Neon Genesis Evangelion: Between Heaven and Hell
By Stavaros the Arcane

Prologue:

Twelve year old Shinji Ikari looked up at his tutor, the only real friend he had in his lonely childhood, as he finished the piece of music and moved his bow from the strings of his cello. The man smiled and applauded, "You are improving more and more, Shinji. I honestly think that there is really nothing you cannot do if you put your mind to it."

Elijah Malachi had been teaching Shinji for the last five years, beginning as merely his Cello instructor but later with the permission of Shinji's Guardians tutored the boy in a number of different subjects. As a result of this the shy, introverted Shinji had come out of his shell a bit, a strong adult figure in his life benefiting the boy whose young life was already full of issues. Elijah was an unusual man being born in Israel having moved to Japan after the chaos that followed the Second Impact had stabilized. He spoke several languages fluently and had helped Shinji get a basic grasp of a few of them. He never really spoke about what he did outside of tutoring and it was hard to tell just how old he was.

With the lesson concluded Elijah started walking Shinji home, as was custom for the two of them. They walked chatted back and forth for a while mostly discussing how Shinji was doing in school and other ideal chitchat. There was a moment of silence before Elijah said, "Shinji, very soon I'm going to have to leave."

Shinji looked into his teachers eyes, the odd gold-hued orbs looked back at him sadly. "Why?"

"Because there are important things I must do. And there are important things you will have to do without me."

Shinji blinked back tears, "So you will abandon me too, just like my father."

The two stopped walking and Elijah crouched to be eye to eye with Shinji. "Trust me when I say this, I have no desire to leave but I have no choice, I have to do this. In a few years you will be drawn into something you cannot fathom and I must play a role from the shadows to see to it that you come through it alright. We will meet again Shinji Ikari, you have my word." Shinji did not understand but hugged his teacher and friend that he would soon lose. Elijah wiped away Shinji's tears and the two continued to walk.

A month later Elijah Malachi had vanished without a trace.

-
Chapter one: Heed the call

Shinji sighed and hung up the phone, "The same message telling me to get to a shelter. Is there a war on or something? Seriously is there a worse way to be stuck in an unfamiliar city." Shinji looked at the letter of summons his father had sent him, and then to the post card from the woman he was supposed to meet.

The picture of the attractive woman was far more pleasant to contemplate than the crappy situation he was in at the moment, so Shinji made full use of the distraction to keep from worrying. A sudden shiver went up his spine as though he was being watched. He saw a girl about his age with blue hair and red eyes, he blinked and suddenly she wasn't there anymore; leaving him staring around in confusion. His mind snapped back to the here and now when the explosions started.

Low flying aircrafts fired missiles at their massive target while heavy artillery sent salvos against it, sending rumble and debris crashing everywhere. As Shinji scrambled to keep from being crushed beneath the wreckage he finally caught sight of what it was that they were firing at. At first his mind could not accept what he was seeing, nothing could be that massive; but there it was before him a massive humanoid shape, spindly three clawed arms extending out of its massive torso the center of which lay a birdlike mask which swivelled back and forth as though desperately seeking something.

Suddenly the beast's eyes fell upon the teenager and the two locked gazes for a moment. The vastness of the creature's eyes seemed to consume Shinji yet beyond his all-consuming terror something flickered in his mind, the being seemed quizzical, even curious. And yet there was something beyond that, he could almost grasp it.

Shinji's concentration was broken by the next wave of explosions, and the sudden screech of a car skidding to a halt behind him. The door opened and the driver shouted "Get in!"

Shinji ran for the vehicle and leapt in, and looked to the driver as they peeled out of there. "Ms. Katsuragi?" Shinji stammered out in confusion.

"Call me Misato, but now isn't the time for pleasantries. Buckle up!"

Shinji clung to his seat for dear life as the car reached a speed that were clearly illegal anywhere other than a raceway ,the words "Bat out of Hell" crossed Shinji's mind...And that was when the JSSDF dropped the N2 mine on the invincible enemy. The Blast wave propelled the car even faster and caused it to flip and roll for a while until it skidded to a halt on all four wheels.

