First I'd like to thank Harold Ancell for all his help with this story.
What began as simply a short darkfic will become a long series of fics
with much more depth than the original story.  His help with details has
been quite valuable in writing this story.  With my ineptitude for
paying attention to details, this story couldn't have been possible
without him.

I've finished the final draft of this prelude and the first episode.  I
have just finished the rough draft of the second episode so it will be
out in final in a few days.  Thanks to my prereaders, I will not have to
post roughs for these fics and spoil the suspense :)  I'm trying a new
way of writing so I can be as complete as possible and won't be rushed.
Hopefully you will agree this is improving the quality of my fics.
Thanks for reading and enjoy.  C+C accepted here.

I'm Shinji (Prelude do "War of Evangelion")

"Hello there, I'm Noriko Idohara."  The young woman in a white coat sat
opposite Shinji Ikari who was nervously looking around the room.

"I'm Shinji.  Shinji Ikari.  What is this place?  This isn't the NERV
hospital."

"This is a special mental trama center.  I'm here to see how you are
doing."

"Mental trauma?  Why would I be mentally traumatized?  Who is that woman
over there in the window?"

Noriko takes a deep breath before continuing.  She has done this with
Shinji countless times now.  There has been no progress since being
admitted.  "Lets start from the beginning.  How would you describe your
childhood?

Shinji starts to calm down as he answers her question.  "Well, its been
eventful.  Ever since my mother died, its been hard.  We had to keep
moving all over because of father's job and the problems caused by the
Second Impact, but we've managed to get by I guess."

"Tell me more about your father."

"He's been great.  He took it really hard when mother died, but he's
done everything he can to give us a better life."

"Who is 'us'?"

"Oh, you mean me, father and Rei."

"Rei?"

"Yeah, she's my sister.  She took mom's death hard too.  She's really
quiet, but we get along well."

The woman writes something down on her clipboard, but Shinji couldn't
see what it said.  "Now Shinji, could you tell me more about your
sister?"

"Well, like I said, she's really quiet, but she helps out as much as she
can.  But for some reason, she dosen't like my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?"

"Ya, Asuka.  Why are you asking me these questions?"  In previous tests,
Shinji was quite open with his responses, but he was getting tired of
answering the same questions over and over again.  He was getting bored
with them and he wanted to know why she was asking the obvious.

Noriko set her pencil down.  She felt this examination needed to be
stopped so Shinji could understand exactly what happened to him.  Giving
a deep sigh, she looks at her patient very sadly.

"Listen, you are sufferinf from an extensive psychological disturbance
as a result of your last fight with an angel.  What you have just told
me is not exactly reality.  Rei and Asuka are Eva pilots just like
you..."

"NO!  You are lying!  You are keeping me from my family.  Why?  I want
to know why am I here?"  He was obviously very agitated at being called
a liar.  He knew what his life was like, vividly to be exact.  He just
couldn't understand why he had been placed her away from his friend and
family.  Sure the nurses were very supportive and he was able to keep an
upbeat feeling about this place, but he still wanted to go home and see
everyone.

"Shinji, this is not really you."  She was speaking in a soft voice,
hoping he will calm down.  "You work for NERV and..."

"Father works for NERV.  Me, Rei, Asuka, we are just kids.  We don't go
out and fight those things."  <Why does she keep saying these stupid
things?>  Shinji was quite annoyed with all these tests by now.  He had
heard this story about him piloting these robots a hundred times, but
this was stupid in his mixed up mind.  Why would a kid be given control
of the fate of mankind?

"Shinji, you know what you are saying isn't true.  You are..."
continuing in a soft voice.  This was the same thing that happened in
the other talks with him, when he was told what reality was, he just
broke down and started shouting.

"I know who I am.  I'm Shinji Ikari!"  He suddenly stands up and looks
straight at the figure in the window.  Giving a strained look at her, he
continued shouting.  "I'm Shinji Ikari!  SHINJI IKARI!"

Two doctors grab a hold of Shinji and pull him away to his room.  Noriko
stands up and exits the door.  She shakes her head, then goes over to
the young woman and takes a deep breath.  "Well it looks like he didn't
even recognize you again."

"It looks that way."  Misato looks through the glass again just in time
to see Shinji pulled into his room.  Well doctor?  Do you have any clue
as to help him recover?

"It appears his memory has been damaged so much, it has effected his
reality.  He has coped by completely reconstructing his past with more
agreeable memories.  From what the nurologist said, I think this is
irreversable.  This means,"

"This means he won't be able to pilot again."

"I don't think he will be able to cope with society again."

"I didn't want to be the one to say it, but I think you're right.  Would
it be ok if I brought Asuka or Rei here to see him?"  She continues to
stare through the window and at the doorway of Shinji's room.  She was
trying to keep a professional tone to her voice, but worried tone kept
coming through.  "Maybe seeing them would help him regain his memory."

"Not anytime soon.  He needs some time to get things sorted out
himself.  Its a mess up there in his brain and I think that if he saw
them now, it would only make things worse."

"I see."

Four hours later, Misato meets Gendo in his office.

"I'm afraid Shinji will not be able to pilot Unit 01 again."  Misato was
forlorn as she gave details of the examination.

"So the doctor dosen't think he will ever see the outside again."
Gendo, as always keeps an expressionless face and an even tone while
speaking of business.

"She also feels Shinji shouldn't see anyone.  It would only disturb him
even more."

"Does anyone else know about this?"

"No.  Besides Ritsuko, everyone else thinks he is at the NERV hospital
recovering."

"Good.  He knows too much sensitive information about Evas and NERV.
Since its been determined he is no longer of use to us, I'm afraid we
will have to dispose of him."  His voice was still quite calm.

This was too much for Misato.  Immediately, she begins to lash out at
her boss, unable to control her emotions.  "What? You mean kill him?
How could you say that?  You're his father."

Commander Ikari is still able to keep his cold voice, unmoved by
Misato's comments.  "I know who I am.  He has served his purpose.  And
besides, it seems it would be better if he dosen't have to suffer."

Misato is able to calm herself down just enough so she could try to talk
him out of this heartless operation.  "I don't think its necessary.  For
the first time, he has happy memories.  The doctor said Shinji has been
upbeat since he had been there for the past two months with the
examinations being the exception."

"Still, it would be detrimental to NERV should he fall into the hands of
our enemies.  I am going to order the doctor to inject an air bubble
into his bloodstream when he gets his medicine tonight."

Misato could not hold her anger in anymore.  Unable to drive a fist
through her boss' head, she settled for kicking her chair accross the
room.  Too angry to make out any words, she turns around and walks out
the door before she could do anything more violent.

Still in a calm voice, Gendo starts to talk to himself.  "If only you
were in my shoes, Misato, then you might be able to understand this is
the right decision..."

TO BE CONTINUED