“Shinseiki Evangelion,” or “Neon Genesis: Evangelion” belongs solely and completely to Gainax Co. Ltd. Rights to the English version of the aforementioned belong to AD Vision and Manga Entertainment. All rights reserved.

The original storyline of “Ningen no Daraku” belongs to Kenji Moroboshi, T2P Studios, and the 2002 Otaku International. All rights reserved.

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Ningen no Daraku: Evangelion

Written by Kenji Moroboshi

--

A.D. 2036

--

(On the outskirts of the city of Neo-Kyoto, an operation was being prepared…)

(Five men wearing armor and toting automatic rifles sat in wait inside a white van. They were watching a sixth person, their leader, who was wearing the same thing, who was outlining their plan. Judging from the voice, their leader was a woman…)

Leader: Do you understand our objective?

(Each of the five men nodded.)

Leader: Good. Now, the operation should commence shortly. All that is required is for us to wait…

--

OPENING PANDORA’S BOX

--

(A boy, no more than 15 years of age, wandered the outskirts of Neo-Kyoto. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. There was no need for anything more; after all, it was always summer in Japan. His wild hair was dyed brown, and reached about neck length.)

(This boy was lost in his own thoughts, so lost, in fact, that he didn’t notice a limousine pulling up to the curb behind him.)

(Nor did he notice two men wearing black business suits leaving the limousine and approaching him from behind…)

(He did notice, however, when one of those men grabbed him around the waist from behind…)

Boy: (frantically) Hey!! What?!

(Before he could protest further, a heavy hand clapped over his mouth, and the two men dragged the hapless child back to the limousine and shoved him roughly into the back. They entered the limo themselves, and it slowly pulled away…)

--

(The back seat of the limousine was rather plain looking as limousines go. The seats were plush, but there was no ornamentation hanging on the walls, or a television, or anything spectacular. But, that wasn’t the kidnapped boy’s concern.)

(His concern was with the man sitting across from him. Like his captors, this man wore a plain black business suit. But, judging from his eyes, and the manner in which he carried himself, he was no lackey…)

Man: Welcome.

(The boy made no response.)

Man: I suppose you would be afraid. After all, this isn’t a normal kind of meeting, is it?

Boy: I’m not afraid.

(A wry smile spread across the man’s face. He pulled out a cigarette…)

Man: (half-sarcastic) Of course you’re not…

(He lit the cigarette in his mouth. It was a nice lighter, with the engraving of a European sword stamped onto its body…)

(The man slipped the lighter back into his sport jacket. He took a long draw from the cigarette, and let it out in a wispy puff of smoke. The boy sniffed.)

Man: This bothering you?

(The boy made no response.)

Man: (scoffs) It doesn’t matter, anyway…

(The boy turned his attention to the window, where Neo-Kyoto, his hometown, was slowly receding into the distance…)

Boy: Where are we going?

Man: To the Airport.

Boy: And…?

Man: I can’t tell you here. You’ll find out soon enough.

(The boy turned to face the man, his eyes narrowed…)

Boy: Where are we going?

Man: All I’ll tell you is this: it’s in the Western Hemisphere.

(The boy suddenly turned pale…)

Boy: A-America…?

Man: Did I say that?

Boy: If not America, then where?!

Man: (scoffs) You wouldn’t know if I told you, so it doesn’t matter…

(He took another draw from his cigarette.)

Boy: But… but my family’s here! I can’t leave them!!

Man: (tiredly) Yes, I know all about your family… your father, Keisuke; your little sister, Yui. Let them worry about themselves.

(All the boy could do was stare at this cold man. They obviously knew exactly who he was! Where were they taking him, and why?)

Boy: Why are you doing this…?

Man: You’ll find out as soon as we get out of this country, I assure you…

(The boy fell silent. There was no use pursuing this pointless conversation. This man was in complete control, and he wasn’t about to give away the answers. What this boy needed was a way to escape…)

(Suddenly, the boy was thrown forward when the limousine braked, hard. The man pushed him back into his seat, drawing a handgun from his sport jacket…)

Man: (hissing) Damn it! They’re here!

(The boy looked around frantically, not knowing whether this was a good thing or not…)

(The man, meanwhile, was on the in-line phone…)

Man: (loudly) Get out there and shoot them! I don’t care!! Use the doors as a shield!