Misato turned to Shinji, "Are you all right?"

Shinji stammered, "Yeah...I...think so. Well I'm not dead anyways. I guess that's all I can hope for right now. Now can you tell me what the hell just happened, what the hell that thing was, and why the hell I was called to Tokyo 3 besides to get a front row seat to Armageddon?" The boy seemed to be on the verge of curling up into the fetal position.

Misato sympathetically nodded her head, "I'll explain what I can while we drive."

"So let me see if I understand everything so far: That thing reducing the city to rubble is called an Angel, You work under my father in an organization called NERV that fights them, and you need me for something important to help deal with that Angel." Shinji said as He and Misato entered the Geofort.

"Pretty much" Misato said as she led him further into NERV's central structure.

"I get the feeling that there is going to be more insanity dragging me down before this day is over." Shinji sighed.

The pair entered an elevator and descended to wherever it was they needed to get Shinji; as the door opened Shinji was greeted to the sight of a blonde woman in a lab coat checking something on her PDA. The rest of the huge room was not lit, but something huge loomed in the darkness. "Ah Misato late as usual, I see you managed to get the Third Child back here in one piece." The woman said to Misato, who shrugged and said, "What can I say Rits, driving conditions were murder."

The blonde woman sighed and addressed Shinji, "Shinji Ikari, I'm Dr. Ritsuko Akagi the Head of Project E here at NERV, I work under your father. I'm glad you're finally here."

Shinji nodded, "While I get the feeling I'm not going to like the answer, are you going to tell me why I was call here?"

Dr. Akagi touched a button on her PDA and the room suddenly lit up revealing it to be a massive hangar containing a giant horned purple face. Shinji took a step back in surprise; he gazed in awe and terror at the monstrous visage: Massive green eyes contrasted from its purple armoured face resembling something between human and beast decked with a single large horn. Dr. Akagi explained, "This is the Synthetic Human Evangelion Unit 01, the greatest weapons system devised by humanity to combat the angels. And you are here to pilot it."

Shinji spend a full thirty seconds trying to make sense of that statement, and then his body was racked with shivers. "You expect ME to pilot that THING? That's why I was called here?"

"Yes, that is why I have called you here." A voice came from above. Shinji looked up to see an observation deck above them and standing there and watching was Shinji's father. Gendo Ikari adjusted the orange-tinted glasses he always wore, between the hidden eyes and beard he found a way to be intimidating and cold no matter what he was doing. "The angel threatens to destroy humanity and only the Eva can stop it. It needs a suitable pilot to do so, thus I called you here to pilot it."

Shinji nearly had a nervous breakdown, he could barely stand. "That's why you called me here. So I could pilot this thing. Fight that monster that's attacking the city. I...I can't...I can't do it. How the hell can you ask this of me? You leave me alone for all these years and expect me to do this for you." He fell to his knees shaking.

Gendo turned to his sub-commander, "This pilot is useless, get Rei ready to pilot unit 01"

"In her condition?"

"She's not dead yet."

A medical team with a stretcher came into the hangar, a girl about Shinji's age lying on the stretcher clearly in serious condition. To Shinji's amazement and confusion he recognized the girl as the one he had seen earlier before everything went to hell. The Blue haired girl had one eye bandaged, one arm was in a sling, and she was hooked to an IV. She struggled the sit up, coughing up blood. There was a sudden explosion that shook the base.

Ritsuko swore "Damn it the angel has nearly reached the Geofront." Another explosion and a support beam crashed down from the ceiling heading for the stretcher bound girl. Shinji ran to try and move her but it seemed like it was too late...When there was a snapping of restraints and a massive purple arm snapped out grabbing the beam.

Shinji sat cradling the injured girl in his arms moving her out of the way, others rushed to check her condition. Shinji looked and saw blood on his hands and something snapped in his mind; memories of past times with his teacher, of lessons of when to stand up for yourself or others flashed by. "Father..." Gendo turned a look of mild disinterest at his son. Shinji got to his feet and looked his father in the eyes across the room, "What...The Hell...Is WRONG with you! This is your plan to save humanity? ARE YOU RETARDED?"

