Lagrange 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone [Evangelion X Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne]

[DemonsAnarchyOfPride]

It was time for the daily routine. Get up, get dressed, have breakfast, escort Madoka to school, and head to his own place of learning. That was mostly how he had lied his life for the last couple of years. It was like a schedule that was closely done, down to the letter at times.

The morning was taxing for him, but it was better than actually dealing with the norm of what his life had been like three years ago. He slipped out of his night top and sweats, slipping into his school uniform. It closely mirrored his own original attire, a collared dress shirt with buttons lined up and down, the first few undone to keep it from strangling him. The pants were black, though unlike his original choice of clothes, it didn't require a belt, and his shoes nothing but your average sneakers. His brown hair had also changed somewhat as well, growing out longer. When he looked at himself in the mirror, he felt as if he were looking at a younger version of Kaji, now sporting a small ponytail kept in place by a white band.

He slipped on the leather bag that sat on his chair stool, and stepped out, closing the door behind him. The corridor was quiet and somewhat long, having six doors, three located on either side of the walls. His room was the farthest down, opposing it was Madoka's room. The remaining two were guest rooms, while the one closest to the stairwell was his guardian. It was a simple set up, and rather easy to remember.

Below the main living quarters was the main attraction of this humble abode, a simple restaurant where the main source of income, minus the monthly checks, was earned. Every day, people would flood inside to get a taste for the wonderful food that both he and his guardian made. Naturally, though, he worked on every other day, at least during the week. On Sundays, the restaurant was closed. It couldn't be open all week.

Ah, but there he went, going into more detail than necessary. If he lingered any longer, Madoka would throw a tantrum, and that was the last thing he needed.

He immediately stepped down the stairs, and found her waiting at the entrance. She was certainly eye-catching, and according to the few that knew her mother, she was the spitting image of her parent. Her brown hair was cut short, reaching to her chin and shoulders, which stood out broad and tall with pride. Because it was summer, the uniform was a simple summer edition with short sleeves and a red bow laced around the neck, along with a simple brown skirt that ended just above the kneecaps. Her bag hung over her shoulder, like his, but her slim yet athletic frame rested against the marble column behind her.

When she saw him coming down, her brown eyes were knit into a narrowed glare. Displeasure was rather clear as she put her hands on her hips. "You took your time!" she scolded him. "Come on! Let's go! We'll be late for school!"
He sighed, face-palming as he shook his head, looking over at the clock. It was still a good twenty minutes before school would begin. He said as much to her, but she refused to budge. Of course, simply because she wanted to hurry didn't mean she could pull one over on him. When he asked her if she had eaten breakfast yet, Madoka opened her mouth to form a retort-

Her stomach responded instead. Loudly, he might add.

"...okay, maybe I got a little rushed this morning." Madoka at least had the pride to admit as much as she rubbed her head bashfully, a rose red painted on her cheeks from the embarrassment. Even still, he smiled as he slid behind the counter, turning on the oven and began pulling various things from the cupboards.

As he worked, Madoka sat at one of the stools, drumming along the wood as she hummed a familiar tune. He gave her a question glance, but only briefly before he returned to work. The song she tuned was the same one her sister taught her a long time ago. The "official Jersey Club" song she called it. He wondered what possessed her to actually make a club that did various activities, ranging from chores to deliveries to even helpers.

Of course, the reason why it this particular club was called the Jersey Club was because all members wore a Kawogawa Girls School jersey uniform. He had the honor of seeing Madoka in it once, with her special hair-style, a green band at the top of her head to make a small tuft of hair stand out. He questioned what would possess her to do that, but merely shrugged, and kept silent.

"...Hey, are you alright today?" Madoka ceased her humming as he cracked the eggs against the steel pan, allowing the transparent fluid with the golden center to spill out. "I mean... no panic attacks lately? No nightmares? No... episodes?"

She hesitated somewhat on that last one. He shook his head. He hadn't had any of those for the last few months. The last time he had that was when he had forgotten to take his medication. He would say this at least, however: Phantom Pain Panic Attacks were not fun in the least.

And he just HAD to have one right in the middle of Madoka's school as he helped her out with her daily routine.

So long as it was after school and before school, he was allowed on school grounds. As this was a girl's school, boys were not exactly welcomed all that much, sans the few decent male teachers that actually taught here. That being said, however, he being Madoka's unofficial adopted brother, and apparently "cute" as having been described by one of the girls, he was very much accepted, especially when they found out from Madoka herself that he was made into an unofficial Jersey Club member.

However that worked. Could a non-student actually apply for a club? Sadly, the Club supervisor waved off his concerns, and told him to do his best.

"I see..." Madoka nodded, smiling. "That's good. Oh, Uncle Hiroshi said he was going to get a refill, so he said to leave the bottles out on the counter." He nodded back at her before he slid the eggs out unto the plate next to the pan. Setting the greasy red strips off to the side, he took hold of the edge and set it down in front of her. "Sweeeet~ My bro's home-made breakfast meal!" she cheered as she took hold of the knife and fork. "Time to dig in! Thanks for the food~"

