*Misato and Shinji board anelevator down the hall and procede upward. About halfway up, the elevator stops, and the doors slide open*
Misato: Uhh...Hi, there Ritsuko...
*Ritsuko nudges her way in*
Ritsuko: Why are you wasting my time like this Captain? Dont you know that we're short on both time and manpower?
Misato: Ehh...Sorry!
Ritsuko: *sighs* So, this is the boy?
Voice: Windbag...
Misato: Um..Right. According to the Marduk report, he's the third child.
Ritsuko: Hmm...Pleased to meat you.
*Shinji looks up quickly*
Shinji: Um...sure.
Misato: I'm afraid you'll have to excuse him; He's had a rough day.
Ritsuko: Really now?
Misato: Mm-Hmm...I'll tell you about it later.
*The elevator doors slide open*
Ritsuko: This way.
*Shinji and Misato follow Ritsuko onto another lift. This one takes them past some sort of holding tank filled wih a pinkish liquid. Shinji is too busy reading to notice*
Ritsuko: It's currently undergoing refrigeration, using the B-type equipment.
Misato: But, does it work? It's never worked before, has it?
Ritsuko: The possibility of activation is 0.0000000001 percent. Around here, we just refer to it as "oh-nine."
Misato: Does thet mean, it doesn't work?
Ritsuko: Don't be absurd. Nothing is impossible.
Misato: *sighs* Well, I guess it's a bit late to be saying, "Sorry, It doesn't work."
*The lift stops its ascent, and Shinji and Misato follow ritsuko through a door onto a dark, narrow catwalk.*
*The door shuts behind them*
Shinji: *alarmed* Hey! Why is it so dark in here?
*Lights are flipped on*
Shinji: Ahh!
*Shinji is confronted with a huge pair of yellow eyes. Gradually, Shinji realizes that he is actually looking at an enormous face*
Voice: You made it...
Shinji: Oh...it's a face! A giant robot!
Ritsuko: Not exactly. This is actually a synthetic life form. Its code name is Evangelion, Unit-01. Built here in secret, it is now man's last hope.
Shinji: I-Is this...my father's work?
Gendo: Correct.
*Shinji's father, Gendo Ikari, appears in a small both high above the catwalk*
Shinji: ......Father......
Gendo: We have to move out.
Misato: Move out?! But Unot-00 is still in cryostasis! *gasps* Wait a minute! You're not going to use Unit-01, are you?
Ritsuko: We have no choice. Either we launch, or we die.
Misato: But Rei is still injured! We have no pilot!
Ritsuko: You just delivered one.
Shinji: Huh? *excited* But...I can't pilot that!
Ritsuko: You only have to sit in the entry plug. We can't expect more from you than that.
Misato: But he has no training, no experiance! It's impossible for him to pilot!
Ritsuko: Listen Misato! We have an Angel on our front doorstep! If we dont do something now, nobody will be around to debate it! Understand?
Misato: ........Yes.
Gendo: Shinji...
*Shinji looks up quickly*
Gendo: ...Please. You have to.
Shinji *angrily* Why should I?
Gendo: Because no one else can do it.
Shinji: Don't you understand? I can't do this! I've never even seen this before! How do you expect me to fight in this?
*A massive explosion rocks the bay*
Gendo: Shinji, did you feel that? That was an angel attacking this base. If you don't go, it will be inside within minutes. Do you want to get everyone killed?
Shinji: *frustrated* No, but...I can't do this! I don't know what I'm supposed to do!
*Another explosion rocks the base*
Gendo: *sighs* Then you leave me no choice...
*Gendo turns to the intercom*
Gendo: Fuyutsuki!
Fuyutsuki: Sir?
Gendo: *sighs* Wake up Rei.
Fuyutsuki: Can she still pilot?
Gendo: We have no choice...
Fuyutsuki: Understood.
*A moment passes, then Fuyutsuki's voice is replaced by another, familliar voice*
Rei: Yes?
Gendo: Rei, our new pilot refused to go. You must pilot in his stead.
Rei: Yes sir.
Voice: No. This won't work.
Shinji: Huh?
Ritsuko: *shouting orders* Reconfigure Unit-01's system for Rei, then activate.
P.A system: Roger. Aborting primary launch sequence, and beginning activation.
Shinji: *sighs*
Voice: Please Shinji, you must help...
*Shinji ignores the voice*
*Moments later, a young girl with blue hair is wheeled into the bay, an IV still in her arm*
*Another explosion rocks the bay so hard that it throws personel to the ground., including the girl on the gurney. Above, massive I-beams begin to fall over both Shinji and Rei*
Misato: LOOK OUT!!!
Voice: LOOK OUT!!!
*Suddenly, there is a massive tearing sound as Unit-01's arm rips free of its restraints to cover the children. The beams fall around them, but the children are fine*
Ritsuko: WHAT THE HELL!?!
Gendo: Amazing...
*Shinji doesn't hear any of the commotion surrounding him. Instead, he holds Rei, trying to comfor her as best he can. He looks back at the purple behemoth that just saved their lives, and remembers what the voice said to him before*
Voice: Look for me...You will know what to do...
*Shinji gently lowers Rei to the ground, stands, and announces his decision*
Shinji: I'll pilot it.
Ritsuko: Good, this way, Hurry!
*Shinji runs after Ritsuko*
Ritsuko: Here! Get in! *points at the entry plug*
Shinji: Ok.
*Shinji climbs in, and NERV technicians seal the entry hatch behind him. He feels the plug being lifted into the air and tilted into a semi-upright position. Over the intercom, he hears Ritsuko*
Ritsuko: Ready Shinji?
Shinji: Um...Yeah...
Ritsuko: Good. Insert entry plug!
*Shinji can hear an entire chorus of whirring and clicking as the entry plug slides into the base of the neck of his Evangelion. He even tries to hide his surprise as the plug is filled with LCL, and quickly recovers as test patterns flash along the entry plug walls. The image finally settles into a three dimensional view of the launch bay. Then a familiar voice, much closer now, speeks to Shinji*
Voice: Welcome Shinji...
Shinji: Who are you?
Voice: It's not important right now. What is important is me teaching you how to fight with the EVA before you reach the surface. I promise Shinji, I'll explain who I am later...
Shinji: No! You've been plaguing me long enough! Tell me who you are!
*Shinji's thoughts are brought to an abrupt halt as the EVA is launched straight up at almost three Gs. Shinji had almost become adjusted to the new force when his ride gets cut short at the end of the delivery shaft. Now, Shinji can see the giant green Angel only ten blocks away*
Voice: Quickly Shinji! There's not much time!
Shinji: Not until you tell me who you are!
Voice: All right then. I had hoped that I wouldn't have to tell you like this, Shinji, but you leave me no other choice. I'm you mother Shinji. Your mother who you have always believed to be dead.