Symphony No. 7 in G Minor Op. 9

"Chaotique Praesentia"

(A Neon Genesis Evangelion FanFiction by CyberForte)

Disclaimer

Neon Genesis Evangelion and all associated characters, concepts, situations, et cetera are copyright to Gainax. This is strictly a work of FanFiction and is not intended to violate the aforementioned copyrights, nor to earn any capital for the author. All original characters, concepts, situations, text, and portrayals are copyright to myself (CyberForte), but they may be used by any other wishing to do so as long as credit is given to myself (CyberForte).

First Movement

"Fortune Plango Vulnera"

"I lament the wounds that Fortune deals With tear-filled eyes, For, returning to the attack, She takes her gifts from me."

-Carl Orff, Carmina Burana.

As one might expect, Shinji Ikari's synchronization scores were down by several points the next day. It was expected, so no one bothered to say much about it; as long as they went back up before the next Angel appeared, he would be allowed his depression. And, of course, Rei's score was as intransient as ever. No one was surprised. The joke had been made by a bored tech once that Rei would not even bat an eyebrow if Third Impact were to take place, so why would they expect anything from a mere death? Besides, only Katsuragi (who had pleaded ill for the day) had even known the dead girl. Needless to say, no one had laughed.

In any case, Shinji left the pyramid that was NERV HQ in a slump, not really seeming to notice the rain that continued to fall. The GeoFront had its own miniature weather patterns, surprisingly; it wasn't that different from that which might develop in the lower levels of a rainforest, or maybe in a sealed jar. And, since much rainwater had seeped into the cavern's interior over time, it oft rained, especially when outside atmospheric conditions made said precipitation more likely, as they did upon this day.

That aside, Shinji didn't feel especially like going home in his present state of mind. He really wasn't feeling up to facing Misato, especially since her grief was, well... real. She had a right to it; she'd known the girl. That made it very hard for Shinji, in his more...selfish "grief," which was really fear, to face her. But, if he remembered correctly, the park with her grave stone in it wasn't too far away... Maybe he could go there and think for a while?

And so, perhaps ten minutes later, mostly do to the despondent mood of the boy (which translated to slow motion and bad direction), he found himself seated on a park bench near the still-fresh grave, with the rain continuing to saturate his unresisting form. But, again due to the mood, he was beyond caring. It was odd, really; he had oft found himself not caring about his existence before coming here, and even early in his piloting days... but, now, he was sitting by a grave and rather than mourning, he was wondering (or worrying, more accurately)... Maybe he would be the next to join the one interred within.

What was it that he'd heard once when he was younger? Irony abounds in warfare. Yes, that was it. Some famous commander had said it, he guessed. It didn't really matter. It was true. Becoming involved in the war had given his life meaning and substance, but with the other hand, that very war threatened to take away not only the meaning, but the life itself. And he was actually afraid of it. It was...astounding. He didn't want to die!

With this realization, a small part of his mind tried to urge him to go home. If he didn't want to die, shouldn't he try to maximize his time alive? But, the main part of his mind was still too afraid. And too ashamed. How could he face Misato with his selfish melancholy when she deserved to grieve? It was just too daunting and too shameful. He had no right to add his fear for himself to the already crushing burden on the woman who'd been so kind to him thus far.

As such, Shinji's mind drifted, attempting to escape from the present. However, considering his location, the first thing to come to mind was quite unwanted, yet inescapable. It had started out as a fairly boring day...

Before school, Misato had mentioned in passing the Second Child being en route, but she hadn't elaborated and he hadn't asked, having to leave soon after. As such, he'd gone to school with Touji and Kensuke as usual, and things had been quiet until about noon.

At that high hour, however, the threads spun by the fates had changed in composition, with a pattern of discord emerging; he and Rei had each been summoned from school with messages from NERV that identified the call as urgent, yet the Angel Attack sirens hadn't issued a peep, and no one was being evacuated. It was all highly bizarre, but of course there were no questions asked; the two Children came as ordered. They would be briefed on arrival, and even Shinji couldn't fault Gendo's planning procedures in battle.

That said, the trip to the NERV facility was tense, dull, and somewhat awkward, considering that any attempt to strike up conversation with his companion, Rei Ayanami, was (unintentionally?) blunted by her tendency to give one-or-two word deadpan answers and his own awkwardness, making it a self-propagating cycle. As such, most of the trip was blanketed in a sort of dead silence that could pass for comfortable at a mile without your glasses on, but becomes a clear void upon any closer inspection. Thankfully, it wasn't too far, and once the NERV complex had been entered, the people-movers expedited the two pilots to the control room; what might be thought of as the "NERV Center."