He chuckled softly. Really... he enjoyed this life for all it was worth.
...it would be better if they were here too.

~~~ Scene Break ~~~

After Madoka had finished her breakfast and he escorted her to school, Shinji made his way to his own school, a public academy only a few miles down from Hiroshi's restaurant.

It wasn't as big nor as fancy as Kamogawa's facilities, but it worked out just fine for him. He rode along his own bike, moving down the turns and streets before he reached the main path, which was along the shoreline. Even now, he still frowned in distaste when the smell of seagull and salt flooded into his nostrils. Not even 3 years has allowed him to get used to the pungent stink. He stopped briefly to admire the ocean, the blue waves rolling back and forth between it's large, endless body to the sandy beaches.

Then, his eyes landed on the black object that sat in the middle of the ocean.

Around the same time he found himself here had that large object appeared. It's structure was similar to that of a teseract, with spires curling all around it. At the very top, as if keeping it tamed or in place, was a spear of unknown origin. No one knew what it was.

It appeared out of nowhere, much like himself. There were no records of his existence at all: certificate of birth, parents, identification... there was nothing. People assumed his identity had been stolen, so the proper authorities called in favors to establish a new one for him. Given that Hiroshi had offered to look after him, seeing as how he was already raising Madoka, he was unofficially adopted into the Kyouno family.

For the last three years, that was the life he had. He was Shinji Ikari Kyouno, an average 17-year-old teen living with an average (okay, that isn't actually true in Madoka's case) family, and living an average life... a life he so desperately wanted. There was no Angel attacks. There was no Evangelions. There was no Tokyo-3. There was no Second Impact... it was like those events were nothing but a nightmare.

But even still, he wished he had the little things in his life back... he wished Misato was here. He wished Ristuko and Rei were here. He wished Asuka and Toji were here. He wished Keisuke and Pen-Pen were here.

He wished his mother was here.

He sighed, his legs moving in the familiar motion as his bike moved back into motion. He had been thinking about them a lot lately, ever since the panic attacks from a few months ago.

As he was half-way across his route, he stopped when he found a girl staring at him. Normally, he wouldn't think too much of it, given that several girls often stare at him, be them teenagers or children (as he was kindly informed by Hiroshi). Shinji was very popular around Kamogawa, especially since he was a member of the Jersey Club, helping out around the city, though more often than not, he played the role of the delivery boy. Because of that, he was easily able to remember people's faces.

That being said, the girl he saw was different for two reasons: the first was that her stare was not one of admiration or of infatuation, rather one of scrutiny, as if trying to solve an almost impossible puzzle. The second was that he didn't recognize her. She didn't appear to belong to Kamogawa at all, bearing bluish silver hair and mysterious, cold and yet soft eyes. Her attire was something else as well. It looked like some kind of leotard slash military uniform, blue and white in color scheme with knee-high white socks and black shoes.

"..."

There were no words exchanged between the two of them. One was watching the other intently. He didn't know why she was looking at him in particular, only why she was here in the first place. Perhaps she was a new residence? Or maybe a transfer student? No, couldn't be. He would have heard about it from Hiroshi, given that word travels scarily fast around this small town he had come to grow fond of. She also didn't appear to be hostile whatsoever, so he could rule out a threat.

"...can I help you?" He asked without showing suspicion. He didn't want to sound aggrivated or anything. It might hurt her feelings.

The question, thankfully, registered to the girl. She dropped her gaze almost entirely, and nodded her head. "...you are Shinji Kyouno, correct?" she asked him, her voice as calm as the ocean, and yet also void of any emotion, sans a rather familiar tone he could recognize in a mere instant. He head heard such a tone almost all of his life while he was with NERV.

The tone of a soldier.

"I am looking for Madoka Kyouno. Do you know where I may be able to find her?"

He refrained from raising an eyebrow. Why was she looking for Madoka? Were they friends? He would have thought that she would inform him of having such a unique acquaintance. Nevertheless, she didn't appear to have any sort of malice, so perhaps he could trust her. He told her that Madoka was at school, though unless you have a guest pass by speaking with the faculty office, entry into the building was not permitted. The strange girl bowed her head, thanking him, and walked away.

He didn't miss the same glare she had given him earlier, however. She threw the look over her shoulder for only a moment before turning her head forward.

Such an odd girl... then again, the same could be said for Rei.

~~~ Scene Break ~~~

The day had ended on a regular note as it usually had. He sat at his desk, packing up his school supplies into his bag when he noticed a shadow standing over him. He didn't even so much as glance up to see who was standing in front of his desk. There was no point. "...do you want something?" he asked plainly as he slid his last notebook inside, clipping the folds together. "I don't have time for you."

He heard a growl, a sign that he had aggravated them. Not that he cared, mind you. "You got a lot of nerve, Kyouno..." Kaizuki Nokoto said venomously.

He was at least a year older than Shinji himself, standing at a staggering height of '5, 9" ft, and well-defined muscles. As he was the star member of the wrestling club, he was considered the ultimate muscle, and often got his way through bullying. Many of the first year students were bullied, and ever since he arrived, Kaizuki tried to break him and bend him to do what he wanted. Of course, in the span of a year prior to attending Kamogawa Public Academy, Madoka had rubbed off on him considerably.

Bullies didn't scare him as much, along with the fact that no one here could compare to the spitfire that was named Asuka Langley Shikinami. In fact, he doubted anyone could be as fiery as she was.

"I'm just stating the truth, Nokoto." he told him blankly. "I'm already busy enough as it is... and I sure as hell don't have time for your bullshit."

Had anyone known Shinji Ikari, they would have been gobsmacked. Even he admitted at one point that he was spineless and weak. He had no backbone, just a shy and meek boy with little interaction with others. The only things that brought him comfort were his music player and his own world of isolation. He whined and cried about the world being unfair to him, but really, hadn't he looked around more?

He never noticed it up until a certain point, but he had people he could call his friends, people who would help him and understand him. As it stood, he was far from being isolated. Madoka reinforced that in his first days in the Kyouno household, and she had helped him grow out as a person. She, along with her sister, and those in Kamogawa, had given him what he lacked back then:

They gave him a backbone.

Kaizuki's face contorted with rage, veins pulsing along his brow and fists. "Y-you little shit!" he snarled, bearing his fangs as he reared his arm back. All he did was look at him impassively, his eyes telling the man everything that truly aggravated him beyond comprehension:

'Give me your best shot.'

The strike came hard and fast. It had thrown him off his chair, and his bag into the air. By the time his back hit the ground, Kaizuki was on top of him, his arm raised for another strike. However, before the second hit could land, a hand snaked around his wrist, leaving it in the air. He looked to the left, and smiled somewhat, despite the stinging pain on his cheek. Kaizuki glared at who it was, absolutely livid.

"Nice stupid stunt you pulled, Kaizuki." the one holding his arm said. He was his age, his brown hair reaching down to his shoulders, and swept off to the right. His bangs covered his right eye, but one could easily tell the color through the strands. His blue eyes were dark and gray, almost a tint, and a small bandage could be found underneath his left eye, a result of a guitar string lashing out after having been strained for too long. His uniform was the same, but the sleeves rolled down to the wrists, and his belt hung lazily off to the side. Hung onto his shoulder by a strap was a large case carrying a guitar. "Hope you enjoy being suspended."

"Stay outta this, Gan!"

"How 'bout no?"

He nodded his head. "Hello, Jinji."

Gan Jinji smiled back at him, nodding in return. "Hey, Kyouno."