(As soon as he said that, the sound of automatic weapons filled the air, as an unseen gunfight between the kidnappers and some unknown assailant took place. The boy hoped desperately that it was the police…)

Man: (growling) Don’t get your hopes up, kid… These guys are worse than Death himself…

(The man’s comment was confirmed when blood splattered across the outside of the passenger-side window. The boy coiled back, shocked…)

Man: Damn… Here they come…

(The man aimed his handgun at the door on the passenger side, where the blood had splattered. He was waiting for the unavoidable confrontation…)

(Unfortunately for him, the enemy chose to open the door on the driver’s side, behind his point of sight. A man wearing armor pressed the barrel of his automatic rifle against the back of the man’s skull…)

Soldier: Okay, you bastard, drop your weapon and put your hands where I can see them…

(Slowly, the man obliged, laying his handgun down on the floorboards, and raising his hands into the air…)

Soldier: Turn around.

(The man turned slowly, an annoyed look on his face. The leader of the armored men stepped into the limo, next to the boy…)

Leader: Well, looks like your plan didn’t go the way it was supposed to, huh?

Man: You shouldn’t have interfered… Pandora scum…

(The leader removed her helmet, revealing a stunningly beautiful face…)

Leader: I don’t care what you think. Either way, you’re coming with us.

(She then turned to the boy, who was still in a state of shock…)

Leader: (smiling) Hello… I assume you’re Kyogou Reiji?

(The boy, still shocked, nodded…)

Boy: Yeah… that’s me.

Leader: Good. Pleased to meet you!

(She extended her right hand. The boy, Kyogou Reiji, took it slowly and shook…)

Reiji: Y-Yeah…

--

(The team of armored men, their leader, the man in the business suit, and the boy named Reiji rode in the white van. The five men carried on about some odd topic. The kidnapper was facing the corner, his hands on the back of his head. The leader was sitting with Reiji, trying to talk with him…)

Leader: I’m sorry about all this trouble, really. But, we couldn’t have you taken out of the country, could we?

Reiji: (looking away) Guess not…

Leader: (pouts) Oh, c’mon, don’t be so morose! Look at me, at least!

(Reiji obliged, after all, you can’t say no to someone with a gun who can obviously use it. The first thing he noticed, for the first time, was the stunning beauty of this woman.)

(She had gray-blue eyes, short dark red hair that reached to the back of her neck a little farther than Reiji’s did, and a charming smile. Although the armor she was wearing hid her figure, Reiji could tell that she was quite lithe and athletic.)

Leader: (smiles) That’s better.

Reiji: Um… I hope you don’t mind me asking, but… what’s your name?

Leader: My name? Oh, I’m sorry! My name is Kirishima Mana.

Reiji: (inclines head) Uh… pleased to meet you, Kirishima-san…

Mana: (laughs) Oh, c’mon! “Kirishima-san”… Makes me sound like your teacher, or something. Just call me “Mana!”

Reiji: Okay… Mana-san…

Mana: (slightly irked) That could wear thin after a while, Reiji-kun…

Reiji: Where are we going, if you don’t mind me asking?

Mana: We’re going to the city of Neo-Tokyo-4, up in the mountains. It’ll only take a couple of hours…

Reiji: I see… (thinking) Well, that’s better than going to America, at least…

Mana: Don’t worry, everything will be explained once we get there.

Reiji: (thinking) Where have I heard that one before…?

(Reiji’s gaze shifts to the man in the business suit, who hadn’t moved at all.)

Reiji: (thinking) Well, at least Mana-san is a better-looking kidnapper…

(Mana rose from her seat, and walked toward the former kidnapper, a grin on her face…)

Mana: So, who exactly are you, anyway?

(The man remained silent.)

Mana: Fine, be that way…

(She roughly pulled the man from his seat, and threw him to the floor. At her signal, one of the five men raised his automatic rifle at the kidnapper, as Mana searched through his pockets…)

Mana: Hmm… lessee… anything interesting in here…?

Man: (sadistically) Why don’t you slide your hand into my left pocket? There’s something in there you might like…

(Mana frowned and smashed the back of her fist into his cheek. The man spat blood on the floor…)

Man: How unkind…

Mana: You deserved it…

(She finally fished out an ID card…)

Mana: Hmm… “Ichinomori Daisuke”…

(The man, apparently named Daisuke, remained silent…)

Mana: So, “Daisuke,” if that is your real name, what’s your business with this kid, here?

Daisuke: (sneers) Look in the pocket on the inside of my jacket, and you’ll have all the answers you need…

(Mana fished her hand into the pocket he had indicated, and pulled out the lighter. She looked at the lighter, and her eyes immediately fell upon the engraving of the European sword…)

Mana: I see…

Daisuke: Is it obvious enough? Or should I explain it?

