Taking Sights

Takings Sights is an Evangelion fanfiction published at. It is written by Lavanya Six. At least two books are planned. Currently, Book 1 is still in production with nine chapters published.

Plot
Starting with as-yet unspecified point of divergence during Instrumentality in the End of Evangelion, Gendo Ikari is sent back in time to the first disastrous Unit-00 Activation Experiment. Realizing that he has been sent back in time with all his memories up to the End of Evangelion but with no explination why or how, Gendo proceeds with a new masterplan to stop SEELE, protect Shinji and Rei, stop Third Impact, and to honor what he sees as Yui's true wishes. However, his fundamental character remains unchanged even after the revelations of Instrumentality. This results in him making several serious mistakes in how he deals with Shinji, Rei, and others.

Gendo's exact masterplan is as-yet unknown, though several mentions have been made by him that he and Fuyutsuki will be put on trial for their crimes. Also unknown is how or who sent him back in time.

Major Characters
Gendo Ikari: After attempting to change the course of history with decidedly mixed results, Gendo has started to exhibit signs of an unbalanced mind. A troubled personal life with Shinji and Rei, as well as a pronounced tendency to drink bourbon, speaks to this instability.

Kozo Fuyutsuki: Gendo's sole confident, Kozo is the only person who knows about Gendo's time travel. Fuyutsuki has mostly served as a sounding board for Gendo's thoughts and worries, though he has begun making plans of his own with Gendo's growing instability, such as talking with Ritsuko about her affair with Gendo behind the latter's back.

Shinji Ikari: Personally recruited by Gendo rather than being summoned by telegram, Gendo attempted to connect with his son on a personal level. However, he failed when Shinji saw through Gendo's manipulations, leading the Third Child to leave Tokyo-3 after the 5th Angel battle. Shinji later returned after the Jet Alone incident when he and his father had a direct verbal confrontation over their feelings about each other, leading Shinji to declare that he hated Gendo. Due to the ripple effect of Gendo changing history, Shinji never injured Mari Suzahara in the 3rd Angel battle. As a result he and Touji Suzahara (and Kensuke Aida) never established their friendship. He has, however, started a friendship with Hikari Horaki. In this timeline, Shinji sees Rei as a competitor/replacement for his father's affections and thus views her with a degree of jealousy.

Rei Ayanami: Viewed by Gendo as irreplaceable and as a daughter, Rei has been released by Gendo from her purpose of helping start Instrumentality. However, Rei rejected this newfound freedom and loss of purpose and grew suicidal. Gendo has agreed to Rei's wish to die following the defeat of the Angels and SEELE, though with the caveat that she spends the remaining year "learning to live". As part of this deal Rei now lives with Shinji, Misato, and, soon, Asuka.

Asuka Langely Soryu: The Second Child has yet to arrive in Tokyo-3, but (due to manipulation by Gendo, aided by Kaji) she has established contact with both Shinji (who she insulted) and Rei (who she tutors via satellite link). Gendo's exact plans for Asuka are unknown, though he has alluded to her being expendable. Gendo is not aware of Asuka's last stand against the Eva Series in the OTL, believing that she never recovered from her coma and that the Eva Series subsequently made quick work of her. As a result Gendo has a low opinion of Asuka's worth.

Misato Katsuragi: Misato figures prominently in Gendo's new masterplan, though her exact purpose is unknown. Gendo's early manipulations of history led Misato to feel that the Commander was undermining her job, though with the 5th Angel this may have changed. Gendo has revealed several of NERV's innermost secrets to Misato, including Lilith and the Eva Graveyard, though he has stated to Fuyutsuki that he is withholding "everything" from Misato until the Lance is retrieved from Antarctica. Gendo has also started to draw Misato into the inner circle of NERV, starting with ordering her to plan the covert operation against the Jet Alone as a test of character. Gendo has informed Misato of Kaji's true identity and he has given her as-yet unspecified orders in how to deal with him.

Ritsuko Akagi: Gendo has made no move with Ritsuko, save for tasking her with two new projects. The first is a study of the captured Ireul's S2 Organ. The second is a new Dummy Plug project of unknown purpose.