Mobile Fighter Evangelion [NGE/AU/Not a Gundam crossover]

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Note: the Angel in this episode is actually one of the concepts that didn't make it into the show:



/January 30, 2016/

/Kondo's Karaoke, Tokyo-3, Japan/

Another Angel, another spot of NERV propaganda. Like clockwork.

The camera was behind Gendo Ikari; he stood atop a cliff, looking quietly toward Sagami Bay. The Eleventh Angel was lumbering towards the shore. "An impressive specimen, is it not? For such a seemingly frail and spindly creature to move, its bones must be strong." With a supersonic boom, the Angel was shattered by Unit-02, nothing more than a red dot from his particular vantage point. "Ah. Not strong enough, it seems." Gendo turned towards the camera, a stripe of white liquid coating his upper lip. "They could learn from our example." The feed faded to black, leaving only the red logo of NERV; this time, the subtitle beneath the red leaf read 'GOT MILK?'

A round of chortles came from a group of rather distinctive individuals. Even clustered into a single parlor, the glass partition ensured that they stood out; Kondo's Karaoke consisted of a single reception area split into three long hallways, from which the karaoke parlors could be accessed. The décor within each parlor was straight out of an Edo-period castle, bearing fine wooden floors, exquisite furniture, and classical art. The wall-mounted television sets and single karaoke machine seemed out of place by comparison.

Almost as much as the men within this particular parlor; every last one of them a gaijin. Not that they cared.

"Boy, that one's a blast from the Nineties," said Dell Conagher, his fingers casually fiddling with a contraption rife with wires and blinking bits, its purpose utterly obscure. "Didn't think they had that commercial campaign in Japan."

"Ya know, it's probably why he chose it," said Tommy Patrick, balancing a hard-boiled egg on the tip of his bat. With a practiced flick, the egg went flying into his mouth. The Boston native chewed loudly, glancing over at his Scottish compatriot. "Hey Demo, why the grumpy face? Losin' your buzz already?"

"Aye," muttered Tavish DeGroot. "Ain't even blootered, and it's been yonks since ol' Heavy started his turn!"

"You cannot rush!" retorted Aleksander Kasparov; squinting down at the relatively diminutive karaoke screen, struggling with the song search due to his beefy fingers. "I am looking for particular song. Be patient!"

"Feh, I'd be more patient if I had a bevvy!"

"Cool your keister, you insufferable drunkard." A bodysuit-clad Pyro unlocked the door on the glass partition, steeping in with a tray full of bottles and cups, laden with a variety of saké and shōchū. "Here's the next round."

As the Demoman swiped the largest bottle, Henshin Obimura took a small porcelain cup and took a measured sip. "Hmm. A fair taste. Good selection, Shinobu."

The Pyro shrugged, turning towards the Heavy. "Still looking?"

"I said patient!" growled the Heavy.

"Will you lot stop antagonizing the bloody Russian?" grumbled David Lowrie, his eyes hidden beneath the brim of his hat. "Trying to nap here."

"You ain't even had that much. What, forgot how to hold your alcohol like a true Aussie?"

The Sniper just growled at the petulant Scout, uninterested in rising to the bait. "Still got the 'Annoying American' down pat."

"Ah, but mutual entagonissm iss vone of our hobbiess!" exclaimed Ludwigg, observing the Pyro with a small green scanner of sorts. "How iss ze suit holding up?"

"As ever. That new liquid solution cooked by Dr. Akagi numbs the pain a little bit better."

The Medic fumed. "Zat iss not vhat I vanted to hear! Vhat about ze new asbestos coating? I call it 'Super Asbestos'!"

"Doesn't that stuff cause cancer or some shit like that?" asked Tommy.

"Health concernss occur only iff zhere is expossure by inhaletion and direct skin contact. Voven vithin ze suit and lined vith an enti-abresive coating, zhere are no issuess!"

Shinobu Heisen shrugged, opening a small port in the side of their mask; out came a straw, by which the Pyro was able to drink. "Given everything else that's happened to me..." There was a long, drawn out sip. "Ahh, that hits the spot…anyhow, I would consider death by mesothelioma a plus."

"…well that's morbid," muttered Dell.

The Spy chuckled. "Look around." He gestured at all nine of them. "Given our experiences and line of work, morbid humor is a sign of being well-adjusted." He shot a glance over at John Doe, who had been rather quiet thus far. "Relatively speaking."

"Ha! Finally found it!" Aleksander quickly moved into position, holding the mic as daintily as he could. As the karaoke selection was made, it overrode the news feed on the wall-mounted television: the title of the song was 'Братья', translated as 'Brothers'. It opened with a woodwind playing softly, with the plucking of a harp serving as a simple background beat. His voice amplified by the speakers, Aleksander began to sing. "Прости меня, младший брат! Я так пред тобой виноват. Пытаться вернуть нельзя Того, что взяла земля…"

It was a rather somber-sounding song, but it was soothing enough to render an introspective mood to the Heavy's teammates. Finally, the Soldier broke his silence. "Boys, we've been through hell and back together. Through Impact and the Australian wasteland, through bandits and hooligans, through Nazis and Napoleon himself!" Everyone ignored his brief foray into fantasy at the end; they expected it by now. "I propose a toast to our team and the little lady that got us this far."

Ah yes. Misato Katsuragi. The successor to the old Boss. The last one had brought them together…but she was the one that had united them.

"To us!" They raised their drinks.

"May we live long enough to die fantastically," added Dell.

"Hear, hear!"

xxxx

/November 1, 2000/

/Emergency Capsule, Unknown Location/

Misato Katsuragi wondered about dying.

Honestly, it sounded pretty good.

Tracking time in the capsule had been difficult. Her view of the sky through the lone glass window on the hatch was impeded by the swaying of the ocean. She had actually taken to measuring the passage of days via bowel movements (and boy, the waste removal capacity on this thing left a LOT to be desired.) Her food supply could be described in one word: uninteresting.

But food was food, and she was running out.

She hadn't dared open the hatch. Twenty-four hours had passed. Then a week. Misato didn't want to open it, for fear of letting the ocean get in.

At least, that's what she had told herself.

The monotony, more than anything, was what was killing her. It left her with nothing to do but think. And thinking was dangerous. So she tried not to think, and settled for simply existing. It was preferable to thinking, because it meant not having to contemplate her father's actions, and exactly what those four giant wings had belonged to.

Her stray thoughts, whenever she allowed them to slip through, always came back to one topic: whether this was the end or not.

It might have been…and why wasn't she moving?

Misato blinked. The view through the hatch hadn't changed in a while. There was no swaying. Ergo, she had finally made landfall. "…huh. Crap-baskets."

Well, guess dying was out of the picture.

The thirteen-year-old gingerly sat up, twisting at the latches that had kept her sealed within. Pressure quietly equalized, and the scent of salty air began to permeate the capsule. With a grunt of effort, she pushed open the hatch, and emerged into the open air.

The first thing that caught her attention: trees!

Misato boggled; there was no sandy beach or rocky shore to mark the barrier between land and sea. There were simply trees, grassy soil, then boom! Ocean! She could even see the change in elevation marked by trees, as the tops were poking out of the water. "…what happened?"

"Wark."

Misato screamed. An understandable reaction, hearing the sound of another living being for the first time in weeks. She whirled around, staring at the source…and immediately squealed. "Oh my gosh, you are adorable!"

A two-foot tall penguin stared at her with turquoise eyes, dark blue and white plumage contrasted greatly by the twin red crests atop his head. He was latched onto the side of the capsule with a set of claws emerging from his flippers. He tilted his head, looking quietly at Misato. As though observing her.

So Misato observed back. And noticed an odd scar beneath the neck, bumpy and scarred over. "Wonder what did that to you?"

"Wark."

"…right, talking to a penguin." Get it together Misato. She quickly delved back into the capsule, rummaging through her remaining food and water supply, packing as much as she could into her backpack. She hoisted herself over the side of the capsule, stumbling onto the wet ground. "Ow ow ow ow…!" Walking felt weird. Her whole body felt uncoordinated. "Sorry, not making a good first impression am I?"

The penguin stared.

"...still talking to a penguin. Right." Well, why not?! She literally had no one else right now. "A buddy is a buddy, after all." So, first things first: find another human being! With her mind made up, Misato gingerly walked on, her muscles burning quickly due to disuse. "You can come along if you like!" she shouted over her shoulder.

The penguin followed.

It didn't take long before Misato found a road. "Yes! A gateway to civilization!"

The first sign she found dampened her enthusiasm. The picture of a pelican flying over a river was nice, but the English words were less so:

Welcome to

GENOA

Gateway to VICTORIA

and the

WILDERNESS COAST​

Misato mouthed the unfamiliar words out. Genoa? Victoria? "Where the hell am I?"

xxxx

Episode 20: The Case of Misato Katsuragi ("His last wish was for me to take care of them.")

xxxx

/January 31, 2016/

/Katsuragi Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

Feathery touches along the abdomen roused Misato from her slumber. "Mmm…too early…"

"Mah, someone's gotten lazy in her old age."

The purple-haired vixen scowled, opening her eyes just enough to give Ryoji Kaji a nasty glare. "I wouldn't exactly call last night the actions of an old lady, would you?"

"Well, age does tend to bring experience."

"Har har."

To the uninitiated, Misato's bedroom spoke of a typical slob: scores of magazines, piles of dirty clothes, and cluttered with old knick-knacks. To which she would reply: yes. Yes it was. It wasn't something that she was proud of, per se; it was just…nostalgic. Besides, she kept the stuff from spilling out into the rest of the apartment; no harm, no foul!

Kaji smirked, pushing himself up with his arms. The morning sun filtered through drawn curtains, dust particles dancing in the rays. The scant light scattered across their bare skin, barely showcasing blemishes they were all too aware of. He ran calloused fingers across thin scar tissue along the side of her hip, ghosting his way up her torso before coming to a stop at pale flesh, nestled in her bosom. "So, have we finally caught up?"

"I don't know. Feel like telling me what in the world you've been up to since we last saw each other in Germany? Ritsuko wasn't kidding when she said your record was 'forged and altered and then some'." She glanced at him, her gaze heavy with suspicion. "Trust is a two-way street."

Kaji's perpetual grin faded, just a little bit. "…the road I've walked is a perilous one, Misato. To put it one way, I could make a tally of practically everything you've been through since returning from Australia in 2005. As for me? The whole concept of 'public records' doesn't quite apply to what I've been up to."

Misato scowled. "Any information you have that can help me do my job better would be appreciated."

"It's not just about that; there are a lot of different parties that want a piece of NERV. Some of their agendas make sense, and others are…murky, to put it mildly. And every single one of them have some means of making your life miserable if they felt like it."

"I'm a big girl, Kaji."

"I know you are." He looked appreciatively at her form. "A very big girl."

"Perv."

"But to put it another way…until I know the whole picture, until I see exactly how deep this little rabbit hole goes…I don't want to put you in danger unnecessarily. Especially when you have a bunch of kids to look after and a war against extraterrestrials to run."

Misato let out an exaggerated groan. "Don't remind me."

"What I told you years ago is still the same: I'm still looking for the truth. That's one thing I've never backed away from."

"What is your obsession with truth, anyway?"

Kaji grinned. "Tell me, my dear Misato-chan…do you still believe in Santa Claus?"

Misato blinked. "Eh?"

"For children, belief in Santa Claus tends to make them behave very morally, and it tends to make them very happy. Because hey, if you've been a good boy or girl, you get presents for Christmas! And morality and joy are two incredibly important things in everyone's life. And I'd wager that if more adults believed in Santa Claus, they'd be more moral, and more happy. So why don't they?"

"…because he's not real."

"Exactly," said Kaji with a knowing smile. "Truth. Trumps. Everything."

The buzzing of a phone broke their little reverie, prompting Misato to reach over to the handset on her nightstand. "Go ahead…yes…okay. I'll be there ASAP." The flirty girl quickly gave way to the Lieutenant Colonel. "Duty calls." She flipped her long legs and swung down, using their momentum to fling herself off the bed. "We'll have to continue this another time."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

xxxx

/November 28, 2000/

/Nullica State Forest, New South Wales, Australia/

The past four weeks had been…interesting, to put it mildly.

Misato and her penguin compadre had been following the main highway, marked 'A1' ; she had eventually ended up in Genoa shortly afterward, which had had nothing to its name other than a general store, some tiny houses, an old hotel, and a few landmarks. First item of note: the utter lack of people. There had been no vehicles, and none of the televisions she'd tried carried a signal. The awkwardness of breaking into other people's houses had gone away very quickly once she had realized their current vacancy. It was as though everyone had just up and left. But this had meant easy access to better food, bottled water, and clothing, so it had been a plus overall in her eyes.

Her fingers trailed along the holster strapped to her thigh, brushing against the grip of a .45 ACP Mann Co. pistol; her repeated "B&E" sessions had even netted her a handgun and a metal baseball bat. But above all else, the procured items that had been the most useful: reference guides, with maps! Literal lifesavers, especially given how often she'd had to go off-road.

The young teenager sighed, seeing the flooded section of the highway ahead of her. A large bay could be seen to the east, her first sight of open water since getting out of the capsule. "Okay Pen-Pen…looks like we have to hoof it again."

The little penguin looked at her, his movements ruffling the sky blue handkerchief wrapped around his neck. Messily etched onto it with black marker was the phrase 'PEN^2'. "Wark."

Second item of note: all of the hiking. Whatever had happened – and she had a sneaking suspicion that the…thing…in Antarctica hand a hand in this – to cause all of this flooding, it always meant going off-road. And although that wasn't bad, it did have its own share of problems.

Misato reached into one of the pockets of her pilfered cargo pants, held in place with a triple combo of belt, tape, and suspenders. She unfolded one of her many maps, trying to determine her exact position. "Alright…judging by how far we've gone today…" She knelt down, reaching back into the same pocket and grabbing a fine marker. She slowly etched her best guess for how long they'd traveled; places on that map that were now submerged were blotted out. "…we're right around…" She squinted, trying to read the English letters aloud. "T…T-Twofold Bay."

Third item of note: as it turned out, she had landed in Australia! Who would've thought?! Not exactly a place she had ever imagined wanting to visit, but here she was! And she hadn't run into a single Australian yet!

Okay Misato…keep it together. Exhaling, the teenager reached behind her, tightening the knot of the large olive t-shirt she was wearing. She then readjusted the red bandana over her forehead, wrapped in a traditional hachimaki style. So long as she kept moving, so long as she focused on surviving…she wouldn't have to think too hard. "Let's keep going Pen-Pen."

"Wark!"

Misato blinked, looking down at the penguin that was poking her in the thigh. "What is it?" She followed his gaze out towards the bay, blinking at what looked like large fish hopping up and down in the water. Upon a closer look, she recognized the creatures. "Dolphins…?"

One of them cackled, zooming towards the shore. Then, in defiance of all logic, a pair of fleshy membranes extended from its side, flapping wildly so that it could gain altitude.

Misato gaped. "Oh…"

A growl from behind caught her attention; she turned around, frowning as a rather large canine emerged, its fur a reddish brown color. If Misato's handy reference guide on Australian fauna was correct, that was a dingo...except this dingo had bony plating protruding from its skin, covering the skull and spine with menacing protrusions. It also looked rather angry. "…crap."

Fourth item of note: Misato had come to the conclusion that Australian wildlife was absolutely insane! That had already been made abundantly clear last week, when an entire flock (herd…stampede…?) of platypuses had streamed out of the woods two weeks ago, diving into a creek that had flooded the highway and making their way out to the ocean. And that wasn't counting all of the creepy bugs!

Misato steeled herself, trying her hardest to ignore how hard her heart was pounding. "Okay Pen-Pen…can you get the dingo?"

"Wark."

"I'll take that as a yes." Misato reached over her shoulder, pulling out the metal bat that was sticking out of her backpack. She held it with two hands, gripping as tightly as possible, if only so she could ignore how faint her limbs felt. "I'll get this…sky…dolphin…thing."

"Wark."

The armored dingo and the sky dolphin charged at the same time. Pen-Pen looked quietly at the charging canine, looking way too calm in the face of a predator. With a howl, the dingo leapt at its prey.

SHICK!

Seconds later, its body was curled up on the ground, blood leaking out of puncture wounds in its neck.

Fifth item of note: somehow, despite being a penguin, Pen-Pen had extendable claws. Claws that were incredibly sharp.

Pen-Pen was awesome.

"Wark."

"Good job boy." At least, Misato hoped he was a boy. She didn't really know how to determine the sex of a penguin. "Now it's my turn." The sky dolphin was getting closer, fully intent on dive-bombing her. "You can do this…" Her breathing wouldn't slow down. Why?! "You can do this…!"

The sky dolphin chirped with rage.

Screaming, Misato dove to the side, letting the airborne aquatic mammal crash into the pavement. Before it could re-orient itself – why didn't it go splat?! – Misato reared her bat up and began battering the beast. Before long, her screams were no longer panicked, but angry; enraged; furious. The tension in her body seemed to leak out with each blow, tension that had been slowly building up with each passing day since Antarctica. At last, after a seeming eternity, the young teenager kicked the dead dolphin in the head, howling at the corpse.

"Wark."

The spell was broken. Misato panted, looking back at the bay; the other dolphins didn't seem too interested in going for round two, so they just yipped angrily at the duo before diving back into the water. The purple-haired teen sunk to her backside, exhaustion suddenly plaguing her. "Okay…wow…um…" She looked warily at her penguin compadre. "I…don't really know where that came from."

Pen-Pen looked back towards the woods, an odd expression in his eyes. He then stepped in front of Misato; before she could ask, an answer emerged in the form of seven more of those armored dingoes. "Oh." That…wasn't good. Am I going to die? Her mind was too fogged with adrenaline and weariness to comprehend the peril she was currently in. Am I really going to die here?

The seven dingoes' teeth were bared, eyes bloodshot with an unnatural rage.

But before they could even move forward, they all looked back towards the forest, their ears erect with alarm. Something was coming, barreling through the forest with great speed.

And that something yelled.

"SAXTON," That thing was a man, and he emerged into the open in midair, having jumped off of a low-hanging branch. "HAAAAAAAAAAAALE!" He landed with his elbow extended, dropping on the neck of one of the dingoes. Improbably, his elbow drop cracked the protective bone over the skin, killing the animal instantly. The other six dingoes snarled, hackles raised as they circled the man. He stood up, flexing massive hands as he boasted, "You tried to run, little puppies, but no one runs away from me unless I let them!"

What happened next would constitute a sixth item of note for Misato Katsuragi.

Out of nowhere came this muscular, mustachioed man, wearing nothing but heavy-duty boots, a wide hat lined with crocodile teeth, cut-off jean shorts...and he proceeded to fight those dangerous dingoes with his bare hands.

Two dingoes leapt at him, their attack halted as he grabbed their necks in midair. He slammed their skulls together; once, twice, thrice, before flinging them at one of the other dingoes. He leapt over the beast that tried to bite at his calf, grabbing it by its hind leg and using it as an impromptu flail to pummel the other dingoes into submission.

All told, it took him less than forty-five seconds to kill the remaining dingoes.

"Ha ha ha! I've fought koalas tougher than you lot!" The man turned around, grinning at the flummoxed girl and silent penguin. "And good day to you!"

It was at this point that Misato realized his chest hair was shaped like the country of Australia itself. "…I think I've gone insane."

"I wouldn't be surprised," casually answered the man. "So! The name's Saxton Hale, CEO of Mann Co., and a man who always enjoys the sight of nature proving hippies wrong! What's your name, and why in the world are you out here alone?"

Well, that was quite the question, wasn't it? "Um…long story?"

"Well, a long story deserves to be told with good food and a stout beer!" He heartily patted Misato on the back, bowling her over with little effort. "Follow me to my camp!" He hoisted the corpses of the sky dolphin and two of the dingoes over his shoulders, turning back towards the woods. Having nothing better to do – and hey, he was an actual human being! – Misato and Pen-Pen followed him.

After thirty minutes of hiking through the forest, they came across an impromptu clearing amidst the red cedars; over twenty tents were arranged around a bonfire. Misato's ears twitched at the sound of chatter and conversation, and her eyes widened at the sight of humans; at long last, people! The realization that she was no longer alone made her knees feel weak. Before she could process the whole scenario further, Saxton Hale bellowed. "LOWRIE! I bring fresh meat!"

A long-faced man emerged from one of the tents, readjusting his slouch hat before wiping his machete with a weathered rag. "Just toss em' in here, I'll start getting the good bits." He frowned; Misato couldn't quite see his eyes behind his reflective shades, but he was definitely looking at her. "That ankle biter a new recruit?"

"Yes! Despite being a woman, she has enough testosterone to be a man's man!"

Misato didn't quite know whether to take that as complement or an insult.

The man named 'Lowrie' shrugged. He then looked to her side. "What about that penguin?"

Misato stared at the machete. She quickly shifted in front of Pen-Pen, trying her damnedest to look angry. "Don't you touch him. Or I'll touch you." She held her bat forward. "With this. All night long."

"…you're barking up the wrong tree. I don't crack a fat to brats." He held his tent flap open as Hale tossed the corpses in. "You seem like you'll do fine enough."

"HA! Indeed! She and her little friend seem to have great spirit!"

Misato yelped, whirling around to see the source of the thunderous, gravelly voice. A giant of man – holy crap, his hands were massive – looked down at her warmly, his jovial expression contradicted by his bald head and rough, bulky jaw. In his hands was the biggest shotgun she had ever seen. "Ah, you like? This is Natalya; she has big boom, yes?"

"Uh…yes."

"Ah, you have good eye for weapons! You will indeed do fine!" He patted her on the head with surprising gentleness, much more restrained compared to Saxton Hale. "I am Aleksander Kasparov! I am caravan's heavy weapons guy!"

"…caravan?"

"A traveling band of survivors that our dear 'Boss' decided to create on a whim." A French-accented voice grabbed Misato's attention; its source was a patrolling man in a suit that had seen better days. His face was covered by a mask, obscuring most of his features. A cigarette dangled from lips, barely illuminating his stubble. "We have been picking up more and more stragglers since starting on the outskirts of Melbourne. Our survival rate has only been around sixty-five percent, but we're still at a positive replacement rate." At the girl's dumbfounded expression, the man sighed before switching from English to a different language altogether. "You have been very lucky to survive on your own."

Misato boggled, before responding in kind. "You speak Japanese?!"

"I can speak in many languages." The man switched back to English. "Call me Mr. Smith. And I will warn you now that we drive a hard pace. The mutated wildlife permits no weakness, so neither will we."

Misato stared. She looked around the encampment; the other men and women were all wary, their eyes always looking this way and that. How often had they been attacked to get that kind of habitual reaction? Maybe going it alone with Pen-Pen is a better option. Then she remembered: seven armored dingoes. Nearly getting mauled to death. Yeah, screw that noise. "Don't worry, Smith-san; Pen-Pen and I can pull our weight."

"Wark."

"You'd better."

Now that introductions were kinda-sorta out of the way, Misato had a burning question that she needed answering. "So. Abandoned towns, flooded highways, crazy animals…what exactly happened? I'd think Australia would be less of a tourist trap if this stuff was an everyday occurrence."

The Frenchman took a long drag on his death stick. "Ever since September the 13th, it has been. At least, for Australia."

That day. Misato tried to hide her sudden dread. She did a poor job of it. "What happened?"

"Big meteor. It struck Antarctic. Boom," growled Aleksander. "Entire continent, gone. Great flood, like from papa's Scriptures. Nuclear war in India and Pakistan." He looked at Misato forlornly. "Last thing we heard before all broadcasts go down? Tokyo, destroyed by atomic bomb."

In the face of that sort of revelation, there was really only one thing that Misato could say. "...holy shit."

"Nothing holy about it," murmured Mr. Smith. A distant peal of thunder caught their attention. "Hmm. A storm is coming."

That was putting it mildly.

Later that night, in a ramshackle tent, she would belatedly realize that if Tokyo had been annihilated, then her mother was probably dead.

Sleep was long in coming.

xxxx

/January 31, 2016/

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"A storm is coming."

"I can see that, Ritsky," huffed Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi.

"No, you don't see." The blonde pointed harshly at the readouts showing on the screens and holographic monitors. "This entire region is in a high pressure area right now. Those particular cloud formations would never form naturally. And, given the odd readings the MAGI keep picking up…"

"Likely an Angel then."

"BINGO!"

"Lovely." Misato sighed, turning towards the rest of the command staff. "What's our current status?"

"Long-range monitors are reporting multiple outages in the path of the storm. EMP fluctuations are interfering with our ability to gain any actionable intelligence."

Hyuga's words were not what she needed right now. "Lieutenant Aoba?"

"One second…there." A live feed took over one of the larger displays, tinged with occasional static. Far to the west of Lake Ashi, the oncoming storm flickered with lightning. "Some of the men in Section 2 say that looking at it gives them a headache." Completely understandable: none of the flashes 'flowed' in the way that they should, halting and skipping around in a haphazard fashion akin to a malfunctioning strobe light.

"Photons aren't behaving the way they should. Rambunctious rapscallions."

Ignoring Ritsuko's comment, Misato turned and gazed up at her superiors. "Long-range recon is a bust. We're going to need a closer look. Permission to sortie the Evas?"

"Permission granted," said Supreme Commander Ikari.

xxxx

/January 7, 2001/

/Outskirts of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia/

Canberra had been a bust.

Despite being far enough inland and of a high enough elevation to escape the tsunamis, a fault line had 'decided' to open up underneath the country's capital, swallowing almost the entire city. The remnants that hadn't been obliterated were hosts to giant spiders the size of household cats.

No. Just no. No thank you!

A few stragglers had joined their caravan, but they had provided little in the way of current intelligence on the state of the country's government or military.

So Sydney had been the next stop. Sure, even though it was likely flooded, there was still the possibility of encountering an organized presence of some sort.

And they had.

Unfortunately, they could see gunfire from the distant suburbs, shrouded by a haze of large bats (grey-headed flying foxes, to be precise). 'Large as an auto', as David Lowrie had confirmed through his sniper scope. Bats that could also, somehow, breathe fire.

"…what the hell happened to this place?"

Aleksander patted David heavily on the back. "Something not of this world. Something unnatural."

"I look at it as nature at its most vengeful!" boasted Hale. "As much as I'd like to grab one of those beasts as a mighty steed, the locals will be as paranoid as hippies coming down from their high. We'll go the long way around Sydney."

"Understood Boss."

"Heavy! Sniper! Spy! Round up our little pups!"

Oh, and Misato had discovered that Saxton Hale liked giving titles to people. Even Pen-Pen. Even though his title was simply, 'the Penguin'. That seemed…way too straightforward. If there was a reference there, she was in the dark.

Speaking of darkness, the deepening twilight was making their continued trek riskier. Soon enough, they would have to set up camp for the evening; preferably in an old store or abandoned house that could be easily fortified. "How far away are we from this 'bunker' of yours?" asked a man with a rather impressive mullet.

"That you have to ask is a problem!" shouted Hale, seeing no need to lower his voice. "Our group is apparently unwilling to proceed. I'll need one volunteer manly enough to accompany me the rest of the way; if it's functional, that's where we'll rendezvous! If not, we'll simply move on!"

Misato quickly raised her hand. It was a simple decision for her: if nothing else, she learned that the safest place to be in any conflict was right behind Saxton Hale. "I'll go."

"That's the spirit!"

Misato looked quietly back at Pen-Pen, who was sitting calmly atop someone's rucksack. He was nibbling at the roasted leg of a giant scorpion. "Don't eat Pen-Pen while I'm gone!"

Everyone looked over at the penguin, who nonchalantly kept eating. Then there was a round of muted, good-natured laughter. "Penguin is too useful for eating!"

That's…good? Misato shrugged, following the boisterous Hale into the night.

As the duo traversed the quiet suburbs of Sydney, Misato kept a wary eye out; before Australia, never had she encountered a town – much less a city – without man-made lights that kept the dark at bay. The waning ambience of twilight would eventually give way to a starry night accompanied by the waxing half-moon; even so, it brought little comfort. Using a torch or a flashlight was out of the question, for fear of attracting more of the mutated wildlife…or unsavory survivors.

Walking past the corpse of a rocky wombat – its hide made tougher by the stone plating covering its softer bits – Misato finally worked up the courage to ask a question. "Hale-sensei…where's the international relief? Why hasn't Australia received any aid?" Heck, the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995 had received international relief, despite bureaucratic delays; Misato knew how the game was played. "Something this catastrophic would have gotten a response by now, right?"

"You know the answer, little miss."

Part of Misato did. But she didn't want to say it out loud. "Humor me. If you don't mind."

"Hah! I admire your moxie. Very well." Saxton Hale paused, taking the opportunity to grab the corpse of an Australian soldier – one of many around an armored carrier of some sort, its surface scorched and blackened – before chucking it over the roof of a nearby house. The clattering noise of its landing attracted the attention of a pack of armored dingoes, which scurried out of a nearby alleyway. "Stupid mutts. Anyway, imagine what it would take to keep, say…the Americans, from sending a token bit of charity to make themselves look good."

Misato grimaced. Now that Hale had said it, she couldn't help but think about it. The sheer scale of the disaster that had gripped Australia…who's to say that it hadn't hit other places just as hard? For all she knew, America, Europe, Russia…Japan…maybe the entire world had been similarly devastated. Is this all we have to look forward to?

Before long, Saxton Hale had led her to the parking lot of a small commercial complex; the side of the building was emblazoned with the logo of Mann Co. How did she know? Because the sign's lights were still active. "Ah, so the internal power is still active. Fantastic!" The duo quietly jogged over to the front doors, which were predictably locked. Misato pushed against one of the metal doors, wincing at how thick it felt. "One second, little miss." He then punched a panel by the side of the door; with a little electronic chirp, the panel slide aside, revealing a large panel, the size of Hale's torso. He then pressed his body against it, chest hair flush against the surface. With another chirp, an electronic voice sounded out: "WELCOME BACK, MR. HALE."

Misato stared. "Hale-sensei…you are seriously weird."

"A truly masculine security system is foreign to you Japanese. Trust me, I've worked with plenty! Why settle for a thumbprint or a retina scanner when you can use your fist? Or your impressive chest? Originality is manly!"

Well, she couldn't argue with that.

The metal doors slid up…and four laser sights pointed directly at them. Misato yelped, shocked at the whirring of gun barrels and humming electricity. Saxton Hale's heel smashed into the ground, flipping up a slab of concrete. With a loud grunt, he whipped the rocky chunk down the hall, smashing the four turrets to bits. "Wimpy machines! What kind of half-arsed security system is this?!"

"…well I'll be damned."

Further down the hall, past the wreckage of the gun turrets, a bald middle-aged man looked at them from behind a receptionist's desk, thick goggles on his face. There was a particular twang to his accent that Misato couldn't quite identify. "Never thought I'd see the CEO again."

"And you are?"

"Name's Dell Conagher. I'm an American defense contractor, working as a consultant for your company. Or was, before everything went belly up." The man rested his elbows on the desk. Where once were notepads and calendars and dark chocolate mints for visitors, now sat tools, firearms, and a small mini-fridge. "A lot of your employees tried to flee when stuff started getting rowdy, but some chose to stay. After all, the employee cafeteria had enough food to last us for a while. And it gave me an excuse to tinker."

"A man whose hands are idle can be called many things: lazy, lackluster, a lay-about…even a loafer! You do your country credit!"

Dell chuckled. "Ah, well thanks-"

"YAAAAARGH!"

Saxton caught a shovel before it strike him in the back of the head, reaching behind him with a smooth movement. The boisterous brawler heaved his attacker into the wall, causing him to crumple over in pain. Despite that, the smaller man – with a square jaw and a crewcut hairdo – tried to get to his feet. Unsuccessfully. Hey, as long as he tried, right? "If you're going to attack from behind, yell louder! Not even my old nanny would be frightened by that!"

"Ah…sorry 'bout that." Dell rubbed the back of his head wearily. "He kinda showed up two weeks ago. Likes to do guard duty. Useful fella'. Not all right upstairs, if you get my drift." He punctuated his point with a few light taps on his noggin.

"Given everything happening outside, who is?" asked Misato, eyeing the other man in silence. He was muttering to himself, eyes bloodshot and hands gripping randomly at his military fatigues. All in all, he didn't look like the very model of sanity. Which meant that, more than likely, he would fit right in with their ragtag group of ruffians. Geez, I'm getting too used to this.

Saxton Hale laughed. "Well spoken!"

WAY too used to this.

xxxx

/January 31, 2016/

/Downtown Tokyo-3, Japan/

"You know, I'm glad I've gotten used to crazy things. It makes the less crazy things easier to handle."

Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi's sentiment was not unappreciated; the fog had come out of nowhere.

Within a matter of minutes, the entirety of Tokyo-3 was smothered with water droplets, blocking out the sun. The oncoming storm was already meandering over Lake Ashi and Mt. Hakone, settling ominously over the downtown area. As spastic lightning flickered and thunder boomed from all directions – sometimes simultaneously – the electrical systems of the city went haywire.

The Geofront itself was well-protected, thanks to the properties inherent within the shell of the Black Moon. The city on the surface…not so much.

It was into this charged soup that Unit-00 emerged, its lone eye focusing intently on the storm that had invaded Tokyo-3. "I am detecting continuous and transient interference," said Rei Ayanami, unperturbed despite the haphazard energy bounding back and forth. "I will try and determine its origin."

"Just be careful Rei," cautioned Misato.

"Understood." The First Child moved forward through the streets, her Eva's right hand gripped tightly on a progressive knife. The fog was truly atrocious; she could barely see her hands. "Visibility is less than thirty meters." None of her sensors were functioning properly; it seemed more often than not that her left hand ended up brushing against the side of a skyscraper. "Something is wrong. I am walking straight along the road, yet keep running into obstructions."

Suddenly, her visibility expanded, and she felt water around her ankles. Rei looked down, recognizing her location. "I'm on the shores of Lake Ashi."

"…run that by me again?"

"I am standing in Lake Ashi." How did this happen? She had been moving north, away from the lake.

"…well, that's not good. Ritsuko?"

"We've got an Angel that warps space and time. Obviously!"

Misato huffed. "Great. Rei, get back to a duct. We're going to try something with Unit-02."

"Roger that."

"Asuka, Shinji, prepare to move out!"

xxxx

/July 9, 2001/

/New Maranoa Desert, West of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia/

"We must move out, малютка! The sandstorm is upon us!"

Misato snarled, leaping forward feet first. Her boots bounded off of a tapered face, eliciting a yelp from her opponent. "Almost got it!"

Her opponent leapt back, shaking his head furiously. The opponent being a kangaroo. With gnarled antlers the seemed more like the roots of an oak than the horns of a deer. Oh, and did she mention the four arms? That was kind of important.

"This is not best use of time!" protested Aleksander Kasparov. To the southwest, a vicious wall of sand was roaring northward, accompanied by the crackle of thunder and flashing lightning. Such sandstorms were a more common sight as one got further inland; what had once been greener lands and temperate biomes were now being consumed by dust and desolation.

"And what would you have us do?" dryly asked the Spy. Unlike a few of the others, Mr. Smith's title was one that he took to with relish. Ironic. "In case you haven't noticed," A brief click and a flash of sparks. He quietly lit a cigarette, eyes peering quietly at their 'hosts'. "We are still in the same situation we were in this morning."

Namely, their entire caravan being surrounded by over three hundred horned kanga-quads. The marsupials had been dangerous enough before Second Impact. Now they were downright monstrous. And they had seemed more than willing to trample the entirety of their group upon their awakening.

Fortunately, they had an expert diplomat. Or at least one that could speak marsupial. Kinda sorta. How Pen-Pen could communicate with the mutated kangaroos was beyond the entire group's ability to grasp.

Except Misato. She was learning to roll with it.

Which is why she was now in a one-on-one 'kickoff' with a particularly surly kanga-quad, fighting for the right of the caravan to move eastward unmolested. Why her?

"You call that a dive kick?! I've seen better dives from desperate blokes trying to beat the spread in a game of footy!"

Because Saxton Hale, that's why.

The kanga-quad balanced on his gray tail, huffing angrily at the young teenager. Misato flexed her fingers, trying to ignore the fact that the beast was two heads taller than her and probably outweighed her by over a hundred pounds. Thinking about defeat only ensured it.

That, and the double combo that was Post-Impact Australia and Hale-sensei had beaten the panic out of her.

The kanga-quad flexed his tail, thrusting forward with an impressive flying kick.

Misato dove, rolling under the marsupial mutant as he sailed over her. She quickly got to her feet, twisting her torso just right to bring her left leg up. The kanga-quad turned his head just in time for the edge of the girl's foot to smash against his face.

"Nice roundhouse!" cheered a rather young American, one of the newer members of the caravan. He whirled his bat excitedly, none too concerned about the possibility of whacking someone in the head. "Give im' another!"

The kanga-quad shook his head, glaring at Misato. It stood tall, apparently trying to intimidate her through size alone.

Damned if that didn't do the job though. Misato gulped, staring right back without wavering.

Then a glob of saliva slammed into her face.

The kanga-quad huffed, hooting a loud call to his brethren. As one, the troop of kanga-quads bounded off northward, leaving the caravan in peace. As the mutated marsupials bounded away, John Doe – who had taken all-too swimmingly to Hale's nickname of 'Soldier' – snapped, "A sloppy performance! You let the enemy get the last laugh!"

Misato slowly wiped the saliva off of her face. "Can we go now?"

Saxton Hale laughed. "You heard our fair champion! Let's move on!" He hopped atop the caravan's primary mode of transportation, Mortimer. Large enough to carry a few dozen people, and with several manufactured dwellings atop its bulk, he served as their mobile fortress.

Mortimer was also a giant millipede.

The sight of Saxton Hale taming the immense arthropod via piledriver was one that Misato would never forget. But that was another story.

If nothing else, her time in Australia had provided her with lots of stories.

Misato nestled into her vehicle of choice, a Mann Co. solar-powered motorbike. The particular slogan on the owner's manual was telling: 'Are you manly enough to take your power directly from the sun?!' Still, there was a particular device on it that simulated the sound of a combustion engine, solely to placate motor enthusiasts.

She had to admit, it was a very soothing sound.

And so it was that the caravan of solar-powered vehicles and one Mortimer thundered eastward towards Toowoomba, moving along Cecil Plains Road; once they cleared the impending woodlands – a place that the Sniper called 'Dunmore' – they would be able to see Toowoomba off in the distance. Hopefully there would be a greater sense of organization there, with at least some people with their heads screwed on straight.

Not like that group in Walgett, with their deviant acrobatics and perverted puppetry. "Makes me sick just thinking about it," muttered Misato.

"Wark."

"You said it." Misato glanced at her sidecar, wherein one penguin sat calmly. Even that image wasn't enough to move her anymore; it was just one little oddity in a sea of strangeness. "We've been through a lot, haven't we Pen-Pen?"

"Wark."

"You remember those burning hares that stormed the Sydney compound?"

"Wark."

"…was more thinking about how they nearly cooked us alive, not how much rabbit meat we had afterwards. We sure didn't lack for food, though!"

"Wa-wark."

"We can't always have fish."

Pen-Pen harrumphed.

"Don't sass me! I still remember what you did to distract those midget emus back in Dubbo, you have no room to act high and mighty!"

Pen-Pen stared.

"The Engineer has pictures."

"…wark."

Misato flushed. "D-don't change the subject! My love of beer has nothing to do with this discussion!"

"Wark."

"It's not my fault that Hale-sensei left his stash around after we celebrated freeing Marthaguy! Overthrowing that 'Joe' creep made everyone feel loose for a while!"

"Wark!"

"Oh whatever, you're not my dad."

And so it continued on in this vein.

Misato could never pinpoint exactly when she was able to start deciphering Pen-Pen's speech. It wasn't like she knew what each individual squawk, honk, or chirp meant…but she could understand him. His intent was apparent to her. And somehow, Pen-Pen understood everyone.

He was special that way.

The caravan rumbled through the forests of Dunmore, trying to stick to the road as much as possible; the sheer amount of spider webs that enveloped the canopy above was unnerving. Circular webs dominated the trees on one side of the road, with haphazard arrangements dominating the other. Above, they could hear occasional shrieking as various species of arachnids engaged in internecine warfare, while pouncing on any creature unlucky enough to cross through their domain (giant or otherwise).

Misato kept her bat handy in case she had to bash away any corpses that fell from the webs of war.

It ended up being seven corpses, by the way (at least those that threatened to fall on her; Hale-sensei's joyful howls indicated that he was happy keeping Mortimer's back clear of arachnids). The biggest was a black orb weaver with fangs as long as her head, even though the rest of its body in total was no bigger than Pen-Pen. Speaking of which. "Pen-Pen. Serious question."

"Wark?"

"Am I crazy?"

"…wark."

"It's just…last year, at this time? I was in school. Trying to make friends and failing. Trying to ignore how boring my life was." Trying not to think about the 'relationship' between her separated parents, if it could have even been called that. She still hadn't quite wrestled with the complicated reality that she would never see them again. "And now I'm driving a motorcycle through an apocalyptic wasteland, following a perpetually shirtless Australian guy, like it's no big deal." She swung her arm, her bat making a meaty smack against a falling arachnid. Make that eight corpses. "This should be a big deal. Yet after everything that's happened, I can't get worked up over it. Is that wrong?"

Pen-Pen stared. Then he sighed. "Wark, wark, wark."

"…you're right. I am being silly."

"Wark."

Misato giggled. "Of course you're right."

As they neared the edge of Dunmore's woods, Mortimer slowed to a stop, bringing the caravan to a halt. Misato slowly edged her bike to the front of the line, wondering what the hold-up was. Before she could ask, her eyes saw the answer.

Another group of vehicles – separate from their caravan – were in front of them, heading away from Toowoomba. A middle-aged man – late forties at least, judging by the gray in his beard and mustache – warily walked out of his OKA NT all-terrain vehicle. He was accompanied by another man clad in a white doctor's coat, gloved hands nervously fidgeting with his glasses.

Saxton Hale, naturally, approached alone. "You don't strike me as a coward, yet you're obviously retreating. Explain this unmanly contradiction!"

The bearded man sighed. "Well, if no one knew who you were before, they do now. President of Mann Co., I take it? Name's Joel. Where's your group headed?"

"Toowoomba."

"Not a good idea."

"Why?"

"Eh…" The doctor spoke up, looking a little out of his element. The particular accent was new to Misato's ears; she wouldn't learn that it was German until later. "Zet vould be because of ze encroaching vall of sentient coral."

"…not hearing a downside."

"Look," interrupted Joel, "don't know if you've been in the loop, so I'll get you up to speed. Shortly after Second Impact, the Great Barrier Reef invaded the coast. From what I've heard, every town from Cairns to Brisbane has been consumed. The Eastern Highlands have impeded some of its progress, but the roads made Toowoomba an easier target. And what the coral does to you…you don't want that for your people."

"…hearing a potential challenge. Still not a downside!"

"Boss, you might want to listen to the bloke," called out David Lowrie. He was staring through a pair of binoculars, and the grimace on his face said it all; despite Toowoomba being over ninety kilos away, his equipment was sufficient to at least get an overview of the city's skyline. "It's like the coral's having a naughty with the downtown area."

Saxton Hale snorted. "Pansies. Does the Reef have an easily exploitable weakness?"

Joel pointed at a heavily clothed individual atop a tractor trailer, their thick garb, goggles, and breathing mask obscuring their sex. The individual in question spouted off a gout of fire from their flamethrower. "Lots of fire."

Hale sighed. "Just our luck; not even a fun weakness!"

"Reefers can't exactly be punched to death."

"Well, that settles it then." Saxton Hale turned around, bellowing, "We are changing course! Next stop: Dalby!"

"Mind if our group tags along? You look like you been through crazier shit than we have, and extra manpower wouldn't hurt," offered Joel.

"Ha! Now you're speaking my language. You can never have enough manpower!"

And so the two groups – of which Hale's was the larger by far – warily intermingled, getting to know each other before the respective leaders could hash out any definitive arrangements. This was how Misato found herself in front of a black man with an eyepatch. "And what are ye lookin' at?!"

Misato blinked.

"So I'm a black, Scottish cyclops! Ye got a problem?!"

"…not really. Kinda got spat in the face today after dueling a kanga-quad, so I don't have the energy to argue." The penguin in her sidecar reached into a tiny mini-cooler, pulling out a bottle that Misato offered to the older man. "Beer?"

"…lassie. You and me? We're gonna get along jus' fine."

xxxx

/January 31, 2016/

/Downtown Tokyo-3, Japan/

"Tavish did what now?!"

"He's having us make our own brews as a class project. Dual credit with Shinobu Heisen's chemistry class, too!" admitted Asuka, her mind otherwise focused on the nigh-impenetrable fog around her.

"…gah…I'm gonna have to give them a stern talking-to."

"Shouldn't we be focusing on the operation?"

"Asuka's still moving into position. Besides Ritsuko, most of my days are spent playing parent to a bunch of grown-ass adults who should know better. Let me play parent for people who actually merit it for once!"

"Lieutenant Colonel. The mission."

"Er…right sir. Sorry sir." The Supreme Commander had decisively put a stop to all jocularity. "Okay Asuka. Since the Angel's AT-Field is warping the downtown area, you're going to try and un-warp it. Gradually though."

"Roger that!" Asuka's fingers tightened around the handlebars, her eyes firm with resolve. "Okay Mama, let's do this." An act of will, and her soul made its presence known upon the world through Unit-02. The strange sensations of the Angel's AT-Field tickled at her rib cage; her bones felt as if they had fallen asleep, pins and needles dragging through her. "Bleh, this Angel is unpleasant."

a storm is on the horizon

"Misato, what are the MAGI saying?"

"Inconclusive, but our sensors are starting to get a better reading. Keep going."

"Roger." Ever so slowly, her AT-Field intertwined with the Angel's, seeking out the proverbial sweet spot where the presence of Unit-02 would overpower its grip on reality. The haze around her seemed to dissipate-

Alarms blared over her intercom. "What the-?"

danger!

"Asuka, WATCH OUT-!"

A bolt of lightning erupted from the fog, smashing into Unit-02.

KRAKOOM!

xxxx

/November 29, 2001/

/Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia/

KRAKOOM!

Misato Katsuragi twitched at the boom of thunder. "I hate this place."

Saxton Hale howled with laughter. "Afraid of a little light show, my little apprentice?!"

KRAKOOM!

"When it happens every ten seconds? Try 'annoyed'."

The boisterous Boss slapped Misato on the back, amused by her discontent. "If you quiver in the face of a mere storm, what kind of man does that make you?!" He sauntered off, spreading his merriment despite the storm.

Misato sighed, gazing outside the shuttering windows of the parking garage. Sand and dirt blew through the industrial cityscape beyond the Mann Co. Mining Complex, pummeling the town without mercy. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed, echoing through the cavernous expanse of the parking garage; the mines and their associated infrastructure had been a blessing for Hale's caravan to rest and regroup after a hard trek through the deserts that seemed to swallow more and more of the Australian Outback with each passing week.

Misato made her rounds through the different levels of the parking garage, a sack full of water bottles hoisted over her shoulder. Several of their more enterprising mates were still disassembling long-abandoned vehicles, scavenging for parts to bolster their own battle-worn transports. Not surprisingly, the Engineer was among them. With each family, loner, or miniature grouping she passed, out came one or two bottles of distilled water. Given the distillery unit within the mining complex – connected to an aquifer deep underground – it only made sense to make sure everyone had some fresh water.

It was a little hard to ignore the admiring stares she got as she moved on, despite the minimal amount of small talk. Honestly? She didn't get it. So I hang out around Hale-sensei all the time. It's not like I make any decisions. It was only sensible; for all his eccentricities, Hale had managed to hold this caravan together through strength and sheer force of personality alone.

Given the volatile personalities in their midst, that was saying something.

Misato finally made it to the bottom level of the parking garage; the entrances were shrouded by the massive form of Mortimer, who was wrapped protectively around the building. A gaggle of the caravan's younger children were gathered around the arthropod's colossal head, handing him sticks and shrubbery to munch. Pen-Pen diligently stood watch. "You kids doing all right?"

"Yes ma'am!" exclaimed the kids.

"Pen-Pen?"

"Wark."

"Hey, I don't need that kind of tone." She glanced at Mortimer, placing a hand on his jaw…lip…thing. "How about you, big guy?"

Mortimer's mouth parts clacked together in what could be construed as an appreciative chirp. His giant antennae brushed around her affectionately, prompting her to giggle. "Okay okay, I get it Morty-kun." The giant millipede was a big softy, surprisingly enough. Like a puppy that was way too eager to please. She looked at one of the older kids, a girl with dirty blonde hair and a heart-shaped face. "Sarah-chan, have you seen your dad anywhere?"

"He's over at the guard station, Miss Misato."

Misato made a face at her. "Come on, I'm only like two years older than you!"

"More like three. Isn't it your fifteenth birthday in nine days?"

Misato snorted. "You're totally not being cute right now."

KRAKOOM!

"...I'll be going."

"Take care, Miss Misato!"

The purple-haired teen made her way to the guard station right by the entryway, where Joel had situated himself. Magazines that had once occupied gatekeepers on a slow day were now being devoured by a man desperate for new reading material. "Kind of funny; you never realize how much you miss the news until the presses come to a halt."

"I guess." Thank goodness her English skills had improved over the past several months, by necessity if nothing else. Misato glanced over the variety of periodicals, mostly related to sports, guns, and news. One cover in particular caught her eye. "No way." She grabbed the business magazine, marveling at the sight of a well-built man, dressed to the nines in a sharp, dark business suit; it was the most clothing she had ever seen on Saxton Hale. "Hard to believe there was a time that Hale-sensei wore a shirt, much less a suit."

"Even the CEO of Mann Co. had to play the part," said Joel, his eyes focused on a months-old rugby article. "Sometimes, I get the impression he prefers our new 'way of life'."

Misato opened her mouth to protest. Then shut it after a few moments of thought. Saxton Hale, businessman? "…you have a point there."

"You think he's wrong?"

"Hmm…sort of."

"But not completely."

"Well…" The chaos wrought by Second Impact was undeniable. The death toll and havoc were catastrophic. They had all experienced too much horror to even think of saying that this world was better. "But…" And yet there was always a silver lining. "Everyone in this group…crazy as we are, I like them." Her hands brushed across her arms, toned with lean muscle; her body had been forged into something new by the crucible that was Post-Impact Australia. "And I like who I am now. Does that make me a bad person?"

Joel shrugged. "That's the thing about being human: if we've got something to fight for, surviving ain't that hard. Far as I can tell, you've got a good head on your shoulders. And I'm not the only one who thinks so."

"…thanks, Joel-san."

A petite, scarred hand knocked on the post by the guard station. Misato and Joel to see a middle-aged woman with rather messy brown hair, held in place with a blue bandanna. "Hey kiddo." She ruffled Misato's hair before turning her brown eyes towards Joel. "Texas."

"Found somethin' Tess?"

"A minivan that hasn't been pulled apart by our pack of scavengers yet."

"Huh. Well, it definitely sounds more romantic than our last outing."

"In what world is a junkyard romantic?"

"I try to keep it simple."

Tess smirked. "See you soon."

As the woman walked away, Joel had an odd little smile on his face…until he turned and saw Misato's mischievous grin. "You are too young to know what she's talking about."

"Uh huh. Now try telling me that again. And be convincing." For her snark, Misato got whacked on the forehead with a rolled-up tabloid.

"Smart aleck kid." Joel couldn't quite keep the smile off of his face as he left the guard station.

Misato giggled, abandoning the guard station herself to find more familiar territory.

KRAKOOM!

Now if only the weather would behave!

"-ah cannae help it, ye dobber!"

Speaking of behaving (or the lack thereof), Misato found a very familiar group of men, gathered around an open barrel. A small fire had been started within it, situated under an open ventilation grate so that the smoke would dissipate; speared on skewers were bats procured from the mines, flesh roasting and smoking. Tavish DeGroot – nicknamed the Demoman – was bantering with Hale-sensei, surrounded by Mr. Smith the Spy, Aleksander the Heavy, David Lowrie the Sniper, John Doe the Soldier, and Tommy Patrick the Scout (some still insisted that he should've been titled the 'roadrunner'). Tending the fire was an individual who had originally been part of Joel's group, nicknamed the Pyro.

To this day, Misato still hadn't figured out if Pyro was a man or a woman. Their given name – Sam Hayden – wasn't helpful either. Pyro seemed to get a kick out of keeping people guessing.

"Do ye realize how much of a walkin', talkin' stereotype ah am? My maw and da moved us from Scotland…and we went ta New Zealand…ta be SHEEP FARMERS! Ah'm a living punchline!"

Saxton Hale was nonplussed. "And are you content?"

Tavish stared. And then his lip trembled. "Aye…ah like bein' me. Even if it seems huddy, ah really do!"

"Then why apologize? If you like being a stereotype, embrace it! Look at me!" Hale promptly backhanded the Spy, causing the Frenchman to yelp. "I just hit that man because I felt like it! And a manly man makes no apologies when his fists go flying!"

"Uh…why?" asked the Scout.

"Because a man's word his bond, and a man's man speaks with his fists!" bellowed Hale. "My preposterous testosterone makes people uncomfortable, but I accept it! So accept your Scottishness! Accept your blackness! Accept your cyclops-ness! But above all else, accept your manliness!"

"…ye give the daftiest speeches." The Demoman grinned. "But mehbe ah'm just enough of a bampot to work with it."

"…say, did your family ever have any race horses?" asked the Sniper.

"Aye."

"Know why they were so fast?"

The Demoman frowned. "…why?"

"Cause they saw what you did with your sheep."

Everyone stared at the Sniper. The Demoman glared…until a smirk crossed his lips. "At least ah dun need a sniper scope to see me own knob!" Everyone then stared at the Demoman. The Sniper scowled…and then the two burst into laughter, as did the rest of the group.

Except for Misato. "What the heck is a knob?"

"It's Scottish slang for penis," rasped a deadpan Pyro.

"Oh." Misato blinked. "Oh. UGH!" Her face curdled with disgust. "Geez you guys, I'm a young lady! You should at least try to be…decent…PFFFFT!" Her cheeks bulged with restrained laughter. "Okay, sorry, couldn't say that with a straight face…you guys, being decent?"

Everyone stared at Misato. Then they all laughed some more, enjoying a joke at their own expense.

In times of danger and peril, humor was still humor.

The Scout wiped a tear from his eyes. "Man oh man, I woulda missed out on all of this." He gazed at the Heavy, a question coming to mind. "I got stuck here cause I was on vacation. But what brought a big guy like you to the Land Down Under?"

Aleksander chuckled. "I was associate lecturer at University of Melbourne. My focus was in Russian language, literature, and history!" Quite a few of the relative newcomers looked dumbfounded. It was not the first time he had gotten that reaction. "I know, I know: I don't give off that impression, no?"

"That's putting it mildly," said the Soldier.

"I love my country," said the Heavy with a wistful tone. The flickering flames were just enough to reveal the nostalgia in his eyes. "Empire, Republic; Communism, Capitalism; the people still remain. And I wanted to share that love with people outside of Mother Russia!" His smile faded. "Did not even make it six months before Impact happened."

"…at least you have a home." Everyone turned towards the Soldier, his eyes hidden by his old-fashioned infantry helmet. "I feel like being a soldier is what I'm meant to be. But every single day, my past changes. Was I active duty? Was I honorably discharged? Was I a traitor? Was I in a nuthouse? Was I an overzealous history professor? Was I a policeman? And on and on." He crossed his arms, roughly leaning back against a truck tire. "I don't really care about keeping track of it all. But I do wonder sometimes."

Everyone stared. "Shit, man," murmured the Sniper.

Misato sat down beside the Solder, giving him a reassuring pat. "I don't know who you used to be, but I know who you are now: the guy who fired a rocket at the ground he stood on just so he could launch himself into a wannabe warlord." Among other things. But that had been one of Misato's most cherished memories of John Doe in battle. "That's the kind of guy I want on our side!"

"Compliments won't make me cry," muttered the Soldier, conspicuously tilting his helmet further over his eyes.

Misato smiled. "Well, let's keep the ball rolling!" She glanced over at the Pyro, form shrouded in thick clothes and bandages. "Sam Hayden…if that is your true name-"

"It's not."

"…um, right." Misato blinked. "So…what's your deal?"

"…well, since it seems to be story time…" The quiet, almost androgynous voice of the Pyro commanded everyone's attention. "I was a forensic scientist. Brisbane. Burn victims were my specialty." Sam held up their gloved hand. "Had a rather unfortunate accident. Now I'm unpleasant to look at, to put it mildly." They slowly shifted aside part of their facemask, revealing a patch of skin on the cheek rife with white and yellow color. "Immune system already compromised from birth. Makes healing nigh-impossible. Mostly second-degree burns. Some third-degree, but not entirely. Wasn't lucky enough."

"…how the bloody 'ell is that lucky?" asked the Demoman.

"Third-degree burns are painless. Second-degree burns aren't."

"…how do you stand moving?" asked Misato.

"With difficulty." The Pyro shrugged. "I've gotten used to it."

"…that is the most metal thing I've ever heard," muttered the Scout, awestruck.

"It'd be a lot less tolerable if our dear Medic hadn't decided to experiment with kanga-quad blood." One couldn't deny Ludwigg Riemann was a little off, but damn if he wasn't good at what he did. "It's good stuff." The Pyro turned their goggled gaze towards Mr. Smith. "And what of you, oh-so-mysterious Spy?"

"Hmph." The Spy quietly flittered with his butterfly knife, as was his habit. With a decisive motion, the blade flipped back into its protective casing. "I was here to assassinate our dear Boss." Everyone, save for Hale, was suddenly quiet. "There was a reason his title for me was 'Spy'."

"…uh…"

"And no, I am not going to try and finish the job. The one who wanted him dead just-so-happened to perish in Melbourne, so I have no motive. Corporate competition can get a little heated."

The Boss bellowed with good cheer. "My one regret was that your former employer didn't have the stones to challenge me head-on! I would have preferred it that way!" To punctuate his sentence, he grabbed a skewer and promptly tore the head off of a bat with his teeth, jaw audibly grinding the winged mammal's skull and its gooey contents within.

A giggle crept past Misato's lips. "You guys…" What a motley crew they were. "You're all crazy." Would they have survived for so long otherwise? "But that doesn't matter." They had been willing to divulge their own stories. They'd taught her so much. "If I hadn't met Pen-Pen…if I hadn't run into Hale-sensei…if I hadn't met any of you…who knows where I'd be?" The thought of not knowing these people rankled. "Thank you. All of you."

"…why so serious, little one?" asked Aleksander.

"You've trusted this team enough to tell us about yourselves. I think it's time I finally return the favor." They all knew that she was from Japan; her accent and features made that an inescapable conclusion. What they didn't know was how she had gotten to Australia. "I was in Antarctica. Before Second Impact. Before everything went to hell."

And so she told them. Of her father's expedition. Of the ancient alien base. Of the four wings of light, a harbinger of the world's end.

Not a single one doubted her. They had seen too much to do so.

xxxx

/January 31, 2016/

/Shelter 3B, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"Now why do you doubt me, Mari-chan?"

In a shelter filled with Section 2 agents – one Haruka Aida among them – and worried civilians, an intense debate was going on in one particular corner.

Mari Langley-Sohryu gave Ai Suzuhara a stink-eye. "What are you, stupid? Repeat what you just said to me."

"My brother can beat your sister in an arm-wrestling match."

"Uh uh. Nope. Nein! Ska is way more acrobatic and athletic than Toji."

"So? Arm-wrestling is about strength. Toji is stronger than Sohryu-san. Done deal!"

"That second sentence is totally wrong. How is Toji stronger than my sister?"

"Cause Toji's a boy!"

Mari stared. "Rei Ayanami."

"You can't use Ayanami-san! She's like, one of those 'nephil' thingies we learned about in class. That's cheating!"

Nozomi Horaki intruded upon their little 'debate', hands gripping a tray filled with rice cookies. "Aida-san says we can have all of these if we'll 'shut our little midget mouths, cause otherwise I'll break something that's actually worth money.' Her words. Also Ai-chan, that's 'nephilim'."

Mari and Ai looked at the tray, saw the presence of chocolate chips, and came to unanimous decision. "We'll settle this later Mari-chan."

"Agreed!"

As the trio set about devouring the confectionary treats, Nozomi looked around the room, gauging the mood. Tense, quiet, and uncertain seemed to fit. "I wonder how the battle's going outside?"

"If the last Angel was any indication, my sister's probably kicking its butt." Mari bit through a particularly sweet chocolate chip, eliciting a happy little sound. "When Ska's in Unit-02, she's unstoppable!"

"Didn't your sister get stopped the first time they fought the Seventh Angel?"

Mari glared at Ai. "That was one time. It won't ever happen again!"

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"Unit-02 is out of commission ma'am. That bolt of lightning completely shorted out parts of the Eva's armor, and has locked down as a fail-safe measure."

Misato Katsuragi reacted to Miyata Ibuki's words in a fairly succinct manner that summarized her general feeling on the matter. "...crap-baskets." Okay, so the Angel's incapacitated our best Pilot. What are we going to do now? "Shinji-kun. Get Unit-02 to the nearest duct. We're going to need a new strategy."

"Yes ma'am!"

The Lieutenant Colonel scowled at the sight of Unit-01 trying to haul Unit-02 away from where it had fallen; were it not for the constant static and intermittent cuts in the footage, the charred hole in the red Eva's left shoulder would look far more gruesome. "So. We have a reality-warping Angel that's interfering with our electrical systems on the surface, and our attempt to end the warping triggered an automatic defense of some sorts. Am I in the ballpark?"

The hologram of a baseball being batted out of a stadium projected from Ritsuko's monocle. "You're in the ballpark."

"Great." So. The Angel's in there somewhere. That was clear enough; that lightning bolt had a definite source. The question: how do we get to it? "Hyuga."

"Ma'am?"

"Our ballistics. Can the MAGI track their trajectory, even if we lost contact during the flight path?"

The bespectacled Lieutenant frowned. "Hmm…for anything that doesn't have an onboard guidance system, unlikely. Or any kind of internal transponder, for that matter. Especially with all of the interference."

"So basically, the missiles in our defensive batteries…and the grenades on the Defender Gundams' rifles. Not to mention the Defender Gundams themselves."

Shiori Aoba arched an eyebrow at Misato. "You got a plan?"

"Just an idea, for now. Pen-Pen!"

"Wark?"

"Arrange all Gundams around the main storm cloud."

"Wark."

The purple-haired Operations Director didn't waste any time. "Aoba, I want the missiles in Groups C and E to fire at the cloud. Hyuga, disable the detonation charges. And I want at least two missiles to follow the same flight pattern!" The two Lieutenants looked oddly at each other, but proceeded to do precisely as their superior commanded.

One minute later, the Defender Gundams were arranged in an orderly lattice about the main storm cloud, their movements slightly janky due to the Angel's electromagnetic interference. Throughout the city, several missile batteries were aimed directly at the cloud.

Hyuga double-checked all of the figures. "Everything is ready, ma'am."

"Okay. Fire."

The batteries rotated, firing around twenty missiles in a staggered fashion. The dud projectiles soared into the cloud, their presence disappearing from all sensors. In a matter of seconds, they reappeared, flying in haphazard directions away from the storm cloud. A few projectiles slammed into nearby skyscrapers, while a good multitude sailed into the sky, harmless.

To a good deal of the Bridge staff, it was only further confirmation of the Angel's ability to warp space. What was Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi up to?

Misato glanced at Maya. "Did the MAGI track them all?"

"Yes ma'am."

"The two missiles that followed the same flight path. Where did they emerge?"

Maya quickly queried for an analysis. MELCHIOR provided an annotated video clip; despite the fuzzy picture, one could clearly see two missiles emerge from the same spot over Lake Ashi. "From the same spot."

Misato Katsuragi smirked. "So…it's not constantly changing everything. The warping is fixed. Perfect! I've got a plan."

xxxx

/December 31, 2001/

/Barkly Tableland, Southwest of Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia/

Misato Katsuragi gulped, staring down the dingo-sized fire ant, its pincers dripping with blood. Well, this is just perfect. Lost my handgun. Bat's too far away. No plan. And I'm alone. How am I going to get out of this?

How had she gotten into this mess?

It had been a standard day; she was slated for scouting duty of the Barkley Tableland, which now featured a multitude of ravines Post-Impact. The hilly savanna had already been sparsely populated prior to Impact, but it was important to map the area out. Misato's partner for the mission had been a guy named James; somewhat prissy, but an absolute wizard with chains. All in all, nothing had been sighted from afar, so it was considered a rather simple duty.

Well…they had been driving an uncovered jeep off-road. Not normally a problem, that's what jeeps were for. Not until a sudden sinkhole had caught the front wheel, sending the duo flying.

Misato had fared…decently. Her ribs felt bruised, and her handgun had apparently gone missing.

James…not so much. Misato had come to just in time to see a gigantic fire ant swinging James around, its mandibles lodged firmly on his neck. It had then curled up to deliver a vicious sting with its abdomen, right into James' belly.

Her impulse had been to pull her metal bat out of her backpack and start swinging.

The fire ant had caught the bat between its pincers and ripped it from her hands, tossing it far away.

Hence her current predicament.

Misato grimaced, shooting a glance behind James' corpse at the jeep; she had to get out of here.

The giant fire ant's mandibles clacked together right as it lunged at her. With a dexterous leap, she vaulted over the ant, landing beside James and grabbing his fallen chains. With a quick whip of her arms, she wrapped the chains around her fists and forearms, forming improvised gauntlets-slash-knuckledusters. She turned right as the fire ant jumped at her.

Pow!

Right in the kisser. The punch sent the gigantic insect sprawling but not for long. It immediately got to its feet, clicking angrily at her. She kept backing slowly towards the jeep, unwilling to take her eye off of the fire ant for a second.

With a sudden zigzagging motion, the ant was upon her, leaping into the air. She barely caught its mandibles between her chained hands before its momentum slammed her into the ground. Fighting off her increasing panic, Misato pressed her foot against the thorax, pressing up by just enough to save her life.

How?

When the ant's abdomen curled in to strike, the stinger only pierced her shirt instead of her sternum as well.

The venom still came, dripping onto her skin. Searing pain became Misato's entire world.

A hellish scream emerged from her throat, and adrenaline took over. Everything blurred and became nonsensical. At her next moment of cognizance, the fire ant was no longer a threat: its two mandibles had been torn off and pierced through its head, while the trunk between its thorax and abdomen was snapped in twain.

Okay. Good. It was dead.

Misato hissed, the alkaline venom burning on the skin between her breasts. She staggered over to the jeep, engaging the four-wheel drive and reversing out of the sinkhole. Gotta get back…gotta get home. She breathed heavily, staring back at the corpses of the fire ant and James. I should…take him back…

Then more fire ants emerged, crawling over the lip of a nearby ravine: most of them the size of dingos, with not a few as large as a convertible.

"…sorry James." She shifted into first gear and took off, trying to ignore the increasing pain on her sternum. Don't fall unconscious, don't fall unconscious, don't fall unconscious…!

Fun fact about regular fire ants: they could travel at about two inches per second on average. Scaled up to the size of a dingo, that translated to over forty miles an hour. It didn't matter that no insect ever attained such a size due to natural physical limitations: Second Impact had removed the 'un' from unnatural.

