EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 64: Small but Tenacious Humans
"Misato! Is the Angel's attack real?!"

Upon hearing the news of the apostles' attack, Asuka and Ayanami Rei rushed to the third shelter.

"Of course it's Shin... Where's Shinji-kun!?"

Misato was still busy fixing coils of rope and cable on the plug with her own hands, and when she heard the girls' voices... she looked up with satisfaction, but found that the most important person was missing.

"Shinji he..."

"We got separated in the darkness... We must have lost our way."

While Asuka was still hesitating to find a reason...Ayanami Rei had already covered for Shinji Ikari.

“…Getting separated!?”

Misato Katsuragi's voice was filled with distrust... Although getting lost in the darkness was understandable, considering Shinji Ikari's alertness and meticulousness... Misato Katsuragi obviously couldn't accept this statement.

Perhaps influenced by Kaji Ryoji's betrayal... Misato Katsuragi is now full of distrust towards everyone - but it is also true that Shinji Ikari is not present at the scene at the moment.

"There's no other way, Asuka! Hurry and plug in the plug and wait... Then - have half the maintenance squad... search the base for Shinji-kun! Have her do it as quickly as possible..."

"Ms. Misato."

Rei Ayanami took a step forward, interrupting Misato Katsuragi's tactical plan.

"Please let me fight!"

Ayanami Rei looked at the completely unassembled Unit-00 insertion plug and made a solemn request.

"Korea?!"

A hint of hesitation flashed across Misato Katsuragi's brows. After all... Rei Ayanami's Unit-00 startup test had failed twice. In the current situation... the apostles were at the gates of the city, and the headquarters was in danger... If Unit-00 went berserk again, then everything would be lost.

"I'll take good care of you while Ikari-kun is gone! Please let me fight!"

"Ali..."

Asuka also looked at Rei Ayanami thoughtfully, and then neither encouraged nor stopped her - it was all up to Rei Ayanami to decide for herself... and then she resolutely got into her own Unit 2 and inserted the plug.

"Rei, you have to understand... the current situation at headquarters means we can no longer afford any additional risks... If Shinji-kun were here, there would definitely be no problem, but you, after all..."

Misato Katsuragi's voice was full of hesitation, and she didn't know whether she should agree to the child's request.

“It won’t fail!”

Rei Ayanami, who was originally as indifferent as water, now spoke with a firm will.

"Miss Misato, please let me fight. This time, I won't fail."

"...I understand, Maintenance Team! Abandon the work of plugging Unit-01 and focus on plugging Unit-00!"

"Sanzu Katsuragi!"

Maya Ibuki uttered an incredulous question. No matter how she thought about it... it would be more reliable to let Asuka attack and then search for Shinji Ikari to drive Unit-01.

"I'm in command of the battle now! If anything goes wrong, I'll take full responsibility! Follow orders!"

Seeing this... a glimmer of gratitude flashed in Rei Ayanami's eyes.

“Thank you very much!”

He bowed solemnly to Misato Katsuragi. It seemed that... this was the first time he was so persistent in a mission that was not an order... that he felt happy even when he was allowed to participate.

"Unit 2 plugged in! Secured! Prepare to ascend—!"

"Alright! Insert the plug and start moving! Destroy the back armor of Unit 2!!"

With a loud bang, the armor covering the back and neck of Unit 2 was blown off by the directional explosives. Several members of the maintenance team rushed forward, cleaned up the remaining debris, and revealed the entrance for inserting the bolt.

"Asuka! It might be a little shaky...be careful!"

Misato Katsuragi knocked on the bolted door. This was the first time she didn't use the communicator... but instead communicated through the bolt.

"Leave it to me--!" Even through the insertion plug... one can feel the fighting spirit in Asuka's voice. Her previous dejection and inner fear... have disappeared with the emotional reconciliation between her and Ayanami Rei.

"Insert the plug! Lift off! Hey, hey, hey!"

Misato Katsuragi personally led a dozen strong men from the maintenance squad, and using pulleys and cables, they lifted the shaky insertion bolt slowly towards the back of Unit 2.

Even though the rough steel cable had rubbed everyone's palms until they bled, no one stopped. With one heart and one mind, they steadily raised the insertion bolt to the neck of Unit 2.

The operator, who was suspended in the air by a cable, immediately pulled the rope and aimed it little by little... so that the insertion plug was aligned with its entrance.

"Aim...! Complete—!"

When it was realized that the front end of the plug was perfectly aligned with the inlet, the ready signal was finally issued.

“Confirm again—!!”

"Reconfirmation completed! The coordinates are correct!"

“Okay!! Let go!! Ah…! Be careful with the rope—”

More than a dozen people let go of their hands at the same time, allowing the insertion bolt to slide into the interior of Unit 2 under the action of gravity... The steel cable, which lost control due to slipping out of their hands, lashed the back of a worker who was preparing to insert the insertion bolt of Unit 0.

"what--!!"

After a scream, the uniform was torn, revealing purple-red bruises... But he didn't hesitate at all, not even bothering to treat the wound... He immediately continued to prepare the insertion plug of Unit 00.

At this moment, everyone at the NERV base... was like a united force. With the common goal of launching the EVA... everyone was working diligently in their respective roles.

"Insert the plug, put it in place--!"

Aoba Shigeru's voice was filled with anxiety... He had never inserted the plug into the EVA so roughly before. This way of boarding... wouldn't the synchronization rate drop? What if it couldn't start... what should he do?
"Unit 2!! Launch--!"

But Katsuragi Misato had no doubts. She believed... that human efforts would definitely yield results!

"Unit 2! Launch!!"

With a glimmer of light in Unit 02's compound eyes, the red giant...slowly began to move.

"Oh oh oh oh oh oh!!!"

A thunderous cheer erupted... Watching EVA Unit 2 use brute force to break free from the fixtures around it... Carrying on the hopes of the crowd, it moved forward... Everyone's heart was filled with joy.

"—Did you see that, Mr. Kaji?"

Standing on a high place and overlooking everyone in the shelter, Shinji Ikari had a relieved smile on his face.

Although he knew that Miss Misato, Asuka, and Rei Ayanami would not sit still and wait for death, but being able to do this... was beyond Shinji Ikari's expectations.

"How tiny, yet so tenacious... Humans—"

Kaji Ryoji beside him sighed and shook his head...

Shinji Ikari did not directly transform into Ultraman Tiga to fight the Angel - because he made an agreement with Ryoji Kaji.

Kaji Ryoji's numbness and compromise... stem from his despair, believing that human struggle is meaningless, especially when the power supply is so easily destroyed... Humanity's tiny efforts can achieve nothing at all.

In order to refute him and also to prove how brilliant the traces of human efforts are... Ikari Shinji made a promise with him to see if NERV could survive this disaster by relying on human's own strength and wisdom if he did not take action.

Of course, if things really get out of control, he will definitely transform into Tiga to cover himself... But - Ikari Shinji knows that this time... there is no chance for him to appear.

"Unit 00, launch!!"

There was another round of cheers and excitement. This time... even Unit 00 did not lose control or run away... It stood steadily beside Unit 02 under Rei Ayanami's will.

Even if there is no Ultraman Tiga, or even no electricity... and we can only use the most primitive hands of human beings... humans will still not give up resistance.

"EVA Unit-0! EVA Unit-2! Go to battle! Fight the Angels!!"

(End of this chapter)