Mana: No… this will be enough. We’ll have more to talk about once we reach HQ… Especially about your “connections”…

(Daisuke did nothing but sneer.)

(Mana turned to the armored man who was aiming the rifle at Daisuke…)

Mana: Take him back to his seat, and make sure he doesn’t move. If he tries to escape, shoot him.

Soldier: Yes, ma’am…

(With that, the armored man grabbed Daisuke by the arm and roughly propelled him back to his seat…)

(Mana sat next to Reiji…)

Mana: Sorry about that…

(Reiji remained silent.)

Mana: Oh, c’mon, don’t be such a spoilsport!

Reiji: So… who is that guy…?

Mana: Ah, that’s classified. Sorry, Reiji-kun, but rules are rules. But, I can tell you that he’s an enemy…

(Out of the corner of his eye, Reiji could see Daisuke trembling. Was it with fear, or rage?)

Mana: But, don’t worry, we’ve got everything under control!

Reiji: Okay…

Mana: We’ll be there soon enough and, after all the paperwork is done with…

(She winked at him.)

Mana: We’ll go to my place!

(Reiji blinked, utterly confused. His mind construed that to one point, but, of course, he didn’t know whether that was the correct point. He dashed the thought from his mind, afraid that Mana would see it…)

--

(Two hours later, Reiji was asleep, his head resting on Kirishima’s shoulder. The leader of the assault party watched him sleep…)

Mana: (thinking) Cute kid… kinda reminds me of him…

(She shook her head, dashing the thought from her mind…)

Mana: (thinking) Whoa, Mana… That was a long time ago…

(Mana softly shrugged her shoulder, waking Reiji…)

Reiji: (sleepily) Eh… what…?

Mana: Wake up, Reiji-kun, we’re here…

Reiji: What…?

Mana: Go on; look out the window.

(Reiji stepped away from the seat so he could look through the windshield. Silhouetted by the sunset, was a majestic city rose before him. He gasped; he had never seen such a thing! Not even Beijing could compare to this!)

Reiji: It’s… amazing!

Mana: This is our destination, Reiji-kun…

(Reiji didn’t answer; he was still watching the approaching city…)

Mana: Welcome to Tokyo-4…

--

Ningen no Daraku: EVANGELION

Episode:1 - Opening Pandora’s Box

--

(On a command bridge, in the infinite depths beneath Tokyo-4, there stood two figures of authority and power.)

(One was a man with black hair, wearing thick glasses and a dark blue uniform. The light reflecting from those glasses gave him a cold, inhuman look. This man sat there, his hands folded under his nose, surveying the entire command bridge.)

(To his right, and slightly behind, stood a woman of approximately the same age. She wore a brown uniform and had short brown hair. She watched, equally stone faced, the comings and goings on the bridge…)

Sub-Commander: I’ve just received word… The candidate has arrived safely.

Commander: Good. Were there any problems?

Sub-Commander: Yes. As you predicted, SWORD attempted to snatch him from under our noses. Luckily, Major Kirishima’s counterstrike was successful.

Commander: That’s good. We don’t need to lose more candidates to them…

Sub-Commander: Of course…

Commander: Have the candidate taken to the cage directly. We will decide all things there…

Sub-Commander: I will inform Major Kirishima right away…

(The sub-commander turned to walk away…)

Commander: Shinjiyoubou-kun…

(The sub-commander, named Shinjiyoubou, turned back to her superior…)

Shinjiyoubou: Yes?

Commander: Remember… If he cannot synchronize with the unit, then he is useless to us. Don’t let your emotions cloud your better judgment…

Shinjiyoubou: Of course… You know me.

(Sub-Commander Shinjiyoubou continued to the elevator. The commander didn’t change position at all…)

Commander: Yes… I do know you…

--

(As the car train wound down toward the pyramidal headquarters, Reiji stood next the driver, staring in wonder…)

Reiji: So… this is a Geo-Front, huh?

Mana: It’s artificial, of course… But it provides all the protection and space we need, and it’s completely self-sufficient, too…

Reiji: So… who backs you? I mean, is it the Japanese Government?

Mana: The Government backs us, but our funding and budget comes from the UN…

Reiji: Ah…

(The car train approached the pyramid, and disappeared into it…)

--

(A brown-haired man with an unshaven face, wearing a white lab coat, wandered through a control room. Seven men and women continued through their individual tasks as this man watched, clipboard in hand…)

Female Technician: Dr. Dmitriev! Here’s the printout you wanted!

(The brown-haired man, Dr. Piotr Dmitriev, took the printout from the college girl’s hands…)

Dmitriev: Thank you, Sakura.

