AN: I'd apologise for the slow update speed, but that might cause people to expect a faster update speed next time, which would be downright dishonest. I will however apologise for the lack of obvious humour in this chapter. Such is the cost of growing a plot, though I'll get back to the humour in later chapters.

Obviously, I do not own Evangelion.

Shinji slid into the entry plug of the Evangelion, the confined area bringing a sense of familiarity.
Wow. I haven't been back in here since…the time just after the end of the world. Man, that sounds weird when I hear it.
LCL began to flood in, making Shinji flinch as it touched him. His last contact with the orange substance was a lot more recent; when he stepped into the Oceans of 3rd Impact in hopes of using its' power to return to the past. The Great Overmind, collective soul of the human race, whispering promises of fulfilment and togetherness into his ear, pulling and pushing at him, pulling him in…

Shinji's reverie was broken by Misato mistaking his blankness for anxiety. "Don't worry Shinji, that stuff is called LCL. You can breathe in it, and it acts to connect you to the Eva while you pilot it, as well as cushion you against impacts. You're gonna be perfectly fine."
Shinji stopped paying attention to her voice, letting it become a pleasant background noise. He shut his eyes, feeling his heartbeat thump all the louder as he synched up to the Eva.

Just focus. I mustn't…no, I won't run away. Not this time. I chose to come back, and set things right. I chose to pilot again. I've beaten this angel before and I'll do it again. I am no longer the emotional wreck I was just before 3rd Impact, and I will take on any foe.

Shinji whimpered.

Ritsuko looked up from the screen displaying the Pilot's vital signs.
"Increased heart rate. The kid seems terrified."

Misato snorted. "Didn't need a degree to figure that. Wouldn't you be scared in his position?"

"Worry about the pilot's emotional state later. Focus on getting him ready to fight," came Gendo's voice from behind her. The stoic man had somehow procured another pair of glasses and his usual blank demeanour had already returned.

The Doctor turned her attention back to the incoming pilot data. "Everything is set. Synchronisation is underway, and…wow, that's a promising start. Synchronisation is at 57%. That's unexpectedly high for the first activation."

Gendo nodded. "Excellent. Speed up the activation process then; he should prove able to handle the strain. Get him up to the surface ASAP."

Shinji leant forwards as the Eva catapult shot him up, the familiar sensation of G-forces causing him to become strangely relaxed. The sight that greeted him above was also familiar, but far from relaxing. Looming over the far end of a long street was the 3rd Angel, just as it had appeared so long ago. It stalked slowly, almost casually along, confident in its purpose, and knowing there was nothing but pitiful humankind to stop it. Shinji took off towards it; then slowed as the Eva stumbled at his quick shift of balance.
What? The Eva's so …slow! That doesn't make any sense! It hasn't been this unresponsive in ages-

Shinji cursed inaudibly.

The Eva and I spent years getting properly in tune with each other. I'm still in tune with it, but Eva-01 still hasn't opened itself up to me yet. I'm not nearly as needy and scared as I was originally, so my heart isn't quite as open… I guess I'll need to do this another way.
Shinji allowed himself to ignore the oncoming presence of the striding Angel, filling his mind with images of pain: the loneliness of an orange beach, a world where all people were gone, a burning desire to destroy those who would cause it!

Eva-01 went berserk.