Disclaimer: I do not own anything that belongs to GAINAX or Trent Reznor, (hereafter referred to as “the Revered”, “the Lord” and/or “All-Father of All Things Audio”). All rights reserved.

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The Good Soldier

The inferno of the city pulsed with the high-winds, throwing all of the flames into a unified dance against the darkness of the night sky. The year was 2419, and Japan had attempted to declare itself free of SEELE’s absolute rule. Now, five glistening behemoths of metal stood tall in Tokyo-3, laying waste to the heretic city. Four took on the shape of their predecessors; tall, albino monstrosities with huge mouths lined with teeth while their bodies were cloaked in giant, morphing wings. From the leader’s left to the leader’s right, they were labeled EVA-48, EVA-58, EVA-87 and EVA-X-83. Their last adversary, a poorly built EVA replica, charged at the leader of the squadron of mechas: the purple-horned God-monster that started it all. Its label was simple enough: EVA-01.

Gun… fire in the street…

The silver mecha looked like an advanced version of Jet Alone series that stood against them every few decades, but it wasn’t the first slain by EVA-01 and its henchmen. It bashed hopelessly into the ancient EVA’s AT field, the only one that could still be manifested by anything in the universe.

Where we used to meet…

Echoes that are beat

As EVA-01 approached the childish invention, the other four EVAs looked on anxiously with wide-grins and fluttering wings. They didn’t bother to deploy their spears; no competition showed up that warranted such a show of strength. Indeed, they would wait for their leader’s signal… EVA-01 slashed a hand through the air, sending thin slices of air through the enemy. The Jet Alone fell into an intersection below in seventeen perfectly-cut pieces.

When the bass goes “bomb”.

Right over my head,

EVA-01 trampled through the circuits of the slain foe, searching for any other signs of a real threat amongst the metallic towers of the brand new city.

Step over the dead,

EVA-X-83 erupted in a bloody explosion, showering an unseen adversary in its blood. The dummy plug smashed into the ground as the cloaked monster broke the last remaining bits of the EVA’s plug, leaving EVA-01 and the other three birds of prey in shock. Those running on dummy plugs furiously calculated how to deal with this unseen foe, but EVA-01 had already equipped its vibroblade.

Remember what you said,

You know, the part about life…

The blood no longer provided indication of the enemy’s position; it was as if the fluid was covered in the same cloaking technology as the faint outline of an Adam-based mecha vanished once more. The three dummy EVAs gripped their spears, but almost without point. EVA-01 watched carefully, waiting for signs of the enemy. It’s AT field hummed as it tightly wrapped around it, waiting to intercept an attack. Whatever was attacking them, it knew to take out the only dummy-model with strength enhancers.

Is just a waking dream,

Well I know what you mean,

But that ain’t how it seems right here, right now

EVA-87 was next on the invisible foe’s hit list. It screamed silently as its core was pushed forward and out of its torso. An invisible hand closed around it, crushing the crystal ball with a single hand.

How can this be real?

EVA-58 and EVA-48 stabbed wildly at the space behind EVA-87, desperate to kill their foe. Their spears, still in their basic forms, bounced harmlessly of an AT field.

I can barely feel
Anymore

They hesitated for a moment as they flanked the still-held corpse of EVA-87. Even EVA-01 was taken aback. Another AT field hadn’t been seen in over 400 years. The AT field twisted and slashed out at opposite ends, slicing each EVA in half.

I am trying to see
I am trying to believe
This is not where I should be
I am trying to believe

As EVA-01 stood alone, it could feel the enemy’s AT field probing its own. An angel, perhaps? Or perhaps the AT field was finally duplicated?

I am trying to see
I am trying to believe
This is not where I should be
I am trying to believe

The enemy’s AT field hardened and slashed out at EVA-01, the foe remaining invisible as it slid its arm out of the slick hole in EVA-87’s chest. Afraid for its own barrier, EVA-01 dodged, smashing through a row of office buildings as it ran at where the invisible foe would be. The enemy tried to focus its AT field and maintain its cloak simultaneously, but EVA-01 quickly neutralized it and slashed out at its rival.

Blood hardens in the sand
Cold metal in my hand

The purple blood was all too familiar. EVA-02 let go of its illusion, revealing its now gray, unpainted armor. Although beaten and obviously ill-kept, EVA-01 felt revitalized. No enemy had ever presented a greater threat than this one. Now, more than ever, it was determined to destroy its foe.

Hope you understand the way that things are gonna be

EVA-02 flew back using its AT field, but not before EVA-01 put a straight downward slash down its front. Four-hundred years of minimal care let the armor slice open like cloth against the up-to-date vibroblade. EVA-01 ran after its prey.

There's nowhere left to hide
'Cause God is on our side

EVA-02 wrestled to escape its predator, but to no avail; EVA-01 had already pinned it down. Both wrestled in the physical sense as well as with their AT fields. The purple assaulter ripped away the plate hiding the entry plug of EVA-02. It was white, the color of life. There was a living, breathing pilot inside this enemy; it was something EVA-01 had not seen in centuries. Likewise, EVA-02 smashed off EVA-01’s plate and groped for the pod within, hoping ripping out its plug would allow it escape.

I keep telling myself

Both ripped each other’s plugs simultaneously, and both shut off without a pilot. The hands gripping each other’s plug slowly fell to the ground, dropping the plugs close together. Both ancient plugs had their paint fade away long ago. Either one was dated “2014”.

I am trying to see
I am trying to believe

With a gentle hiss, both plugs opened, leaking out ancient LCL into the burnt asphalt below the EVAs. With a shaky, unsure step, Shinji Ikari stepped out of his pod, still in the body of a scared, naked fifteen-year-old boy. Against him, Asuka stepped out of her pod as well. Both stood, oblivious to their nudity and their situation; somehow, they had ended up on opposite ends of the battlefield.

This is not where I should be
I am trying to believe

Four-hundred years preserved in LCL. Four centuries of piloting the EVAs. Four tenths of a millennium fighting. Each from their respective governments and secret cults. EVA-01 from SEELE; EVA-02 from NERV. They walked towards each other, not caring about their naked positions, and held each other firmly. “Hey… you know what?” Asuka asked.

“What…?” Shinji asked, tears forming in his eyes.

“This never would have happened if you had just let me die during SEELE’s attack.” Shinji paused at the words of the redhead, and began to ponder. Another shard of reality was written, and once more he saw a possibility; a universe he could have called his own. What if he had saved Asuka? What if he stopped Third Impact, instead of now walking through its corridors of maybe? He shrugged off the universe, as he had done a hundred others, all explored fully in the few seconds after he was absorbed into Rei-Lilith. With an upbeat step and a whistle, he closed the door behind him and went on to the next one. The hallway stretched beyond where the eye could see, and the doors could easily number in the hundreds. Still, Shinji had all the time in the world. After all, no one was waiting on him, down on Earth.

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Author’s Notes: This really isn’t going anywhere, just a one-shot I cooked up while listening to Year Zero. Took about an hour to get it out, but I’m glad I spat it out, finally. Thank you once more, All-Father of Audio!