(The female technician, Choujahara Sakura, inclined her head, clutching a folder to her chest…)

(Dmitriev finished reading the printout…)

Dmitriev: Good. If things go correctly, then activation should go without problems. But…

(Dmitriev stopped. His eyes narrowed and he mouthed something to himself. Then, quite abruptly, he pushed the printout back onto Sakura…)

Dmitriev: Run it through the Magi again… Remember, we cannot afford any mistakes. This time, add some more scenarios, I want as many contingencies as possible.

Sakura: Yes, Doctor…

(Sakura ran out of the room, toward the nearest open terminal. Dmitriev took out a pen and scribbled something onto his clipboard…)

Dmitriev: (to himself) We cannot afford any mistakes…

Male Technician: Doctor! The candidate has arrived! He and Major Kirishima are making their way to Cage-07 now!

Dmitriev: Then, speed it up! If the Commander orders activation, then it must happen on schedule!! There can be no delays!

(Sakura ran back into the room with another printout…)

Sakura: Dr. Dmitriev! The Magi are finished! I’ve added 43 additional scenarios and results haven’t deviated by more than 0.35%.

Dmitriev: (reading) Melchior says that the probability of success is 73.8%… Balthasar says 85.2%… Casper says 78.25%… Not the best numbers.

Sakura: They were all I could turn out! We can’t do much about it, since the pilot is already here…

Dmitriev: Agreed. Make preparations to move Unit-15 to a secure cage, in case the Commander decides to activate it. Prepare the Bakelite and make sure that the battery has no more than one minute of power… Do you understand?

Sakura: Yes, Doctor!

(She runs out of the room again.)

--

(Mana and Reiji waited in an elevator, which was descending. Reiji stood, quite uncomfortably, at the back of the elevator. Mana leaned against one of the walls to the side, quite bored…)

Reiji: Where are we going?

Mana: Down.

(Reiji blinked, slightly confused.)

Mana: We’re going toward the meeting place.

(The elevator suddenly stopped…)

Mana: Eh? We can’t be here already…!

(The door opened, and Sakura ran in…)

Sakura: (bows) M-Major Kirishima!!

Mana: Choujahara-san…?

(Sakura stood, clutching her folder to her chest. Her gaze then fell on Reiji…)

Sakura: Is this…? Is this the Seventh Child?

(Reiji blinked, very confused…)

Reiji: (thinking) Seventh child…? Does that mean I have six older siblings?! How can that be?!

Mana: Yes, this is the Seventh Child. His name is Kyogou Reiji.

Sakura: (bows) How do you do, Kyogou-san?

Mana: This is Lieutenant Choujahara Sakura, the bridge technician and protégé to Dr. Dmitriev.

Reiji: (confused) “Bridge technician?” … “Dr. Dmitriev?”

Mana: All will be revealed in time… don’t worry.

Sakura: I thought you’d like to know, Major, that the unit is almost ready for testing, should the need arise.

(Mana folded her arms, smiling assuredly…)

Mana: I highly doubt that the Commander would order a test on the same day that the candidate arrived! That goes against procedure!

Sakura: I wouldn’t put it past him… Dr. Dmitriev seemed sure that he would make such an order…

Mana: (raising eyebrow) Dr. Dmitriev said so, eh? Well, y’know that he’s been getting increasingly high strung ever since the word came that Unit-15 would be activated… He got anxious like this when Unit-16 was activated…

Sakura: (darkly) With good reason, don’t you think?

(Mana didn’t have a response for this.)

Sakura: I’d appreciate it if you took Dr. Dmitriev more seriously, Major…

Mana: (crossly) What? Hey!! I do take the guy seriously!! Honestly!

(The elevator stopped and the door opened.)

Sakura: Just remember what happened to Amano-san, okay?

(Sakura left for the command bridge, and the elevator doors closed.)

(Mana, to say the least, wasn’t particularly happy…)

Mana: (thinking) Bitch…

Reiji: Um… Mana-san?

Mana: Yeah?

Reiji: What happened to this, “Amano-san,” anyway?

Mana: All will be revealed in time, Reiji-kun…

Reiji: (thinking) How much time?! I’m getting tired of all this damned secrecy!

(The elevator stopped again, and the doors opened. Mana walked out.)

Mana: This way.

(Reiji followed her into a strange room. It was huge, cavernous, making him feel like an ant. There was a light purple liquid that covered the floor. When Reiji looked closer, he found that this liquid extended down beyond his range of visibility. As far as he knew, he was standing on a lake of this strange substance.)