Upon arrival, they were greeted by a furor of activity, amidst which Misato Katsuragi stood like a stone wall...or at least a person not quite sure what to do. Shinji couldn't quite tell which of the two his guardian was analogous to, but it quickly became moot; once she caught sight of them, she reanimated, quickly reaching them. This done, she wasted no time beginning to explain the situation in a manner that oft made the introvert wonder if the purple-haired woman suffered from some form of split-personalities.

In any case, the situation outlined by the operations' director was thus; circa 11:30 AM JST, contact was lost with Over the Rainbow, flagship of the UN's pacific fleet, with the final transmissions being an SOS; the fleet was apparently under attack. Analysis of the vicinity had confirmed NERV's worst fears; it had been an Angel. This was confirmed in the form of a transmission from a AV-8B Harrier II V/STOL Jet, apparently transporting the only two survivors from the fleet. When the vehicle had departed, the pilot reported, Evangelion Unit-02 had been engaged in battle with an unknown force that was tentatively identified as the Sixth Angel.

Considering that radar and satellite imaging had been unable to detect the fleet, NERV was assuming the worst and postulating that the fleet, along with Unit-02, had been defeated, and that the Angel was en route to Tokyo-3. Although its speed and exact path were unknown, the data collected suggested that the Angel would reach land at the point most economical, meaning that it would be on the line between the ambush and Tokyo-3. And since the speed was unknown, with only one Eva Unit available for intercept, Unit-01 was being stationed in the target zone as soon as the transition to D-Type equipment could be made.

The reason for this, explained Ritsuko (who had managed to join the group without anyone noticing), was that the most probably cause of Unit-02's assumed defeat was the inability to operate in a sub-marine environment with B-type equipment. Thus, despite the D-type's awkwardness in a terran environment, it would allow underwater operation and enhanced maneuverability. The mother-of-all-technophiles then also noted that the D-type equipment was actually an overlay of the B-type, and that it could be jettisoned if necessary.

And so it was that, at around 1 PM JST, Evangelion Unit-01 (clad in the bulky white diver's suit that was the D-type equipment) was airlifted into position on the Japanese coast, and the long game of waiting for an unknown enemy that was probably on its way at an unknown speed, probably going to attack somewhere near you, and probably aquatic began. Needless to say, it was... utterly and terribly dull, once the initial terror drained out. And he couldn't even really talk to anyone--he dare not distract the inhabitants of the mobile command trailer, Rei was not only bad conversation but incommunendo within said center, waiting by a reserve entry-plug as the auxiliary pilot, and he had no way to communicate with Touji or Kensuke, as the D-type armor's thickness and makeup disallowed use of a cell phone (not that he would have called anyway...).

In any case, just as soldiers everywhere throughout history, Shinji was experiencing the "joys" of military life; great periods of extreme boredom, punctuated at unpredictable intervals with moments of sheer terror, adrenaline, and hell. As it happened, however, it did not take a great deal longer for one of the latter to make itself known. Surprisingly, there was actually some warning, though; active sonar that had been deployed by NERV (and linked to both the command trailer and the Eva's display) picked up a rapidly closing blip of quite notable size, which prompted Misato to order the sortie.

Considering the circumstances, this consisted of two main steps; getting the Eva into the water and preparing it for combat. The former was fairly simple, as one might imagine; after unreeling several thousand meters of cable (a great deal had been provided, for obvious reasons), Shinji simply jumped off the demi-cliff, causing a miniature tidal wave. The second was a bit more complicated, as Shinji had zero prior experience with maneuvering the diving-suit-esque setup, especially the lag-time that the aquatic environment would cause in movements. Not only that, but the vertical component of combat in this medium was mostly unfamiliar to him, being very different from the limited vertical component offered by jumping on land.

Weapons, too, would be a challenge; although the progressive knife (relocated to an ankle sheathe) remained in his possession, a palette rifle wouldn't work underwater, nor would any of the other conventional weaponry he had been training in the usage of, mainly due to the density of the water itself. Conventional weaponry would sheer itself apart from pure frictional resistance. As such, the only available weapon aside from the knife was a prototypical harpoon gun, designed for this environment, but not at all finished.

