Stage 37 - "Gift"

Cover: Hikari in shool uniform, holding a package wrapped in a
handkerchief and a tiny home-made Touji doll hanging on a string loop
from her finger

Scene: Touji leaving his apartment and walking down the street carrying
a sports/duffel bag. As he walks along, he notices Hikari standing in
the shadow of a tree along the roadside.
Touji (puzzled look): Class Rep?
(Hikari jumps slightly at Touji's voice and comes out from behind the
tree holding her school attache case and the handkerchief-wrapped
package)
Hikari: Oh... Good morning.
Touji: What the heck are you doing hiding like that?
Hikari: Nothing really... as Class Rep I was just wondering... two days
ago you never came back to class after being called, and then you were
absent yesterday.
Touji (slightly sad look, walks past Hikari): Well, thanks for worrying,
but it's really none of your business.
Hikari (angry): Wh- What!! Is that any way to treat a person who's
taking the trouble to worry about- (notices Touji's bag and stops)
What's with the bag? Are you going somewhere?
Touji (without turning around): Sorry, Class Rep, but I'm in a hurry
right now.
Hikari (crestfallen): Oh... I see...
Touji: Well, see you later.
(Hikari stands with a sad expression)
Touji: Hey, Class Rep (looks back over shoulder) I'm going to miss
school for 2 or 3 days, but I'll tell you all about it when I get back.
(Hikari = surprised look) I know we always fight whenever we're around
each other, but when I get back, let's try to get along a little better,
okay?
Hikari (surprised/blushing): O... Okay.
(Touji turns and walks away down the street)

Scene: Matsushiro -- NERV No. 2 Test Site
The facility takes the form of a giant dome set against the ground like
the top of a mostly buried sphere, nestled against wooded hills ringed
with radar, communications towers, antennas and power lines. NERV staff
work on/around various vehicles, connecting cables and checking
equipment.
[Announcements]:
  "Unit 3 activation test, minus 30 minutes"
  "Main power supply, no problems"
  "No. 2 Apotosis, all normal"
(Eva-03 restrained in cage with umbilical bridge)
  "All cooling systems functional"
  "Left arm pneumatic lock secured"
  "Data link with Eva-01, no problems"
(Ritsuko, Misato and NERV operators in control room overlooking the
cage)
  "B team commence operations"
  "Affirmative"
Ritsuko: This is going smoother than I thought. At this rate we'll have
it ready for actual combat in no time.
Misato (monotone): Hmm... I see. That's nice.
Ritsuko (glancing at Misato): That's a pretty heartless reply. After
all, when this unit is delivered it'll be assigned to your direct
command.
Misato: ...Exclusive control of four Eva units... If we wanted to we
could destroy the world.
[Announcements]:
  "Fifth Children has arrived"
  "Team 2 commence entry preparations at once"
(Touji walking through facility with bag slung over shoulder)

Scene: Shinji on school roof, leaning on railing
Shinji (thinking): It should be starting any time now... Eva-03's
activation test...
Hikari (from behind Shinji): Excuse me... Ikari...
(Shinji turns around, surprised)
Shinji: Class Rep?
Hikari: I'm sorry to bother you, but would you like to eat this in place
of Suzuhara? (holds out lunchbox wrapped in handkerchief) I wasn't able
to give it to him this morning.
Shinji (waving hands desperately): Ah- But- I really couldn't.
Hikari: No, it's okay, After all, he's absent today, and it'll only
spoil if somebody doesn't eat it. (smiling) I couldn't give it to him,
but something good happened anyway. (hands lunchbox to Shinji)
Shinji (surprised): Huh?
Hikari (giggling, waves goodbye): See you.
(Hikari runs away past Kensuke, who has appeared on the roof)
Kensuke: That... was the Class Rep, wasn't it?
Shinji (still puzzled): Y- Yeah...
Kensuke: And she was grinning... that's kind of eerie...
Shinji: R- Really? She seemed normal to me.
Kensuke (notices lunchbox in Shinji's hands): !? -- And just what is
that rather feminine looking lunchbox!?
Shinji: Oh! This is Asuka's! But she said she didn't need it today.
Don't get the wrong impression!
Kensuke (doubting): Hmmmmmmmmm?
Shinji: It's not important - come on, let's eat.
(The two start eating lunch)
Kensuke: Eva-03 has already arrived in Japan, hasn't it?
Shinji: Yeah. Misato left yesterday for the activation test in
Matsushiro.
Kensuke (sadly): Wow... I wonder who's going to pilot it? (thinking)
Maybe Touji -- after all he's been absent since yesterday...
Shinji (freezes and swallows nervously): (gulp) .....
Kensuke (laughs and slaps Shinji on back): No way! It couldn't be him,
right?
(Kensuke stares at Shinji, who cringes, and an uncomfortable silence
passes between the two)
Kensuke (points at lunchbox): Are you going to eat that?
Shinji (relieved): Oh... If you'd like we can share it.
Shinji (thinking): This is exhausting... (brightens) But it would have
been rather uncomfortable eating it ll by myself.
(Shinji unties the handkerchief and stops short -- On top of the
lunchbox is a small Touji doll, hung on a string loop.)
Kensuke: What is that?
Shinji (picking up doll, thinking): Touji...

Scene: Entry plug being inserted
[Announcements]:
  "Entry plug secured"
  "Pulse transmitting"
  "Commence primary contact"
(Eva-03 in cage, Ritsuko and Misato in control room)
  "Graph position normal"
  "Cleared up to list 1350"
  "No problems with initial contact"
Ritsuko: Affirmative! Shift to Phase 2!
(Harmonics and link graphs, NERV operators at consoles)
[Announcements]:
  "All nerve links normal"
  "Cleared up to list 2550"
  "Harmonics all in normal position"
(Touji in plug suit in the entry plug)
  "Absolute border-line passed"
(Eva-03's eyes light in the cage and alarms go off)
Ritsuko: What's wrong!?
NERV operator: Trouble in the central nerve!
Ritsuko (shouting): Abort the test! Cut all circuits!!
(The umbilical cable bolts fire and the cable disconnects, but Eva-03
continues to strain against the restraining cage)
NERV operator: Negative! There's a high energy reaction inside the
body!!
Ritsuko: It can't be...!!
(The entry plug cover opens to reveal a sticky fungus-like substance)
Misato: An Angel!?
(Eva-03 breaks free of all restraints and howls -- a massive explosion
envelops the facility and surroundings)

Scene: Shinji and Kensuke on the school roof -- Shinji's cell-phone
rings
Shinji (answering the phone): Hello?
Maya (shouting into console phone): Shinji? Come with Rei and Asuka to
headquarters at once! Something terrible has happened!!
(Shinji with phone to ear -- shocked expression)

- End Stage 37