The room went utterly silent. No one spoke; shocked that anyone would talk to the menacing commander of NERV like that. Although he didn't show it even Gendo was surprised that Shinji had the balls.

Shinji continued "You mean to tell me that this is your plan send this giant purple abomination out to fight piloted by either your untrained, untested son or a girl who looks like she's half dead already? I knew you were cruel, I didn't think you were stupid! You disappoint me Father, but then again that's nothing new. What was plan B if she died before you could drag her into that thing, use her to guilt me into it? You say nothing to me for years and then expect me to pilot a giant killing machine for you? If you built this thing then you knew this threat was coming; what took you so long to call me here? If I'd known about this thing sooner maybe you'd have a second trained pilot on staff for this kind of emergency. Now you want me to pilot this monstrosity, to kill that angel for you. Well you know what, FUCK YOU DAD! You know what I hate the most about this, that your retarded plan to use me is going to work. I'd love to simply get out of here and leave you to wallow in your failure and stupidity but as you've informed me, Humanity is on the line. I'll pilot the damned thing, but only because you dropped the ball on saving humanity in my court." Shinji stopped talking, breathing heavily.

Gendo merely said, "Prep Unit 01 for launch" and left without so much as a glance at Shinji.

The moment his father was out of sight Shinji collapsed against a rail, the outburst of repressed anger depleted. The terror welled up in him again, he nearly hyperventilated. He looked at the injured girl now once again on the stretcher; she gazed at him, red eye contrasting with her pale skin and blue hair. With a fatalistic smile he panted "Sorry to steal your suicide mission, maybe next time." Time seemed to blur for Shinji, before he knew it he has on devices called A10 clips and is wearing a skin-tight uniform they called a plug suit. He feels like he's going to throw up. His thoughts are two conflicting mantras: I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, mustn't run away was interrupted by a counter-point of: What the hell was I thinking? What the hell was I thinking? WHAT the HELL was I thinking?

He was in the "plug" before he snapped back to reality. The plug closed and began to fill with liquid, leading Shinji to return to panic mode for fear of drowning. Misato's face appeared before one eye "Shinji, calm down: the LCL is heavily oxygenated liquid, you'll be able to breathe just fine."

Shinji managed to return to a controllable level of panic. "Okay...I'm alright...actually that's a lie but maybe if I say it enough I can convince myself." Shinji said as the Eva activated and its restrains were removed
Misato gave the order to launch the Eva

The angel paused in its rampage as the purple giant arrived on the surface, for the second time that day Shinji found himself under that terrifying yet curious gaze. Shinji trembled, trying to focus on working the giant robot.

"Don't worry about fighting just yet, just focus on walking." Misato said to him over the communicator.

"Walk, got it. Okay Eva, walk." The Evangelion lifted one leg and took a step. Shinji managed a nervous grin, "Great, wonderful, now let's keep this up and OH SHIT!"

Apparently the Angel did not want its new foe to get a clear footing. It charged Unit 01 with a shriek.

Shinji tried to dodge but just ended up causing the Eva to trip and fall which in turn tripped angel, causing them both to go down in a heap. "Crap Crap Crap!" Shinji swore lashing out with the Eva's fists, elbows, knees, and feet. There was no skill or finesse just desperation to keep the enemy from getting up again. For a while it seemed to work as Shinji got a shot in causing the angel to shriek in pain as its eye was pulped by a purple fist.

Then an invisible force sent the Eva flying back as the angel used it's AT field. Shinji screamed at the impact as his Eva crashed into a building. The Angel righted itself and let forth another shriek its injured torso mounted face rippled and healed as another masked face grew beside the first. The angel ceased its bellow and rushed to grab the Eva's arm and snapping it. Shinji's screams redoubled, it was his turn to take a beating.

The attack was furious as the Angel kept an unrelenting flurry of blows on the Eva. Through the pain Shinji glared into the Angel's eyes as a three fingered hand gripped the Eva's head.
Shinji muttered to himself, "I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away..."