All in all, Shinji was at a near-complete disadvantage, especially with the Angel being obviously capable of high speeds in submarine environments, as evidenced by the sonar readings indicating that it was closing at a rate perhaps equal to a nuclear submarine's flank speed. As such, there would be little-to-no time to further prepare, as it would be coming into visual range right about--and then, on the horizon, a disturbance could be seen. Shinji, quite nervous, continued to watch it grow for a few seconds; until the shouted orders from the command trailer permeated his brain. Once this occurred, he did as instructed and took the Eva down; D-Type Equipment had more advantages in the deep than it did on the surface, and so he would face his adversary from below.

Lowering to a depth that would theoretically put him below the leviathan's path, Shinji slightly shakily prepared the harpoon gun, sighting it as best he could whilst trying not to think about the fact that he was submerged in several hundred feet of water. Water. Why in the name of God did he have to fight in the water? Humans were not meant to float, and Shinji unconsciously extended the thought to his Eva, since it practically was him. And what better proof could he be asked for than the fact that he was under water? Of course, none of these thoughts were helped much by his first visual impression of the Angel, which occurred a second or so later.

Out of the perpetual under-sea gloom shot a (living) torpedo, light tan with a touch of red in hue. As for shape, from what the boy could make up, it was mostly oblong, with the front being a large beak-like protrusion (which was presently closed) and spreading out into several fin-like flaps towards the rear. The greatest aspect of its impression, though, was its sheer size. The gargantuan sea-beast was easily on a scale that would allow it to devour the Eva in a single gulp and still have room for a large serving of sushi ala seawater.

So vast and awing was this beast upon approach that Shinji's finger failed to make the necessary movements that would fire the harpoon gun, and by the time he was prepared to, the beast had completed its first pass. For a moment, it seemed as if it had failed to notice the Eva, but any hope of this was quickly quashed as its course shifted, making a slow but graceful rightward loop. Understandably, the prospect of the leviathan coming at him head-on jarred Shinji out of his trance, and he quickly did his best to maneuver upward to compensate for the Angel's downward motion. As he did so, a rush of bubbles escaped the suit's backpack; it, although on a massive scale, was still an air-powered propulsion system.

So, as his foe gracefully arced around to charge him, Shinji and Unit-01 moved vertically in a graceless but expedient accent, locking the Angel into his targeting system as best he could in the process...

From the time that the first shot was loosed at the Angel to the battle's climax, however, his memory wasn't quite so good. The first shot had impacted on the Angel's AT Field, and from that point on, things had gotten hellish. There had been several passes as the two circled, with neither side getting close enough to do any damage; Shinji had to deal with its AT Field, making the harpoon gun useless from a distance, and the Angel itself was incapable of any long-range combat whatsoever.

After the first few passes, the battle had gotten hellish, though; with no other solution presenting itself, he had been forced to dangle Unit-01 as bait for the attacking monster, allow it to come close enough for the AT Fields to cancel, then attempt to fire at the core within its gaping maw. This, of course, had been greatly complicated by several factors, especially the battered figure of a dead crimson Eva caught between the teeth and the fact that it was almost impossible to get a lock on the tiny core before having to pull up or risk being consumed.

As such, with near-misses exhausting the majority of his harpoon supply, Ritsuko had proposed a risky plan that had been inspired by a passing reference by Misato to "harpoons and tow cables;" Shinji would connect the power cable from Unit-01 to a harpoon and fire it into the Angel's mouth. Once the cable stuck, the voltage would be intensified from the control trailer and not only create the world's largest fish-fry (to which the D-type equipment would keep Unit-01 immune), but hopefully allow the Angel to be stunned long enough for Shinji to jet inside and knife it's core.

It was a brilliant idea, really, but his stomach had sunken all the same when ordered to carry it out; what if the Angel wasn't stunned? What if the armor didn't stop the shock from affecting him? What if he couldn't get out after he killed it? ...but still, orders were orders, and Ritsuko didn't exactly give him the opportunity to decline. Besides, it wasn't like there was an easier way...

And so it was that he had ended up diving into the mouth of the great leviathan as it writhed in anguish from the electricity, and presumably hammering his progressive knife into the exposed core until it fractured. His next clear memory was of furiously jetting towards the surface as the Angel had fell away below and the numbers had rushed towards zero on his power indicator...