Gan Jinji was one of the few friends he had made in his first year before joining the music club, and being announced as an unofficial member of the Jersey Club by Madoka. Gan had already seen his musical talent when he caught him in the music room one day after school, an cello in his hands. It brought forth one of the most beautiful musical pieces that anyone had ever heard.

Gan was rather famous in the school himself, being a skilled lyricist with a guitar. On more than one occasion had he seen the boy practicing and singing out in front of the school, his trust instrument in hand. Coupled with being amazing with a cello, and being the second member of the Jersey Club, a feat in and in itself, he was widely approached, and his social circle skyrocketed.

If Misato saw this, she'd be bouncing with joy, most likely.

Back to the real world, though, Kaizuki was becoming more and more enraged. His free arm was trembling, a sign he was going to lash out at Gan as well. Before he could, however, the sound of heels clacking against the wooden floor caused everyone who witnessed the sight to freeze. Gan smiled as he finally let go of Kaizuki's hand, and said bully went pale. His head slowly turned to look over his shoulder. There, standing in front of him, with arms folded over their chest, was the most terrifying person in the school.

The Student Council President, and Captain of the Disciplinary Team, Kagase Kurosaki.

"...would you care to explain yourself, Nokoto?"

~~~ Scene Break ~~~

Kagase Kurosaki was seen as both a woman to be feared, and someone to be admired for her diligence and hard work. Being only '5, 6" ft tall, she held a slim hourglass figure. As she was a female member of the school, she wore a skirt rather than pants, but made it a clear point to wear leggings, as she did not want an "accident" to occur. Her skin was smooth and clear, and soft as he learned by shaking hands with her when they met for the first time. Her hair was long, reaching down past her shoulders, and sitting atop her nose was a pair of thin-rimmed red glasses, which were oval in shape. Her eyes were a deep brown color, in contrast to her blonde mane.

Though she and him were not friends, they could certainly be considered as such. He was a model student, completing his work diligently and following all of the school rules down to the letter, and on top of that, was a fan of the classical musical works, much like herself. Needless to say, despite both of them seeing themselves as mere 'acquaintances' they were already friends.

The Student Council room was as big as an average classroom, with a large square table in the center of the room alongside a pair of lockers at the very back. At front was a whiteboard and chalkboard, their purposes obviously meant for planning out events. There were also several boxes which were taped closed, their contents written in black Sharpe and organized in alphabetical order. Naturally, these supplies were for school events, such as the Culture Festival. He, alongside Gan, sat at the large table on opposing sides while Kagase sat at the head, holding a steaming cup of tea. She had offered to make them some as well, though they respectfully declined.

"Good grief, Kyouno..." Kagase sighed after taking a sip of her tea. "I understand that you wish to avoid getting into physical altercations, but taking a punch like that? Nokoto is a member of our school's boxing team. There was even a record that he broke one of his opponent's jaw with one hit alone." She pushed up her glasses, glaring at him. "Why would you do that? And don't lie to me. I know for a fact you could have dodged that and sent Nokoto to the floor."

He sighed. She was really on the ball, as usual. Nothing really did slip past her. True, he could have dodged it, given the fact that he had been engaged in various hectic activities with his adoptive sister, and given that it was Kaizuki who threw down first, it could be considered self-defense. "...I just didn't want to give him the satisfaction." he explained himself. "Besides, if I didn't fight back, he wouldn't be inside the Principal's office right now, wouldn't he?"

Gan chuckled. "50 yen says that he's on the list for expulsion."

"Sadly, no." Kagase sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm afraid his actions have yet to warrant such a thing yet. He will be suspended for a good month, although."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Good enough for me." he said. "Is that all?"

"No, not quite." He raised an eyebrow as Kagase pushed up her glasses again, this time leaving a glare to be reflected in her glasses. "Kyouno, have you considered my offer from before?"

He nodded. About a week ago, Kagase had approached him, offering him a place on the Student Council. It should have been expected, really, given his track record. That being said, he was already pushing his limits enough as is. In addition to dealing with Jersey Club related activities, there was also plans involving the music club, and his deliveries. He told her this much, stating that he doubted he would have the time.

That being said, however, Kagase didn't look the least bit dejected. Rather, she smiled. "It doesn't have to be full-time." she informed him. "Only when you have the time. As you already know, I have only four other members, and two of which are already involved in various other activities. We can use all the help we can get... of course, your position is mainly paperwork. I doubt you'd want to help the Disciplinary Committee?"

He smiled. It was times like that he was glad she knew him so well.

~~~ Scene Break ~~~

When he returned from school, he found that Hiroshi's business had ended. The man himself was behind the counter, dressed in his Hawaiian red shirt and shorts, along with his apron. A rag was held in his hand as he washed down the counter. Once the man noticed his presence, he smiled as he nodded his head. "Hey, welcome back, kiddo." he told the boy. He nodded back at the man, smiling in turn. They didn't need to exchange words. There was no longer a point to that. Rather, they simply glanced back at each other.

Making his way up the stairs, he strode into the hallway, passing by the other rooms before slipping inside his own residence, closing the door behind him. A quiet, relieved breath escaped him, the chaos that had been his day falling on his shoulders in its fullest weight. He slipped off his shoes, and tossed his bag to his desk before his body fell to the bed, his face landing on the pillow.

Oh, how he wanted to go to sleep... but he knew it would not come easy for him. He hadn't gotten a decent sleep at all in these last few years. He would still receive nightmares from back when he was inside that cockpit, still fighting.
Shinji could still recall how he first shown up here. He remembered trying to save Rei, his body engulfed in overwhelming pain and agony, his mind screaming out, begging for the pain to end. Even still, his soul refused to bend to it all, all of it poured into saving that one girl.

The Evangelion had responded to this overwhelming desire, it's eyes and green light becoming bloody red. The world shook under the overwhelming power it possessed as the Angel was becoming utterly demolished, it's existence slowly becoming destroyed. In the end, he had managed to pull her out of the damned thing... but whatever happened that was a blur. All of a sudden, he felt... weightless. It was like the pain and burden he had been engulfed in had suddenly ended with a mere snap of the fingers, like a magic spell.