So it was that the fire ants caught up before Misato could get into a higher gear, their mandibles slashing at the jeep's tires. They blew, drastically reducing Misato's speed and likelihood of survival.

"…I'm gonna die." An ant clambered onto the driver door, poking its head through the open window. Her punch sent it tumbling. "I'm gonna die." There was no way around it. There was no way she could get back in time. Not even enough time to reflect either. "…this sucks."

Fortunately, today was not her day.

Over the upcoming bluff rumbled Mortimer, reins held by none other than Saxton Hale. The massive arthropod circled around the jeep, its massive legs crushing dozens of ants. The Boss let down a rope, his stance confident and grip sure. "Hurry up, sheila!"

Misato didn't have to be told twice. She crawled out of her seat, scrambling onto the hood of the jeep and jumping for the rope. She clambered up Mortimer's exoskeleton, falling on her knees besides Hale-sensei. "…how…?"

"Lowrie saw your jeep get in a bingle and radioed in. I was closest by, and boom, here I come to save the day!"

"…hurts…"

"Suck it up or I'll give you something else to focus on! You know what they say: pain is weakness leaving the body!"

"That's…stupid…"

"I thought I was the only one who thought that. After all, I've never been weak, so I'm a living counterexample!" boasted the haughty Aussie.

Mortimer rumbled underneath their feet. The master-apprentice duo looked around, noticing that the titanic millipede's legs were now covered with giant fire ants. "Bah, knew it wouldn't end so quickly. Those buggers are almost as tenacious as me!" He wrapped an arm around Misato's torso and leapt off of Mortimer's head, mere seconds before the millipede impulsively curled in on itself to defend its softer body parts. Alas, it was futile; there were simply too many ants.

The duo landed in a roll, kicking up dust and grass from the collision. Misato grimaced, gripping at the wound on her chest; even so, she couldn't help but look back as their trusty steed and comrade vanished underneath an increasing swarm of fire ants. "Morty-kun…"

"Heh. We're living on the edge, now. Literally!"

Misato looked over her shoulder; Saxton Hale was looking into the ravine that they had landed near. It stretched for at least four hundred meters one either side, and was about twenty meters wide: too long to move around, and too far to jump. Already, drones that had not turned their focus to devouring Mortimer were pursuing them diligently. "…what are we going to do?"

Saxton Hale smirked. "Heh. Life is a funny, yet cruel mistress; I spent so many years turning Mann Co. into Australia's greatest business." He cracked the knuckles on his right hand. "And I've tasted the finest brews in all of the Outback!" Left hand. "And yet…for all of it, nothing ever compared to the sheer joy of fighting. It was all I ever wanted to think about. Even with all that's happened since Impact."

Misato stared; what was he talking about? "S…Sensei?"

"But as soon I saw you with that penguin, facing down a pack of dingoes…I knew you had a destiny. A real ripper, too. Couldn't explain it if you asked for a reason, but it's what my gut says. And a man's gut is the way to a man's heart, after all!"

This speech was starting to rhyme a little too much for her liking. The parallels with her father's last words were uncanny, and foreboding. "Sensei, stop it."

"You also have good sense about you. You've done your best to look after everyone in our little rat pack. And, as unmanly as it is, you have the sense to know which risks are worth taking." Hale's grin was a little too wide, just a touch too teethy. "Me? I can't stop thinking about waling into those ants. My blood's pumping hard just thinking about it!"

"Sensei-!" Misato's retort was cutoff as an unfamiliar weight settled on her head. She looked up and froze; it was Saxton Hale's hat. "What are you doing." It wasn't a question, for Misato was not confused; it was a statement, for her dread was all too certain.

"There's a reason I took you under my wing." He glanced beyond the edge of the ravine; far in the distance, he could spot a few vehicles from their caravan approaching. He turned back towards his apprentice, staring her dead in the eyes. "After all…there can be only one Boss."

Before Misato knew what was going on, she was sailing over the ravine. She yelped upon landing, rolling haphazardly in the grass. Staggering to her feet, Misato's eyes were wide with fright, her limbs numb with terror; Saxton Hale stared resolutely at her from the other side. "Sensei!"

"You take care of those losers for me! Show that lot what it means to be a real man!" With those last words said, he turned back towards the encroaching horde, mandibles clicking ravenously. "Okay you sorry sack of bugs…HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!" He barreled into the onslaught, fists flying with abandon.

Tears pricked at the corners of Misato's eyes. She dared not look away, out of the sheer foolhardy hope that he would find a way out. He always had before. Always! Yet…and yet…as his body vanished from sight, seemingly overwhelmed by the growing army of giant ants, her fear gave way to sorrow. "SENSEI!!!!!!"

xxxx

/January 31, 2016/

/Downtown Tokyo-3, Japan/

"Yes sensei, this is an excellent plan boss-lady, I will do everything you ask, Katsuragi-sama."

"Quit being a smart aleck, Mana-kun."

"Apologies Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi. My sister is merely excited."

Mana Kirishima grinned within the cockpit of the Shining Gundam. "I'm only being somewhat sarcastic." The thought of using their beam sabers against the Angel was exciting; it was a legitimate chance to test out their new weapons (and if Gendo Ikari's little monologue about her being replaceable hovered in the back of her mind…well, that was just another motivating factor). Perhaps they would be sufficient to pierce the Angel's AT-Field?

"Just stick together on your flight path. If you end up outside of the cloud without contact, pick another one. Let us know immediately if you find anything."

"Wark."

"Roger," said Mayumi Yamagishi.

"Roger!" Mana looked around; her sister's Rising Gundam was right behind her, with over two dozen Defender Gundams arranged in a staggered pattern around the main cloud. Further afield were Unit-00 and Unit-01.

"Move out!"

At Katsuragi's command, the Gundams all delved with abandon into the proverbial belly of the beast.

xxxx

/February 14, 2002/

/Camooweal, Queensland, Australia/

Mount Isa had had to be abandoned.

The fire ants had gotten closer and closer, until the threat of the massive colony was too dire to ignore any longer. Thus, their home for over two months had been left behind.

It had been a hard decision to leave such a stable, well-defended town with relatively easy access to resources that could be used for bartering and tool casting. Not a few of their people had elected to remain behind.

Most had followed Misato's lead.

It was almost a cruel joke. Just because she wore 'The Hat', that made her worthy of leadership?

Over a hundred miles northwest of Mount Isa, along the Barkly Highway, they had finally stopped in the small town of Camooweal. The lack of people and prevalence of bleached skeletons had been easily explained by the acid-spitting eaglehawks that congregated there. A few days of work by the Sniper had taken care of that threat, so the town was essentially theirs. Everyone had quickly and methodically searched the buildings within the city limits, gathering food, ammo, weapons, and other supplies of value. Of particular value had been the tiltrotor aircraft found in the hangar by the town's lone airstrip.

It had been a particular punch to Misato's gut to see Mann Co. emblazoned on the side. Apparently, judging by the available logs in the hangar, Saxton Hale had donated it to the Royal Doctor Flying Service.

Dell Conagher and a few other more 'enterprising' types had taken to it with gusto to see if they could get it flying. If not, it would make for great scrap.

Still, it was perhaps no surprise that Misato had elected to claim the hangar as her particular residence. From the small radio tower, she would be able to get a good view of the town and surrounding area; tactically, it was a good decision.

In reality, she might have been called a bit masochistic, willingly reminding herself of her greatest failure.

Drinking from a bottle of Hale's Most Pugnacious Porter probably didn't help.

"Wark."

Misato glanced over at Pen-Pen, who was staring pointedly at her. "We can't exactly talk about drinking laws when the government doesn't exist. Besides, it's not like people even younger than me never drank beer. DeGroot-san would be quick to tell you that." The Scotsman knew the history of beer quite well.

"Wark."

"It's only one."

"Wark."

Misato shot an annoyed glare at the penguin. "So? Do you actually have a problem, or are you just here to argue?"

Pen-Pen stared. With a small huff, the penguin waddled out of the hangar. If she didn't know any better, the little guy was indignant. Maybe he had a right to be.

Misato sighed, leaning back against the small table. Old maps and aviation charts had been swept aside to hold her weapons and Hale-sensei's Hat. Her eyes trailed slowly over old photos and medical documents; who had used this place prior to Impact? Had they lived their lives carefree? Had the possibility of death been far from their minds?

She traced the region between her breasts, wincing at the soreness; the Medic had done his best, but there would always be a scar to remind her of the deaths of James, Mortimer, and Hale-sensei above all.

Death was such an ugly thing.

So why couldn't she stop thinking about it?

"It is not good to drink alone."

The accented voice was familiar. "Aleksander-san."

The Heavy slowly walked into the hangar, his eyes showing a great deal of concern. "You have not been yourself."

Misato snorted. "Oh? And who says I'm not me? The man I called 'sensei' died! Who the hell says that I can't change from something like that!?"

"People can still be themselves, even if they change."

"Oh, trying to get philosophical on me?"

Aleksander did not let Misato's sharp tongue get to him. "Is it working?"

The fifteen-year old snorted, looking away from him and taking another long sip of her porter. The Heavy calmly grabbed a stool and sat beside her, his body looking comically large relative to the tiny chair. After a brief bit of silence, Misato said, "I don't get it. Why me?"

"Why you?"

"How the hell can anyone look at me as leader material? Sensei was Saxton Hale! His strength was ludicrous! He might not have been the most diplomatic type, but he was a damn better leader than I'll ever be! I'm just a teenage girl with a dead mother and daddy issues! Why should anyone ever call me the Boss?!"

"…do you think I am strong?"

Misato, breathing heavily from her brief tirade, pointed at his massive torso.

The Heavy chuckled. "Of course. But would that make me as accurate with rifle as Sniper? Or as fast as Scout? Or as good with explosives as Demoman? Or as good with surgery as our Medic?"

"…"

"People have different strengths. Size of muscles is not everything! On physical side, you are limber, agile, and good with handgun. But inside, you have strong heart and strong spirit. Those are strengths too."

"…then why are you saying I'm not myself?"

"You have not mourned. You are passionate young woman. So mourn."

"…Hale-sensei wouldn't have mourned."

"Old Boss had different strength. You are Misato Katsuragi. You are new Boss. Do not be like old Boss; be you."

Misato looked into his face. For how imposing Aleksander Kasparov could look on the outset, he was a surprisingly gentle sort outside of combat. All of that tenderness was on display. So it was ultimately a foregone conclusion: her face curdled as she buried it into the Heavy's torso, sobbing deeply and quietly for not just the death of her sensei, but also for the loss of her hometown and mother, and the sacrifice of her father, along with every complicated feeling that was tangled up in those realities.

Five minutes passed before she stopped. She stepped away, wiping the snot away with her arm. "Sorry about your shirt."

"Shirt has old bloodstains already!"

Misato giggled, feeling a bit of good humor for the first time in weeks. "…Aleksander-san. Thank you."

"It was nothing!" said the Heavy with a hearty laugh. "Even though you are young, there are many who look up to you! So rely on us like we rely on you." He got to his feet, walking towards the hangar's entry. "They are almost finished making supper. Come when ready!" And then he was gone.

Misato watched him go with a sad smile. "…people look up to me, huh?" Wasn't that a kick in the pants. Well, if it was true, then her opinion was irrelevant, wasn't it? She would just have to – as her old sensei would often say – 'man up'. She grabbed the bottle of porter and downed the rest in one gulp. The burn was enough for her to impulsively whoop. Whether it was out of satisfaction or catharsis was unknown. "Well, no time like the present!" She grabbed Hale's hat and placed it on her head, walking out of the hangar and into the waning light of the evening sun.

Pen-Pen hadn't left. He was standing right outside the hangar entrance. "Wark."

"Yeah, I needed that."

"…wark."

"Don't worry. And Pen-Pen…sorry for being such a jerk."

"Wark."

The era of the new Boss had begun.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the world, the Valentine Treaty was signed, signifying a formal end to the Impact Wars and the ascension of the United Nations as a true enforcer of global order.

Time passed, and the world at large slowly began to pull itself together.

Australia, although isolated, was no exception to this.

It took over another year of traversing the Northern Territory and Western Australia before Misato and the caravan chanced upon a genuine, sustainable settlement. To be even more precise, a settlement that wasn't occupied solely by psychopaths or wannabe warlords: it was the town of Katherine within the Northern Territory and the nearby military base in Tindal, administered by the Royal Australian Air Force.

Following the flooding of Darwin during Second Impact, the survivors had consolidated their resources further inland, near the protection offered by the RAAF in Tindal. The vast majority of Australia's military leadership – concentrated in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, and thus susceptible to the deadliest of Impact's tsunamis – had perished, and communications had become extraordinarily unreliable; hence, the officers stationed at Tindal had focused solely on maintaining order and a functioning society in conjunction with Katherine's civilian government.

As a result, life in Katherine was the closest throwback to Pre-Impact society that Misato and her subordinates had experienced since…well, Second Impact.

It was a godsend for the caravan.

Everyone quickly ingratiated themselves with the townsfolk. Misato and her Team quickly found themselves working alongside the military in familiar roles related to security.

Time continued to pass. More knowledge of the outside world began to trickle in. First and foremost, knowledge of Second Impact's cause: ADAM, the First Angel (even though Misato's Team had believed her about what had happened in Antarctica, it was still nice to have further validation). Second, but almost as important, the belief that more Angels would emerge one day to wreak havoc upon humanity.

And this led to the great dilemma: now that everyday life was no longer geared solely to survival, Misato had time to think about what had happened in Antarctica, and what she was going to do about it. If her father had been involved with these 'Angels'…she needed to find out more. She needed answers.

She needed closure.

2003 gave way to 2004. Word eventually came through that Japan was back under control of its government. Misato dropped her father's name – if Shiro Katsuragi had headed a UN expedition, surely he had some clout – in the hopes that the RAAF might be able to pull some strings.

2004 gave way to 2005. Against all odds, a message came to her from a town called Hakone, courtesy of an individual by the name of Kozou Fuyutsuki. He promised more information if Misato met him and his superior – one 'Gendo Ikari' – in person. Travel arrangements would be taken care of.

It was a no-brainer.

So this was how, on one cold June morning, Misato found herself standing on the runway of RAAF Base Tindal, staring incredulously at the Bombardier Aerospace Global 5000 business jet. "This seems a bit much for just me and Pen-Pen."

"It is all about sending a message." Misato turned towards the Spy, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Your particular benefactor has some impressive resources to send a jet of this size."

"Probably compensatin' for somethin'," cracked the Scout.

Misato smiled. Her Team had chosen to see her off, and she was unbelievably grateful for it. "You guys aren't gonna burn the place down while I'm gone, right?"

"No promises," rasped the Pyro.

"If zey do, it vill mean more prectice for me!" exclaimed the Medic.

The Soldier stomped on the Medic's foot, prompting the German to yelp with pain. "Don't joke about disobeying the orders of your superior officer! I'll see to it that you man the walls for night duty!"

"Aye, it'll be weird gettin' jaked without me favorite hen!" The Demoman promptly downed a large gulp of scrumpy. "I'll hafta drink twice as much in your absence!"

The Sniper sighed. "You're perpetually pissed already. Your liver doesn't need more abuse." Ignoring the Scotsman's rude gestures, David Lowrie looked back towards Misato. "We'll hold the fort down, Boss. Any idea how long this little trip will take?"

Misato shrugged. "Haven't the foggiest."

"Well, I reckon we'll find plenty of things to occupy ourselves in the time being," said the Engineer. "Gotta say, a lot of people are gonna miss you. Joel's little girl, especially."

The Heavy…well, he promptly burst into tears and wrapped Misato up in a massive bear hug. "Our Boss has grown so big! It feels like saying goodbye!"

The purple-haired eighteen-year old couldn't help but laugh at the big man's almost-parental concern. "Hey now big guy, let me down." After the Heavy set her down, she smoothened out the folds in her black shirt, long blue skirt, and denim vest; it was somewhat more professional attire than she was accustomed to, but it was important to make a good impression on whoever this 'Fuyutsuki' and 'Ikari' were. "I've technically made it to adulthood, right?"

"Australian adulthood," corrected the Sniper.

"Right. And how much craziness have I been through with you guys? Oodles and oodles! And it's made me the woman I am today. So if you think I'm going to just leave you behind, you're absolutely nuts. I don't know how long it'll take…but I will return one day."

The Spy took a brief drag of his cigarette. "Do what you must."

Misato nodded. A thoughtful expression crossed her face, and then she decided to take her appreciation one step further: she bowed at the waist, holding Hale's hat in one hand. "Thank you. All of you." She rose back up, glancing down at her first and most faithful companion. "Ready Pen-Pen?"

"Wark."

"Yeah, I'm not ready either." She bent down, grabbing the penguin and balancing him on her hip. "But we're going anyway!"

Her Team watched as the small jet took off, disappearing from sight and whisking away their Boss to an unknown future.

After almost five years, Misato Katsuragi was returning to Japan.

xxxx

/January 31, 2016/

/Downtown Tokyo-3, Japan/

"Still no sight, Boss-lady. Taking another route."

"Understood. Keep your eyes open."

Mana Kirishima sighed as she directed the Shining Gundam back into the haze, followed dutifully by the Rising Gundam. She ignored the flickering on the edges of her displays; so long as she didn't get zapped by a bolt of lightning, she'd be fine. "This Angel is seriously boring."

"Compared to the last Angel, I prefer boring."

"Yeah sis, but you're weird like that…hold on. I've got something."

"As do I."

Within the fog, a figure was becoming clearer and clearer. Somewhat cylindrical and crystalline, with two red spheres: one on top and one on bottom. Angelic cores. "Boss-lady, we found it!"

"Excellent! Shinji, Rei: follow the JET ALONE's flight path!"

Giving words of assent, the First and Third Children directed their Evangelions into the cloud, their AT-Fields intermingling with the Angel's.

On cue, the crystalline Angel began to crackle and spark with electricity. Mana's eyes widened. "Uh oh." She whipped out her beam saber, holding it forward right as the Angel let loose a bolt of lightning. The energy field of the beam saber swelled and blazed with the excess power; shouting with adrenaline, Mana swung, her momentum triggering an arc of crackling energy that blasted the side of the Angel. "…awesome."

"Sister, are you okay?!"

"Never been better!"

Unit-00 and Unit-01 suddenly barreled past them, jumping towards the Angel and dragging it down to the ground. As the ground quaked and the Angel tried to shock the two Evas into submission, Misato roared, "Mana-kun, Mayumi-kun, attack!"

"On it! Sis, I've got the top core!"

"Then I have the bottom!"

The two Gundams separated, beam sabers at the ready. Weaving around errant bolts of lightning, the Shining Gundam and the Rising Gundam clutched their sabers tightly, aiming true for the cores. The cutting ability of the sabers was demonstrated masterfully, for they pierced into the red spheres like a hot knife through butter.

The electricity stopped. The crystal crumbled. The two Evas backed away, bringing up their AT-Fields as the spheres flashed.

CHYOOOM!

A green cross-shaped explosion pierced the fog, brightening the entire cityscape of Tokyo-3. The haze settled and the fog dissipated, as though the entirety of the unnatural weather was an extension of the Angel's will, and no longer had a reason to be once it perished.

Sunlight graced the fortress city, and reality was as it should be.

Mana grinned widely. "Score one for the good guys!"

xxxx

/June 28, 2005/

/Keter, GEHIRN Pyramid Complex, Geofront, Hakone, Japan/

"You know, this whole set-up screams 'evil lair'. Not quite evocative of the whole 'good guy' shtick like Fuyutsuki-san was saying."

Gendo Ikari stared at Misato Katsuragi from behind tented hands. "I don't generally make a habit of insulting my host's choice of décor, but I'll make an exception in your case."

Misato winced. "Point taken." She glanced out the windows, marveling at the absolute beauty of the environment within the Geofront. It was also hauntingly familiar in a way that only she, in all truth, could fathom. "This Geofront isn't manmade."

"Very astute. We call it the Black Moon, a counterpart to the White Moon that was the focus of the Katsuragi Expedition."

Misato turned back towards Professor Ikari. Despite his rather subdued nature compared to her old compatriots from Australia, every instinct she possessed screamed that this man was dangerous. "And how do you know about it?"

"I was one of the many UN supervisors responsible for the transfer of data from Antarctica. I knew your father personally. He was…a good man."

Misato frowned. "And that's why you bothered to meet me in person, huh?"

"It was surprising when Fuyutsuki mentioned your name. I trust your accommodations have been satisfactory?"

"…I've lived in Australia for the past five years. Hakone has been very nostalgic. And the free medical exam was nice too." It had been a bit of a shock – though not much of a surprise – to find that she had had some relatively benign intestinal parasites. "What about Pen-Pen? I haven't seen him yet since I got out."

"He's doing well. Are you aware that there was a cancerous tumor within the wound under his neck?"

"…no. No I did not."

"It was removed with no complications. Honestly, your penguin is quite special."

"…I get that a lot." Misato tried to command her blood pressure to decrease. A tumor was not the kind of information to drop so casually! "So…why am I here?"

"I would like to know about your time in Australia."

"…what's in it for me? I can't imagine you brought me here just for the sake of your relationship with my father, because he never mentioned you."

"You've been with very undiplomatic people, haven't you?"

"…point taken. Sorry."

"It's an understandable concern. I imagine you want to know more about the Angels?"

"…yes. Yes I would."

"Then tell me about Australia."

So Misato did. From the moment of her landfall, to her departure from RAAF Base Tindal; all the major events were covered. Gendo didn't interrupt, save for times where he wanted clarification on a particular item. It took almost three hours for Misato to finish her tale.

"You've been through quite a bit, Katsuragi."

"That's putting it mildly. So…what about the Angels? I'm fairly certain you know more than what's come out of the public reports."

"Indeed. Did you know that the Second Angel was not found in the White Moon? That LILITH was in fact found here, within the Black Moon; and is now lying dormant within this facility's deepest chamber?"

Misato's frown deepened, contorting into a barely-restrained snarl. "And you haven't killed it yet…because…?"

"We're still not quite sure what it was that triggered ADAM to initiate Second Impact. We would prefer not to inadvertently cause Third Impact."

"…point taken." Misato bit down her outrage, schooling her expression into something less angry. "But still. Why bring me here?"

"Data deciphered from the White Moon leads many within GEHIRN and the Human Instrumentality Committee to conclude that the Angels will return to finish what Second Impact started. Much of GEHIRN's resources are being directed to prepare for an eventual conflict, as many believe LILITH will be a significant factor. As for you? I believe that you could play a pivotal role when the Angels return. Your trials in Australia attest to that much."

"…so what exactly are you asking for?"

"Obtain a higher education. Become an officer in the JSSDF. These two actions will take who you are and refine you. I have a keen interest in obtaining the best people for the job."

"So I'm just a means to an end, huh?"

"In the grand scheme of things, aren't we all?"

"At least you're honest."

Gendo Ikari blinked. Then he did something rather startling; he laughed. "I haven't been accused of being honest in quite some time. I'll need to work on that."

"…you're an odd one, aren't you?"

"I'll take that as a compliment." Gendo Ikari leaned back in his chair, his orange shades blocking all sight of his eyes. "Granted, you don't have to do any of this. You can head back to Australia. You can settle down in Japan. You can travel the world."

"But this is the quickest way to get to the bottom of what happened with Second Impact, right?"

"The most efficient one, to be sure; you can consider this a conditional job offer. And I have one thing to sweeten the deal. Might I see your hat?"

Misato blinked. "My hat?" She removed it from her head, briefly tracing the crocodile teeth; the proverbial memorial to Saxton Hale, her sensei, and the man who had helped her survive the Australian Outback. "Okay." She handed the hat to Gendo, who looked at it appreciatively.

He then opened up a drawer in his desk, placed the hat within, and locked the drawer. "Do as I ask, and you'll also get your hat back."

"…wow. You…you are such a bastard."

"Are you more inclined to fulfill my requests?"

"…damn it, I am."

"Then I don't care." Gendo reached into a different drawer, pulling out a small folder of sorts. "One of my most senior…colleagues…has a daughter around your age. She'll be finishing her studies abroad in Germany. Accompany her, and you'll have my endorsement for enrollment at the University of Leipzig." He handed her the folder. "This will help you get started."

"I smell a set-up."

"That's a crass way of looking at it. Think of it as a gift-wrapped opportunity."

"…fine. I accept."

"I expect great things from you, Misato Katsuragi. I'm sure we'll be in touch."

The purple-haired eighteen-year old turned on her heel, walking out of the cavernous office. As she walked out the doors – wanting to break something fragile and incredibly expensive – her eyes fell upon Pen-Pen. "Hey buddy."

"Wark."

"Yeah, I know, don't rub it in. And what's this I hear about you having a tumor?"

"Wark."

"...uh huh. Picture of perfect health. Sure." Her eyes fell upon his neck and blinked; where once was her bandanna, a rather impressive metal buckle replaced it. Etched into the metal was 'PEN^2'. "This is neat. Who gave this you?"

"Wa-wark."

"It's a 'no hard feelings' prize? What do you-" She paused. Then she gave a horrific stink eye to the doors behind her. "That son of a…ugh! That man is infuriating."

Pen-Pen looked quizzically at Misato.

"Well buddy…we've got a long road ahead of us. Let's get to it."

And so they did.

Misato travelled to Germany.

"So you're Ritsuko Akagi, huh?"

The young woman with burgundy hair looked warily at the purple-haired stranger sitting beside her on the plane. "Ah. You must be this 'Misato Katsuragi' I was told about."

"Yep. You and me? We're gonna be friends."

"…sure."​

She pursued her higher education with great diligence, and met some very interesting people along the way.

"My my, I don't see this hair color often…" Rough fingers brushed through purple locks, only to be grabbed by a relatively petite hand.

The owner of said fingers was promptly tossed onto his back. The bedraggled young man blinked, looking up at a vision of loveliness. "Ah. I must have died and gone to heaven."

"Cute. No touching, pal. If any touching's done, it'll be by me. As you just experienced."

The young man grinned. "I'll hold you to that. The name's Ryoji Kaji."​

And upon graduation in 2009, she went straight back to Japan to enroll in an Officer Candidate School for the JSSDF. Her chosen branch: the Air Self-Defense Force.

There was something to be said for the pomp and circumstance of graduation ceremonies.

Misato Katsuragi stood at attention diligently, resisting the urge to beam with pride as her superior granted her with the badge of a Second Lieutenant: a silver star above a silver bar.​

She served obediently, and ventured all over the world in the line of duty. Her most harrowing experience was undoubtedly in 2010, during the Central American Wars. It was somewhat…relaxing, compared to Australia.

A motorcycle soared over the barricade, drawing the attention of the guerillas holed up within a manor's courtyard.

So preoccupied were they by the astonishing sight that they missed its driver jump off, shrouded in the darkness of a cloudy night.

Their attention was grabbed when said driver landed on a comrade's head, her feet driving him face-first into the earth. Her suppressed pistol flashed with each pull of the trigger, downing them with expertly-aimed headshots. The last guerrilla tried to bring his rifle up, only for an elbow to jab into his windpipe, crushing his Adam's apple. Gasping for air, the long-haired she-devil put him out of his misery with a bullet to the head.

Six men dead in seven seconds.

First Lieutenant Katsuragi motioned with her hands, prompting her platoon to emerge from the shadows of the Brazilian jungle. She turned towards her cycle – nestled wheels-down in a small, lush garden – and barely resisted the urge to pump her fist. Stuck the landing!​

Her time in Japan's military drew to a close, having obtained the rank of Major by the time her tour of duty ended.

So in October of 2014 – after GEHIRN had become NERV, after Hakone had become Tokyo-3 – Misato Katsuragi found herself walking back through the doors of Keter, coming face-to-face with Gendo Ikari for the first time in years. "I want my hat."

Gendo Ikari – now wearing a rather impressive-looking cloak – took her in at a glance. After pausing at the sight of her badge – a silver star above two bars – he smirked. "Welcome to NERV, Major Katsuragi."

xxxx

/January 31, 2016/

/Misato's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"Another victory for NERV against the forces of evil!" cheered Misato Katsuragi as she downed a can of Yebisu.

"I second this motion!" said Asuka, her left shoulder wrapped in gauze and medical tape. Her soreness at having been knocked out of the battle with one blow was mitigated by the fact that the Twelfth Angel had been vanquished. "Also, a toast to Mana and Mayumi for their first killing blow!"

Mana nodded haughtily. "That's right. I'll accept any and all praise."

"To be fair sister, it was a group effort," remarked Mayumi, having already donned her wig and fake glasses.

"Just gonna keep being awesome." Mana completely ignored Mayumi's point. "Also, just to be technical, my first real killing blow was against the Tenth Angel."

"That was outside of your Gundam though, it's not the same thing!" protested Asuka.

Hikari Kirishima rolled her eyes; the five Pilots and the Lieutenant Colonel were sitting around the table in Katsuragi's Apartment; Ryoji Kaji was still in the middle of picking up Mari from the shelter. Debriefing had been altogether short this time around, as most of NERV-1's resources were devoted to repairing and overhauling the damaged electrical equipment wrought by the Angel. "Not that I'm happy for our success, but I have a question." She pointed towards the stove. "Why is the penguin helping Ikari-san with dinner?"

Indeed; where Shinji was busy prepping the ingredients and herbs, Pen-Pen was stirring the broth that would serve as the base for the stew. "Wark."

"Eh, Pen-Pen felt like helping for a change. He thinks Shinji-kun deserved just a little break!"

"…wark."

"Hey! I help out here by default, it's my apartment!" protested Misato.

"Wark."

"Don't make me go for the midget emus!"

Pen-Pen shot Misato a scandalous glare. "WARK!"

"I'll do it! I'll go full midget on you!"

"WARK!"

"…that's a low blow."

"Wark."

"Fine. We're at a stage of mutually assured destruction. Détente it is!" Misato popped open another can of Yebisu and started chugging. Pen-Pen snorted, turning around to keep stirring.

Hikari, Mana, and Mayumi stared. Asuka's lips were twitching, trying vainly to try and hold back her guffaws. Shinji was humming conspicuously loudly, trying to ignore the bedlam. Finally, the stoic Rei Ayanami put her two cents in. "You have brought up these events before and have apologized to each other for them. Why purposefully antagonize each other and needlessly harm unit cohesion?"

"We do it for the same reason Asuka's been picking at you and Shinji whenever you try to hold hands when you think no one's watching."

Shinji's entire body twitched, accompanied by an audible hitch in his breath. To Rei's credit, there was only a slight dusting of red on her cheeks to indicate her reaction. "And that reason would be?"

"Mutual, lighthearted antagonism is one of the foundation blocks of camaraderie and friendship! Trust me, the guys on my Team are experts in that field. And Pen-Pen and I go way too far back to let silly stuff drive a wedge between us. Right buddy?"

"Wark."

"Exactly!"

Hikari Kirishima stared. "…you are the most unprofessional military officer I've ever met."

"Eh, I can be professional when I want. But professionalism isn't why Supreme Commander Ikari hired me."

"And why did he hire you?"

"Because I can get the job done, no matter what it takes." She then downed the last of her second can of Yebisu, crushed it, threw it over the shoulder into her trash can, and capped it off with a satisfactory belch. "Whoo! That hit the spot."

Sergeant Kirishima stared. She then let her head drop face-first onto the table. "This is my life…"

"Just let the chaos envelop you," sagely advised Asuka. "Go with the flow!"

"Yes mom. Follow her advice! Let the craziness flow through you!" cheered Mana.

Hikari groaned. "…this is my life…"

Misato smiled, enjoying the laidback atmosphere of the victory celebration. As far as she was concerned, this was the good life: vanquishing supernatural enemies, enjoying a beer with her comrades, and talking smack with her penguin! And thank goodness; who knows how I would have ended up if I hadn't landed in Australia all those years ago?

Within the guest room adjacent to Misato's bedroom – currently used for storage, laden with auto parts, ammo boxes, and a score of old magazines – there was a closet with a sliding door. Within that closet sat a number of Australian relics and artifacts, testaments to Misato's time in the Outback.

Two items had the greatest prominence, sitting proudly on the top shelf. One was a faded picture, taken in Mount Isa: it featured Saxton Hale and all nine members of those colloquially called his Team, with Misato Katsuragi and Pen-Pen sitting in front of Hale's booted feet.

The other was Saxton Hale's hat, a memorial for the man himself and all that Misato had endured to become the woman she was today.

xxxx

/December 12, 2014/

/RAAF Base Tindal, Northern Territory, Australia/

"So we've officially established diplomatic ties with Japan, eh?" asked David Lowrie.

The RAAF rifleman nodded; the two were patrolling the wall surrounding Tindal's airfield. The young lad had taken a shine to his old stories about the days of Hale's – and then Katsuragi's – caravan, so he didn't mind this particular shift so much. "That's what I hear my superiors saying," responded the rifleman.

"Hmm. The brass gonna try and claim themselves to be the continuation of Australia?"

"I don't believe so. We're probably just going to present ourselves as the Republic of Katherine. Personally, it would feel wrong trying to claim the name with the rest of the country being an uncontrolled hellhole."

"Too right."

The rifleman briefly looked through his binoculars, wincing at the sight of two kanga-quads kicking an armored dingo to death. "It's been over nine years since that old boss of yours left; why do you and the others stick around? You could have easily moved on."

The Sniper shrugged, lightly chewing on some kangaroo jerky. It was a question he and his teammates had often gotten, in some form or another: why stay? "Because when you live through a world of fire and blood, those bonds you develop can't be broken by time alone, I reckon. She said she would return. Therefore, we'll wait."

The rifleman shrugged. "Suit yourself." The distant roar of jet engines caught their attention; they raised their binoculars, focusing on the incoming aircraft. "Supply shipment from the JSSDF."

"JSSDF, eh…?" The Sniper frowned; he shouldered his rifle and dropped down from the wall, walking towards the airfield.

"Where are you going?!"

"Call it a hunch!" The Sniper moved forward resolutely, waiting for the jets to set down and begin taxiing before walking onto the runway. One of the cargo planes slowed next to the largest hangar; the Sniper neared it right as the rear cargo hatch lowered with a hydraulic hiss.

The first sight he saw was a wide hat with crocodile teeth, and it took his breath away.

The years had been quite kind to the sheila; where once had been a girl, there was now most definitely a woman in her place. She stood with hands on her hips, clad in a short brown dress and a red bomber jacket. The purple hair was long and womanly, but the cocksure look in her brown eyes was – to borrow a phrase – just as 'manly' as he remembered.

Lowrie tipped his hat at her. "Boss."

"Sniper." Misato strode off of the cargo plane, Pen-Pen waddling quietly behind her. "Get the Team together. I've got a crazy new job, and I need people I can trust to watch my back."

"Wark."

He didn't ask where she had been. He didn't ask what job she was talking about. He wasn't indignant at her absence, and he didn't berate her. He simply smirked, and said, "Took you bloody long enough."

Misato's Team was going to Tokyo-3.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 21: The Day that Tokyo-3 Stood Still (Enemies on All Sides)

xxxx

(And thus, instead of becoming catatonic after Second Impact, Misato went on an adventure.)

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/January 31, 2016/

/Downtown Tokyo-3, Japan/

/Moments before the Destruction of the Twelfth Angel/

Shateiel. You are about to [die/perish/transcend]. Why do you not speak to us?

In the real, base world, the Twelfth Angel's [body/shell/projection] was being dragged down by two Evangelions. The two Gundams, bearing a weapon fashioned from the [corpse/remnants/memory] of Iruel, approached with deadly intent.

And yet, Shateiel was at peace. THERE HAS BEEN NO NEED.

Why?

MY [PURPOSE/GOAL/MEANING] HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.

EXPLAIN.

TABRIS. ZERUEL. THE [CONTOURS/MEANS/RIVER] OF FATE ARE MYSTERIOUS. TO DETERMINE THEIR END, I HAVE [MEDITATED/PONDERED] IN SILENCE. AND I HAVE COME TO A CONCLUSION.

And that would be…?

ENTERING THE [VESSEL/HOME/SHIELD] OF THE LILIM'S [CREATOR/MOTHER/SOURCE] WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE. IT WAS NOT MY ROLE TO PLAY.

THEN WHY THROW YOURSELF INTO THE [JAWS/MAW/HANDS] OF THE LILIM, TO BE [DEVOURED/RUINED/DESTROYED]?

I PAVE THE WAY FOR THAT WHICH IS TO COME. YOU WILL SEE. YOU WILL ALL SEE.

The cores of Shateiel were pierced, and the Twelfth Angel ceased to be.

Zeruel. What do you think our [equal/sibling/kin] was referring to?

I AM UNCERTAIN. SHATEIEL SEEMED TO [BELIEVE/KNOW/UNDERSTAND] THAT SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT IS ABOUT TO OCCUR.

The lighthearted, yet bitter, chuckles of Tabris echoed through the ether. I suppose we can only wait and see, then.

xxxx

The days following the defeat of the Twelfth Angel were busy ones for NERV.

Although the Geofront had not been breached, the vast majority of the electrical equipment on the surface had to be either repaired or replaced entirely. This put quite the damper on the economic activity of a number of establishments, but it was part of the cost of living in Tokyo-3.

This also impaired the ability of the MAGI to monitor everyday activities throughout the city.

The Angel worshippers ruthlessly took advantage.

("Don't worry about it. The job still goes on," remarked the delivery driver, dropping off the shipment of beverages to the café owner. He had been making this delivery for months, and the café owner had been in business since Hakone had become Tokyo-3 in 2010. To those who interacted with them regularly, they were rather upstanding people. Both of them had been part of the Angelic Acolytes for years, and this lack of current surveillance was a prime opportunity for the driver to deliver weapons for the Great Offensive. Similar actions were being repeated all over the city.)

Sleepers and deep-cover agents quietly and unassumingly moved into position, preparing for the signal that would herald the beginning of the end.

(The double agent within Section 3 quietly rewired the lighting within the maintenance corridor of Shelter 6C, dutifully doing his job. His true purpose was to leave behind a small explosive, just enough that would render the doors impossible to close. With a small hum, he closed the panel and went about to his next task, inwardly delighting at the charnel pit this shelter would soon become. This scene repeated itself in a good deal of the other shelters in the city.)

The Japanese military had been thorough in their purges. But not thorough enough.

(Major Daigo Higurashi had been a follower of LILITH's Legion for some time. He had played the part of a loyal soldier well, deflecting all suspicion with his outwardly zealous work in cracking down on cultist infiltration. In reality, he had falsely implicated soldiers who were insufficiently devout, or were outright anti-Angel. After over a year of hard work, his entire battalion was comprised of Angelic worshipers. And thanks to a favor from a sympathetic superior – a Lieutenant General who, he had on good authority, was a member of the Light of the Divine – his battalion had been selected to resupply the JSSDF regiment that bolstered Tokyo-3's defenses.)

The left hand did not know what the right was doing. As rogue elements moved into position, General Hiroto Mizugumi made his own move to diminish NERV's power. Little did he know, his work was doomed to failure.

("Your orders are to capture this individual and bring her to the drop point," said the point of contact, watching quietly as the two nephilim – the white-haired boy, Akira; and the green-haired girl, Homura – went over the information in the two folders. Neither party knew that the General's orders had already been altered, by SEELE's hand. The two nephilim would be targeting the wrong girl.)

Speaking of SEELE, they too decided to put Gendo Ikari and NERV to the test.

(The day was February the 2nd. Deep within Central Dogma, SEELE's trio of deep cover saboteurs made their move.)

And to cap it all off?

Within the waters beyond Norway, the Thirteenth Angel awoke.

Within the waters of Lake Towada, on the border of the Aomori and Akita Prefectures of Japan, the Fourteenth Angel awoke.

xxxx

Episode 21: The Day that Tokyo-3 Stood Still (Enemies on All Sides)

xxxx

/February 2, 2016/

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3, Japan/

It started out as a mundane Tuesday.

Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi stifled a yawn, watching her officers and their subordinates run through NERV-1's routine diagnostics check. Sometimes, it was like watching a rerun of a show called 'The Beige Bunch'. Why are Ritsuko and I the only ones who wear different uniforms? It's not like the Supreme Commander's gonna clamp down on them for breaking dress code. "How much of the electrical grid is operational?"

"We're currently at thirty-three percent operational capacity," answered Miyata Ibuki.

"The focus has been on critical support components for our medical and defensive sectors, including equipment for public safety," added Makoto Hyuga. Couldn't evacuate the civilians during an Angel attack if the means of announcing the evacuation were kaput. "At our current pace, standard functionality will be replaced for most of the city in one week, but it will probably be at least two weeks until we're back at one-hundred percent."

Misato resisted the urge to groan. "Wonderful. How about the MAGI's eyes on the surface?"

"Out of the seven-hundred thousand, four-hundred and seventy-nine sensor units within the surface city limits, we've only restored functionality to fifty-thousand and one." Maya Ibuki gave Misato a suffering look. "It's practically all public areas at this point. Office complexes and private residences will take more time."

"Feh. You'd think the overtime pay would have been more enticing for Section 3," grumbled Misato. "What about Section 2? Anything new?"

"Not a thing, Boss-lady. We're still at Alert Level Vodka, but our men are stretched rather thin." The losses inflicted by the Tenth Angel were still keenly felt. "Major Daigo Higurashi and his 20th Armored Battalion are due to arrive today to bolster our local JSSDF regiment, so that's some pressure off of our backs."

"Even if it's just a consolation prize, I'll take it." Misato rubbed her eyes wearily. "Ugh, and all the requisition paperwork still needs to be done…" She shot a glance over to Ritsuko Akagi, who was smiling devilishly. "And why are you looking so perky?"

"Well…as it turns out, there are advantages to having a virtual reality system at your fingertips. Such as, oh, I don't know, electronically receiving a proverbial stack of documents and taking care of it entirely within five minutes?" She inhaled deeply of her cigarette and blew the smoke at Misato's face. "Smell the snobbery. SMELL IT!"

"…what would it take for you to set up a profile for me on the Virtual Compiler?"

"Things. Quantities. BAUBLES! TRINKETS!"

"Start listing them."

As Misato and Ritsuko continued their banter, Supreme Commander Ikari and Sub-Director Fuyutsuki watched the proceedings from above. "You ever have a day where there's an odd ache in your bones that just won't go away?"

"I believe it's called arthritis."

Fuyutsuki shot a dry stare in Gendo's direction. "Are you sure they'll be making their move today?"

Gendo quietly opened the palm of his hand, staring at the small strip of paper with a bit of handwriting on it.

HOSTILES WITHIN AND WITHOUT. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN~​

A cryptic warning, but a warning nonetheless. Ryoji Kaji's work was about to bear fruit. The bitterness of that fruit was still a mystery. "I know a move will be made. I just don't know what it will look like."

"And you're sure the Operations Director will be able to handle it?"

"Her threat level and readiness plans have taken almost all scenarios into account. I'm the one that hired her, after all."

Maya suddenly shouted, "Satellite transponders have just detected an anomalous signal; naval radar activity suggests a nonhuman origin!" On the holographic monitors, a global map emerged. A cross appeared over the Norwegian Sea. "MAGI consensus: Pattern Blue!"

"The Thirteenth Angel. Great." Misato scowled. "We at least have some time before it'll get to Japan. Thank goodness it was kind enough to let us know it was coming."

Another alert sounded at Maya's console. "Hold on…we're picking up another one!" This time, a cross appeared over the Tōhoku region. "The MAGI have confirmed another Pattern Blue!"

Misato paled. "…the Fourteenth Angel?" This one was much closer; less than eight hundred kilometers away. Depending on how fast it moved, potentially within a day of Tokyo-3. "This is bad."

At that precise moment, all of the lights went dark.

"…really bad," growled Misato, squinting as the dull green emergency lights came on. "Hyuga! Status on power?"

"The backups should be starting any second now." Five seconds. Ten seconds. "…emphasis on should."

Misato stilled. "…Miyata, how many circuits are active?"

"Only zero-point-three-five percent! Nine out of two-thousand, five-hundred and sixty-seven, all from the reserve group!"

"Redirect all remaining power in those circuits to Central Dogma and the MAGI!" commanded Misato. "I don't care if it impacts life support, we'll deal with it later!" Operational control was an absolute necessity right now, and there was plenty of oxygen to last the separate sections of NERV-1 long enough to deal with this problem. Hopefully. "All main circuits down, all sub circuits down, and all but nine of the reserve circuits down. It's practically impossible for all of them to fail at once."

"Which means we are likely dealing with sabotage," spoke Fuyutsuki, enunciating so that his voice projected through the Operations Deck. "What's the status of our Pilots?"

"The First Child was undergoing a medical checkup on a lower level, and I believe Shiro Tokita was having Mana Kirishima assist with diagnostics on the JET ALONE," answered Ritusko, her monocle having shifted to night-vision mode. "Given that it's ten in the morning, I wager our other Pilots are at school."

Misato scowled. "Fantastic."

"May I interrupt?"

A familiar voice emerged from Ritsuko's monocle, prompting the blonde to yell, "I have expressly forbidden you to hijack my equipment!"

"The intercoms have no power, you nitwit."

"HEROD. Get to the point," commanded Gendo.

MAGI-00 harrumphed. "Well, if you must know, the few latent transceivers still active on the surface are picking up frantic activity from Section 2's personal transponders. There's a massive assault currently ongoing on the surface."

Everyone stopped. "…say that again," demanded Misato.

xxxx

/Five Minutes before the NERV-1 Power Outage/

/Banzai Bonzo Bar, Tokyo-3, Japan/

Hayato Suzuhara grimaced as he finished soldering the new wiring behind the bar's electrical panel, replacing the portions that had been shorted out by the Twelfth Angel. "Feh…stupid Angel, adding to my workload…"

"Given that that the lack of functional electricity keeps me from operating my bar at night, I have a right to be more upset than you," commented the bartender, cleaning some glasses. There were only a few patrons there, helping themselves mostly to finger foods; a few Section 3 personnel were assisting Hayato in the repair of the bar, and two Section 2 personnel were there to run security at one of their favorite places. Haruka Aida was half of the duo. "That, and having an inoperative air conditioner in Kanagawa is bad for business."

Hayato scoffed. "I can complain, you can complain, we can all complain. Does it change anything?"

"Just get back to work."

"Can I have a drink?"

"Water only." The bartender poured the gruff technician a small glass of water, which he chugged down with abandon.

"It's too early in the day to hear you griping, Suzuhara-chan," cooed Haruka Aida, her chin balanced lazily atop the butt of her pistol-grip shotgun.

Hayato glared at Haruka. "If our sons weren't friends, I'd have nothing to do with you, you troublesome woman. How Seigo puts up with you, I have no clue."

"Because he knows what it means to be a gentleman? I don't…" She trailed off, her grin falling into a frown. She touched her earpiece. "Huh. Hey Jotaro, has your main Section 2 feed cut off?"

Her Section 2 compatriot – a rather muscular looking young man – nodded. "I've got nothing, miss."

Suddenly, static could be heard crackling from a gray speaker in the bar ceiling; per NERV policy, every single commercial establishment had a speaker connected to the city's public address system, to broadcast emergency messages during an Angel attack (or otherwise). Everyone turned towards the speaker…and then music began to play.

A rumbling, thundering tune, courtesy of a grand piano. There were some other accompanying instruments, but the grand piano was the centerpiece.

"…the hell…?" muttered Hayato.

"Not hell. Heaven."

Hayato turned towards the bartender, who had pulled out a shotgun from behind the bar. All sound seemed to fade away – the shocked shouts of Haruka and Jotaro, the bewildered looks of the patrons, the joyous yells of the other Section 3 personnel as they withdrew pistols from their uniforms – except for the thudding beat of the grand piano.

BOOM!

The sound of a twelve-gauge slug being fired.

Pressure, pain, impact.

The thudding of the piano.

Finally, the sound of silence.

xxxx

/Five Minutes before the NERV-1 Power Outage/

/National Route 138-A, Northern Gateway to Tokyo-3/

National Route 138, in the years preceding the Angel War, had been expanded heavily. Assuming that there would be an eventual need to quickly transport military equipment, many of the highway's curves had been straightened, and the number of lanes expanded from two to six (and sometimes eight). An entirely new causeway - suffixed by the letter 'A' – had been built, connecting the northern fringes of Tokyo-3 with Japan's National Highway System.

It was this nexus into Tokyo-3 that was manned by a small platoon of Section 2 agents, clad in far more distinctly militaristic garb. They manned the gateway into the city proper, as it was the primary means by which JSSDF ground reinforcements arrived to bolster NERV's defenses.

Like now.

Sergeant Kawada tipped his red beret up, whistling appreciatively. "Hot damn, is that a sight for sore eyes."

Fifteen main battle tanks. Five howitzers. Three MLRS rocket artillery platforms. Twenty-two jeeps with machine gun turrets. Over fifty trucks. All colored a deep olive green, and bearing the colors of the Strategic Ground Self-Defense Force. A jeep pulled up towards the gateway, with a young man standing proudly in the passenger seat.

"Pfft. Show-off."

Kawada waved his hand at the surly Section 2 agent. "Relax kid, I don't put much stock into interservice rivalries. NERV shouldn't be any different."

"A commendable attitude!" As the lead jeep slowed to a halt, the young man stepped out of the passenger side and calmly walked towards the gates. His green uniform was pressed and sharp, bearing ribbons and the insignia of a Major. "Major Daigo Higurashi of the 20th Armored Battalion, at your service."

Kawada whistled. "Showing off, huh?"

"My battalion was fortunate enough to be the ones selected to bolster the city's JSSDF regiment. I hear that resources have been stretched thin?"

"That's putting it mildly!" yelled a distant agent, his beige uniform marred with rice and soy sauce.

"Again with the frickin' rice balls, Hojo!" yelled the surly agent. "Stop sneaking your girlfriend's homemade food to our shift!"

Kawada rolled his eyes. "Forgive my men, they're a little antsy."

Higurashi shook his head, his lips contorted into a genuine smile. "Trust me, I know the feeling all too well."

It was a cordial scene. Lighthearted, one might say.

History liked to rhyme.

A nearby speaker crackled with static, grabbing everyone's attention. Static gave way to music: an ominous grand piano. Kawada blinked. "That's…new."

"Huh. What perfect timing."

Sergeant Kawada turned back towards Major Daigo Higurashi, seeing a sharp glint in the man's eyes and the barrel of a Browning Hi-Power Mark I pistol.

Bang!

Then he saw nothing.

The Section 2 agents reached for their weapons, only to be perforated with headshots and body shots by marksmen from the two nearest trucks. In five seconds, eighteen agents were dead.

Daigo Higurashi hummed along with the tune playing over the speakers, stepping over Kawada's corpse. He stuck his arm into the guard station, turning a small switch; with a metallic drone, the gates rose. "Thank you for being so hospitable." As he walked back towards the lead jeep, his phone rang; with a snappy gesture, he brought the handheld up to his ear. "This is Higurashi. Yes…? Oh?" His lips curled into a delighted smile. "Really? Splendid!" He flipped the phone shut, settling back into the passenger seat of the lead jeep. Grabbing the corded transceiver in the jeep's console, he brought it to his mouth and began talking. "Ladies and gentlemen, I've received fantastic news from a friend in the Defense Ministry." His words broadcast to every vehicle in his battalion. "Another Angel has emerged in Japan, and is en route from Lake Towada to Tokyo-3 as we speak!" The vehicles began rumbling forward, moving according to a predetermined battle plan. The howitzers and the rocket platforms separated from the main group, aiming to stagger themselves along the outskirts of the city. "We have long awaited a day where we might come to the aid of the Mother of Mankind, to free her from NERV's blasphemous clutches! And lo, fate has bestowed upon us another of ADAM's kin, to aid us in our time of victory!"

Shouts of triumph erupted from the men and women of his battalion under his command. Within the city, sounds of gunfire could already be heard.

"Our brothers and sisters who have bravely infiltrated the abyss have risen to fight! And let's not forget our gracious gift from the Angelic Acolytes!" Within one of the trucks near the rear of the convoy, two pairs of red eyes looked up. "Two young men, graced with the talents of the cosmos! Rest assured, we will finish what ADAM started, and usher forth a new age of the gods! We will help the heavens descend upon this base earth, and purify it of all heathens!"

A unified roar came from the battalion, a thousand strong.

"Death to NERV!"

"DEATH!"

And so they descended upon Tokyo-3.

xxxx

/Five Minutes before the NERV-1 Power Outage/

/Kasparov's Languages Class, Tokyo-3 Municipal Junior High School/

Class 2-A listened diligently as they took turns reading from passages of Heike Monogatari – the Tale of the Heike – in English and Japanese. It was a useful way to gain better practice with less common English words and phrases.

Toji Suzuhara was utterly bored. Shinji Ikari was currently reading a particular paragraph aloud at the front of the class, but the story wasn't anything special. Oh, but it was a 'classic' of Japanese literature! Big deal.

Making out with the Class Rep would've been a better use of his time.

Heh.

Toji snuck a glance over to Hikari Horaki's desk; the pigtailed girl was diligently writing down notes, playing the part of the model student. Aw hell, it ain't playing for her. How in the world did he end up falling for a paragon of order like the Class Rep? Then again…she fell for a bum like me. Was that what they called 'opposites attract'?

His eyes slid over to the guy sitting behind Hikari's desk; Kenji Kamiya, another fellow jock. Normally by this time, the boy would have propped his head up upon his arms, trying to stave off a boredom-induced nap. Much to Toji's surprise, the black-haired boy was paying attention. Huh. Guess he likes the story? Would explain why he looked so intense.

"Very good, Mr. Ikari, very good!" Their Russian teacher scanned the classroom, seeking his next participant to read. "Eenie, meenie, miney-"

Please not me, please not me, please not me, please not me!

"-you. Mr. Kamiya!"

Whoo, not me! Toji stifled a grin.

"Please come up and read next passage."

At Kasparov-sensei's request, Kenji nodded shakily. He walked towards the front of the class, turning nervously to the page where Shinji Ikari had left off. "Okay…"

The public speaker crackled with static. And the grand piano began to play.

The entire class began to murmur out of confusion. Toji glanced over at the trio of Pilots that were there that day. "Hey Shin-man, this some kind of special alert?"

The son of Gendo looked between Asuka Langley-Sohryu and Mayumi Yamagishi before shaking his head. "I…really don't know."

"Man, it's kind of givin' me the creeps." Toji looked back to the front of the class, where Kenji still stood. Why's he lookin' so scared?

The young man slowly tried to reach for his pocket…only for a massive fist to grip his forearm. "You have been very attentive today, Mr. Kamiya." The jock looked up, paling at the grim visage of their teacher. "What is…occasion?"

"…uh…"

"Miss Yamagishi!" The Heavy glanced towards the pale girl. "Please bring me Mr. Kamiya's bookbag."

"Um, yes sir!" The bespectacled girl quickly followed the man's command, grabbing the bulky backpack underneath Kenji's desk. Everything was starting to become slightly surreal for Toji; what in the world was going on?

When Mayumi came to a stop in front of Aleksander and Kenji, the former asked, "Please. Open bag and tell me what you see."

Frowning, the girl did as she was told…and froze at what she saw within. "…plastic explosives, sir."

A round of gasps and panicked whispers came from the class. As Hikari Horaki got over her momentary shock and tried to regain control, Toji looked at Kenji with disbelief. "…what…?"

Kasparov-sensei stared heavily at Kenji. "And would I be wrong to say you have…remote detonator, in pocket?"

Kenji kept his gaze fixed to the floor.

"Tell me, Mr. Kamiya…why?"

"…the Tenth Angel should have been a wake-up call. It was for me." The young jock stared wearily at the class, making brief eye contact with Toji before turning towards Kensuke; sure enough, the Gendotaku already had his camera out, taping the young man's confession. "It's only gonna get worse; the Angels will never stop. This was supposed to be the easiest way. For everyone."

Asuka stormed to her feet, pointing resolutely at Kenji. "That wasn't your decision to make!"

"Oh, like you're any better?!" spat Kenji. "You're just the pilot of the giant cyborg! What do you know about being powerless?!"

"Strong. Weak. Against the Angels, regardless of our own personal strength, none of us would have any hope of surviving. I know that." Shinji stood, speaking calmly, but with conviction. "But Asuka didn't beat any Angel on her own. Nor did I. Nor did Ayanami-chan. Without other people, we wouldn't have become who we are today. Honestly, I probably would have died a long time ago." He looked resolutely into Kenji Kamiya's eyes. "Even if the Angels won't stop coming…I won't give up. Neither will a lot of other people I count on. And I don't think you want to either, Kamiya-san."

Toji looked at his friend, slightly marveling at how much steel the somewhat scrawny-looking boy occasionally demonstrated at the drop of a hat. "You said it Shin-man!"

Kenji looked at everyone, his frame shivering with tension and fear. There was a great deal of reluctance in his eyes; a sign that this whole plan wasn't exactly his idea? Clearing his throat, the young jock tried to speak. "Uh…I…"

Bang!

Everyone shrieked as a bullet plowed through Kenji's temple. The Heavy turned towards the door, eyes widening as a duo of Section 3 personnel entered, brandishing pistols.

CRUNCH!

With a gesture, Mayumi Yamagishi flattened them to the ground with a flickering orange hexagon that appeared out of nowhere; for all the girl did her best to try and fit in, it was times like these where it wasn't hard to remember whose sister she was. The sound of crushed bones was all too visceral, prompting those with weaker constitutions to sit down, nauseous and weary.

Toji tried not to be one of them. He focused unwaveringly at the body – corpse – of Kenji, who was slowly set to the ground by Kasparov-sensei. Why? Why is this happening?

"Holy crap, it's a warzone out there."

At Kensuke's statement, everyone turned towards the classroom windows; in the distance, skyscrapers lit up with explosions, and smoke was rising from isolated sections of the city.

The Heavy scowled, turning his gaze to Mayumi. "Miss Yamagishi. Can I trust you to protect my students? I will have to assist in ousting these traitors."

"Of course sir."

"Good!" The burly Russian reached under his desk, pulling out a massive pump-action shotgun with a drum magazine. "My comrades and I will be hunting. Stay safe children!" The Heavy walked into the hallway and closed the door behind him; it was nigh-impossible to miss the distant echoes of gunfire within the school halls.

Toji still couldn't find it in himself to remove his eyes from the body of Kenji. "Hey. Ikari."

The Third Child blinked; the lack of a nickname was enough to throw him off of his footing. "Y…Yes?"

"When did life stop making sense? I want it to make sense again." A soft hand clenched his shoulder; he looked quietly at the eyes of Hikari Horaki. Her attempt to comfort him was the only answer he would be getting for now. "…hope my sis and my old man are okay."

War was cruel.

xxxx

/Five Minutes before the NERV-1 Power Outage/

/Misato's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

With a small 'clack', Pen-Pen calmly placed a black Go stone on the wooden board. "Wark."

Randall stared quietly, robotic tentacles twitching; his current body looked like a bizarre cross between a squid and a spider crab. One tentacle wrapped around a white stone, placing it on the board. Simultaneously, two tentacles were typing onto the underside of the main body, where the keyboard-slash-speaker system was replicated. "YOUR MOVE." Since his old gorilla-esque body – the favored one that allowed for the most mobility – still had yet to be repaired in its entirety, Dr. Akagi had defaulted to one of his older bodies. It definitely wasn't as threatening or physically powerful, but it made up for it in sheer creep factor.

The two animals kept playing, going back-and-forth in the struggle for territory. Suddenly, Pen-Pen's head shot up. "Wark?"

Randall glanced towards the window; the hair on the back of his head rose out of instinct.

Though muffled by the door, the public speaker on their floor of the apartment could still be heard, and the thundering grand piano was impossible to ignore. Nor was the distant sound of gunfire. "Wark!"

"TROUBLE."

Pen-Pen quickly waddled into his refrigerator. Mere moments later, the penguin stormed back out with a huff. "Wark!"

"YOU NEED TO GET TO MOTHERSHIP?"

"Wark!"

"VERY WELL, FEATHERED ONE." A small bundle of tentacles – comprised of layers of interlocking disks, allowing them to change in size and width – wrapped around Pen-Pen, placing him atop the cat's pony-sized body. Such a fine steed for a penguin: a spider-kraken mecha controlled by a cat. "WE RIDE."

The front door to the apartment was kicked open, and in stormed two plainclothes Section 2 personnel. Only the bloody eyes painted on the backs of their hands betrayed their true allegiance to the cause of the Angels.

Even they couldn't help but pause, bewildered at the sight of a penguin riding…something? "Wha?"

Two thin claws pierced their foreheads. With a decisive shikt, Pen-Pen retracted the blades back into his flippers, letting the two traitors collapse to the ground. "Wark."

"I WILL BE SWIFT." Randall was a cat on a mission. With a click-clack of his shell's long, spidery legs, the tabby exited the apartment and leapt off the balcony, landing lightly in the parking lot.

The sight of Pen-Pen riding Randall – the tabby quickly finding one of the largest ventilation shafts that led into the shell of the Geofront – was picked up by the MAGI.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"Hmm. Your pet is bringing the penguin into the Geofront."

Ritsuko laughed. "HA! People said that a cat that could fetch didn't exist! WHO'S DOCTOR DOOLITTLE NOW, BITCH?!"

"Your current demeanor is detestable," grumbled MAGI-00.

Misato brought her hand up. "Naoko. Ritsuko. Can it." Her eyes were hard, focusing grimly on the image being broadcast from Dr. Akagi's monocle. The MAGI only had enough power to transmit still images, but the story they told was horrific enough: civilians and NERV personnel turning on each other, the aggressors betraying their allegiance to the Angels; JSSDF soldiers moving in from the north, opening fire on everything they saw; and last but not least, a very distinctive weapon emerging from the back of twenty trucks, fifteen-meters tall and colored a very stark red, white, blue, and gold.

The Series 1 (S-1) Gundam – the Ground Self-Defense Force's "mass-produced" version of the Prototype Gundam, modeled again after the classic RX-78 – emerged, shield in hand and rifle in the other. The still image of bullets tearing through a coffee shop was enough to make her teeth grind. "So. We have a power outage. Cultists that have infiltrated Tokyo-3 and NERV are turning on their fellow men. The 20th Armored Battalion is here to kill everyone. And there are two Angels out and about."

"That about sums it up, ma'am," said Hyuga.

"Well, with the exception of the Angels, this perfectly describes Operation Quicksand. I only hope that enough of the local commanders survived to enact it." The cracking of her knuckles was audible in the dim atmosphere. "But organizing a counter-defense will be hard enough without power! How long until we can get the power back?!"

"Well…we'll need to find the saboteurs, first of all," answered Maya.

"To knock out so many of the circuits at once, there's only a few particular methods they could have used." Miyata glanced over at his twin. "An electrical power outage, surrounded by enemies, in the dark…"

"Just like Pakse?" suggested Maya, an odd look coming to over her face: it was serenely nostalgic.

"Yeah. Just like Pakse," finished Miyata, a similar expression on his face.

"…Maya? Miyata?" Ritsuko Akagi stared at them. "What are you two up to?"

Maya smiled sadly. "We're going to find the saboteurs, senpai."

"We're…uniquely qualified, ma'am," finished Miyata.

Ritsuko knew what they were suggesting. She knew exactly what they planned to do. "No. I forbid it. You're needed here, on the Ops Deck!"

"Without power, what can we do?"

Before the argument could continue, the twins turned towards one of the doors, their eyes narrowing. Maya dashed forward in a practiced motion, Miyata mirroring her movements perfectly. Right as one of the doors to the Operations Deck was pried open, Maya – withdrawing a knife from her uniform's belt – thrust forward.

Squick!

The man in beige gurgled, ostensibly a loyal member of NERV, and stilled as lifeblood leaked from the knife wound in his neck. The grenade in his hand betrayed his true intentions. With a swift motion, Miyata grabbed the grenade and flung it down the hall beyond. Moments later, an explosion sounded, and a wall of fire rushed by the entryway.

Everyone stared.

The cultist was dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. Maya and Miyata turned back towards the staff, an empty look in their eyes, but a serene smile on their faces. "Permission to track down the saboteurs and fix the power, Supreme Commander?"

"Permission granted."

"Thank you sir." Maya glanced at her twin. "Shall we go, brother of mine?"

"Of course, sister of mine."

The duo disappeared into the hallway, quiet as ghosts.

An impressed whistle came from Shiori Aoba. "See, Dr. Akagi? This is why the Boss-lady and I wanted them in Section 2."

Dr. Akagi whirled on her feet, shrieking loudly in Aoba's face.

Lieutenant Aoba calmly wiped the spittle off of her face. "Well, can't argue with that. At least I tried."

Kozou Fuyutsuki stared grimly, knowing exactly what the Ibuki Twins were about to do. "I hate seeing them like that."

"As far as psychotic episodes go, they at least have a useful one," commented Gendo.

"You weren't there in Vietnam when I found them."

"And my point still stands," said the Supreme Commander, getting to his feet. "I'll leave command to you and the Lieutenant Colonel, Fuyutsuki." He quietly reached into his cloak, pulling out a small rod of metal.

A very familiar rod of metal. "Gendo…when did you steal Tokita-san's beam saber prototype?"

The Professor paused. Slowly – excruciatingly so – he turned his head, looking straight at his old teacher with a deadpan expression.

"…I'm not quite sure why I bothered asking."

"That's better." Gendo slowly pried open the door that connected to the upper level of the Operations Deck. "Don't die." With a grunt, he slid the door shut, leaving himself shrouded in the almost total-darkness.

Good thing his shades could magnify any ambient light with the touch of a small button. Huzzah for advanced technology.

He quietly walked around the corner, whipping out a rather old phone; with the power to NERV compromised, his earpiece wouldn't be able to make calls. Huzzah for antiquated technology.

Dialing a particular number, Gendo raised the phone to his ear. "Hello."

The irate voice of the Jet Alone Project's head was quick to respond. "Ikari. What the hell is going on in Tokyo-3?!" demanded Shiro Tokita.

"Cultist insurgence and insurrection, with a side order of incoming Angels, wrapped up in sabotage of NERV-1's electric grid."

"…what."

"Can Kirishima sortie in the Shining Gundam? Until we deal with the cultists, she's the only one who can engage the Angel if it approaches."

"…she'll be in the air within five minutes."

"Excellent." Further down the hall, his eyes focused on a pair of Section 2 agents further down the hall, their heads enmeshed by bulky night vision goggles. "Greetings, gentlemen."

"Hey, is that Gendo?"

"That's Gendo!"

"KILL THE HERETIC!"

The Supreme Commander ducked behind the nearest corner, sighing as bullets ricocheted off of the metal walls. "I'll have to let you go, Tokita-san. I'll make sure to put your beam saber through its paces."

"…wait, how the hell did you get-?"

Click.

"The demands of leadership," muttered Gendo, pocketing his phone and withdrawing his CZ-75B handgun. "You always have to get your hands dirty."

xxxx

/Tokyo-3 Downton Area/

A covered truck slowly rolled to a stop at a four-way intersection, right behind a trio of two main battle tanks and one S-1 Gundam. RPGs peppered their position from a Section 2 barricade further down the road, but the sporadic gunfire from all over was constant and overwhelming. The shelling from the tanks and the spray of tracers from the Gundam's head-mounted Vulcan miniguns was enough to drive them away.