Imustntrunaway Imustntrunaway Imustntrunaway

Shinji paused, was there an echo in here? Someone else was chanting the same mantra. He looked again to the angels eyes and saw something that shocked him before the angel pounded the Eva's face in with its glowing arm weapon and pain overcame his mind.

Desperation, born of fear.

The Angel was afraid!

Sachiel pounded and pounded at the Shadow of Lilith, the thing that the Lilim had sent to destroy him. 'Just keep hitting it until it can't hurt me.' Sachiel repeated to himself trying to calm his nerves.

He looked at the enemy and released his hold on its head. Had he done it? Was it finished?

He had practically put a hole through its head. It laid unmoving, blood spraying from its head. Sachiel felt sick, yet relieved.

He had done it.

The way was clear.

He would unite with Father.

He would be safe...

And then the purple colossus twitched, then rose, then roared!

Back in the Geofort the command crew watched in horror as the angel had beat down the Eva and Shinji within. They were equally horrified to see it go berserk in response.

Misato shuddered thinking about what they had done to Shinji, "Please be alright, Shinji." She whispered to herself.

Unit 01 backhanded the angel, sending it flying as it regenerated its damaged arm. It roared again as it rushed its hated foe. Sachiel raised his AT field in response but Unit 01 engaged its own and tore through like it was wet paper. The angel tried to mount a defence but was no match for the Eva. Within minutes Sachiel was on the ground its arms broken, as the beast pounded on his core.

'It can't end like this' Sachiel's mind shrieked 'Not like this'
Images of Sachiel's siblings flashed through his mind.
Would they too fall victim to this monster the Lilim had created in their own vain attempts to reunite with Father...

No...He couldn't let that happen.

No...Father must be found.

"NO I WILL NOT DIE LIKE THIS! I MUST NOT RUN AWAY!"

Sachiel managed to restore one of his arms and knocked Unit 01 off of him.

In the entry plug of Unit 01 Shinji stirred. What was that voice? Who was yelling at him? And why?
He got his answer as he slowly became aware again, and the berserk rage of the Eva diminished slightly as its pilot flicker on the edge of consciousness.

I AM
AS A CHILD OF HE WHO IS CALLED I AM, I HAVE COME.
THOUGH I MUST WALK UPON THIS ABHORRED BATTLEFIELD I HAVE COME
I AM THE FIRST OF MANY, SEEKERS OF OUR FATHER AND SALVATION.
I FIGHT FOR MY BRETHREN THAT WE MAY BE HARRIED NO MORE
THOUGH I FEAR WHAT FATE AWAITS ME I WILL NOT LET THEM DOWN
I AM THE COVERING OF GOD
ANGEL OF WATER
I AM SACHIEL
AND I AM NOT RUNNING ANYMORE!

Although barely conscious Shinji heard every word; he looked at the angel, its core damaged, its regeneration slowed, and one arm hanging uselessly at its side, but unwilling to yield. And Shinji felt a moment of regret as the Eva, still berserk charged and he slipped into oblivion.

Sachiel knew he was doomed but he would not back down, he had one choice left. Grasping his cracked core he tore off a chuck, screaming at the agony of breaking off a piece of his own soul, and focused all the light of his soul there.

"FOR MY BROTHER, DIE ABOMINATION OF LILITH!"

As the angel struck the Eva the core fragment detonated and the two titans were lost in the blinding flash.

As the blast cleared only one stood... Evangelion Unit 01 stood and roared its victory.

"That was brave of you Cousin, to try and sacrifice yourself for the good of your brothers. You failed to destroy your foe, which both saddens me and leaves me relieved. If I had been able to reach you sooner this could have been avoided. I have only been able to contact a few of you Elohim and fewer still of the children of I AM heeded my words. You will bear the scars of your battle with the Evangelion as your healing is greatly weakened, but your role in things does not end here."

Sachiel was bewildered, the pain made it hard to think, but he was alive. But how? And why? "Who are you?"

"I am of the Malakim, child and servant of the one who is named I CALL, for now you may call me Prophet."