The next thing he knew, he found himself aching, his body laid out on a sandy beach, staring up at the azure sky, and the crisp blue waters brushing up against him. Above him was Madoka, only she was still in middle school, and with her, her cousin Youko. He wasn't sure how he arrived there, nor was he aware of how exactly he found himself in the care of the Kyouno family. They were strangers, yet they openly welcomed him with loving, open arms.

It was an odd sensation... yet it was so oddly warming. It had not taken him long to learn that wherever he was, it was most certainly not his world of origin. No one knew anything of the bloody red seas, nor the Second Impact, and not even the Angels. Hell, mechas were still in the realms of anime and television. It had boggled his mind, and it terrified him.

What had become of his friends? Of Misato and Ritsuko?

What had become of Toji and Keisuke? What had happened to Asuka and Rei?

What happened to everyone in Tokyo-3?

Why was he the only one left here?

At first, he didn't interact with them much. As it turned out, Shinji Ikari did not exist in this world, thus there was no records of him ever actually being born. Naturally, they assumed someone had stolen his identity, and the Kyouno's opted to forge one for him... though it had been Madoka who brought up the idea of him being a member of their family. That had shocked him. Why? Why were they willing to take in a stranger?

Hiroshi's answer left him stunned.

"It's because you remind me of how Madoka used to be, shortly after my sister died." the man confessed to him, having sat down next to him, a sad smile plastered across his face, equally represented by his droopy eyes. "She... really did look dead to the world, ya know? She wasn't as bright and outgoing as she used to be. Sometimes, she'd even skip school, staying in bed all day. Some days, I would even find her crying to herself. I tried my best to look after her and Youko, but hey, I'm not exactly an expert. Hell, I'm still single. I'm not even a father. I have no experience whatsoever raising a kid, and just winged it... but raising her has been one of the defining moments in my life, I will say this much at least. When got into high school, Madoka finally started to being her old self again. Do you know why? It was because Youko had the Jersey Club Spirit, that same outgoing, bright attitude her aunt had. It was thanks to her that Madoka became who she is today. Now... I want to do that as well. Shinji, I can tell by that look in your eyes that you feel as if your world has just collapsed all around you... but that doesn't mean you can let it weigh you down for the rest of your life. Even if you have to live with it... at least have someone there with you to carry it. If you'll let us... will you let us be the ones to carry that burden with you?"

It had taken him an hour to process those words. And after that, he could only nod wordlessly. Afterwards, he was officially named Shinji Ikari Kyouno. For the next three years, he found himself living a good life... a life he still felt he did not deserve. The past would also not leave him alone, as the pains and horrors that came before him inside the Evangelion came to him here, as if haunting him like a ghost that refused to be laid to rest. Panic attacks, anxiety, phantom pains... everything would come up to a screeching halt, and then slam into him with full force. It had gotten so bad that medication was required.

Nevertheless... Shinji felt at peace, even though, from the bottom of his heart, he wished for his old family to be with him here as well. He nudged his head slightly, looking over at his desk. There, sitting at the edge, encased in a wooden frame, as him, Asuka, Rei, and Misato, and the rest of the staff at NERV. He felt a long-forgotten smile fall into his face before he closed his eyes, hoping to find sleep.

It would take 2 hours before he finally fell into slumber.

Unbeknownst to Shinji, or anyone else, within the Tesseract like construction, a creature was in slumber, it's form set into a fetal position. To any who could have possibly have seen it's form, it would appear that it was asleep. However, for the briefest moment, it's eyes flashed, revealing green eyes.

"God is in his own Heaven. All is right with the World."​

 

[DemonsAnarchyOfPride]

Madoka knew this was going to be a long day.

Normally, you wouldn't think an active, average high school girl like her would be inside the cockpit of a twenty foot tall machine that turns from some retro airplane to a bipedal human-looking alien-made machine, right? Well, sadly, the Kyouno luck had struck again. It was only two days and she already knew that somewhere out in the universe, Kami had decided to throw a curveball at her. The day before, she saved a girl from drowning, only to discover that her clothes had been robbed of her. This left her arriving to school in her school swimsuit, which she always wore underneath in case of emergencies, but she always kept her famous orange Jersey on hand!

Of course, it did kinda get her in trouble with her teacher, but it all really worked out. Besides, she had a lot of fun while doing her part as a member of the Jersey Club, helping out various clubs and people along the way. That was the job, after all. One giant club made exclusively for extracurricular activities. She hadn't really gotten into the whole thing until she saw her sister trying to save her friend one day from drowning, almost exactly how mom was. That day was like an eye opener for her. It woke her up, and set her down on the path of helping people! It was also around that time that she happened to find Shinji, lying on the beach, soaked head to toe. If you were to meet him back then, you wouldn't believe that he was the young man who stood before you now. The change was so scary, but it was thanks to her, Youko, and Uncle Hiroshi! Now he could stand on his own two feet. She felt proud of herself, not simply because she had a small chance to play the role of the model big sister, but also because she had found a new member for the Jersey Club!

...albeit unofficial. He was a boy, and her school was a girls academy, so, yeah... a-anyway, fact was, Shinji was quite the upstanding young man now! And, if what she heard from her classmates was any indication, he was also quite dashing and charming. She did agree with them, he had grown to be handsome. That, and he was a wonderful cook. She did not give a damn what anybody said. Not Youko, not Uncle Hiroshi, not anybody. Her brother's cooking was the stuff of legends, and by the gods, she would never allow such a wonderful meal-presenter to slip away from her!

But, anyway, back on track, after somehow losing her uniform this morning after saving a girl from drowning, and after school came to an end, she met such an odd girl. Even stranger still, she was wearing her uniform! She didn't really get the whole thing, but she did give her clothes back to her. What made her so odd that Madoka remembered her was the fact that she was wearing a strange outfit that looked like a cross between a military outfit and a uniform... however strange it was, but that was really the best she could describe it.

The next day, she encountered the girl again, this time in the shower room. She greeted her with a weird greeting, "Woof!" and stuff like that. They had been conversing when Madoka stopped to realize something incredible about this girl in front of her, having exchanged a few words and whatnot... the girl was a prime candidate for the Jersey Club! She had all the right qualities! The incredible uniform, the personality, even the resolve to get the job done! She was a comrade! Although...

Perhaps it was because of that fact that she was now currently piloting a giant robot...

FOR THE SECOND TIME.