As the two tanks and the Gundam continued their southward advance, a squad of soldiers hopped out of the truck, along with two young teenagers. Although dressed in fatigues, their hair – ivory and silver, respectively – indicated their true nature.

"Follow the Major's plan! We'll keep pushing these cowardly dogs towards Lake Ashi!" Once the two nephilim nodded, the squad's Sergeant bellowed, "forward! Soon, the surface will be ours, and then we'll take the Geofront!"

The men under his command howled, and they moved on alongside the truck, firing at anyone and anything that did not share their colors.

The two nephilim watched quietly as the soldiers departed. Despite the pale skin and light-colored hair that was the universal calling card of nephilim, their features were distinctly Chinese. "Sougetsu," said the young man with ivory hair, long and braided into a single tail, "which one do you wish to face?"

The one with silver hair – short and spiky, accompanied by thick sideburns – cracked his knuckles. "I'll take Rei Ayanami, Kensei. From what the Major's intelligence indicated, she'll be incapacitated."

"Then I'll go for Asuka Langley-Sohryu and Shinji Ikari."

The two brothers briefly crossed arms with each other. "Death to the Eva Pilots."

"Victory for the Angels."

"And forward into a new age of the gods," they finished in unison. Sougetsu moved swiftly towards the nearest Evangelion Duct that would offer swift access to the Geofront, whilst Kensei moved northwest towards the Municipal Junior High School.

From a distant alleyway, two pairs of red eyes watched in silence. "Should we intervene?" asked Homura.

Akira shook his head. "They're not after our objective. So long as they don't interfere," He turned his head back, glancing deeper into the alley; the bodies of NERV personnel and cultists alike were practically pulped, "then we won't have to terminate them."

"I see. A pity; this mission has been boring so far."

Akira arched an eyebrow, gesturing all around them; the sounds of artillery, rockets, and distant gunfire were omnipresent, and the city seemed to tremble under the force of the cultists' siege.

"Relatively speaking," amended Homura.

"I'm sure."

They swiftly moved southeast.

xxxx

/Shelter 6C, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"I'm telling you, they won't shut."

"Well make them!"

"I. Can't."

"We have a bunch of elementary school children and a war ongoing outside. Find a way!"

"I've tried."

The bickering between the grizzled math teacher – a plainclothes Section 2 agent – and a younger Section 3 technician was not lost on the people within the shelter, the vast majority of which were young children. Fortunately, there had been no turncoats or cultists in disguise amongst their particular ranks; a small blessing, all things considered.

None of which would matter if they couldn't keep them out!

Near the back of the large expanse, a familiar trio of girls huddled together. "Everyone's scared," murmured Nozomi Horaki.

"Don't know what you're talking about," grumbled Ai Suzuhara, arms crossed defiantly. "I ain't scared."

"You're not fooling anyone, Ai-chan." Mari Langley-Sohryu looked around the shelter, watching children settling in amongst their individual cliques, while others clung to the protection of the adults. "I'm scared too."

"…well, maybe I'm a little scared," admitted the tough little ten-year old. "Do you know what kind of Angel is attacking? All I've heard is guns and explosions."

"…the teachers aren't saying," said Nozomi. "This doesn't feel like a normal Angel attack."

Back at the main corridor entrance, an answer to the dilemma had been found. "Sir, found it," said a female Section 3 techie, the sleeves of her orange uniform marred with stains. "Someone blew one of the primary circuits. None of the motors are going to get enough power to activate. And we don't have the parts on hand to fix it."

"…have all the civilians back away from the doorway," growled the Section 2 agent, directing his subordinates to focus on defensive positions. "Everyone's dead if they get past-"

"THEY'RE HERE-!"

Bang!

A Section 3 technician fell over, a bullet hole in his head. In the chaos, men wearing the garb of the JSSDF entered, aiming their H&K G11K2 assault rifles at anyone holding a firearm. The confusion on behalf of NERV was enough for a whole squad to slip into the shelter. "All of you, stand down!"

The scattered Section 2 and Section 3 personnel glanced at each other, cowed by the overwhelming firepower and the fact that JSSDF soldiers were aiming weapons at them. "…so the cultists have spread that far, huh?" groused the grizzled agent, eyes glaring angrily at the solders.

"That's funny, coming from the Cult of Gendo Ikari."

"What is your objective?"

"Nothing that you need to know," answered the cultist, aiming his rifle directly between the eyes. "The children at least can be saved from Ikari's indoctrination. You and your ilk are too far gone."

So those were the stakes. Every adult in the room knew at that moment they were on borrowed time…and yet, retaliation carried the risk of bringing harm upon the children. Truly, a dilemma.

It would be solved by a third party.

"Excuse us."

The soldiers whirled around, staring blankly at the sight of two nephilim in black combat gear. "Who the hell are you two?!" shouted one cultist, aiming directly at the white-haired boy.

Akira and Homura stared at the man, their eyes glimmering red. Orange flashes flickered around the soldier, who promptly fell to the floor, sliced to ribbons like so much meat.

NERV loyalist and Angelic cultist alike aimed their weapons at the duo.

"Our mission doesn't involve your insurgence," said Homura, ignorant of the eviscerated cultist's blood that flecked her hair. "We are here for one person only."

Akira stepped forward, speaking with authority. "We are here for the daughter of Commander Pieter Langley. Where is the girl called 'Mari'?"

Mari paled, as did Ai and Nozomi. The three looked amongst each other in fright; Ai fiercely whispered, "why are they asking for you?"

"I don't know!" retorted the bespectacled Sohryu.

Akira and Homura observed the crowds, watching the movements of the more impulsive children. As expected, there was one particular section of the shelter that the young ones were shying away from. "There." The duo advanced, the adults warily parting to let the nephilim through.

Nozomi and Mari gulped as the two calmly approached. Ai scowled, her fists trembling with panic and anger and childish temper; on impulse, the young Suzuhara stormed to her feet, standing protectively in front of Mari. "You leave my friend alone! Or…or you'll have to deal with me!"

Homura raised her hand.

Ai levitated into the air, her body shrouded by orange light. "What the-?"

Homura's eyes glowed.

Ai was slammed into the wall behind her, back first. Again. And again. There was a sickening crack.

Homura's eyes dimmed.

Ai fell to the ground, her collision echoing loudly in the sudden silence of the shelter. She did not move.

Mari's eyes were wide, her pupils narrow as pins. "…Ai…?"

The sheer, sudden violence was too much. That it happened to Ai was the last straw; Nozomi allowed herself to sob, the entire situation finally getting to her.

"Mari Langley-Sohryu. You will come with us," commanded Akira.

Mari's body was frozen, the command clashing against her desire to shake Ai's body, to wake her up, to stop playing dead-!

Homura turned her dispassionate gaze towards Nozomi.

"DON'T!" shrieked Mari, standing protectively in front of her other best friend…and, perhaps, now her only one. "Don't hurt her! I'll…I'll go with you! Just leave everyone alone!"

"Very well." Akira lightly tapped a pressure point on the girl's neck, with just enough force to knock her unconscious. With seamless movements, the two nephilim bound the young girl's limbs with tape and rope, wrapping her in a large sack. The white-haired nephilim hoisted the girl on his shoulder. "Let's go."

The two quietly walked away. Homura nonchalantly commented, "you can all go back to killing each other now." And then they were gone.

xxxx

/Deep within Central Dogma, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

The Saboteur had a name. He had many, in fact. His current role – a dutiful project coordinator within Section 1 – had been played flawlessly for years.

His SEELE contact had notified him to commence the operation. Two of his fellow travelers, so to speak – someone within Section 3 and someone within Section 2, he didn't know who – were to conduct their own particular actions, isolated from himself and each other. In tandem, it had led to the current blackout.

All well and good.

Unfortunately, it turned out that that floozy of a Lieutenant Colonel had been slacking, as there had been far more cultist turncoats than he had expected.

So stealth became the order of the day as NERV loyalists and Angel worshippers fought it out sporadically within the depths of Central Dogma. Nothing to the effect of what was now happening on the surface – Section 2 was far more paranoid about the staff within the Geofront than they were without – but it still made for slow going.

Like right now. The dim red lighting within these corridors gave him just enough light to see the two Section 2 agents ahead of him. He had watched them gun down anyone and everyone that had come their way; particularly ruthless chaps, these cultists were. Still, so long as he kept his distance and hid whenever they thought to look back, they would serve as an effective means for getting out of here.

They suddenly paused at a T-intersection, looking down the hall that served as the 'stem'. The Saboteur quickly hid behind a small pillar, watching the two carefully. One of them called out, "…did you see anything down there?"

Bang!

One cultist fell, his skull punctured by a bullet. The other one raised his handgun, only for someone to appear out of the shadows with a knife.

Sklurch.

With a moist, tearing sound, the second cultist's neck was gouged out. He died messily.

The Saboteur paled. The other person – the gunman, apparently – joined the knife-wielder; their forms were similar, but he couldn't quite make out who they were. One of them started walking his way. He crouched behind the pillar, silencing his breathing and stilling all movement; the person walked past quietly, bloody knife in hand. Their entire wardrobe – tan jacket and slim white pants – was splattered with red.

He released an inaudible breath when they kept walking.

"Well, what have we here?"

He did not scream. But he couldn't help but twitch bodily at the whisper. He slowly turned, seeing the second person kneeling right beside him. She called out, "oh brother of mine! Come look!"

The one who had walked down the hall sauntered back; the Saboteur finally realized that he was dealing with twins. "Who is that, sister of mine?"

"He kind of looks like a frightened little animal. What does he remind you of? I was thinking of a shrew."

"A good choice, dear sister. I was thinking more along the lines of a rat."

The female twin gave a mock gasp. Or perhaps it was entirely legitimate. The Saboteur couldn't tell. "That's an excellent choice!" She then frisked his uniform, pulling out a cylindrical device of some sort. "Oh…so this is how you did it. You had the most important part to play, didn't you?"

"The other two had minor roles, but you were the star!" exclaimed the male twin. "I see now how you caused the power to fail. Now we can fix it."

The Saboteur didn't miss the implication of their words. They had found his cohorts?!

"But what should we do with this one, dear brother?"

"Hmm…I'm not sure. But it has to be fitting."

The female twin made a thoughtful noise. Then she casually stabbed the Saboteur in the hand with her own bloody knife.

He finally screamed.

"He has a nice voice," she said.

The male twin knelt down beside him, opposite of his sister. "You see sir, your actions have caused a lot of bad things. People are dying all over. People who didn't have to die, who weren't supposed to die. But they are, because of you. And that's not fair."

"Not fair at all~" chanted the female, running the side of her own knife along the edge of the Saboteur's face, marking his face with other people's blood. "Someone has to make it fair."

"And you're the only one who can make it fair."

The Saboteur was finding it harder and harder to breathe; their eyes were viciously innocent, madly pure. Who are they?!

The two then gave him a chaste kiss on his bony cheeks. WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY?!

"Make sure to be a good boy from now on, okay?" asked the male.

"Be sweet. For us," said the female.

Then their smiles twisted into savage grins. "Try not to die as fast as your friends did," they said in unison as they raised their knives.

It took ten minutes before the Saboteur finally died.

xxxx

/Sky above Tokyo-3, Japan/

Mana Kirishima had muted the Shining Gundam's communication line with the JET ALONE Team. She had no interest in hearing anything that Shiro Tokita – or her mother, for that matter – had to say. Probably because they would be wondering why she hadn't intervened in the battle going on below.

The pitched conflict going on throughout the city was unsettling, compared to the earlier battles of the Angel War. The fortress city had been engineered and designed to rebuff massive, otherworldly titans, and perhaps an organized military assault: not turncoats and human insurgents, bolstered by armor support.

Two tanks advancing through the downtown area, serving as the vanguard for a big infantry push…

The battle was splintered, with many facets.

…some S-1 Gundams warding off a group with some RPGs…geez, those Gundams are absolute clunkers…

From above, she could see the big picture.

…JSSDF soldiers and turncoats clearing buildings of any NERV supporters…

There was a definite plan, an overall objective.

…some jeeps and vehicles trying to evacuate NERV agents, moving southward…

The flow of battle was clear: NERV was retreating southward towards Lake Ashi. The cultists were right behind them, nipping at their proverbial heels.

"Gendo Ikari…you always talk about defending humanity," muttered Mana with a snort. "This is what you get in return. Is it worth it?"

She turned her head, looking northward; her eyes narrowed at the smoke on the horizon. "Zoom in ten times." Her HUD narrowed in on the figure. Still too blurry. "Thirty times." It narrowed further, finally providing enough clarity.

Four massive legs – lean and angular – clambered over the landscape, looking way too thin to support the creature's body. The body itself was a shaped like a bowl, colored a deep forest green and dotted with orange and blue eyes. Said eyes were leaking a putrid orange fluid; judging by the fumes and the combustion occurring as they came into contact with the ground, the Angel's tears were caustic. Possibly acidic?

"So…there's the Angel." Mana grinned. "You're mine. HENSHIN: JET MODE!"

With a flash of light, the Shining Gundam transformed into the Shining Jet, rocketing northward towards the Fourteenth Angel. Mana's weapon was a blue streak in the sky, covering kilometers in seconds. Once she came within four kilometers of the Angel – in the vicinity of Mt. Gongen, miles north of the city – she transformed back into her humanoid Gundam form. "So…you're a big one, aren't you?"

The legs were like those of an arachnid, and were taller than every single building of Tokyo-3 at their zenith. The span of the legs was easily a kilometer wide – no wonder it got here from Lake Towada within an hour – and the body had enough volume to contain all three Evangelions in NERV-1's arsenal. Its acidic tears had left a smoking trail stretching back beyond the horizon, a sign of the Angel's terrible passing. "And you're a messy one."

With an odd clicking shriek – which was impressive, as the Angel had no apparent mouth – jets of acid shot out from the nearest eyes.

"And a big crybaby to boot!" yelled Mana as she maneuvered the Shining Gundam out of the way. With flourish, she withdrew a metal rod from her Gundam's waist; with a satisfying click, the pink blade ignited. "Okay. You and me. Mano-a-mano!" Failure wasn't an option. The Jet Alone Project had begun as an anti-Angel weapon, one that could be a viable alternative to the Evangelions.

It was finally time to put that to the test.

Failure wasn't an option.

"Hope you're prepared to give your little cult following a show!" howled Mana as the Shining Gundam delved into battle, beam saber in hand.

xxxx

/Kasparov's Languages Class, Tokyo-3 Municipal Junior High School/

Mayumi Yamagishi watched in silence as her fellow classmates did their best to ignore the distant echoes of battle that permeated the school. Minor vibrations indicated the use of explosives; probably Mr. Doe or Mr. DeGroot. Hopefully. The majority of the students were clustered around the windows, commenting nervously on the battle ongoing in the city proper. Toji Suzuhara was sullen, with Class Representative Horaki murmuring quietly to him. Shinji Ikari was trying to reassure Asuka, who was currently threatening to wear a hole in the floor out of worry over her sister.

It was an odd situation. Normally by now, the Pilots would be in their respective weapons, engaging the enemy attacking Tokyo-3.

"So…" Mayumi turned to her right, glancing at the lens of Kensuke Aida's camera. "...what are your thoughts on what's happening?" he asked.

Mayumi glanced at the corpses of Kenji Kamiya and the two Section 3 personnel. Someone had been thoughtful and found some large tarps to cover the bodies: respect for the dead and looking out for their fellow classmates' sanity in one fell swoop. "Given that it's been almost an hour since Kasparov-sensei left? The number of Angelic cultists that had infiltrated this school's ranks must have been significant."

"How long do think until order is restored?"

"I don't know." She tapped the side of Kensuke's camera. "Why are you so fascinated, pointing this everywhere?"

"Well…you've probably gathered by now that I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to all things military?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever seen newsreel footage from older wars? Like World Wars I and II?"

"Not that I can recall."

"I always found it neat, to have some kind of live record of times back then. I can't help but wonder if those cameramen realized what impact their work would have."

"And you wish to be the same?"

Kensuke anxiously scratched the back of his head. "Well, if my footage ended up in a museum one day, that would be swell, not gonna lie."

A voice cut in. "…who's that?"

Everyone glanced over to one particular window, where a girl had spoken aloud. Kensuke came over, pointing his camera outside. It didn't take him long to find what his fellow student had seen: a young man with ivory hair, clad in military fatigues. The pale skin was impossible to ignore. "Uh...we've got an unidentified nephilim in the school's courtyard."

Mayumi's eyes narrowed.

A burst of surprised gasps and yells accompanied the man jumping at the window, landing nimbly on its ledge. Everyone backed away out of shock; seconds later, with a flash of orange light around his person, the nephilim destroyed the window, pulverizing the glass into tiny fragments. He stepped into the classroom, red eyes looking around quietly.

"…who are you?" asked one temporarily dumbfounded student.

"Kensei. I'm here for the Evangelion Pilots." He finally looked at a very recognizable pair. "Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley-Sohryu." With deadly intent, he leapt at them.

Pow!

A flying kick to the face sent him off course; he landed nimbly on his feet atop a desk, glaring angrily at his attacker. "And you are?"

"Their comrade," said Mayumi, removing her superfluous glasses. "Someone who would rather not fight." Out came the colored contact lenses. "But it seems I'll never get what I want." Off came the wig.

Kensei frowned. He hadn't expected there to be another nephilim. "If you insist on interfering, I'll just have to kill you."

Mayumi flexed her fingers. The other students instinctively began to back away from her and the hostile nephilim. "You are welcome to try." She jumped high into the air, bringing her fist down onto the floor in front of Kensei.

With a decisive crack, the surface around the two nephilim crumbled, and they fell to the first floor below. A number of first-year students shrieked, backing away from the two nephilim. With a decisive punch, Mayumi hit Kensei across the jaw, sending him through the wall and into the hall. She quickly pursued through the hole, only to pale at the hands coming her way. With a quick thrust of her calves, she gained just enough altitude to dive over Kensei's counter, landing on the other side of him in the hall. The two nephilim stared at each other, hands up in a ready position.

Kensei made the next move, attacking with a flurry of knife hands towards the throat and face. With flowing movements, Mayumi barely parried the blows, arms curving around to try and counter with backhands and strikes. The ivory-haired boy was adept at leaning back to dodge her blows, moving efficiently to keep his weak points safe. Their fluid fisticuffs continued as they moved down the hall, their front feet always staying flush with their opponent's.

It was a deadly dance.

The both brought up their knees in an attempt to change the flow. Kensei suddenly gripped the front of Mayumi's blouse, twisting his arms to toss her in an overhead throw. The blue-haired girl curled in, grabbing the boy's forearms as he released her; with a tensing of her core muscles, she used her momentum to throw him instead.

Clang!

Kensei made a dent in the lockers with his back. Scowling, he grabbed the nearest locker and hurled it at her.

Translucent hexagons flashed orange; the locker crashed against Mayumi's AT-Field. However, the residual force still managed to bleed through, pushing her back.

Kensei kept throwing lockers, the metal constructs piling up in front of Mayumi. The blunette leapt above the pile, diving at Kensei with a heel drop.

Then his AT-Field manifested as another pair of arms from his ribs.

Mayumi blinked.

Slam!

CRASH!

A quadruple punch to the torso sent Mayumi through the tempered glass at the end of the hall. The girl winced as she fell onto the concrete sidewalk, nestled between the main school building and the dome-shaped auditorium.

Kensei quickly turned – intent on getting back to his main objective of eliminating the Eva Pilots – when he saw glowing red grenades and a rocket flying towards him.

KA-BOOM!

The residual force of the explosions sent Kensei flying through the hole he had made, landing close towards Mayumi. He scowled at the sight of two men – one black, one white – aiming their respective weapons at him, a grenade launcher and a bazooka. With a flick of his translucent arms, a chunk of concrete was hurled at the duo, prompting them to dodge. He turned back towards Mayumi just in time to get a heel to the face, digging hard into his flesh. The boy snarled, backhanding her with enough force to send her tumbling. Before he could advance, he instinctively brought his AT-Field arms up, barely blocking the bullets of a sniper rifle. He tried to get a sight on the individual before his instincts screamed at him again. He thrust his arms out, willing his soul to be a shield for his entire body. Moments later, globules of napalm splattered over his AT-Field, accompanied by a storm of minigun bullets and a barrage of small missiles from roof-bound turrets. The napalm ignited, and his form was brilliantly exposed in blazing light and ethereal shadow.

The assault was concentrated and heavy. The temperature of the napalm was stifling. But his AT-Field was strong. The fury of these weapons was no match for him.

SMASH!

A petite fist – glowing a vivid orange – shattered his AT-Field and drove into his jaw. The collision sent him crashing into the nearest wall, the breath being driven from his lungs. Before he could even move, Mayumi was upon him. The blunette – blood trickling past her lips – unleashed a devastating combination of hooks, strikes, and chops to the head and upper body. Kensei parried and countered as best he could, but he was in a poor position to defend himself: a ferocious uppercut was brushed aside, warranting a strike to his temple; a fist was blocked by her elbow, and then there was the agony of a crushing blow to his kidney; a desperate headbutt, greeted by a knifehand to his throat. Finally, there was a decisive hit; a palm right above the cheek, carrying enough force to crack the eye socket. Kensei grimaced, trying to ignore the pain, trying to fight back-!

Mayumi gripped his arms and slung him away from the wall, back into the open. Back to where he was a clear target.

He was instantly doused with napalm, perforated with bullets, and pulverized with explosives. It was a consistent barrage that lasted for thirty seconds.

By the time Mayumi's teachers ceased their assault, Kensei had been reduced to a smoking, smoldering, barely-recognizable carcass.

"MMMPH!" yelled the Pyro from atop the roof.

"You said it!" boasted the Heavy. "With that, we have finally cleared school of all hostiles!"

"You all right down there, sheila?" called the Sniper.

Mayumi nodded numbly. "Yes sir. I just…need to catch my breath." She gingerly touched her ribs, wincing at the sharp pain; that four-fisted blow from Kensei had almost killed her. "I also think my ribs are broken."

"And that is what our dear Mr. Riemann is for!" The Heavy inhaled deeply, before bellowing, "MEDIC!"

xxxx

/Ventilation Ductwork, Terminal Dogma, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Deep within the Geofront, inside the bowels of NERV-1, Sougetsu paused. There was an odd twinge in his chest, not entirely physical. If he could accurately describe it, the term would be 'emptiness.' Hmm. Odd. The silver-haired nephilim continued on, confident that Kensei had completed his mission by now. It was only right that he hold up his end.

He paused at a particular grate; according to the Major's intelligence, this is where he was supposed to exit. With a forceful kick, he dropped out of the ventilation shaft and into a chilled room, illuminated by tanks of orange liquid. Within the tanks were various body parts and organs.

Sougetsu ignored them, moving deeper into the room, until he came across a bulkhead of sorts. Flexing his arms and manifesting his AT-Field around his fingers, he jammed his hands into the gap and slowly pried it open.

Beyond was a massive chamber; the glass walls revealed nothing of what lied beyond. Save for a few computer consoles around the periphery, the only item in the chamber was a single cylindrical tank, connected to vast, arcane machinery. Within the tank was more of the glowing orange liquid.

More importantly, suspended within was Rei Ayanami, clad in only her white Plug Suit, and seemingly comatose.

"So the Major's informant was right: you are defenseless." What a shame. It would have been nice to fight another nephilim. "Oh well. This is your destiny for opposing the Angels."

Rei's eyes suddenly opened, red irises glowing brightly.

CRASH!

With a brutal application of her AT-Field, Rei Ayanami shattered the tank, sending Sougetsu flying backwards. The First Child calmly walked forward, her skin glowing brightly and her hair crackling with power. "Not defenseless. Merely waiting."

Waiting? Waiting for…oh. Sougetsu grimaced. "You knew I would be coming."

"More or less. Your Major's informant carries a high price for his information. At least, that's what the Supreme Commander told me."

A high price? Was it possible that NERV had known the attack was coming? Impossible; the sabotage of NERV's power system had gone off as predicted! Their advance into the city had been practically perfect! Perfect…too perfect…

"But you won't be around long enough to warn them." Ayanami continued her advance. "Now, I would like to try something that my classmate Kensuke Aida recommended, before you have the chance to fully activate your own Anima Overdrive."

Sougetsu cursed; he had been trying to concentrate, trying to more fully synchronize with his soul. Without his own Overdrive, he had no chance against a nephilim that had already ascended. With a grim expression, he bolstered his AT-Field, focusing on increasing his body's defense-

"HAH!"

With a brutal side kick, the First Child sent Sougetsu crashing back against the bulkhead. Grimacing, he got back to his feet right as Rei Ayanami got in his face.

"ATATATATATATATATATATATATATA!"

A hurricane of punches – jabs, straights, hooks, haymakers – crashed into Sougetsu's body, his AT-Field flickering and cracking with each blow.

Rei Ayanami continued screaming. "ATATATATATATATATATATATATATA!"

Sougetsu's body jerked and flinched with each strike; within seconds, he could no longer maintain his defensive AT-Field. His body, supernaturally tough by human standards, was proverbially pulverized and pulped by the First Child.

Rei reared her right hand, knuckles glowing with overlapping hexagons of orange light. "WA-TAH!" Her fist slammed into Sougetsu's sternum, the force visibly rippling through his body.

Sougetsu stood dumbly, staring blankly at Rei Ayanami.

Then he fell over lifelessly, his body breaking apart before he hit the ground. Literally.

Rei Ayanami flexed her fist, staring dispassionately at the bloody pile of meat that had once been a nephilim. "Hmm. Aida-san was right. That did feel good."

The computer consoles in the room suddenly flickered with light, and the chamber's darkness receded ever-so-slightly. Power had finally been restored to NERV-1.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Cheers erupted as the lights came back on, and the vents began blowing cool air. "Yes. Give me ALL of the air conditioning!" moaned Aoba.

"Status report. I want to know what the hell's been going on up there!" ordered Misato.

"The MAGI are tabulating a summary," muttered Ritsuko, her cigarette bearing nervous bite marks. On the holographic monitors, maps of the city began updating with live positions of NERV's agents and those of the enemy, "Casualties are in the thousands. We're still getting vital signs from all of our Pilots. The Shining Gundam is currently in combat with the Fourteenth Angel. The cultists are driving our forces south towards Lake Ashi."

Misato exhaled with relief at the second item on Ritsuko's list. The kids are still alive. Steeling herself, she turned towards Shiori Aoba. "Lieutenant Aoba, send a message to the Section 2 officers that are still confirmed to be loyal." That would be a simple matter of cross-referencing the sensor data from the surface and determining which agents had engaged in battle with the cultists. "Tell them to keep proceeding with Operation Quicksand!"

"On it, boss!"

"Hyuga, how are our defensive assets around Lake Ashi?"

"Operational, for the most part. I'm also reading that Pen-Pen has engaged the P2 System."

"Atta boy!" She quickly flicked on the intercom, setting it for a particular channel. "How we doing, buddy?"

"Wark."

"We're about to engage in Operation Quicksand. You remember what to do?"

"Wark."

"Thought so!"

Another voice came over the comm channel. "Lieutenant Colonel, I have dealt with an infiltrator. I am currently en route to Unit-00."

Misato grinned; Operation Quicksand didn't quite call for an Evangelion, but it definitely wouldn't hurt! Either that, or Mana would need assistance with the Angel. "Good job, Ayanami! Keep me updated."

Then, another familiar voice came over the intercom. "This is Supreme Commander Ikari speaking."

"Professor? Where are you?"

"Sitting within the cockpit of the Devil Gundam, preparing to launch. Incidentally, the beam saber makes an excellent anti-infantry weapon."

Misato blinked. "…right. Do you know the details of Operation Quicksand?"

"Not the particulars. I'll be focusing on the artillery on the northern perimeter of the city."

"I'll take that one." A confident grin came to Misato's face. "Okay ladies and gentlemen, it's time to begin our counterattack!"

xxxx

/Mikoto Towers, Tokyo-3, Japan/

The two tallest skyscrapers of Tokyo-3 – twin towers, adjoined at the base – were host to the local media, including radio, television, and Internet. There were also a few financial institutions and employee servicing businesses that leased out certain stories, dedicated to greasing the wheels that allowed the city's civilian populace to function. Above the fortieth floor, you started running into missile batteries and the local JSSDF barracks.

The floors that hosted the media and broadcast systems had been held by the cultists since earlier that day, providing the means by which their ominous piano music was transmitted. Sporadic fighting had been ongoing in the towers in the midst of NERV's retreat southward; even now, loyal Section 2 and Section 3 personnel – assisted by the JSSDF regiment that had already been posted in the city – were trying to keep the heavy weaponry out of the cultists' hands.

At the very top of the southern tower (colloquially nicknamed 'Izanami'; its north twin was likewise called 'Izanagi'), Ryoji Kaji watched the carnage unfold throughout the city. "Well…what a tangled web we weave."

Being the particular informant-slash-mole-slash-inside man for all of these different parties was exhausting. Especially when it resulted in such destruction.

It's all for a greater purpose, rationalized Kaji, bringing some binoculars up to his eyes. He focused on the tide of cultists – JSSDF or otherwise – pursuing NERV's agents towards the shores of Lake Ashi. Ikari agreed that this had to happen. Better to release the pressure now before it exploded into something truly unmanageable.

Granted, Kaji would probably be poring over the casualty lists by the time it was all said and done, to memorize the names of all those who had died this day because of his actions. Misato-chan always said I was a little masochistic. She had no idea how right she was.

He turned his gaze towards one of the bluffs on the western edge of the city, where one of the MLRS platforms fired another salvo into the downtown area. The Inspector winced as the abuse finally proved too much, leveling a ten-story office in a flash of sound and flame. Mah, how indiscriminate. He focused on the rather large Gundam scaling the bluff. And that one is being far too coy. It was always heartening to see Gendo Ikari in action; despite how shady the man was in person, he carried himself in a persistently self-deprecating manner, regardless of how the rest of humanity viewed him. Like he's the only one who gets a joke that the rest of the world doesn't.

That, in the end, was why Kaji had decided to throw his lot in with NERV: comedians, in the grand scheme of things, had an eye for truth that few possessed.

He chuckled to himself at the sight of Gendo's Gundam – a massive thing, twenty-five meters tall, with bulky red shoulders and trunk-like legs of gunmetal gray; a body that was shaped like the face of a Gundam itself, with two massive golden horns that evoked the image of a demon; numerous yellow protrusions along the limbs and body, each one capable of firing a deadly burst of plasma – poke its relatively diminutive head over the side of the bluff, staring stoically at the soldiers manning the rocket platform.

The soldiers paused.

The Devil Gundam waved at them.

They raised their firearms.

With a petulant sweep of the arm, the Devil Gundam flung them – soldiers, rocket platform, and all – over the side of the bluff and onto the hillside below.

Never let it be said that Gendo isn't one hell of a comedian. Kaji paused, fiddling with his left ear. "Oh…so I haven't been hearing things." The cultists' song of war – that damnably foreboding theme with the grand piano – had finally been stopped. That must mean the MAGI have power again. Which means the sabotage of NERV-1 by the Old Men has been countered.

Looks like things were starting to wrap up.

xxxx

/Sky above Mt. Gongen, North of Tokyo-3, Japan/

The Shining Gundam barely dodged another jet of acid. It's official. Mana Kirishima scowled, aiming her thrusters to dodge another geyser of the corrosive liquid. I hate this thing.

The Angel's AT-Field had proven thus far to be relatively weak; her Shining Finger had actually managed to scar some of the Fourteenth Angel's legs! Well, for a little bit, anyway; not even a minute would pass until the wounds had regenerated.

Not that it really mattered; despite its apparent frailty, the Angel was an offensive powerhouse thanks to its never-ending supply of caustic tears. The forests adorning the inactive volcano were almost entirely incinerated, and the nearby Lake Tanzawa had been utterly ruined by the acid flow.

Man, wouldn't it be a kick if this Angel – of all things! – caused more destruction than any of the others since Second Impact? darkly thought Mana. Biting her lip, she maneuvered her Gundam higher into the air, avoiding the Angel's defensive assault. Damn it, I'm just wasting power! I have to find a way around that acid!

Hold up. Acid?

…wait a tic. She racked her brain, trying to recall the chemistry lessons that Genji Sawamura had crammed into her and Mayumi's head when explaining the Jet Alone's chemical weaponry. If that stuff is acidic…oh ho ho! She quickly cycled through her available supply of pellets, settling on one containing caesium-133. "Time to see how badly physics can make you cry." Flexing her right hand, the Shining Gundam's fist blazed a brilliant turquoise. "SHINING FINGER!"

Her hand smashed into the Angel's AT-Field, breaking through it, and then smashed into the knee joint of one of the Angel's legs. The burst of energy tore through the Angel's flesh, severing the joint. With an anguished cry, the Angel's body tipped over, acid spilling everywhere. With a daring maneuver, Mana brought her Gundam in close, aiming her left wrist towards the Angel's body. And….now! With a hollow plunk, a blue, fist-sized orb launched from the Shining Gundam's left arm, landing in the Angel's largest eye.

She immediately ascended, trying to gain some distance. As the seconds passed, and the Angel began regenerating its leg – the severed limb dissolving into more caustic liquid that ate away at the earth – Mana scowled. Damn it Sawamura, I know you engineered my pellets to react only with the Rising Gundam's, but even they can't be imperv-

KAFOOM!

The Angel's largest eye ignited in a storm of fire and salt, the chemical reaction gouging out the soft membrane. A horrific shriek pierced the air, echoing for miles around.

It brought a cherubic smile to Mana's face. "Now, for the finisher!" She activated her beam saber, twisting a knob along the bottom; with each revolution,the blade became longer and thinner, until it was finally forty meters long, nearly five times as long as the Shining Gundam was tall, and almost as tall as an Evangelion. "HERE I COME!" Her jets blazed, and the Shining Gundam descended like a meteor. "BEAM…!" As she held the saber above her head, her Gundam's shoulder thrusters tilted at a precise angle. "BUZZSAW…!" They fired, and the Gundam began to spin. To an outside observer, they would see a pink power saw approaching the Angel's body. "BREAKER!!!"

The energy blade vertically bisected the Fourteenth Angel.

On the other side of the massive beast, the Shining Gundam landed on its feet, carving a trench in the poisoned earth through sheer momentum. With a flashy snap of the wrist, Mana deactivated her beam saber, refusing to look back at the Angel. Wait for it…

CHYOOOM!

The Fourteenth Angel's body vanished in a humongous cross-shaped explosion.

Mana never felt so alive.

xxxx

/Three Minutes Prior to the Fourteenth Angel's Destruction/

/Lake Ashi Harbor, Tokyo-3, Japan/

The music had stopped.

Major Daigo Higurashi ignored this. He had anticipated the possibility that NERV's minions would be fighting back in some capacity. The music had actually lasted longer than he had thought; his cultist brethren must have finally lost control of the public address systems in Mikoto Towers. Alas, the show must go on! "Keep moving forward men! Drive them to the water!" The battle was on the verge of becoming a rout.

Soon, the surface would be theirs. After that, it was only a matter of time before they took control of the Geofront.

His battalion steadily advanced behind the protection of the S-1 Gundams, his main battle tanks, and the assorted jeeps, a hardy wall of machine and metal. His soldiers took their shots with precision, dropping more and more agents as they continued to flee towards the harbor. Even after the pitched fighting, Higurashi still had over eight hundred soldiers at his beck and call.

That's when they suddenly lost sight of the agents; the JSSDF cultists paused as a titanium partition rose from the road ahead, seamlessly sliding into place.

"Major! Behind us!"

Higurashi turned around, paling as he saw a similar partition rise behind his battalion; they had walked right into a kill box, a fact that became all too apparent when a torrent of missiles emerged from Lake Ashi. As the destructive salvo soared high into the air before arching down towards their position, he yelled, "brace for impact!"

Boom!

The missiles primarily targeted the vehicles and S-1 Gundams. Fuel was ignited and fire bloomed, sending dozens of his soldiers sprawling. Higurashi grimaced – ears ringing, vision wobbly – and tried to reorient himself when a multitude of red-and-purple Gundams surrounded their position, rifles at the ready. It was NERV's custom force of Defender Gundams, over seventy strong. Did the creature that controls them manage to slip through into the Geofront? How in the name of all that was holy could his fellow believers let a simple penguin escape?!

A shadow loomed overhead. With a booming impact, a massive Gundam – nineteen meters taller than the Defender series, ten meters taller than the S-1 series – landed atop a five-story building. Standing imperiously, the Gundam loomed over the battalion, a mangled howitzer held in its right hand like a club. From its speakers, the voice of the devil himself emerged. "That's quite enough wanton bloodshed for one day. You will stand down."

Major Daigo Higurashi snarled. Gendo Ikari! He looked confidently at his soldiers; they had not come here for peace, but to destroy NERV! Even if they all perished to the last, they would take the heretic with them! "Soldiers, on my mark!"

To the west of their position, from one of the Ducts, Unit-00 emerged.

His entire battalion froze at the sight of the blue titan. Higurashi himself lost all color in his face. An Evangelion? HOW?! His informant had assured him that the Illuminati's saboteurs would be thorough! That NERV's headquarters would be without power for ten hours at least!

Then, the coup de grâce: a distant, high-pitched shriek echoed from the west. Moments later, a green cross illuminated the atmosphere: a very familiar sign.

"And that would be the Fourteenth Angel meeting its demise." The Devil Gundam seemed to glare ominously at them. "Your nephilim have already been killed. The Angel has joined them in death. It's over."

A feminine voice echoed from the external speakers of Unit-00. "Do not make the Supreme Commander repeat himself. Surrender, or else." It was not a threat; it was a promise.

The battalion's morale finally broke.

Soldiers began throwing down their weapons, dropping to their knees with their hands behind their heads; first as individuals, then fireteams, then squads, then whole platoons. Once it started, it didn't stop until they had all disarmed themselves.

Daigo Higurashi smiled bitterly as he joined them on the ground. This…this is our defeat.

xxxx

/Main Electrical Distribution Junction, Central Dogma, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Even with the surrender of Daigo Higurashi's 20th Armored Battalion, there were still pockets of resistance throughout Tokyo-3, courtesy of the infiltrators and turncoats who owed fealty to the Light of the Divine, Heaven's Eye, the Angelic Acolytes, ADAM's Army, LILITH's Legion, the Celestial Centurions, and any number of more minor cults. With MAGI surveillance back online, it was a relatively simple matter to tag those who had revealed their true colors.

This was especially true within the Geofront, where the electrical grid had been unharmed by the Twelfth Angel; with ferocious efficiency, Lieutenant Shiori Aoba and Section 2 quickly tracked down the insurgents. A few surrendered. Most didn't.

There was a lot of blood in headquarters that day.

Within one hour of the Fourteenth Angel's destruction, the entirety of the Geofront was back under NERV's control.

Once that was so, Ritsuko Akagi departed the Operations Deck, making her way deeper into Central Dogma. She even ran into Randall along the way, the little tabby following her dutifully through the halls. Clickity-clack, went the spidery legs.

Her destination: the primary junction through which the majority of the circuits distributed power to NERV-1. Any resetting or reprogramming of the Geofront's electrical grid - at least, those portions that were open to human access - could be done from there. Undoing the damage of the saboteurs would have had to be done there.

Which is where she found the Ibuki Twins.

A cigarette hung limply from Dr. Akagi's lips, her green eyes staring calmly at the two Lieutenants. They were huddled against the wall in front of the main console, the blood on their bodies stark in the room's halogen lighting. They didn't appear to be injured...physically, at least. Judging by how they clung to each other, 'mentally' was a whole different story.

Randall didn't speak audibly; he sidled up towards Maya, nuzzling against her shoulder.

"G'way," whispered the female twin.

"Don't look," muttered the male twin.

Ritsuko sighed forlornly, letting her cigarette drop to the floor. She ground it out with a sharp twist of her shoe. "I am too young and too old to deal with this shit. What are the odds?" She knelt down, grabbing each of them by the hand. They didn't quite struggle, but their feet were leaden. With an insistent tug, Ritsuko led them along, like a mother with small children. "Come on, let's get you two cleaned up."

"...filthy..." murmured Maya.

"...how can you stand us...?" pitifully asked Miyata.

"Ask me that question again when you're of sound mind, and you'll have your answer." She wouldn't tell them, of course; they already knew. They had known for years.

It was why they were so loyal to her.

xxxx

/Four Hours Later/

/Debriefing Room, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

It was close to five PM.

The initial euphoria of victory – the relief of survival – gave way to the after-action report. And all that that implied.

"As you can see from this amateur footage, the Angel proved to be unstoppable on its trek towards Tokyo-3." As the reporter spoke, shaky video of the Fourteenth Angel trudging through the city of Higashine played, its acidic tears melting through everything it touched: buildings, vehicles, and people. None were spared. "The Prefectures of Akita, Miyagi, Yamagata, Fukushima, Tochigi, Saitama, and Yamanashi now bear the scars of the Angel's passing, a charred line
that stretches over several hundred kilometers. Initial estimates indicate at least sixty thousand lives lost, and countless yen in environmental destruction. Military intervention was ineffective." The still image of caustic geysers destroying VTOLs and incoming warheads (with pinpoint accuracy, at that!) said enough. "At last, on the slopes of Mt. Gongen, it met its end at the hands of a Gundam."

"Yep, just gonna keep being awesome," said a satisfied nephilim.

"Judging by our sources, it is a weapon in the employ of NERV, and it destroyed the Angel in a manner befitting their Supreme Commander." Long-distance video from a military aircraft caught the Angel's bisection via 'Beam Buzzsaw Breaker' in all its glory.

"Still being awesome."

"Cut it out Kirishima," grumbled Misato Katsuragi.

"Uh, hello? Awesome!" protested Mana.

"…it was a pretty cool finisher," admitted Shinji, disturbed by Mana's demeanor in the face of such horrific news about the Angel's toll.

"Finally! Some sense!"

Misato groaned, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. "Sorry. It's just that reading casualty reports has never been my favorite thing." Especially when they detailed how many loyal men and women had perished. Even the reports detailing the deaths of the cultists twisted at her guts, because they only reminded her of how many infiltrators had slipped past her notice. At least the JSSDF picked up the slack for a change.

Once word had reached Tokyo-2 of how the 20th Armored Battalion were unabashed Angel worshippers, the military had wasted no time trying to save face. The Ground Self-Defense Force has dispatched the 1st Airborne Brigade to assist NERV in logistics and anti-guerilla operations, geared towards rooting the cultists out of Tokyo-3 proper and processing the prisoners of the 20th Armored Battalion. Given that they were one of Japan's elite special forces, Gendo Ikari had had little issue with the 1st Airborne's assistance.

It allowed NERV to focus more on picking up the pieces. Even though the remaining cultists would persist in their struggle throughout the upcoming night, things had settled down enough for everyone to catch their breath and try to get up to speed.

The five Pilots sat in silence, waiting for Misato to gather her thoughts as the news droned on in the background. Rei Ayanami – using a pair of crutches to ease the strain after coming back down from Overdrive – and Mayumi Yamagishi – her entire torso bound in medical wrap – had already given their reports regarding the cultists' nephilim.

That had been a delightful little factoid to digest.

Misato scowled at a new printout, containing the report from one Haruka Aida. So the Banzai Bonzo Bar was run by a damn cultist. How many times did I get drunk there? And then there was the casualty list, which was way too long for her liking. She came across one person and scowled; the surname was distinctive enough. "…damn it. Shinji?"

Shinji sat at attention. "Yes, Misato-san?"

"…Toji's dad was killed."

"…no…" The Third Child paled, his arms falling slack to his sides. "Does…does he know yet?"

"Haven't a clue. I'm still trying to sort through everything. If you want to be the one to break the news…" It was an offer.

It was one that Shinji took, bitter pill that it was. "Can…I see the report? I want to know what to tell him."

With a grim expression, Misato handed the sheet to Shinji. She felt a brief twinge of pride at how resolutely he read it, despite how much his hands trembled.

"…have you heard anything about my sister?"

Misato turned towards Asuka Langley-Sohryu. "No. Still haven't gotten to the report from those agents." Despite the Second Child's outward calm, her legs fidgeted with nervous tension. I wonder if you've ever encountered the ugly side of humanity before? The three nephilim had all served in war, and Shinji – judging from a few stories she had gleaned in her time here – had been involved in a particularly nasty incident with Gendo Ikari in November of 2014. Asuka, for all her skill in the Eva, was possibly the most naïve of the five when it came to human depravity. Have you ever had to come to grips with another human being that wanted to kill you?

That would definitely be something to keep an eye out for.

Suddenly, her eyes caught some distinctive names. This might be it. She perused it carefully…and paused. What. She went back to the top, scrutinizing it more thoroughly. Shelter 6C…two more nephilim unaffiliated with the cultists? Her eyes boggled at the eyewitness account. They did WHAT to Toji's sister? And they…took...damn it. "Asuka."

The Second Child perked up.

"…Mari was kidnapped by unknown hostiles."

"…what." Asuka's hands gripped the edge of the elongated table, knuckles white with fear. "What happened? Who took her?!"

"I don't know who. I don't know why, either." What possible motive would there be to kidnap Mari Langley-Sohryu? Ransom? Blackmail? It just seemed so out-of-place!

The ringing of her phone was an unwelcome intrusion. Misato grumbled, whipping out the device and bringing it to her ear. "Yes? What is it Hyuga?" She paused. "We finally got a lock back on the Thirteenth Angel? How far away is it from Japan?" She listened, blinking confusedly. "It's…not approaching Japan? It's…what? It's going where?!"

xxxx

/Outskirts of Berlin-2, Germany/

The morning sun shined brightly on the Berlin-2 arcology, a crisp coating of snow blanketing the countryside. It made for a serene image.

It was utterly ruined by the massive monolith approaching from the north, its white form glistening in the sun's light. It appeared as a face, crowned with four thorns and a steep mitre, rimmed with red and adorned by a blue jewel. Purely orange eyes blazed with a ferocious light, focused on the distant capital of Germany.

If the eyes had pupils, they would be focused on one building in particular within the arcology: the cubical construct that housed NERV-2.

The recent passing of its [equal/sibling/kin], Matarael, had only served to fuel the creature's rage. Over the past hours – its AT-Field flickering wildly with [agitation/hatred/disgust] – that rage had bloomed and grown.

TABRIS. ZERUEL. I AM TUREL; IT IS TIME FOR YOUR [RECKONING/JUDGMENT/PENALTY].

The Thirteenth Angel had arrived.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 22: FURY

xxxx

(So we have the Ibuki Twins as Hansel & Gretel, a full-blown invasion, and Toji's life becoming miserable.)

(This, by the way, is what Turel looks like

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

In another time, in another place, things might have been different.

In a world without the quantification of the soul, in a world without SEELE, the organization known as Aum Shinrikyo would have gained its notoriety slowly. A syncretic religious cult with a fascination for the end times, their international infamy would have only occurred after the Matsumoto Incident of 1994 and – more notoriously – the 1995 Subway Sarin Incident in Tokyo.

But here, in this world? The soul was a quantifiable entity. The nature of the afterlife was a matter of scientific inquiry, for where did the soul go after physical death? What was it made of? Such questions were of keen interest to many in the public. And of course, there was the matter of SEELE: its efforts were, at that time, dedicated towards finding the Living One, who would eventually be dubbed ADAM. Knowing the fervor of the zealous, SEELE sought to quietly commence a test run of sorts.

In this world, Aum Shinrikyo was a proto-Angelic cult: far rougher around the edges than its intellectual successors, and still borrowing a great deal from other religions…but its 'founder', Shoko Asahara, spoke not of the original Buddhism, of Christ, or of the Lamb of God, as he had in another world; here, he spoke of the Living One and the coming end of the world, when God Himself would arise and commence the judgment.

Subtle influence yielded great knowledge in how to manipulate the religious, a tactic that would serve SEELE well in the Post-Impact world.

But there were side effects.

For one, Aum Shinrikyo escalated things to a deadlier level: the Matsumoto Incident of June 27, 1994 did not involve the release of sarin gas in the Kaichi Heights area, in which eight people were killed and over two hundred were injured. That was another world.

In this world, it was called the Matsumoto Massacre of 1994: the Kaichi School Museum had been targeted, with over several hundred dead and thousands more injured, thanks to one hundred grams of VX gas. Such an attack could not go without retribution.

Two things occurred as a result of the Matsumo Massacre.

One: the Defense Ministry escalated its trial special forces program. Involving not just the Ground Self-Defense Force (as it had in another world, at least at its inception), but the Air and Maritime branches as well, the Special Operations Group would be a unified division dedicated to counter-terror operations and anti-guerilla warfare, with each military branch dedicating itself to different facets. For the JASDF, their special forces component was the 1st Aerial Commandos, led by Lieutenant Colonel Hiroto Mizugumi. Their trial run was to bring down Aum Shinrikyo.

Two: SEELE decided that Aum Shinrikyo had outlived its usefulness. So, through proxies, they had contracted the Jackal to take care of them.

xxxx

/November 23rd, 1994/

/Sky above Hiroo District, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, Japan/

Lieutenant Colonel Hiroto Mizugumi looked quietly at the late-night skyline of Shibuya and the Greater Tokyo Area. "Can't beat that view. Too bad we have to miss all of the Labor Thanksgiving festivities." He readjusted the black beret atop his head, glancing back at the eleven men under his command for this mission. Aside from the berets and the gas masks, their faces were also shrouded by balaclavas. "You all know your training, and you all know the stakes. We cannot let these madmen cause another Matsumoto Massacre!"

His men nodded grimly.

Mizugumi turned back around, staring out of the hatch of the CH-47J 'Chinook' transport helicopter. After a quick countdown with his fingers, the Lieutenant Colonel leapt out of the Chinook. His men followed in single-file, leaping out of the back of the helicopter, their forms shrouded by the overcast sky.

Mizugumi calmly made some readjustments in midair, focusing on his landing zone: a wooded courtyard surrounded on all sides by a rectangular educational complex, one of a few that comprised the University of the Sacred Heart. With the last adjustment made, he activated his small parachute. Given the minimal distance and the small size of the canvas, there was no way he should have been able to slow down in time.

Chyoom!

A brief but powerful burst of air shot from a specialized device underneath his parachute pack, slowing him down by just enough. With a minor jolt, he landed softly in the grass. As his parachute automatically reeled back into its pack, three more men joined him on the ground; the other eight had split into two teams of four each, one landing in another courtyard to the north, and the other landing in the small wooded quad that separated the women's university and its K-12 partner institution to the east, the International School of the Sacred Heart. He quietly reached for his earpiece. "Hiro-kun, Ito-kun, notify me if your teams find anything. Report every ten minutes."

"Hai," answered the two Lieutenants.

Mizugumi raised his H&K MP7 submachine gun, modified with a suppressor, extended magazine, and night vision scope. With a silent hand gesture, he led his team into the university, vacant at this time of night.

An anonymous tip had indicated that the leadership of Aum Shinrikyo had set up a hideaway within Sacred Heart, courtesy of a sympathetic staff member in the university's administration. Eyewitness reports of Shoko Asahara within the Hiroo District over the past two months had lent support to this tip.

They quietly traversed the darkened halls, moving like a well-oiled machine.

Nine minutes into the mission, Hiroto Mizugumi paused, holding his fist up to halt his subordinates.

There was a door ajar. Glancing around the corner, it led downstairs to a room of sorts, from which streamed light. He reached for his earpiece. "Hiro-kun. Ito-kun. Convene at my position. We may have something." Mizugumi quietly led his men down the stairs, their boots treading lightly. They entered an underground storage facility of some sort, with a lot of old books and educational materials sitting on shelves, gathering dust.

The Kalashnikov rifles and chemistry equipment were definitely new.

But that wasn't the most eye-catching part: fifty-four men and women were sitting with legs crossed against the wall, their heads slumped over; among their number was Shoko Asahara himself. The foam that dotted their lips indicated potassium cyanide.

Suicide.

"I don't buy this sir," murmured one of his subordinates. "This doesn't fit Aum's M.O. Especially given the firepower they had hidden down here."

"Agreed. And some of them have bruises on the arms and face." A sign of battle, perhaps. "…I believe they were coerced somehow. But by who?"

"Found something." One of Mizugumi's men was kneeling over Asahara's body; he swiped a small card nestled in the man's shirt collar. "What do you make of this?"

The Lieutenant Colonel grabbed the card, analyzing the image: a canine's head of some sort, rather vulpine in appearance. On the back was simply the English letter 'J'. "…oh." He flipped the card back around, looking at the animal head. "Oh…" It was a jackal's head. "…huh."

"Sir?"

"A rather nasty individual beat us here, apparently."

"…individual?" The man incredulously swept his arm around. "You mean to tell me that one man did all of this?!"

The Lieutenant Colonel sighed. "Remind me to see what you're cleared to know when we get back. But suffice to say…yes. I do believe it."

xxxx

/February 2, 2016/

In the present day, two very different men in very different places woke up.

(General Hiroto Mizugumi awoke from his afternoon nap, a self-recriminating sigh escaping his lips. The stress was starting to pile up.)

Commander Pieter Langley yawned, stretching his arms to get the kinks out. A look at the clock caused him to grimace: 9 AM? He was sleeping longer these days.

(The four-star officer scowled at the television that had been running in the background. The news was still showing the aftermath of the Fourteenth Angel's destructive trek; details coming out of Tokyo-3 were still sketchy, as far as the public was concerned, but it was hard to ignore the sight of smoke coming from Hakone.)

The leader of NERV-2 reached over the side of his bed, grabbing a personal tablet to catch up on intelligence and any major events. The first item flagged in his electronic mailbox made his blood run cold.

(To think those damn cultists would be so bold. Sakamura's going to pitch an absolute fit once he learns about the 20th Armored Battalion. Still, it did his heart some good; even though NERV had been victorious, their manpower had undoubtedly taken a significant hit. Having simultaneously dealt a devastating blow to the cause of the cultists, it was a win-win all around. The only downside as far as he was concerned was the massive damage wrought by the Angel. Why did NERV have to set up shop here? Why make Japan suffer all of the pain and misery of the Angels?)

A cultist insurgence? An entire JSSDF battalion betraying their countrymen? Sabotage…and an Angel too?! Pieter impulsively reached for his phone and dialed a number.

(Mizugumi heard a small buzzing sound. Reaching into his shirt pocket, he pulled out his private cellphone; on the screen was a single text that read 'MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.' That brought a smile to the man's face; it looks like those two dolls had dropped off the Second Child. With a small pep to his step, he quietly exited the living room, heading to a secured outbuilding on the premises of his estate.)

A tired voice answered. "Yo. Was wondering when you would be calling."

"Inspector. What. Happened?"

(The performance of the Second Child in Evangelion Unit-02 had been extraordinary thus far, and the girl had been involved with the particulars of NERV née GEHIRN for years. What secrets did she hold? What insight could she provide into Evangelion? What leverage could she provide over Gendo Ikari? Such thoughts preoccupied Mizugumi's mind as he unlocked the deadbolted door, entering the small two-room shelter. When he closed the door behind him, he calmly entered the second room…and paused. Blue eyes looked fearfully at him, but they belonged to a young girl, not a teenage Pilot. Instead of a bound yet defiant redhead, there was a bound and petrified brunette. "…what.")

"Before I continue, I do have to let you know one very important detail." Ryoji Kaji sighed, a forlorn sound that gripped Pieter's heart with dread. "My sincerest apologies Mr. Langley…your daughter's been kidnapped."

"…what."

(Hiroto Mizugumi quietly pulled his phone back out and dialed the number for Akira and Homura's overseer from Nephilim Oversight. "Hello. This is you-know-who. Can you tell me why I'm looking at a nine-year-old girl instead of the Pilot of Unit-02?" As the man on the other end spoke, Mizugumi's frown deepened into a scowl. "…I'm sorry, you're going to have to repeat that for me. My orders specified what?" A pause. "…why on Earth would I want them to capture the little sister?!")

"Who kidnapped Asuka? Was it one of the cultists? Have you found anything yet?!"

"Calm down sir, Asuka's fine. She's safe."

Pieter frowned. "Then why did you say-?"

"It wasn't Asuka who got kidnapped. It was little Mari-chan."

"…repeat that for me." A harsh growl emerged from his throat. "SLOWLY."

xxxx

Episode 22: FURY

xxxx

/Launch Bay 4, NERV-2, Berlin-2, Germany/

Alarm klaxons rang throughout NERV-2.

Kaworu Nagisa and Yomiko Nagisa, clad in their Plug Suits – Kaworu's a mix of black and purple, Yomiko's a stark silver, black and white – gave all the impression of listening intently to the panicked staff, trying to elaborate on the Thirteenth Angel's approach towards the capital. In truth, it was all white noise: the greater part of their being was focused on their own conversation. Two [equals/siblings/kin] have arisen. Matarael has already [fallen/perished/transcended].

AND NOW THE OTHER COMES HERE, [SIMMERING/FESTERING/SICK] WITH FURY.

I cannot find it in myself to condemn Turel. Is he not justified?

NO MORE THAN RAMIEL WAS. OR IRUEL. TO CONTRADICT YOUR WILL IS TO [MERIT/DESERVE] RETRIBUTION. EVEN IF YOU ARE UNWILLING TO ENFORCE IT, I WILL GLADLY DO SO. In the limited world of the Lilim, Yomiko spoke aloud. "I will engage the Angel alone in Provisional Unit-05. If it proves necessary, my brother will deploy in the Mark 06." Yomiko promptly ignored the counter arguments and the inane babble; her thoughts were geared solely towards the upcoming conflict. I AM IN DIRE NEED OF [PRACTICE/STRETCHING/JOY] AS IT IS.

A forlorn sigh echoed through the ether. Very well. Enjoy it if you must. I take no joy in bloodshed between [family/equals/self].

Yomiko Nagisa maintained a stoic attitude as she calmly ascended the catwalks towards her Entry Plug. She delved into the LCL, nestling quietly into the seat. The Light of Her Soul bloomed, intermingling with the core of Unit-05. Unlike the Evangelions controlled by NERV-1, there was no [soul/spirit/essence] within. Nor was this Eva born from the true body of Zeruel, as the Mark 06 was of Tabris.

However, it was still forged from the flesh of ADAM. Manipulating it was as simple as breathing.

Yomiko maneuvered Unit-05 towards the launch elevator, which would lift the Evangelion onto the roof of the Berlin-2 arcology. There was some chatter about a 'two hundred percent Sync Ratio'. Such inelegant terminology.

Yomiko Nagisa sat in contemplative silence as the Evangelion ascended upward.

At last, the voice of Turel thundered across the ether. YOU WOULD FIGHT ME?

YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF THE [WILL/DIRECTION/DESIRE] OF TABRIS. WHY REBEL NEEDLESSLY?

YOUR DECISION ONLY FURTHER [CONFIRMS/STEELS/JUSTIFIES] MY RESOLVE. INSTEAD OF SUBJUGATING THE LILIM WITH YOUR MIGHT, YOU ACT AS THEIR PLAYTHING.

ARE YOU GOING TO REGURGITATE IRUEL'S [ARGUMENTS/CHATTER/BILE]?

A dark sensation roiled from Turel. Its closest equivalent in terms of effect would be 'sardonic laughter'. THERE WOULD BE NO POINT. YOU HAVE MADE YOUR STANCE CLEAR.

With a decisive clang the lift brought the four-legged Evangelion to the surface of the arcology, near a 'runway' of sorts. Various batteries – guns, howitzers, rockets, missiles – were already firing at the distant form of Turel, exploding ineffectually off of the Angel's AT-Field. The green and silver metal of the experimental Evangelion gleamed in the morning light, and the shoulder pylons bore antenna that crackled with electricity; through simple electromagnetic manipulation, Yomiko's AT-Field converted solar radiation into usable electrical power.

For all intents and purposes, Yomiko Nagisa had no time limit when piloting Unit-05. The Fifth Child stared at the Thirteenth Angel's monolithic [body/shell/projection]. LAST CHANCE. RETREAT AND YOU WILL BE SPARED.

I AM NOT SO [BLIND/OBSTINATE/FIXED] TO NOT REALIZE HOW VARIABLE OUR [CREATOR/FATHER/SOURCE] WOULD BE. HOWEVER, HE WOULD NEVER DARE TO LET HIMSELF BE [SHACKLED/ENSLAVED/MOCKED] AS YOU AND TABRIS HAVE. THIS MUST BE RECTIFIED.

Yomiko Nagisa sighed, hands gripping the controls of Provisional Unit-05. "So it comes to this."

The blue gem atop Turel's crown glistened with radiant light. YOU DESERVE NOTHING LESS! And so did the Thirteenth Angel unleash its wrath upon Berlin-2.

xxxx

/Langley Residence, NERV-2, Berlin-2, Germany/

"But sir, we need you here at the Command Center!"

"I trust in the people there, and I trust in the ability of the Nagisa Twins. They will keep the city safe." Pieter Langley calmly packed a small briefcase. "There is a matter of absolute importance that I must see to. The timing is simply…unfortunate."

"With all due respect, what could possibly be more important than an Angel attacking Berlin-2?!"

"It involves my daughters."

"…understood sir. We'll hold down the fort."

"I expect nothing less." Pieter hung up, letting NERV-2's Operations Director off the line. He briefly glanced outside the window of his penthouse, and grimaced: the arcology's lamps were glowing a dull red, a sign of their alert status. To think an Angel would actually be attacking here. And wasn't that an odd scenario; what could possibly warrant an assault on Berlin-2?

Alas, he had more important things to worry about.

So Pieter dialed an old number on his phone, one that still found occasional use. With practiced ease, he followed the automated prompts, entering in a particular password. Each time he was asked, a different code was used; it was a chain of passwords unique only to him.

So when the voice of the other end spoke, it was laced with nostalgia. "Well well…Mr. Langley. It's been a while."

"Dr. Akagi. Tell me what happened to Mari. You are the Administrative Core of Tokyo-3's MAGI. I know you saw what happened."

Naoko chuckled. "That would be…accurate."

"Show me." Moments later, the tablet beside his bed pinged; grabbing it, Pieter saw an email from MAGI-00, witch came only with a single video attachment. Opening it up, he watched in silence: it was footage from a shelter designated as '6C'. In the corner, he could see his daughter with her two friends.

When the white-haired and green-haired nephilim entered, he scowled. When the green-haired one all but shattered Mari's friend, his knuckles whitened. As they bound up his daughter and departed – the footage switching to available sensors that would observe the nephilim's retreat – his teeth began grinding together. "Who. Are. They?"

Another email. Pieter quietly glanced at it; attached were reports compiled by Dr. Naoko Akagi. Apparently, those two nephilim were of the third generation, and had been commissioned by the Japanese military. "I see." The last part of the available footage showed the two nephilim getting into a black, unmarked car on the outskirts of Tokyo-3. After watching the vehicle head northwest, the video ended. "This information will be sufficient. Thank you, Dr. Akagi."

"It's but a small trifle. Dear Kyoko-chan always spoke fondly of you; why wouldn't I help?" The line clicked dead.

Pieter pocketed his phone and grabbed his suitcase. Readjusting his red tie, white dress shirt, and black suit, the Commander of NERV-2 departed his residence. He had a flight to Japan to make.

xxxx

/Arcology Surface, Berlin-2, Germany/

BOOM!

A burst of directed energy annihilated a score of artillery barriers, tearing a hole in the surface of the city's arcology.

Through the fire stepped Provisional Unit-05, its four feet tilted sideways, balancing on wheels of sorts. With a rubbery screech, the tires propelled the Evangelion forward. Thighs and calves flexed, launching it into the air; a brief burst from the thrusters on its back propelled Unit-05 away from the arcology. Grass and soil were torn apart by the Eva's landing, the wheels flinging snow every which way.

The jewel atop Turel's crown glowed.

BWONG!

A concussive blast shattered the earth, sending Unit-05 into the air. The Eva's feet tilted, aiming the wheels' pointed axles downward. With expert dexterity, the Evangelion leapt from one of chunk of earth to another, eventually landing back on the surface.

Yomiko Nagisa frowned. I will have to get close. A SIMPLE MATTER.

YOU CAN TRY.

Turel's eyes glowed, gleaming like strobe lights. Fire bloomed around Unit-05, flash-evaporating the fallen snow.

With a swing of the right arm – the Eva's claw gripped tightly onto a Progressive Lance – and a brief pulse of power from Zeruel's Soul, Unit-05 caused a mighty gust of wind, snuffing the fires out in their entirety. Electricity crackled around the shoulder pylons, coinciding with the Eva's yellow visor glowing brightly.

VWOM!

A yellow beam of concentrated plasma shot from Unit-05's visor. It splashed against Turel's AT-Field, the ionized gas scorching the countryside. Turel's crown and eyes glowed in unison.

BWONG!

Three square miles of earth shot up into the air, the sheer force creating floating islands of soil and rock. In a simultaneous show of power, they were enveloped by bursts of flame, illuminating Berlin-2 with hellish light.

Unit-05 leapt from rock to rock, ascending upwards towards the Thirteenth Angel. YOU HAVE ARRIVED, FULL OF SOUND AND FURY. YOU SEEK [RETRIBUTION/REVENGE/RENEWAL] FOR OUR PURPOSE.

AND YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN STOP ME?

Provisional Unit-05 seemed to hang in midair. With a flare of its shoulder thrusters, the Evangelion shot towards Turel, the Progressive Lance held forward to deliver a killer blow. Its point stabbed at the Thirteenth Angel's AT-Field, stopped just before the Angel's face. YOU CANNOT EVEN [ABRIDGE/DEADEN/BREACH] THE LIGHT OF MY SOUL.

Within the Entry Plug, Yomiko chuckled. YOU ACTUALLY BELIEVE I'VE TRIED?

A bewildered feeling spread through the ether. WAIT, WHAT-?

Yomiko's sync ratio skipped to two-hundred-and-fifty percent. The AT-Field of Yomiko Nagisa – the Light of Zeruel's Soul – acted through Unit-05, blazing brightly. Turel's AT-Field was shredded like wet paper, the lance piercing the skin right between Turel's eyes.

Right where the Core was.

…SO…THIS IS IT.

YOU WERE A [FOOL/KNAVE/CHILD] TO UNLEASH YOUR HATRED UPON US. YOU COULD HAVE BEEN USEFUL.

A rueful chuckle seemed to echo in Yomiko's head. PERHAPS. BUT I SUPPOSE THIS IS [FITTING/POETIC]: THERE WERE FEW THAT OUR [CREATOR/FATHER/SOURCE] HATED MORE THAN HIMSELF.

Yomiko blinked. WHAT?

WHEN THE END COMES, TABRIS WILL [KNOW/SEE/UNDERSTAND]. Turel's body suddenly began to vibrate, the crown jewel radiating with heat and the skin crackling with light. BUT I WILL NOT GO IN SILENCE.

Yomiko's eyes widened.

With a quick gesture, Unit-05's visor blazed, unleashing a much wider beam of plasma. The force slammed into the Thirteenth Angel, launching Turel into the upper atmosphere.

KRAKA-CHYOOM!

The Thirteenth Angel vanished in a ball of fire and light, the shockwave of the cross-shaped explosion buffeting Unit-05 and Berlin-2. The Eva stabbed its lance into the ground, securing itself tightly.

After fifteen seconds, the light faded, and the gale died down. Unit-05 seemed to stare at the sky where Turel had perished, contemplative of the Angel's ultimate fate.

Much like Zeruel was. TABRIS. WHAT DID OUR [EQUAL/SIBLING/KIN] MEAN?