(A network of metal bridges and catwalks crisscrossed this pinkish lake. Of course, the main thing that Reiji noticed was the ambient temperature of this room…)

(It was cold… damn cold…)

(Another thing he noticed, far in the distance, was even more peculiar than the light purple lake. It was a massive black structure that, near the bottom, resembled a human shoulder. From this “shoulder,” it extended downward into the pinkish lake, and out of view. Obviously, it was not some kind of giant arm… was it?)

(A man wearing the same technician’s outfit as Sakura drove a small, motorized boat up to the edge where Reiji and Mana were standing. He bowed at the sight of his superior…)

Technician: Major Kirishima! Please get on the boat.

(Mana jumped onto the boat, which was really a rubber dinghy with a motor attached to it, and motioned for Reiji to follow. Once both were on board, the tiny motor started up again, and pushed them toward the giant “shoulder.”)

Technician: The test cage has been prepared, as per Dr. Dmitriev’s orders… Do you think the Commander’s going to test this kid so soon?

Mana: I don’t know, Jagawa-san… I honestly have no idea.

(The male technician, surnamed Jagawa, made no response.)

Mana: We’re definitely entering a dangerous situation, aren’t we?

Jagawa: You know it, Kirishima-san…

Mana: (low voice) What do you think T-san will say about this?

Jagawa: (hissing) T-san…? You know better than to speak his name here! The Commander is waiting in the cage!

Mana: (whispering) Then we’ll talk later…

Jagawa: At the usual place.

Reiji: …

(Finally, the boat stopped at a dock to the left of the giant “shoulder.” Mana jumped onto the dock and motioned for Reiji to do the same. She nodded to Jagawa, and he motored away.)

Mana: Okay, Reiji-kun. Once we pass through this door, all truth will be revealed to you. Are you ready?

(Reiji nodded slowly. With that, Mana slid her ID card through a slot on the right of the door. There was an audible clanging sound, and the door slid open. Reiji could see nothing but darkness inside…)

Reiji: (squinting) Doesn’t look much like Truth to me, Mana-san…

Mana: (frowning) Just get in there, will you?

(She walked in, and Reiji followed. The light from the room outside, shining through the doorway, illuminated a metallic bridge. At least, Reiji thought, he wouldn’t be falling into that pinkish liquid…)

(And then the door closed, and total darkness ensued…)

Reiji: (surprised) Hey!! What the hell is this?!

Male Voice: Your destiny.

(The lights turned on with a flash.)

Reiji: (eyes widening) Wh… What the hell?! What the hell is this thing?!

(Before him was a massive mask, black on its left side, and silvery gray on its right. Set in this mask was a pair of blood-red eyes, which stared at Reiji ceaselessly. The boy’s eyes followed this massive mask to an equally massive head, a thick, armored neck, and enormous shoulders, which were (apparently) restrained by massive bolts.)

(Reiji stared, absolutely terrified, at what could no doubt be a giant robot. An evil looking one at that…)

Reiji: What the fuck is this thing?!

Male Voice: Welcome, Kyogou Reiji, the Seventh Child.

(This booming voice came over a speaker system, but Reiji could see the source. High over the head of this monstrosity was a window. Standing in that window was a lone man. Reiji could tell immediately that this was indeed a powerful man…)

Reiji: Who are you?!

Commander: I am the Commander of this organization, PANDORA.

Reiji: “Pandora”…?

Commander: It is my will that brought you here, and it is my commandment that you will follow, from this day forward, Kyogou Reiji.

Reiji: (angrily) And what if I don’t wanna follow your commands?!

Commander: (gravely) Then your father, Kyogou Keisuke, as well as your sister, Kyogou Yui… will die.

(Reiji immediately turned pale. He had so many hateful things he wanted to say to this bastard, but he couldn’t say a thing. His mouth felt as dry as cotton. How could this man say such horrible things, and threaten his loved ones, going unpunished?! His anger mounted…)

Reiji: (furious) How… How dare you say such a thing!!

Commander: I say such things, because I can cause them to be, with just the wave of my hand. You, Kyogou Reiji, are at my mercy. Submit to me, and your beloved family will live. Resist me, and they will die.

(Reiji bit his lip, trying to hold back the hatred welling up inside of him…)

(Instead, he turned his anger upon Kirishima Mana, who was still standing beside him…)

Reiji: (screaming) Is this your secret?! Is this why I’m here?! Why the fuck am I here?!

Mana: (softly) R-Reiji-kun…

Commander: To know the reason that which you have been brought here for, you need only look in front of you.

(Reiji turned to face the mask of the giant robot, his face etched with hate…)

Reiji: This thing…?