He had made it, of course, and passed out soon after breaking the surface, the adrenaline wearing off and the lack of anything else to do as he had awaited retrieval setting in.

That had been three days ago now. The terror of it had worn off after the first, and he had soon begun to develop his characteristic melancholy again, especially once the fates of the Pacific Fleet and the pilot of Unit-02 were confirmed. Then there had been the funeral, and some talk afterward of Unit-02's salvage hadn't interested him. And now he was out of things to think about, but still could not justify to himself returning home to face Misato.

As such, he did not move, continuing to sit in the ceaseless rain for quite some time, oblivious to the happenings of the world. Quite the disadvantageous situation, but one with no foreseeable escape, at least in the mind of Shinji Ikari. Another might have simply stated or presumed that misery would love company, and thus have returned home to Misato. But, if this were another, the situation would be completely irrelevant to our tale. However, I digress...

Elsewhere on NERV grounds, another pilot was feeling the repercussions of the Second's death, although she was not yet aware of this yet. Following the synch test, Rei Ayanami had, as ordered, reported to Gendo Ikari's office. It was not unusual that the Commander wished to see her after a test, and so nothing seemed amiss at all to her. In any case, she arrived silently as usual, reporting her presence in a deadpan tone only after Gendo had completed the reading of his current paper. She was one of the few individuals privy to the amount of paperwork that the man was perpetually swamped in, especially after an Angel attack, and so knew better than to disturb him in the midst of one.

Once she did report, the black-clad man nodded without looking up, indicating (to her experienced mind) that he would be with her in a moment. As such, the quasi-albino female remained perfectly still as she awaited; patience was one of her greatest fortes, if for no other reason than that her life had been comprised of a great deal of waiting up to this point. In any case, waiting a few minutes for her superior to conclude his present work was no great strain, and so she did so without any complaint, vocal or otherwise--that is to say that she did not fidget or otherwise demonstrate subtle displeasure with having to wait.

Finally, after perhaps five minutes, Gendo was able to set aside one of his endless piles of paper and rise. Beckoning Rei to accompany him, the First Commander then strode out of the room and through the corridors of NERV with purpose. And it was not long before the duo arrived in, strangely, the small restaurant that had been magnanimously permitted to set up within the GeoFront for the use of employees. It was cheaper and more efficient for the administration to allow this than to provide its own refreshment, so Gendo had been quick to institute the system, especially since it also gave him the ideal settings for things of this sort.

As they had done oft before, the two sat together at a table, not bothering to order anything; the staff knew well their preferences, and would soon arrive with the items in question. As such, First Commander and First Child were left to freely discuss anything they might. Gendo, of course, initiated the exchanges, most of which were answered in a single word. This was a trait he was quite proud of in the girl, and indeed one that he had purposefully instilled. It almost made him sad to think that he was about to start her down a path that might destroy it, but Sohryu's death had forced his hand. Accursed unreliable Germans.

No matter, though; theoretically, what he intended would benefit all concerned. And so, after the normal questions relating to school and her general condition, he prepared to plant a seed into the girl's pliable mind. "Very good. And what of the Third Child? Have your interactions been satisfactory?"

"Indeed."

Well, perhaps there were times when one-word answers weren't so good. Ah well... Better not to rush things anyway. Taking a bite of his salad, which had arrived at some point in the conversation, Gendo nodded, "Very well. His actions in the recent Angel incidents have been commendable." Actually, he was somewhat disconcerted at the level of concern that his biological son had shown for Rei, and even more so by the fact that Shinji's actions in rescuing her had almost exactly mirrored his own, but he wouldn't dream of letting that show.

Nodding, Rei the hesitated; although it was not her style to add such things, it seemed relevant... "His actions in the aftermath of the fifth Angel were most... confusing to me."

Gendo too nodded, "Indeed." He would venture no further comment for the moment; manipulation was not a process to be rushed, not even with Rei, and he had learned what he needed. Next time, he could water the seed a bit more, and perhaps the Third would be convenient and add mulch with his actions, though Gendo would not count on this. In any case, discussion moved onwards as the two continued to eat, though silence reigned before they were finished. Once the meal was done, both arose and exited separately.

Author's Notes

[The author apologizes for posting this chapter twice. Had to delete it once. He also regrets being unable to post further notes, but desires more strongly to avoid a repeat of last time. He appreciates reviews.