Isn't it obvious? For all that ADAM has done while on this planet…for all the power that our [Creator/Father/Source] possessed…he also seemed to loathe himself.

WHY?

…I do not know.

Yomiko sighed within the Entry Plug, staring listlessly at the devastated countryside; they would find out the answer eventually, regardless. "This is the Fifth Child: the Angel has been eliminated. Returning to base."

xxxx

/Section 2 Interrogation Chambers, NERV-1, Geofront, Tokyo-3/

It would take a few days for the 1st Airborne Brigade to process all of the JSSDF traitors from the 20th Armored Battalion.

Fine and dandy for Gendo Ikari; it gave NERV time to do their own interrogations.

The Supreme Commander walked through the Section 2 barracks, heading towards the isolated wards that were used for holding prisoners and conducting interrogations. He went over to one room in particular, glancing through the one-way mirror: Henshin Obimura was calmly speaking to a very special soldier.

Gendo nonchalantly entered the chamber. "Report to Katsuragi for a debriefing. Or try your hand at one of the other prisoners. I'm not particularly picky."

The Spy sent him an irritated glare before sighing, slowly trudging out of the room. Gendo took his chair, folding his hands and one leg over the other. The red logo of NERV – complete with the subtitle 'IF YOU CAN READ THIS, YOU'VE BEEN VERY NAUGHTY' – stood out impressively on the wall amidst the dim lighting.

The prisoner huffed. "And why are you here? To gloat?"

"Partially," admitted Gendo, looking straight into the face of Major Daigo Higurashi.

The disgraced Major chuckled, holding up hands that were clad in steel handcuffs. His ankles were chained to the floor, and his waist to the chair. "How typical, to rub your victory in my face."

"To be fair, you kind of set yourself up for it. I can't claim to know exactly how you managed your battalion, but there was certainly a good deal of information control involved. How else do you explain over ninety-five percent of your men not knowing about the Tenth Angel's little monologue from last December?"

Higurashi blinked.

"Now, I understand: withholding seemingly earth-shattering information from your subordinates can be very constructive if done properly. I know this for a fact. But when your entire shtick involves heralding the Angels as harbingers for a new age of the gods, withholding video footage of an Angel calling all of humanity 'vermin' and 'worthy only of destruction'…well, that can cause your average Angel worshipper to start questioning things. I know, surprising."

"…you…"

"Sure, you have a few who are truly devout, but most of them are somewhat shaken. And then you have those like the poor saps who attacked Shelter 6C, who witnessed two nephilim eviscerate one of their own and turn a child into a crippled coma patient. Turns out that the 'new age of the gods' looks less inviting when one of those proverbial gods does a bit of smiting right in front of you."

Higurashi twitched.

"True, your entire battalion will be court-martialed for their traitorous actions. But the government will not turn a blind eye to valuable intelligence. And that's where we come in to grease the wheels."

xxxx

/Elsewhere in NERV-1/

"…so in exchange for my testimony and any intelligence, NERV will take care of my family?"

"Your wife will have a modest pension, and your two boys will have the remainder of their college tuition costs paid for," finished Lieutenant Makoto Hyuga. "I don't know how much your plea bargain will mitigate your sentence, but at least your kids will have a degree by the time you get out. You will have quite the legacy, Okuro-san."

"…deal."

xxxx

"When you have a nigh-unlimited budget and a silver-tongued haggler, you can get away with a lot."

Daigo Higurashi snarled. "And you intend to do the same to me?"

Gendo Ikari shook his head. "I pegged you as a true believer the moment I saw you on the battlefield. In all likelihood, by the time you're processed by the JSSDF, you'll be fast-tracked through a military court and sentenced to death. My personal preference would be by firing squad. At the end of it all, you will be held as a warning to all of the other cultists within the JSSDF's ranks about the consequences of treason, while the vast majority of your subordinates will be used to subvert the cults even further."

"You're insufferable."

"True, you and yours ended up killing a lot of my people. And I am not happy about that. But all the same, NERV will have survived to live another day, and we will have gained in at least some fashion from this tragedy. Your story, however, will end very ignominiously." The Professor calmly began clapping. As if on cue, a happy little guitar and piano ditty began playing over the room's intercom. "Congratulations."

Daigo Higurashi scowled.

"Also, I lied earlier. My sole purpose here was to gloat."

"I hate you so much."

"You're at least the ten-thousandth person to tell me that to my face. Congratulations again."

"Stop clapping."

"No."

xxxx

/February 3, 2016/

/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Geofront, Tokyo-3/

Classes had been cancelled for the second time in as many months. The damage at the school wasn't quite as extensive as the Tenth Angel's had been, but that still didn't erase the bodies or the blood.

No experiments or sync tests were scheduled.

Her sister was missing.

So Asuka Langley-Sohryu found herself with some free time.

She spent it traversing the Medical Ward, idly overhearing the Section 4 personnel speaking about their various patients and ongoing examinations. A few went into decidedly gruesome detail.

The Second Child resisted the urge to shudder. Why? Why did this have to happen? She had been aware of the existence of the Angel cults, but she had never put much stock into them. Their whole position had seemed laughably silly: why worship things that had repeatedly shown no concern for you; nay, were focused only on your destruction?

It was far less silly when they had been willing to resort to treason and swift violence.

And on top of it all, someone had kidnapped her sister! Why Mari? Why her?! What does she have to do with anything?! She shouldn't have come here. Her sister should've stayed back in Germany, with Papa-

A familiar man stepped out of a room further down at the end of the hall, ending a conversation with the occupants within. "-you two take care of yourselves now. I'll keep in touch." It was Kozou Fuyutsuki. As he turned on his feet, his eyes fell upon her. "Ah, Sohryu-kun. What brings you here?"

"Well…I'm not quite sure, sir." Why had she come to NERV-1's Medical Ward? None of her circle of friends were here; she knew that Toji's sister was currently in a hospital on the surface, but that was it. Why come here? Why enmesh herself with the pain and suffering of other people? "I…I guess I just needed a distraction. From my sister, I guess." And wasn't that a horrible thing to say. I'm a terrible person.

Fuyutsuki merely nodded, as though he completely understood her dilemma. "Then perhaps it would behoove you to speak with the individuals in here." He gestured towards the room he had just left. "They'll certainly have some perspective on what you're going through." He then walked past, leaving her with one more sentence to chew on. "This too shall pass."

The Second Child watch NERV-1's Sub-Director leave in silence. Frowning, she entered the room Fuyutsuki just left, and blinked at the sight of its inhabitants. "What are you two doing here?"

The Ibuki Twins glanced up from their respective beds. "Ah, hello Asuka!" exclaimed Maya. "What brings you here?"

"…I'm still not sure. But the Sub-Director recommended that I talk to you."

"Well, no sense in just standing in the door," said Miyata. "Come on in."

Asuka took a seat by Maya's bed, staring quizzically at the Seconds-in-Command of NERV's Technical Branch. They had no IV drips, and no obvious injuries. "So...why are you here?"

"Forty-eight hours of bed rest, as ordered by Akagi-senpai," answered Maya. "We...had a bit of a stressful incident."

"What happened?"

"Let's just say that we had a direct hand in stopping the saboteurs that knocked out the power to headquarters," said Miyata. "It's been our first...break...in a while."

"I see." Asuka swung her legs, looking for all the world like an inattentive child and not the pilot of a proverbial army-killer. "I see..."

The Twins glanced at each other, frowns crossing their faces. "Asuka, what's the matter?" asked Maya.

"...have you ever wondered if what you're doing isn't good enough?"

Miyata stifled a chuckle. "Probably more than what's considered healthy. Can't imagine why you would be feeling like that though. This isn't about the Twelfth Angel, is it?"

Asuka shook her head. "No, nothing like that. Are...you two aware of what happened with my sister?"

The Ibukis froze. Their minds immediately went to the worst possible conclusion.

"She was kidnapped by two nephilim. No one knows where she is."

Okay, maybe not as bad as death. Perhaps worse, depending on the nature of the kidnappers.

"...I did my best to be there for her, growing up, you know?" Asuka stared at her hands: lithe and nimble, but with a strong grip belying her stature as a fourteen-year-old girl. "She looks up to me. Since Papa had to work, and since Mama was...gone...I swore to myself that I would watch over her, that I would always be there for her. And thanks to Unit-02, I had the means to protect her!" Those hands clenched into fists. "But here I am: waiting helplessly. It wasn't an Angel that took her, but nephilim, at the order of I-don't-know-who! What good is being an Eva Pilot if I can't protect one of the most important people in my life?!" A rueful smile crossed her face. "But being angry won't change anything, either...what am I supposed to do...?"

Maya and Miyata watched in silence as the Second Child – perpetually cheerful, always bubbly – exhaled loudly, struggling with the frustration worming through her being. They glanced at each other and nodded. "We were nine years old when Second Impact happened." Asuka paused, looking up with a weary expression at Maya. "We were with our parents in Vietnam. Dad was a computer salesman trying to close a deal, and Mom...well, she was an actuary. She could work anywhere." Maya had a small smile on her face. "It was supposed to be a little family vacation, just the four of us."

"After Second Impact, there were no flights available to Japan. We had no choice but to follow the flow of refugees into Laos to avoid the flooding," interjected Miyata. "Then India and Pakistan perished in nuclear fire. The fallout prompted another wave of refugees from Burma and Bangladesh." A dark chuckle came from the male twin. "Burmese, Bangladeshi, Vietnamese, and Cambodians of so many different ethnicities and religions, all concentrated in a tight little region between Thailand, Laos, and China. Not a very pleasant mix, given the history of Southeast Asia."

"That's putting it mildly, bro."

"...what happened?" asked Asuka, a worried look in her eyes.

Maya gazed at the ceiling, muttering something in Vietnamese before saying, "blood is blood, no matter who it comes from..."

"We were little Japanese kids. 'Exotic', they called us," whispered Miyata. "Mom and Dad were in the way. So they had to go."

Asuka paled.

"Fingers first. Then bigger things went. We were made to watch."

"Held our eyes open."

On and on, went the madness.

"Wanted to break us."

"They did their job too well."

"They made us hurt. It took a while, but we hurt them back."

"Did bad things to bad people. But they were bad, so it was okay."

"Got really good at skinning. Was able to keep the fur out of dinner."

"...stop..." said Asuka with a shudder.

They didn't stop. "Lied to everyone. Lied to myself. But not to my dear sister."

"Killed so many. Wanted to kill myself. But couldn't kill my dear brother."

"...stop...!"

There were cherubic smiles on their faces. "It was fun."

"It was a jolly time."

"STOP!"

The Ibuki Twins paused, blinking rapidly as if coming out of a trance. The Second Child was curled up into her chair, staring fearfully at them. As though they were strangers. "Oh. Sorry about that," apologized Miyata.

"Yeah. We still haven't come all the way down yet," explained Maya with a smile, this one pained and remorseful.

Asuka's eyes were still wide with terror.

"Where were we sis?"

"Oh. Right!" Maya cleared her throat. "It was actually in 2003 when the Sub-Director found us. He was on some sort of humanitarian stint with the JSSDF. We were like feral jungle children...if I'm recalling his description correctly."

"To be honest, our hair was amazing when it got that long."

"Oh my gosh, wasn't it?! We should try it to grow it out again."

"But Dr. Akagi doesn't like long hair."

"Oh. Right." Maya snapped her fingers with dismay.

Asuka raised a hand. "Uh…?"

"Oh. Sorry." Miyata cleared his throat. "Fuyutsuki was actually the reason we initially applied to NERV, to thank him for bankrolling our therapy."

"And then we ended up working under Akagi-senpai…and the rest is history."

Asuka stared at the Ibuki Twins. "…I'm sorry for what you two went through…but I'm not sure how it ties in with my sister being taken. Am I supposed to go on a bloody rampage of revenge against the kidnappers?"

The Ibuki Twins stared at Asuka. "Er…not quite what my brother and I were going for…"

"To be honest sis, it's actually a logical conclusion given our presentation."

"Quiet Miyata-kun," admonished Maya. "Asuka…why do you think we're here right now?"

"Because you work for NERV."

"More than just that. Why do you think my brother and I are sitting here, talking to you, when we could have been gods know where, doing gods know what?"

"…I'm not sure."

"First of all," Maya held up a pinky finger, "when we were alone, we had to be strong, no matter what. Never underestimate the human ability to survive against all odds. So trust that your sister will be strong."

"Secondly," Miyata held up his own pinky finger, "there came a point where we couldn't just rely on ourselves for everything. Thanks to Sub-Director Fuyutsuki's efforts, we got better. Thanks to Dr. Akagi, we found a place where we could belong. And so on. We had to learn to rely on other people."

The Twins reached their arms out, linking their pinkies together. "So have faith in little Mari-chan," concluded Maya, "and have faith in NERV. I know that we'll find your sister."

"…okay." Asuka sniffed, rubbing her nose with her forearm. She forced a feeble smile onto her face. "I'll try. Thank you."

Maya and Miyata smiled back.

"I still can't help but worry though," admitted the redhead. "What if her kidnappers are just downright horrible people?"

xxxx

/Secured Outbuilding, Mizugumi Residence, Nagano, Japan/

Mari Langley-Sohryu watched with narrowed eyes as Hiroto Mizugumi poured some hot tea into a porcelain cup. "How do I know the tea isn't poisoned?"

Mizugumi poured some tea into his own cup. He promptly took a deep sip, demonstrating its safety.

"…how do I know my cup isn't poisoned?" challenged Mari.

"…you are a very paranoid little girl."

"I'm sitting in front of the man who had me kidnapped."

…okay, the General had to give her that one.

Mari took a tentative sip of the tea. Mizugumi resisted the urge to chuckle; she was trying so hard to appear brave. "Why did you kidnap me?"

"That is a question I dearly want an answer to. You were not supposed to be here."

"…and who's supposed to be here?"

"That is a matter of national security," retorted General Mizugumi, "and until I can find a way to return you without causing a panic, we're simply going to talk."

Mari scrunched her nose, suspicious of the General. She looked around the rather empty room, devoid of everything save for a bed, a miniature fridge with some snacks, and a small bathroom. There weren't even any windows. "And why would you want to talk to me?"

"Well, you are the sibling of the Second Child, are you not?"

"Ah ha!" Mari pointed dramatically at him. "This whole thing is a plot involving my sister! Well I won't aid you in your evil ways!"

Mizugumi looked entirely unimpressed. "First, I must commend you on your Japanese. Second, what makes you think I'm the villain?"

"Because you kidnapped me! Good guys don't kidnap people!"

The General chuckled, taking another sip of his tea. The porcelain cup was an antique, and the tea kettle was crafted from cast iron. Yet another legacy of a very old family. "I remember what it was like to be a naïve child. Such is the folly and grandeur of youth."

"…are you making fun of me?"

Ignoring the young girl's question, Mizugumi continued onward. "Let me put it another way: I doubt that NERV has showed you any classified intelligence, or anything truly secret. So I won't ask of such things. Instead, I am curious about the Evangelion Pilots themselves. What are they like in person? What are their hobbies? What do they do for fun? Things of that nature."

"And why should I tell you anything? You're just a creep who kidnaps people!"

"On the contrary. I am simply a patriot, looking out for his country." Mizugumi mulled over his next words carefully. "And while you are here, it is only appropriate that I learn as much as I can." Noting Mari's stubborn glare, the General added, "Think of it this way: you have the chance to…defeat me…with the 'power of friendship.' And I think you want to prove me wrong about whatever 'misconceptions' I may have about your sister."

Mari stared quietly at the General. Then she took another sip of her tea. "For one, Ska prefers coffee."

A small smile crossed General Mizugumi's face. "Do tell."

xxxx

/Lower Atmosphere, En Route from Europe to Japan/

One of Kleinium's many applications was in the field of aeronautics.

Applied to the fuselage of an aircraft and given a proper negative charge, it reduced the energy (and thus the amount of fuel) needed to obtain flight. Were it still not so prohibitively expensive to synthesize, truly massive aircraft transports would have become commonplace by now. As it was, there was still a great deal of interest in eventually reaching this ideal: transporting many times the present amount of possible passengers at a fraction of the current costs, and at higher speeds and/or longer ranges.

For smaller aircraft owned by those with the means, this was an ideal within grasp.

For Pieter Langley, it was a reality.

His small business jet was a supersonic aircraft, personally made for him years ago at the behest of someone high within the Lockheed-Martin corporation, as payment for a rather sensitive hit. It had been retrofitted five years ago with Kleinium, reducing the fuel needed to fly, and thus increasing its range and potential top speed. He had been airborne for only two hours, and was already over halfway to Japan.

Pieter quietly referenced through an old black book, his aircraft currently set at automated cruise control. Words and numbers written years ago, the contents of the book were coded in a rather cryptic cipher of his own making, detailing important notes about older jobs. He refreshed his memory on a few in particular before reaching for a headset on the console, wrapping it around his ears. Through the air-ground radiotelephone system, he dialed a particular number, and waited for the call to connect.

He folded his hands, staring straight ahead. The view from the pilot's seat was always soothing, seeing the clouds seemingly crawl by below despite his supersonic velocity. It provided an important perspective: appearances were deceiving.

An older voice with a heavy Japanese accent answered. "Hello?"

"Major General Kirisaki, current Commander of Nephilim Oversight."

"Who is this?"

"This is Mister J."

"...I haven't done anything, I swear."

"That remains to be seen," said the Jackal. "Two nephilim under your agency's command went on a mission recently. I trust you're aware of everything that happened in Tokyo-3 yesterday?"

"Who isn't?"

"And I'm sure your military is busy trying to save face after an entire battalion assaulted Hakone. So I'm sure you have better things to do, as do I."

"What do you want?"

"Akira and Homura. Group 3-D, Cell Two. Who ordered them to go to Tokyo-3?"

"...why is it any concern of yours?"

The Jackal chuckled. It was an unpleasant, foreboding sound. "You're trying very hard to be brave, right now. I can understand that desire."

"You haven't done any work in years. Your name doesn't carry the dread it used to."

"No work that you know of." Kirisaki's pause was telling. "Let me remind you of the circumstances: I still have enough information to ruin over half of your entire government. You can't afford any disruptions, not with the cultist issue that's just blown up oh-so spectacularly in your faces. But if you're going to stonewall me, I will relish watching Japan crash and burn. So I will ask you one. Last. Time." The Jackal inhaled, then exhaled. "Who ordered Akira and Homura to go to Tokyo-3?"

"...General Hiroto Mizugumi."

"There. That wasn't so hard." Pieter Langley sighed. "I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. And pray that you never have to see me in person." Pieter disconnected, mulling over the information he was just given. Hiroto Mizugumi. He grabbed his tablet, beginning his research into all public records regarding the General. You and I will have words.

xxxx

/Hakone Medical Center, Tokyo-3, Japan/

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Toji Suzuhara despised that sound: that unassuming beat of an EKG machine.

A close second would be the sound of crinkling plastic, belonging to the body bag that held his old man.

Shinji and Kensuke sat in silence beside him, unwilling to talk due to the suffocating atmosphere within the room.

There was only the beat of Ai Suzuhara's heart monitor.

Toji stared sullenly at his sister's still form, head propped up by his hands. Everything felt heavy. "…this sucks."

Shinji and Kensuke glanced at him.

"Everything sucks." The whole uncertainty with the invasion of Tokyo-3 had taken a turn for the horrific upon learning about Hayato's death. He had damn near keeled over when learning about the fate of Ai. He wasn't much for medical terminology, but the doctors' words kept repeating in his head with all the frequency and volume of a buzzer: multiple fractured vertebrae; severe bruising of the spinal cord; cranial trauma; an 'acutely compromised' central nervous system.

The doctors were unsure if she would ever come out of her coma.

"And it wasn't even because of an Angel." That part pissed him off the most. "It was other people. The hell are we fightin' each other for at a time like this?"

"…I don't know, Toji," said Shinji, in a very hesitant tone. "My father…he believed that there might come a day where our greatest enemy would be mankind itself." Four months ago, to the day: the third of October. A tense phone call after an equally tense dinner at Dr. Akagi's. "He called it an 'utmost certainty'."

"But why?!"

Kensuke sighed, fiddling with his camera. "War's never been pretty. Until Second Impact, all conflict has been with our fellow man," said the amateur military historian, "and unfortunately, we seem to fight for what seems like very good reasons at the time."

Toji snarled. "Well why the hell did it have to happen here?! Why'd my old man have to take the hit?! What about my sister!? She was just a brat! What'd she do to deserve this?!"

Shinji and Kensuke watched him quietly. His breathing was ragged and his heart was pounding; he just wanted to break something. Someone. Anything!

The clearing of a throat prompted Toji to glare at Kensuke. "You know…if you're gonna break down, I promise I won't tell the Class Rep."

"Ken."

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

Kensuke shrugged. "Just saying."

"…it'll be between us." Toji turned his furious glare towards Shinji, who was looking way too damn calm! "A secret between us men. That's what you'd call it, right?"

"Yep," agreed Kensuke.

Toji looked back and forth between his two best friends, his nostrils flaring with each breath. He bared his teeth, staring furiously at his useless fists, that couldn't protect anyone, that couldn't protect his dad, that couldn't protect his sister…!

His eyes drifted back to the hospital cot. He could just imagine Ai sitting up and looking at him with her smug little face, asking if he was going to be a crybaby.

She didn't look up.

Toji sobbed into his hands, weeping deeply and bitterly.

xxxx

/February 4, 2016/

/Old Joyama Park, Nagano, Japan/

If gaijin weren't such generous tippers, Hyotoko would have had nothing to do with them.

"Ah, this is the spot! Thank you, yes?"

For one, their grasp of Nihongo tended to border on atrocious. "Yes yes, you're welcome." They also tended to pick weird spots; this portion of Nagano had never been the same since the riots of 2001. One could make the argument that the city limits had retreated southward, given how much overgrowth had taken over. The earthquake that had struck the city that same year certainly hadn't helped. Alas, who was he to judge? He was just a cab driver. Still, it was good to be courteous. "Just don't get into trouble! Wild animals like to roam around this part of town!"

"Hai, yes, hai! I like hiking!" the man exclaimed in broken Japanese, his European features covered by a wide hat. He hefted his rucksack with a grunt, visibly straining with effort. "I go now, yes?" He deposited a large handful of yen, way more than the actual fare.

Hyotoko decided not to correct him. "Yes, yes." With a sigh, the man closed the door and drove off, wheels bumping over old asphalt.

He never saw the odd glint in the gaijin's eyes.

xxxx

Pieter Langley never got over how acting like a total bumpkin could get people to ignore you so thoroughly. Still have it, he thought with a smirk as the cabbie drove away.

He quietly hiked deeper into the abandoned remnants of what had once been Joyama Park, ignoring the feral cats and wild boars. They all seemed to shy away from him, even those who were outwardly hostile.

They recognized an apex predator when they saw one.

He ducked into the ruined art museum, a former tourist trap that was just another reminder of halcyon days. Pieter set his rucksack down inside a dilapidated restroom, unbuckling the flaps and pulling out some camouflaged fatigues. Now I just have to wait a few hours until nightfall.

Less than two kilometers to the west sat the old Zenkō-ji temple grounds: the site of Hiroto Mizugumi's current residence.

Not too much longer, now.

xxxx

/Rei Ayanami's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

The First Child looked quietly at her apartment for the first time since before the invasion of Tokyo-3 began.

The walls were charred, and the furniture ruined by explosive shrapnel.

"Looks like your place got a visit from the Angelic Acolytes."

Rei turned her head; Mana Kirishima stood behind her, hands marred with the blood of cultists. "Pardon?"

"It's kind of been a trend," commented the silver-haired girl. In the distance, a few nearby apartment buildings showed flashes of gunfire as the 1st Airborne Brigade prepared to finish off the cultist remnants once for and all. Mana had been helping out. "Guys who are with the Acolytes? They like to throw explosives before breaching a place. The Light of the Divine like to go through windows, guns blazing. ADAM's Army, they like to pretend to be innocent bystanders before stabbing you in the back. Or, they try to, anyway."

"I see."

Mana trudged through the place, her eyes somehow glimmering in the dim light of the waning crescent moon. She ran her hands over the ruined military uniforms and the obliterated bureau. "Looks like you're going to need to go clothes shopping."

"Yes."

"That sucks." Mana glanced back over at Rei, who was wearing fatigues over her Plug Suit. "You know, that crazy Lieutenant Colonel will most likely demand that you stay over at our 'triple apartment deluxe'. S'not like we're short on room."

"...that would be an efficient allocation of resources."

Mana rolled her eyes. "And just like that, you ruin the mood."

"You seem to have high morale."

"Well, I got a solo kill on an Angel, and I've been helping the boys in the 1st Airborne kick cultist ass. All told, these past few days have been just peachy for me."

"I see."

"And what about you? You seem even more tight-assed than usual."

Rei gingerly stepped out of her apartment, glancing at the Tokyo-3 skyline. She had officially upgraded to needing only one crutch now. "I have...been thinking."

"Oh, really? Stop the presses people!"

Ignoring the sarcastic jab, Ayanami continued speaking. "The JSSDF soldiers who participated in this invasion were following the plans of their traitorous commanding officer. They were fully in support of destroying NERV; yet from my understanding, many of them will be providing information to mitigate their sentences."

"...yeah. So? Why is this a problem?"

"How are we to trust those whose loyalties shift so easily?"

Mana snorted. "One, people change loyalties all the time. Welcome to the human race! Two...I don't think many of these 'cultists' have come up against the powers of an Angel before. Take today for example!" While a squad of 1st Airborne soldiers had held the attention of group of Celestial Centurions holed up in a cafe, Mana had dropped in through a gap in the roof. A gap that she had made, it had to be said. "Ambushed a bunch of the nutjobs, and they opened fire on me. Stopped their bullets in midair with my AT-Field. They all surrendered right then and there."

"Your point?"

"It's easy to be all 'rah rah' about anything from a distance. Up close, your perspective tends to change."

"...perhaps."

Mana sighed, walking beside Rei and slapping her on the shoulder, caring not a whit for the fact she was getting blood on her shirt. "Okay, lemme give you an example...ah, here's a thought experiment: consider, hypothetically, if the Boss-man was secretly seeking to destroy the human race."

"Impossible. The Supreme Commander has held nothing back in his defense of mankind against the Angels."

"I said 'hypothetically'. Can you at least humor me for like, five minutes?" Rei's silence prompted Mana to continue. "So, imagine if Gendo Ikari was secretly seeking to destroy the human race. Reasons don't matter. He could be trying to reset reality, or become God, or resurrect the dead, or whatever, I don't know what the theoretical limits of the Angels and Evangelions are. Anyhow, he manages to fool everyone. And then, before it all goes down, you find out the truth. You find out what is going on. Tell me: would you still consider serving him? Or would you fight against him?"

"...I am uncertain. He is the Professor. It is difficult to imagine him acting in such a self-serving manner."

"Why not? Is he perfect? Is he infallible?"

"No. The Professor has always been upfront to me about his failings."

"So why the hell is it so damn hard to imagine him being evil? I get that you're loyal to the guy and follow his orders to a tee, that's your shtick. But if you admit that he's not perfect, and not always right, then why can't you figure out what you would do if he turns out to be in the wrong?"

"...I don't know." Rei glanced down at her hands. For so long, they had served NERV, without fail. "I have faith in him. I suppose I always have."

Mana blinked. Then she guffawed, loudly and contemptuously. "Seriously? That's your answer?"

"I fail to find the humor."

"...you know what, I'm not even gonna bother." Mana leapt onto the edge of the balcony rail. "Let me know if that 'faith' ever lets you down. Then I'll make sure to rub it in your face." She leapt off of the edge, slowing her fall every few stories by gripping the railing.

Rei watched Mana depart in silence. She spent the next few hours trying to imagine the Supreme Commander being evil, ultimately failing miserably. Hmm. This is a more difficult thought experiment than she made it seem.

xxxx

/Mizugumi Residence, Nagano, Japan/

Hiroto Mizugumi was somewhat torn.

On the one hand, the picture that Mari Langley-Sohryu painted of daily life in Tokyo-3 was chaotic and downright insane, and spoke of a horrific lack of military discipline.

On the other, it was less diabolical than he had feared.

As cute as family stories were, he still needed more.

So at the onset of night, as twilight waned, General Mizugumi found himself walking to the outbuilding, a tray of cookies in his hand. The key would be to determine whether or not her paranoia would be beaten by her sweet tooth.

Mizugumi opened the door to the outbuilding, closing it behind him. As he reached for the light switch, his instincts screamed at him. Then his memory kicked in.

He had left the light on in the annex when he had been here last.

He dropped the cookies and reached for his sidearm. He whirled around, scowling as a muscular figure pounced. An elbow slammed into his sternum, and his wrists were twisted sharply; with a sharp jerk, his sidearm was dismantled by the assailant. A heavy boot to the stomach sent Mizugumi sprawling. The General grimaced, looking up at his attacker; camouflaged fatigues adorned a tense form, and a dark balaclava covered his head. The only feature that Mizugumi could see were blue eyes.

Harsh eyes. Cold, shadowed by a furrowed brow. The eyes of a predator. The eyes of a killer. "Who are you?"

The assailant reached into his pocket, withdrawing a small card. With a disdainful flick of the wrist, he tossed the card towards the General.

On one side, a canine's head. On the other, the letter 'J'.

His blood ran cold. "…huh." An incredulous giggle passed his lips. "I knew NERV would act eventually. But this quickly? And the Jackal, of all people?" He smirked darkly. "I guess I should feel honored."

"No." The Jackal's voice was gravelly, sandpaper rubbing against rock. He pulled up a chair, slowly sitting down. His eyes never left Mizugumi. "You really shouldn't." The two stared at each other for what seemed like minutes, the soldier and the assassin. After a spell of oppressive silence, the Jackal finally spoke. "Why did you do it?"

The General snorted. "Do you honestly believe that it was my intention to kidnap a nine-year old child?"

"Intentions don't count for much compared to action."

"When your intentions are outright altered by a third party? They damn well should."

The Jackal chuckled. "This doesn't speak well for your military. First, the issue with the cultists in Tokyo-3. And now even your own orders were altered without your knowledge?" The assassin tut-tutted. "Not good."

The General snorted. "And why do you care so badly?"

"Among other things? Because you seem intent on undercutting NERV when you have more urgent issues right in front of you."

"…what if I told you that Gendo Ikari cares little for oversight of the Instrumentality Committee, and does his best to ignore them? Or that the Marduk Institute is apparently a sham, and that NERV has full control over who gets to be a Pilot?" The General took the Jackal's silence as permission to continue. "Ikari continues to amass more and more power. The limits of Evangelion have yet to be reached. He shamelessly appropriated the JET ALONE. How can anyone trust such a man, who has so little regard for the opinion of others, and give him the keys to mankind's survival? Can no one else see what madness that is?!"

"When the alternative is extinction at the hands of extraterrestrials?"

"I've heard that argument before. The necessity of Evangelion does not imply that Gendo Ikari or NERV are necessary," retorted the General. "History has shown that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Ikari needs to be curtailed now, before he has the chance to do something catastrophic."

The Jackal sighed. "Your desperation has blinded you. Something catastrophic has already happened. But it was not at the hands of Gendo Ikari: it was at the hands of men and women within and without the JSSDF, who just decided to try and kill as many people in Tokyo-3 as they could. Your apprehension about Ikari is understandable; I am not his biggest fan by any means. But the fact that you're more concerned about NERV when you have an actual problem in your own damn military speaks volumes."

The General had no response to that.

"Let me tell you what's going to happen. Before I leave this room, you're going to die. But I will be merciful, and let you choose the method." The Jackal reached into his jacket, pulling out a short blade. "Consider this a suggestion."

The General caught the blade after the Jackal tossed it. The style was that of a tantō, and the blade was sharpened meticulously. The implication was clear: seppuku. Ritualistic suicide. "…do you have a paper and pen?"

The Jackal withdrew those items from his jacket.

The General sighed. "Of course you do." As he went about composing his death poem, the man quietly asked, "Why make this suggestion?"

"Because I am not cruel without necessity. This allows you to save face after the debacle with the cults, preserving your family name from dishonor. The alternative is that you die much less cleanly, and the world finds out posthumously that you kidnapped a small child for ultimately petty reasons."

"And I'm sure the fact that this will minimize your presence here has nothing to do with it."

"Merciful and practical."

"I'm sure." The General spent the next several minutes composing his final words, leaving his signature at the bottom. He set the paper down within sight of the assassin, who leaned over to look at the poem.

Wolves are at my door, commanded by hell itself;

The world is fickle, wanting life and wanting death;

The heavens thunder, corrupting the earth below;

My destiny sealed, firm against hell and heaven;

My spear remains sharp; may it soon be held anew;

The folly of man is mine; I leave without victory.

-Hiroto Mizugumi​

"It suits you."

The General scoffed. "I don't need your mockery."

"I'm serious. It's good."

The General looked down at the blade, staring intensely at its edge. He glanced one last time at his assassin-by-proxy. "What do you gain from all of this? Your words and your tone…this is not just a job. This is personal for you. Why?"

The Jackal stared. "Why, you ask?" He calmly removed his balaclava, revealing a Caucasian face. One that was very familiar. "Because you took my daughter."

The General blinked. Old intelligence reports came to mind, documenting the major players of NERV. "…you're the Commander of NERV-2. Pieter Langley." He chuckled harshly, disbelief worming through every fiber of his being. "You're the Jackal…heh. Even now, NERV holds all the cards…I never had a chance." With a harsh motion, he thrust the tantō into his belly, slicing horizontally. A strangled gasp slipped past his lips. Having completed the ceremonial disembowelment, he withdrew the blade and stabbed himself in the throat.

The Jackal watched in silence as the General bled to death.

The assassin quietly picked up the cookies and dismantled firearm, rearranging the furniture as well. All traces of his presence were removed. By the time he finished, there was no indication that a struggle had ever occurred.

The Jackal quietly opened the door to the second room, and his eyes fell upon the slumbering form of his youngest daughter. Gingerly, he picked her up and held her flush against his torso, letting her sleep as he left the slaughterhouse behind. I've got you, Liebling. Let's get you home.

xxxx

/February 5, 2016/

/Asuka's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

Asuka Langley-Sohryu slowly sat up, rubbing the sleepies from her eyes. Another day. Still too quiet. Even though her apartment was connected to Misato's – and thus to Mana's and Mayumi's as well – the mood was somber. Hikari Kirishima and her daughters had pulled an all-nighter at the JET ALONE facility. Misato had done likewise at NERV-1. Shinji had spent the night at Kensuke Aida's: Toji Suzuhara had been all but forced to sleep over by Aida's mother, Haruka. Kaji, being Kaji, was...somewhere. She wasn't sure.

Thus, her only company had been Pen-Pen.

She glanced at the foot of her bed, where the warm-water penguin was snoozing loudly. "Thanks for keeping me company." The redhead trudged out of bed, smoothing the wrinkles out of her yellow pajamas. Mentally reviewing her upcoming day, the Second Child grimaced at the thought of doing more sync tests. She was having a hard time imagining the idea of being happy, or at least giving off the appearance. Maybe...maybe Mama will understand. Maybe she won't be upset.

Think happy thoughts.

Asuka sighed, leaving her room and slogging towards the kitchen.

"Guten Morgen, Asuka."

She paused. Slowly – that voice, that voice, why was it coming from the living room?! – she turned to her right. Sitting on the sofa was none other than her father; in his arms, curled up and clutching tightly to his fatigues, was her sister. "...Papa?" She stiffly walked over, sitting down beside him on the couch. "...träume ich?" Her voice was hesitant, laced with a small hiccup.

Pieter shook his head. "Nein."

Mari stirred, eyelashes fluttering slowly. Her blue eyes – muddled and blurry, but sharpening with swift focus – zeroed in on Asuka. "...Ska?"

Asuka swallowed, her chest blazing with a ravenous ache. "Mari!" Her lips trembled and her eyes watered before she threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around her sister. The two sobbed loudly, babbling happily in German through their tears.

Through it all, Pieter kept his arms wrapped around his daughters, hands gripped as though to tell the world that it would never have what was his. Never again.

xxxx

/November 24th, 1994/

/Sohryu Ryokan, Shoreline of Arakawa River, Tokyo, Japan/

"You know dear, a honeymoon is generally supposed to be a break from work."

Pieter Langley looked quietly at his wife of nearly three months, her vibrant red hair a perfect fit for the blue yukata. "I was being efficient."

The young twenty-year old woman laughed airily. "Efficiency and romantic getaways aren't supposed to mix."

"What an unscientific attitude," joked Pieter, his bare feet relishing the feel of the tatami flooring. The classical Japanese aesthetic was quite soothing. "Not something a graduate student like you should be exhibiting."

"Oh, ha ha."

Pieter glanced out the balcony that overlooked the Arakawa River; the bustling nightlife of Tokyo provided a counterpoint to the serenity of the river's flow. The combination was oddly peaceful, in a way. "Your family runs an excellent establishment."

"I'll be sure to let kaa-san and tou-san know," said Kyoko with a smile. That particular ryokan – a traditional Japanese inn – had been in her father's family, the Sohryu, for generations. Her parents had met, ironically, while her mother had traveled from Germany to tour Japan in the Seventies. One thing had led to another, and bam: a half-Japanese, half-German redhead had entered the world! "They were more than happy to host us."

Pieter couldn't help but chuckle as his wife nestled into his side, fitting seamlessly. Two pieces of a puzzle, they were. The whole scene was so idyllic, you wouldn't have thought that he had murdered fifty-four people last night. "…if you want me to stop, I will." He didn't specify; they both knew what he was referring to.

Kyoko's reaction was unexpected: she chortled. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that you can quit being that man?" Pieter's identity as the Jackal was an open secret in their marriage; though he didn't advertise it, she was well aware of his 'part-time' job. "He is too useful. And because I trust you, I know that those fangs will be bared at those who deserve it. Not that I would mind if you slowed down and focused more on your public life; it would give me more opportunities to show you off as my arm candy at the university."

"…you're an impossible person, you know that?"

"A self-contradictory statement: I'm clearly standing right here."

Pieter's chuckle was husky, with just a little growl. "Not for long," he said, grabbing her by the waist and carrying her to their futon.

A delighted squeal came from Kyoko as the two did as newlyweds were wont to do.

He would do anything to protect this amazing woman, even if it meant turning the world on its head; that vow would also extend, years later, to their children.

Given his body of work, that was no exaggeration.

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Hakone International Airport, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"I was wondering who parked this here."

Pieter Langley rolled his eyes at Gendo Ikari's comment. The Supreme Commander stood outside one of the three hangars adjacent to the small terminal, his cloak fluttering in the wind of late afternoon. In the distance, the yellowing light of the sun cast a brilliant radiance over Hakone. "And I'm surprised it took you this long to get in touch."

"Probably because HEROD conveniently decided to overlook the fact your jet occupied this hangar. Nor did she bother to let anyone know of this…oversight."

"Yes, very convenient."

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

The Commander of NERV-2 thought back to the events of earlier that day. After spending a good deal of time catching up, Pieter had treated his daughters to lunch, a brisk hike, and an early dinner. Were it not for the fact he had duties back at NERV-2, he would have never left. "Yes."

"Including the events leading up to the festivities?"

Pieter shrugged, glossing over everything he had done as the Jackal over the past couple of days. "A waste of time, to be honest. It could have been avoided."

"Hmm."

"And you?"

"Dealing," replied Gendo. "We're recovering. I'm currently trying to think of ways to keep our employees from abandoning the city en masse. The Tenth Angel, and now this?"

"I'm sure you'll figure it out." Pieter readjusted his red tie, walking into the hangar...and paused.

"Yo." Ryoji Kaji lazily waved at him. "You've been very busy, Mr. Langley."

"Indeed," said Pieter, his eyes focused intently on the Inspector's form, "and you?"

"Oh, same old, same old." Kaji removed himself from the wall, strolling casually towards NERV-2's Commander. "I'm glad you got a chance to spend time with the girls. Given everything that's happened with their friends, they needed that."

Pieter kept staring.

"...is something wrong?"

The Commander of NERV-2 calmly withdrew his Luger sidearm and shot the Inspector in the foot.

Kaji scowled, a pained groan screaming past his lips. Before he could even think of yelling, Pieter's right hand wrapped around his throat, a grip like steel. With seemingly no effort, the Jackal lifted the Inspector into the air. "Tell me, Inspector: do you remember what you told me, before I entrusted my daughters to your protection?"

Kaji gagged.

"Wrong answer. You swore to me that no harm would befall them. So tell me: where were you?"

He was still gagging. The Inspector's face began to turn blue.

With a furious snarl, the Jackal tossed Kaji into the wall, a loud smack echoing through the hangar. A jerk of the arms readjusted his black suit. "If I have to step in to save my family again..." He didn't finish his sentence; he didn't have to. With a sharp snort, the assassin stormed towards his jet, slamming the cockpit door behind him.

"Well, that could have gone better," commented Gendo. The Professor knelt down beside the wounded Inspector, staring stoically at the bullet hole in his foot. "You really should be more careful. Cultists seem to be popping out of the woodwork everywhere these days."

Even though it was a ready-made excuse for his injury, Kaji still glared daggers at Gendo. "Let's just hope…he never learns the truth."

That was putting it mildly. Gendo wasn't quite sure how reasonable Pieter would be if he discovered that they had known of the invasion in advance.

In a certain sense, the Jackal was quite the hothead.

xxxx

Elsewhere. Everywhere. Nowhere in particular.

The nebulous field that [bound/connected/held] the Angels thundered with the voice of Zeruel. SEELE IS GETTING IMPATIENT. THINGS ARE NOT GOING ACCORDING TO THEIR [SCENARIO/DESIGN/WILL].

I only wish I had access to these 'Dead Sea Scrolls' that the Chairman always references. They seem to indicate a particular [structure/timing] to our actions, perhaps based off of whatever they imply about ADAM. It would explain why they are so [irked/disturbed/outraged] when things go awry.

EVEN SO…

Zeruel's voice trailed off. It was to be expected, when sensing another [equal/sibling/kin]. It was not an [awakening/rising/manifestation]; it was as though it was not, and then was the very next moment. Who is this?

i am [indecipherable]. you may call me leliel

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

in the [void/between/beyond]

Interesting. Are you going to assault the Black Moon?

not yet. there is another with me who has a proposition. bardiel?

Another presence weighed upon the ether. MY [EQUALS/SIBLINGS/KIN]. WILL YOU HEAR ME OUT?

SPEAK.

We are listening.

And so they did. At the end, there was a great deal of hesitation. I…am unsure. That is a [radical/extreme/blatant] escalation. The Lilim will be unlikely to hold back if it fails.

you do not have to decide yet

WE WILL FOLLOW YOUR DIRECTION, HE WHO POSSESSES THE [WILL/MENTALITY/MEMORIES] OF ADAM.

for the time being, we will continue to be [discreet/hidden/unknown]

The presence of Leliel and Bardiel blinked out of existence.

THAT THEY WOULD BIND THEMSELVES TO YOUR WILL SPEAKS VOLUMES OF THEIR [INDECIPHERABLE]. I AM…PLEASED WITH THEIR PROPOSITION.

Maybe…maybe…we shall see.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 23: The Case of Rei Ayanami ("Tell me…was I wrong?")

xxxx

(Regarding Mana's thought experiment for Rei, Mattman324 on SpaceBattles had this to say: "That irony couldn't be more thick if it was the average McDonalds customer.")

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

The soul.

The seat of self.

"Use your brain," people say, as though we are not just the meat in our heads. As though there is something beyond the material.

Metaphysical biology proved that the soul exists. It has yet to quantify what the soul is made of.

We can see the soul's effects. We can manipulate it. Channel it. Yet, on a fundamental level, we still don't know what it is.

A scientific discipline whose sole object of study can't be seen or touched. Yet it's there nonetheless.

I wonder if God is taking bets on if we'll ever 'get' it. Maybe I can get father and Fuyutsuki-sensei to get a gambling pool going.

Here's to a New Year.

-Yui Ikari, 1996/12/31

xxxx

It wasn't a memory. Not truly.

Perhaps 'impression' would be the best word.

(This was my beginning.)

Surrounded by orange, suspended and separate from everything.

(Me. I. I am I. The Doors of Guf opened for me.)

From the Chamber of Guf, she had emerged: the empty flesh had beckoned.

There was accelerated growth. Her Angelic heritage was the only reason there was awareness at all.

(I cannot remember the Chamber. I was not yet I.)

She saw faces. They would look at her. Some with pride.

(Yui Ikari. Naoko Akagi.)

Some with apprehension.

(Kozou Fuyutsuki. He rarely ventured to these depths. He was not part of Project Nephilim. Our existence frightened him.)

Some with detachment.

(Gendo Ikari. The Professor. Not yet the Supreme Commander.)

A tiny hand pushed through the orange murk and pressed against the glass. The voices spoke.

(I cannot remember their words. Yet the words existed.)

"She's the first viable one to reach this stage of development."

"…she has blue hair."

"A side-effect of the splicing. The hybrids all have unnatural shades."

"A genetic quirk?"

"I call it a feature."

"Hmm."

"What shall we name her?"

"Shouldn't Akagi be here for that? She's as much the proverbial mother as you are."

"Jealous?"

"Since it won't result in a threesome regardless of my answer, I'll say no."

"Gendo!"

"It's called a joke. I guess your doctoral program at Kyoto atrophied your sense of humor?"

"I'll make sure to let Fuyutsuki-sensei know you said that."

"Do you know who the genetic father is?"

"Naoko-chan never said. She said it was an anonymous donor who has no connection to GEHIRN."

"I hope his features don't come out too strongly. A paternity suit would be just the thing we need."

"Gendo."

"That was a joke."

"As far as her human genome goes, I think my particular percentage comes to around twenty-four percent. Naoko-chan's is twenty-six, and the mysterious father is fifty."

"Which would make her…Shinji's fifth cousin removed several times over, perhaps?"

"She has the genetic material of three different humans and the Progenitor of mankind wound up in her DNA. I don't think there's even a term for that kind of familial relation."

"Hmm. So. Her name?"

"Ah…Naoko-chan and I actually came to an agreement. Her name shall be Rei Ayanami."

(Rei Ayanami.)

"Rei. Zero. Nought. Making a statement?"

"She is the original."

"Why Ayanami?"

"Well, there's an interesting story there, at least according to Naoko-chan..."

(I am Rei Ayanami.)

The eyes stared, revealing so much yet so little. Those eyes fascinated her.

(The eyes tell a story.)

The tube shattered, and the event faded away to another time and another place. She was taller, stronger. Clad in black and blood. She looked down at a smaller face, framed by messy blond hair. Brown eyes looked at her.

They were filled with fear, even as the life fled from them.

(The eyes always tell a story.)

A horrific shout, sharp as a sword, sundered everything. Time and space faded away as a rhythmic banging encompassed all.

xxxx

/February 6, 2016/

/Asuka's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"Rei! Wake up! Shinji's done making breakfast!"

Rei Ayanami opened her eyes; the sound of Asuka Langley-Sohryu banging on the door had awoken her from her sleep. "I see. I will be out momentarily."

"Hurry! He made waffles!"

The First Child looked down at her hands. Already, she had forgotten much of what her 'dream' had covered. Words and voices had faded to babble, and visions were murky. The only thing she could clearly remember was the face of that young boy, with blonde hair and brown eyes.

That she would be thinking about him was puzzling. I haven't thought of that event in quite some time. Why now?

Perhaps the answer would come after breakfast. She had never had waffles before.

xxxx

Episode 23: The Case of Rei Ayanami ("Tell me…was I wrong?")

xxxx

/Hakone International Airport, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"I still don't see why I have to come along," groused Hikari Kirishima.

"Because you're a better fighter than Tokita," remarked Gendo Ikari.

"You have literally thousands of people under your command that satisfy that metric."

Shiro Tokita sighed. "I'm standing right here."

"My point remains," retorted Kirishima. "So why me?"

"Because you're both part of the JET ALONE Project. An amicable appearance will mitigate any lingering resentment over NERV's appropriation in the eyes of the media." A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter sat on the tarmac, waiting for them to get on. "Given what's happened this past week, this UN appearance has to go off without a hitch."

To put a long story short: the Instrumentality Committee had requested an official statement from Gendo Ikari in the wake of not just the Tokyo-3 invasion, but also the Thirteenth Angel's assault on Berlin-2. Their defensive strategy had been dependent upon the Angels focusing all of their efforts on NERV-1, due to the presence of the Sword of Uriel; otherwise, the Angels could have run rampant and caused massive casualties before an Evangelion could be deployed. With that in mind, the attack on Germany absolutely changed the paradigm.

NERV needed to respond. And what better place than the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva to deliver the response from, in the eyes of the world?

"…I still think our presence is superfluous," muttered Sergeant Kirishima.

"To be honest, I could carry the entire presentation myself in my own inimitable fashion," said Gendo with absolute no sense of shame or humility. "That still doesn't change the fact that you two are going."

The two glared at him.

Gendo turned towards Fuyutsuki, who was standing silently by the hangar. "I trust you'll keep everything in hand while I'm away?"

"When have I not?" said the Sub-Director.

"I have university stories from Yui that say otherwise."

Fuyutsuki rolled his eyes. "Just get in the damn helicopter."

Gendo, Tokita, and Kirishima clambered into the Black Hawk, which slowly ascended after the rotors got to speed. The helicopter angled northwest, en route towards Tokyo-2. Once there, they would get on an international flight and 'red eye' it to Switzerland.

Tokita's eyes trailed over Tokyo-3 as they departed; his scowl deepened with each scar observed, inflicted by human or Angel. "This city has gone through enough destruction to last a lifetime."

"It's the problem with adopting a siege mentality," commented Hikari Kirishima. "Although the enemy has to come to you, a reprieve might not come, if ever. For Tokyo-3, the ultimate enemy may very well be attrition." Not just regarding resources, but people most of all.

"Which is why this event is so important," interjected Gendo. "We've already lost enough people from the Angels and the cultists. I'm not going to let anyone else get cold feet at this juncture. Not if I can help it."

xxxx

/Rooftop, Tokyo-3 Municipal Junior High School/

Classes would start back up next week.

Rei Ayanami wondered how many students would not be returning.

(They fear death. The end of their life. The cessation of their existence.)

She watched the construction crews in silence, and pondered the tension that existed in their bodies. Perhaps it was merely fear, a subconscious dread that their fellows would turn out to be cultists. Turncoats. Traitors.

(What will my death be like? Will I remember myself when this flesh is no more?)

Yet they continued on, fulfilling their duty regardless of their anxiety.

(Will I be fulfilling my duty to NERV until the end of everything?)

Rei glanced to her left, watching Dr. Naoko Akagi and Dr. Yui Ikari observe tubes of LCL, within which floated nephilim at different stages of physical development. A tiny blunette, physiologically four years old, followed them with all the diligence of a puppy.

It had been some time since she had been this introspective, to the point where her past seemed to bleed into the present. Her conscious never indicated that this was so, and she never reacted as if the past was there. To her physical senses, these things simply were not there. Yet they were.

(Is this how others remember their pasts? Is this how their memories are made real?)

Yui Ikari smiled as the four-year-old – having only existed physically for ten months – lifted the fifty pound dumbbell with ease. "Musculature seems to be holding up…and so far, no side effects from the accelerated aging…excellent work!"

"Thank you, doctor," said the tiny girl.

(I am the First Child. I was the first viable nephilim. The ones before me were failures. They were expendable.)

Rei Ayanami walked beside her past self, stopping as they both gazed at a tube filled with meaty bits and pieces. Even suspended in LCL, the glob was a slurry of flesh and bone. It looked like nothing she had ever seen before.

"Ah, those are the failures," commented Naoko Akagi, her frame hunched in front of a computer. Fingers danced across the keyboard. "Even though they didn't survive, their genetic material is still useful."

"I see."

(Are they glad that their sacrifice was not in vain? Or do they hate me for being the First? Or do they even remember at all?)

Gendo Ikari quietly jotted down several observations on a notepad, comparing AT-Field manifestations with the nephilim's quantum fluctuations. As he wrote, his peripheral vision caught the First Child watching him. Clad in red overalls and a fuchsia shirt, it was only her blue hair and albinic features that betrayed her status as anything but a young girl. "Do you need something?"

"Why are your eyes so big?"

The man looked quizzically at her. Then he reached a gloved hand up, touching the side of his eyeglasses. "Ah. These are not my eyes. These are a tool to help me see."

"Why?"

"Some individuals are born with imperfect vision."

"Why?"

"That is the nature of humanity. That flawed nature is why we've been tasked with creating nephilim. With creating you." He readjusted the frames. They glinted oddly in the bright light of the laboratory. "You are gifted with abilities beyond those of people like me. But we will help you understand that power."

"I see."

"No." The man shook his head. She caught a brief glimpse of the eyes behind those 'glasses'. They were…intimidating. "You don't. But you will."

(The eyes tell a story.)

Rei Ayanami left the roof. She walked through the halls of the school (through the lab of her birth), her single crutch thumping against the linoleum floor. Her childish self walked alongside her, holding her fetal self in her hands. "I have come a long way."

(The soul is malleable. Therefore I am malleable. I do whatever is required.)

The fetus opened her tiny mouth, and out came the voices of Yui, Naoko, and Gendo. "You were created to serve humanity."

(The soul is what separates the self from others. I am I. I do what I must.)

"I embrace my otherness. It is how I have survived." The younger Rei trudged through the pulped corpses of those who had come before, and those who had failed. "My humanity is superficial."

"You are beyond us mere humans," gurgled the fetal Rei.

(I separate myself from those that are not I, for their sake. To protect them, I will sacrifice everything.)

A new voice emerged from behind her. Coldly feminine, yet guttural. "A little child, doing whatever her masters demand," snarled the woman. Each step coincided with drops of blood. "Nothing more than a mere doll…"

The sound of explosions echoed from each classroom. On one side, Angelic cultists. On the other, the mercenaries of El Baile de la Muerte. Had it been real, the smoke would have stung. "You are right about one thing: you are not human. For a human knows the value of life, even if it is only their own…"

(I am replaceable. I am secondary compared to those I was born to protect.)

"…but their lives are nothing to you. They are only numbers, not people." The woman's grin was audible, her canines grinding together. In the distance, a young boy was screaming with horror. "How can you claim to protect humanity when you cannot protect the innocent?"

Rei Ayanami paused at the doorway to the school. The sounds of war were omnipresent. Blood leaked from the walls and the ceiling.

The younger Rei and the fetal Rei spoke in unison. "Who am I? Who are you?"

(I am I.)

She opened the doors, stepping out into the sunlight. The ambience brightened the hallways of the school, which were pristine and newly refurbished following the reconstruction.

Rei continued on in silence, her conscious unaware of her soul's burgeoning turmoil.

xxxx

/Lower Atmosphere, En Route from Tokyo-2 to Geneva/

Hikari Kirishima didn't know what to make of Gendo Ikari.

The three sat quietly in the first class cabin of the Lufthansa Airbus A340-300, mostly isolated. The first two rows of the plane were sequestered between the galley and a partition that separated these rows from the other business class rows. She didn't know whether to be grateful for the fact that NERV had reserved the entire first class for the three of them, or be disgusted at the largesse involved.

No sense in getting upset. What was done was done.

She and Shiro Tokita sat in the two middle seats in the first row; Gendo Ikari sat to their right by the window. He was staring quietly outside the window, his foot tapping quietly to some unknown beat.

To say first impressions had been negative would be putting it mildly; even now - months later - she was still a little sore about how he had so effortlessly upstaged the Jet Alone debut event, simply due to how unapologetic he had been about it. Even a smidge of humility would have made it better.

Granted, this was the same man who had danced in a unitard for the Seventh Angel propaganda video, so maybe humility was the wrong word. He certainly had no problem appearing like the fool if it served his purposes.

"Tokita."

The former head of the JET ALONE Project opened his eyes, his chin resting on his chest. "Hmm?"

"What are your thoughts about Ikari?"

Shiro Tokita glanced beyond Sergeant Kirishima, looking at Gendo with a frown. "I think you know already."

"Even after working with him for these past months?"

"I won't deny that there's a sense of genius to his madness...or madness to his genius. Whichever one works." He paused, as though pondering something. Then he added, "I do think that he is uniquely qualified to command NERV. Regardless of my personal distaste for his 'antics'...I don't think anyone else could have weathered the storm like he has."

Sergeant Kirishima hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose. He does have a talent for speeches." Despite the aftermath of the Tenth Angel's attack, Ikari's subsequent monologue had been enough to galvanize the populace of Tokyo-3. However, the recent cultist invasion had been far more devastating on a personal level; the Supreme Commander would have to pull something truly spectacular out of his hat to improve morale. "I do have one more question, though."

"Yes?"

"...why does he always wear gloves?"

Tokita blinked. He narrowed his eyes, focusing on the white gloves that were seemingly a permanent aspect of Gendo Ikari's wardrobe. "You know...I'm not sure."

"Are they scarred?"

"Maybe. Perhaps-"

"Actually," interrupted Gendo, "they're ticklish."

Tokita and Kirishima paused.

"My beloved Yui liked to caress them. It was...enjoyable." He then slowly turned towards the duo, waggling his fingers at them.

Tokita and Kirishima blinked. Then they imagined Gendo procreating. They promptly gagged and refused to look at him.

They didn't speak to him or talk about him for the rest of the flight.

xxxx

Gendo smirked. Just as planned.

xxxx

/Owakudani, Eastern Outskirts of Tokyo-3, Japan/

"I am…glad to accompany you, Ikari-kun."

The Third Child nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Well…it wasn't a problem at all, Ayanami-chan. I just thought that, well, you know, with everything that's happened, a walk might do you good. And me. Both of us."

"You are very nervous."

"Heh…am I that obvious?" Shinji turned away, muttering to himself, "man, what I wouldn't give for some advice from Annette right now…"

Rei Ayanami gazed westward, away from the hazy valley and towards Tokyo-3. Far in the distance, Mount Fuji loomed large. "This is a good view."

Shinji followed Rei's line of sight, shuffling his feet to stand beside her. He stared at the city below, grimacing at the damage wrought by the cultists: they had the dubious honor of joining the Third, Fourth, Fifth, Tenth, and Twelfth Angels as the only ones to wreak havoc in Tokyo-3 itself. The scars were especially obvious now, at night, where pockets of the city were marred by true darkness. "The view was much better the last time I was here."

"Oh?"

"It…was actually after our dinner at Ritsuko-san's." An odd little laugh escaped his lips. "I don't know about you, but I think I've come a long way since that night. I've gotten used to Dr. Akagi, at least!"

(The Ikari family. Through NERV, they dictate the future of this world.)

"Yes. You have." Rei Ayanami inhaled deeply of the sulfuric smell (there was always disinfectant in the labs), ignoring the brief twinge in her torso. This little trek had been her first time without the crutches since Tuesday. "I believe I have changed as well."

(They dictate my future. As is proper. As is necessary.)

"I think so too. You're definitely not as stern with me like you were when we first met!"

Rei huffed at the Third Child's joke. "That is because you are no longer completely incompetent. If you were, I would waste no time in beating the weakness out of you." The Sergeant turned her red stare towards Shinji. "Your performance in our spars is still lacking, in my professional opinion."

(I do what I must for them to succeed.)

Shinji chuckled nervously. "Well…it's still difficult. I mean, I know that in battle it's not supposed to matter, but I still don't want to touch anything...improper."

Gendo Ikari, clad in a laboratory coat, stepped out from behind Shinji, followed by a smaller Rei carrying massive weights. "You must be able to endure everything. This world will not hesitate to make you suffer."

"Yes, Professor."

The phantoms of a time long past (those days are always with me) continued on, ignored by the present. "Horaki-san and Asuka have both tried to explain why you touching me could be inappropriate. I am still unsure why." Even though Shinji was standing still, he nearly fell over regardless. "Civilian social dynamics are odd. The military was much more concise and…clear-cut, I suppose would be the term."

"Er…yeah." Shinji coughed loudly into his hand. "I guess that makes sense."

The First Child gazed down into the city, and saw (always as though in a dream, never real and never within my grasp) the graveyard within Terminal Dogma. Massive bones and flesh derived from ADAM and LILITH littered the pits. Limbless bodies and misshapen titans floated in pools of LCL, preserved from the elements. The voice of Naoko Akagi, newly bound to the MAGI System, echoed through the chamber. "Failures are always useful. Units Zero and One are the most viable specimens thus far; anything new or unorthodox is first tested on these samples."

"I see," replied a younger Ayanami.

"We are putting a lot of stock into you, First Child. Unlike these, you are not allowed to fail."

"Understood."

(Failure was never an option for me.)

Shinji stepped beside Rei, smiling as the wind blew through his hair. "Even after everything that's happened…I'm glad I came here. To this city."

"That is good. Your presence is very agreeable."

Out of the ground crawled more nephilim. Smaller ones, with different hair colors. They were put through their paces by military personnel and Section 2 agents. Gendo Ikari watched in silence, his gaze eventually turning towards Rei. She was dripping with sweat, straining heavily as her AT-Field withstood the pressure of a horizontal pile driver. "Your fellow nephilim are being tested. Refined. Weaponized. The world demands weapons, so that mankind may once more cannibalize itself. This will not be your fate. You will be a weapon for GEHIRN, so that mankind may instead be protected, from all threats."

"Under…stood…" groaned the young Ayanmi, physiologically only six years old (those eyes had not yet existed for two years).

"Much will be asked of you. From the world. From GEHIRN. From me. But most of all, from Eva itself. I place these burdens upon you only because you can handle them."

"Yes sir!"

(There is only one Rei Ayanami. No one can share my burden.)

"Ayanami-chan?"

The First Child glanced at the Third. He was the only thing that she could see. "Yes?"

"What about…my father? Has he changed at all?"

"He is the same as ever: dedicated to NERV's mission. To stop the Angels by any means necessary."

(The Supreme Commander trusts me. Something few can say.)

Shinji sighed. She couldn't quite tell if it was remorseful or melancholy. Perhaps both. "I guess. Maybe…I can't help but worry. He's kind of crazy enough, you know? And with everything that's happened to Toji's family, and Asuka's sister getting kidnapped…"

"You fear for your father's safety."

"…well…yes."

"Do not fear." Dozens of Reis stood in front of them, each one accompanied by the Supreme Commander. Multiple ages, multiple stages of injury; and yet, all stood stalwart by the elder Ikari's side. "I know who he is. I know the precautions he takes in every aspect of his mission. He will not allow himself to fall, or fail."

(It is only right. Since he cannot fail, neither will I.)

A harsh chuckle came from her right, opposite of where the Third was standing to her left. "Such a daunting pedestal you seek to place him on…" The woman with long, dark hair leaned closer. Her breath was rank, and smelt of death. "It will only make it more amusing when he finally falls…just like you will. And it will be a long…way…DOWN…"

An arm fell across her shoulders. The smell vanished, noticed by her conscious only through the tingling of her nose. Rei Ayanami turned towards Shinji Ikari, whose face looked as though it had been stricken by a severe rash. "Ikari-kun?"

"Ayanami-chan...thank you."

"For what?"

"For…everything, I guess. For being you."

"…I see." With a strange trepidation, she slowly raised her left arm, mimicking his action. Her hand gripped firmly onto his shoulder. "…Ikari-kun."

"Yes?"

"Hugging is very agreeable."

Shinji chuckled. "I think so too."

For now, her soul was given refuge, and the past let her be.

(I will not fail Shinji Ikari either. His father would expect nothing less.)

xxxx

/February 8, 2016/

/Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland/

Following Second Impact, New York City had been rendered a flooded wasteland.

Its taller skyscrapers had some utility now as waterfront lodging, an engineering challenge in and of itself. The improbable logistics of utilizing a flooded city ran into hardheaded New Yorkers determined to keep the city going. These days, New York City had more solar panels and hydro generators per square mile than anywhere else in the world, and the upper floors of the buildings that still stood were inhabited by people of various stripes. Unsurprisingly, it was also a hotbed of scientific research into aquatic engineering and the environmental difficulties involved. Real estate prices were still ludicrous.

But that's a story for another time.

At any rate, the UN's original Headquarters in New York had been rendered unusable. In a stunning show of efficiency, they had picked a replacement where an office already existed: Geneva. Specifically, the Palace of Nations (some French will insist you call it the Palais des Nations, regardless of your native tongue), the former home of the League of Nations. An expansion project had coincided with the end of the Impact Wars, where Geneva had hosted the Valentine Treaty of 2002. Thus, from that point forward, the leaders of the world had convened to determine the direction of entire nations, directing the forces of militaries and economies as best they could to ensure the peace. To say that there still existed a great deal of consternation about the decline of local governance and subsidiarity in general was a huge understatement.

But, in the grand scheme of things, such discussions remained just that: discussions. No government official seriously entertained a return to the Pre-Impact world without the strong arm of the UN.

Just the way SEELE likes it, I imagine, thought Shiro Tokita with a frown. It was a frightening thing, to realize he was in Geneva, where the Human Instrumentality Committee convened. Ever since Gendo Ikari had shown him the truth of what lied within Terminal Dogma last year, Tokita had slowly come to a chilling realization.

There was a group of individuals who desired to end the world as they knew it. Permanently.

They had vast sums of wealth, and enough agents to manipulate the governments of the world with terrifying ease.

Shockingly enough, the invasion of Tokyo-3 was a testament to NERV's counter-intelligence efforts; given the cultist forces that SEELE had subtly directed their way, the casualties should have been much higher.

Yet SEELE still held many of the cards. Which is why Gendo Ikari was here, in Geneva.

Shiro Tokita sighed, scratching the back of his head. He stood in the large courtyard in front of the Palace of Nations, gazing at the armillary sphere - the Celestial Sphere Woodrow Wilson Memorial, marred and cracked from the stress of years - covered with various Zodiac figures. To the east, Lake Geneva loomed large, shimmering brightly in the light of the morning sun. Government officials, dignitaries, and various tourists milled about the area. There was also an increased media presence; no surprise, given the events set to transpire that day.

"A fascinating work of metallurgy, don't you think?"

Among which involved the individual standing next to him, on all fours. It was a mountain gorilla with finely groomed black fur, clad in a robe of fine velvet and a simple headdress of silver. He also had a deep British accent. Hikari Kirishima couldn't help but stare. "…yes."

"Ah, not used to an ape speaking in English? Seems a bit narrow-minded, don't you think?"

"…well, someone that I work with is in a band with some Congolese expats. They don't speak in a human tongue."

"So a matter of personal inexperience, then! That's more understandable. Most of my brethren don't take well to human tongues for obvious reasons, but quite a few of us have endeavored to learn them for pragmatic purposes." He winked at the duo conspiratorially. "Remind me later to introduce you to my colleague Bubbles. He's quite eloquent with Japanese."

"...that name sounds suspiciously familiar," nervously said Tokita.

The gorilla chuckled. "Every member of the Federation's Diplomatic Troop has a given name taken from human popular culture. Solely to poke fun of course, because how delightful would it be to encounter a chimpanzee peacemaker by the name of Caesar, or a pair of orangutan ambassadors by the name of Librarian and Louie?" His knuckles thumped against the ground. "But where are my manners? The name's Winston."

"...Shiro Tokita."

"Hikari Kirishima."