Okay, let's do a brief recap. First time she piloted a robot may or may not be considered kidnapping, as shortly after the girl, Lan, took her to some mobile base (and it was HUGE!) and told her the whole situation. The Kyouno luck had truly struck out for her, as Lan was an alien, and right now, there was an invasion going on, and the machine she was going to be piloting was a transforming robot! Normally, one would find this cool... if not for the fact that this meant being put into a life-or-death situation. Madoka didn't really get it at the time, and just dived straight in. It wasn't because it was the right thing to do, but it wasn't just about helping people, either...

This was something she had to do... as a proud member of the Jersey Club!

Naturally, she beats the first bad guy. Job done, right? Nope, the big bosses say she's got to do it again... only nobody told her she was gonna have to do this more than once. It wasn't a one-time deal, as she first believed. Now that she was a pilot of this... Vox, thingie, she had an obligation. She didn't really get it at first until Youko gave her a harsh scolding... Okay, it wasn't even scolding. It was flat out being rude! Telling her to quit the Jersey Club?! Who did she think she was?! Still, though, it was thanks to that that Madoka and the Vox started to kick butts, and take names.

Shame nobody told her she'd be in a fight to the death with two of these alien invader guys. And that leads us to our current situation.

Right now, she was once again inside the Vox, which was back to being in it's humanoid-like form, trying to avoid causing too much damage to Kamogawa and being cut down. Her opponent was an Ovid, or so she had been told, she honestly didn't know what these things were called. It was dark purple, and in it's hand was a blade. She was currently tackling it into the air, moving back and forth as she used her athletic skills in tandem with her piloting skills, if they really even existed. This is, after all, the first time she's been inside a piloting machine...okay, it's technically the second time, but it was still hard to move around and avoid being cut down. It was unfair with how this guy gets a sword and she doesn't! She's fighting with her bare hands!

"Come on...!" she growled as she reeled back from another strike, quickly back pedaling away from the attack. "Come on!" The Ovid raised it's blade over it's head. Rather than attempting to catch it, like she had before, she rolled off to the side, avoiding the strike as it swished through the air. Before it had a chance to retaliate, Madoka slammed a leg into it's chest, knocking it back a bit. "Score!" she cheered before warning bells went off in her head, immediately feeling a sense of cold hostility. She looked behind her, and found the Ovid she had been dealing with before, the one with the axe, coming straight at her. Gritting her teeth, she quickly braced herself for impact, seeing no time to dodge at all. As a result, the red-striped machine collided with her, shaking the cockpit was she was thrown off, falling through the air before regaining her bearings. Glaring up, she found the two Ovids standing beside each other, weapons in hand.

"Aw, crap..." she groaned. "This is so not fair... I totally need to ask the captain if we can get this guy some weapons too!"

Unknown to her, the two Ovid pilots were conversing with one another. "Not so much trouble, is she?" the axe-wielder snarked. He was a young man in his early twenties, likely barely out of adolescents. He had fiery red hair sticking straight out at the front, wearing a purple jacket with an orange shirt underneath, bandages wrapped around his wrists. "We sure this thing is the one that beat Arrey?"

"Don't underestimate it." his companion replied coolly. His hair was purple, neatly framing his face while dressed in a long purple coat, a calm yet sharp gaze in his eyes. "Even if the pilot is inexperienced, she is still a pilot of this planet, as well as the one chosen by the Vox. That in itself deserves respect."

"Yeah, yeah..." the red-haired male waved his hand. "Whatever... Say, you think we should bring back a souvenir for the guys back at the academy when we're done busting Arrey out?"

He failed to see the exasperated look on his friend's face. "Izo... are you serious?"

"Hey, just saying." Izo defended himself. "I mean, dude, come on! There's a freaking red spear coming out of that thing!" He gestured over to the strange monolith that sat in the water, completely undisturbed by the battle. The young man, Kirius, knew what he was referring to. Ever since he arrived to bust Izo out of this situation, seeing him being pushed back by the girl, he constantly felt his eyes wander to the monolith that stood there, with that spear sticking out of it. He couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding dread from it, as if feeling a presence sleeping inside of it... a presence so dark and cold that it nearly made him break into a cold sweat. He shrugged it off as his imagination, but he still felt weary of it. 'Just what...' he thought, troubled. 'Could it be...?'

Shaking his head, Kirius returned his attention to the Vox Aura. It was currently standing where it had when it recovered from earlier, patiently waiting. He had to finish this quickly, though he was a bit off-put by the fact that the pilot of the Vox was a girl. It wasn't that he was sexist. In fact, many pilots from Di Metrio were women, and all were skilled. Still, this human girl seemed to provide a strange sense to him, something that he could not put his finger on.

...Oh well. It wasn't best to dwell on such matters. Right now, he had to eliminate her, as sad as it was. A shame, too... She's quite young.

"Izo," Kirius called out. "Let's go! Formation B-2!"

"Che, whatever!"

Madoka's eyes widened in panic when the two Ovids shot forward, dashing into a circular pattern, weapons at the ready. She bit her lip, steeled her nerves, and shot forward, intending on meeting their charge head on with the Jersey Club Spirit in tow. "Bring it!" she screamed, though she doubted that anyone other than the people on the command center in that moving base out on the water could actually hear her right now. Even still, she wasn't about to lose here. She reared the arm back, and slammed it straight into the sword. The first Ovid was halted in it's tracks, defending against her attack. However, Madoka, in that instant, remembered that they were moving in a pattern. She quickly looked off to the side, and saw the second on bringing up it's axe over it's head. "Crap!" Panicking, she kicked the sword-user away, and brought up her hands.

The axe was caught right in between the metal fingers, if only barely. A shockwave resounded past her, causing the Vox to shake slightly, and the air shook for a brief moment. Izo's eyes widened in shock, while Kirius' eyes widened. "She stopped it...?" he breathed. "Was this... the technique she used earlier to try and stop my attacks?!"

Madoka grinned as she threw the arms to the side, leaving the axe-user open, and rammed the leg straight into the head. As a result of the strike, Izo's unit was sent flying back, tumbling before it regained it's balance. The pilot scowled, muttering something about cheap shots under his breath before he and Kirius moved back in for the attack. The sword-user was the first to strike, swinging his blade vertically, forcing Madoka to dodge. In that same movement, Izo struck her from behind, slamming the axe into her side. "Hwaaaaagh!" Madoka cried as the Vox Aura was given a sharp jolt, sent down to the air. Kirius did not leave any time for her to recover, and slammed his sword down on her head. As a result of the second strike, the Vox was slammed straight into the water, creating an explosive shockwave. Water piled high into the air before coming back down.

