Untitled

NEON GENESIS
EVANGELION: R
ILLUSTRATED ORIGINAL FICTION

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Episode 33: A prelude/ Dissonance

(Nearly a week has passed since the "incident" involving unit 6, which went
wild during a phase II training simulation. Unit 2, forced to intercept, succeeded
in silencing the EVA, with minimal damage to itself and it’s own pilot, Asuka Soryu. )

(The scene is cage 04—where Unit 6 still undergoes repairs for damage taken
as result of its confrontation with 2 . . . It is bound tightly to the cage walls with forearm
and shin restraints, and most of the mangled parts have been replaced—
save for the head, which still shows considerable amounts of damage.)

(Ritsuko and Misato are on the cage floor, overseeing the repair process . . .)

Ritsuko: . . .So, in the final analysis, It would seem that that ‘wild confrontation’
was all Asuka needed. Her synchro rate’s
never been better—to say nothing of her attitude. . .

(She pauses, sipping her coffee)

Ritsuko: . . .well, for the most part, I mean . .

Misato: But, that still doesn’t explain-

Ritsuko: (interrupting) Why 6 went ballistic in the first place? Not so easily
explainable. But my money’s on Pilot error.

Misato: What do you mean? You call - that - pilot error?

Ritsuko: In a way—but not the one you probably think . . .

Misato: What do you mean?

Ritsuko: Well, I looked into the boy’s file—Seems he has had prior
training in marksmanship, riding, archery—everything an
aristocratic family like his would get involved in . . .

Misato: Aristocratic?

Ritsuko: Yes. . . rich family, lived in Oxford, etc., etc.,--you know what I mean.

Misato: So how do you attribute this to ‘pilot error’?

Ritsuko: Well, If you ask anyone who’s had prior combat training—
or better yet, actual experience— they’ll tell you that in
certain situations, the training takes over-

Misato: But that makes no sense. If anything, that should’ve helped him.

Ritsuko: Well, it did—you saw that. For a while, he was doing great. . .
                but then, well—something must’ve happened . . . you
              saw the way EVA was behaving: like it was surrounded, or
            something. . . in the way he interfaced--

Misato: hunh.

Ritsuko: I don’t know for sure—but I think we should’ve waited to assess him further
before sticking a gun in his hands. . .

Misato: That still makes no sense. None whatsoever.

Ritsuko: Oh, that I’m positive of. But, then, we really won’t know unless he tells us—
which I doubt will happen any time soon . . .

Misato: Speaking of which . . . how is he?

Ritsuko: Oh, he’s okay—the LCL absorbed most of the shock of impact—
he only had a mild contusion, maybe a few bruises—nothing more. . .

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(Several stories above, in a quiet apartment room (save for the incessant
chirping of Cicadas outside) Lyn Lies in bed, sleeping. In a chair at his bedside sits
Okazaki, who has a very depressed look on her face . . . from the redness in her
eyes, it is evident that she has been crying . . .)

-(Flashback)- Lyn: What are you DOING, Seyoko!?

(In her lap is her computer, into which she types very slowly—)

<. . .In the final analysis, the subject may prove to be
 unstable. However this must only be taken into account
 with his prior history regarding various->

(She pauses for a moment, and shakes her head, typing a new set of
commands: At once, The screen goes black, replaced by a single message: )

<. . .Clear memory: Y/N _?->

Lyn: (Yawning) .. .ungh…Seyoko?

(he sits up, looking at her computer)

Lyn: . . .What are you doing. . .?

Seyoko: You’re up? Good. That boy—Shinji—he came by yesterday
and dropped off your printouts. Think you’re up to a little more work?

(The woman't eyes dart to the night stand beside the bed, where a small pile
of papers marked "today’s bulletin" has been placed.)

Lyn: Yeah . . .

(Seyoko turns off her laptop, folds it, and tucks it underneath her arm as she stands)

Seyoko: I’ll let you get dressed—don’t take too long, you’ve got school in
about two hours . . . Then a quick examination tomorrow.

Lyn: Examination?

Seyoko: (her back turned) Yes—you’ll be starting from scratch . . .