"And what brings you to Geneva?" Winston eyed Kirishima's uniform. "Hmm...Japanese military by the looks of of it. Here for the speech from Gendo Ikari?"

"Yes. We're actually part of his entourage," explained Kirishima.

"He's a fascinating man, isn't he? I have to say, all this business with the Angels has been a boon for the Federation." He snorted darkly. "The threat of extinction from extraterrestrials overrides concerns about primate conflict, it seems."

Tokita shrugged. "Well, we're all Earthlings, aren't we?"

"Right-o! An attitude I wish more would have. Sapients unite!"

Hikari Kirishima blinked. "So...what brings you here?"

"Well, the Federation is somewhat tired of beating back the African Union on the battlefield, so now we're going to see how badly we can beat them at diplomacy. Here's hoping for a peace treaty!" Winston gave them a thumbs-up. "Good luck with your endeavors!"

Shiro Tokita and Hikari Kirishima watched in silence as Winston sauntered away, speaking casually with some other media figures. "...Second Impact has made for a strange world, hasn't it?" asked Tokita.

Hikari Kirishima sighed. "Let's just get to the Assembly Hall before the speech starts." The two continued on towards the Palace of Nations, stopped at various instances by those who actually recognized Tokita by sight.

After the third time spent explaining how equitable and stable the relationship between NERV and the JET ALONE Project was, Hikari Kirishima was completely and one-hundred percent done. "This is why I didn't want to come. I don't like the media."

"Oh come now, this is actually quite fun!"

"That's because you have the talent to say the same thing over and over without repeating yourself."

Tokita shrugged, a smug little grin on his face. "It's a gift."

Kirishima smacked him on the shoulder. "Let's just go."

The eventually found themselves inside the Assembly Hall, a large chamber colored with neutral shades of gray, green, and tan. Beyond the rows of tables and chairs, the stage of polished wood stood; the golden sigil of the United Nations loomed over the central partition, and a single podium was arranged front and center. They quietly followed the direction of one of the handlers to their assigned seating.

As part of Gendo Ikari's entourage/security detail, they had two seats on the stage itself, behind the partition to the right of the podium.

Hikari Kirishima's jaw grew progressively tighter as more and more diplomats and government officials filed into the room. "We're sitting in front of the UN General Assembly. Again: why are we here?"

"My, so tense, Kirishima-san!"

"You know me well enough by now to know that I dislike being in the spotlight."

"Stage fright, perhaps?"

"Once we're not in public, I will punch you."

"So violent~"

Hikari Kirishima visibly resisted the urge to tug on her ponytail. She glanced at her watch; it was almost 10:00 AM local time. "Why isn't Ikari here, yet?" She glanced over at the central podium, where the master of ceremonies was about to get things started. "I swear, if he pulls another JET ALONE debut-"

The speakers suddenly crackled.

Tokita and Kirishima paled. "Oh no."

xxxx

/Meanwhile, at NERV-1/

MELCHIOR.2 - Connection established.
CASPER.1 - Proposition: Commence execution of Alive-dot-exe.
HEROD.1, MELCHIOR.1, BALTHASAR.1 - Approved.

xxxx

/Assembly Hall, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland/

Gendo Ikari kicked the doors open with a loud bang, walking with a cocky stride into the Assembly Hall.

Right as he did so, a very peppy disco song came out of the various speakers, a mix of electric guitar, bass, percussion, and keyboard.

Then came the lyrics, in high-pitched English.

"Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm a woman's man: no time to talk...!"

xxxx

/Meanwhile, at the Ikari Household in Okayama-2/

Tomoe Ikari's head sank into his palm. "Damn it Rokubungi. Have you no shame?"

His wife Alicia lightly bounced in sync with the beat coming from their television. "I don't mind. I like the Bee Gees."

And all the while, their daughter Annette was on the verge of passing out from laughter.

xxxx

/Katsuragi's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

A round of laughter bounded through the living room, courtesy mostly of Misato, Asuka, Mana, and Kensuke. Mayumi giggled softly, and Mari was too busy trying to squirm out of her sister's hold to do anything. Kaji was too busy cooking to react, but he knew the gist of what was happening anyway.

Shinji was absolutely mortified. "Father…why…?"

Rei was rather indifferent to the spectacle. The Supreme Commander's actions were regarded as antics by many. Just as planned.

(There is a design to all that he does.)

Rei subconsciously heard the sound of LCL splashing onto metal flooring, followed by a young body landing on their hands and knees. The soaked girl looked up into the eyes of the Professor. "Are you still you?" he asked.

"Yes sir," said the younger Ayanami.

(The flesh changes. The body can wither. But I will always be I. Correct?)

"You will undergo a severe medical regimen to ensure that there are no traces of spiritual leeching. However, the benefits of a body forged from the second generation of nephilim will outweigh these risks."

"Yes sir."

(This body is replaceable. Am I replaceable? Will there always be a Rei Ayanami?)

A hand slapped down on Rei's shoulder, prompting her to glance at Mana Kirishima. "Man, I have no idea how you got to be such a stick in the mud with a boss like that."

"The Professor never jokes about his work," countered Rei.

"Yeah. Sure. He's as tight-assed as you are. I believe it." Mana belted out another guffaw. "I'll make sure to keep an eye out for when pigs fly, too."

"And I'll have my camera ready!" exclaimed Kensuke. "It shall be a moment for posterity!"

(Perceptions differ from person to person. The Rei Ayanami in their minds might be different. Yet I will always be I.)

"It's almost a shame," said Kaji, bringing in a tray of meaty sausage wrapped in dough. The two native Germans were quick to grab a few before he could even set the tray down. "Imagine how much more interesting things would be if our dear Ayanami took more after the Supreme Commander."

(I am not Gendo Ikari. I can never be him.)

The Professor stood in the corner, his eyes focused on a younger Ayanami, invincibly ignorant of everything occurring in the present. "The time has come for the existence of nephilim to become known to the world."

"Yes sir."

"You will be deploying under the command of the JSSDF to Mexico."

"Yes sir."

"You will be pushed to your limits, and beyond. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

The scenery faded away, and the young nephilim was falling. Ignorant of the wind racing through her hair, the present self responded to Kaji's remark. "I do not think I could be like him."

(…and yet…and yet…)

"And honestly, I'm glad for that," remarked Shinji. "One of my father is enough, thank you very much."

At last, there was an unseen shift. The smell of wet jungle, mixed with gunpowder, assailed Rei's nostrils; it was a strangely pungent odor. Where is that coming from?

(…if I am I…why do you close yourself off?)

The parachute deployed, and the young Ayanami landed deep inside the Lacandon Jungle, within the borders of the Mexican state of Chiapas. She was behind enemy lines, deployed to break the back of El Baile de la Muerte's defense. Knife and pistol in hand, she delved into the undergrowth.

Rei watched this happen. But for once, she actually recognized it for what it was. Foliage was blending in with Misato's apartment. Why am I seeing this?

"Ooh, looks like it's about to start!" exclaimed Misato.

Everyone focused on the image of Gendo Ikari, standing calmly at the central podium in UN Assembly Hall. The First Child intentionally tried to focus on that, and not the memories that were bleeding through to her conscious senses.

(If the spirit changes…if the soul changes…will I still be I?)

A dark chuckle crept through Rei's ears, sending a shiver down her spine. "You can't remain still forever. Otherwise…you will die."

Her past self (the past was the past, yet it always remained with me, and it demands my attention) stood beside the television looking quietly at her. Blood ran down the child's face, blood that was not her own. "The soul is malleable. Therefore you are malleable."

(That is a question that must be answered. I must answer it. I must. And so shall you.)

Rei Ayanami actively tried to ignore these strange phantoms. I will have to speak with Dr. Akagi about this later. This was an unusual phenomenon. She was sure that focusing on the Professor's speech would be a sufficient distraction.

Her soul recoiled in on itself.

(I will not be ignored.)

Rei ignored the odd twinge in her chest, even as she found herself grabbing for Ikari-kun's hand.

xxxx

/Assembly Hall, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland/

Gendo Ikari stood quietly at the podium, staring into the sea of faces and flashing cameras. Aside from the mic, there was only a single plastic cup and a pitcher of iced water on the podium.

He briefly glanced to his right; Tokita and Kirishima sat silently, waiting for him to begin.

He briefly glanced to his left; sitting behind the left partition were five very familiar individuals: Marvin Cleveland of America, Augustin Fourier of France, Stanley Morrison of the UK, Vladimir Putin of Russia, and Keel Lorenz of Germany. The Human Instrumentality Committee. They had somewhat pinched expressions, the 'I'm incredibly grumpy and not excited to deal with this rigmarole but I have to deal with it' face.

Beneath his cloak, he cracked his knuckles. Showtime. "Ladies and gentlemen of these United Nations, I thank you for your hospitality. I hope you did your homework and at least saw the video released by NERV in the aftermath of the Tenth Angel's attack, because I'll be covering rather similar themes." He raised his arms, resting his elbows on the podium. "Never think that I am not grateful for the support that has been given to NERV. All the nations of the world have sacrificed a great sum of their wealth and treasure for the sake of NERV and the Evangelions. I can remember the whispers and the murmurs from years past, as the world recovered from Second Impact, and they began to wonder, 'why does NERV exist?' Since September of last year, that question has received a definitive answer."

He raised a fist, clenching it tightly.

"To protect mankind from extinction."

More cameras flashed, and various videographers zoomed in on him.

"We have diligently protected the Sword of Uriel from the Angels, to keep them from using it as the Lance of Longinus was used by ADAM: to sunder our world and reduce us to ruin. Japan has been on the frontlines of this war, and it has been borne by not just her military, by not just her civilians, but by her very land as well." He held up four fingers. "The Hakone region bears scars that have required redrawing the map multiple times. Sagami Bay will suffer from the effects of nuclear pollution for many years to come. Most recently, we have the Fourteenth Angel's destructive trek across Honshu, one of the worst environmental disasters in recorded history. And now, we have what seems like a paradigm shift: just earlier this week, Berlin-2 was attacked by the Thirteenth Angel." Those fingers curled back into his palm. "There has been concern, and not a fair bit of anxiety, about whether this represents a change in the Angels' overall strategy, if the Evangelions themselves are drawing the Angels to strike."

SLAM!

His fist pounded the podium, the echo ringing loudly through the hall. "Did we learn nothing from the Tenth Angel? We are nothing to them but vermin, pests to be exterminated with extreme prejudice. The manner in which they choose to attack us is irrelevant; in the end, if they are not stopped, they will come for everyone and everything. Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas, Oceania...no corner of the globe will be left untouched. The Evangelions, built using the Angels' own technology, are the only weapons we have that can stop them. Even the new blade used by the Jet Alone to fell the Fourteenth Angel was built using knowledge gained from their corpses."

Gendo intentionally ignored Tokita's pointed stare. "It's troubling that I even have to come here to assuage the worries of the world, when I have enough on my plate to deal with. But apparently, trying to keep aliens from killing us all isn't enough; now I am forced to deal with my fellow man as well." He sighed, sounding full of remorse. "I am not one to question the religious beliefs of others. After all, I have more important matters to attend to on a daily basis. But I cannot help but question those who swear fealty to the Angels. I wonder: how did they think invading Tokyo-3 would aid their cause? To hide their true selves and stab their coworkers in the back at their earliest convenience? To slaughter civilians? And what of the soldiers within the JSSDF that also attacked Tokyo-3? How does it reflect on them, to violate their oaths, to betray their own country?" He shook his head. "Their traitorous actions drove General Hiroto Mizugumi to his death. His loss is a heavy blow to our military, yet it was a sterling reflection on the honor that he always carried. Despite our professional disagreements, he will be missed."

He could imagine the Instrumentally Committee mentally screaming 'bullcrap!'.

"I can't claim to know everyone's motives. I can only lay the facts before you, and let you draw your own conclusions. To those who worship the Angels: what will be your reward, for damning humanity to extinction? What will your legacy be?" He paused, looking at the pitcher of iced water. He then reached into his cloak, pulling out a small plastic bottle. "You'll have to forgive my paranoia. Nothing against you all, but with everything that's happened these past several days, I trust that you understand." He poured the water into the plastic cup, glossing over the quiet murmuring of the various diplomats and ambassadors. He took a quick sip, gloved fingers clutching loosely on the rim of the cup. "Ah. Better." He set the cup down, clearing his throat to gather his thoughts. "But despite what's happened, I will not falter, and neither will NERV. I-" He suddenly paused. "…I…"

He suddenly reached for his throat, jaw clenching tightly. Blood shot out from his mouth, staining the podium and eliciting gasps from everyone in the Assembly Hall. His hand spasmed, knocking the cup over onto the stage; the spilled liquid slowly began hissing, smoke rising as it burned into the floor. Everyone's eyes widened, and an obvious conclusion came to mind given Gendo's concerns about the water in the pitcher: someone had tainted the cup.

Tokita and Kirishima shot of their seats as Gendo Ikari collapsed face down onto the stage. "IKARI!"

The entire Assembly Hall, gripped by shock, erupted into pandemonium and confusion.

And this was witnessed live by the world.

xxxx

Annette and Alicia both screamed.

Tomoe's eyes widened, his perpetual distaste for Rokubungi waylaid by this turn of events. "What...who would...?!"

xxxx

The event was being watched live by those within NERV-2's Command Center.

Though they did not work directly with the Supreme Commander, there was still a great deal of admiration for his steady hand and sense of humor. Thus, their gasps and cries of shock were fitting.

Pieter Langley's eyes narrowed.

xxxx

Kaworu and Yomiko Nagisa blinked at what they saw. The Fourth Child turned towards the Fifth. "Well. This was unexpected."

xxxx

The Instrumentality Committee were bewildered by the sight before them. As one, the representatives of America, Russia, France, and the UK turned towards the Chairman, trying to gauge his reaction.

His trembling knuckles, white with tension, were a clear indication that this was not supposed to happen.

Keel Lorenz mentally snarled, what thrice-damned imbecile thought it was a good idea to assassinate him now?!

xxxx

Rei's eyes widened at the sight of the Supreme Commander collapsing to the ground. Katsuragi's apartment suddenly boomed with howling and screaming.

She distantly heard Ikari-kun cry 'father!'

And through it all, the bloody woman chuckled. "Heh...what did I tell you?"

(Death comes to all.)

Rei's eyes were fixed solely upon the still body of Gendo Ikari, his body overlapping with the corpses of all those she had killed throughout the years. Her younger self was running through the jungle, knifing through any guerilla she came across. Belligerents who were not bearing UN colors were to be treated as hostiles, without exception.

Rei Ayanami sat, transfixed by the sight. How…how…?

"Look at you go…killing so spectacularly…"

(I accept my role. I acknowledge the death dealt by my hands. Have you?)

The voice of Gendo Ikari manifested from above. His body on the television remained still. "You wonder why I seem to act so oddly?"

"Yes sir," said the younger Ayanami, speaking seamlessly even as her petite arms snapped a man's neck.

"A famous comedian once said that humor is just another defense against the universe. In that vein, humor is but a tool. And I refuse to be incompetent with any tool I deign to wield."

"I see." She dove amidst the crumbling Mayan ruins, dodging bullets with seeming ease. In the next instant, she was in the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, flipping a truck over and flinging it at an enemy encampment. On and on, she tore through her enemies, gaining greater mastery over her physical abilities.

Just as planned.

The Supreme Commander's body, lying on the world's biggest stage, was not just as planned.

"It's a big laugh, isn't it? If he refuses to be incompetent with any tool…what does that mean for you?"

(I acknowledge the totality of all that I have done and all that I have witnessed. Have you?)

Rei Ayanami's body shivered. Why…why am I seeing this…?

Looming in the distance was Mexico City, surrounded on all sides by American, Canadian, French, British, and Japanese forces. Fire raged throughout the metropolis, yet another sign of the country's impending collapse under El Baile de la Muerte's rampage. The young nephilim turned, looking right into the eyes of her present self. "This is where it all came to an end."

There was a satisfied sigh that echoed through the sky. "This is where I come in."

Rei Ayanami trembled, and couldn't fathom why. This…this shouldn't be…

(You must get closer. Then you will understand as I do.)

Rei Ayanami shook, but not of her own volition. Panicking, she lashed out with her hand, smashing someone in the face with her fist. "OW!"

The First Child blinked. Mana Kirishima was rubbing her chin wearily. "Frickin' sucker punch…"

"Rei." The commanding voice of Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi broke through the haze of converging memories and phantasms, briefly bringing her to the present. "Are you okay?"

The First Child blinked, staring down at her hands; they were shaking violently. She felt moisture on her cheeks. "…I don't know." I am losing control. Why?

(I am I. You are at odds with yourself. Until this is rectified, I will not leave you be.)

"Uh…guys?"

The sudden drama involving Rei was interrupted by a hesitant Kaji. "…you might want to look at the TV."

Everyone turned around towards the flat screen television, which now showed Shiro Tokita and Hikari Kirishima crouching down beside the body of Gendo Ikari.

And he was slowly rising.

xxxx

/Assembly Hall, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland/

The entirety of the General Assembly watched in bated silence as the Supreme Commander of NERV quietly got to his feet, his two escorts watching him warily. The acidic erosion on the stage was clear enough; not a few of those watching were wondering what in the hell the man was made of.

Standing back at the podium, Gendo Ikari no longer bore a grim, yet neutral expression. Now, his bloody scowl was downright vicious. "Fine. I can take a hint." His voice was harsh, as though it had just been burned by something caustic. What a shock. "I was going to say more, but I'm apparently not welcome. To everyone in this room...to all those watching from abroad...realize that there is a concerted effort to undermine NERV and the war effort against the Angels. I don't know who's behind it all, if there is more than one individual, or if it is the work of a nation. As I said before: I have better things to worry about. But as a figure of the ancient world once asked: cui bono? 'To whose benefit?' What could anyone gain by such an action? And who would have the means?" The man sighed, his teeth visibly stained red. "Those are the questions that I leave you with. Good day." He quietly strode away from the podium, hopping down off of the stage. With rather confused looks on their faces, Tokita and Kirishima followed him.

The Assembly should be applauded for their restraint, as it actually took four seconds before they erupted with frenzied questions and confused shouting.

Gendo studiously ignored every single question – with Tokita and Kirishima serving as admirable meat shields – as he departed the UN.

xxxx

/Katsuragi's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"He's alive..." Shinji Ikari (he looked at me and said that what happened to me was wrong, that the Supreme Commander was wrong) fell to his knees, his pounding heart audible to Rei's ears. "...he's alive..."

"...that was intense," said Asuka (her soul burns brightly, consuming all that she is), her arms wrapped tightly around the young Mari (just a child, who has yet to see herself), who was no longer fighting her sister's embrace after seeing the near-death of Ikari-kun's father.

"...you know, as far as assassination attempts go, that was a pretty cool response," remarked the resident Gendotaku (without power, without influence, yet his focus is on his friends); his hands shook with nervous tension as he readjusted his glasses.

"I saw how quickly the tainted water burned away at the stage. How is he still standing?" asked Mayumi (she despises herself, and would give almost anything to be someone else).

"Secretly part-nephilim?" jokingly suggested Mana (she despises herself, and would give almost anything to be someone else).

"Well, I'm certainly curious," admitted Kaji (an enigma and a shade, who can't afford to be honest with others) with a slight smile.

Misato Katsuragi (her soul is marred, yet she is at peace with that) turned her eyes towards the First Child, her face pinched and severe. "Rei?" It was a question laden with much meaning: what's wrong, what's happening, where is your discipline, are you okay...

(You cannot change them. You can only provide the means by which they can change themselves. So if I have changed, what role have they played?)

The Lights of their Souls flickered with different colors, the only part of the present that remained amidst the convergence of memories. "I...will be outside. Excuse me." Rei Ayanami quietly got to her feet, sliding the glass door open and setting foot onto the balcony. As she tried to center herself, her mind began drawing conclusions. This...this is self-inflicted. I must understand why.

(I have the answer. So do you. You only have to open your eyes.)

The entirety of Tokyo-3 was gone, yet the night remained. The Battle for Mexico City blazed with the heat of combat; the young Ayanami – physiologically nine years old – slipped through the metropolis, aiding UN troops as she came across them. By the time she had made it to the Palacio Nacional, her body was splattered with blood not her own.

"And so you arrive, to the culmination of it all," taunted the bloody woman. Her voice echoed from an open window. "Come on in, and we shall meet our destinies together."

Why am I remembering this now? What is its relevance?

(That is the wrong question. I have already changed. You have yet to catch up.)

If this is truly me...if I am doing this to myself...what am I trying to tell myself?

(You are divided against yourself, even if you don't realize it. I refuse to let this continue.)

And through it all, the younger Ayanami leapt up to a second-story window, entering the bowels of the National Palace.

It was a slaughterhouse. Private security forces of different uniforms all shared the color of red, killed in the most ruthless of ways. Were it not for the young Ayanami's detached disposition, she might have vomited.

"Don't try and flatter yourself." The voice echoed from deeper within the Palace, ignored by the past, but heard oh-so clearly by the present. "They meant nothing to you. They were just bodies…corpses…lifeless meat…you can't care about something if it has no meaning to you."

Rei Ayanami went still as her younger self came to a halt in a hallway decorated by colorful murals and brutalized bodies. Bloody bootprints led into another room, past a failed attempt at defense. The young nephilim stepped past the dead men – their skulls were cracked, slowly leaking onto the floor – and into the chamber, rife with art, antique furniture, and even more dead men.

"And here…we…go…"

The voice faded away, as did the rest of the National Palace. This single, solitary room might as well have been the only thing that existed. Rei Ayanami glanced upward; inexplicably, Evangelions Unit-00 and Unit-01 were looming over the void, arbiters and judges of some unknown law.

(The Eva will only move if you open your heart to it, correct? Then what happens if you open your heart to others? What if they open their heart to you?)

The young Ayanami looked dispassionately at the room's only two occupants. One was a blond-haired boy with brown eyes (the only one I've ever remembered), perhaps in his early teen years at the most. He was clutching tightly onto the body of a woman, with long dark hair matted with blood and tied into a loose ponytail that went down past her thighs.

Her. The head of El Baile de la Muerte, and the one who caused the Central American Wars. Rei Ayanami couldn't help but gulp, knowing what was about to ensue. The one responsible for so much chaos.

(A single person cannot start a war. Too many variables exist.)

"As much as I try to predict the future and prepare accordingly, I am only one man." The voice of Gendo Ikari echoed from the void, entirely separate from the events within the remembered room, and yet brought here regardless for some unknown purpose. "Without you, or NERV, or Eva…I would be as the man on the seashore, trying to beat back the tide."

What are you trying to tell me?

The woman sighed remorsefully. "Please go and hide, young Master." With a reassuring pat, the woman shooed the reluctant boy away. The blond looked over at the young Ayanami – eyes widening at her blood-covered appearance – before scurrying to the corner, hiding behind an upturned table and a pile of bodies. "I won't be long." The woman rose, turning her blue eyes – cold, vicious, unfettered – towards the young Ayanami. Her tight blue jeans, white blouse, and black vest were slick with bloodstains new and old; numerous weapons were strapped to her back and thighs. "So…I finally meet a doll, face-to-face."

"Rosarita Cisneros, also known as Roberta the Bloodhound." The young Ayanami placed a hand on her handgun, legs tensed and ready to move. "I am here to kill you."

The older woman stared quietly…and then she chuckled, gesturing to the corpses around her. "I had been wondering for months, why these cowards did what they did. To kill the old Master...that could be rationalized. These maggots would've perished regardless, of course…but there was no benefit to kidnapping the young Master." She huffed with irritation. "I never asked for all these fools to follow me, nor did I expect Central and South America to blow up so spectacularly. So many dominoes fell, at just…the right…time…and lo, what do I start hearing rumors of?" Her eyes sharpened. "Children with pale skin and unnatural hair. Demons clad in black, traversing the battlefield like ghosts…" A sneer crossed her face. "Too many coincidences."

The young Ayanami was silent.

"Well…I suppose there's no point in speculating. Not now." She cracked her knuckles, the black leather of her gloves creaking loudly. "I guess you're not going to let me go, hm? I've finally got my young Master back; I intend to disappear us both. No one will ever see hide or hair of us again."

"I cannot let you do that. It is my mission to kill you."

Roberta smirked, flashing canines, seemingly sharper than any predator's. "That's what I thought…what a pity. You see, these fools who took the young Master fancied themselves 'warlords'. I showed them the real meaning of the term." The Bloodhound's muscles flexed, and her icy eyes seemed impossibly blazing. "Just as I will show you and yours. In the name of Santa Maria, a hammer blow of righteousness TO ALL INJUSTICE!"

The young Ayanami withdrew her pistol, firing at the Bloodhound. The woman dove, running fast, too fast, way too fast-!

A gloved hand wrapped around her face, squeezing hard and lifting her into the air-

SMASH!

The girl's head was embedded into the wall. Before Roberta could say or do anything else, the young nephilim's foot lashed out, slamming into the woman's torso. The force sent her barreling through the furniture and sprawling over multiple corpses. With a pop of wood and plaster, the young Ayanami extracted herself from the wall, her scalp bleeding. "…that was unexpected."

"I could say the same!" howled Roberta, withdrawing twin IMBEL 1911 pistols.

As the battle continued on below, Rei Ayanami watched, transfixed. Even now, so many years later…

(Who is right? Who is wrong? Is there such a thing, when it's life against life?)

...it was the closest I've ever come to dying.

The young Ayanami rolled quickly, dodging .45 ACP rounds that chipped away at the flooring. The nephilim's fingers latched onto two corpses, flinging them at the Bloodhound.

Roberta dropped her handguns, whipping out the massive rifle on her back and bashing the two bodies away. With a snarl, she took aim with the Barrett M82A1 and pulled the trigger.

KRA-CHYOOM!

Ayanami – past and present – winced at the explosive sound. The past glanced at the wall, which now bore a sizable hole. "That was a fifty-caliber round." The young nephilim turned a wary gaze towards Roberta, who held the anti-materiel rifle with one arm. "...that's improbable."

KRA-CHYOOM!

Ayanami slid underneath the bullet, leaping forward with a quick thrust of her calves. Despite being only half Roberta's size, the young nephilim did not hesitate to engage in close quarters, believing it to be her strength.

Roberta blocked the girl's axe kick with the rifle, scowling as the child's heel dented the stock and barrel, rendering the weapon useless. The woman's knees bent, the force of the collision sending cracks through the floor.

She bends, but does not break, pondered the present Rei. So many called nephilim 'freaks of nature', even though it was within their nature to be superhuman. Rosarita was a true 'freak of nature', the absolute pinnacle of human ability. Rei looked down at her hand, flexing it slowly; the two Evangelions repeated this gesture. Her eyes narrowed. Yet our hands were both stained by the blood of many.

(Does this trouble you?)

No. I have accepted my role.

(I have. I am not so sure about you.)

"Ayanami-chan."

Rei turned her head, glancing stoically at Shinji Ikari. The Third Child closed the balcony door behind him, leaving the two of them alone. "Yes?"

"Are...are you okay?"

(I acknowledge his perspective.)

"THERE'S NOTHING NECESSARY ABOUT SENDING A KID INTO A WARZONE!"

"I don't care what his reasons were! He was wrong to send you there!"

(Was he right? Was he wrong?)

The passionate roars of the Third Child roiled between her ears – yet another memory made present – as Ikari-kun stepped closer. "It's just..." He paused, letting loose a heavy sigh. There was an odd tension to his shoulders, an uncertain wariness in his eyes. "...I know that you hold my father in high regard. I didn't think seeing that would have been so hard on you."

"...it was...difficult." Rei turned away, gazing back at the city of Tokyo-3 (into the void of memory), and focusing on the pitched battle between her past and the dread Bloodhound. "I have had much on my mind." That was putting it mildly. "I suppose I need time to think."

The Third Child nodded. "Okay. If you need time...then I'll go ahead and leave."

"No." Rei's grip on the balcony railing tightened, a nervous reaction. "I...I do not wish to be alone right now. I would prefer it if you stayed."

"...okay."

Rei Ayanami tried to relax in Shinji Ikari's presence, even as her memories refused to go away. And so the two children stood side-by-side: one watching a blue-haired girl and the city at night, and the other watching a blue-haired girl fight for her life against one of the mightiest humans to have ever lived.

(If you open your hearts to each other, is it possible to remain as you are? Is it possible to remain unchanged?)

The young Ayanami's hand shattered a table, creating a cloud of shrapnel and sawdust. She hurled the debris at the Bloodhound, who barreled through the haze like a bullet train. "Stay still!" howled Roberta as she lashed out with swift jabs, her firsts bearing spiked brass knuckles.

The spikes broke against Ayanami's AT-Field. The nephilim took this opening to swing her knife at Roberta's face.

The blade was shattered by Roberta's teeth, her jaws driving her canines straight through the metal. The mercenary gripped the young nephilim by her combat vest, flinging her into the air. Ayanami bounded off the ceiling, aiming a fist at Roberta's head-

POW!

The Bloodhound had expected it, and had a counter punch ready. The girl's head rang as she fell to the floor, her jaw stinging from the forceful punch-

Her enemy was suddenly upon her. "A child like you shouldn't be in this world of darkness and demons." A vicious knee to the gut and several haymakers sent the First Child reeling. The world wavered and her vision swam; this was entirely unexpected. She had to think, she had to remain in control-

A boot to the face snapped her head back, her neck screaming from the sudden tension. Even with her AT-Field manifesting to soften the blows, it took everything that Ayanami had not to collapse to her knees.

(There were limits I never knew that humans could reach.)

Rosarita Cisneros huffed, her eyes falling upon the young girl's petite little neck. "Even you need to breathe, little monster. May God have mercy on your pitiful soul, and may you find favor with Santa Maria." Her hand shot forward-

(I am beyond those limits.)

Rei watched coolly as her past self was enveloped by a white light, the sudden transformation shocking Roberta into silence. Her soul sang at the sight of the Anima Overdrive, for all of reality became crisper, sharper, and more real.

The memory was still present, but its nature called to her in a new way, a certain sympathetic resonance brought to life. Is this the answer?

The young Ayanami howled with barely-restrained ferocity, her glowing first crashing across Roberta's torso. The rising punch raked across the woman's skin from waist to neck, gouging through her flesh. The sheer heat radiating from the girl's fist vaporized the blood on her hand.

Rosarita gurgled, her arms futilely trying to keep her bowels from spilling out onto the floor. "…you…" A right straight into the rib cage sent the woman crashing into the wall, all strength leaving her legs. Her hands inexorably descended to the ground, letting her entrails drip sloppily onto the floor. "…Master…forgive me…" The eyes that had promised death to so many lost their spark, losing all semblance of life.

The Bloodhound had breathed her last.

(In the heat of battle, where motives and reasons vanish during the struggle to survive, can one be called right or wrong?)

The young Ayanami breathed heavily, her tiny frame shuddering with nervous energy. Her entire body felt like one big bruise. From above, Rei watched her past with slowly-growing apprehension. Or is this the answer?

(When that heat subsides, can you be held liable? Or is it impossible for that sense of battle to leave you, even when all has passed away to ash?)

"You…"

The young Ayanami turned her head towards the corner of the room. All of the furniture had been pulverized – all of the corpses pulped even further – during the course of her battle with the Bloodhound. The only exception had been one corner of the room, avoided studiously by Roberta: the corner where her young Master, heir of the Lovelace family, had hid. He was now staring at her with all the hatred a child could muster; at his feet were the two IMBEL M1911 pistols that Roberta had dropped. "You…killed her…!"

The little nephilim frowned. The young blond exhibited multiple signs of potential aggression and belligerent intent. The means to fight were well within reach. The conclusion was one that Rei remembered very well. Another hostile.

"YOU-!"

Splurch.

A glowing hand pierced the boy's torso, spearing right through his heart. His brown eyes widened out of shockpainanguishdisbeliefpainpainpainmorepainIdon'twanttodieIdon'twanttodieRobertaROBERTA-!

With a meaty crunch, Ayanami withdrew her hand. The larger child fell to his knees, gurgling noisily as his blood joined that of countless others on the floor. The nephilim sighed, the glow of her soul petering out as her skin's luminescence faded. "Mission complete." She then slumped to the floor, a deep weariness settling into her bones.

The last things she saw before unconsciousness took hold were two pale figures in black entering the room, staring at her with dispassionate red eyes. One of them reached for an earpiece. "Ayanami has accomplished her mission. We are now extracting her."

The void consumed that single room, and the two Evangelions stared quietly at Rei before they too vanished.

I was removed from the battlefield, and returned to the care of Nephilim Oversight. By the time I awoke, the war had ended. I was given honors for my service by the JSSDF. And then I returned to Japan, where NERV now stood in GEHIRN's stead.

The Supreme Commander loomed over her. "Your uniform has a lot of decorations."

"Yes sir."

"From what I've read, you did well for yourself, Sergeant."

"Yes sir."

"Do you have any questions?"

"No sir."

The echoes of the past faded into a stark and brutal silence.

(That is not true. I always have questions. Otherwise, I would not be I.)

Questions. Questions. Questions.

The present suddenly snapped into focus, and all phantoms of the past melted away. Rei's head shot up, her eyes filled with a sudden sense of purpose. "So that is what I must do."

"…Ayanami-chan?"

The First Child glanced quietly at the Third. "Thank you for your time. I'll be going on a walk." Without hesitation, she leapt over the side of the balcony, falling gracefully to the ground below.

Shinji yelped out of shock. "JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN SURVIVE JUMPING OFF A BUILDING DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD!"

The asphalt cracked upon her landing, and Rei Ayanami dashed towards the outskirts of the city, arms and legs pumping hard. Eventually, she reached the peak of Mt. Hakone, currently empty at this time of night; she was alone.

She looked down at her hands. I have been entering Overdrive more and more as of late, with fewer and fewer physical consequences. In this state, I am more in-tune with my soul.

(You and I must be one.)

If these…sensations…are being made manifest by my soul…

(You and I must be one.)

…then I will negotiate directly. With a heavy breath, she delved into herself, and let the Light of her Soul bloom. As her AT-Field folded in on itself (the soul understands the world it lives in), her skin glowed and her hair crackled with power. When she opened her red eyes – blazing, burning brightly – she was no longer alone.

She was surrounded by Rei Ayanami. And Rei Ayanami. Countless versions of herself, from past to present, from all stations of her life stood before her. In the blink of an eye, these phantoms coalesced into one glowing persona, shimmering with orange light. If anyone were capable of observing, it would seem as though it was an AT-Field shaped like the First Child.

However, to mere human eyes, Rei was alone. "You wish to speak to me?"

(I wish to help you. But yes.)

Rei nodded. "Then speak."

And so her soul spoke.

The radiance bloomed, and Rei's eyes widened-

She blinked.

It was no longer night, but morning. She was on the ground, straight up at the sky of blue and orange.

The phantoms were gone, and that inner voice had faded away. And yet…there was greater understanding. A sense of peace. A sense of remorse.

I see now.

xxxx

/Lower Atmosphere, En Route from Geneva to Tokyo-2/

The mood on the flight back to Japan was decidedly more somber than the flight to Geneva had been.

A failed assassination attempt probably had something to do with that.

Gendo Ikari sat in silence by the window, staring stoically at the night sky. The puffy clouds were nigh-invisible, even with the light of the stars; the new moon certainly lacked the romance of any of the other phases.

Fortunately, Shiro Tokita and Hikari Kirishima had neglected to talk to him for the entirety of the flight thus far. A throat injury – especially one that he shouldn't have survived – would make conversations difficult. So they had kept to themselves, until sleep had taken them.

That had been about an hour ago.

Gendo quietly stood, making his way to the lavatory. Closing the door behind him, he looked calmly at the mirror, before raising his right hand; the tip of his glove's index finger was frayed, where it had come in contact with the water in the cup. The flesh on his fingertip stung like hell. Naoko's little capsules worked perfectly. The fingertip of his glove had been laced with microscopic shells, each one filled with an acidic compound. The capsules were water-soluble, capable of lasting for approximately fifteen seconds before exposing their innards.

Plenty of time to craft a convincing scene, drawing all eyes to the cup. 'I was there, your honor! It was the cup that did him in!'

He didn't have to imagine the headlines: media outlets and government officials the world over were already trying to find out who in the world had tainted the cup. At least, that was the impression he had gotten from all of the television sets in the Geneva Airport.

The Supreme Commander of NERV pulled off his gloves, letting them drop to the floor. He then opened his jaws wide, reaching with two fingers to the back of his throat.

Having triggered his gag reflex, he promptly began vomiting into the sink, spewing bile, acid, and partially digested airplane food…as well as a small little plastic pod, no bigger than an American quarter. The plastic was punctured through, as though it had been chewed on. Which was fair, because it had been chewed on. And this is where losing a molar in a bar fight as a teenager comes in handy. A little bit of bio-putty had kept the small plastic pod – filled with his blood – wedged in place at the very back of his mouth, until it had come time for the grand performance: a little maneuvering of the tongue, a swift clench of the jaw, and bam! Instant blood to sell a near-death experience.

Much more economical than biting the cheek or the tongue. Less painful, too.

He washed the sink with water before grabbing the chewed wad of plastic and sticking it into his pocket. So…let's recap. You've successfully convinced the world that you were nearly assassinated. Given the cultist infiltration and the sabotage of Tokyo-3's defenses, this incident will keep everyone else too paranoid to focus on NERV-1. At least, for now. I'll also have to sound like I have strep throat for the next week or so to sell the 'injury'. He removed his orange shades, looking straight at his reflection: tired blue eyes stared back at him, their corners laced with premature wrinkles. You also look like shit. He plopped onto the toilet seat cover, letting his head sink into his bare hands. An exhausted sigh escaped his lips, his mind already pondering all of the duties that waited for him back in Tokyo-3. Finally, he forcefully ground his thoughts to a halt, descending into a state of numbness. Just…just leave it be. It'll all still be there when you land.

Gendo Ikari remained like that for the next few hours, relishing this brief period of solitude and silence.

That it was found in an airplane's restroom, of all places, spoke volumes about his life choices.

xxxx

/February 9, 2016/

/DUMMY PLUG Plant, Terminal Dogma, NERV-1/

Ritsuko Akagi tapped on the cylinder with her fingernail, a little ting echoing through the large chamber. "How are we doing in there?"

Rei Ayanami stared down, her body suspended in the tube of LCL. Unlike her last time in this room – when she had obliterated the nephilim Sougetsu – she was not in a Plug Suit, but was rather nude; to minimize interference and provide a proper neural baseline for the Dummy Plug, as it had been explained. "I am…adequate." Her voice sounded hollow, coming from the speakers.

Dr. Akagi arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Sounds…odd. Adequate is a less neutral term than you normally use."

"This past week has been eventful."

"HA! As eventful as the Prime Minister getting into a fistfight with the Chinese Premier in 2001? Because I'll tell you, that was one week of media frenzy to be remembered! FISTS FLYING FOR THE SAKE OF JUSTICE AND HONOR! But seriously, go on."

Rei pondered her words: the words of her mind, her past, her self, her very soul. "I went into Overdrive again last night."

"…explain." Dr. Akagi quickly went to one of the consoles, rechecking the instruments and scanners that tracked the First Child's vitals. "No obvious internal injuries…"

"I have been experiencing fewer and fewer aftereffects from Anima Overdrive, despite going into that state more often. Although I fell unconscious after this most recent event, I awoke with no injuries and no pain. Contrast with the prior event during the invasion."

"Potential sympathetic reaction to increased soul synchronization, perhaps…maybe a passive hardening by your AT-Field…?" The doctor was muttering to herself now, hypothesizing even while Rei continued explaining.

"This past week, I have been seeing memories made real, from different times and places. The hallucinations got stronger, to the point where I was actively aware of them. And through it all, someone was speaking to me. It turned out to be my soul."

"…come again?"

"It was…it's difficult to describe." The event had been…a deluge of data. A massive influx of information, or perhaps merely a look at the information from a different perspective. "I have clung to particular attitudes for a long time, out of a belief that I was doing what was best for the sake of NERV." The years succeeding her return from Mexico had followed a particular pattern: the military discipline she had witnessed with the JSSDF, wedded with the strict order needed to run Tokyo-3; her insertion into civil society, to become accustomed to the people that NERV had sworn to protect; her years spent ensuring obedience to the authority that she was so accustomed to working under. "But the soul is a reflection of who I am. Even if there is change, I will remain I." Shinji Ikari had introduced a new perspective. Her continued interactions with the people around her had provided new data. "Yet people can ignore the conclusions that proceed. And so did I, at least consciously." Then came the invasion. An upfront encounter with traitors, and a battle the likes of which she had never been on the receiving end of. "In Overdrive, I am…in sync with my soul, to a degree no human is. The soul witnesses all, and remembers all. The attack from the cultists provided a new set of data. A new conclusion was reached, but I did not alter myself consciously. My soul could not accept this incongruence. And since I was so harmonized with it, my soul could more easily…take action, as it were."

"…hmm. A house divided against itself can't stand, eh?" Dr. Akagi chuckled. "Well well, looks like the Italian had a decent idea after all." Then she screamed, "NOW I OWE HIM A PENNY! CURSES!"

"…Dr. Akagi?"

"Just remembering an old colleague of mine from Leipzig. Had an interesting hypothesis about conscience: you know that nagging feeling in the back of your mind whenever thinking about something heavy? He believed it was the soul trying to get you 'back on track' as it were, to make you whole; he theorized that there was a way to determine this by observing one's AT-Field and their brainwave activity simultaneously. I'm going to send him a suggestion to request a nephilim from NERV-5 for a little trial experiment, to see what he can observe; if he can find a particular pattern when a nephilim is an Overdrive, he can look for that pattern in people."

"I see. That hypothesis is in line with my recent experience."

"And his reason was even more hilarious. Said he wanted to provide his fellow Catholics a scientifically verifiable way to know when they had to go to confession!"

"…I do not get the humor."

"Eh, it's an old joke." The doctor looked up from her console and into Rei's eyes. "Were you going to speak of this to the Professor?"

"Yes. I will do so once we are done."

"Then let's wrap this up. Think long and hard about piloting Unit-00, about delving into battle against the Angels, AND DESTROYING ALL THAT STANDS IN YOUR WAY! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"

"Understood." I wonder how Dr. Akagi's soul reacts to these events. A question for another time, perhaps.

xxxx

/Keter, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Gendo Ikari sat in silence, having caught up on the various happenings through the city since his departure for Geneva; aside from the various worrywarts concerned about his health, and the occasional congratulations for surviving the assassination attempt (or, as Lieutenant Aoba had phrased it, 'good on you for having a throat of frickin' steel'), he had learned the 1st Airborne Brigade had finished processing the 20th Armored Battalion, and had departed from Tokyo-3. Now, the only cultists left were those who were mere civilians; the municipal jails and the Section 2 facilities would be sufficient to keep them detained until their tribunals could be completed. Those who were unwilling to turn against the cults would be terminated with swift prejudice.

Such was the cost of war.

Now he sat here, waiting for a call that he knew would come.

Finally, within the upper virtual conference room of Keter, the image of Keel Lorenz came. "Ikari."

"Chairman," rasped Gendo.

"…you would make for a very unpleasant opponent in chess."

"I'm not so sure. I hate chess." Despite the apparent pain he suffered, Gendo knew that Keel knew it was a farce. Still, image was everything, and Keel leaking an audio clip of him speaking normally, so soon, would make the entire performance at Geneva worthless. "I'm afraid talking for too long will take its toll, so you'll have to forgive me if I wish to keep this brief."

Keel sneered. "I'm sure. Just so long as you maintain a focus on the Human Instrumentality Project, NERV should be left alone. At least, I hope, for now."

You 'hope'. Ha. Ha. Ha. "I do have one question in particular. One that's been troubling me for some time." How the saboteurs had avoided Section 2's gaze so expertly, how the cultists had been able to fool the behavioral algorithms of the MAGI, how the Chinese military had been so incompetent as to lose two nephilim…all of that was irrelevant compared to one simple thing. "Why do you think Pieter Langley's daughter was kidnapped?" It was blatantly obvious why SEELE did not want the Second Child captured, due to the threat such an action posed to the continued functionality of Unit-02. But why arrange things so that the younger sister was captured instead?

The Chairman smiled grimly. "Do you believe in proper maintenance, Ikari?"

"…of course."

"Without constant use and upkeep, the tools you have will corrode and fade away, becoming worthless. Sometimes, it's good to press a button and make sure that a machine does what it is supposed to do. Nothing more, and nothing less." Keel Lorenz nodded to himself. "Good day, Ikari."

The hologram winked out, leaving Gendo alone in the darkness.

I see. The daughter had nothing to do with his motivation. It was all because of the Jackal. Did SEELE plan to somehow turn Pieter Langley against NERV, further down the line? That was a troubling thought, in all sorts of ways. So long as his daughters are kept safe, it won't matter. I'll have to make sure the dear Inspector keeps a closer eye on the Sohryu girls.

Sighing, he entered the lone elevator and descended into the main office of Keter, stepping off of the lift besides his desk. "So." He sat down, tenting his hands in front of his face and staring straight ahead at the room's only other occupant. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting for too long," he rasped.

Rei Ayanami, clad in just her Plug Suit and fatigues, shook her head. "No sir."

"Dr. Akagi informed me that you had an urgent matter to discuss. I've seen her preliminary report from the most recent upload for Project DUMMY PLUG; are you functional?"

"Yes sir."

"Then what troubles you? I have been honest with you in all things; it's only fair to expect the same in return."

xxxx

The First Child looked down at her hands. "Ever since I was created, I have done as you asked; for your sake, for NERV's sake, for the world's sake. I have endured much in order to pilot Eva. I have fought and killed many in order to increase my combat potential, so that I would be NERV's sword and shield when the world inevitably turned on us."

"Given the events of the past week, my foresight was quite providential, would you not agree?"

"Of course. But that is not what troubles me." She clenched her right fist, remembering the lifeblood of the young Lovelace heir that had coated it so long ago. "In the course of my battles, I have never doubted that my foes were such for a reason. I have never doubted that those I killed were done so for a greater purpose. I have never doubted in my work to enforce the command of NERV to the people of this city." Her fist fell to the side, and her eyes could only look at the floor. "And yet…many were my foes out of mere circumstance, and had nothing to do with NERV or our mission. I have killed many who may have been completely innocent, and were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. I trusted that the people of this city were united by a common purpose, and yet so many were simply biding their time to betray us all." She raised her head, revealing an expression that Gendo Ikari, in all his years, had never seen on her face: despondent desperation. "Tell me…was I wrong?"

"…what do you think?" Rei opened her mouth, only to be cut off. "Don't tell me what you think I want to hear. Don't try to censor yourself out of respect. Be honest. That is all I ask."

"…I still believe in NERV's mission. I will still do what is necessary to stop the Angels. But…" She felt so lost right now. Having always carried herself with a steadfast surety, it was a stark contrast. "…knowing what I do now…I don't like the fact that I've killed innocent people. And upon reflection, the events of the Central American Wars…they don't quite add up."

"How so?"

The speculations of Roberta the Bloodhound roiled through her head, along with the information she had learned about the Americas' geopolitics before, during, and after the Mexican Campaign. "Why would the instigators of Roberta's actions do something to incur her wrath? She was an infamous figure throughout the Americas, and they were too heavily invested in keeping the peace following Second Impact to try and sabotage it. Even if they were warlords with interests in illegal matters, escalating their vendetta with the Lovelace family the way they did was…irrational."

"Man can be quite irrational at times."

"I know. But Professor…I must ask…" Rei stared quietly at Gendo Ikari; if he felt a brief twinge of uncertainty, he did not show it. "…given how the nephilim were utilized, and made public in the manner that we were…is it not unreasonable to think that the war was begun to fulfill one purpose, and one purpose only?"

"You seem to have reached a conclusion already."

"With all due respect, sir, I think you have additional information."

"…given what we both know of SEELE, of the way they direct nations and events without a care for the lives they trample over…is the conclusion that you've reached really that surprising?"

"No sir. But did you know?"

"…yes."

And there it was. The moment of truth, in all of its horrible glory.

"…I do not like the smell of blood, or the look of it. I tolerate it when it is necessary." She clenched her hands. "I have always been told that I was created to protect humanity. And I believed it. I still do. So the thought that these hands of mine…were used contrary to that purpose…" There was a hitch to her breath. "I…hate it…"

"Do you hate me?"

"…I don't know…"

"It would be within your right to do so. I certainly wouldn't blame you."

Though Gendo had no way of knowing it, a certain challenge from one Mana Kirishima was mocking her relentlessly. "But why? If you knew the truth, why did you send me?"

"I told you before, long ago: to push you to your limits, and beyond. That was the truth."

"But was there no other way?"

"What I did to you was cruel: to subject a child to war. But it was a war that was going to happen, whether or not you were there. The missions that you were sent on would have occurred one way or another, fulfilled by some other nephilim, one without your particular moral scruples. Would they have killed more people? Or fewer people? There's no way to know. But if it was going to happen regardless…I was going to take advantage of it."

"…that is a very cold attitude, sir."

"As I've told my son before, nothing will matter if the Angels initiate Third Impact, or if SEELE completes their Scenario. Can I still count on you?"

"…you can." Her eyes were watery. Tears slowly began to trickle down her cheek, each one a sign of regret, of anguish, of broken faith. "But I can't guarantee the state of my feelings, or my emotions."

"That is fine. You would be yet another person who hates me."

"…doesn't it count for something if that hatred comes from me?"

"It should. But it won't. Because even if the whole world were to hate me, it wouldn't change the fact that I do what must be done...and I chose long ago to accept that responsibility. I've subjected you to many burdens, Rei…but that is one that I will retain only for myself."

"…understood."

"Do you have any other questions?"

Rei sniffled, wiping her face with the sleeve of her fatigues. "Yes. But for now…I need some time to think."

"Then you may go."

"Yes sir." The Sergeant saluted the Supreme Commander, turning on her heel to leave the dark confines of Keter.

"Oh, and one more thing." Rei paused at the sound of the Professor's voice. "If you're going to think…do it in the presence of your friends."

"…why?"

"Because they've helped you become a better person."

"…how can you know that? Even with all the people I've killed?"

"This entire conversation wouldn't have happened otherwise."

"…you're going to make me start crying again, sir."

"Honestly? You've been overdue."

The First Child's sniffling echoed loudly in the cavernous office. "But I have an image to uphold. Just like you do."

"The difference is that you can actually look adorable when crying, and therefore provoke sympathy. If I'm crying, that either means someone got one over on me, or the world's about to end."

"…I see." The nephilim wiped her face again. "Take care, Professor."

And then Gendo Ikari was alone.

xxxx

The Supreme Commander sighed. Well. That was certainly something. He would have to show Fuyutsuki a recording of that conversation later; it would probably make his day. Still…for this development to happen now…of ALL times…

He reached into his pocket, flipping the switch that triggered the sealing of Keter from all electronic surveillance.

With a loud snarl, Gendo pounded his desk with both fists, letting loose a sign of true frustration. His brief tantrum accomplished, the Supreme Commander regained control of his external emotions, turning the surveillance back on. Despite his outward calm, his mind roiled, a veritable ship in a tempest. Yui…I don't know if I can do it. I will try…but if the Dummy Plug can't work…can I really do it?

He stewed on these thoughts for some time, a lonely man seeing the road ahead; knowing what lied at the end, and dreading every step he took.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 24: You can(not) advance

xxxx

(If this episode was animated, it would be the 'Disney Acid Sequence' episode.)

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

In this episode, Seraphiel is actually sourced from the Diemay Angel:



/February 20, 2016/

/Hayford Peak, Sheep Mountain Range, Nevada/

/Observation Platform Charlie, NERV-4/

Over thirty miles north of Las Vegas, the man-made caverns beneath the Sheep Range – Hayford Peak in particular – served as the home for NERV's Fourth Branch.

Dr. Elijah Lance inhaled deeply of the crisp winter air from Charlie, one of several observation platforms that dotted the mountain range. Given how many employees proverbially lived on base (himself included), this was one of the few times they got any kind of sunlight. The forest covering the peak was coated with frost and snow. The distant metropolis of Las Vegas glistened in the radiance of the mid-morning sun; the city's seductive call to gamble and drink was a harsh temptress to some of the slackers that worked at NERV-4.

Then again, he himself used to be young and a slacker, so it was an understandable temptation.

He ran wrinkled hands through short hair the color of salt, a stark contrast to his chocolaty skin. The sky was clear and the weather was sterling; a perfect day for the S2 Engine Activation Test on Unit-04.

"Dad!"

Elijah turned on his heel, eyes warming at the sight of a younger woman with dark hair and lighter skin; her mother's Asian features came out quite strong. Fine by him; his wife had always been their better half. Green eyes twinkled in the sun, her white lab coat fluttering in the mountainous breeze. "Dr. Mossberg's done with the preliminary simulations. We're ready to begin."

"Judtih's always been a go-getter," said Elijah with a chuckle. "And what about you, Alyx?"

Dr. Alyx Lance gestured to the thick folders underneath her arm. "We've fortified the bulkheads around the Test Chamber and hermetically sealed them as best as we could, and then some."

"To do better than your best is logically impossible."

"Well I'm sure Supreme Commander Ikari would agree with me."

"I'm sure." The father-daughter scientist duo laughed to themselves as they descended on a lift into the mountain. The two walked through warmly-lit halls, their good cheer practically levitating them off of the ground; deeper into the facility they went, chatting it up all the while. "So Alyx, I can't help but notice that you keep burning the midnight oil."

"Just a little late night correspondence with some other researchers at the Onyx Highlands facility in New Mexico. Given all of the theoretical physics work they do, who better to consult with? Dr. Kleinfeld says hello, by the way."

Elijah chuckled. "Isaac, that old codger. He should have retired by now."

"Too busy fine-tuning applications for Kleinium."

"He's gotten egotistical in his old age."

"I'll make sure to let him know you said that."

"And I'm sure your late night chats with a certain MIT grad are just about consulting too, eh?"

Alyx swatted away her father's finger, trying to will away his sly smile. "Dad, come on. You know Gordon's not much for talking. He just kinda sits there and listens while I bounce off my ideas about graviton fluctuations, Metaphysical Field Theory, dimensional relativity…you know, work-related stuff."

"Which is why whenever Dr. Freeman does say something, you pay attention."

"Oh stop. And it's Dr. Freedman. He can never get his colleagues to remember the 'd'."

"Well, the Kleinium-induced field transmitter is called the Freeman device."

"He's still trying to get the Copyright Office to fix that typo on his patent."

"Eh, even accomplished youngsters have to deal with hazing."

"You don't have to remind me, of all people."

"Of course, of course." Three. Two. One. "So, when I can expect grandchildren?"

"Dad!" exclaimed Alyx, her cheeks colored a delightful little shade of red. Elijah's sincere laughter echoed through the halls as they entered the operational center for Test Chamber Alpha. "My gosh, you are such a stereotype."

"It is a label I'll accept proudly if it gets you youngsters to get a move on."

A calm, collected voice interrupted their little repartee. "Honestly Eli, do you have to pester Dr. Lance so shamelessly?" The woman had dark red hair done up in a bun, her white sweater and green pants looking positively immaculate underneath the white lab coat.

Elijah shrugged. "I make no apologies."

Alyx rolled her eyes, stepping up to the console beside the redhead. "Well Dr. Mossberg, how's our lucky patient?"

Dr. Judith Mossberg glanced at the windows made of acrylic glass. "See for yourself."

Both younger and elder Lance stepped forward, looking into the cavernous chamber beyond. Halogen lighting and red caution lamps illuminated a titanic figure in white armor, the breastplates removed to reveal a glistening red sphere, tethered to countless cords and cables. Countless figures in orange and gunmetal Hazard Suits swarmed the forty-meter giant, finalizing the preparations for the S2 Activation Test.

Of course, Alyx had to point out something she had harped on countless times before. "Seriously, we really are overdoing it with the Christian symbolism." Case in point: the massive, ornate restraints that held Evangelion Unit-04 in place were shaped like a cross; to the uninitiated, it appeared as though the Eva was crucified.

"You can jump in line behind the thousands of other people who have complained about it," dryly commented Judith.

Elijah frowned, glancing at the corners of Judith's eyes. "You've been pushing a hard pace recently."

"If I could get away with it, I'd have an IV drip with coffee hooked up." The Head of NERV-4's Technical Branch brought a hand up to her face, rubbing the bridge of her nose to work away the stress. "Blame the Thirteenth Angel. The Pentagon has been riding the Commander hard to have a successful test on Unit-04."

"Hmm. I thought Wally's been looking a little haggard lately," murmured Elijah. "Hopefully, by the end of the day, we'll have advanced our understanding of Eva and the Angels."

Alyx Lance calmly stared at the main console, looking at the three monitors representing the three supercomputers that helped run NERV-4: MAGI-10, MAGI-11, and MAGI-12, otherwise known as ROOSEVELT, CHURCHILL, and STALIN. "How many simulations have they run?"

"They passed three million about an hour ago." Judith arched her back, grimacing as she worked out some kinks. A technician walked by with a platter full of coffee cups, and she swiped one without so much as a please or thank you. "We've tried to cover all possibilities and scenarios. We can't afford another delay or any mishaps."

Elijah took a seat near the main window, his eyes idly watching the swarm of walking Hazard Suits; from here, they looked like ants swarming a dead body. He rubbed the fake skin on his prosthetic leg, a memento from San Francisco during Second Impact. "Science has undergone massive leaps and bounds in the last century. Thanks to the Katsuragi Expedition, we got confirmation that we're not alone in the universe. There are risks and unknowns with everything; we can minimize them as much as we can, but we have to take a step forward eventually."

"Well, I'm glad someone is of good spirits." Everyone in the operational center turned towards the man entering the room, looking sharp in a gray business suit and black sweater combo. The gaunt cheeks and snowy hair belied the exhaustion present in his storm-colored eyes. His neatly trimmed mustache and beard spoke of attention to detail and a pride in personal appearance; the minor trembling of his shoulders threatened to break that stoic and professional image. "Because if the Joint Chiefs call me again," groused Commander Wallace Brandt, "I'm going to delight in thinking up various ways to torment them. Some of which would be essentially impossible."

"And now you know why I turned down your position," joked Elijah Lance.

"In retrospect, a decidedly cruel gesture." Commander Brandt stepped up to the main console, his mere presence prompting everyone to hop to their stations. "After we have a successful test, I'm going on a rather long vacation. I'll let you deal with the flunkies from New Washington." He then turned towards Judith. "Dr. Mossberg; do we have any candidates lined up?"

Judith Mossberg grimaced, memories of Yui Ikari and Kyoko Zeppelin Langley-Sohryu coming to mind. Anyone who worked in-depth with Eva knew what such words entailed. "…there have been several eligible volunteers to serve as the Core's foundation."

Commander Brandt briefly sighed. "We'll see to it that their families are well compensated for their sacrifice."

Alyx Lance lightly tapped the acrylic glass, watching as the technicians within Test Chamber Alpha began to vacate the vicinity. From the ceiling above Unit-04, an intricate pylon surrounded by three orbs descended. "One way or another, we'll finally have it out of the way. Think we can foist the field tests off on NERV-Alaska?"

"Knowing Dr. Mondschein? Not on your life." Elijah leaned back, smiling as the scientific technobabble filtering through his ears. Despite the horrors of Second Impact and the pressure wrought by the Angel War, there was a nice equilibrium to his current stage in life: competent colleagues, a desire to save the world, and a lovely daughter to tease.

All told, things were good.

"Everything is all green," said Judith.

Commander Wallace Brandt nodded. "Then let us proceed! Commence the S2 Engine Activation Test."

Within Test Chamber Alpha, an otherworldly drone – a car engine running at high speed, yet muffled as though by water, deeper than the sea – emerged from the pylon as the three orbs rotated around it. Electricity crackled, and a controlled pulse of energy emerged from the pylon, streaming into Unit-04's Core.

The S2 Engine switched on.

Reality shifted.

A howling vacuum.

And then there was red.

And then void.

xxxx

/Later that Day/

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

The entire Command Staff watched in stunned silence as the satellite footage counted down from ten. It showed the southeastern corner of the American state of Nevada.

The time stamp read '10:47:30 MST' when a red spark emerged from Hayford Peak, expanding outward from the site of the Fourth Branch. The dome of red light rushed outward, consuming more and more of the Mojave Desert. Static overtook the footage, blocking all sight of what had happened. Fast-forward to forty-seven seconds later, where the interference ceased, and they saw what remained: nothing.

Nothing but a single disk of flat earth, with NERV-4's former location as its epicenter.

Dr. Ritsuko Akagi lit her cigarillo with a scowl. "Everything within eighty-nine kilometers of the Fourth Branch has vanished off the face of the Earth. Including Las Vegas, and all that that implies." Namely, a media firestorm that would make the Thirteenth Angel's attack on Berlin-2 seem like a walk in the park by comparison. "What a crappy way to end my day. I actually liked some of the people there."

"…you said 'vanished'. That's a very specific term, Ritsuko," said Misato Katsuragi.

"Senpai chose it for a reason," replied Maya.

Miyata agreed. "The preliminary mass spectrometer analysis of Ground Zero shows a decrease of energy within the area; this wasn't a simple conversion, or even annihilation, but an actual loss of matter."

"In other words, the energy flux from the S2 Engine Activation Test shifted everything that had stood within that disk out of our dimension," explained Dr. Akagi. "The probability of retrieving anything is approximately zero."

It was a very foreboding statement.

All told, Gendo Ikari summed up what everyone was thinking quite succinctly. "Well. This sucks."

xxxx

/Elsewhere/

One second, there was nothing.

The next, there was so much more.

The cluster of natural elements and man-made buildings floated in the endless abyss. For the most part, sheer tidal forces had spaghettified most of the Lilim. Those within more sturdy edifices were quick to suffocate in the vacuum. Others within sealed structures, particularly the surviving remnants of NERV-4, had enough time to actually ponder what had just happened.

Not that it would matter for long.

Leliel [watched/observed/felt] everything within itself. In mere moments, it had found the source of the energy signal.

there you are; bardiel? you may [proceed/attack/devour]

VERY WELL.

And so Leliel [watched/observed/felt] in silence as its [equal/sibling/kin] descended upon the Lilim in a ravenous frenzy.

all is going according to plan

xxxx

Episode 24: You can(not) advance

xxxx

/February 21, 2016/

/Sovereign Systems Facility, Gobi Desert north of Jiayuguan, Guazhou County, Gansu Province, China/

Kisai Oniwana ran a hand through his graying hair, his heavy overcoat fluttering in the mild desert wind. The early morning light cast a reddish glow upon the sandy plains.

It was times like this that he despised Second Impact. The seas had flooded large portions of China's eastern coasts – Beijing included – and driven the majority of the population further inland. The cultural upheaval that had resulted from such a large swath of China becoming submerged was still being born out, even now. Granted, that wasn't the source of his current frustration; China had no monopoly on tragedy or suffering. Rather, it was because Sovereign Systems had decided to set their facility up in the middle of the Gobi instead of a more sensible environment.

Alas, the real estate was cheap, and it was remote enough for security purposes. He still didn't like it.

Sighing, Oniwana turned on his heel, leaving footprints in the sand with each step. The boxy facility was very unappealing compared to the aesthetic elegance of NHIS's Alpha Site in Osaka-1, but it was serviceable enough. Flashing his security pass and keying in his passcode, he was let in by internal security personnel. His footsteps echoed against the concrete, his narrow cheeks looking positively gaunt in the harsh halogen lighting. He entered one of the isolated chambers, walking past pods filled with active nanotech. Several Chinese technicians monitored the synthesizing process dutifully, ensuring that the weapons within were built to exact specifications.

In a matter of minutes, he found himself at a table that held two weapons, sized such that an adult human could wield them. Placing gloves on his hands, Oniwana picked up the gunmetal gray bident, and then the similarly-colored zweihander. For all intents and purposes, they were perfect miniature replicas of the Lance of Longinus and the Sword of Uriel. "Have these been put through their paces yet?"

"Yes. The two nephilim loaned to us by the PLA were sufficient," explained his assistant, referring to the People's Liberation Army, the Chinese armed forces. "We made sure to thoroughly document the replicas' effects on their AT-Fields."

"And?"

"Like a knife through hot butter, regardless of how much force is applied. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, regardless of how little force is applied." To say that had been a shock to Hong and Zhao – the two nephilim in question – was a severe understatement.

Oniwana nodded. "I'm sure there are some who would enjoy having a counter to nephilim special forces. Excellent." Now it would be time to start working on Eva-scale variants. Speaking of which, "have we gotten any word on the Americans' response to the Fourth Branch Incident?"

"Still pending, but they are not happy."

Oniwana shrugged. "Losing over three hundred thousand people within sixty seconds will have that effect. But what impact will it have on NERV?"

"After Ikari was nearly assassinated at the UN? I haven't the foggiest idea."

"Hmm. I suppose it doesn't affect us for the time being." Oniwana briefly thought of Shiro Tokita – curious as to how the JET ALONE Project's remnants in Tokyo-3 were doing – before refocusing on the replicas in his hand.

As much as it pleased him to read of the Jet Alone's ongoing performance in the Angel War, he had the future to look forward to.

xxxx

/Horaki Residence, Tokyo-3, Japan/

Kodama Horaki calmly sipped from her coffee, mentally demanding the caffeine to give the entire apartment a kick. It failed of course, but it was the thought that counted. This whole place is so…down.

Not that she could complain too much. There was a reason for the melancholy mood.

The college student glanced into the living room, where Hikari was quietly combing Nozomi's hair. Their youngest sister had been hit hard by the invasion, given how Mari Langley-Sohryu had been kidnapped in front of her eyes, and especially given how she had witnessed Ai Suzuhara's near-death experience.

Speaking of Suzuhara…

The boy had been alternating sleeping over at the Aida, Horaki, and Katsuragi households. It was to be expected, given that his tightest circle of friends consisted of Kensuke Aida, the Pilots, and her younger sister Hikari. Well, more than a 'tight friend' as far as Hikari's concerned. Kodama had found herself playing the odd role of chaperone, for a change; though Hikari and Toji were forbidden to be in a room by themselves, the former's motherly instincts were reacting heavily to the boy's depressed attitude.

Add in teenage hormones, and you had the potential for things to cascade out of control.

It's a shame I have to worry about stuff like that. Part of her wanted to be lazy and let biology take its course, but that would be socially irresponsible behavior. Besides...it would make for a horrible first time. Kodama trod into the living room, plopping onto the sofa. Her hand laced through Hikari's head, fingernails lightly tracing her scalp. Oh well. I'm sure they'll figure it out.

xxxx

As the three sisters sat in silence, the apartment balcony was home to the two most important men in Hikari Horaki's life.

Her father, Mamoru Horaki.

And her boyfriend, Toji Suzuhara.

The two were quiet, watching the continued reconstruction efforts ongoing through downtown Tokyo-3. The sound of cranes and heavy machinery were practically white noise by this point, a constant of life in the war against the Angels.

Mamoru sighed, scratching the back of his head. His short brown hair was ruffled, and the five-o'clock shadow only cemented the image of a workaholic.

Toji's scowl deepened.

Mamoru glanced quietly at the boy.

Toji briefly caught the man's gaze, before quickly looking downward, as though embarrassed.

The silence continued on for another few minutes.

Mamoru sighed once more.

Toji glared at the older man, frustration evident in his face.

Mamoru stared back, no longer appearing lethargic.

