——2015.12.2——

NERV headquarters, emergency ward.

"Well..." Shinji Ikari slowly opened his eyes and looked at the built-in chandelier on the ceiling: "Unfamiliar ceiling..."

His last memory was that the card "New Universe" was about to explode the "Dirac Sea" of the Twelfth Apostle, and he and Unit 1 were about to return to the real world. At that time, he was thinking about what kind of cool pose to strike.

, as a result, the thinking stopped directly here.

What exactly is...

"You're awake." Rei Ayanami's voice came from the side.

"Ah," Shinji Ikari turned his head and looked at the blue-haired girl who was sitting by his bed reading a book: "Your next sentence won't be 'You have become a girl' again, right?"

"No," Rei Ayanami's eyes stayed on the book in her hand: "You are temporarily prohibited from piloting Unit-1."

"Why?" Shinji Ikari tried to move his body and found that there was nothing serious, so he sat up: "Is it because I threw Asuka out and fell into the shadow of the apostle? There is no way, with Asuka's strength

If you go in with strength, you can’t come out.”

"No," Ayanami Rei finally looked away from the book and looked at Shinji Ikari: "Because you had close contact with the apostle, and the duration lasted for more than twelve hours."

"Huh?" Shinji Ikari pointed at himself: "You have been in contact with the apostles for too long? Is this a serious reason?"

In that case, not to mention the classmates in the Gathering Garden, Rei Ayanami's father would be the first to be arrested.

"The apostle this time did not cause any damage." Rei Ayanami took out a tablet from the side, adjusted it twice and handed it to Shinji Ikari: "After it swallowed Unit-1, it stayed there motionless until you removed it.

There is an internal breakthrough, and the way you emerge is very much like 'hatching' or 'emerging from the shell'."

"Pfft, why did Unit-00 assume the pose of a thinker!" Shinji Ikari took the tablet and looked at it. He was shocked: "I fainted before I could figure out what pose to use."

Could it be that Unit-00 assumed a thinking posture on its own because it was thinking?

"Since the apostle appeared directly in the city this time and did not launch an attack, it is considered that he wants to control or assimilate the EVA body, and you and Unit 1 who have been with it for more than 12 hours are at risk of being contaminated," Rei Ayanami

After a pause: "It was mainly because the Ground Alliance thought so. Commander Ikari was forced to temporarily seal Unit 1 under pressure."

Oh, those guys who have absolutely no way to fight against the apostles can actually make dad bow down.

"It's understandable. If the weapons you make suddenly become self-aware, it would be really scary for humans," Shinji Ikari shrugged: "What did NERV say?"

"Opportunity No. 1 will be thoroughly inspected and cleaned to ensure that there are no apostles left," Rei Ayanami said: "As for you, you will not be imprisoned or confined, but there will be no 'class' schedule for a month."

"Great!"

"However, in order to cope with the shortage of pilots, qualified candidates for Unit 3 will be sent to the headquarters in advance for adaptive training." Rei Ayanami added.

"Who is it? Suzuhara Touji or Aida Kensuke?"

"Kirishima's real name."

"Oh Ha?"

——2015.12.3——

EVA training ground.

"[LCL powered on!]"

"[Second simulated contact passed!]"

"[Start the third simulated contact!]"

"【……successfully passed!】"

"[The synchronization rate between the pilot and the No. 3 unit simulator is 69%!]"

Hmm...I usually can't see it in the insertion plug. Is there so much data displayed in the command center?

Shinji Ikari stood next to Misato Katsuragi and looked at the big screen, with the orders and reports coming one after another from the command staff in his ears.

Most of them are incomprehensible, except for the eye-catching 69%, so the Maruduk is really strong, and the selected driver should be born to drive EVA - it would be perfect if she was not a spy.

No, there is actually no evidence to prove that she is a spy. Whose spy will be her future self?

Judging from the actions of the Ground Federation to put pressure on NERV to temporarily seal Unit 1, their purpose is probably to promote Kirishima's real name.

...No, they may not even know what they are doing at all, and really think that Unit 1 may be contaminated and needs to be sealed and inspected.

And this situation should undoubtedly be the masterpiece of "Future Kirishima's True Name".

If you can travel through time, you can indeed do whatever you want.

But, since Rei Ayanami didn't stop it, and didn't even come to see the simulation startup experiment, it proves that this matter is basically irrelevant. The only difference is that the location of the literary club activities was changed from the literary club in the Assembly Garden to the NERV lounge.

That's all.

"Thank you for your hard work, Kirishima, let's take a rest," Misato Katsuragi said into the microphone: "This is just a simulation, so don't be too nervous, but it's not much different from a real ride."

"[Yes...]" Kirishima's real name's weak voice came from the speaker.

"Really, I have never seen Miss Katsuragi be so gentle to us." Asuka, who was also watching next to her, complained in a low voice.

Isn't that natural? There's no point in being gentle to Ayanami. You're leading people astray with your blathering all day long. As for yourself - "You are a boy! Be strong!" Tsk tsk.

After a while, after leaving the simulation cabin, Kirishima Mana, wearing a pilot suit, came to the command room.

Unlike Ayanami, who is almost pure white, Asuka, who is completely red, and her own black and white combination, Kirishima's driving suit uses bright blue as the base color, and the armor and joints are complemented by white and gold. It looks quite bright and playful - this

It was definitely designed by her in the future.

Buzz——

At this moment, the familiar sound of "invoicing" sounded, and a piece of the "picture" of Kirishima's real name in front of him was "intercepted".

[Dark Magician Girl, attack power: 2000, defense power: 1700]

What does Atum mean by "surprise"?

"that……"

When Shinji Ikari finished studying the card and put it away, he realized that he seemed to be staring at Kirishima's real name for more than ten seconds.

"Please don't stare at me, Shinji-san..." Kirishima's real name crossed his arms, looking a little overwhelmed.

"How? How? Does this look better, or the maid outfit?" Asuka poked him with her elbow.

"This set." Shinji Ikari replied subconsciously. After all, maid outfits don't give new cards.

"..." Kirishima Mana lowered his head, looking even more embarrassed.

"puff."

Damn it, I was fooled! Why are you so angry with me when you have nothing to do? And Miss Misato! Can you stop snickering there?

"Okay, okay, since you all know each other, I won't introduce you further," Misato Katsuragi said with a crooked look, "Asuka, please bring your real name to familiarize yourself with the headquarters. Shinji-kun, if Commander Ikari comes to see you for something, go to hell."

Let’s go to the office.”

————

"Ha...this is really..."

About two hours later, Shinji Ikari walked out of the huge office of Ikari Gendo. He seemed to want to complain, but he looked around and closed his mouth when he found no one around.

The previous conversation could be described as weird.

"What did you see in Dirac's Sea?"

"Didn't see anything."

"Fail."

"I saw colorful black smoke."

"pass."

"...?"

"Did the apostle try to speak to you?"

"No."

"Fail."

"have."

"Fail."

"...I don't know if he is an apostle, but I saw myself when I was a child. He accused me of driving EVA just to please others and that I had no self at all."

"pass."

"..."

"How did you escape from the Dirac Sea?"

"I came out on my own when the time came."

"Fail."

"I defeated an apostle incarnate inside."
To be continued...