(Before Lyn can ask, however, she leaves the room--shutting the door firmly)

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(Nearly an hour later, a scene of a different sort is taking place in
Gendo’s office, below Nerv Central . . .)

Gendo: You’re sure?

Seyoko: Yes. Absolutely.

Gendo: Do you understand the terms of your resignation?

Seyoko: Fully.

Gendo: . . hmmm.

Seyoko: The boy is better off on his own, now—or maybe he could be assigned a guardian—but I
Can no longer be his deputy . . .

Gendo: Would this have anything to do with last week’s incident?

Seyoko: . . . somewhat. I—I do not feel I am up to the task of caring for the child.

Gendo: Very well. Fuyutsuki. . .

Fuyutsuki: (from behind) Sir?

Gendo: Give Lt. Seyoko her orders. Make preparations to have her sent back to UNSynaps,
Where, I assume, she is to make a full report?

Seyoko: yes . . .

Gendo: So be it. Get me Dr. Akagi when you’re through.

Fuyutsuki: Sir.

(Nothing more is said as Seyoko is slowly escorted from the
supreme commander’s office by Nerv Security . . .)

(Moments after she has left the room, Ritsuko enters . . .)

Ritsuko: You called for me?

Gendo: What is the status of the test subject?

Ritsuko: Things are not going as well as planned. There have been some
               complications with sequencing the separate patterns
               within the new nucleotide framework, and the subject is not
               responding to the behavioral stimulation. We-

Gendo: (Interrupting) I trust it is something you can handle in the predicted time frame?

Ritsuko: . . .

Gendo: Dr. Akagi . . .

Ritsuko: I . . . I think we can handle it. But only in the best case scenario.
An adjustment of the timetable may be necessary—

Gendo: . . .And that is something that will only be done in the worst case
scenario. Despite what most would like to believe, we are still in
dangerous times.

Ritsuko: . . .

Gendo: . . .The angel threat may no longer be a defining factor of
those times, but it is only one of many. The project will continue
on the pre- arranged timetable as planned.

Ritsuko: . . . of . .. course . . ..

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(Meanwhile, several miles away (and several hundred feet above),
Shinji is in school, and sits with Touji and Kensuke, minutes before class
is to begin. Nearby, Asuka talks with a group of girls in the center,
while Rei sits by the window . . .)

Kensuke: (typing into his computer) So did you talk to him?
You did give him the printouts, right?

Shinji: Yes. But He doesn’t answer the door—it was his—Oh I can’t remember
the word—she was his guardian or something. She took them for him. Like last time.

Touji: What is it with you EVA pilots, anyways?

Shinji: What do you mean?

Touji: How come you guys get all the girls?

Shinji: Be quiet!

(in the background, Lyn quietly enters the room—he has a
somewhat tired look on his face . . .)

Shinji: Hey--he came today.

Kensuke: Guess he’s feeling better.

Touji: Okay, okay, enough about him—Anyway, Ikari, what’s this I hear
about you and Asuka on this little trip of ours?

Shinji: (nervous) What do you mean?

Kensuke: On the hiking trip. Word has it you and Asuka’ll be sharing a tent . . .

Touji: Yeah, and maybe a fire . . .

Kensuke: And maybe some body heat . . .

Touji: Yeah . . .

Kensuke & Touji : And maybe a sleeping bag!

Shinji: Shut UP!

(For a second, Rei turns from the serenity of the window by her seat to
the trio, then looks around the room, taking passive notice of the boy, Anouilh.
Then, suddenly, she returns back to what she had been watching outside . . .)

(Finally, the bell for class rings—and the aged teacher steps in.)

Hikari: All rise! Alright everyone—come on! Class is starting!

(Eventually, all the students rise to greet the teacher, and class begins.
It is only a matter of minutes, however, before their teacher loses touch with
what is happening, and the lesson diverges onto a tangent about his youth . . .)

(Lyn sits quietly as the teacher drones on, tapping the corner keys of his
computer’s keyboard, when suddenly, a message appears on his screen . . .)

- -<So, how is the 6th child today_?>

(He sits up, looking about him. The messenger, however, does
not make himself known. . . although Lyn has a good idea who it may be . . .)

( The message continues to flash on his screen, as it is constantly being re-sent . . .)