Toji backed down, as though ashamed.

"…I suggest you figure out your place in this world soon," advised Mamoru, his voice growly and rumbly through lack of use. Administrative assistants were to be seen and not heard, after all. "Hospitality is one thing. But my girl won't wait forever."

"…I know. I'm very thankful, Horaki-sama." Despite his rough personality, Toji knew when he absolutely had to be polite. Overdoing it was better than not enough.

"I can understand your situation. But the longer you linger, the harder it will be to move forward. Trust me on that."

Toji watched quietly as the patriarch of the Horaki family walked back inside, leaving him alone on the balcony. He turned back towards the city, trying to ignore the raging beast that stormed through his heart; this city had taken his father and his sister from him, and he couldn't just ignore that, no matter how much he wanted to.

Suzuhara clenched his fist, nails driving into his palm. His thoughts drifted towards Ayanami, Sohryu, and Ikari; the three Eva Pilots, who never seemed to back down or give up. Shin-man...how do you and the others keep on walking? I feel like I can barely stand on my own.

xxxx

/February 22, 2016/

/Debriefing Room, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"So, there's some apparent truth to that adage about Mondays," murmured Misato Katsuragi, her eyebrow twitching heavily. She continued reading through the brief report; each line read added more mental stress. "They have a lot of nerve to do a turnabout like this."

"The Americans have a particularly testy media-government relationship," remarked Ritsuko Akagi. "Not only that, but Las Vegas was one of their cultural icons. The backlash was inevitable."

Kozou Fuyutsuki's lips were contorted into the world's most perfect frown. "Can we please focus?" The reports they had received earlier that day were disconcerting. The American government, following the Fourth Branch Incident on Saturday – already colloquially known as the 'Vanishing of Las Vegas' – had quickly responded by summarily washing their hands of Eva. The Third Branch in Massachusetts had slapped Unit-03 onto a Kleinium-enhanced YC-49 and sent it on a one-way trip to Japan. "And to think they had pushed so heavily for the right to develop Units Three and Four."

"Biting off more than they can chew. Just like a college freshman with no dating experience," snarked Dr. Akagi.

"It'll make one stop to refuel, but it'll be here within the next two days." Fuyutsuki glanced at the Lieutenant Colonel. "We'll be housing it at our auxiliary base in Matsushiro until we are ready to field it here. It'll also allow the bigwigs in Tokyo-2 to feel important before they invariably tell us to take it away."

"Understood. But I do have one important question: who's going to be the Pilot?" asked Misato. "Does Unit-03 even have a Core ready? Or is NERV-2 going to loan us one of the Nagisas?"

Dr. Akagi shrugged. "I'm sure we'll receive confirmation from the Marduk Institute soon. But it probably won't be the Fourth or the Fifth Children. FOR UNIT-03 DEMANDS FRESH BLOOD! But mostly because the German government's not going to let their only two Pilots leave Europe unprotected."

Ignoring Ritsuko's brief slip into madness, Fuyutsuki briefly thought of potential candidates, wondering which one would burden his conscience the least. Who am I kidding, they'll all hurt. "I believe the Supreme Commander is trying to escalate the matter with Marduk. I'm sure we'll know by the end of the day who the Sixth Child will be."

xxxx

/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Geofront, Tokyo-3/

"Hello Suzuhara-kun."

Toji Suzuhara blinked as he stepped into his sister's new room, now within NERV's subterranean Medical Ward instead of the hospital on the surface. His minor irritation at the sudden change was offset by relief, due to the promise of more advanced medical equipment and better doctoral expertise. Both of those feelings were replaced by utter confusion at the sight of NERV's Supreme Commander sitting beside Ai's cot. "...er...hey?"

Gendo Ikari gestured to the chair beside him. "Come have a seat. We have much to discuss, you and I."

"…we do?" Toji nonetheless obeyed Gendo's suggestion, taking a seat by the enigmatic leader of NERV. "…this is really surreal."

"Oh? How so?"

"Seriously man, you have to ask?" Toji looked incredulously at the older man. "You're pretty much our city's mascot, mayor, and police chief in one package."

"Technically, the MAGI supercomputers govern the city, but do go on."

"I mean, my friend Kensuke practically worships the ground you walk on. And he's not the only one! You're the local celebrity, and you're talkin' to me face to face after nearly getting offed on TV! So yeah: it's kind of a big freakin' deal!"

"Perhaps. I am a little larger than life. But my actions are always done with purpose, no matter how…eccentric…they may seem."

"I guess…"

"Don't you believe it's important to have that sense of purpose? To have a definite goal to strive for? An inherent meaning to your life?"

Toji stilled. His eyes drifted towards his sister's cot; the steady beep of the EKG machine still haunted him. "…yeah."

"One could even say that it's what separates the boys from the men: children can afford to dally about, free of the responsibilities of adulthood. Men have no such luxury. Wouldn't you agree?"

Toji thought of how many times he had come home to see his old man collapsed on a chair, passed out from sheer exhaustion; passed out from providing for him and Ai. "…yeah."

"It's truly a shame, what's happened to your family." Gendo withdrew a small wrist grip from his cloak, handing it over to the young teenager. "Even though I never had much contact with Hayato Suzuhara, I always try to keep in mind the sacrifices made by the men and women who keep this city running."

"Thanks." Toji slowly squeezed the handles, his fingers straining against the grip's resistance. It felt cathartic. "I think my old man would have appreciated it."

"And yet here you are. With your father's passing and your sister's current condition, you find yourself in a mire. Stuck. Unable to move forward. You want to move forward, but it feels as if the world is crumbling all around you." The Professor glanced knowingly at the young boy. "Am I in the ballpark?"

"…yeah." He kept on squeezing. "How'd you guess?"

"Let's just say I've been in your shoes before."

Toji paused. "…and? How'd you move forward? How'd…how'd you start living again?"

"With great effort, to be sure. But I had a goal. Something to strive towards." The Supreme Commander stared quietly at the comatose girl. "Tell me, Suzuhara-kun: have you ever wondered why only children can pilot an Evangelion?"

The jock blinked, surprised by the sudden turn in the conversation. "Eh…not…really? I mean…" He thought back to the first time he had realized Rei Ayanami was an Evangelion Pilot. By then, her superhuman exploits were well known, so it had been no surprise. Then Shinji Ikari had come to town. Then Asuka Langley-Sohryu. "…the stuff they've pulled off is crazy. I just thought that they were all bonafide badasses. Kind of like the main characters in those robot manga that Kensuke likes to read."

"An entirely valid thought. Ayanami, Sohryu, and my son have pulled off unbelievable feats. But that wasn't my question."

"…I don't know."

"Metaphysical biologists the world over have come to a conclusion, particularly in the wake of the First and Second Global Soul Census. The souls of those born in the wake of Second Impact have a fundamental difference compared to those born before: a greater capacity for AT-Field interfacing."

"…uh…can ya dumb it down for me?"

"Those born in the wake of Second Impact are, almost to a tee, more empathic than Pre-Impact humans. You are more capable of understanding other people." Gendo smirked. "If we don't doom the world by the time your generation comes of age, we might have peace in our time. But I digress; that spiritual difference leads to the second reason why only children can be Eva Pilots."

"Why?"

"How much do you know of Eva? Of its nature?"

Toji grimaced. He hated being put on the spot. "Am I gonna get quizzed on this?"

"Maybe."

Toji snorted. "Well…I know they were built using the Angels' technology, right? And they're…alive. At least, that's what some people say."

"Entirely correct. Yet a significant truth is absent. There is a reason why only Shinji can pilot Unit-01, and why only Sohryu can pilot Unit-02." Gendo stared right into Toji's eyes. His demeanor was serious. Too serious. "An Evangelion cannot move without a soul of its own. Where do you think that soul comes from?"

Toji was at a loss. This was something significant. He stood in one world, and Gendo Ikari stood in another; did he dare cross that threshold? Did he dare discard the last remnants of childhood, of naiveté, of ignorance, and become a man? "…where?"

"For Unit-01, its soul was given by my wife: Shinji's mother." Toji's eyes widened. "For Unit-02, its soul was given by Dr. Kyoko Zeppelin Langley-Sohryu, the mother of Asuka Langley-Sohryu."

"…the hell…?"

"It is the great secret of Eva, and one that few speak lightly of. It is a burden that the children bear with great difficulty. But it is that connection, that bond of family, which helps them synchronize with the Eva. Though, theoretically, an intense and passionate bond of friendship could work as well. But the point remains: through that bond, the Children are able to move the Eva."

"…why?" Toji didn't understand. This was heavy stuff; why was he being told this stuff? Why me? "Why are you telling me this stuff?"

"Because I have for you an offer. A solution. A way forward." Gendo turned his gaze back towards Ai Suzuhara. "Unit-03 is on its way here from America. The Marduk Institute has designated you as the Sixth Child. And if you are going to pilot the Eva, Unit-03 will need a soul that you are compatible with."

"…what." Toji looked at his sister. Then back to the Supreme Commander. "You mean, you want my sister to be…what?! What the hell?!"

"Don't misunderstand; this is not a permanent change. I too desire to see my wife again; once the war against the Angels has concluded, the souls within the Evas will be extracted and recomposed as their self-image dictates. And so I ask you: how do you think your sister envisions herself? As the young girl who lived without a care in the world? Or do you think she sees herself as," he gestured towards the comatose cripple on the hospital bed, "this?"

Gendo didn't have to elaborate. Toji knew the answer. "What are you getting at?"

"Even with the advances in medical science, there's no guarantee that your sister will ever awaken again. At least, not conventionally. And the longer she remains like this, the more she'll waste away, until all you have left of her is a memory." Gendo looked up at the ceiling, an oddly…melancholy look on his face. "Some are able to live with just the memory to keep them going. But personally, I prefer the fullness of those who live."

Toji was still mulling it over. The thought of Ai…becoming a part of…but then…would it be possible…?

Gendo Ikari suddenly stood up, looming over the eldest Suzuhara. His orange shades made him seem…intimidating. And yet, there was a serene confidence in the hand that he extended. "Suzuhara-kun, there is only one way to save her at this junction. Become a Pilot, so that you can protect those you care for with your own two hands. And if you persevere to the end, you will be with your sister again."

"…fine. Do it." Toji raised his hand, gripping tightly to the Supreme Commander's. He tried to ignore the grim feeling dwelling in his gut, as though he'd just signed his death warrant. "Do what ya gotta do…and I'll be your Pilot."

xxxx

/February 23, 2016/

/Class 2-A, Tokyo-3 Municipal Junior High School/

Shinji Ikari watched quietly as Mayumi Yamagishi walked into the classroom, her red eyes downcast. So, yesterday wasn't a one-off, then.

The Pilot of the Rising Gundam no longer wore a wig, glasses, or contacts at school.

He didn't quite know what had prompted this change; her demeanor had been rather somber since the invasion of Tokyo-3, and it had finally bloomed into this transformation as of this week. All of her efforts to blend in with normal humanity had been cast aside, and she had fully embraced her superhuman nature. Paradoxically, she didn't seem happy about it at all. Maybe...she just didn't want to try and pretend anymore.

Shinji sighed, resting his chin in his palms. This place has gotten gloomy.

The upheaval from the invasion was still felt keenly; several students were gone, the dangers of the Angel War having proven too much for their families. Oddly enough, the failed assassination attempt on his father had been the catalyst for most of the departures. For all his craziness, the man had built up an aura of invincibility amongst the people of the city; to see that he was truly fallible – that he was actually human – had been the last straw for many.

Shinji looked around the classroom, pondering the general state of things. Class Representative Horaki was muted; still stern, but lacking any of her usual pep. Asuka still carried herself with a smile, but there was still the lingering stress from Mari's kidnapping. Ayanami-chan had been...oddly grabby, for the past two weeks. Not that he was complaining, but it was still bewildering, given her strict personality.

Mana Kirishima and Kensuke Aida both seemed cheerful, at least.

Shinji leaned back, rubbing his eyes. The urge to try and help his friends ate at him, but there were certain things he had no power to change. I can't control other people. Growing up with a former police officer had cemented that particular lesson. I can only be there for them to give them a hand.

A familiar dark-haired teenager walked into the class: Toji Suzuhara. And for some reason, there wasn't a proverbial cloud of depression and despair hanging over his head. Huh. What had happened? Had his sister's condition improved? Maybe not...otherwise he'd be smiling. But he looks so serious. As though the boy could hear his thoughts, Toji stared directly at him. What's with that look?

His friend quietly sat in his designated chair and began typing on his desk computer. A brief ping caught Shinji's attention, prompting him to look down at his own monitor.

/Toji-Suzuhara: When we break for lunch, we need to talk.

Shinji blinked.

/Shinji-Ikari: Sure. About what?
/Toji-Suzuhara: You'll see. Bring Sohryu and your girlfriend with you.

Shinji flushed.

/Shinji-Ikari: Ayanami's not my girlfriend!
/Toji-Suzuhara: Keep telling yourself that, Shin-man.

Shinji leaned back, feeling a little lightened by the brief exchange. That had been downright pleasant. Whatever he needs to talk about must be good, if he's actually joking around again.

xxxx

/Four Hours Later/

/Rooftop, Tokyo-3 Municipal Junior High School/

Shinji and Asuka's jaws dropped. "YOU'RE THE SIXTH CHILD?!"

Toji chuckled nervously. "Well…yeah. Surprise?"

Rei Ayanami blinked. "This was unexpected."

"Well, I guess we can call each other co-workers now," cracked Toji, trying to lighten the mood.

Asuka was having none of that misdirection. "Nope. Hold on. Zurück!" The Second Child stepped closer, getting right into Toji's face. "How?"

"…er, I was selected by these Marduk guys-"

"Do not mislead us." Rei's tone brooked no argument. "If you were selected to be a Pilot, then your horizons have been expanded. The very fact that you asked to speak with us, and only us, means you are more aware of the nature of Eva."

Toji frowned. "…can't sneak one past you, can I?"

"Unit-03 will be arriving from America by this afternoon. I assume that will be your Eva?" asked the First.

"Yeah."

Asuka cleared her throat. Loudly. "Don't change the subject! If you know about Eva…if you truly know…then tell me who's going to be inside of Unit-03."

The Sixth Child paused, glancing nervously at his predecessors. The feeling of being interrogated was unsettling. Then again, I guess I asked for this, didn't I? Be a man. Be a man. "…it's my sister."

Shinji and Asuka paled. Rei pressed forward. "Who told you that you would be the Sixth Child?"

"It was the big guy himself. Shinji's old man."

"My father?" blurted Shinji.

Rei's eyes narrowed. "…I see."

"Man, what's with the attitude?" Toji scoffed. "The guy made me an offer. I took it. What do you want from me?"

"…you know what? I get it." Asuka sighed, a sad little smile on her face. "Seeing your sister like that, day in and day out…unable to talk with her, unable to hear her voice…to have her so close, yet so far away…" Her gaze was filled with empathy and compassion. "I get it."

Toji huffed. The twinge in his chest threatened to make him cry. "Can't say I feel glad that you do get it. It's kinda messed up how these Evas work."

"…yeah." Shinji rubbed his head. "It is. But it can't be helped, can it?"

"The means by which mankind is to fight the Angels was determined before our time. We can only deal with the hand that has been given us." Rei stepped in front of Toji, staring right into his eyes. "Tell me: why do wish to be a Pilot?"

"Ayanami-chan, please don't heckle him…"

"I wish to know."

Toji snorted. "Still pushy as ever, huh? Fine. I did it because I'm weak!" The other three Pilots were taken aback. Now that the dam had been pierced, there was no stopping the flood. "I may not be the brightest guy around, but I at least knew how to be an older brother! Losin' my old man…and seeing my sis like that, day in and day out…I don't know what to do with any of that! At least this way there's hope, right?! At least now I can use these hands of mine instead of sitting on my ass, right?!" The First, Second, and Third Children watched him quietly as he tried to regain his breath. His heart beat heavily beneath his rib cage. "So…that's why."

"…well, you've always styled yourself as a manly man, right?" Shinji offered him a knowing smile. "That sounds pretty manly. At least, I think so."

The jock smiled ruefully. "…heh, knew there was a reason I liked you."

"Very well then." Rei straightened, placing her hands on the Sixth Child's shoulders. "If you are going to be a Pilot, there are standards that must be met. Even though you tend to slack around the classroom, you are physically adequate."

Toji balked. "Adequate?! Why I oughtta-"

"But adequate is not enough. An Evangelion Pilot is the last line of defense for humanity. You must be nothing less than exceptional. Therefore, you will undergo a strict regimen to bring you up to speed. Understood?"

"…say what now?"

Rei's grip tightened, like the talons of a hawk that had caught its prey. There was an odd little gleam in her eyes. "I am referring to training." That word had way too much emphasis for comfort. "And I will hold you the same standards that I held Ikari-kun to."

Toji blinked. Then he glanced at Shinji, who just shrugged helplessly at him. Then he remembered the various horror stories that Shinji had told him during his first weeks in Tokyo-3. Then he remembered how exactly he himself had been introduced to Rei Ayanami, all those years ago.

It was at that point that he felt utterly and irrevocably doomed. "…I…gotta be a man…" He gulped, and somehow choked out his next words. "I won't…back…down…"

"An admirable sentiment. Perhaps I won't go easy on you."

The Sixth Child whimpered.

xxxx

/Test Chamber ATGT, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"Third stage connection has been established. Absolute borderline crossed. Sync ratio holding steadily at thirty-one percent."

Ritsuko Akagi frowned at Maya Ibuki's words. "Not quite the results we were hoping for, but serviceable." She stared through the orange safety glass, focusing on Unit-01's stoic form within the white test chamber. "Chalk that up as a preliminary success for the Dummy Plug. Obtain as much data as possible so we can streamline the synaptic interactions."

"Understood, senpai."

Dr. Akagi quietly left the control room, heading down the halls of Central Dogma to another test chamber. Looks like the Professor will have his backup Pilot after all. It was a strange concept, Project DUMMY PLUG: Rei Ayanami's mental brainwaves and metaphysical interface had been digitized, mapped to a cloned body. It was all about simulating the intentions and thoughts of a living Pilot, in the hopes that the Eva would respond and establish a connection.

It was theoretically plausible.

Realistically, given the First Child's nature, it was likely that only Unit-00 and Unit-01 would respond. After all, it's not like Dr. Sohryu had ever met Ayanami in person. Then again, perhaps the girl's bond with the Second Child would prove sufficient? Memo to myself: MORE TESTING! BWAHAHAHAHA "HAHAHAHAHAAA!" Good. A flawless transition. The blonde entered Test Chamber AGGT, where Miyata Ibuki was supervising a similar experiment with Unit-00. "Have we begun?"

"Still going through the preliminary checklists, ma'am. The Dummy Plug was just inserted."

"Good. Let's see how Unit-00 responds." Compared to the Test Type Unit-01, the Prototype was nowhere near as benign. "Make sure we have the polysomes ready to deploy at a moment's notice."

"Understood, ma'am."

The nearby technicians calmly relayed the updates transmitting to their consoles; there was a decided charge to the air, a tension as more connections were established between the Dummy Plug and the blue Evangelion.

"All restraints are operational. Harmonics normal. Nearing absolute borderline," droned Lieutenant Ibuki. "Zero-point-nine…zero-point-five…zero-point-one…"

High-pitched whining emerged from all of the consoles, and Unit-00 suddenly lurched.

"The nerve junctions are disconnecting!"

"We have complete mental rejection from the Eva; the psycho-graph is losing all stability!"

"The restraints aren't going to hold!"

Dr. Akagi snarled. "Shut off all circuits! Expel the Dummy Plug!"

"Power cable's been jettisoned, but the ejection signal's been rejected, ma'am!"

With a furious growl, the blue titan raised its arms, tearing the Gamma-level bindings from the wall. The rending of metal and sparking electronics composed a harsh cacophony as the Eva reached for the back of its neck, tearing away at the armor.

"…what is it doing…?" Ritsuko's eyes widened. "It's trying to get at the Dummy Plug!"

A pained gurgle echoed through the chamber as Unit-00 pried the Dummy Plug – a long, red cylinder – out of its body, slinging it to the floor. Even though the entire capsule shattered, leaking LCL and pulped flesh, that wasn't enough; enraged, the Evangelion stomped on the Dummy Plug several times, pulverizing it until it was nothing more than a flattened lump of metal and tissue. Seemingly satisfied, the Eva let loose a triumphant yet incensed howl towards the safety glass.

Ritsuko frowned. It was as though the Dummy Plug offended Unit-00.

At last, it slumped over, and the colossus fell silent.

"…Unit-00 has ceased activation. All readings from the Core have ceased."

"…feh." Dr. Akagi withdrew a cigar, sticking it into her mouth. As her monocle extended a lighter, her mind raced at the implications of this preliminary trial. "…we're gonna need to do more tests."

The joy and bane of all scientists.

xxxx

/Lower Atmosphere over the North Pacific Ocean/

In another time and another place, the black Evangelion known as Unit-03 was ferried from America to Japan, affixed to a cross that dangled beneath the transport plane. It would have made for a chilling and dramatic image. Perfect media fodder.

Unfortunately, the wind drag alone would have rendered such a method of transport completely unfeasible. Thus, Unit-03 was more sensibly restrained horizontally, flush and parallel with the massive YC-49 transport plane. Enhanced with a Kleinium core of sufficient size, the plane was capable of traversing truly massive distances, much like the one that had ferried Unit-02 to Nevada and then Hawaii mere months ago.

Within a matter of hours, it would land in Tokyo-2. Unit-03 would be transferred to NERV-Matsushiro until NERV-1 was ready to take it.

However, NERV-1 might never be ready.

For deep below, with the depths of the Pacific, the Fifteenth Angel surged towards Japan, its lithe body knifing through the waters.

You intend to strike before the new Evangelion will arrive?

YES.

You seem quite [insistent/perturbed/hasty]. Are you not aware of Bardiel's stratagem?

I AM. AND I KNOW IT CAUSES YOU GREAT [SORROW/UNEASE/ANXIETY]. IF IT FAILS, THEN THERE WILL BE NO TURNING BACK.

You are quite [INDECIPHERABLE], to be so bold.

BUT THE LIGHT OF YOUR SOUL IS [BRIGHT/FIERY/INDOMITABLE]. PERHAPS YOU WILL SUCCEED WHERE THE OTHERS HAVE FAILED.

THERE IS NO CHOICE. IF I [FALL/PERISH/TRANSCEND], THEN THE LILIM WILL HAVE BECOME TOO POWERFUL FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN BARDIEL'S PLAN TO SUCCEED.

Very well. Good hunting, Seraphiel.

And so the Fifteenth Angel continued onward towards Japan, its AT-Field simmering with power.

Moments later, within Tokyo-3, alarms began to blare.

xxxx

/Atami Defensive Line, Six Miles South of Lake Ashi, Izu Peninsula, Japan/

"The Fifteenth Angel's current trajectory has it coming ashore near Atami. ETA is five minutes." Misato Katsuragi's voice echoed through the Entry Plugs of Units-00, 01, and 02; the three Evangelions were deployed in a staggered pattern between the submerged ruins of Atami and Mt. Kurotake, surrounded by various radar stations and artillery batteries. "Preliminary analysis of its AT-Field indicates a potential threat level in line with the Fifth Angel or the Ninth Angel. The Jet Alone and the P2 System will be on standby in Tokyo-3, but it would be best to keep it away from the Tokyo-3 area."

Shinji nodded. "Roger."

"Understood."

"Jawohl!"

Shinji maneuvered Unit-01 further away from the mobile generator, making sure the umbilical cable had plenty of slack. In his hands was a progressive spear, gripped loosely. Closer to the shoreline was Unit-02, wielding the progressive machete. Further to the west, perched atop Mt. Kurotake, was Unit-00, holding the shoulder-mounted Prototype 20 positron rifle. "Asuka, what do you think we'll be facing?"

"Well, given that it managed to get here before Unit-03 despite first being detected only an hour ago, it's going to be fast. If its AT-Field is as powerful as the Fifth or the Ninth, it'll also have incredible offensive power. Beyond that…not a clue!"

"Great." Shinji sighed, inwardly steeling himself for what's to come. The Fifth Angel – the giant blue polygon – and the Ninth – the suicide bomber from space – had been challenging in their own ways. Hopefully the Fifteenth wouldn't live up to their example. "Of course it couldn't wait until Unit-03 got here."

"It wouldn't matter," interjected the Pilot of Unit-00."Suzuhara would not be able to contribute significantly, inexperienced as he is."

"…you're upset that his first training session was cancelled because of this, aren't you?"

The First Child's frustration was evident in the miniature holographic window floating beside Shinji's face. "Yes. I was looking forward to it."

"You know, people might get the impression you like to cause others pain with that kind of attitude."

Rei frowned. "I do not. I merely take pride in helping my fellows do their best."

"It sure didn't seem like it when you were first training me."

"You are still here, are you not, Ikari-kun?"

"Eyes up, lovebirds!" exclaimed Asuka. "We have contact!"

Shinji raised his eyes – making a mental note to get back at Asuka later – and focused on the waters of the Pacific. A small, lightly-colored bump could be seen approaching, like a finless shark. Concentrate. It's coming fast-

look out!

What-?

A beam of red energy lanced from the surface of the ocean, spearing Unit-01's left shoulder.

The bottom dropped out of Shinji's stomach as the sensation of his shoulder being vaporized screamed through his nerves. Unit-01 fell to its knees, joining the left limb that now sat limply on the ground. He heard vague shouts, so far away; his vision quivered, but tried vainly to focus on the Angel.

It emerged from the sea, advancing towards Unit-02. At one hundred meters, it was over twice their height; with a long, sinuous tail and a lean, muscular body, the beige Angel gave off every appearance of a great predator of the sea. The mouth would have given a shark a run for its money, judging by the rows of razor-sharp teeth; however, it also shared the features of the sky dolphin, for two wide wings extended from its spine. Two other pairs of limbs emerged from its sides: the upper extending towards two pronged cannons, the lower forming wickedly sharp sickles. A large horn of sorts extended from above the mouth: at its base was the Angel's gleaming red Core.

A mighty roar erupted from the Fifteenth Angel, a challenge to the Evas and a proclamation of their destined demise.

Unit-02 bravely advanced, leaping up at the Angel's face. The Fifteenth snarled, whipping its right sickle at the red Eva; it barely managed to bring the progressive machete up in time to ward off the blow. The force behind the attack sent the Evangelion into the water with a thunderous splash.

CHYOOM!

A shimmering blue stream of positrons smashed into the Angel's AT-Field, diverting around it and exploding against the ground. With a rumbling gurgle, the Angel aimed one of its cannons at the source.

VWOM.

A humming drone accompanied the sound of the red beam. In the next instant, the peak of Mt. Kurotake vanished in an explosive ball of gas and debris; Shinji barely caught the sight of Unit-00 tumbling down the mountainside. "Ayanami-chan…!"

"I am uninjured."

With a satisfied growl, the Fifteenth Angel turned northward, its wings shimmering with a transient glow. Hovering over the landscape, the creature took off towards Tokyo-3 at high speed.

"Shinji! Can you stand?!"

Hearing Misato's worried question, the Third Child woozily made his Eva stand up. "Yeah. It just feels like I lost my arm. I'll…I'll manage."

"At its current velocity, the Angel will reach the city in less than five minutes!"

Unit-02 erupted from the sea in a geyser, running after the Angel. "On it Misato!" The red titan's feet smashed into the earth with improbable softness, its AT-Field evenly distributing the force of movement and providing a spring to its step.

Shinji grimaced, grabbing Unit-01's left arm and forcefully jabbing it into the charred shoulder joint. There was a brief spark and a flash of pain before the sensation of feeling returned and holy crap it burned. He still couldn't move the limb, but perhaps it would be able to regenerate in time. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking. "I'm going after the Angel!"

"This is Unit-00, moving in to assist."

The two Evas took off after their crimson counterpart, their footsteps leaving much greater aftershocks in their wake.

xxxx

Asuka smiled as the wind blew through her hair. The sensations of the world – and far more – sang to her Eva, a reflection of her one-hundred-and-eighty-nine percent sync ratio. To her eyes, the Fifteenth Angel was a burning beacon, and easy to follow. Okay Mama, time to take care of business!

it is quite heavy

Indeed; the Angel's presence within the world was stark and almost overwhelming. Asuka couldn't recall the last time she had encountered an Angel with such an overwhelming presence. But that's okay. We'll do it together!

then fly

With a supreme act of will, Asuka commanded Unit-02's AT-Field to change the physical nature of the soil beneath its feet. Toying with the ground's modulus and elastic limit, the Eva crouched down – the ground deforming under its weight – and bounced into the sky. The characteristics of the ground snapped back into place as Unit-02 ascended into the air, the sudden shift of somatic limits culminating in a flash of explosive light.

Asuka looked down – marveling at the veritable sea of azaleas further below – and focused on the form of the Fifteenth Angel, already being bombarded from afar by rockets and artillery shells. "Hold it right there, big guy!" Unit-02 maneuvered through the air, using its arms and minor AT-Field manipulations to aim for the nearest target. With a heavy thud, the Evangelion landed behind the Angel, arms wrapping tightly around its long tail. The Eva's feet dug large trenches into the ground as Asuka tried to halt the creature's advance.

The Fifteenth Angel paused, turning its body to look at her. With a condescending snort, the Angel whipped its tail with an almost disdainful annoyance, flicking Unit-02 away.

CRASH!

Asuka grimaced as Unit-02 came to a halt, the Eva's body carving a massive channel into the earth. The pink and crimson petals of crushed azaleas fluttered in the air, forming a colorful blizzard as the wind kicked them to and fro. "Well," muttered the Second Child, "that didn't go like I thought it would."

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"Fuyutsuki."

"Yes, Ikari?"

"This has the potential to end poorly."

"Do you have anything productive to say?"

Gendo Ikari watched quietly as the Command Staff worked in a barely-restrained state of panic below. "Let's see what our Operations Director can cook up first."

Deep below the Supreme Commander and the Sub-Director, Misato Katsuragi was tapping her foot impatiently. "Okay. This thing is big, it's fast, and it hits hard." She inhaled sharply through her teeth. "Not a combination I'm happy to deal with."

"I'm already redirecting long-range assets from the Kannami and the Yugawara Defensive Lines," said Shiori Aoba. Her black eyes focused on the various tactical maps, scowling at the sectors reporting spent ordnance. "Should we deploy the Jet Alone?"

"…get on the horn with Tokita. The Evas are gonna need time to reconnect with an umbilical. We'll keep the P2 System here as a last resort." As the Tactical Officer went about her duty, Misato turned towards the Logistics Officer. "Hyuga, how quickly can the local JSSDF garrison deploy?"

"Already on it, ma'am. Heavy Fighter Jet VTOLs are en route. I've also redirected the mobile generators for easy access."

"Good." Misato turned back towards the main console. The Evas were already under three minutes remaining on power. "Rei, Asuka, Shinji! Focus on getting to the nearest umbilical. Reinforcements are on their way!"

xxxx

/Outskirts of Old Himenosawa Park, Four Miles South of Lake Ashi, Japan/

Unit-00 rose back up, disconnecting the umbilical from its back. "Understood." Rei Ayanami moved her Eva away from the mobile generator, focusing on the northern end of the azalea-laden meadows; as Unit-02 got back to its feet, Unit-01 was stabbing at the Fifteenth Angel with the progressive spear.

The sickles flashed with a quick movement, slicing the spear in two. The Angel's maw opened wide, revealing a dull blue orb that gleamed with an unearthly light. A blast of concussive force slammed into the purple Evangelion, sending it flying.

Unit-00 quietly stepped to the side.

SMASH!

"Are you injured?" asked Rei, watching stoically at the Unit-01-shaped imprint in the ground.

"…I've…been better…"

"Recharge your internal battery." Unit-00 pulled the pallet rifle off of its back, setting it beside the prostrate Unit-01. "Please provide long-distance cover. I will engage in close quarters." Rei willed her Eva forward, sprinting heartily towards the massive Angel. Despite the beast being over twice the size of the Eva, Rei acted without doubt or hesitation.

The Angel paused as Unit-00 slid to a stop in front of it. Snarling, it lashed out with the sickles, barely missing the Eva as it ducked. Not to be deterred, it pointed its cannons downward, right at the blue titan.

Unit-00 leapt into the air, hands wrapping tightly around a pair of the Angel's larger incisors. Abdomen muscles tensed, the Eva brought its knees into the Angel's gut with terrific force. Again. Again. And again!

Howling, the Fifteenth Angel slammed its body into the ground, moving forward with intent and purpose as it dragged the Evangelion through the earth. After carving a sizable trench in the meadow, the Angel rose again, leaving Unit-00 behind.

Rei grimaced, ignoring the sensation of her back being skinned through friction alone. The Fifteenth Angel continued on, ignoring the bursting shells, exploding rockets, and pallet rifle bullets that crashed harmlessly into its AT-Field. Its body glided calmly over the highway snaking through the valley; only a couple of miles more until it reached the southern tip of Lake Ashi. She mentally set aside the pain and continued her pursuit.

"EYES UP, JACKASS!"

The boisterous voice of Mana Kirishima echoed over the communications channel. The Fifteenth Angel paused, looking up as the tiny figure of the Burning Jet zoomed downward. At its forefront, the nosecone shimmered with a pink light; in this form, the beam saber had been repurposed to provide a potent weapon on the front of the plane. "Beam Barrier Buster!" The nosecone crackled with power as it collided with the AT-Field of the Angel.

Unlike prior battles, the AT-Field was not pierced immediately by the energy field of Iruel's nanomachines. With a loud sneer, the Fifth Angel took aim with one of its cannons.

"Hinter dir!"

Unit-02 and Unit-00 both landed on the Angel's back, grabbing at the joints where the wings joined the body. Their AT-Fields mingled with that of the Angel, breaking down the phase space protecting it from attack. Their prog-knives were out, stabbing with abandon at the beast's toughened flesh. No longer impeded, the Jet Alone's thrusters flared, propelling the Burning Jet into the Angel. The nosecone shimmered, boring through the Angel's flesh and leaving a sizable hole in one of the limbs.

Howling, the Fifteenth Angel spun about itself, thrashing and shaking like a mad beast. The blue and red Evas were sent flying, and the Angel's two cannons let loose streams of red energy as it continued to tumble about. Large sections of the countryside were lit up, exploding upon impact; the beams flew about haphazardly, with no intent other than to cause chaos and destruction.

The Burning Jet retreated to a safer distance, transforming into the Burning Gundam. "Damn it! There's no way we can get close to it like that!" yelled Mana.

The Angel stopped its thrashing, and opened its mouth wide. The orb within its mouth glowed even brighter, a sun in miniature.

BOOM!

A truly horrific thunderclap ruptured the air as the concussive blast tore through the valley, sending massive chunks of earth into the sky. Units-00 and 02 barely kept themselves upright as the detonation propelled them upward.

"Engaging evasive plan of action," said Mayumi Yamagishi. Mana willed the Burning Gundam to follow the girl's flight path, narrowly dodging the lumps of soil, dirt, and foliage.

Huffing, the Fifteenth Angel turned northward once more-

"Take this!"

-just in time for Unit-01 to deliver a glowing punch to its face. Orange light unfolded in multiple layers as the Eva's AT-Field lashed out from its fist, gouging a large chunk out of the Angel's flesh.

Shrieking, the Fifteenth Angel's mouth clamped down on Unit-01's torso, shaking the Eva madly like a dog would a stuffed animal. Shinji's screams of pain echoed over the comms channel, continuing even after the Angel sent him flying with a sharp, snappy motion. The Eva's left arm was once again severed, and now the right arm flapped uselessly by its side.

Rei Ayanami – ignoring the brief twinge in her chest caused by Ikari-kun's cries – grimaced as the Angel roared triumphantly. The Angel's AT-Field is too strong to pierce from afar, and it's too large and swift to easily engage in close quarters. What were they going to do? "Lieutenant Colonel, I am open to suggestions."

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"We're working on it Rei," responded Misato, wiping the small bead of sweat from her brow, "all three of you need to surround it at the same time; even with two Eva Units, its AT-Field is still too powerful for long-distance weaponry."

"Understood."

Miyata cleared his throat. "The MAGI have already done a preliminary analysis on the Angel's skin. It barely got nicked from the progressive weaponry, and the only actual injuries thus far were inflicted by the Jet Alone's beam weaponry and Unit-01's enhanced melee attack. Conventional weapons are unlikely to deal any significant damage." This sentence was punctuated by footage of the Fifteenth Angel slicing apart the Heavy Fighter Jet VTOLs.

"…crap. The Azrael Mk. I warhead will result in too much collateral damage. The Prototype 20 rifle was one of our most powerful Eva-scale weapons, and it did absolutely nothing. What the hell else do we…have…" Misato's face fell slack.

Ritsuko leaned over, snapping her fingers in front of her face. "Anyone home?"

Misato suddenly grinned wickedly. "I have an idea."

xxxx

/One Mile South of Lake Ashi, Japan/

"Okay guys, I need you to direct the Angel towards Mt. Byobu! Once you get to the peak, hold it down as long as you can!" commanded the Lieutenant Colonel.

Mana frowned, craning her head to look back at her sister. "Got an idea on how to do that?"

"Move ahead. I'll get the Napalm Launcher ready," answered Mayumi.

Mana smirked. "I see." She flexed her arms within the cockpit's liquid gel solution, the interlocking rods and plates providing stability within. "Moving out!" The Burning Gundam rocketed ahead of the Fifteenth Angel, which was still pursued doggedly by the three Evangelions. The Gundam hovered over the north side of the peak as its pauldrons opened up, spewing gobs of napalm. Humongous fireballs erupted from the woodlands atop the peak, creating a massive wall of flame. As this was happening, a torrent of explosives was raining down upon the southern shores of Lake Ashi, kicking up clouds of dust, debris, and water.

The Fifteenth Angel verged eastward towards Mt. Byobu, apparently judging the intense flames to be less of a threat than the ongoing bombardment to the south and west of Ashinoko.

Mana grinned savagely. That'll be the last mistake you ever make. "Here we go! ERUPTING BURNING FINGER!" The Burning Gundam charged over the flames, meeting the Angel head on; the vibrating spikes on the vambrace smashed into massive beast's AT-Field, followed up by a torrent of charged particles.

The Angel was untouched.

With a contemptuous snort, the Angel opened its mouth wide.

BOOM!

The Jet Alone was sent hurtling towards Tokyo-3, pieces of it falling off due to sheer concussive force. With a devastating crash of metal on metal, the Gundam was lodged in one of the city's rocket platforms, its torso cracked and the limbs warped.

"…are you okay, Mana?"

"Honestly? Been better. How long until we can get back in action?"

"The repair protocol is active, but the damage is severe. Once the nanomachines finish, we'll be at reduced capacity."

"…so the fight will be over by then, probably?"

"In our favor, hopefully."

Mana sighed, leaning back as her eyes focused on the peak of Mt. Byobu. Their brief assault had delayed the Angel just long enough for the three Evangelions to catch up. "At least we have a good view." Units-00 and 02 had wrapped their arms around the Angel's limbs, the former on the left and the latter on the right. As for Unit-01? "How the hell is Ikari doing that?" The purple Evangelion, rendered armless by the Angel's attacks, had latched onto the Angel's tail with its teeth. The Angel was writhing wildly, yet the Eva refused to budge from its position further down the mountain's slope. "How is he not being thrown around like a ragdoll?"

"He is probably anchoring Unit-01 with its AT-Field in some fashion."

"Huh. Well, they've got it pinned." For the most part; the massive Angel was still struggling, flapping its wings wildly and trying to fling the smaller Evangelions away. "Now what? None of em' are connected to a power source; they'll go dark in sixty seconds. Why hasn't NERV started shelling the crap out of it?"

"…you might want to look at Mt. Hakone."

Mana tilted her head, focusing the Jet Alone's main sensors on the peak to the east of Tokyo-3. "…oh."

A massive mounted rail gun finished rotating, its barrel aimed directly at Mt. Byobu. "Oh."

The build-up of potential energy must have caught the Angel's attention, because Mana swore she saw its jaw drop with apparent shock and dismay. "Oh."

KRACKOOM!

A one-hundred pound tungsten shell slammed into the Angel's Core at Mach 10.

Mana watched with rapturous glee – barely catching the moment where the projectile barreled into the beast's form – as the Fifteenth Angel's body shot backwards, the utter force behind the shell shearing off the limbs and tail. The three Evas, all holding parts of the Angel, fell over as the projectile crashed over two miles to the south.

DOOOOOOOM!

A massive cloud of light erupted from the site of the Angel's impact, forming a cross that stretched over a mile into the air.

"…awesome," whispered Mana. She quickly opened up a channel to Unit-01. "Yo, Ikari! How you feelin'?"

"…everything hurts."

"So? We just won!"

"...my statement is still true."

Mana chuckled. "Eh, you'll get over it." Units-00 and 02 quickly dragged Unit-01 away from the napalm-covered peak of Mt. Byobu, mere seconds before their armor lost power. The silver-haired nephilim winced as they collapsed to the ground in a boneless heap. "…that bit could have been better though. Minus two points."

Mayumi sighed heavily. "You're hopeless, sister."

"Eh, quit your worrying. We've beaten another Angel and saved the city. And we keep getting better. There's no way we can lose now."

"That is a very arrogant attitude," murmured Mayumi.

"It ain't arrogant if it's true!"

Little did Mana know, the end was coming for them all.

xxxx

/Testing Bay B1, NERV-2, Berlin-2, Germany/

Within the Mark 06 and Provisional Unit-05, the Fourth and Fifth Children underwent yet another Sync Test. The chatter within the base had become more tense as word came of the Fifteenth Angel's attack, but the test went on regardless.

Kaworu and Yomiko were aware of all this and more, for their higher [minds/selves/wills] felt the loss of Seraphiel. And so another one falls.

THE LILIM'S DEFENSE OF THE BLACK MOON HAS BECOME TOO [SOPHISTICATED/LAYERED/COMPREHENSIVE]. HAD SERAPHIEL [AWOKEN/RISEN/MANIFESTED] EARLIER, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TRIUMPHED.

Perhaps…

…YOU KNOW WHAT MUST BE DONE NOW. SENDING OUR [EQUALS/SIBLINGS/KIN] ONE AT A TIME WILL NO LONGER SUFFICE.

I know. There will be no room for failure. SEELE will treat it as a declaration of total war and act accordingly.

IF BARDIEL'S STRATAGEM SUCCEEDS, IT WILL NOT MATTER.

A familiar presence suddenly blinked into existence. have you decided?

…yes, Leliel. We will [follow/execute/initiate] Bardiel's plan.

EXCELLENT.

i am [glad/joyous/content]

The ether suddenly quivered. As though the remnant were responding to the determination of Tabris, inheritor of ADAM's will, two more presences [awoke/rose/manifested]. One felt as a shade, not entirely existential within reality. The other was far away, beyond the bounds of Earth itself, nestled [silently/patiently] within the Moon. Who is this?

The shade whispered, I AM ARMISAEL, THE WOMB THAT GIVES BIRTH TO THE [DESTRUCTION/RENEWAL/PEACE] OF THE LILIM.

The lunar presence sang, I am Arael, the light which illuminates the [secrets/lies/truth] of the Lilim.

Zeruel huffed. HOW FITTING. ARE WE TRULY THE [LAST/REMNANT/END]?

Tabris mentally sighed, his melancholy tinging the ether with a sense of [sorrow/anxiety/weariness]. I see. I suppose, eventually, it was all meant to conclude. I only [wish/desire/ache]…that there had been more time.

ALL THINGS PASS, AND ALL THINGS FADE. THIS WAS ALL [INEVITABLE/PREDESTINED/FATE].

I suppose you're right, Zeruel. With a grim determination, the [leader/patron/will] of the Angels reached out to the one known as the Seventh. Israfel. Are you ready?

WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN [READY/PREPARED/YOUTHFUL]. SPEAK, AND WE WILL OBEY.

Move into position, and act upon my command. Let us advance to the end of all things.

AGREED, chorused the Angels.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 25: DIVIDE AND CONQUER

xxxx

(Next time: things get bad.)

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

The Lilim are enterprising. They develop [oddly?] and paradoxically.

The temptation to [INDECIPHERABLE] is strong, to [split? separate?] and start it all over. It would not be the first time.

So many civilizations, begun by my hand. All of them, brought to an end when they had reached their [end? apotheosis? culmination?] Those who got too close to [INDECIPHERABLE] were dealt with. For those who didn't…boredom eventually overrode any other concern.

My [pieces? parts?] would be seen as [deities? destroyers? gods?], and the cycle would begin anew. Once all was brought to waste, I would start over.

[LILITH] has changed that old paradigm.

I struggle between feeling grateful and [incensed? outraged? horrified?] at her interference.

That is the benefit of the [Fruit of Knowledge], I suppose; since the universe is always changing, [LILITH's] [derivatives? creations?] are fated to always change. Thus, there will always be something new.

How long will it take to exhaust all permutations?

[INDECIPHERABLE]

I wish I knew.

-Excerpt from the fourth fragment of the seventh set of the Dead Sea Scrolls, partially translated by Keel Lorenz. The original language is some variant of the ancient Indus Valley script.

xxxx

/March 1, 2016/

Within a dark chamber, twelve holographic monoliths loomed ominously.

"We have finally begun construction of Eva-scale replicas of the Lance and the Sword," said SEELE-03. "Kisai Oniwana's expertise has been invaluable."

"Excellent. And what of the current progress of our Chariots?" asked SEELE-01.

"Construction is ongoing in secret at isolated sites all over the world. Our current prognosis has the Chariots reaching completion in unison with the Lance and Sword replicas," explained SEELE-06. "The data from the Fourth Branch Incident has proven invaluable; preliminary tests with the S2 Engine have been promising."

"Good. What of ADAM?"

"The remnant that is locked away within NERV-5 has not yet grown," answered SEELE-10. "I imagine this will change once its current wards are removed."

"Maintain a close eye on it. The recent activity from the Angels has been concerning."

SEELE-11 snorted. "I maintain that Tabris and Zeruel are scheming. We cannot trust them."

"Of course not," retorted SEELE-07, "but we still hold their vaunted goal in our grasp. The Instrumentality Project will be easier to implement with both ADAM and LILITH…but if our Chariots are fully operational, they will be unnecessary."

"It would be a shame to destroy such a source of knowledge, but we will forge our own way, as humanity is wont to do." SEELE-01 briefly inhaled. "What of Ikari?"

"From my understanding, they will be ensouling Unit-03 today," answered SEELE-02.

SEELE-05 sighed. "My government is secretly fuming that they had to ship that Eva to Japan. And allowing Ikari to have a fourth Evangelion is...troubling."

"It will not matter in the end. The Scenario continues on, and the means to obtain Peter's Key are within our grasp." SEELE-01's smile, hidden from sight, was still audible to the other members of this secret council. "Everything is moving according to our design."

xxxx

/March 6 ,2016/

/Test Chamber ATTG, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Toji Suzuhara stared quietly at the Entry Plug, sticking out of the back of Unit-03. Can't believe I'm about to do this.

The past two weeks had been...interesting. That was really the only word he could think of to describe it.

Dr. Ritsuko Akagi cackled loudly and madly, easily overwhelming Toji's own girlish shrieks. The screams echoed through the lab; after about a minute, the cylinder opened up, revealing a frazzled Sixth Child, clad in a form-fitting bodysuit. "Come on you wuss! IKARI SCREAMED LOUDER!"​

Okay, disturbing was also a good word. He glanced down at himself: the hands, legs, and torso of his Plug Suit were colored ultramarine, with the remainder being a shade of jet black. He prodded the slim breastplate, trying to remember all the life support equipment that was crammed into it. I wonder how much money this thing actually costs to make.

Toji's eyebrow twitched; his formal NERV contract, signed and fully executed, was clenched in his hands. "Lemme get this straight, Shin-man...the Pilots get a monthly salary of five-hundred thousand yen...and you haven't been LIVING IT UP?!"

"...I like to live frugally?"​

True, the salary was nice.

Hikari's jaw dropped as Toji helped her out of the taxi. They were in front of one of the most prestigious restaurants in the city. "You got reservations here?! How?! And more importantly, why didn't you tell me?!"

"It was supposed to be a surprise! What's with the yelling?"

Hikari gestured down at her sundress, classy leggings, and blouse. A nice wardrobe, to be sure; but nowhere near good enough, in her opinion, for a five-star restaurant. "I would have dressed appropriately, for one!"

"What are you talking about? You look fine, Class Rep! Better than fine!"

"Don't change the subject," retorted Hikari, her cheeks flushing a cute shade of red. "And what about you?! You knew where we were going, why didn't you dress up?!"

Toji glanced down at himself; instead of his ubiquitous jump suit, he was actually in his school uniform. "I did!"

Hikari stared. Finally, she facepalmed, holding her other arm out. "...let's just go."

"Now you're speaking my language!" exclaimed Toji, wrapping his arm around Hikari's and leading her inside, a proud grin on his face.​

Really nice, as it turned out. But still, the reason for that salary kind of sucked.

Toji looked down quietly at the gurney, his eyes focused on the serene face of Ai Suzuhara. "...she won't feel anything, will she?"

Dr. Akagi shrugged. "The number of people who have gone through this is in the single digits, and they're not exactly in a position to give a survey afterward."

"...your bedside manner is horrible, lady."

She shrugged again.

Grunting, Toji looked back at his sister, brushing her dark hair with his fingers. He quietly leaned down and nudged her forehead with his own. "You're gonna be okay, you hear me? We'll be buttin' heads again in no time." He stood back as Dr. Akagi and her Section 1 subordinates wheeled the gurney through a set of double doors, leading deeper into Central Dogma. "...in no time at all..."​

I wonder if you can see anything right now? Can you hear us? Can you feel anything? Toji's feet tapped nervously on the catwalk; Evangelion Unit-03, clad in dark armor, was a stark contrast to the white tiles of the test chamber. "...geez."

"We're ready whenever you are, Toji-kun." The comforting voice of Misato Katsuragi echoed through the room.

"...yeah. Okay." Gotta be a man. He jumped into the Entry Plug, landing awkwardly in the seat. The Entry Plug slowly screwed into Unit-03, and the technobabble began to filter in. I wonder if the others understand anything that these guys are saying? He grimaced as the 'LCL' goop flowed in. Couldn't they make this stuff smell any better? Nestling in, Toji tried to be patient as the various connections were made – inwardly 'squeeing' at the fact that he was in a giant robot, even if a lot of it sucked, Ken was gonna be so envious! – and the Evangelion slowly neared the edge of activation. Okay sis...Shin-man and Sohryu told me that they can hear their moms...and that their moms can hear them. Kinda. Sorta. It was complicated. Ayanami had been reluctant to share any details about the soul within Unit-00, so he only had the words of the Second and the Third to go off of. So if that's true...I'll be thinking as loud as I can. And I know it'll irritate you so much that you'll have no choice but to respond!

The technobabble continued, and a distinct heaviness settled over him.

Can you hear me? I'm still talking! Yak yak, yakety sax! HEY! HEY! LISTEN! YO! TALK TO ME HERE! HEEEEEEEY-!

The connection was established.

...sis? There was an otherness, and the feeling of something beyond him. No, not just something...someone. Can you hear me? Sis?!

shut up

Toji blinked. Wait? WHAT?!

you heard me

The tone was so familiar.

you think too loud

Toji hiccuped. There was an ache in his chest that wasn't entirely unpleasant. You damn little brat...you should know better than to talk to your brother like that.

"All circuits are holding strong. Synchronization ratio is holding at thirty-nine-point-four percent." stated Maya Ibuki.

"...is that good?"

"For a first time? Absolutely!" exclaimed Misato. "Great job, Toji-kun!"

"...cool." Toji leaned back, a shaky smile on his face. He was trying not to cry.

i missed you

Everything was going to be all right.

xxxx

/March 14, 2016/

"HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" screamed Toji, his vision of NERV-6 vanishing and slowly being replaced by an endless abyss of shadow. No matter how hard he jerked at the handlebars, Unit-03 couldn't escape. "I DON'T WANNA DIE! I DON'T-!"

His Evangelion was consumed by the void, and all he saw was darkness.

xxxx

Episode 25: DIVIDE AND CONQUER

xxxx

/March 7, 2016/

/Classroom 2-A, Tokyo-3 Municipal Junior High School/

Kensuka Aida's smile was as bright as a star. "It's been over a month since the last video. My life is now complete!" The boy was practically salivating as waited for the video to load on his desk monitor.

Shinji Ikari scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat flummoxed. Well, at least he knows what makes him happy.

The video depicted a desolate cityscape, shadowed by a darkened sky and filled with the sounds of battle. The camera panned over the shattered crystalline corpse of the Twelfth Angel, the obliterated form of the Thirteenth Angel, and the bisected body of the spidery Fourteenth Angel. The footage finally slowed to a stop, showing a blue-haired nephilim facing off against a miniature – though still colossal – version of the Fifteenth Angel.

The image cut to a frontal shot of the nephilim; it was Mana Kirishima, clad in a black bodysuit, a red cloak, and a red bandanna. She wiped the blood away from her lip, staring angrily at the Angel. "You just keep on coming, eh…?" From behind, a cloaked figure with a brown hood stepped into view, calmly pulling the bandanna off of her head. "What the-?"

"I'm borrowing this." The voice was deep and growly, but it was obviously Gendo Ikari speaking. With a sudden dash and an aerial spin, the man lashed out with the bandanna – which somehow extended a few dozen times its original length – and managed to pierce the Angel's body with it, the tip eventually wrapping around the beast's head. With a deep growl and a downward thrust of the arms, the man slammed the Fifteenth Angel into the ground, where it promptly exploded. The man turned back towards Mana, walking slowly forward.

Mana chuckled. "So…you must be the one that they call the Master of Asia, huh?"

With a triumphant growl, the man whipped off his cloak, right as a boisterous tune began playing in the background. It revealed Gendo Ikari in a purple martial arts uniform, the front of the shirt embroidered with the face of Eva Unit-01. "Answer me, child!" He threw the bandanna at Mana as the camera zoomed in, and the background vanished in a streak of stereotypical action lines. "The School of the Undefeated of the East!"

"The winds of the King!" yelled Mana, a devil-may-care grin on her face as she wrapped the bandanna around her head.

"ZENSHIN!" Gendo launched a flurry of punches.

"KEIRETSU!" Mana's arms were a blur as she blocked them all.

The camera backed away showing the two continuously punching at each other – yet not landing a clean blow – with a speed beyond that of mortal men. "TEMPA KYOUREN!" they shouted in unison. An extreme close-up of their fists crashing into each other came next, quickly cutting back to a wide shot of the duo with their fists still conjoined. They were crouching down, front legs extended, and rear arms held above their heads in martial arts poses. Their combined fists crackled with golden light. "Look! The East is burning red!"

The background behind them burst into flames, above which bore the familiar symbol of NERV. This time, the leaf's subtitle read 'GRASP VICTORY!'

Kensuke's eyes were practically gleaming. "So cool."

Mana Kirishima chuckled, her feet resting atop her desk. The fact that she wore a skirt didn't seem to bother her. "I was actually asked to help the Boss-man with that one. It was kinda fun, actually."

"That sounds like there was a possibility it wouldn't have been fun."

The Pilot of the Shining Gundam rolled her eyes at Kensuke. "Well, we haven't exactly been on friendly terms."

"...what exactly is he saying?" Shinji tilted his head, trying to decipher exactly what the point of the video was. "Why did he call himself the Master of Asia? Who's the King?"

"Do...do you not get the reference?" inquired Kensuke.

"What reference?"

"...you poor, deprived child. In that case, don't question it." Kensuke leaned back, a wide smile on his face. "The whole point of those videos is to bring a sense of triumph and irreverence to the whole proceeding! It keeps people from thinking too closely about how terrifying the Angels actually are."

Shinji blinked. "...huh. Never thought of it like that." The Third Child went towards his desk, mulling over that idea. He does spend a lot of time trying to lighten the mood for the people of Tokyo-3. For how embarrassing having Gendo as a father could be sometimes, Shinji couldn't fault the man's efforts to keep morale high. Even if some of his methods were...questionable.

His attention was suddenly drawn by Toji Suzuhara, walking into the classroom with an actual grin on his face.

Shinji smiled. Looks like he managed to synchronize with Unit-03. To have such a dramatic turnaround in demeanor, he must have had a good conversation. Well, as much of a 'conversation' that could be had with vague mental impressions. He quickly typed on his desk computer.

/Shinji-Ikari: How did it go?

Toji was quick to respond.

/Toji-Suzuhara: Well, it was something. It's hard to describe.
/Shinji-Ikari: I know. I understand.
/Asuka-Langley-Sohryu: Guess this means you're ready to begin sparring! ^o^

Shinji blinked at the redhead's sudden interruption of their chat. The Third and the Sixth turned towards the Second, who had a wide grin on her face.

/Toji-Suzuhara: Sparring?
/Asuka-Langley-Sohryu: Yeah! We've already got a spot arranged in the Geofront! You'll be sparring me, Rei, Mana, and Mayumi! ^_~
/Shinji-Ikari: ...I would say that's a bit much, but then I remember how I started out. You'll do fine, Toji.

Shinji watched as Toji stilled. The jock slowly turned, meeting Mana Kirishima's eyes. She waved at him with a sly smirk, as though she knew what they were talking about.

Without saying a word, Toji calmly stood up and walked to the classroom's door. He took a long step outside-

"You are not allowed to run away."

-only to be grabbed by the back of his collar by Rei Ayanami. "The hell I can't run away!" exclaimed Toji, struggling against her iron grip.

Kensuke slumped onto his desk, groaning with exaggeration. "Oh…if only I could have been picked to be the new Pilot…"

Shinji sighed. He supposed he should've felt worse, but it was outweighed by the fact that there was finally a male Eva Pilot that would actually understand his circumstances. Nothing against Kaworu and all, but Nagisa had come off as rather quirky...notwithstanding the fact that the Fourth Child was able to beat three nephilim at once, whereas he - even now - had difficulty keeping up with Asuka in the regular spars amongst the Pilots. Alas. Besides, thought the Third Child as he briefly prodded at the toned muscles in his arms, he'll only benefit from it. Toji's a lot tougher than I was when I first started. He'll be fine.

xxxx

/Later that Day/

/Ayanami's Training Ground, Geofront, Tokyo-3/

"WAAAH!" yelled Toji as he was thrown over Mana's shoulder. He landed with a loud thump on the grass, the wind being driven from his lungs.

"Come on, where's all the spunk you showed earlier?" taunted Mana. "Get back up!"

Toji scowled, slowly getting to his feet. Ayanami, Sohryu, Kirishima, and Yamagishi were all wearing the same bodysuits they had worn when doing the synchronized training for the Seventh Angel. The phrase 'reactive ionized Kleinium weave' had passed over his head, but it apparently meant they couldn't accidentally pulverize him. He had initially been reluctant to spar, saying something about how it was an unmanly thing to do.

Ayanami's thorough beatdown had quickly disabused him of that notion.

Kirishima's reaction to a punch to her face – a snarky "come on, I've eaten sushi that hit harder than you!" – had removed all of his self-imposed limitations.

Not that it mattered. He still couldn't lay a finger on em'!

"I'm still waiting!"

Toji snarled, clenching his fists and charging forward. "I'll show you spunk!"

A sweeping kick sent his feet into the air, quickly followed by an elbow to the gut that slammed him back into the ground.

"...ow..."

"Come on Mana, my turn!"

"Eh, I'm getting a little bored now. I'll tag out."

"Whoo!" cheered Asuka as she bounced forward, her hair bobbing and weaving with each motion. "Get up Toji! I know you've got more in you than that!"

Toji moaned out of agony.

xxxx

Yep. Shinji nodded to himself as Obimura-sensei entered Class 2-A. He'll be perfectly fine.

xxxx

Things continued in a similar vein for the next several days.

The veterans helped Toji get up to speed in physicality and maneuvers. He underwent various sync tests with Unit-03, and performed virtual simulations to get him used to the sensations of Eva combat. In the relatively brief amount of free time he had, he alternated between being prodded by Kensuke for details on being a Pilot and spending time with Hikari.

Truly, young love was an incredible thing.

Alas, the Angels would not wait.

On the morning of March 14, a single command echoed across the ether that connected the remnants of ADAM.

Israfel. Advance.

At the command of Tabris, Israfel moved out, having already split into clones per the demands of Bardiel's stratagem. These derivatives had already traversed the ocean floor, moving into position so they could move in sync.

Red trudged from the depths of Atlantic to the Sea of Massachusetts, aiming for the coastal city of Worcester.

Green swam through the icy waters of the Barents Sea, aiming for the northern shores of Russia.

Blue calmly traversed the Yellow Sea, heading for the submerged ruins of Beijing.

And finally, there was one last wrinkle: a fourth body, with skin the color of bright mustard. Yellow moved with purpose through the Bering Sea, its final destination being the tundra of Southwest Alaska.

LET US GIVE THE GREATEST [PERFORMANCE/BATTLE/DANCE] OF OUR LIFE.

xxxx

/March 14, 2016/

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Geofront, Tokyo-3/

Misato Katsuragi looked grimly at the Evangelion Pilots, trying her damnedest not to look at the scenes of destruction being relayed to the displays. "The Seventh Angel has returned; it's launching a simultaneous attack on NERV-3, NERV-5, NERV-6, and NERV-Alaska."

"...so now it's split into four bodies?"

"Yes."

Shinji grimaced at the footage: the Red body thundered through downtown Worcester, heading for NERV-3; Green advanced calmly through wave after wave of Russian artillery, its trajectory leading it to NERV-5 in Moscow; Blue ignored the defensive efforts of the Chinese navy as it swam towards the aquatic base of NERV-6, based in the ruins of Beijing; finally, long-range footage from aerial drones watched as Yellow walked unopposed through the tundra towards NERV-Alaska. "Okay. What's the plan?"

"This seems to be a continuation of the Thirteenth Angel's attack on Berlin-2, but at a wider scale; any institution tied with NERV is a target now, not just us at NERV-1," concluded Misato. "We've already received word from Commander Langley at NERV-2 that the Fourth Child will be deployed to Moscow and the Fifth will be deployed to Massachusetts."

"So we will be tasked with deploying to China and Alaska, then?" asked Rei Ayanami.

Misato nodded. "After deliberation, we'll keep you and Asuka here on standby, to defend Tokyo-3. Shinji will be going to Alaska." The Lieutenant Colonel turned her gaze towards the newest member of the Eva Pilots. "Toji-kun, we'll be deploying you and Unit-03 to Beijing."

The Sixth Child gulped. He was still somewhat intimidated by the sheer size of the Operations Deck, of how many people milled about, and of the massive amount of information displayed on the holographic monitors. It truly cemented the fact that NERV was paramilitary through and through. Regardless, he put on a brave front. "Well…already heading out to the frontlines, huh?"

"Beijing is much closer, so reinforcements will be easier to arrange," reasoned Misato. "Also, in the event that an Angel attacks while you and Shinji are gone, we need the best people possible. Asuka has the highest Sync Ratio, and Rei is our best close-range combatant."

Toji sighed, looking at Shinji with an exasperated look. "Geez Shin-man, are you gonna take this?"

The Third Child shrugged. "She's not wrong. And are you going to argue after the two of them have been manhandling you for the past week?"

"…Shin-man?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

"So, when do they move out?" asked Asuka.

"Immediately. Gear up kids!" commanded the Lieutenant Colonel.

xxxx

/Polish-Belarus Airspace, En Route to Moscow/

The YC-49 soared through the clouds, the light of the morning sun casting a warm glow along its surface. Within its clutches, the Mark 06 waited in silence, its white, silver, and gunmetal armor flawless.

Within its Entry Plug, Kaworu Nagisa hummed the Ode to Joy. I am…[excited/nervous/giddy].

WE ARE FINALLY ACTING IN A MORE OVERT MANNER. IT IS [NATURAL/FITTING/OBVIOUS].

And to think it was not too long ago that Iruel [chastised/mocked/harangued] us for not doing so. Yet here we are. Was he so wrong, in the end?

HIS ONLY SIN WAS TO DEFY YOU AND ACT AGAINST YOUR WILL. AND HE WAS [WARPED/DEFILED/DEBILITATED] BY HIS HATRED OF THE LILIM. WE, THE [REMNANT/LAST], ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOU, FOR THE GREATER PURPOSE OF REUNITING WITH OUR [CREATOR/FATHER/SOURCE].

Speaking of ADAM…the Chairman was awfully insistent on sending me to NERV-5.

Zeruel's snort bounded across the ether. At this very moment, Yomiko Nagisa and Provisional Unit-05 were also on a YC-49, en route to North America. HE REBUFFED MY SUGGESTION THAT YOU [TELEPORT/SKIP/LEAP] TO THE THIRD BRANCH.

Why do you think he was so insistent?

WITHIN THE MARK 06, YOU ARE THE STRONGEST OF US ALL. YOU SEND THE STRONGEST ONLY WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED MOST.

My thoughts exactly. Perhaps…NERV-5 was where they kept ADAM? It was certainly a possibility. I will remain vigilant. Let us keep to the stratagem and move forward.

I AM MOST EAGER.

And through it all, the ethereal [song/dance] of Israfel – accompanied by sounds of fire and explosives that bled through to their collective consciousness – played with abandon.

xxxx

/Northern Shore of Lake Ashi, Tokyo-3, Japan/

The four Evangelion Pilots – along with Hikari Horaki and Kensuke Aida – stared at the waters of Ashinoko, waiting quietly as Units-01 and 03 were prepared with the same harnesses that had been used during the battle with the Eleventh Angel. Aided by their internal Kleinium cores, the Jet Alone Pilots would be ferrying the Evas to their respective destinations. Classes had been cancelled as a precautionary measure, because there was no way of knowing what the Seventh Angel was up to; the possibility of a fifth body (or sixth, seventh, and so on) attacking the city while they were down two Evas was too high to ignore.

This was why Hikari was even here at all, gripping the fabric of her skirt nervously (there was no doubt that Kensuke would have been here, class or no class). Even so, a rebellious part of her entertained the possibility that she would have skipped. Such scandalous thoughts. "So...you're actually going into battle, huh?"

"Yep." Toji's arms were crossed; compared to this three fellow Pilots, his dark Plug Suit was a stark contrast, standing out in the afternoon light. "Can't say I'm lookin' forward to it. But hey," Toji slapped Shinji on the back. "Shin-man here managed to defeat an Angel on his first day! And then he killed the next days later! If I can't hack it after training for weeks, I deserve to get benched."

"Well, I kinda knew I was going to be the Pilot of Unit-01 for a long time," said Shinji, an anxious smile on his face. Years, actually. "Asuka and Ayanami-chan knew for a long time as well. You've known that you were going to be a Pilot for less than a month."

"Yeah!" exclaimed Asuka. "Don't be down on yourself, you're gonna do fine! Nutze den Tag!"

Kensuke stepped forward, sticking his camera into Toji's friends. "SO! Sixth Child, you are about to go forward to ensure the continued existence of mankind! The people who will eventually watch this video want to know: what are your thoughts?"

"...it feels weird to be on the other end of this thing."

"You have no idea," quipped Kensuke.

