"Once more the neural transmitter worked unpredictably." says Ikari Gendo.

"That thing can't be understood!" says Fuyuzuki. "We have no other pilot!"

Akagi Ritsuiko [Head of the Evangelion Development Project. Has known Misato since they were in school together. A cool, intellectual beauty. Age: 30.]

"There is no one else other than Rei ..." objects Ritsuko.

Ikari Gendo looks down at the floor. The frown on his face seems to never change. To his right the banks of monitors display and record the coming and goings of NERV personel at various security check points. The motion and characters on one moniter attracts his attention. As he watches the moniter he allows himself a small smile, but not one of happiness.

"I think our solution has arrived." Ikari Gendo says smugly. "Perhaps now we have a substitute."

As Shinji and Misato walk through the halls of NERV Shinji's thoughts are of the reasons surrounding his being requested. The school year had just started. Though he never had any close friends, being shifted to another school as well as another city to live was a difficulty that he as always suppressed.

Why did Father call me to come here? My thoughts are so strange. So long ago ... will this meeting answer my questions or am I doomed?


Stage.2 The Meeting

Like bees in a gigantic underground hive Misato and Shinji walk past level 20 toward a meeting that Shinji is dreading with each step. The sound of their footsteps reverberates and echoes back to them. Ghosts of the past the sound of their foot steps demand attention. Shinji has very little idea of his "real" past that would become so all too apparent in the coming months. In his mind, he was an orphan. His father abandoned him, his mother he never knew, and society never seemed to accept him. Each day was drudgery. Words like hope, expectation, happiness, were foreign.

"Ms Misato." asks Shinji.

"What?" replies Misato.

As they walk down the corridor Misato had been reading the PDA; a map of NERV with directions.

"We've been walking a long time now; can you tell me when we'll meet Father?" asks Shinji.

"What!" says Misato not really listening. "Ohm... Be quiet. Be a a good boy and just follow me without talking."

"I knew it" Shinji thinks to himself. "We're lost."

Misato thinks to herself as they walk down the corridor, "Jeezzz this boy's perceptive. Surely we're going in the right direction."

A door slides open behind them.

"So just where are you two going?" says Ritsuko. "You know you're late as it is Katsuragi."

"Aa! Ritsuko..." says Misato turning around.

"You've had more than enough time to walk here so I came back to help." snaps Ritsuko. "You're not on a holiday you know."

"Ss... Sorry!" says Misato turning red. "I promise not to get lost again."

"So this is the boy." says Ritsuko. "He certainly looks the fittest of our three pilots."

She thinks to herself how sad these children seem, how weary of life, and how sad she feels for them.