(After several seconds, he finally types a response--)

(The screen goes blank for an instant, and then a new message appears:

--<A friend>

(He looks about once more—yet still, the message sender gives no
indication as to his identity . . . Slowly, he keys in a reply . . . )

(The next reply is quick--)

--<Why not?>

( Lyn is fast to respond-)

( the next response, however, is slower)

--<Why would you say something like that?>

--<That is not important. . .>

--<That’s also not important. . .>

Strangely, the boy feels his emotions well up within him, and is compelled to answer:

--<Poor child. You expected things to go better?>

--<You know, in this country, they have a saying: he
 who expects nothing will gain it.
 And he who expects too much, will gain even less . . .>

--

--<Oh, but I am.>

<That’s enough. Is this Asuka?>

--<No.>

(Abruptly, the messages stop; and Lyn finds that he not only feels
depressed, but confused as well. . .)

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(elswhere, on the airstrip far outside the limits of the 3rd Tokyo city . . .)

(The noise at the airport is deafening as the Nerv Security officers
escort Seyoko across the airfield to a the small charter plane set to take
her back to a branch of UNSynaps located North Korea . . . )

(As she boards the plane, she turns her eyes to the skyline of Tokyo 3
one last time, and her thoughts are of Lyn . . . in her heart, she feels that
she has failed him. . .)

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(Nearly 7 hours later, the final bell sounds and classes end for the day.
As students quickly shuffle out (for, there is no school tomorrow), Rei stands
and joins the crowd. Her demeanor is quiet, as she makes her way to the exit. . .
Only minutes behind her is the 6th child . . .strangely enough, he walks with a
somewhat blank look on his face . . .

(Shinji, Kensuke, Asuka, Hikari and Touji are among the last to leave.
Inevitably, their collective conversation seems to converge onto one subject: the vacation . . . )

Kensuke: Oh, come on! You’re not doing anybody any
good to keep it from us. . .

Touji: Yeah. Whose to say that it hasn’t all been an act from
day one. . .

Shinji: (to Touji and Kensuke) Look, you’ve taken the joke far enough!

Asuka: (ignoring the trio, to Hikari): And how long a hike is it gonna be?

Hikari: As far as I know, something like three miles—but it’s a real nice trail!
I’ve been there myself.

Asuka: When?

Hikari: Two years ago. So, I take it you can come along?

Asuka: Natürlich! I’ve been waiting for this trip for a long time . . .

Touji: (to Kensuke) He thinks its a JOKE?

Hikari: I’m sure. But you don’t have to. . . work? Like last time

Asuka: I don’t think so . . . I hope not. . .Hey, Shinji!

Shinji: What?

Asuka: What is the word on the trip? Are we gonna be stuck here like last time?

Shinji: Uh . . .I—I don’t know.

Asuka: Hmmph! Of course . . .

Shinji: Well . . .

Asuka: Come on, spit it out!

Shinji: Well—I don’t think it’s a problem if some of us stay here.

Asuka: Well, if that’s true, then it shouldn’t be us!
We missed the Scuba trip last time-

Touji: That didn’t stop you from dive-

Asuka: Shut up!

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(Meanwhile, nearly 5 minutes up the road, a different sort of conversation
is taking place. There are no words—in fact, no talking at all. The participants--
two children-- do not even know what they share: Each is oblivious to the other’s
presence. . . but there is indeed an exchange going on.

(As Lyn Anouilh walks home, he is in an uncertain, somber state. As the doubts
tear through his mind once more, like high speed trains on a collision course with his
chest, he wonders, for the tenth time, if Seyoko will be there when he reaches his destination.)

(A part of him tells him not to expect that, for it would be too much--

And those who expect too much, gain too little.

So he expects nothing. She will be gone, and he must cope.

And then he realizes that, sadly, in either case—

She will still be gone.

And this fills his heart with pain . . . )

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(Nearly a block ahead, Rei Ayanami stops in her tracks. )

(In her mind she can almost hear it:

The sound of a heart sinking.

It seems to cry out.

To sigh.

To need.

The girl puzzles over it for a moment, looking at the empty streret behind her . . .

Then, she closes her eyes.

And she turns—

and continues on her way . . . )

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To Be Continued . . .