Omake Chapter 1-C: Shinji

[Bean Bandit]

Deep within the Geofront, in the storage area simply known as 'The Cage', two enormous robots, taller than skyscrapers, and given an eerily humanoid appearance, stood.

One, armoured in a deep blue, with white highlights, was possessed of a rather cyclopean apperance, with a single eye on it's massive head. The overall look was of great, focused strength, ready to be unleashed at any moment, upon the command of it's master.

The other robot, beside it, was painted in different colors, cast entirely in purple, green and black. While the body structure was essentially identical to the blue robot, the head was where the major differences lay. Two narrowed, yellow eyes looked out from an armoured helm, beneath a large, wicked-looking horn. Below the amber eyes, a gleaming metal mouth, closed in repose, but the outlines of metallic teeth could be seen.

Within this robot, in fact, in an entry plug in it's 'spine, a young boy sat, immersed in an amber fluid. Approximately fourteen years old, with dark brown hair, and cobalt eyes, and a slightly confused expression, his gaze was riveted on a viewscreen in his cockpit, showing a third, crimson robot, battling a gleaming white robot with a VERY familiar design.

It was to this boy that another spirit came, and with a slight twisting sensation, the body opened it's eyes again, for the first time...

[Shukuen]

Shukuen blinked owlishly a few moments before a bitter taste assaulted him. "Oh, blech!" he grimaced, "What the hell is this?!"

He blinked again, as several details began to register. Specifically the two behemoths; one red, the other white; battling before him. His right eye twitched in disbelief as he remembered why everything seemed so familiar. "Is that 02? And... a Gundam?! What?!"

[Bean Bandit]

On the comm screen, the battle appeared to be going smoothly, and Unit 02 slowly battered down the white robot's defenses.

Another comm screen flashed to life besite the first, and a woman with long, deep purple hair, and open, pleasantly attractive features appeared on the screen.

"Alright, Shinji, Rei...things seem to be going well, so we're taking you off alert, but you'll remain on standby." She ordered. And, as quickly as it arrived, the comm screen vanished...

[Shukuen]

Shukuen narrowed his eyes darkly. "They couldn't be this stupid, can they?"

"..."

"Ah, who am I kidding..." he muttered, massaging a headache. He immediately activated his communicator, opening all frequencies in hopes of being able to reach the pilot of the gundam as well.

"Pilot Sohryu! Stand-down! I repeat, stand-down!" he said forcefully, before calming down to address the pilot of the gundam.

"Unidentified Mobile Suit, please, I ask you to stand down as well. And I also wish to apologize for the... rashness of my commanding officers." He frowned, knowing that the group in the command room will probably be receiving this as well.

[Bean Bandit]

Misato's face immediately returned to the comm screen, and she did NOT look happy.

"Shinji, what do you think you're doing!?" she snapped A small beep on a diagnostic display annouced a secure connection. "I-"

"Major, look!" interrupted the voice of Makoto Hyuuga, behind her.

On Shinji's screen, he could see that the Gundam had backed off, but was down on one knee, hands upraised.
Everyone watched in amazement as the chest opened up, and a young man, with curly brown hair could be seen in the cockpit, his own hands raised.

Misato bit down on her urge to continue ranting, and simply looked flatly at Shinji. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Shinji, but you got lucky. Head up here after you leave your EVA for a debriefing, and I may be able to persuade your father to drop the insubordination charges..." she said, sighing, and broke the connection.

As soon as Misato's face vanished, a new one appeared, and the red headed pilot of Unit 02 was deeply unhappy.

"You're going to get yours for this, Third Child. Can't stant to have the better pilot upstange you in combat, huh?"

[Shukuen]

Shukuen sighed, relieved to have averted that crisis. That was when he received Asuka's complaint, in which he responded with a glare.

"Sohryu... I really could care less on who is better then who, but are you really so arrogant that you would take a human life for your goddamn pride?!" he growled in comtempt at the Second Child. "I'd thought you were better than that, but it seems I was mistakened to think you were a decent human being!"

He coughed and restrained the urge to gag as 'fresh' LCL assaulted his taste buds. Despite being in a new body, he was still not used to prolonged conversations.

I'll be glad to get out of here... he thought, opening the entry plug and deactivating his Eva's systems before leaving.

[Bean Bandit]

The entry plug was ejected from the EVA, and the door opened, spilling LCL out of the flooded entry plug, and out of Shinji. As the plug opened to the catwalk below, the LCL also spilled out of Shinji, the force exerted by the pressurized caspule no longer keeping it in his lungs.

A technician came up to the entry plug as Shinji was hacking up LCL. "They're waiting for you in the briefing rooms, Ikari-san."

In the distance, a loud sploosh of fluid was heard, and some loud, furious cursing in German moments later...

[Shukuen]

Darn... I knew I forgot something... Shukuen pondered on what to do, then smiled internally.

Suddenly feigning dizziness, he leaned against the wall of the entry plug, clutching his head. "Uhn..." he groaned, "Ugh... I'm sorry, I... I'll be right there..." Fortunately, he didn't have to feign his sickness too much, considering that he had just coughed up several gallons of LCL.

[Bean Bandit]

"Ikari-san? Do you want me to call Dr. Akagi?" the technician asked, bending down slightly to examine the ill child.

[Shukuen]

"No, no... I'm just a little dizzy," Shukuen responded, seemingly struggling to stand up straight. "I... don't think I can trust myself to get to the debriefing room by myself right now..." he coughed, then smiled weakly. "Do you think you can lead me there? At least until I can regain my bearings?"

[Bean Bandit]

The technician smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Ikari-san, I'm not supposed to leave my post until the end of my shift. I'll call someone-"

"That will not be necessary." Interrupted a soft, almost monotone voice. "I will lead Pilot Ikari to the debriefing room." Standing on the catwalk beside them, a slender girl, about Shinji's age with short blue hair stood, dressed in a white plugsuit highlighted with blue. The plugsuit clung tightly to her body, leaving very little to the imagination, and her still dripping hair moved slightly as she turned her head and fixed an impassive crimson gaze on Shinji. "If that is agreeable..."

[Shukuen]

Shukuen nodded, matching Rei's gaze calmly. "That will be acceptable, thank you, Ayanami." He pushed himself away from the wall, stumbling a bit to regain balance.

[Bean Bandit]

Rei Ayanami gave a small, almost imperceptible nod in response, and waited for Shinji to regain his balance before she began walking to the Cage's exit..

[Shukuen]

Shukuen straightened out, then followed Rei, occasionally stumbling a bit from nearly tripping on the walkway.

[Bean Bandit]

Rei paused briefly as the door, keying in a code to open it and stepping through as it swished open, waiting for Shinji on the other side.

"Do you need help?" she inquired softly.