Ritsuko: it’s impossible to be 100% aware of just who’s watching who . . .

Misato: Whatever. I’ve had enough of this espionage crap, anyway . . .
it was bad enough when it was our own government . . .

Ritsuko: . . .

(At last, Katsuragi unfolds her arms, turning to the other woman--)

Misato: So? Who is this ‘uninvolved’ party?

(Akagi takes one final drink from her mug before answering . . .)

Ritsuko: UNSynaps.

Misato: . . . ? Never heard of them.

Ritsuko: They emerged only a few months ago. . . something about connecting
the UN’s more isolated branches more effectively . . .

Misato: . . .

Ritsuko: We’ll see what we’re up against soon enough . . . he will be
arriving by charter 3 days from now.

Misato: And what’s the kid’s name, again?

Ritsuko: ‘Lyn Aaron Anouilh.’

Misato: (mumbling) Thought you said it was a boy . . .

Ritsuko: He’s English, I think . . . all his records up to this point have been
classified and erased.

Misato: (vexed) An easy way of avoiding responsibility for killing someone.
Just make it so they never existed.

Ritsuko: . . . I take it you’ve already told Shinji . . . ?

Misato: . . ? How did you know that?

Ritsuko: You’re predictable enough, Major.

Misato: . . .

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

(elsewhere . . .)

Shinji: Th . . thanks, Ayanami.

Rei: . . .

(As the girl wordlessly exits, Ikari does not look at her . . . his
eyes to the floor of the apartment, he does not move on until he can
hear the sound of the front door sliding open, then shut . . .)

(As he begins to move again, however, he is startled by the
sound of Soryu calling from her room . . .)

Asuka: (calling) Hey! Shinji? Is that you.

Shinji: . .yeah . . .

Asuka: What did Misato want?

Shinji: . . .

(The child is silent—remembering Katsuragi’s words with disconcerting accuracy . . .)

Asuka: Well?

Shinji: It . . . was nothing . . .

Asuka: Don’t give me that! You saw the need to go out and leave me with Rei!
I can tell your trying to lie from here, Ikari!

Shinji: . . .

Asuka: You were talking about me, weren’t you!?!?

Shinji: No . . .

Asuka: AAARGH!! I knew it! You stupid jerks!

Shinji: . . .

(Enraged now, the girl’s tone becomes distressed . . .)

Asuka: (to herself) Dammit, I wish I could just leave!

Shinji: . . .

Asuka: Well? What the hell are you just standing there, for?

Shinji: (loudly). .W . . .We weren’t talking about you!

Asuka: . . .?

(Surprised by the boy’s sudden assertiveness, the girl stops--)

Shinji: It . . .It’s something Misato wanted me to tell you . . .

Asuka: . . .

Shinji: . . .

Asuka: then . . then come in here and say it, Shinji.

(Oddly, the girl’s voice is now calm . . .

perhaps, even welcoming . . .)

Shinji: . ..

(It is with slight hesitation that Shinji enters the girl’s room, where
he sees her still atop the bed, looking somewhat . . ashamed . ..)

Asuka: Well? Go on.

Shinji: Misato . . . wanted me to tell you . .

Asuka: . . .?

Shinji: . . .

Asuka: . . .

Shinji: . . .

Shinji: Th . . . they found another pilot.

Asuka: . . .

Shinji: . . .?

Asuka: (shouting) WHAT!?!?!

(for the second time that day, Shinji Ikari becomes privy to a nearly
endless string of German curses . . .)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
To Be Continued . . .