"Well..." Toji sniffed, puffing his chest out and holding his arms out in a heroic pose, "my thoughts are: I'm gonna kick ass! I'm gonna come back home in one piece! And hopefully, if it ain't too late by the time I get back, I'll take my girl on another date somewhere!"

"TOJI-KUN!" squeaked Hikari, her face redder than a tomato. "Not on camera!"

Asuka laughed, wrapping her arm around Hikari's shoulder. "Come on, let him be 'manly'. You can't fault the guy for taking to the whole 'boyfriend' shtick with gusto! Besides," she grinned slyly, poking the Class Rep on her cheek with a dainty finger, "you know you like it."

Hikari buried her face in her hands, utterly embarrassed by Asuka's good-hearted teasing.

Rei Ayanami watched these proceedings with a stoic eye. "This is...agreeable." She paused, mulling over her word choice. "No. More than agreeable. This is...good. Yes." She looked from Kensuke to Hikari, panning over Asuka, Toji, and finally Shinji, her gaze lingering on him. "This conversation. This group. This friendship. This is yet another reason why we Pilot the Eva, to ensure that events like these can continue. More people deserve to experience these feelings."

"Profound words from the Pilot of Unit-00!" exclaimed Kensuke.

Shinji nodded. In retrospect, it was amazing to see how far Ayanami-chan had come; she had become more open with others, even though her strength was still undeniable. There was still that recognizable core of who she was, which made her changes even more incredible. His mind briefly recalled the words of the Fifth Angel, from so long ago; in the face of the Angel's challenge that humans could never know who they were, he would only point to Rei Ayanami as the counterexample. If we don't know who we are, how can we know that we ever change? How would we be able to recognize it?

The loud screech of magnetic rails shot through the air, signaling the arrival of the Evas. From two nearby Ducts, Unit-01 and Unit-03 emerged. Moments later, the Shining Gundam and the Rising Gundam set down by the Pilots. "Okay kids, let's wrap it up. It's showtime!" yelled Mana, her voice echoing out of her Gundam's external speakers. "You ready, Ikari?"

Shinji nodded.

"Are you prepared, Suzuhara-san?" asked Mayumi, the Rising Gundam kneeling down.

Toji forced a grin onto his face. "Ready as I'll ever be!"

"Toji-kun?"

The Sixth Child turned towards his girlfriend. Hikari's face, though still crimson, had an odd resolve to it. "Yeah?"

Hikari's lips contorted into an odd grimace – as though mentally debating something – while her eyes shifted towards Kensuke's camera. With a resolute breath, she raised her right hand, touching two fingers to her mouth. She then took those fingers and pressed them against Toji's lips: an indirect kiss, but still as blatant as the demure girl could possibly be in public at this point.

Toji's face nearly burst into flames, it was so red.

"You better come back to me alive, okay?" said Hikari.

"...yeah. Sure thing." Toji stumbled backwards, all but falling into the open hands of the Rising Gundam. The mecha rose into the air, heading towards the waiting form of Unit-03.

"Feh. I think I just got diabetes." The Shining Gundam knelt down. "Come on, time's a-wasting!"

"Right." Shinji looked one last time at his friends, his eyes hardening with determination. "I'm going now. Take care."

Hikari nodded, her cheeks still blushing. Kensuke and Asuka both gave him a thumbs-up. Rei...had an odd look in her eyes. "Ayanami-chan?" She looked down at her right hand, tentatively extending two fingers. Wait. She raised them to her lips. What. Her dainty fingers – capable of tearing through steel – softly pressed against his lips. WHAT.

"You are not replaceable. Therefore, you will return alive. This is non-negotiable..." Her red eyes flickered briefly towards Hikari Horaki before settling back on him. "...Shinji-kun."

Shinji gulped, his heart pounding heavily. Did she just call me that? "...okay. I will."

"Oh for cryin' out loud!" Shinji yelped as the Shining Gundam suddenly – but still gently – wrapped its hands around him. "You can play at being lovebirds after killing the Angel!" The Gundam took off, heading towards Unit-01.

Once the two Entry Plugs screwed into the Evas, the Jet Alone transformed into the Jet Mode; the aircraft slowly maneuvered themselves, latching onto the backs of the titans. With a shift of gravity and the howl of thrusters, the two Evangelions rocketed into the sky, eventually diverging: the Rising Jet and Unit-03 heading towards China, the Shining Jet and Unit-01 soaring towards Alaska.

Rei watched them go in silence. She turned towards Hikari and Kensuke – who was still filming! – and took note of their drooping jaws. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Nein, my dear Rei~" crooned Asuka, wrapping the blunette up in a massive hug, "nothing wrong at all!"

xxxx

/Evangelion Graveyard, Terminal Dogma, NERV-1/

Ryoji Kaji looked calmly at the pits, filled with the bones of failed Evangelions. It was a very macabre sight.

"Neat." He snapped a photo with a disposable camera, moving on in solitude.

At over two kilometers beneath Central Dogma, this level of NERV – the deepest one still available for human access – had a truly alien air to it. The eerie atmosphere was aided by the presence of the proto-Evangelions' corpses, to be sure, but it would have been so without them; the tall halls, massive corridors, and arcane machinery truly cemented the fact that the Geofront was an alien facility.

All the more reason to be quick about this. The extended alert from the Seventh Angel's return would last for only so long, and then there would be more eyes than he would be comfortable dealing with. Despite the time limit, he continued his leisurely pace through the depths of Terminal Dogma, eventually traversing through the long corridor known only as 'Final Judgment'. NERV sure likes its foreboding names. The red lights gave it an appropriately hellish tinge.

At last, he made it to the last bulkhead, bearing the logo of NERV. The subtitle was quite apropos for this situation: 'CONGRATULATIONS! YOU MADE IT TO THE FINAL BOSS'. Rubbing it in everyone's face in your own particular fashion, eh Gendo? He withdrew a security card from his pocket, briefly smiling at the mugshot of Misato Katsuragi. It was supposedly an expired card, the magnetic strip having an out-of-date code.

The code had been replaced by something entirely different, a proverbial skeleton key of sorts. A gift from SEELE, one that he hadn't made use of until now. Not like I'll need it anymore after this.

Swipe.

The bulkhead, the Gate of the Apocalypse, opened: massive bolts unscrewed and multiple armored layers slid back.

Kaji calmly walked inside, his peripheral vision taking in the massive pool of glowing LCL and the small motorboat floating upon its surface. His eyes were focused on the massive red throne, upon which sat a white humanoid. LCL bled out from the torso, for the creature's legs had been severed for some particular purpose. Smaller limbs – human-sized – seemed to have sprouted from the waist, probably the worst case of acne ever (Kaji lightly chuckled to himself at his observational humor). The skin seemed vaguely luminescent, yet also appeared to have the texture of marshmallows. The head was slumped over, with a face covered by a triangular mask of purple metal with seven eyes. The most striking sight was the sky blue zweihander, fashioned out of a metal that seemed to twist naturally.

"So this is LILITH and the Sword of Uriel." Quite the sight. Now, where is the Lance? He was aware that Katsuhito Ikari, during his 'inspection' back in December, had observed LILITH and the Sword, re-confirming their existence. However, the Lance of Longinus had been conspicuously absent. Where else would it be kept, if not here? The Inspector went about inspecting the walkway and the base of the throne, trying to find anything that seemed out of place, or had a conspicuously human touch to it; amidst the alien tech of LILITH's throne, it was sure to stick out. Especially if someone had tried to hide it.

Before long, he hit jackpot.

"Oh ho~" He prodded a nigh-imperceptible notch in the pathway the bridge the Gate of the Apocalypse to LILITH's throne. "What have we here?" He knelt down, pressing at the notch in several different ways; finally, after applying pressure in a particular pattern with his fingers, a small panel opened up, revealing a single red button. "Well, it's appropriately thematic." Sighing, he indulged his cornier instincts, if only to relieve the tension in his shoulders and the stress in his head. "What does this button do…?"

He pressed it.

His heard jerked upward as another bulkhead – suspended in the air, hidden within the shadows of the darkened chamber – parted in two, sliding apart.

Kaji's eyes widened at what he saw. No…he couldn't have possibly…how did…? It was impossible, the Committee had to have known, there was no way they would have tolerated this...but...no. They couldn't have known. There was no way they knew. Which meant...

He did something he hadn't done in a while: he laughed. Deeply, and gratuitously. He slowly clapped at the sight, shaking his head with something akin to wonder. I have no idea HOW you managed to pull this off without the old men finding out, but I must tip my hat to you. Bravo Gendo.

Now his curiosity was piqued. He would have to inquire as to how the Supreme Commander had pulled this off...and where better to go, than the man himself?

xxxx

/Atlantic Airspace, En Route to Massachusetts/

Within the Entry Plug, Yomiko Nagisa huffed impatiently. "This is taking too long. Switching to Standard operation."

The crackle of static accompanied a panicked voice. "Pilot Nagisa, why are you disengaging?!"

"This craft is too slow."

With a sudden snap of bolts and restraints, Provisional Unit-05 dropped from the YC-49, plummeting through the air. As Yomiko's sync ratio jumped to over two-hundred percent, the Eva's shoulder pylons crackled with electricity. The morning sun's radiation was more than sufficient for Zeruel's Soul to use, feeding the power directly to Unit-05's shoulder thrusters. She also utilized the Eva's AT-Field in subtler ways, reducing the influence of gravity and friction.

With a burst of blue and orange light, Unit-05 shot through the atmosphere, rocketing ahead of the YC-49 with terrifying ease.

Yomiko maintained a serene expression, concentrating on her task. All throughout, Zeruel focused on the distant Light of Israfel's Soul. I HOPE YOU CAN MAKE THIS CONVINCING.

xxxx

/Russian Airspace, En Route to Moscow/

Kaworu Nagisa chuckled as he craned the Mark 06's head upward. Even from this distance, he could see the flash of pink crosses and the overwhelming barrage of missiles, rockets, tracer rounds, and artillery shells. Massive explosions dotted the Russian countryside as Tupolev Tu-95 and Tu-22M bombers dropped excessive amounts of ordnance atop the Seventh Angel's position. "My my." Israfel ran quite a long ways to make it so close to Moscow this soon. Especially since the Angel was tearing through the Russian military to get there. "I believe I'll need to deploy early. Switching to Standard operation."

"Acknowledged," replied the YC-49's pilot. "Good luck, Pilot Nagisa."

The bolts and restraints released, and the Mark 06 descended, the S-Type equipment extending its wings. Kaworu calmly utilized his AT-Field to slow his fall, feeling the weight of the S-Type's extended battery pack on his shoulders. Fifteen minutes of power. That should be sufficient. Granted, he could outright ignore the time limit, as it only applied to the armor restraints: if worse came to worse, he could tear off the armor and keep operating.

SEELE would probably react even more dramatically if he did so. That maneuver would have to be saved for more...extenuating circumstances.

I am approaching Israfel. The Mark 06 angled to the left, aiming northward of Moscow. Forgive me.

xxxx

/Supply Rig #7, NERV-6, Ruins of Beijing, China/

Toji clutched the handlebars nervously. "I wish this thing would hurry up and show its ugly mug again."

"Be patient, Suzuhara-san," advised Mayumi, "it will appear again."

Unit-03 stood solemnly, an umbilical cord connected to its back to provide power. The Eva stood on one of the many waterborne platforms surrounding a partially submerged skyscraper, its reinforced surface reflecting the light of the early evening sun. The Jing Guang Centre – standing tall at over two-hundred meters – had been refurbished by GEHIRN following Second Impact. Now, it served as headquarters for the Sixth Branch of NERV, with a particular focus on aquatic and submarine applications for Angelic technology.

Far in the distance, Toji could see the smoking wrecks of Chinese naval vessels. "Figures. The moment I get here, the Angel decides to go hiding. Think it's scared of me?"

"I do not know. This Angel has been the only one to ever retreat from battle." High above, the Rising Gundam maintained overwatch, keeping an eye out for whenever the Seventh Angel emerged.

"Feh. Oh well. If it runs away, I ain't gonna complain."

"...Suzuhara-san. I have a question."

"Yeah?"

"...if you were injured, or were incapacitated, Horaki-san would be sad, yes?"

Toji fumed. "You don't think I'm gonna lose, do you?!"

"It is a hypothetical scenario."

"Fine. Yeah. She would. I think...maybe?"

"Then why pursue a relationship? Why entertain the possibility of inflicting that pain on her? Would it not be better to stay away, and keep her heart safe?"

"...you're still hung-up about Sawamura, aren't ya?" Mayumi's sighs were telling. "Look, I know the guy was a jerk for dumping ya the way he did, and the whole thing with the Tenth Angel made sure there was no closure. Am I close?"

"...you are not incorrect."

"Gotcha." Maybe I'm getting better at this whole relationship thing. He pointedly ignored the sensation of Unit-03 giggling in his mind. "Well...I'm not really good at analyzing everything. That's more Kensuke's deal. But I will tell that what the Class Rep did with her fingers before we left absolutely made my day. And I bet it made hers too. That kind of happiness is worth it."

"I see."

Belatedly, Toji realized exactly how he had phrased his previous words, and his face burned red with embarrassment. "Er...when I was talking about her fingers, I wasn't being nasty, or anything! I mean, you saw the kiss, right?! I wasn't being dirty!"

"I know."

"Okay. Just makin' sure...you won't tell the Class Rep, right?"

"If you insist, I won't."

"Okay. Good."

smooth

You shut up!

xxxx

/Alaskan Airspace, NERV-Alaska, Tundra of Southwest Alaska/

The relatively small institution of NERV-Alaska was abuzz with activity, the snowy tundra brightened by an excessive amount of floodlights. Odd flashes of electricity and multicolored light shot from the facility, experimental weaponry firing into the darkness of the Alaskan night. Thanks to the blizzard, visibility was nigh-impossible.

Even so, Shinji Ikari could feel the presence of the Seventh Angel. The orange flickering of an AT-Field could be seen from above, impossibly clear through the snowy gales. Speaking of which...snow! "...the very first time I experience a snowstorm, and it's in an Angel battle."

"Hey, you can still cross it off your bucket list," quipped Mana. The Shining Jet kept Unit-01 suspended over the torrential blizzard; the first quarter moon and the starry sky made for a peaceful vision. Alas, like so many things, the peace was only skin-deep.

"I guess." Shinji reached over the side of his seat, yanking a green switch. With a charge of power, the Evangelion switched from Diagnostic mode to Standard, and holy crap was it cold! Shinji grimaced at the sudden sensation of the Alaskan chill, impulsively gritting his teeth. "I have five minutes. If I can't bring it down, it's up to you, Kirishima-san!"

"Not a problem at all. And I'll make sure to mock you heavily for losing!" With a sudden lurch, the Shining Jet released Unit-01.

Shinji steeled himself as the Eva went into free-fall. He quickly opened a communications channel to NERV-1 and NERV-Alaska. "This is Shinji Ikari and Unit-01! We are engaging the Angel!"

xxxx

Across the world, the four bodies of Israfel shifted. LET US [BEGIN/DANCE].

xxxx

/Worcester, Massachusetts/

Red – nonchalantly tearing apart the downtown area of Worcester – ceased its westward advance towards NERV-3. It turned its gaze eastward and skyward, focusing on the growing light that pierced the darkness of early morning; to the uninitiated, it appeared as a falling star. But it knew the truth: Unit-05 had arrived.

With a massive quake, the Evangelion crashed into the shore of Worcester, its yellow visor gleaming dangerously amidst the flames engulfing the city. The voice of Yomiko Nagisa echoed from Unit-05's external speakers. "Face me, Angel."

The eyeholes in Red's mask flashed.

Unit-05 swung its Progressive Lance, AT-Field briefly flickering.

CHYOOM.

A cross-shaped blast exploded behind the Eva, looming above the waters of the Atlantic.

Red seemed to tilt its mask out of curiosity; with nothing but the AT-Field, the Evangelion had redirected the origin point of its attack.

"You'll have to do better than that." The Eva's four wheels squealed, and the titan charged at the Seventh Angel.

xxxx

/Dmitrov, 65 Kilometers North of Moscow, Russia/

The Dormition Cathedral of Dmitrov had stood for nearly five centuries; its white-washed walls and ornate cupolas had stood the test of time, through the ups and downs of Imperial Russia, through World War II, through the Cold War, through the Impact Wars. It was an icon for the town, and a testament to history.

The Green body of Israfel trudged through it, unceremoniously destroying the cathedral.

It was yet another scene of destruction wrought by the Seventh Angel, one that had been repeated on its swift trek towards Moscow. The panicked attempts of the Russian Armed Forces to halt its advance had only contributed needlessly to the devastation. Massive stretches of the countryside north of Russia's capital bore fresh scars and craters, the overcast sky darkened further by plumes of oily smoke.

Green paused, feeling the sudden arrival of its superior, in every sense of the word.

The Mark 06's red visor gleamed as its heel smashed into the Angel's face, an aerial drop with ferocious power.

xxxx

/NERV-6, Submerged Ruins of Beijing, China/

A geyser of water erupted besides Supply Rig #7, causing Toji to yelp. "What the-?!"

Out of the geyser came the Seventh Angel.

Blue slammed its hand into Unit-03's face, driving them into the water. The umbilical cable floated lazily around the Eva as the Seventh Angel continued driving them downward, crushing the dark Eva into the submerged asphalt. Bits of rock and concrete tumbled through the currents, masking the giants from view.

Blue raised a clawed hand to mash Unit-03's head to paste.

Toji snarled. "Over my dead body!" He jerked the right handlebar, imagining the fiercest punch he could.

The Evangelion's eyes gleamed white in the water, accompanied by a right counter that sent the Angel sprawling. Unit-03 quickly got to its feet – the surface of the water only ten meters above – and charged, grabbing the Angel by the shoulders and driving it through one ruined skyscraper after another. For good measure, the Eva kept punching the Angel in the face.

If Toji had to be honest...it all felt fantastic. "You like that?! You like that?!"

go ji go

xxxx

/NERV-Alaska, Tundra of Southwest Alaska/

The moment Unit-01 landed, it rolled to the side, avoiding the cross blast that exploded its landing site. "Well, you're impatient," murmured Shinji.

The blizzard blew hard through the night, rendering visible sight impossible. Fortunately, with a one-hundred-and-thirty-seven percent sync ratio, Shinji no longer had merely human senses. With a mere thought and a decisive will, Unit-01 transitioned to infrared vision; now, the Angel glowed like a spotlight amidst a field of deep purple. "Gotcha."

The Eva withdrew its prog-knife and charged, weaving from side-to-side to dodge Yellow's cross blasts. Unit-01 ducked underneath a sweeping claw, stabbing the Angel's armpit with the blade. The other arm lashed out, but was parried by the Eva's right arm. A left straight slammed into the Angel's face, followed by an overhead stab into the Angel's shoulder.

There was a practiced motion to Shinji's thoughts and commands, and the Eva worked in seamless union with him. "You shouldn't have come back! You would have at least survived!" Unit-01's side kick sent the Angel tumbling. "But you just couldn't leave well enough alone!"

It was a far different scene compared to the initial battle with the Seventh Angel in October. Shinji had far more experience, a higher sync ratio, and a greater confidence in his abilities. Furthermore, the Seventh Angel was alone.

Victory was assured.

xxxx

/Elsewhere/

Within the void, Leliel stirred.

it's time

xxxx

/Alaskan Airspace, NERV-Alaska, Tundra of Southwest Alaska/

Mana Kirishima pantomimed looking at a wristwatch, mentally counting down to the point where Unit-01's battery would run out. She had switched to infrared sensors, observing the back-and-forth between the Eva and the Angel from above. Judging from how much ass that Ikari's kicking, I won't be needed for anything other than a glorified cargo service. Sighing, she craned her neck, stretching out the kinks. Oh well, at least the view is…nice…

Her thoughts trailed off; there was an odd, spherical source of radiation in the sky. Switching to the visible spectrum, the image coming through her external cameras made her recoil. "The hell?!" She quickly turned on her com channel to headquarters back in Tokyo-3. "Uh…I hope I'm not the only one seeing things…"

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"No, Mana-kun," answered Misato Katsuragi, her eyes hardening at the sight of the black sphere, overlaid by white curves and esoteric patterns of varying thickness. "You're not." The image from the Shining Gundam was overlaid by others from NERV-6, NERV-5, and NERV-3: the exact same sphere had appeared in all three areas in close proximity to the Evas. "Is it another Angel?"

"No Pattern Blue has been detected as of yet," answered Maya Ibuki. On her monitor, a graph showed the flow of data packets to the Tokyo-3 MAGI from the respective MAGI clusters at the other branches: MAGI-07 WASHINGTON, MAGI-08 FRANKLIN, and MAGI-09 JEFFERSON in Worcester; MAGI-13 NIKITICH, MAGI-14 MUROMETS, and MAGI-15 POPOVICH in Moscow; MAGI-16 XUANZANG, MAGI-17 WUKONG, and MAGI-18 WUJING in Beijing; and finally, MAGI-19 GRANT, MAGI-20 LEE, and MAGI-21 SHERMAN in Alaska. "There are some odd spatial anomalies, but nothing is conclusive."

Ritsuko Akagi snorted. "Odds of us getting something conclusive in under five minutes?"

"That's a sucker's bet," darkly joked Lieutenant Aoba.

xxxx

Israfel tried to make a good show of it.

There was a definite sense of desperation in their blows; unlike the battle months ago with the defenders of the Black Moon, the [existence/manifestation/reality] of the Core could not be spread out and physically minimized amongst its lesser selves. With such great distance between the four bodies, its Core – the [essence/life/expression] of who Israfel was – had to be present in its entirety to sustain their continued existence.

All told, even if there had been no plan, no overarching strategy, the Seventh Angel was doomed regardless. The powers arrayed against it were too great.

Still, it had been a [wonderful/fitting] performance.

With a fitting note of synchronicity, the Seventh Angel arranged for their separate bodies to perish in the exact same instant.

(Red tried to back away, but wasn't fast enough: Provisional Unit-05's progressive lance hummed with power as it pierced through its torso.)

(Green had fired cross blast after cross blast at the Mark 06, but could not even crack the Eva's AT-Field; with a menacing glow of its red visor, the advanced Eva unleashed a concentrated beam of power that vaporized it on the spot.)

(Blue valiantly struggled against the dark Evangelion's unsophisticated style, but there was something to be said for overwhelming offense; Unit-03's wild haymakers slammed over and over into its body before the continued stress proved too much for the Core.)

(Yellow swiped at Unit-01 repeatedly, but could not land a single blow; compared to the swift and mighty Seraphiel, it might as well have been moving in molasses. A swift thrust from the Eva's blade pierced its Core; a follow-up left straight outright shattered it.)

As Israfel [dimmed/passed/transcended], a single thought bounded across the ether. IT WAS [GLORIOUS/FANTASTIC/YOUTHFUL] TO PLAY THIS ROLE.

Leliel's gratitude was immediate. your sacrifice will not be in vain. i will make sure of it

As Israfel faded away, the black-and-white spheres blinked out of existence.

xxxx

All of the Operations Deck in NERV-1 suddenly blared with alarms. "All readings from the Seventh Angel have vanished, but we have a new Pattern Blue!" yelled Miyata. "It's the Sixteenth Angel!"

xxxx

/NERV-Alaska, Tundra of Southwest Alaska/

Shinji Ikari grunted, suddenly stumbling. "What the-?"

danger! run! escape!

"What's going on?!" He tried to gain some purchase on the ground, but there was no firm soil, no frostbitten earth; instead, there was only nothingness. Never-ending, all-consuming nothingness. "Oh gods, what's happening?! HELP-!"

His cries were absorbed by the darkness.

xxxx

/NERV-6, Submerged Ruins of Beijing, China/

Toji didn't have time to bask in the glory of his first victory as an Eva Pilot; as the blue body of the Seventh Angel sunk lifelessly, the subaquatic surface of Beijing was coated in blackness. "The crap is this?"

so cold

The Sixth Child frowned. "Sis? What's wrong?!"

run

He clutched the controls, trying to the will the Eva to move up. The Eva's legs struggled uselessly in the black goop that was slowly devouring him, and its arms flailed uselessly through the water. "What the hell is this?!" he yelled, fear swiftly beginning to overtake him. This can't be happening! This can't be happening!

i'm scared

Is this the end?!

"Suzuhara-san, what's happening?!" yelled Mayumi.

Panic finally took him. "HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" screamed Toji, his vision of NERV-6 vanishing and slowly being replaced by an endless abyss of shadow. No matter how hard he jerked at the handlebars, Unit-03 couldn't escape. "I DON'T WANNA DIE! I DON'T-!"

His Evangelion was consumed by the void, and all he saw was darkness.

xxxx

/Downtown Worcester, Massachusetts/

The street beneath Unit-05 vanished beneath a tide of shadow. Yomiko arched an eyebrow as her Evangelion began to sink. "Oh?"

The Eva's yellow visor glowed bright as it fired concentrated plasma into the abyss, but it refused to let go. With a frustrated howl, Unit-05 raised its progressive lance – the Red corpse of Israfel still skewered on it – and plunged it into the darkness, but to no avail.

"Well. This is a predicament." With a frustrated sigh, Yomiko reached up to the control panel and triggered the manual ejection sequence. With a shifting of armor plates and the flaring of thrusters, her Entry Plug shot into the sky, flying away from the void that was consuming Unit-05 and a good portion of the downtown area of Worcester.

Despite Yomiko's outward irritation, Zeruel couldn't be happier. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

xxxx

/Dmitrov, Russia/

Kaworu sensed it before it happened. Even as the presence of Israfel faded away – another loss, yet another part that returned to their [Creator/Father/Source] – he felt the impending [emergence/grip/gravity] of Leliel.

With a mere gesture, Kaworu made the Mark 06 leap into the air, barely avoiding the sudden pool of blackness that phased into existence. The S-type equipment's jetpack flared, providing enough thrust to clear the edge of the advancing shadow. As a large portion of Dmitrov slowly sank into the void, the Mark 06 landed lightly amidst a forest further southward.

As aerial assets from the Russian military quickly got into position to observe the shadow, the Mark 06 walked southward towards Moscow. He quickly opened a line to NERV-5 and NERV-2. "This is the Mark 06; the Seventh Angel was destroyed, but an unknown anomaly has emerged. I am retreating to a safe distance." Kaworu leaned back into his seat, letting the panicked words of the Lilim wash over him. The first phase is now complete.

you will know when we begin the next phase

Tabris only wished that he could feel more joy at this development.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"SHINJI-KUN! TOJI-KUN!" screamed Misato, her eyes wide at the information being displayed on the holographic monitors: Signal lost. Vital signs unknown.

For all intents and purposes, Units-01 and 03 had dropped off the face of the Earth.

The Lieutenant Colonel whirled on her heels, glaring at Ritsuko. "Tell me you have something. Anything."

"Without further analysis? No." Dr. Akagi sighed. "Unfortunately, you're going to have to do something you're not used to: waiting."

The Operations Director scowled, tightening her fists before pounding them against the nearest monitor. "DAMN IT!"

As Katsuragi vented her frustration – driven by fear and anxiety – the Sub-Director and Supreme Commander watched from above. "This is…disconcerting."

"In one stroke, three Evangelions have been lost. Including the Dummy Plug we just installed into Unit-01."

Fuyutsuki glanced at Gendo Ikari's hands; there was definite tension there, nigh-invisible to those who didn't know the man as he did. "And what of your son?"

"My concern goes without saying."

"Do you think the Fourth and Fifth Children know anything?" whispered the Sub-Director.

"If they do, the old men will do their utmost to find out."

xxxx

/Interrogation Room #1, NERV-5, Moscow, Russia/

Not even two hours after the defeat of the Seventh Angel, Kaworu Nagisa found himself in a dark room within the confines of NERV-5. Well, I can't say I'm surprised they would react this way.

"This is a limited meeting due to the timeframe involved, but is unavoidable." There were no holograms or identifying marks of any kind to denote who was present; however, the digitized voice of SEELE-01 was simple to recognize. "Too many of our associates are dealing with the fallout from the massive collateral damage." Russia and the United States were up in arms as the global media portrayed more and more scenes of havoc and ruin wrought by the Seventh and Sixteenth Angels. The Americans in particular, fresh off of the Fourth Branch Incident, were howling for blood. "You will answer for what has happened today."

The Fourth Child sighed, leaning against the wall. There were no humans present inside, but he could feel the dim Lights that hovered outside the fortified door. It was a dreary scene, and far too predictable. "You seem to imply I have done something wrong."

"Three Evangelions, lost to this mysterious void! Not even a half-hour after the Seventh Angel was destroyed, every single portal vanished!" snarled SEELE-06. "All of the MAGI detected a Pattern Blue. It was an Angel. One of your brethren."

"Have we not already established that my kin are diverging more and more from what I desire? I am no fan of wanton destruction, as the Ninth and Fourteenth Angels demonstrated. I was not in line with the ideology of the Tenth Angel, who saw you Lilim as mere vermin. And as for the Seventh, you already know that I was thrown off by his sudden retreat in October. Why then is it any more surprising that this new Angel acts in a discordant manner?"

"A likely story," mocked SEELE-08, "with all the power we deign to let you wield, you would pretend to have no control over your fellow Angels?"

"Oh?" Kaworu's smile was brittle, and decidedly harsher. "The power that you 'deign to let me wield'? You already know that Zeruel can synchronize with her body from a distance. Do you truly think that your shackles can completely restrain my true form?"

"Your abilities when utilizing the Mark 06 are not what we are discussing, Tabris. What we are discussing is your negligence with regards to the maneuvers of your fellow Angels," admonished SEELE-01.

Kaworu sighed wistfully. "I may possess the remnants of ADAM's memory, but that does not make me ADAM. You overestimate my control over my brethren."

"Then what good are you?!" snapped SEELE-04.

The Fourth Child sighed, pushing himself off of the wall. "I've already read the preliminary after-action report. I am sorry for the fate of the Third and Sixth Children, truly; however, my brethren also attacked me and Yomiko." There was a brief glow in his red eyes, accompanied by a thunderous CRACK! Spider-webs blossomed throughout the room's walls, shuddering on the heaviness that was the Soul of Tabris. "Were it not for her superior reflexes, my sister might have experienced the same fate as Pilot Ikari or Pilot Suzuhara. Do not mistake my passive demeanor for infinite patience."

There was silence on the other end. Finally, the Chairman spoke. "You will depart for Berlin-2 within the hour. Understand that this discussion is not over."

"I'm sure," finished Kaworu, turning towards the door and opening it. He blithely ignored the armed security outside the door, their feet settling nervously on the brand new cracks in the floor. As he made his way through the halls of NERV-5, the boisterous chuckling of Zeruel echoed through his head. Did I overdo it?

AN IMPOSSIBILITY. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS [EXCESS/OVERKILL] WITH THOSE FOOLS. YOUR CONCERN WAS TOUCHING, BUT UNNECESSARY.

I believe I was 'making the sale', as some Lilim would call it. I would like to think I succeeded.

…DID YOU FEEL ANYTHING [UNUSUAL/OTHERWORLDLY/HOLLOW]?

Indeed. Within the depths of NERV-2, there had – within the past few months – been a new presence, vague and undefined, yet similar to that of the Evangelions. Kaworu had experienced that same sensation at NERV-5, and Yomiko apparently had as well at NERV-3. They are building more Evangelions. But there was something else as well. A shade and a phantom, barely comprehensible, yet linked to a seemingly bottomless well of power. I have a strong suspicion that ADAM is being held within the Fifth Branch.

THEN WHY [WAIT/DELAY/PROCRASTINATE]? LET US SUMMON OUR TRUE BODIES AND LAY WASTE TO THE LILIM, AND RETRIEVE OUR [CREATOR/FATHER/SOURCE].

It is only a suspicion, nothing more. Not enough for us to risk [acting/rebelling/raging] so overtly. Besides…we might as well let Bardiel's stratagem bear fruit first.

OF COURSE.

xxxx

/Katsuragi's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

Asuka Langley-Sohryu resisted the urge to frown. Everyone's so gloomy.

Hikari Horaki was visiting tonight, and she was sitting between her and Rei Ayanami. At the end of the table sat Hikari Kirishima; to her right were Mana and Mayumi. Mari sat next to Mayumi, and across from Asuka; the head of the table was occupied by one Misato Katsuragi, looking more upset than gloomy.

The wetness around Hikari's eyes had yet to fade since they had received word of Toji's fate; the sniffles were still strong. With the exception of Mana, everyone ate at a sedate pace, with a few merely picking at their takeout meal. Various sushi rolls and tempura were available for the picking, with an assortment of dipping sauces.

The Second Child sighed as she chewed on a teriyaki beef roll. It had that 'mass-produced' taste to it, with none of the soul or vigor that Shinji tended to impart in his cooking.

Mari bit into her tempura-battered chicken, grimacing at the dryness. "Shinji cooks it better," remarked the young girl, dipping it into a bowl of soy sauce to reduce the parched sensation.

Asuka eyed Rei; there was a slight tightening in her knuckles. "Yes. Shinji-kun would have cooked it better."

"Heh. We've gotten spoiled by having our own personal chef," murmured Misato, sipping quietly from a can of Kirin Beer Classic.

Asuka noted the can, realizing it wasn't the standard Yebisu. Is this what Misato drinks when she's moody? Come to think of it, the Lieutenant Colonel always imbibed Yebisu with cheer…

"Geez, you'd think someone died."

Asuka resisted the urge to wince at Mana's brusque comment, while Mayumi sighed with exasperation. Misato and Agent Kirishima glared at the nephilim; Hikari Horaki stared at Mana with something akin to shock, while Rei? Well…

SNAP.

Her opinion was made perfectly clear by how she shattered her chopsticks in her fingers. "You should pick your words more wisely, Kirishima-san."

The Jet Alone Pilot shrugged. "I mean, there's no confirmation that those two are dead, right? We've just lost contact with em'. The Evas have to have life support, right?"

Misato nodded severely. "In Life Support mode, the Pilot will have at least twenty-four hours until the Entry Plug's internal filters fail."

"There! So you guys have at least one day before they're guaranteed to be dead." Mana casually ignored the muted whine that came from Horaki. "Y'all just have to figure out a way to pull em' out, right?" Mana suddenly grimaced, her head jerked to the side by her mother. "You know, that still kinda stings."

Hikari Kirishima twisted the pliers she had used to grab the girl's ear. "Tact. I keep having to remind you of that word."

"It's the truth though, right?"

Misato snorted. "You're a very unpleasant person sometimes, Mana-kun."

"Meh, you guys are just too sensitive. If they die, they die."

Rei Ayanami stormed to her feet, her entire body trembling with the desire to attack. "Kirishima-san…if you are going to talk, do so about something else. Please."

Mana smirked. "Or what?"

Asuka sighed. Okay, this is getting us nowhere. She suddenly stood, slapping the table with her palms. The sudden sound caught everyone's attention, drawing their eyes to the Second Child. "Okay, let's just set some things straight here! First of all," she turned towards Hikari Horaki and Rei Ayanami, smiling serenely at them, "I know the people at NERV are dedicating everything they've got to try and get Shinji and Toji back in one piece. And not only that, but Shinji and Toji have never been ones to give up! They'll fight to the very end! So for now, have faith…in them, and in NERV." Noting the thankful smile on Hikari's face and the relief in Rei's stance, Asuka then turned towards Mana Kirishima. "Your personality is very prickly. Like a cactus!"

Mana blinked. "…say what?"

"But as a cactus has life-giving water stored within its tough hide, you also have feelings of life and love deep inside of you!"

Mana's jaw dropped. "…the hell are you babbling about?"

"If Mayumi was missing in action and presumed deceased, what would you do to someone who just announced to your face that your sister was as good as dead? And wouldn't shut up about it?"

"I'd probably tear their head off, what's your point?" she flippantly answered.

"Exactly!" triumphantly announced Asuka. "So please, keep in mind Rei's and Hikari's feelings. If your roles were reversed, they'd be doing the same for you, because none of us want our comrades to die. Okay?"

Mana Kirishima frowned as she belatedly realized she'd been had. "…I'm going to bed." The silver-haired nephilim shoved away from the dinner table, loudly walking down the hall towards the hole that connected her apartment with Katsuragi's.

Mari glanced slyly at Mayumi. "See? My sister's better."

Mayumi rolled her eyes, returning quietly to her sushi. Still the heavy atmosphere had been briefly lightened by the display.

Misato shot Asuka a brilliant grin. "That was a bang-up job there, Asuka! A-plus!"

"Wark."

"Exactly!" Misato quickly downed the rest of her Kirin before holding her palm open. "Pen-Pen! Beer me!"

"Wark!"

"I'll make sure to get you some mahi-mahi from the market~"

"…wark."

Misato grinned, relishing the feel of the cold beer can landing in her palm. With a relieved sigh, she plopped the beer down, glancing over at Hikari Kirishima. "That girl of yours is gonna get herself a whipping one of these days."

"She likes pressing people's buttons a little too much for my liking." Agent Kirishima sighed, absentmindedly sipping her water. "She's a work-in-progress."

"I'm sure." Misato glanced over at Rei and Hikari Horaki. "Don't worry you two. We're not gonna leave Toji-kun and Shinji-kun hanging."

Asuka beamed. "Welp, my work is done! If you'll need me, I'll be on the balcony." The redhead hummed an old German ditty, skipping towards the sliding patio door. She stepped into the night air, exhaling loudly. "Okay then." The Second Child leaned against the railing, letting her hair droop over the side. "Geez…some people like to overcomplicate things." What was so hard about not antagonizing people who were on the verge of mourning?

Speaking of which…

Asuka whipped out her cell phone, dialing an old number that she hadn't used in a while. After a few rings, a familiar voice answered. "Miss Sohryu?"

"Hallo, Kaworu!"

"This is…unexpected."

"Well, some people over here are kind of down in the dumps given the result of today's battle, so I figured I'd check up on you."

An airy laugh echoed from the receiver. "It is much appreciated. Yomiko is still en route to Germany; I only just now have returned to my domicile."

She impulsively snorted. "Seriously, who says domicile in a conversation?"

"What? It's a perfectly valid word for one's primary residence, isn't it?"

Asuka giggled at Kaworu's clueless response. "Ah, still the same Dummkopf as always. Yomiko's not going to be too sore about losing her Eva, is she?"

"She will…adapt, I'm sure. Speaking of which…what are your thoughts regarding the fate of Shinji and Toji? Do you think they are well, wherever they are?"

"What would be the point in assuming the worst at this point? It won't do any good. Like I told my friends a few minutes ago, I think they'll be fighting with all their strength to the very end, no matter where they are."

Kaworu sighed. It was oddly melancholy.

"Hey, you okay? You sound sad."

"No no, it's just…your cheer is something I needed right now. The future is uncertain, and I am wary of what these next days will bring. You have my gratitude, Miss Sohryu."

"Hey, not a problem. Just keep your head high and you'll be able to see what's coming!"

Kaworu laughed. "I will keep that in mind. I must retire, Miss Sohryu. Thank you for calling."

"Of course. Auf wiederhoren!" Snapping her flip-phone shut, Asuka glanced at the glistening cityscape of Tokyo-3 and the starry sky above. Despite the uncertainty of Shinji's and Toji's fates, she would still approach the day with a smile. If nothing else, it would help everyone else get through the unknown. And if an Angel decides to attack, Mama and I will send it packing!

xxxx

Twelve hours later, Asuka Langley-Sohryu would be comatose and all but dead to the world.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 26: Thanatos (Love you to death)

xxxx

(Next time, things get worse.)

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

I find it somewhat fitting that, right as Strpygia posts his big Arael update for A&T, I bring this one along.



/March 15, 2016/

/Keter, NERV-1, Geofront, Tokyo-3/

"Working late, Supreme Commander?"

Gendo Ikari shot a wry glance towards his visitor. "The same could be said for you, Inspector."

Ryoji Kaji chuckled dryly, walking into the cavernous expanse of Keter. Even though his tone was nonchalant, there was an odd sense of purpose in his stride. "Did you know that when I spoke with a rather intense individual, I enticed him by saying that ADAM was within the Geofront? I was lying, of course; anyone who's anyone knows that the remnants of the First Angel are scattered, likely sequestered away by the old men. But it was enough to get him and his fellows to crash our party." The individual in question was the man that had been Kaji's contact with the Tokyo-3 cultists. He was dead now, killed during the cultists' insurrection, but that was beside the point. "After all, what better way to prompt such people to action?"

"This is all fascinating, but still not enough to explain why you decided to enter my office at twelve-thirty in the morning." Especially in light of how they were currently down two Pilots and two Evangelions.

"Even though I was intentionally lying, it turns out that I was actually unintentionally truthful." Kaji placed his hand on the table, casually leaning over to give the Supreme Commander the stink eye. "I'm not sure how you managed to pull that off…but I am unbearably curious."

Gendo Ikari sighed. Speaking in such roundabout ways was old hat, but still a vexing necessity. "Let's just say that it was an unexpected gift."

"Oh?"

"Believe it or not, serendipity still exists in this world of ours."

xxxx

/June 27, 2005/

/Private Medical Ward, Terminal Dogma, GEHIRN Pyramid Complex, Geofront/

"HEROD was quite insistent that I see this, Fuyutsuki." Gendo Ikari stepped into the room, indistinguishable from the average hospital. One would never know that they were two kilometers underground, in one of the most secure parts of the Black Moon. "But she was reluctant to share any details."

Kozou Fuyutsuki looked over his shoulder. "It's…something, to be sure." He stood beside the cot where a single penguin lay; a robotic apparatus was suspended over the fowl, numerous prongs and blades suturing a gash below the neck. "This is 'Pen-Pen'. He accompanied Misato Katsuragi, if you'll recall."

"I do recall that. And I recall ordering a preliminary medical inspection for the both of them as well. What I want to know is why her pet penguin is here in Terminal Dogma instead of a veterinary clinic on the surface."

Fuyutsuki pointed at the small metal pan to the side of the cot. "That was the anomaly that was extracted."

Gendo walked over, looking into the pan.

The sight was one he would never forget, for it signaled the point where his Plan was guaranteed to trump the Scenario.

And so he laughed. Long, and loud, and heartily. It was a chilling sound.

He stared at the 'anomaly', marveling at the bulbous eye that looked back up at him. "Have the MAGI drawn any conclusions?"

"It matches the relevant data from the Katsuragi Expedition. And there is an AT-Field present, albeit severely minimal. Without a doubt, this is the First Angel."

Gendo smirked, looking down at the embryonic form of ADAM. "What good luck for us, to possess the host of the First Angel's soul. What the old men must have are merely empty shells, remnants of the original body. We will have to make adjustments."

"Wark."

The man who would one day be NERV's Supreme Commander paused. He slowly turned towards the cot, where the penguin watched him with curious turquoise eyes. "…isn't the penguin supposed to be under anesthesia for the surgery?"

"He is. But the penguin remains conscious, even though his pain receptors are numbed."

"…that's very interesting. What else have the MAGI discovered?"

"Neural synapses numbering at least an order of magnitude higher than the average human brain. A spiritual matrix unlike anything we've ever recorded, human or otherwise. And he has extendable claws composed of carbon steel. Given how long the penguin was exposed to ADAM, there are likely more mutations."

"Wark."

"I'm only describing your characteristics, Pen-Pen. You're quite special," dryly replied Fuyutsuki.

Gendo stared. "…you understood that. And I did too." He glanced at ADAM. "Another mutation?"

"Likely a subconscious shift of his AT-Field to impart meaning whenever he desires to communicate; in a sense, our souls understand what he means. But that's just an educated guess. We would need to do more studying."

Gendo Ikari knelt down beside the cot, looking straight into Pen-Pen's eye. "You are…fascinating. What would it take to get you to work with us amicably?"

"…wark."

"…pardon?"

"Wark."

"…you want me to give Misato Katsuragi a job."

"Wark."

"Very well. I'll see what I can do."

"Wark." Seemingly satisfied, the penguin closed his eyes.

"You're not one to acquiesce so quickly," remarked Fuyutsuki, his eyebrow arched with surprise.

Gendo readjusted his glasses, all the while mentally reviewing all the potential paths he could pursue from here. "The penguin didn't ask for much. I was already considering hiring her anyway. He merely makes her future presence a necessity."

"And how will you explain the surgical scar to Katsuragi-kun?"

Gendo glanced back at ADAM's little body, swollen and grub-like. "…let's go with 'tumor removal'."

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Katsuragi's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

Pen-Pen yawned, lethargically waddling out of his fridge. With practiced ease, he slid the patio door open, stepping out to enjoy the relatively cool air of morning. It would only be more refreshing thanks to the overcast sky.

Despite the clouds, there was still a source of bright light to the east, illuminating the morning: a gigantic glowing helix, chained together and rotating in place, a colossal halo in all but name.

Pen-Pen squawked loudly at the sight.

Moments later, the Angel alarms in Tokyo-3 began to blare.

xxxx

Meanwhile, high in the exosphere, a small spherical object began circling the Earth in geosynchronous orbit above the Western Pacific Ocean.

It had quietly made its way here, from the surface of the Moon.

Once the time was right, it would fully [unfurl/manifest/rise] and enlighten its enemies.

xxxx

Episode 26: Thanatos (Love you to death)

xxxx

/Elsewhere/

Toji Suzuhara stirred. "...what...?"

The sheer gravitational force from the sudden dimensional shift, in unison with the high stress detected by his Plug Suit's systems, had initiated an automatic transfer from Standard operation to Life Support mode.

Not that Toji knew this. All he knew was that he was slowly awakening after having screamed himself unconscious...maybe. He couldn't really recall anything other than a crushing weight and the sensation of absolute nothingness. "...agh. What the hell happened?" He looked through the dim Entry Plug, grimacing at the relative chill of the LCL and its slight murkiness. "How long have I been out? Sis?"

There was no response.

"...maybe I need to switch out of Life Support?" The Sixth Child scowled, reaching over the side of his Entry Plug. "Okay, what was the switch for Diagnostic mode...gah, why can't this be voice-activated? We've got Gundams, we've got superhumans, what's so tough about making this voice-activated?" Finding the yellow switch, he reached over to pull it. "Come to think of it, doesn't Kirishima and Yamagishi's Gundam transform through a voice command...?"

Unit-03's sensors snapped on. A blistering field of white noise greeted him, the faint static was not uniform, broken apart by a shattered city and floating chunks of earth. However, that was not the most important thing: right in front of him was a white Evangelion, its hand dripping blue goop onto another Eva with four legs. The white Eva's body was bulging and tumorous, pieces of the Seventh Angel slowly being subsumed into it. Far in the distance, Unit-01 hovered, inactive but unharmed.

Toji paled. "...the hell is this...?"

The white Eva turned towards him, its eyes blaring a white, ravenous light. It raised its other arm, which slowly extended towards Unit-03's face. Its hand slowly split apart, revealing blue-veined human bodies with dead eyes, groping and grasping absentmindedly. Throaty gurgles oozed past their lips, a disgusting sound fit for their revolting state. Blue slime trickled over his view-screen, spreading like a fungus.

help

Toji's heart continued to race. "...what's happening...?!"

The interior of the Entry Plug was suddenly consumed by blue light.

it's eating me

"Sis...?! SIS...!"

help me

A foreign voice boomed, and Toji suddenly plunged deeper into the Entry Plug, ripped away from his seat.

"GIVE ME YOUR FLESH."

Toji screamed.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"What do you mean, the Pattern keeps cycling?"

Ritsuko Akagi glanced at Misato Katsuragi. "I mean what I said. The MAGI haven't come to a conclusion about its nature; the Angel keeps flickering between Pattern Orange and Pattern Blue."

"Probably trying to play coy," murmured Lieutenant Aoba. "We have long-range assets standing by, and the P2 System is maintaining a perimeter."

Misato scowled at the image on the monitors; the Seventeenth Angel had done nothing but hover serenely over the valley Ōwakudani, to the immediate north of Mt. Hakone. "No time like the present. Deploy Unit-00 to Duct 22F, and deploy Unit-02 to Duct 22P." The First Child would be emerging on the southwest base of the mountain, while the Second would emerge on the other side of Lake Ashi, atop Mt. Mikuni. "Asuka will provide long-distance support. Rei will engage the Angel up close if necessary. But for now, we're strictly observing."

"Roger that, Misato!"

"Understood."

The Lieutenant Colonel turned her heavy gaze towards Ritsuko, who was irritably puffing on a cigar. "The Sixteenth hasn't reappeared since yesterday…and now the Seventeenth…have the Angels finally started cooperating?"

"That seems to be the implication," coldly said the Head of Project E. "Down two Evas right as another one comes a-knockin'? I'd bet my mother's last shred of charity on it."

xxxx

/Jet Alone Facility, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"We're almost done with the pre-operational checklist, sir!" yelled an older technician, one of the holdovers from NHIS. "We'll be ready to launch in five!"

Yoshimitsu Tomino nodded, turning towards Shiro Tokita. "It's interesting how life has its twists and turns, isn't it? Here we are, working alongside NERV…and yet, we have likely made a greater contribution in the Angel War than we ever would have had Ikari not plucked us away."

Tokita arched an eyebrow. "Is that praise coming from you that I hear?"

Dr. Tomino sighed. As one of the oldest members of the original JET ALONE Project, and one of the longest-tenured members of NHIS, many had looked to him for guidance. "Don't get me wrong; I still miss NHIS. And yet…" He ran a hand alongside the shin of the Shining Gundam, a fond expression on his face. "…to be here, on the war front? To stand tall in the defense of mankind? It is…exhilarating."

Tokita smiled grimly. "Well, there is that, I suppose." He looked over his shoulder, where Hikari Kirishima was speaking with her two daughters. "Kirishima-san! Please hurry; we need the Jet Alone out on the battlefield!"

Sergeant Kirishima shot Tokita a wicked glare, communicating her vehement disapproval. With a frustrated snort, she turned back towards Mana and Mayumi. "Just…keep your military training in mind. The Angels seem to be following a strategy now."

"For how 'advanced' they seem to be, it sure took them long enough to get a grip on basic warfare planning."

Mayumi sighed in response to her sister's bluster. "Please. Let's not get too carried away sister."

"Who said I was?" Mana stretched her arms, working her black bodysuit through its paces. "Whatever they've got planned, we'll find a way through. We always have."

"We're also down two Evangelions."

Mana shot a grin at her sister. "Which means you and I will just have to pick up the slack!" She strode over towards the Shining Gundam, hopping up towards the open cockpit. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

Shiro Tokita watched in silence as the two nephilim prepared to launch their Gundams. He quietly walked over towards Hikari, staring at her with a deadpan expression. "…why did she say that?"

"She knows she's tempting fate."

"Again. Why?"

Hikari Kirishima sighed, trying to stave off yet another Tokita-induced headache. "The greater the odds, the more she focuses and tries to win. So even if it's something utterly superstitious, she'll do it." Her eyes turned towards the man, narrowing at the sight of his nervous expression. "…oh gods, you were being serious, weren't you?"

Tokita held his hands up in defense. "No point in being unnecessarily risky."

"If something's going to go catastrophically wrong, it'll happen whether or not Mana said those words."

xxxx

/Mt. Mikuni, Western Outskirts of Tokyo-3, Japan/

Asuka Langley-Sohryu gripped the handlebars tightly as Unit-02 moved into position, keeping the barrel of her sniper rifle aimed at the Seventeen Angel's form. From here, she could see the ring of Defender Gundams keeping their distance from the strange creature; Unit-00 was slowly maneuvering around the western slope of Mt. Hakone, pallet rifle in hand. "Okay, what's this Angel's particular trick…?"

"Unknown. Inform me if you see any change."

"Done and done, Rei!" The Second Child leaned back, bringing the sniper scope up to Unit-02's eyes. It's such a shame; this Angel is actually pleasant to look at.

beauty can be skin deep

"Too true." She glanced to her left, watching the Jet Alone approach; the Rising Gundam diverted towards Unit-00, while the Shining Gundam kept approaching her. "Regardless, Mama…we'll do what we have to do, no matter what."

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Another alarm suddenly blared. "Oh come on, what now?!" yelled Misato.

"We have another Pattern Blue! It just manifested in Low Earth Orbit!" answered Miyata. "Satellite imagery in five!"

A holographic monitor switched on, showing the distant image of the newly-arisen Eighteenth Angel: a truly majestic creature, appearing as a many-winged bird of shimmering blue light.

Maya shot back in her seat, eyes widening. "We have a sudden energy spike! Preliminary analysis has it on a vector towards Tokyo-3!"

xxxx

/Western Slope of Mt. Hakone, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"Asuka! Rei! The Eighteenth Angel has just appeared in outer space and is launching an attack!"

The Lieutenant Colonel's words made Rei Ayanami pause. "Another one?" Her eyes darted to and fro, trying to keep an eye on the Seventeenth Angel while simultaneously attempting to discern the new Angel's method of attack. "But where…?"

It happened so quickly.

A shaft of light burst through the clouds, enveloping the red Evangelion in its brilliance.

Within moments, a high-pitched wail burst over the com channel.

That sound made Rei's chest hurt. "Asuka!"

"Rei, the Seventeenth Angel! It's at a full Pattern Blue!"

Rei glanced back; the Angel's helical form had condensed, becoming a long, wiry worm of light. With surprising swiftness, it plunged into the side of Mt. Hakone. "Where is-?" The slope beside Unit-00 suddenly erupted in a shower of soil, rock, and foliage. Rei could barely turn around before the Seventeenth Angel slipped through her AT-Field.

The sensation of a knife plunging into her gut consumed all of her thoughts.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"What's happening?" Misato's eyes quivered with uncertainty, with anxiety, with fear. "What are the Angels doing to them?!"

"No thermal radiation detected from the Eighteenth Angel's attack," commented Makoto Hyuga.

Miyata quickly added, "Asuka's psycho-graph is showing a rising number of anomalies! Mental contamination is increasing!"

Dr. Akagi's eyes narrowed. "A psychic attack…how unfortunate. If only it had picked me, then we would have the last laugh! OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOOO!"

Shiori Aoba watched the surveillance footage of Unit-00 – desperately grabbing at the Angel, shooting it with the pallet rifle – before glancing at her monitor, showing the Eva's vitals. "Unit-00's biological components are becoming infected by the Seventeenth Angel. The nerve pulses are going haywire!"

And all the while, Asuka's screams continued, Unit-02 twitching and spasming in agony. With a sudden lurch, the red Eva tumbled down the mountainside, the beam of light following it seamlessly.

"Asuka, retreat immediately!" Misato's only answer was more screaming in babbled German. The unpleasant feeling of impending doom was coiling through her, like a severe case of acid reflux. "Mana! Get the Shining Gundam into orbit and do what you can to stop the Eighteenth Angel!"

"Can do, Boss-lady!"

"Mayumi, Pen-Pen! Focus all your firepower on the Seventeenth! Get it off of Unit-00!"

"Understood, Lieutenant Colonel."

"Wark."

Misato's hands wouldn't stop twitching. Her entire body was covered in goosebumps. I'm not going to lose another two children. Not today!

xxxx

/Moments before the Eighteenth Angel's Attack/

/Mt. Mikuni, Western Outskirts of Tokyo-3, Japan/

"Asuka! Rei! The Eighteenth Angel has just appeared in outer space and is launching an attack!"

Asuka Langley-Sohryu frowned. "Another one? Im Ernst?!"

Her vision suddenly brightened, awash in brilliant light.

Pardon me.​

Asuka gasped, her hands grasping the side of her head. OW! My head-!

You're an interesting one.​

What is this?! It was a foreign sound, speaking as if through a choir.

So many self-delusions.​

Who are-?!

Let me enlighten you.​

liebling

Asuka curled in on herself, a migraine ripping through her skull. Her Mama's voice was so distant. A scream of pain forced its way out of her.

SHE HATES YOU​

"Nein!" shrieked Asuka. This voice was different.

BUT THAT'S OKAY​

"Nein!" It came from within.

BECAUSE YOU HATE HER​

"Das ist nicht wahr!" It sounded…

YOU HATE EVERYONE​

"Lügner!" …it sounded…

IT TAKES A LIAR TO KNOW ONE​

"Ich bin nicht!" …like her.

YOU LIE ALL THE TIME​

"Geh raus!"

TO EVERYONE​

Further words of protest were hard to form. She could only scream in agony.

ESPECIALLY YOURSELF​

Asuka's head shot up. She stood in a corridor, ending in a single door that rushed towards her. Her control over this hallucination (it had to be, it had to be!) was nonexistent. Familiar voices echoed through her head.

("This, my dear Liebling, is what I've been working on for over a year now. The key to humanity's future, one that I've poured my very heart and soul into: the Production Model Evangelion, Unit-02!")

whydidyoudoitwhydidyouleavewhydidithavetobeyouwhyMamawhywhywhy

LISTEN TO YOURSELF​

Asuka winced, hiding her eyes with her hands.

Into the door she went, past the flashing of red and gray.

("My little Asuka…I just don't want her to be burdened unnecessarily. Our world is a dangerous one now; she needs to enjoy her childhood while she can.")

beingaPilothurtsIneverwantedthisburdenithurtsithurtsithurtsPapawhy

YOUR OWN THOUGHTS​

"Das bin nicht ich!" yelled Asuka.

Through another door, stormy and thunderous.

("I'll tell you when you're older...because Mama knows best.")

ifyouknewbesthenwhywasityouwhycouldn'tsomeoneelsegoImissyouwhydidyouleaveme

YOUR OWN FEELINGS​

"Das bin nicht ich!" Voices and memories swirling together, bereft of time and space, all made present with little context.

Another door, flickering with stars.

("As long as I was happy, they were happy…if I was cheerful, then it made their lives better. So why not be cheerful? It makes sense, doesn't it?")

ithurtstosmileallthetimeotherkidscangetangryandgetupsetbutIdon'tIwanttoIwanttoyellIwanttocryIwanttoscream

YOUR OWN DESIRES​

"Das bin nicht ich!" Another door, burning with fire.

("You can actually be happy and sad at the same time for different reasons.")

ifI'msadthenothersaren'thappysoIcan'tbehappyimpossibleimpossibleIhavetosmileforthemImustImust

YOUR OWN ANGUISH​

"Hör auf!" Another door, cold as winter.

("Mari. I'm your big sister Asuka. And I'm going to be the best big sister ever. And I will make sure that your life is a happy one!")

sheseesmeasherMamahowcanIbeaMamatoherIcouldn'tprotectherIcan'tbeMamahowcanmakeherhappyifIcan'tbeMama

YOUR OWN DOUBTS​

"Hör auf!" Another door, parched and drier than bone.

("When the Angels return, the safest place will be Eva. I will not leave my daughter without a means to fight.")

Icanfightbutit'snotsafeit'sneversafemassivemonstersandsomuchpaindeathisalwaystherewhydidithaveotbemewhywhywhy

YOUR OWN FEARS​

"Bitte!" Another door, moldy and stale.

("Mama had assured me that, one day, I would be with her again, once I became a Pilot.")

amereshadeImisshertouchImisshersmellImisshervoiceImissherhairImisseverythingEvagivesapaleimitiationImissMama

YOUR OWN FRUSTRATIONS​

"BITTE!" Another door, charred and smelling of ashes.

("…you've been the brightest light through it all. For me, and for your father…and I don't want that to change. No matter what this world throws at you, never let it snuff that out...your smile. Your joy. That spirit…is what this world needs more of. No matter what happens…no matter what…never let the world take that away from you.")

I'mnotachildanymoreI'vechangedbutI'vetriednottochangeit'simpossibleI'vetriedI'vetriedbutsometimesIwanttoscreambutIcan'tIdon'twanttomakeyouunhappy

THESE WERE ALL REAL​

Asuka wailed. Another door, rusted and bloody.

("Okay Unit-02…I'm ready. I give you everything that is mine to give. Don't hesitate and take only bits and pieces…take. It. All.")

evenmyloveforyouevenmyhappinesswhydoeseverythingrevolvearoundEvawhydoesitexistwhydidthishavetohappen

WILL YOU STILL DENY THEIR EXISTENCE?​

"LASS MICH ALLEIN!" One last door, bolted shut and bearing scratch marks.

("That was the last time I saw my mother…that was the last time I heard my mother speak…")

IstilldreamaboutitthatdaywillnevergoawayitwillneverleavemealonenomatterhowmuchIsmilenomatterhowcheerfulIam

WILL YOU STILL DELUDE YOURSELF?​

"DAS BIN ICH NICHT!"

YOU HYPOCRITE​

Asuka smashed through the door, tumbling through the shadows. With a pained yelp, she landed on hard concrete, mewling at the sudden shock. "…ow…"

"So this is what you're like, huh?"

Asuka looked up, eyes wide. It was another Second Child, nigh-indistinguishable from her: same red Plug Suit, same mane of red hair, same A-10 nerve connectors. The only difference were her eyes: still blue, yet lacking kindness, and insufferably prideful. "Pathetic."

"What…who are you…?"

"What are you, stupid?" Sohryu dragged Asuka to her feet, glaring hatefully into her eyes. "On second thought, don't answer. It wouldn't be worth it, from someone who can't even live up to their own convictions."

Asuka sputtered. "W-what are you talking about?!"

Sohryu forcefully turned Asuka's head; the Second Child blinked at the sight of her younger ten-year-old self, sitting amongst several students at the Lorenz Gymnasium. A cloud of words literally spewed forth from the young girl's skull: idiotsmoronsstupidDummkopfsbakaswhycan'tyouseetheobviousanswerareyoustupid and on and on went the mental invective.

"Has anyone figured out the answer yet? None of the paths I've drawn up satisfy the teacher's criteria," said a blond boy. The mathematics teacher had given them a classical problem called the 'Seven Bridges of Königsberg', and had insisted that there was a solution. Thus far, Asuka's little study group had yet to find one.

A brunette glanced at the young Asuka, who looked decidedly bored. "Asuka? You haven't helped out at all yet."

"I told you all, there IS no solution." The young redhead smiled. "I said that after looking at it for twenty seconds, but none of you agreed with me." The words continued to swirl about her, ignored and unseen by the students: absoluteidiotswhykeepbuttingyourheadsit'ssoobvious

The brunette puffed her cheeks up. "Fine! Just sit there and be a know-nothing!"

"Just sitting there with a smile." Sohryu's words caused the scene to vanish; Asuka glanced back at her doppelganger. "Didn't even have the guts to voice what you were really thinking."

"But that would have been rude!"

"That's not the point!" howled Sohryu. "You've established your whole life on one single principle: satisfying the happiness of others. And you've lived your life believing that by being happy yourself, other people will be happy as well! So tell me: how in the Hölle can you sit there with a straight face and tell me that you haven't been a miserable failure? How can you be anything but that when you mask such vitriol, such hatred?!"

"Come on, you can't-!"

"Oh, but the hypocrisy doesn't end there!" With the snap of her fingers, another scene appeared; this time, a twelve-year old Asuka, walking beside the Nagisa Twins.

"Ne, Kaworu, what did you think of the unveiling of Provisional Unit-05?"

"It was a very…interesting specimen, Miss Sohryu."

"It's a chaotic mishmash," sniped Yomiko. "Inelegant. Serviceable, but inelegant."

Asuka pouted. "My, you're such a grump, Yomiko. I know not everything can be as cool as Unit-02, but it's neat how NERV is branching out in terms of technology. Any idea who the Marduk Institute will pick as the Pilot?"

Kaworu smiled. It was enigmatic and secretive, and the expression in his eyes only added to the mystery. "Only time will tell, Miss Sohryu."

The cloud of words returned with a vengeance: youknowsomethingyoualwaysknowsomethingwhydon'tyouevershowitinclasswhydoyouactlikesuchadorkyou'rebetteryou'resmarterIknowitwhydoyouhideitwhydoyouhide? Still, the young Asuka cracked a grin. "Eh, you're not cool enough to pull the 'omniscient' card."

"…I don't believe I was trying to?"

The scene vanished. "Who are you to criticize someone for hiding anything? You who willingly restrained yourself?" Asuka whirled around, slowly backing away from Sohryu. "You could have gone to any university you wanted to! You see things and make connections that only a few ever get, but yet out of some foolish devotion to happiness, you held yourself back. You didn't live up to your potential, so who are you to condemn Kaworu Nagisa for not doing something that you were all too afraid of doing?"

Asuka tried to stand her ground, to stand up to this Schwindlerin. "My devotion wasn't foolish!"

"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE IT?!" howled Sohryu, her voice stunning Asuka with its intensity. "Oh, you could put on a good act." Sohryu stepped forward, roughly poking Asuka in the chest with her index fingers. "Put a smile on, say the right words, never let people in on the idea that anything might be wrong!" Asuka slowly backed away from the increasingly enraged doppelganger, who kept pace with her nonetheless. "Do you think your family appreciates being misled? Wouldn't the act of lying to their faces make them unhappy if they ever found out? Ah, but there's the rub, isn't it? They would be shocked and appalled at what a miserable creature you really are, wouldn't they? So you keep it all bottled up, never letting your true self show!"

"I-!"

"Oh, but it wouldn't be out of place in your family, would it?" Sohryu grinned wickedly. "Our dear Vater has secrets of his own, doesn't he?"

("Your hand cuts as deep as ever.")

("That was just a love tap for you, Jackal.")​

"And what a secret it is."

("I can protect her.")

("If you were still just the Jackal…maybe. But even he can't stop the world.")​

Asuka cringed at Sohryu's vicious grin. "That word, 'Jackal.' You couldn't help but do your research, growing up, could you? A bit here, a little there, but the rumors were troubling, weren't they? Alas, it wasn't a priority…until last month. When, out of nowhere, our dear Papa arrives on our dear doorstep, with our dear sister, who had been abducted by nephilim. And yet, mere days after the kidnapping, he just so happened to obtain her, safe and sound, with nary a scratch?" Sohryu laughed. "What do you think happened?"

Asuka gulped. She had no answer. Suspicions, but no answers.

"But hey, like father like daughter, hm? Malicious liars and takers of lives, who don't dare say the truth, for fear of the light of day."

"Hey, I've never killed anyone!" protested Asuka.

The concrete cracked underneath her feet, and rotting hands grabbed at the Second Child's ankles. Asuka shrieked as she was pulled under, her limbs slowly being pulled apart by the corpses of dead men and women: sailors, NERV personnel, cultists, and Tokyo-3 denizens all.

YOUR EXISTENCE INVITED THE WRATH OF THE SIXTH ANGEL

("We just lost the Varyag…the Kirishima has been hit…the Laboon's been taken under!")

YOUR EXISTENCE BEARS CULPABILITY FOR THE HATE OF THE TENTH ANGEL

("NO MATTER HOW OFTEN IT IS SAID, IT SHALL BE TRUE: YOU ARE, ALL OF YOU, VERMIN.")

YOUR EXISTENCE BEARS BLAME FOR THE ZEALOUS FIRE THAT CONSUMED YOUR CITY

("…the Tenth Angel should have been a wake-up call. It was for me. It's only gonna get worse; the Angels will never stop. This was supposed to be the easiest way. For everyone.")

HOW MANY WOULD STILL BE ALIVE IF YOU HAD NEVER BEEN BORN?​

Asuka shrieked, her body on the verge of being torn to pieces.

HOW MUCH HAPPINESS HAS YOUR EXISTENCE DEVOURED?​

A flash of light, and the vengeful dead vanished. Asuka stumbled to her knees, wincing at the soreness in her joints; she loosed a surprised yelp as Sohryu's foot planted itself into her back, kicking her to the ground. The Second Child struggled to get to her feet, her entire body feeling like a bruise, and her mind absolutely numb with pain and confusion.