Madoka groaned, rubbing the back of her head. "Owwie..." she muttered, feeling a small lump forming on her skull. "Okay, seriously!" she whined as she took the controls back into her hands. The green bipedal machine whirred to life, and immediately emerged back into the surface. "How come these guys get weapons and I don't?!" She scowled as she looked around, trying to look for something that could possibly give her an edge. She couldn't afford to head into Kamogawa to find one. Not only would she have a hard time finding something that could defend herself against these guys, she'd be bringing her town, and her family, in danger. As she scoured the area, she immediately found her answer. The red spear embedded into the monolith. She grinned, her hand moving into a circle, a signature motion of hers, as well as her catchphrase, "Perfect!"

~~~ Scene Break ~~~

On Pharos, the mobile base on the water, the crew was looking on nervously, especially Lan. Ever since the battle had begun, she had done nothing but worry, hands clenched together tightly in nervousness. At first, Madoka had only the first Ovid to worry about, but with the appearance of the second, her job had suddenly become all that much harder, especially when they coordinated together. She cursed herself for being so weak. She had achieved Memoria, just like her friend, but she still lacked the capability of piloting it to it's full potential. Moid knew the reasons why, and so did she. The Vox wouldn't respond to her because she feared it's power... to be more specific, she feared the legend of the Vox. Madoka wasn't aware of the legend, so perhaps that was why she and Aura operated in tandem with each other.

'No, it isn't that...' Lan shook her head, disagreeing with her previous thoughts. 'Even if she did learn the legend, she would still walk out into the battlefield, so long as it is to protect this town.'

"This is troubling." Moid mused, a smile ever present on his face, and eyes closed, granting him a mischievous, yet impish look, hands folded behind his back. "It would appear that those two Ovid pilots are well-experienced."

Captain Todakoro scowled visibly, frustration on her features. "She can't fight like this," he seethed, looking unto his personnel. "Are the weapons for Vox Aura ready yet?!"

"N-no, sir!" Watabe replied. "They're still in the process of being calibrated!"

The answer made him ball his hand into a fist, and slam it down on the desk. "Dammit!"

Lan frowned heavily, her hands clasping together. "Madoka..."

~~~ Scene Break ~~~

"Left, right, left, right, left, right...!" Madoka repeated the two words at rapid fire, moving back and forth between strikes as she tried to reach the spear. Seriously, talk about persistent! These guys wouldn't let up! "And DUCK!" she snapped, the Vox ducking underneath a strike that would have otherwise cut off it's head before using the momentum and whirled around into a backward kick, ramming the heel straight into the axe-user. Izo's unit collided with Kirius' as a result, and the result was the two being knocked down into the water, giving her the opportunity she needed. She gave the Vox the strongest boost it could do. Instantly, the green light flowing behind it grew brighter, and launched forward at the monolith.

She immediately brought up the legs, slamming straight into it feet first. Though she was not connected to the machine, she still felt a jolt run up from her feet, and up through her spine. She was really glad her nerves wouldn't apart of this thing, otherwise that would have hurt. "Sorry," she apologized to the machine, stroking one of the consoles. "Just hold out a bit longer!" She wasn't expecting a reply, and if she were, she didn't wait around for one. She immediately took hold of the spear, metal fingers curling around the shaft. The moment she did, she felt a shudder flow through her body.

As soon as the Vox touched the spear, she felt an uneasiness pass by her, almost like a gust of wind. It caused a tremendous shiver to pass along her skin, creating goosebumps, while a pit formed in her stomach, and her heart sank. Dread crept up on her like a predator. Common sense was screaming at her to leave the spear alone, to turn back to her foes, and strike at them with no hesitation. That was what it told her to do... but the Jersey Club spirit said otherwise. "I know this thing is supposed to be important and all..." she muttered as her fingers coiled around the controls. "So, I'll be sure to return it! HWA!"

With a yank, the Vox's grip on the shaft tightened, and pulled it's body back. Madoka appeared to mirror this motion, pulling out the spear. She leaned back in her seat, a result of her getting into it. Sadly, she leaned back too far as the Vox pulled out the spear, the tip remaining in the monolith, and fell flat on her back. She collided to the ground with a thud, and as a result, slammed her rear end as well. "Ow!" she hissed, arching her back in pain as her hands went to her hips. "That hurt..." It took her only a second to register the sensation beneath her, and caused her to blink rapidly. "...ara?"

The cockpit of the Vox was relatively small, but not too small. It was spherical in shape, with the seat placed directly in the center. If she had fallen off her seat, she would land on the round glass below her.

The ground beneath her was flat, and slightly gritty. That alone was cause for confusion as she frowned and pulled herself up, a familiar texture now held in her hands. In front of her was... blue. A blue sea, and a blue sky, both of which seemed to stretch on endlessly. She looked around, seeing green lush behind her, standing tall and proud, vines hanging about like telephone lines. She then looked down, seeing a ground made up of sand underneath her.

Her face was like that of a deer in headlights as she tilted her head, mouth agape. "I'm... on the beach?" she said in total confusion. How in the world did she end up on the beach? Wasn't she fighting those Ovid thingies from earlier? "Is this... Kamogawa? No, the only forests I know is by the mountains. It doesn't make sense for them to be on a beach." She looked around again, and paused. Not too far from where she was, she saw a figure sitting down on the sand. They were a bit far away, so she couldn't tell if they were a man or a woman, but she could tell they had brown hair, and wore what looked like a white lab coat. "Who's that?" she wondered aloud, and approached. The sand crunched softly beneath her feet, forming into small footprints as a result.

She stopped next to them. Up close, she could see them clearly. It was a woman, and a very beautiful one at that. She had short hair, cut at the chin, and was dressed like some kind of scientist at a lab, coat and all. She looked quite young, somewhere between her twenties and thirties, yet she looked even younger than that. "Um, excuse me...?" Madoka said, unsure of herself. This whole situation was surreal, and she wasn't even sure what the heck was going on. Still, the woman looked pleasant enough, so... maybe she can trust her? "Do you know... where this is?"