Commander: This is the General-Purpose Artificial Humanoid Decisive Combat Weapon. This is Evangelion Unit-15. This is your destiny, Kyogou Reiji.

(Reiji stared into the blood-red eyes of Evangelion Unit-15. Those eyes merely stared back into his, with equal sentiment…)

Reiji: (hissing) Why me…?

Commander: Because you are the only one who can.

Reiji: (thinking) What the hell? Does this bastard expect me to PILOT this monstrosity?! Does he think that, by threatening my family, he can make me do this?!

(Blood trickled from Reiji’s lip, and dripped off his chin…)

Reiji: (thinking) Problem is… That’s EXACTLY what he can do…

Commander: Will you pilot it?

(Reiji didn’t respond. All he did was continue to glare at Evangelion Unit-15, in utter silence…)

(The Eva merely stared back with an equal silence…)

Mana: (softly) Reiji-kun… You don’t have any other choice…

Reiji: (quivering) I know that…

Commander: I will ask only one more time… Will you pilot it?

(Reiji finally answered, hating each second that passed…)

Reiji: (hissing) Yes…

Commander: Louder.

Reiji: (screaming) YES!!! I will pilot the damn thing!!

(Reiji could have sworn that the Commander had smiled…)

Commander: Good.

Mana: (thinking) Reiji-kun…

--

Dmitriev’s Voice: Prepare for test activation…

(Evangelion Unit-15 had been moved to the inside of a massive white chamber, the test cage. Now the entire body could be seen. The unit was covered, head to toe, in black body armor. The shoulder armaments had been removed, so the locking bolts could have a better grip. The unit stood, head down, awaiting the moment of truth.)

(Behind Unit-15’s head, at the base of the neck, a relatively small white cylinder, looking very out of place among the black armor of the monstrosity, stuck out. This was the Entry Plug, the cockpit of the Evangelion…)

(Inside the Entry Plug was Kyogou Reiji. His eyes were screwed shut, and his eyebrows were arched. Needless to say, he was still angry…)

(Kirishima Mana’s voice suddenly came on the speakers…)

Mana’s Voice: Reiji-kun… We’re going to activate Unit-15 now. Are you ready?

Reiji: …

Mana’s Voice: Reiji-kun…

Reiji: (bitter) Yes… I’m ready…

(Mana’s voice softened…)

Mana’s Voice: I’m sorry, Reiji-kun… Please try to understand…

Reiji: (hissing) I’ll tell you what I “understand” after this godforsaken “test” is done with…

Mana’s Voice: …

(She made no answer.)

Reiji: (thinking) Bitch… Leading me into this trap…

Dmitriev’s Voice: Pilot Kyogou, can you understand me?

Reiji: Yeah. I hear you.

Dmitriev’s Voice: Good. Now, I will attempt to familiarize you with the controls of your unit. First, we will begin activation. Are you ready?

Reiji: Just do it.

Dmitriev’s Voice: Understood.

(The Entry Plug slid into the base of Evangelion Unit-15’s neck, and the black armor closed around it, sealing it safely inside.)

--

(In the command box, to Unit-15’s left, a series of technicians milled about, making final preparations for the activation.)

(Watching the unit, with worry in her eyes, was Mana. She turned to the Commander…)

Mana: Permission to speak freely, Commander.

Commander: Granted.

Mana: Was it necessary to say those things to him?!

Commander: Yes. I wouldn’t have said it if it wasn’t necessary.

Mana: (frowns) I’m not satisfied, sir…

Commander: If you are demanding that I explain myself, Major, then I must ask you to ask yourself whether that is the wisest course of action.

(Mana checked herself, holding back what came next to mind. The Commander continued…)

Commander: Perhaps I ought to tell you this now, Major Kirishima: Keep your emotions in check. We do not need emotionally-blinded officials in this organization, do you understand?

Mana: (icily) Clearly, sir…

Commander: I will ignore that tone as an uncontrolled emotional response. Return to your duties, Major Kirishima.

(Sub-commander Shinjiyoubou leaned over near her superior officer’s ear…)

Shinjiyoubou: (whispering) Is it wise to provoke the pilot’s anger?

Commander: Remember these two things, Shinjiyoubou-kun, before you ask me that question again. One, we are short of pilots. Two, if this boy is to synchronize, it will only be by hatred, as he has no training.

Shinjiyoubou: Hmph… Of course…

Commander: (loudly) Let it be known that my authority shall not be questioned. Most of you know this already, but I must reinforce it. Begin the activation.

(At the control panels, technicians begin working furiously…)

Sakura: Connecting neural circuits!