The woman looked up at Madoka. Immediately, the teenage girl couldn't help feel her breath caught in her throat. 'She...' she thought in shock. 'L-looks like Shinji...'

The woman gave Madoka a brief look, as if examining her, and smiled gently. "I'm afraid I don't quite know the answer to that either." she confessed, her voice smooth and mellodous. She definitely sounded as young as she looked. "And to be perfectly frank, I don't know how long I've been here."

"Huh..." Madoka sighed, drooping her head. She really needed to find a way out of here. If she didn't, who knows what was going to happen?! Those guys could be destroying Kamogawa as they speak! She was not about to let that happen!

Upon seeing the determined flare in her eyes, the woman tilted her head, a curious expression on her face. "Do you need to go back somewhere?" she asked, earning a nod of confirmation.

"Kind of..."

"I see..." the woman nodded back before smiling pleasantly again. "To be honest, there's someplace I want to go back to as well."

"Really?" Madoka asked, taking a seat beside the woman. "If you don't mind me asking, where's that?"

The woman smiled. "My son." she answered, earning a wide-eyed look from the robot pilot. Upon seeing her reaction, the woman laughed. "I know, I know! How can someone who looks so young be a mother? To tell you the truth, I'm actually close to my thirties." Madoka's jaw dropped. She was close to thirty?! Dang, that was impressive! She wondered if she'd ever look that good when she's her age. "I haven't seen my son in three years..." the woman lamented sadly, her smile becoming bitter. "Well, I suppose it would be more accurate to say I haven't seen him since the day my husband left him on his own, and he was only a toddler at the time."

She frowned. A father left his child by himself? What in the heck was wrong with him?!

"It isn't that my husband was a bad father," the woman defended her lover, slightly abashed. "It's just... he has no idea how to be a good parent. He's also afraid of how he can be a good father when he doesn't know the first thing about parenthood. Because of that, he's... unsure of how he can interact with him."

"Is your son an only child?"

The woman nodded, smiling. "Yes... I think he would be seventeen now." Seventeen? That would make him Shinji's age. "It's amazing how fast children go up, don't you think?" she asked, her smile become forelorn and saddened. "I've missed so many of his birthdays... Watching him grow up. It makes a mother sad, you know?"

Madoka frowned heavily. "If you love him that much, then can't you just go and see him?" she asked, confused. "I lost my mom when I was young, and Uncle Hiroshi didn't know anything about raising kids, but he still gave it his best. Besides, nothing would make him more happy than to see you again! I'm sure of it!"

The woman whirled to face Madoka, stunned by her words. After a while, a worn smile appeared on her face, slightly sheepish. "...Fuyutsuki-sensei once told me the same thing when my son came back, after so long." she giggled. "He was a cute boy back then. He looked a younger version of his dad, however believable that is. But..." she lowered her head. "I can't see him... It's not a question of can't, or won't, it's that I just can't see him. The only thing I was able to do was watch over him, and protect him." She looked up at the sky, her eyes becoming dull, as if she were somewhere else. Someplace else, a distant memory that she found herself reliving. "But... I don't even know where he is..."

Madoka stared at the woman, sympathy held in her heart. While she may have not been a mother, being quite too young for that role, she at least understood the pain of not being able to see someone you cherish greatly. She lost her mother when she was a child, but she couldn't let it get to her. Not after her cousin displayed the same tenacity and overflowing spirit of the club her mother put into. That being said, she still thought about her mom every now and then, wishing that she could see where she was now... just not the part about her being a robot pilot. No doubt she'd flip her lid!

"...hey," A thought came to her, making her smile brightly at the mother. "Why don't I find your son for you?" The woman blinked again, this time shocked that a stranger would offer to look for her child. Madoka grinned as she flicked her nose, and then pumped her arm into the air, a hand on her bicep. "I may not look it, but I'm a bona fide member of the Jersey Club!"

"Jersey... Club?"

"Yep!" Madoka noded. "It's a club my mom made a long time ago! Technically speaking, it's not an official club, since I'm the only member, but we do everything! Physical activities, extracurricular, you name it!" She chuckled sheepishly as she scratched her nose. "I'm kinda of a ditz sometimes, but I always give it my all! Me, and my bro!"

The woman looked curious, tilting her head. "Brother?"

"Yeah! He's technically my adopted brother, but he's still an awesome guy! He was kinda shy when we first brought him in, but now, he's an unofficial member of the Jersey Club!" She grinned widely in pride, thinking of how cool Shinji looked when she saw him in his school's jersey uniform. Seriously, if that was not the Jersey Club spirit, she wasn't sure what was. "He's the best bro you could ask for! Ooh, and he's an awesome cook too~"

The woman giggled fiercely, a hand at her face. "My goodness," she said, clearly having cheered up over the previous, depressing topic. "Your quite a devoted girl. You must be fond of your brother."

Madoka blushed a little, scratching the back of her head. "W-well, I guess... P-plus, um... S-Shinji's kinda cute when he's shy." The woman's eyes widened upon hearing the name. "Oh, that's my bro's name! Shinji Ikari Kyouno!" She grinned again. "And I'm Madoka Kyouno! It's nice to meet you!"

The woman stared at her in utter shock. The intensity behind the stare was enough that Madoka was beginning to feel a bit off-put by it. Eventually, however... the woman smiled. It was cheerful, full of joy, as if she were truly happy at this very moment. "Is that right?" she asked. "I see... In that case, Madoka-chan, I entrust my son to you."

Madoka regained her smile, and nodded. "You got it! Leave it to me... uh..."

"Yui."

"You got, Yui-san!" Madoka nodded, promising she would find her son. "So, what's his name?"

Yui smiled again. "...his name's Shinji."

Madoka's eyes widened to the point where they would pop out, and her mouth came open. Words, incoherent, tumbled out of her mouth before she was able to properly organize her thoughts. "Y-you're-?!"

"KYOUNO, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING?! GET YOUR ASS IN GEAR!"

Suddenly, the world around her came into focus. No longer was she in the beach area, and no longer present was the kind woman in the labcoat. She was once again back in the cockpit of the Vox Aura, which was still mounted on the monolith-like structure. Her hands were still coiled around the controls, and in the machine's hand was the red spear, which had been pulled out completely. It was weird, resembling more of a two-pointed prong with a twisted shaft. Captain Todokuro's words shouted in her ear, his face shown in front of her via communications, showing complete worry and fear for her safety. She soon understood why when she regained her senses, and found the axe-user Ovid coming straight for her, it's weapon raised over it's head with the intention of cutting her in half.

Her eyes widened again, bringing up the spear...

...only to see it fall apart right before her eyes.

"W-what?!"

The spear was cracked, bits and pieces crumbling away in the metal hands of the Vox, becoming nothing but red dust in the wind. Inside his Ovid, Izo grinned. "Guess that old piece of junk was too old!" he cackled. "Don't take it PERSONALLY!" He had reached her, only a few meters away, and slammed down his axe. Madoka's eyes followed it, time coming to a slow halt, and watched as the orange blade descended upon her.

A-am I... going to die...?

She wondered if this what it was like, to experience your life flashing right before your eyes. Her mind went back to so many moments. The times she spent with her mother. The time she saw Youko displaying the Jersey Club Spirit that one day. The time she first set foot in Kamogawa Girls Private High School. The time she first started to help Uncle Hiroshi with his business. However, the most prominent memory she had... was the day she first met Shinji. And the most vivid, most surreal... was the first time she ever truly saw a genuine, happy smile on his face. That one image alone, that smiling face, brought forth a surge of defiance.

No... Not yet! I still... I still want to see that smile again!

She gritted her teeth, and braced herself for one last brawl. If she was going to go down... she might as well do it and go out swinging!

I STILL WANT TO SEE THAT SMILE OF SHINJI'S!

Then, in that single, one moment... time came undone.

And the axe bounced back. Madoka's eyes widened in shock, seeing, if only, briefly, a burst of light cloak all around her. The Ovid was sent back quite a ways as a result of his strike being repelled, but she was sure he was just as confused as she was. She couldn't understand what had just happened, and looked around. Had someone helped her?

That was when the startling banging sound erupted behind her.

~~~ Scene Break ~~~

"W-what the hell?" Todokuro's eyes widened in shock, unable to believe what had just happened. By all rights, Madoka should have been dead the moment that strike came down on her, or at the very least, rendered the machine incapable of operating further. However, somehow... the attack had been deflected? How? The Vox was not outfitted that type of technology yet. "What happened? What the hell was that just now?"

"Unconfirmed!" one of the tech crew members replied. They were all working furiously to discover the source of the sudden flux of energy that had suddenly made itself apparent. One of the crew members, a blonde young man, was going at a rapid pace, fingers flying over the keyboard, before he suddenly noticed something present on his monitor. "Wait... There's an unknown energy signal! It's...it's unlike anything I've seen before!"

Moid looked curious, a hand on his chin. "Oh? A new ally?" he asked, smile still present. "Or a new enemy?"

Todokuro scowled at him. He could throttle him later. For now, he had to understand what the heck was happening right now. "Where's it coming from?"

"Confirming..." Watabe replied. Then, a look of utter shock came across her face. "It's... it's coming from the monolith!"

Todokuro's eyes widened.

"The energy source...! It's from inside the monolith!"

~~~ Scene Break ~~~

BANG

BANG

BANG

BANG
​

The air shuddered with each tremendous banging. The monolith quivered, trembling. Neither Madoka, nor Izo, much less Kirius, who watched as the monolith shook, dared to move. "W-what in the world..." the dark-haired male uttered, staring at the shaking object with shock. "Are you telling me... that something's inside of that thing?" His eyes widened with recognition, recalling the object that had been removed by Madoka only moments earlier. "Was it the spear?"

"W-wh-what the...?" Madoka could scarcely believe what was happening. She glanced at the hand of the Vox, which held the spear earlier, and then back at the monolith, which continued to tremble. "Y-you gotta be kidding me...!"

The banging became harder and harsher. Small cracks formed along the sides, signs of whatever was struggling to be free was achieving it's objective. Finally, however, Madoka caught a glimpse of just what was within the monolith, as, without warning, two arms burst through the walls, reaching out of it with stretched out hands. The sudden appearance caused her to backpedal, yelping with fright. The arms were long and slender, human like in appearance, colored black with a neon grin blotch along the area around it's elbow, while it's hands were covered with purple metal. No words came out of her mouth as she watched the arms retracted, the hands gripping into the edges of the small opening it had made. Then, it trembled, a show of exerting force as cracks began to run all across the monolith.

At long last, the monolith shattered. It broke apart, all at once, gray, metal pieces falling apart and into the ocean, revealing it's captive in all of it's glory. Madoka stared at it with a gaping mouth, her jaw hanging open.

Izo could scarcely believe what he was seeing, unable to look away from it's visage, a cold sweat pouring down his face while his hands trembled on the controls. Kirius was the only one to voice his reaction, and it was clear by how he was shaking that what he saw was truly a sight to behold. "What... in the hell..." he breathed, his irises shrinking, fear pumping into him at a terrifying pace. "Is that...?!"

What stood before them was a giant creature, easily three times taller than the Vox Aura. It's overall appearance was like that of a human being, lanky and slim. It's body was covered with purple armor, the only gaps being shown between it's shoulders and hands to reveal the black "skin," whereas neon green highlights were found at it's ankles, above it's shoe-like feet, torso, shoulder blades, and it's biceps. Orange armor was found on it's collarbone area, as well as on it's knees. It's head was the greatest characteristic of it's terrifying visage, the skull resembling something akin to a dinosaur, with an oversized chin and a prominent horn on it's forehead. Giant, bladed fins were found on it's back, but the mouth area was bolted down, revealed only slightly by a metallic slit. It's eyes glowed bright green, and provided an almost unearthly presence to it.

Many words could be used to describe this creature.

Oni. Demon. Beast. Monster. Abomination.

But Madoka had different feelings regarding the being before her altogether. She stared at it with large, dazzled eyes, unable to tear them away.

"...Pretty."

The bolt's became undone. The slit became larger, revealing sharp, jagged fangs. And finally... Finally... It had resounded, rearing it's head back, and allowed it's inhuman roar to echo all across the world.

"▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▄▅!"

After three years of silence, Evangelion Unit-01, had finally awakened.

"I fear we have awoken a sleeping giant, and filled him with a terrible resolve."​