--

(To Reiji’s surprise, the interior of the Entry Plug suddenly exploded in a kaleidoscope of brilliant colors. He blinked twice, trying to dash the stars from his vision. Then, suddenly, he could see.)

(Across from him, he could see the bleak, white wall of the test cage.)

Reiji: Am… Am I seeing through this thing’s eyes…?

--

Technician A: Connections are stable! A-10 nerve circuit is functioning normally!

Dmitriev: Begin the primary activation sequence…

Technician B: Primary activation commencing… now!

--

(Evangelion Unit-15’s eyes glowed red as power was routed to it via the cable affixed to its back…)

--

Technician B: Injecting power into unit… Increasing by ten percent per every five seconds…

Dmitriev: Belay that. Slow power injection to five percent every five seconds.

Technician B: Roger, Doctor…

Commander: No.

(Dmitriev spun around.)

Dmitriev: Commander! We cannot be sure of the Eva’s stability! I highly recommend that we reduce the injection of power into the unit!

Commander: Your recommendation has been noted, Dr. Dmitriev. Continue power injection at ten percent per five seconds.

Dmitriev: (nods slowly) Yes, sir…

Technician B: Power is at 70%, and rising…

Technician A: All nerve connections are still functioning normally, Doctor…

Sakura: No anomalous activity detected within the unit… All systems go.

Technician B: 80%, and rising…

Dmitriev: (thinking) Damn it… We need more time!

Technician B: 90%, and rising…

Technician A: Nerve connections are still stable…

Sakura: Still no anomalous activity, sir…

Technician B: Power at maximum. Primary activation has been completed.

Dmitriev: Begin secondary activation. Route power to all systems within Eva Unit-15.

Technician B: Roger that!

Technician A: I’m detecting a fluctuation in the nerve circuit… nothing serious…

Technician B: Routing power to the brachial muscles…

--

(Evangelion Unit-15’s arm glowed with “EVA 15 PROD.” Its head rose slowly…)

--

Sakura: No anomalous activity detected thus far… We are approaching the Absolute Borderline!

Technician B: All systems powered up. Eva Unit-15 is ready for complete activation!

Technician A: A-10 nerve circuit is still functioning normally…

Sakura: One to the Absolute Borderline!!

Dmitriev: (thinking) This is it… Will it activate?

Sakura: Zero-point-five to Absolute Borderline!!

Technician A: Detecting another fluctuation in the nerve circuits…

Mana: He’s just nervous. Don’t worry about it.

Sakura: Zero-point-two-five!! Zero-point-one!!

Dmitriev: Come on… do it…!

Sakura: Absolute Borderline surpassed!! Evangelion Unit-15 has been activated successfully!!

(There was an audible sigh of relief in the control box.)

--

(Meanwhile, in the Entry Plug of Eva-15, Reiji was in complete awe…)

(Mana’s image appeared on a holographic window to his left…)

Mana: Reiji-kun, are you okay?

Reiji: Y-Yeah…

Mana: How does it feel?

Reiji: I… I don’t know…

Mana: Any sensations that come to mind?

Reiji: Well… it kinda smells like… like… Mother…

--

Dmitriev: Pull up the data, now.

Sakura: Roger…

(Two wave lines slowly intersected…)

Dmitriev: Impressive… Synch ratio: 48%…

Sakura: Even Amano-san didn’t get a synch ratio that high…!

(The Commander rose from his seat, and walked over to the window…)

Mana: Commander?

Commander: So… It has activated.

Dmitriev: Yes, sir… With a successfulness that I couldn’t have imagined…

Commander: Good.

--

(Reiji sat, eyes closed, submerged in the LCL…)

Reiji: (thinking) I hate this stuff…

(His eyes then focused on a shape in the window of the control box…)

Reiji: (thinking) Is that…?

(It was the Commander.)

Reiji: (growling) Damn you… Damn you to Hell…

(Every ounce of hatred, which had built up in his soul up to that moment, suddenly became focused upon a single thing. Reiji’s hate suddenly became bent on the death of the Commander of PANDORA…)

--

Sakura: Dr. Dmitriev!! Get over here, now!!

Dmitriev: What is it?!

Sakura: The Seventh Child’s synch ratio! It’s increasing!!

Dmitriev: What?!

Mana: What’s going on?!

Sakura: 55%… 58%… It’s surpassing the 60% barrier, Doctor!!

Dmitriev: Is there any idea what’s causing this?!

Technician A: There’s nothing wrong with the neural circuits, sir! But, I’m detecting an imbalance in the Seventh Child’s mental synapses… Investigating now…

Dmitriev: Don’t delay…

Sakura: Synchronization is surpassing 70%, Doctor!! 73%!! 76%!!

Mana: What’s the pilot’s condition?!

Technician A: Analysis complete! The Seventh Child is asserting control over the Eva in a way never recorded previously!!

Dmitriev: What could this mean…?

Sakura: 82%!! 85%!! Doctor!!!

(And, at the edge of the panic taking over the control box, staring at Eva-15 through the plexi-glass, was the Commander of PANDORA…)

Commander: (softly) Here it begins…

Sakura: Synchronization ratio at 100%!! And…

Dmitriev: Sakura…?

Sakura: Synch ratio has stabilized at 100%, Doctor…

Dmitriev: How… strange…

--

(The armored hand of Eva-15 squeezed into a fist…)

--

(Suddenly, alarms went off all over the control box, and all the lights turned red…)

P.A.: Emergency! Emergency!

Dmitriev: What the hell is happening?!

Technician C: Unit-15 is trying to break free of its restraints!!

Dmitriev: It couldn’t be… berserker?!

Sakura: Impossible! The pilot is in total control!!

--

(The Evangelion strained against the restraints. The sound of creaking and groaning metal resounded over the alarms coming from the control box.)

(Finally, with a horrendous crunching sound, the Eva broke free of its restraints. But its momentum was too much, and it stumbled forward…)

--

Technician C: The restraints have failed, Doctor!! Unit-15 is running amok!!

Dmitriev: Disconnect the power supply, cut off the cable!!

Sakura: Roger, Doctor…

(Sakura broke a glass casing on the control panel, and pulled the lever inside…)

--

(The umbilical cable on Eva-15’s back suddenly detached, and fell to the floor.)

(Inside the Entry Plug, the lights turned red, and a timer reading “0:30:00” appeared to Reiji’s right, and counted down…)

Reiji: (snarling) I will not be denied VENGEANCE!!!

(Eva-15 raised its fist, and smashed into the window in front of the Commander. Failing to break it on first try, the unit continued to smash its fists into the window and surrounding walls…)

--

Dmitriev: Commander! Get back from there!!

(The Commander made no move. He wasn’t afraid. He merely stood, watching as the Evangelion’s massive fists smashed into the reinforced plexi-glass over and over again…)

Mana: Use the Bakelite, quickly!!

Sakura: Right… releasing Bakelite …

--

(Wall panels all over the cage slid open, and a thick red liquid poured out. Before long, it was washing over the Eva’s black-booted feet…)

(The Bakelite began to harden and, inside the Entry Plug, Reiji began to notice this…)

Reiji: What the hell…?

(With great difficulty, he managed to pull his left foot free of the Bakelite. Unfortunately for him, the Bakelite hardened over his right foot, and he could not free it. And the liquid was still pouring from the walls…)

Reiji: (screaming) YOU BASTARD!!!

(He pulled the Eva’s right fist back, and smashed it into the glass, shattering it…)

--

Sakura: Synch ratio has risen! It’s at 105%!!

(The Commander stepped back, as pieces of plexi-glass fell around him.)

Technician B: Shutdown in three seconds… two… one… zero!

(And the Eva stopped dead in its tracks…)

--

(Within the Entry Plug, Reiji pulled at the control sticks, over and over again…)

Reiji: Move… move… move, damn it… move… move…! Move!!

--

(In the remains of the command box, security personnel were herding technicians out of the room. The Commander stood at the destroyed window, watching the deactivated Evangelion. Slowly, he plucked a shard of plexi-glass from his cheek.)

Shinjiyoubou: Well… that didn’t turn out as expected…

(The Commander took out a handkerchief, and held it to the wound, staunching the blood flow.)

Commander: On the contrary, Shinjiyoubou-kun… It went exactly as planned…

Shinjiyoubou: (blinks) Was this ordered by the Committee…?

(The Commander made no answer. Instead, he turned to Sakura, who was still at her station…)

Commander: Raise the oxygen content in the LCL. I want the pilot unconscious when he is extracted from the Entry Plug…

Sakura: Yes, sir. Increasing oxygen levels…

Shinjiyoubou: What will you report to the Committee…?

(The Commander turned away and walked toward the exit, followed by Shinjiyoubou…)

Shinjiyoubou: Aida-kun! What will you tell them?

(The supreme commander of PANDORA, Commander Aida Kensuke, turned back to his subordinate…)

Aida: I will tell them that the operation was successful… and that we now have a pilot for Evangelion Unit-15.

--

TSUDUKU - To Be Continued…

--