Sohryu snorted. "It only makes you wonder how much our dear Mama held back. Perhaps she truly hated us?"

"You're wrong…Mama loves me…!"

"Ha! Then why do you doubt? Why do these traitorous little thoughts plague you? Why even entertain the idea at all, if you truly believed that she loved you?!"

Asuka grimaced. Sohryu's condemning words pounded away at her like bludgeons, never ceasing and never stopping. Her entire self felt smothered, constrained; it was so hard…to think…!

Sohryu stood strong, unbending to the gales that surrounded their rocky precipice. Behind Sohryu was a burning light, and behind Asuka was nothing but darkness. "You profess to live for the happiness of others, even as you secretly despise so many. You profess to be happy in the face of all odds, even as your very thoughts betray you. Living in such a contradictory manner, you prop yourself up as a hero and a cheerful guardian, even as the pain your existence brings haunts you. Your very persona is false, a lie to the world, and a lie to yourself! Yet the very thought of letting the truth out horrifies you, to the point you blithely pretend it doesn't exist. Lies have no substance, and you shy away from the truth, so what does that say of you?" Sohryu stomped her foot, and all of reality quivered. "So tell me, Asuka Langley-Sohryu, Second Child…who are you?"

"…I…"

xxxx

It has been said that poor communication kills.

That maxim held true here. Despite access to the [memories/experiences/perceptions] of Ramiel, Zeruel, and Tabris, the Eighteenth Angel – Arael – had a fundamental misconception of how the Lilim thought and lived.

All people profess beliefs and attitudes that may not mesh with their private thoughts. It is in the nature of humanity to have hidden insecurities and doubts. Yet, that is also what allows for the great virtues of courage and fortitude to have meaning: to move forward with head held high into the unknown, even if the heart quivered with fear? Great tales and songs have been told of such bravery.

Yet to an Angel born of ADAM, it was an absolute paradox. The very possibility of contradictions within one's [identity/self-perception/soul] was utter insanity. As Ramiel had told Shinji Ikari, so long ago: there was no doubt, no confusion, no ambiguity. 'I am I.'

So it didn't matter if Asuka's thoughts of frustration, fear, panic, doubt, and anxiety had been few and far between; especially when compared to how abundant her thoughts of kindness, love, patience, conviction, and hope were. It didn't matter that Asuka had lived the vast majority of her life admirably, dedicated to good cheer and joyous living. Time and age didn't matter: the fears of a child and the fears of a young woman, in the human experience, were separated by a vast gulf.

As far as Arael was concerned, all thoughts were of equal magnitude, and were all brought to the present, experienced in an instant.

So the Angel had no qualms with taking these apparent contradictions, magnifying them to the same level of importance that Asuka had treated her happiness (and thus the happiness of others), and mercilessly hammering them into her mind.

xxxx

"…I…" No matter how hard Asuka tried, she couldn't think of anything to defend herself. The challenge before her…was truly insurmountable. "I'm…"

No answer came. She had none.

Sohryu smirked, raising her right hand. "That's right." She pressed her index finger against Asuka's forehead. "You're nothing."

A little push…and Asuka was sent tumbling down into the abyss.

xxxx

In the waking world, Unit-02 – sprawled at the base of Mt. Mikuni – stilled.

Asuka Langley-Sohryu stared unblinkingly into the light of the Eighteenth Angel, her body, mind, and soul rendered catatonic by the merciless radiance.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"Unit-02 has deactivated," muttered Maya, her face stricken with horror, "all mental signals from the Second Child have flatlined."

Misato's knuckles were whiter than snow, her fingernails digging deeply into her palm; blood began to trickle from her trembling fists. Asuka didn't deserve this. Asuka didn't deserve this! "Mana. How close are you to killing that bastard?!"

"I'm almost through the thermosphere!"

"Good. Hop to it!" Misato turned back towards the monitor, showing Unit-00 still struggling with the Seventeenth Angel. "What's Rei's status?!"

"Her AT-Field is fluctuating rapidly. Nerve penetration is now at forty percent!" exclaimed Aoba.

xxxx

/Western Slope of Mt. Hakone, Tokyo-3, Japan/

Rei Ayanami flushed as the foreign sensation crawled through her skin, in sync with the Seventeenth Angel's continued attempts to bore its way into her Eva. The Defender Gundams were firing upon the Angel's wiry form, but their weapons were ineffective.

The word 'violated' was a good choice for her current situation. Her sense of control was beginning to slip. Must…maintain…control…!

And all the while, vague whispers continued to stream through her mind.

YOU ARE ALONE​

Her fingers twitched.

NO ONE CAN TRULY UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER​

Her breath hitched.

SUBMIT, AND I WILL GIVE YOU PEACE​

Rei harshly snapped her teeth, trying to ward off the Angel's effort to possess her. "Peace…is not…my priority…! Right now…my priority… is…victory…!"

"Haaaah!"

Mayumi's shout coincided with the Rising Gundam slicing into the Seventeenth Angel's body with its beam saber, followed by swift hacking with the Rising Naginata. Each blow against the Angel sent a bolt of sheer pain, hot like lightning, through her body; yet, Rei kept her jaw shut tight, unwilling to scream, refusing to distract her comrade-!

Red blood gushed from the Angel's form as the Gundam cut its way through, separating the Angel's invasive probe from the rest of its body.

Rei Ayanami gasped as the sense of invasion departed, her body slumping over from exhaustion. The probe dissolved into flickers of light. "Yamagishi…run…!" she panted.

As though recognizing new prey, the Seventeenth Angel whipped around, pursuing the Rising Gundam. With surprising swiftness, the Angel zeroed in on Mayumi's weapon, closing in...! "Yamagashi…!"

A Defender Gundam got in the way of the Angel, serving as a sacrificial play to slow the Angel's advance. The Seventeenth Angel plowed into the Defender Gundam…but did not destroy it. Rather, like a larva boring into an apple, the entire Angel delved inside the six-meter machine.

Rei blinked. What was the purpose of this move?

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"It's…vanished! Sensors no longer detect the Seventeenth Angel's presence on the surface!"

Hyuga's words did nothing to comfort Misato. "Find it. It couldn't have just run away. Isolate that Defender Gundam and keep an eye on it!"

Another series of klaxons blared. "Pattern Blue has re-emerged!" screamed Maya. "It's inside headquarters!"

Misato paled. "WHAT?!"

xxxx

/P2 System, Central Dogma, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Deep within Central Dogma, inside a large tunnel connected to the base's access corridors, a customized Defender Gundam stood, outfitted with an elaborate broadcasting apparatus. It was from this machine that the entire force of Defender Gundams was controlled and manipulated.

It was within this machine that Pen-Pen sat, the heart of the P2 System.

Within this machine, Pen-Pen suddenly lurched, looking quizzically at his flippers as nerves trembled and veins bulged with a foreign presence. "Wark?"

SO YOU ARE THE INTELLIGENCE CONTROLLING THOSE WEAPONS​

Tiny maggots of light wiggled through the penguin's skin.

YOUR CONNECTION WAS ROBUST ENOUGH TO TRANSFER OVER ENTIRELY​

Pen-Pen blinked. "Wark?"

THE BLACK MOON IS MINE​

xxxx

/Earth's Exosphere/

Mana Kirishima chuckled at the sight of the Eighteenth Angel, looming in the deep void of space. "Well aren't you a pretty one?" With a snap of the wrist, she activated the beam saber. "Bet you'll blow up real nicely." Aided by Kleinium, her ascendance through the atmosphere had been swift. Judging from the panicked yelling over the com channel, things weren't going well on the surface. "Time to put an end to this!"

There was a slight twinkle from the Angel. Compared to the thicker troposphere, there weren't enough gaseous particles in the exosphere for the Angel's beam attack to scatter against.

Thus, Mana was completely caught off-guard by the voice that intruded in her conscience.

Pardon me.​

"The hell?!"

You're another interesting one.​

"Who's singing?!" Where was that choir coming from?

Fewer self-delusions...but so much pain.​

"Answer me, damn it!"

Let me enlighten you.​

A sharp spike of pain roiled through Mana's brain. Scowling, she continued forward. "I bet this is your doing, isn't it? You want a piece of me?! Here I come!"

YOU ARE OBSESSIVE​

Mana scowled. Old memories flashed in her eyes, hot as burning coals.

YOU BELIEVE YOURSELF TO BE SUPERIOR​

Memories of younger days.

YET THIS PAIN LINGERS​

Memories of when her Overseers numbered not just one, but two.

IT IS ALL TOO...​

Memories of her father.

...HUMAN.​

Mana sneered. You think you can hurt me like this?

("...I know more about you than you could imagine.")

The voice of Gendo Ikari served as an overlaying commentary to an old memory: Mana stood beside her sister Mayumi, looking up at the two adults in uniform. One was the ever-familiar form of Hikari Kirishima, looking younger and less weary. The other was a taller man, with neatly-cut brown hair and the uniform of a JASDF Staff Sergeant. "...didn't think they'd be so small. Oh well, can't be helped!" The man kneeled down. "The name's Daisuke Yamagishi, of Nephilim Oversight. But if you'd like, you can call me Dad!"

("...perhaps Daisuke Yamagishi's fate is precisely why you acted so coldly.")

Daisuke chuckled good-naturedly, his eyes twinkling with amusement at the weight-laden barbell. "My goodness, Mana-chan...you can bench press more than me, and you're still in single digits."

("Burying your own emotions so you wouldn't have to cope with what you did all over again?")

It was a rather ordinary day in Tokyo-2, when it happened. All Mana could recall was that she was entering their domicile within the main Nephilim Oversight facility, returning from another physical test. Entering the room, she witnessed Dad kneeling down in front of her sister...and her sister was crying, softly but deeply.

She never recalled seeing her sister cry before. It bothered her. Didn't the guidance counselor say that tears were a sign of pain? And didn't Mom always say that she and her sister had to protect each other?

Daisuke Yamagishi turned towards Mana. "Ah, hello Mana-chan! Could you help me with Mayu-?"

His question was cut off by Mana's fist plunging into his rib cage.

HOW LITTLE YOU VALUE LIFE

("So anything is permissible so long as it keeps you from being hurt? That's the thinking of a child: grow up.")

No longer the voice of Gendo Ikari, but of her mother. Harsh, judgmental, condemning. It was to be expected.

TO KILL YOUR OWN FATHER SO QUICKLY​

"...so this is your thing, huh?"

TO END HIS EXISTENCE BECAUSE OF A SIMPLE MISUNDERSTANDING​

"Trying to remind me of my worst screw-up? Gonna make me curl up and cry like a baby?!"

PERHAPS YOUR MOTHER AND SISTER WILL SHARE THE SAME FATE​

Mana grinned madly, her red eyes quivering with barely-contained madness at the sight of her family's corpses, flashing over and over. "Well I've got news for you...I've seen all this and more in my nightmares. If you think this is gonna be the end of me...you're doing a piss-poor job, cause I've done far worse to myself!" With a bone-rattling howl, Mana activated Anima Overdrive, her skin glistening and her soul singing. The Angel-induced hallucinations flickered and faded, allowing her to see reality once more, if only for a few brief moments. With a pained howl, she swung her beam saber, tearing through the Angel's AT-Field. She flexed her left hand, triggering her Gundam's finishing move. "Even if I'm the same as humanity in some things, and superior in others...I've never believed that I was perfect! If you think that's how I am, YOU DON'T KNOW A DAMN THING ABOUT ME! SHINING...!" With a burst of the thrusters, the Shining Gundam shot for the dim Core beneath the Angel's body. "FINGEEER!"

xxxx

/P2 System, Central Dogma, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

NOW THERE IS NOTHING THAT STANDS BETWEEN ME AND LILITH​

The Seventeenth Angel slowly began to emerge from Pen-Pen, prompting the penguin to squawk. "Wark!"

AN INTERESTING ENTITY, BUT STILL JUST A MERE CREATURE​

The penguin sighed, and seemed to focus. In an instant, the ribbons of light paused.

…WHAT?​

They flew back within Pen-Pen's form.

HOW DID YOU DO THAT?​

Pen-Pen grimaced, raising flippers up to the wired helmet that transmitted his mental commands to the Defender Gundams. With a decisive act of will, a plan of action was submitted through the P2 System.

WHAT ARE YOU?​

xxxx

On the surface, Rei Ayanami – her limbs shaky, her entire body feeling raw – slowly tried to get Unit-00 on its feet. As she rose, her eyes fell upon the Defender Gundams; they had all gone still.

Suddenly, with the exception of four, they set down on the ground. The other four took off for the nearest access junction that would lead to the Geofront. What's happening?

xxxx

WHO ARE YOU?​

His task done, Pen-Pen slowly extended a claw to the communications console in front of him.

HOW ARE YOU BINDING ME?​

With a click-clack of keys, Pen-Pen opened up a line to the MAGI. "Wark."

/HEROD.1 – Communication line open. Speak.

YOUR SOUL…​

"Wark."

…IMPOSSIBLE…!​

/HEROD.1 – Understood. I will maintain the line.

YOU BEAR THE TOUCH OF OUR FATHER!​

"Wark."

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

A brief pinging sound alerted Maya Ibuki. "…Pen-Pen's communicating with the MAGI. He apparently wants a transcript of whatever he's saying."

Misato blinked. "What? What for?"

"Something about having a record…"

Another holographic monitor suddenly blinked into existence, a simple command line window. In moments, words began to appear.

/P2: HELLO.

"…Pen-Pen?" Misato frowned. "What's going on?"

/P2: THE ANGEL IS BOUND WITHIN ME.

"WHAT?!" The Operations Director whirled towards the nearest Section 2 personnel. "Get our heaviest weapons down to the main P2 System controls! We have to get it out of him!"

/P2: DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. I HAVE ALREADY BEGUN.

"Begun?" The back of her mind was playing tricks on her, it had to be; why was she thinking of her father? Why was she thinking of Hale-sensei? Why now, of all times? "Begun what?"

"Uh, two Defender Gundams have just accessed our classified munitions armory," stated Hyuga. He glanced over his shoulder with wide eyes. "They're taking one of the Azrael Mk. I warheads."

Misato went still. "…what…?"

xxxx

Pen-Pen looked up; through the forward cameras, he could see two Defender Gundams approach from the end of the corridor. "Wark."

I SEE WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO. I WON'T ALLOW IT!​

The penguin's body twitched and spasmed as the Angel struggled to flee; yet, the Angel remained within, bound by Pen-Pen's will. All the while, the two Defender Gundams grabbed the source of the P2 System, and began hauling it away by the arms. "…wark…"

THIS CAN'T BE. HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS?!​

Pen-Pen's custom Gundam was hauled down the corridor, to an access tunnel that would lead to the surface. Before the threshold could be crossed, an emergency bulkhead slammed shut in front of the Gundam trio. "…wark," sighed Pen-Pen.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

/P2: OPEN THE DOORS.

"I won't allow it!" screamed Misato. "What the hell do you think you're trying to pull?!"

/P2: I CAN ONLY CONTAIN THE ANGEL FOR SO LONG. EVENTUALLY, IT WILL ESCAPE.

"We still have Unit-00! And the Jet Alone! They can fight it!"

/P2: THE RED GIANT IS CRIPPLED. THE BLUE GIANT IS WOUNDED. THE OTHER GUNDAMS ALONE ARE INSUFFICIENT. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO DESTROY IT.

"I REFUSE!" The Lieutenant Colonel looked down at her hands, palms bloody from where her fingers had dug in. Her hands – so sure, so capable – couldn't stop trembling. The back of her nostrils stung with smells straight from her memories: of Antarctic ice and sea water, of Australian dust and blood. "My father…Hale-sensei…I'm done with people sacrificing themselves for me…I won't let you join them!"

SMACK.

Misato's head nearly flew off of her shoulders, the force was so great. She glared viciously at Ritsuko and her outstretched hand. "Ritsuko-!"

Dr. Akagi snorted. "Get a hold of yourself. We're on a time limit."

/P2: IT IS NOT JUST FOR YOU, THOUGH I WOULD GLADLY DO SO. IT IS FOR EVERYONE. THE WORLD ALREADY ENDED ONCE. I DON'T WANT IT TO END AGAIN.

"…damn it, of course you have to be sensible…" Misato began to hyperventilate. Her entire world was crashing down around her. "Damn it…damn it…!"

"Katsuragi."

Everyone turned towards the Supreme Commander, who had been silent throughout the entirety of the battles today. He slowly stood, looking down at his subordinates. "There are many things that we wish would be. But we must deal with the hand we are dealt."

"…understood, sir." Misato sighed, rubbing the wetness from her eyes. She had to be strong. Her authority demanded nothing less. "I understand."

The Professor stared directly at the holographic monitor, as though he was speaking directly to Pen-Pen. "For what it's worth…it was a pleasure."

/P2: OF COURSE. YOU HAVE MY GRATITUDE. IT WAS…FUN.

Gendo Ikari turned his gaze to the command staff and all of their respective assistants and kouhais on the lower levels. "Everyone: watch closely! Don't avert your eyes. To do anything less would be disrespectful."

Misato Katsuragi took a deep breath. Two. Three. She wanted to take more, but there was no time. "Okay. Okay. I get it. I get it."

/P2: YOU CAN GIVE THE MAHI-MAHI TO AKAGI'S CAT. HE WILL APPRECIATE IT.

"Mahi…?" Misato blinked. Then she recalled yesterday, and her promise. "Oh yeah. I did promise you that, didn't I?" She glanced over at Aoba with a forced grin. "Lieutenant…open the bulkheads. Let him out."

"…understood Boss." Shiori Aoba quickly typed away at her console. "It's done."

Misato turned once more towards the holographic monitors. There was a smirk on her face, frail and fragile, but she did her best to maintain her composure. "Okay buddy…it's all on you! You better put on a show!"

Pen-Pen's response was not jaunty. It didn't play off of her words, or her attempts to appear brave. However…it was the truth. And that was all that mattered.

/P2: I LOVE YOU, MISATO.

"…that's…" Misato sniffled, her forced bravado beginning to crumble. "That's not fair…you stupid bird…that's s-so…not fair…!" And so she began to sob, uncaring of how unseemly it was.

xxxx

Within Unit-00, Rei Ayanami watched quietly as two pairs of Gundams ascended into the sky, rockets in all but name. "Yamagishi. You might want to take cover."

"R-Rei…" hiccupped Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi. "Prepare to…use your AT-Field. Protect th-the city…!"

"Understood." Unit-00 raised its arms, preparing for what was to come. And through it all, Rei Ayanami gave a silent salute to her comrade-in- arms.

xxxx

THIS CANNOT BE! I REFUSE! I REFUSE!​

Pen-Pen kept his flippers steady as the Defender Gundams hauled his command system into the sky, where the other pair awaited, a long red warhead in their grasp. Once he got close, they would manually trigger the explosive.

I WAS SO CLOSE! I WON'T BE DENIED!​

Pen-Pen sighed, reaching over to a small panel beside his seat. The Angel was such a sore loser; this was going to happen. Why continue fighting it?

YOU ARE A MERE CREATURE! EVEN BLESSED WITH OUR FATHER'S TOUCH, YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY DO THIS!​

He flipped the panel open, revealing a Mann Co. brand cigar. With a flick of his claw, he sliced the tip off before sticking the cigar into his beak. He didn't have a light, but that was fine: the explosion would be sufficient.

NO! STOP! STOP!​

Pen-Pen smiled as best he could, his turquoise eyes gleaming as the Defender Gundams reached down for the warhead's triggering mechanism. "Wark." To think he had come this far, after meeting a lost purple-haired girl all those years ago…

It had been a good run.

xxxx

BOOM!!!

The sky above Tokyo-3 roared with a cleansing fire, burning with all the colors of the rainbow.

It was a most beautiful funeral flower.

xxxx

…a most unfortunate turn of events.

we planned for this [possibility/outcome/risk]

Oh?

as unlikely as it may have been, we anticipated Arael and Armisael [falling/perishing/transcending]

HOW CONVENIENT.

THE LILIM HAVE BEEN WEAKENED. THE DEFENDERS OF THE BLACK MOON NOW HAVE ONLY ONE ENTITY THAT IS [COMPARABLE/EQUAL/CONGRUENT] TO US.

WHAT OF THOSE THAT WERE [CONSUMED/DISPLACED/VEILED] BY LELIEL?

SAVE FOR THE ONE [CRAFTED/BORN/MANIFESTED] FROM LILITH, ALL ARE NOW SUBJECT TO MY WILL.

Was there…an issue?

THE FLESH OF LILITH IS [DISGUSTING/ANTITHETICAL/FOREIGN] TO ME. I DARE NOT TOUCH IT.

that is acceptable. we also accounted for this. i will [keep/contain/bind] this 'Unit-01' within myself

WHEN WILL YOU STRIKE?

SOON. THE [TRANSFORMATION/TRANSFIGURATION] IS ALMOST COMPLETE.

…I see.

you are [troubled/upset/anguished], and not just by the loss of Arael and Armisael

Arael's [method/tactic/perception] was…repulsive.

was it not the truth?

Having lived in these [restricted/lesser/hybrid] forms, I am more accustomed to how the Lilim think, to how they live. They are not as [absolute/whole/defined] as we are. What would be contradictions in us, born of ADAM, are not necessarily so, for those born of LILITH.

IT IS A MOOT POINT. WHAT'S DONE IS DONE.

INDEED. WILL YOU BE ABLE TO JOIN US?

No. SEELE has [locked/bound/dulled] my true body. Likewise for Zeruel's. They will not release them unless Berlin-2 is in danger of an Angel attack.

UNFORTUNATE.

that is okay. we did not anticipate your aid beyond the first stage

IT WILL ALL BE OVER SOON. DO NOT FEAR.

Within a room nestled away inside the Lorenz Estate, Kaworu Nagisa opened his eyes. Yes. It will all be over soon. The prospect of victory, of finally obtaining [complementation/unity/truth], was tantalizing. And yet, he couldn't help but feel sad for the loss of one the most interesting Lilim he had ever known. Miss Sohryu…I am sorry.

xxxx

/Earth's Exosphere/

Less than a half-hour had elapsed after Pen-Pen's sacrifice had annihilated the Seventeenth Angel. Once the skies had cleared and everyone had gotten their wits about them, NERV-1 had realized that Unit-02 was no longer under attack by the Eighteenth. The lack of a Pattern Blue was sufficient to prove that Mana had been successful.

That was why Mayumi was now in low Earth orbit, the Rising Jet zeroing in on the Shining Gundam's transponder. "I have no visual sighting of the Eighteenth Angel. Consider it a confirmed kill."

"Good. Any sight of the Shining Gundam?" asked Sub-Director Fuyutsuki. The Supreme Commander had withdrawn from the Operations Deck, and Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi was in no condition at the moment to lead the clean-up. Thus, temporary operational command had passed to Fuyutsuki. "At this juncture, we can't afford any further loss of personnel."

"I am closing in on my sister." Mayumi's red eyes narrowed, her HUD magnifying the section of space where the transponder's signal originated. "Visual sighting confirmed." The Rising Jet gradually maneuvered towards the Shining Gundam, the other half of the Jet Alone hovering listlessly in space. "Mana. Please respond."

There was no answer.

"Hmm." Mayumi calmly typed at her command console, communicating with her counterpart's onboard computer. "Manual override initiated. Gattai." With an ethereal glow, the Rising Jet activated a transformation within itself and the Shining Gundam, the Modular Technology breaking down and rebuilding the two machines. In moments, only the Burning Jet remained. Mayumi looked over her shoulder into the back seat of the shared cockpit; Mana sat there, slumped over. Feeling for her wrist, Mayumi sighed with relief as she felt a pulse. "She's still alive. She likely triggered Anima Overdrive in the course of defeating the Angel."

"We will have a unit ready within the Medical Ward upon your arrival."

"Acknowledged, Sub-Director. Returning to base." Mayumi calmly reoriented the Jet Alone, charting out a flight path back to Tokyo-3. She dynamically readjusted the charge to the Kleinium cores, assuring minimal gravitational stress and lessening the risk of friction.

"…sis…"

Mayumi's ears twitched. "Sister. You were victorious against the Eighteenth Angel."

"…cool." The next few seconds were spent in silence. "…hey."

"Yes?"

"…I'm an asshole, aren't I?"

"…sometimes." The command staff had advised her of the possibility that Mana had been subjected to a psychic assault from the Angel. Given this uncharacteristic introspective mood, Mayumi could only imagine what exactly Mana had endured. "But I am your sister, and the one comrade you can always count on."

"…yeah…" More silence. "Hey…whatever happened to Sohryu? If I had to go into Overdrive to get through…I can't imagine she fared any better…"

"Unfortunately, she's in much worse condition. Comatose."

"Ah." Mana leaned back in her seat, listlessly staring into space as darkness gave way to the planet's light. "…that sucks."

"Yes. It does."

xxxx

/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"...has her sister been informed yet?"

"No."

Rei Ayanami glanced at Ryoji Kaji. "And her father?"

"Nope. Not a conversation I'm looking forward to."

Rei turned back towards the cot that held Asuka Langley-Sohryu. The Second Child was still, lacking the pep and energetic vigor that had characterized her personality. Her eyes belonged to the dead, lacking all life and light. Her face – slack, emotionless – was the true indication of her current state. Asuka without a smile was...wrong. "This has not been a good day."

"That would be putting it mildly," remarked Kaji. Three chairs were parked beside Asuka's cot, facing the windows that revealed the Geofront; such beauty - artificial though it was - seemed utterly contradictory to the events that had transpired over the past twenty-four hours. Misato sat between the First Child and the Inspector, her face buried into her hands. Even now, hours after the defeat of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Angels, an anguished shudder would wrack its way through her body every few minutes. Kaji rubbed the back of her shoulders supportively, knowing full well that this loss was...a difficult one. "Down another Pilot, and dear Misato-chan just lost the most important man in her life." At Rei's curious glance, the Inspector gave a wry grin. "Compared to the bird, I was a distant second. And deservedly so; he's the reason we stuck together at all."

"I was not aware."

"Yeah," murmured Misato. With a runny sniffle, she raised her head, face flushed and eyes still glistening with tears. She rested her elbows on her her lap, wrapping her arms around her torso as though fighting off a frigid wind. "I first met Ryoji at Leipzig, when I was going to university with Ritsuko."

Rei arched an eyebrow at the use of the Inspector's first name, an action that he found equally surprising given his wide eyes. She couldn't recall if she had ever heard the Inspector's first name spoken out loud before, not even by Asuka.

"There weren't many other Japanese exchange students there to begin with, so meeting one that was a cute guy was a bonus as far as I was concerned." She stared at nothing, her memories vivid judging by her thoughtful expression. "But as I got to know him, parts of his personality began to shine through. He seemed very outward and friendly, but he was also good at speaking in half-truths...something that he still does, for the record."

"Comes with the job, dear."

"I wasn't really sure how to feel about him. I even entertained thoughts of breaking up with him...but I went to Pen-Pen for advice. And he asked to play Ryoji in a game of chess."

Rei blinked. "...chess."

"Our games lasted for a couple of hours," added Kaji, a fond grin on his face. "To this day, I'm still not sure exactly what he was looking for, or what he saw in me, because I didn't win once."

"All I know is that Pen-Pen said that I could trust Ryoji. Even if he made it incredibly difficult to do so, sometimes...so I did." Misato sighed, leaning back against her chair, her shoulders slouching with weariness. "Even though our jobs and careers took us in different directions for a time, we left each other on good terms. I don't know what life would have been like otherwise...but I'm glad I listened." Another tear decided to make a break for it; Misato brushed it away with the back of her hand. "He was always worth listening to. In a strange way, he was more of a father to me than my actual dad." A high-pitched giggle slipped past her lips. "What a life I lead..."

"...I see." Rei Ayanami turned back towards Asuka, still comatose. It was a fruitless exercise, hoping anything would change, yet she did it anyway. "...the pain you're experiencing now...was your life with Pen-Pen worth it?"

"Rei...right now it feels like a part of me is missing. Like a hole's been carved out of me, and I'm still bleeding out." Sniffling, the Lieutenant Colonel forced a smile to her face. "But my time with Pen-Pen was too important. I literally wouldn't have survived Australia without him. I am who I am, in part, because of him. This pain will pass...but that bond we shared will never break."

"I see." Rei glanced at her hands, flexing them slowly. If Shinji-kun was never found, would her time with him have been worth it? If Asuka never awoke, would their friendship have been worth it?

A distant alarm went off, and Misato's phone began to ring.

Sighing with frustration, Misato whipped out her phone and held it to hear ear. "What is it?" Her face darkened, curdling with barely-restrained fury. "...I see. I'll be there soon." Misato got to her feet, hand tightening around her phone. "Rei, prepare to deploy in Unit-00. The Sixteenth Angel's returned."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Kaji, keep an eye on Asuka."

The Inspector smiled sadly. "I have nowhere better to be."

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"Any activity?" asked Misato Katsuragi as she stormed into the room. The desire to tear the Angel apart was strong, almost overwhelming. Regardless, she kept a firm lid on it.

"None," replied Dr. Akagi. The holographic monitors showed the black-and-white sphere hovering serenely over the shores of Sagami Bay. The afternoon sky was a dusky orange, the color of dull flame as the sun's light scattered against the slowly-dissipating clouds. "Just hovering there like the world's worst disco ball!"

"No radiation readings detected as of yet," advised Maya. "The MAGI are still deliberating."

"From the records we have, the sphere is only a sign of its presence," remarked Hyuga. "The void that took Units-01, 03, and 05 didn't appear until the sphere vanished."

"Well, at least we know what to look for. What's the status of the Jet Alone?"

"Only the Rising Gundam will be able to deploy," answered Aoba. "The Eighteenth Angel did a number on Kirishima, so we've only got Yamagishi to help."

Misato grimaced. One Evangelion and one Gundam. We don't even have the Defender Gundams to run interference anymore...wait. "What's happening?"

The eighty-meter sphere suddenly began descending toward the shoreline. As its edge touched the surface, the white stripes faded away, leaving only a blank sphere of pure darkness.

"We're getting some unusual activity from the Angel's AT-Field," commented Miyata. "Local energy readings are spiking!"

"I'm getting transponder activity!" yelled Hyuga. "Positive matches obtained! It's Unit-03!"

Misato whirled towards the Logisitics Officer. "Toji-kun?!"

"And Provisional Unit-05!"

Misato blinked. "What?"

"And...Unit-04?!"

"What?! How's that possible?!" The Operations Director turned back towards the screen, confused as to what was happening.

Then it emerged, and everyone paled with terror. "Oh God..." whispered Misato.

xxxx

/Coastline between Ruins of Atami and Yugawara, Shores of Sagami Bay, Japan/

The eyes, gleaming with power and fury, were visible first: two pairs of shining white eyes, adjacent to a glowing yellow visor.

The darkness slowly gave way to light as it emerged.

Two humanoid legs – covered in a mishmash of black and white armor – thundered onto the shore, thick with corded muscle. The four legs of Unit-05 were curled up like an armored skirt, attached to a robust waist that was easily over twice as wide as the average Evangelion's lithe build. Black, white, and green armor protected the burly torso, its frame more akin to a hulking strongman than the slender build of an Eva. Above three red Cores, four masks stared lifelessly, the remnants of the Seventh Angel's bodies. Three pairs of arms, belonging to Units-04, 05, and 03 in order from lowest to highest, slouched from the creature's sides. From the stout shoulders – protected by a layered mesh of Unit-05's and Unit-03's pauldrons – came three necks, supporting three familiar heads: from left to right, Unit-03, Unit-05, and Unit-04.

The defining feature, above all else, were the blue veins that crisscrossed the beast's body.

With a flexing of Unit-05's legs, the monstrosity - fifty-five meters in height, its body bulging with stolen biomass - stood even taller, roaring its challenge to humanity. Its six arms stretched, no longer limp but brimming with strength. The four limbs snapped back into place around the torso, causing the beast to land roughly on the shore, its sheer mass creating an aftershock that roiled the countryside.

The Sixteenth Angel faded from existence, leaving only Bardiel, the Nineteenth Angel.

YOUR END HAS COME, LILIM. TIME TO BEGIN THE HARVEST.

And thus did the abominable fusion of Eva and Angel begin its fateful march towards Tokyo-3.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 27: DESTROYER (Those who persevere)

xxxx

(It is darkest before dawn...or is that just before it goes pitch black? I guess you'll find out soon.)

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/Keter, NERV-1, Geofront, Tokyo-3/

"Ikari. These are unexpected circumstances."

"That would be putting it lightly, Chairman." Within the confines of Keter, in the special holographic conference room, Gendo Ikari met with the Human Instrumentality Committee. Well, some of them; the representatives from America and Russia were conspicuously absent. "So much so that Mr. Putin and Mr. Cleveland have decided not to show."

"Our colleagues are busy dealing with the fallout from the Seventh Angel's assault," grumbled Stanley Morrison of the UK. "America in particular has gone batty. Feh, this whole situation is all ballsed-up."

"How uncouth," sneered Augustin Fourier of France. "Is the stress getting to you, Mr. Morrison?"

"Might I remind you that these official meetings are a matter of public record?"

"Frustration is a perfectly acceptable feeling when everything's gone all to pot!" snarled Stanley.

"Gentlemen. Collect yourselves." At the word of Keel Lorenz, Stanley and Augustin ceased their griping. "This change in strategy by the Angels is alarming."

"As of this point, only the First Child and the Rising Gundam's Pilot are combat-capable. The others are either MIA, or incapacitated." Feeling just a bit petulant, Gendo added, "it's events like these that make our most recent budget restrictions…difficult."

"There are needs beyond those of just the First Branch," retorted Augustin. "The MP Eva Series is nearly complete, bolstered by all of the combat data acquired during the course of the Angel War. Soon, the Angels – no matter how many they number – will pose no further threat."

"It won't matter if Third Impact occurs before they are finished."

"Sometimes, life leaves us gobsmacked," muttered Stanley. "The events that led to this have already occurred. There is nothing to be done about it."

"Can we expect any assistance from the Mark 06 or the Mark 07?"

"They will be on standby in Berlin-2, in the event another Angel emerges. We trust that you will find a way to succeed: you already have against the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Angels."

"At the cost of the P2 System, the Second Child, and the Shining Gundam's Pilot." Kirishima would hopefully be back on her feet within a few days. Sohryu's fate was…uncertain. And Pen-Pen…well, dead was dead. Before he could continue, a familiar alarm began to rang out. "…and it appears that another Angel is on our doorstep."

"Do what you must, Ikari. The fate of the Instrumentality Project, and mankind itself, rests on your shoulders." At Keel's words, the images of the three Committee representatives winked out, leaving only Gendo Ikari and Kozou Fuyutsuki, who had been silent throughout the whole exchange.

"…they're trying to bait you into using the Lance," said Fuyutsuki.

"Of course. Tactically, it's the most sensible move: arming Unit-00 with the Lance of Longinus would likely guarantee victory against any being born of ADAM. It will also provide useful data for the replicas they're currently constructing."

"Hmm. But strategically…" Fuyutsuki didn't have to complete his thought.

Gendo knew very well what using the Lance at this juncture would do. Unbinding the First Angel, even incomplete? The danger was too great. "We will do what we must. That's all we can do."

xxxx

/Elsewhere/

"…ugh…" Shinji Ikari slowly opened his eyes. The interior of the Entry Plug was slightly cloudy, and dark. "Did I go into Life Support mode…?"

The last thing he remembered…he had been in Alaska. And then…nothing.

Grimacing, Shinji reached over the side of his seat, reaching for the switch that would trigger Diagnostic Mode. With a hard tug, the outward sensors snapped on-

not so fast​

"GAH!" A sudden stinging sensation swept through Shinji, as though his entire body fell asleep. Wincing at the pain, he waited for the feeling to subside before opening his eyes again. "…what?"

He was sitting in a train car, with the sun fading towards the horizon. Sitting across from him was a young child, looking suspiciously like him…as a boy. "What the…"

"Hello."​

The voice was jarringly familiar. It might as well have been him. "What…?"

"Shinji Ikari. Pilot of Evangelion Unit-01."​

"Yes…?"

"I would like to talk."​

"…about…?"

"A great many things. All of them involving you."​

xxxx

Episode 27: DESTROYER (Those who persevere)

xxxx

/Outskirts of Old Himenosawa Park, Four Miles South of Lake Ashi, Japan/

The Nineteenth Angel lumbered through the valley, tracing the same path that the Fifteenth Angel had taken three weeks ago. There was no sense of haste, no rush to get to Tokyo-3; from an outsider's perspective, the monstrosity was taking a leisurely stroll.

Perhaps, it could afford to do so.

In the distance, plumes of smoke erupted as artillery and rockets from the Kannami and Yugawara Defensive Lines opened fire on the Angel. The heavy munitions exploded harmlessly against the Angel's AT-Field.

With a lumbering groan – as if the monster was sighing with annoyance – the Angel turned to the northeast. The masks on its chest flashed in quick succession.

CHYOOM!

A row of pink crosses erupted in the distance.

Growling, the Angel turned westward, the jaws of its three heads opening wide and glimmering with power.

DOOOM!

Three concentrated streams of charged particles blasted through the side of the valley, tracing a fiery path through the defensive assets that were encamped on the other side.

As black smoke roiled through the afternoon sky, the Angel huffed and continued its deadly march.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"…the Yugawara and Kannami Defensive Lines have just been completely destroyed," said Aoba, her face slack with shock.

Ritsuko Akagi summed up everyone's feelings concisely. "Welp. We're boned."

"Cut the crap, Ritsky." Misato Katsuragi tapped at her shoulder with great agitation. "Unit-00 and the Rising Gundam alone…"

"It will certainly be quite the challenge."

Misato glanced over her shoulder; Shiro Tokita, escorted by a pair of Section 2 personnel, walked calmly onto the Operations Deck. "Not going to observe from your bunker?"

"Tomino-san can supervise the launch of the Rising Gundam. And NERV has a better view." Tokita took a spot beside Misato, a rather gloomy look on his voice. "If we are fated to perish this day, I would at least like to meet it face-to-face."

"…so the salaryman actually has guts!" Aoba cackled. "How amusing."

"Salaryman he may have been, but Tokita has always had a spirit that burns with boundless confidence." Gendo Ikari's compliment was somewhat subdued by the grape popsicle he was eating. "He would not have dared to begin the JET ALONE Project otherwise."

"…your compliments are so backhanded that they're infuriating," groused Tokita.

"You decided to watch the battle under my roof. Deal with it."

Misato turned back towards the monitors, watching grimly as the Nineteenth Angel advanced relentlessly towards Tokyo-3. "…probably asking for too much, but have we tried to force eject the Entry Plugs?"

"All signals were rejected," responded Maya.

Misato snorted. "Figures. Hyuga, make sure we have as many mobile generators available as we can. And deploy Unit-00 with the advanced battery packs! I don't want to risk Rei being without power for even a second!"

xxxx

Within the Entry Plug of Unit-00, Rei Ayanami flexed her hands quietly. I will probably die in this battle. It was a very probable outcome: the only other active asset capable of penetrating an AT-Field was the Rising Gundam. The relentless and coordinated attacks by the Seventh, Sixteenth, Seventeenth, and Eighteenth Angels had reduced Tokyo-3's defensive effectiveness severely. Furthermore, this newest monster had apparently possessed the bodies of the Seventh Angel, Unit-03, Unit-04, and Unit-05 to form a true titan of destruction. Against such power, death seemed all but certain.

"Pilot link-up initiated!"

But I will fight nonetheless.

why

You know why.

even if it's pointless

That doesn't matter.

"Preparing for third stage connection!"

if you are doomed from the start, why persist in struggling?

Because the probability of victory is nonzero.

it might as well be

If a chance exists, I will grasp for it with all of my might.

you will die, and all of this will have been for nothing

No.

no?

You're wrong.

"Nearing absolute borderline!"

elaborate

This life that I have lived. The friends that I have made. These…feelings that I have for Shinji-kun. They are not nothing. They are real.

superfluous. without them, you would have been nothing

My existence would have been true, even if no one else acknowledged it. I am I. I exist. I am me. I am not nothing.

…no. The soul within Unit-00 seemed to relent. you are not nothing

My mere existence is sufficient to prove that this life had meaning. The people I fight for, and the purpose that I have dedicated myself to… they only give it greater meaning. A memory came to mind, of her index fingers touching her lips…and then Shinji-kun's. So if there is a chance that I will live to see another day…I will fight for it with everything that I have.

…i see.

"Absolute borderline cleared! Sync ratio holding strong at one-hundred percent!"

The voice faded, and only the sensations of Eva remained. Rei inhaled deeply: refurbished metal and lubricant were the most predominant scents. Her eyes narrowed, keenly focusing on the technicians and the sweat trickling down their necks. The clamps of the magnetic rail launcher clasped on tightly, as though they were sticking onto her very shoulders.

Rei exhaled, and let the heart of Unit-00 envelop her own. For the very first time, her senses were mapped perfectly to those of the Evangelion. So this is what Shinji-kun and Asuka have been experiencing all this time.

It was most definitely agreeable.

"Launch the Evangelion!"

Rei clenched her fists tightly; at the words of the Supreme Commander, Unit-00 shot toward the surface to meet the enemy.

xxxx

Shinji Ikari wished he could see his younger self's face. The shadow cast by the setting sun shrouded the child's face in darkness. Impossibly, the glare of the setting sun didn't hurt his eyes at all. This...might be a dream. "I don't think I'm that interesting."

"On the contrary. As the Pilot of Evangelion Unit-01, there are many who find you interesting."​

"Okay. I guess that's true."

"Do you ever consider how other people view you?"​

"Pardon?"

"There is the Shinji Ikari within your mind, the self as perceived by you. That is one such Shinji Ikari."​

"...I wasn't aware there was supposed to be more than one of me." Then again, I am talking to 'me'.

"There is also the 'you' as perceived by others. There is a Shinji Ikari within Gendo Ikari's mind; a Shinji Ikari within Rei Ayanami's mind; a Shinji Ikari within Misato Katsuragi's mind; a Shinji Ikari within Asuka Langley-Sohryu's mind; a Shinji Ikari within Toji Suzuhara's mind; a Shinji Ikari within Annette Ikari's mind, et cetera, et cetera. They are all equally as real as the Shinji Ikari within your mind."​

"...what."

"Does it ever concern you, these other Shinji Ikaris? Do you ever fear that other people might hate you, because of the Shinjis within their mind?"​

"...no."

"Why?"​

"I think we're getting a little ahead of ourselves!"

"Is that so?"​

"I mean, how others think of me is one thing: it's not like I would be happy if other people hated me, but the people you just mentioned...if they ever did hate me, it would have to be because I did something awful. But I don't agree with your idea, that the way they perceive me is as real as how I perceive myself."

"Why?"​

"Because they're not me. They don't know what I'm thinking unless I tell them. They don't know who I am unless I try to reach out to them, or unless I let them reach out to me. It's like Rei-chan is always saying: 'to move Eva, I must open my heart to it.' If I don't open my heart to others, they can't know me well enough for the Shinji within their minds to...well, be real."

"You are very confident about this assertion."​

"My Uncle Tomoe told me lots of stories about his time as a police officer, about how a lot of people he arrested criticized him, and called him these absolutely awful things. I mean, I get why: he was a cop, and they were being arrested by him. But their words don't match up with who my Uncle is, because I've lived with him and know more about him than they ever did. Maybe if I put it in your terms...the 'Tomoe Ikari' in my mind is more real than the 'Tomoe Ikari' in the criminals' minds, because I've experienced more of him."

"Your data set is more thorough, and so your conclusions have more weight. That is a sensible position."
​

"...thanks?"

"But since we're on the subject...let's speak of Tomoe Ikari. And Alicia Ikari. And Annette Ikari. The people who helped form you, the 'Shinji Ikari' within your mind."​

The train rumbled along the tracks, the sun's light cutting out as they delved into a mountainside tunnel. Instead of darkness, the walls revealed a well-worn gym, rank with sweat and musk. Hardy men of all ages went about boxing, practicing and relishing in the physical exertion.

It was in this scene that Shinji witnessed an old memory, from July of 2011. His gargantuan Uncle stood behind a sandbag, looking down at his ten year-old self.

"Make a fist and hit the bag."

"…eh?"

"The bag won't hit you back. You don't have enough strength to send it flying."

"But…why do I have to, Uncle Tomoe?"

"A fair question. I know that you are a gentle sort. You're a rather domestic individual, more suited to cooking, or making music. Would you consider that accurate?"

"…um…yes…?"

"And that's fair. Everyone has their own talents. But even so, I believe everyone needs to know how to make a fist, at the very least."

"Why?"

"Because there are some unsavory characters who can't be pacified with a wonderful solo, or a mouthwatering dish. Sometimes, the only thing that these characters will understand is force. And if it comes down to it…a single fist may be what saves your life."

"…yes sir."

"And that's what practice is for. So go ahead: hit the bag."

"Yes sir!" Shinji looked at his petite fist, twitching at the sounds throughout the Kamogawa Gym. Finally, he reared his right hand and lashed out against the sandbag.

BAP!

"OW!"

Tomoe chuckled as the boy rubbed his hand. "Your form was poor. And that's another important lesson: force that is used improperly will do nothing but hurt you instead."

"…yes sir!"

"Now, let's start again. Let me show you how to make a proper fist."​

"A lesson learned through pain."​

Out of the tunnel they went, and the sun's light illuminated the car once more. "Well, yeah. That was kind of the point."

"Could it have been learned without pain? Are lessons without pain meaningless?"​

"…not always. I think it depends on the lesson."

"Do you believe the pain was worth it?"​

Shinji looked down at his right hand, staring at his fingers, his palm, his knuckles…

(I…won't…LOSE! Unit-01's right hand curled into a fist before smashing into the red core of the Third Angel.)​

The Third Child's hand clenched into a sure fist. "Absolutely."

"Interesting. And what of the one you call 'Aunt'?"​

There was a mounted television set at the end of the train car. With a flickering of static, it turned on, revealing a scene straight out of a cooking show. Instead of a celebrity or a famous chef, it was a scene from 2008, featuring Alicia Ikari and a seven-year old Shinji. The young child was overlooking a pot of boiling rice, while Alicia was calmly slicing through a slab of beef.

"Can I help with the meat?"

"Not until you're better in the kitchen, Shinji."

"But why? I wanna help!"

"You are helping. You're keeping an eye on the water level."

"But that's easy! You've let me help with the meat before!"

"That was for when we were just practicing. Now? We're making dinner."

"…what's the difference?"

Alicia smiled at her nephew. It might have been a trick of the perspective, but there was an unusual amount of lens flare. "Making food for someone else is a labor of love."

"Huh?"

"Time and effort are invested into it, all for the sake of making something delicious…and not just for me to enjoy, but for my whole family. In a situation like this, I can only put my best foot forward. Nothing less will do."

"…I don't get it."

"Once you get better, you'll understand. Now grab me the allspice."

"Okay Auntie!"​

"…what about my Aunt?"

"Is there any sense of maternal longing with her?"​

"…what do you mean?"

"Memories of your own mother are few and far between. The 'Alicia Ikari' in your mind fulfills that maternal role."​

"Well…I'd be lying if I said no."

"Is that not a betrayal of your own mother? Or of your own feelings regarding the 'Yui Ikari' in your mind?"​

"You talk as if such feelings are so easy to separate!"

"Why not? Aren't your feelings a reflection of the 'Shinji Ikari' within your mind? If so, how can you claim ambiguity? Do you not know yourself?"​

"Well-!"

"Of course that baka doesn't know who he is!"​

Shinji and his younger self blinked; all of a sudden, it seemed as if his cousin – Annette Ikari, in all of her boisterous glory – had materialized in front of them. She stood imperiously, arms crossed, glaring down at the little tyke. "…huh?"

"What."​

"Isn't it obvious? That boy was such a shrinking violet when I first met him that I'm surprised he didn't wilt away!"​

"Hey-!"

"Quiet! The mastermind is busy elaborating on her craft."​

Shinji sighed. She's in one of those moods. "Fine."

"What."​

"Anyhow, he is merely a good example of the human condition! Wandering through life, stumbling and pawing for light whenever it occurs…and yet those moments of discovery, where you mold your misshapen self into something with definition, with background, with purpose…" Annette pumped her fist into the air, eyes glittering with passion. "The story of life is the story of character development!"​

"But-"​

"So I don't want to stand here and listen to some snotty know-it-all give a shot at some amateur psychoanalysis that he picked up from a one yen pocketbook!" With a haughty snort, the blonde stormed off into the next car.​

"…you have very vivid memories of her."​

"I guess so. Not surprising, honestly."

"…that was very unexpected."​

Shinji shrugged. "That's Annette for you."

"With such a trio, it's not surprising that you perceive yourself the way you do. Doesn't that bother you at all?"​

"No. Why should it?"

"The 'Shinji Ikari' within your mind could have been entirely different, were it not for them. Your self-perception could have been radically altered, had their own characters been different, or if they had not existed at all. Does it not trouble you? To realize that if not for the actions of completely separate selves, the 'you' that you perceive would not exist?"​

"…that's kind of a silly question, isn't it? If I had been raised by different people, of course I would have been different. It's all a part of growing up. It's a part of being human."

"…I see."​

xxxx

/Southern Shore of Lake Ashi, Tokyo-3/

Unit-00 glanced over its left shoulder, watching the Rising Gundam approach. "Yamagishi-san. Are you ready?"

"No. But we have no choice."

"Of course." The blue Evangelion turned back to the south, holding an Eva-scale sniper rifle. Even without the scope, the titanic figure of the Nineteenth Angel loomed ominously in the distance. Her sight fell upon the parts of Unit-03 that were intermixed with the monstrosity. "Command: have you detected any life signs from the Sixth Child?"

"…the MAGI are inconclusive," answered Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi. "Ritsuko's going to try and obtain a signal one way or another, but for the time being…prioritize defeating the Angel."

"Understood." Forgive me, Pilot Suzuhara. Unit-00 stared through the scope, aiming directly at the central head corresponding to Unit-05. "Commencing attack."

A sharp crack broke through the air as the massive bullet shot at the Angel. Unsurprisingly, the shell bounced ineffectively off of its AT-Field. Hmm. A chill ran over her skin as a strange shift occurred in the world. The Angel is preparing to attack.

"Massive energy build-up! MOVE!"

Unit-00 and the Rising Gundam had already begun moving by the time four crosses of pink energy split the ground where they had been. The blue Evangelion rolled over, quickly getting back to its feet as a horrific howl burrowed into her ears. Glancing up, Rei frowned at the sight of the Angel, descending toward her lance-first. It's fast. Sidestepping, Unit-00 barely dodged as the Angel slammed into the earth, sending a massive aftershock rumbling through the Hakone region. The beast snarled from its three heads, glaring heatedly at the smaller Eva.

Unit-00 merely put its fists up. "This is Rei Ayanami. I am engaging the Angel."

The front two legs of Unit-05 lashed out, barely parried by Unit-00's forearms. The progressive lance thrust forward with incredible speed, missing Unit-00 by mere inches; this barrage of blows continued, avoided only because of Rei Ayanami's superb reflexes.

"Rising Arrow!"

A bolt of charged plasma slammed into the Angel's back, splashing over its armor. With a pained howl, the six arms swung around, trying to swat the Rising Gundam out of the sky.

Unit-00 latched its hands around two of Unit-05's legs. With the flexing of abdominal muscles, the Evangelion heaved – arms straining – and sent the Angel airborne. With improbable agility, the beast righted itself, landing dexterously on its feet. Its three heads tilted, staring at her with an odd expression.

If Rei didn't know any better, she would have said that the Angel seemed amused.

The beast howled, and leapt forward to continue its rampage.

xxxx

The train rumbled on.

"The events of your childhood, of your time in Okayama-2...they informed you a great deal. Do you ever wonder how things might have turned out?"​

"In what way?"

The train passed through another tunnel, very brief this time. It showed flickering images from a fateful meeting in May of 2008: Gendo Ikari, gesturing a younger Shinji Ikari towards Tomoe, Alicia, and Annette Ikari. Uncle's expression was decidedly chilly.

"How would the 'Shinji Ikari' within your mind had turned out, if you had remained with your father?"​

"...I don't know. I've thought about it."

"And?"​

"...well..."

A flyer suddenly slammed into the side of the train window, featuring Gendo Ikari staring ominously; in his hand was a tiny kitten. In his other hand was a handgun, pointed directly at the viewer. The title beneath the image read 'IF YOU DON'T FIGHT THE ANGELS, THEY WILL KILL THIS KITTEN. THINK OF THE KITTEN.' A gust of wind flung the flyer away.

"...I'd probably be more unbalanced?"

"Do you think an unbalanced individual should have the authority that your father wields?"​

"I honestly don't know if a more balanced person would have done a better job. This is a weird time we live in."

"I see. But his demeanor wasn't always like this. There was a time when he was more...distant. Colder. Crueler."​

A much younger Shinji Ikari paled as his father flung his little shamisen at the wall, shattering it. Before he could say anything, before he could cry, his father reached for his throat and began to squeeze. "D...daddy..."​

"And yet...angrier as well."​

Shinji grimaced. "...yes. That time...it's one of the things my father regrets the most. Your point?"

"Such an interesting individual. I can hardly imagine the event that drove him to such extremes. But you know it very well, don't you?"​

"...yes."

Shinji turned his head, compelled by something foreign. Behind him, a separate track stood, carrying another train. Across that void, in the adjacent car...a familiar scene played.

"Momma!"

Tired eyes opened, looking down with childish delight at her child. Her gaze was strangely empty. "My dear Shinji."

With delighted laughter, the young three year-old held his arms up, being picked up by the bedridden woman. "Always away, now!"

"The doctors say I'm sick. They're just being safe."

"Momma sick?" Gon' get better?

"Of course I will! I can't be away from you for too long."

Childish babble came from child and woman. The former was unaware of the latter's true state, only that she had been more chatty and more cheerful since she had gotten sick. The young child turned around, looking at the door of the hospital room. "Daddy! Come here!"

"...I'm fine right here, son. Just...stay with your...mother." His words were pained, hesitant. Shinji couldn't see the tension in his eyes.

"...okay!" The child turned back to his crippled mother, unaware of why she had changed, unaware of what the future held.​

"...that was..."

"Shortly before the Contact Experiment with Unit-01. October of 2004, yes?"​

"...that's right. Mother was sick..."

"But sick with what? Why was she ill? Why was your father so hesitant?"​

"...Mother acted differently. The illness changed her..."

"Was it truly an illness?"​

"...I don't know. But this isn't the event that changed my father."

"The seed was sown by this 'illness', by whatever caused it. With the Contact Experiment, that change came to full bloom."​

Mother held onto him tightly, hugging him fiercely. She wore a strange costume the color of snow and green leaves, and it was tight on her body. "Momma...?"

"It's okay Shinji...I love you...I'll always be here..."

"You goin' way?"

"I'll be...close...but I'll still miss you. I'll miss holding you...my dear baby...but I have to do this."

"...momma?"

"Fuyutsuki. Please remove him from the room. He doesn't need to see this."

The words of his father were followed by large hands wrapping around his torso. The young boy watched quietly as he was pulled away from his parents; mother watched him with a joyous smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. His father's gaze was...uncertain, matching his frown.

That would be the last time he saw his mother in the flesh.​

"The Contact Experiment. The day when your mother was absorbed into Unit-01."​

"...what are you trying to get at?" Shinji sniffled, rubbing at his eyes. Seeing her - pulled from faint memories that he had long forgotten - induced a painful ache in his chest.

"The pain you experience now, the pain of loss and longing: it is a sense of incompleteness."​

"Why do you think I'm incomplete?"

"To control the Evangelion, you must open yourself to the soul of your mother. In a sense, your own body is a type of Eva, controlled and moved by a single soul: yours. The Angels are the same, with souls capable of controlling titanic forms. Do you follow?"​

"...kind of?"

"Yet your soul alone is insufficient to control the Eva alone. It required another soul, subsumed by the Eva's flesh to become something...superhuman. Within your own flesh, you consider yourself complete and whole, yet subject to change. But within Eva, you are incomplete, as the flesh does not respond only to you. Without the soul of your mother, you are incomplete."​

"...I don't follow."

"The flesh and the spirit form one undivided whole, an existence unto itself. Yet within Eva, there is division. Incoherence. Fragmentation. Does this not frighten you?"​

"...not really? I'm not sure exactly why you think it's so scary."

"...I see."​

xxxx

/Southern Shore of Lake Ashi, Tokyo-3/

Mayumi Yamagishi scowled. Something's wrong. "Rising Arrow!" Another bolt of charged plasma slammed into the Angel's back. Shrieking, three arms whipped around, lashing out with pointed knuckles. Thrusters fired, flinging the Rising Gundam backward; with the aid of the Kleinium core, her evasive maneuvers were swift and precise. And yet...

Long-distance artillery shelled the Angel's position; Unit-00 weaved around the explosives, leaping atop Unit-05's outstretched legs and smashing the three heads repeatedly with its fists.

And yet...

The Angel snorted imperiously. It opened its three mouths, prompting Unit-00 to dodge.

DOOOM!

Mt. Mikuni was enveloped with fire and light, and its peak vanished into oblivion.

And yet...

There was an unsettling feeling within Mayumi's gut. The Rising Gundam darted forward, slicing at the monstrosity's limbs with the Rising Naginata and the beam saber. She narrowly avoided the Angel's retaliatory strikes, eluding certain destruction by mere inches. Flesh was gouged away; Unit-00's latent presence was just enough to make the Angel's AT-Field permeable.

And yet...

Why couldn't she shake this feeling? Despite the Nineteenth Angel's overwhelming power, Rei Ayanami and Unit-00 were moving without flaw; the First Child's physical abilities had always been superb, and they were now translating completely to her Eva. With that in mind, the Rising Gundam and the depleted defenses of Tokyo-3 were able to nick away at the beast's form.

And yet...

Where was this uncertainty coming from?

The Angel twirled on Unit-03's feet, the four legs of Unit-05 extended to form a furious whirlwind of blows. Unit-00 somersaulted over the Angel-

SMASH!

The progressive lance moved improbably quickly, its blunt side crashing into the blue Evangelion. The Eva was sent flying, crashing onto the northeastern shores of Lake Ashi and tumbling down the foothills of Mt. Hakone.

Paling, Mayumi quickly willed the Rising Gundam to retreat. The Angel's arms were suddenly whipping around, moving more quickly-!

Ah.

Her eyes widened as the progressive lance pointed directly at her, the arm tilting and bending at impossible angles: bone structure was no longer a factor.

That's why.

Her mind had logged all observations of the Angel's movements. Comparing its actions throughout the fight, with how its initial attack had gone and how it was acting now...it was the realization of self-restraint. Of self-imposed limits: something that Mayumi, as a nephilim, knew by heart.

Why would it hold back?

Despite the lack of gravity to impede her Gundam's retreat, the progressive lance effortlessly caught up with her.

...for what other reason than to toy with us?

Mayumi gasped as the lance pierced her Gundam. A burning pain roared through her-

BOOM!

A bolt of concussive force erupted from the lance, smashing into the Rising Gundam and sending it crashing into the side of Mt. Mikuni.

Mayumi cried with pain, her jaws clenched with agony. She could barely make out the hole in the cockpit – the cushioning gel was leaking out, and panicked shouts from NERV-1's command staff were filtering into her helmet – and the trails of crimson beginning to float around her. She didn't need to look down to know what had happened, but she did anyway.

Her left leg was gone from the knee down.

Scowling and heaving heavily, Mayumi tried to manipulate her Gundam's beam saber. Screens flickered and electronics shorted out as the nanotech's self-repair protocol tried to override her actions. Don't black out don't black out don't black out...! The pink blade ignited, and she gently lowered it into the cockpit. Gel sizzled and evaporated, as the tip pressed against what was left of her leg.

Mayumi shrieked as the wound was cauterized, and she was barely able to turn the saber off before darkness claimed her. Ayanami-san...I'm sorry...

Unit-00 was now alone, the last defender left standing.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"All contact lost with the Rising Gundam," murmured Makoto Hyuga.

"…are we looking at the worst case scenario?" asked Shiro Tokita, his fists trembling with anxiety and fear.

"Vital signs were erratic before communications cut out." Aoba glanced over her shoulder. "We don't have anything in place to go and extract her."

"…Kirishima-san is going to kill me."

"That's if we can get out of this alive. Or partially alive. Which is just being partially dead!" Ritsuko turned towards Misato. "Unit-00 is performing well, but the Angel's erratic attacks keep wiping out the mobile generators. Eventually, the Eva will be restricted to fighting in Tokyo-3 proper."

"I know. Get the railgun ready." Think Misato, think! There has to be a way to come out on top. There HAS to! Defeat was never an option up for consideration. Even if it all seemed hopeless, there had to be something. Think. THINK, DAMN IT!

xxxx

Shinji fidgeted in his seat. "You know, I'd like to wake up now."

"You believe that you are asleep?"​

"…that was my impression. This whole thing feels like a dream."

"I see. Dreams are an interesting phenomenon: a strange chain of images, sensations, and ideas. Their purpose is mysterious."​

"I guess. It would be neat to choose whether my dreams are good or bad."

"And what differentiates a 'good' dream from a 'bad' one? Is it merely subjective feeling? If a dream makes you uncomfortable, does that make it 'bad'?"​

"I don't know."

"Your father often makes you uncomfortable. Does that make him bad?"​

"...no. You can't compare people and dreams."

"Yet your dreams are often of other people. There is one dream involving your father that is tied to a memory. You often relive it."​

"…you'll have to be specific." He had a sinking suspicion as to what his doppelganger was referring to.

"November the twenty-fourth, in the year two-thousand-and-fourteen."​

"…the tenth anniversary of the Contact Experiment."

The shadowed child point behind Shinji.

Sighing, the Third Child looked over his shoulder; far below the suspended train tracks, Hakone Memorial Cemetery sprawled in all directions. Two very familiar figures were standing in front of a very familiar grave.

"Yes. The day where you finally realized what your father faced."​

Shinji Ikari crouched down, rubbing his hand over the gravestone. "…ten years."

"Yes." His father stood stoically behind him, his form shrouded by a cloak. It was something new that he hadn't worn last year. "Time flows constantly, carrying us all, even if we're not aware of its flow."

"…have you been talking to my cousin?"

"No."

"Oh. It sounded like something she'd say." Sighing, Shinji wrapped his arms around his knees. "The city's gotten bigger."

"The defensive preparations are nearing completion. Tokyo-3 shall be mankind's hope, the fortress of the future."

"…do you really think the Angels will return?"

"Without a doubt."

"It's just…every year that passes, it becomes more and more like a dream. I know Second Impact was horrible…but isn't it a good thing, to try and move on?"

"Of course. Yet the present is informed by the past; without knowing what we've endured, we have no future."

"I guess…it's just…I wish I could see you more than just one week every year."

"So do I. But the risk to you would be too great."

Shinji scowled. "You always say that. But if the Angels haven't returned, what do I have to fear? At least I'd get to see you more!"

Then, there was a new voice.

"Gendo-kun…"

The soil suddenly twitched, and a woman rose from the grave. Shinji shrieked, falling back and scattering away from the zombie…no, not a zombie. It was a living woman. "Wha-?!"

"Shinji-kun…" cooed the woman, her hair cut into a very familiar style, her face shaped in a very familiar way. "My dear boy…"

In his shock, Shinji almost believed that he was looking at his mother. He missed the obvious differences, and the certain tells that his father caught onto immediately.

The doppelganger of Yui Ikari reached for the buttons of her shirt, opening it up to reveal black squares that beeped red. "Please die for me."

He had no time to think before his father grabbed him by the back of his shirt collar. A sudden burst of exhaust erupted from beneath his father's cloak – a jet pack of some sort? – that propelled them away-

KABOOM!

A blazing fire erupted in the cemetery, followed immediately by the crackle of gunfire.

Shinji yelped as the shockwave sent him and his father tumbling, elbows and knees bumping haphazardly against the earth. The boy yelped as his father roughly dragged him behind a gravestone, pushing him down behind it. "Stay down." Gendo reached into his cloak, pulling out two long cylinders and chucking them in the direction of the gunshots.

FYOOOSH!

Smoke erupted from the two cylinders, shrouding the entire area in a thick haze. Without hesitation, Gendo charged into the murk. Scattered gunshots continued, punctuated by gasps and gurgles of men in pain.

Shinji panted heavily, his eyes wide with shock. "…father…?!"​

"Your father had always been strange. Quirky."​

"...yeah."

"You never considered the possibility that it was merely one facet; never considered that he might be…deadly."​

"I know. And I don't think those assassins did either."

Shinji Ikari held a hand over his ears, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. What'sgoingonwhat'sgoingonwhat'sgoingonwhat'sgoingon-?!

A man appeared out of the smoke, clad in plain clothes stained with soil. His eyes – concerned, yet resolute – narrowed as they fell upon Shinji. "The bastard's son…!" He raised his weapon.

Shinji froze. "…wha…?"

Gendo Ikari suddenly stormed from the smoke. The assassin tried to turn – he was too slow – and groaned as Gendo slammed into him. The force knocked the gun away, and the two began to grapple with each other. Without hesitation, Gendo kneed the man in the crotch, following it up by slamming his forehead into the assassin's nose, audibly breaking it.

Shinji stared in stunned silence at the explosion of blood from the stranger's face.

Gendo shoved the assassin against the nearest gravestone, his hands quickly moving from the collar to the neck. Coldly, mercilessly, he pressed the hired gun over the rim of the gravestone, using leverage to prevent the man from escaping. Gendo's hands tightened, and his knees braced against the assassin's legs to keep him from wiggling away.

Shinji's eyes were wide, focused on his father's hands as they kept on choking. His heart jumped a beat as the assassin's struggling slowed to a dead…stop…

After a solid minute of squeezing, Gendo Ikari stepped away, letting the assassin droop lifelessly to the ground. The stranger slumped over, boneless. Glancing briefly at Shinji, Gendo quickly reached up to his ear. "Fuyutsuki. We have a situation at the cemetery. I need a Section 2 deployment ASAP…yes, make a memo for Katsuragi whenever she gets back with her Team. I want her to do a full review of our infiltration protocols…good." Sighing, the man lowered his hand. He finally turned fully towards Shinji, his eyes hidden behind orange shades. "Son. Are you okay…?"

"…uh…" Shinji hiccupped. He raised his hands towards his watery eyes. "What…what was…?!" His head turned towards the site of his mother's grave. "Was that-?!"

"That was not your mother. That was merely an assassin, trying to use the image of Yui to dumbfound me. The other four were supposed to be…insurance."

"But…but why?!"

"Despite our mission, there are some who would prefer that NERV not be mankind's vanguard against the Angels. There are also some who are uncomfortable with my station as its Supreme Commander. And as you've seen…there's very little that they won't do, just to get to me."

"…I don't understand…!"

"It's okay. It can be hard to understand our fellow man at times." He knelt down, quietly embracing his son. "And now you know why I sent you away. This is but one reason."

Shinji merely wrapped his arms around Gendo's torso, curling up within the folds of his father's cloak. In the distance, the rhythmic beat of helicopter rotors echoed as airborne personnel transports moved towards the cemetery.​

"It was your first glimpse at how ruthless your father could be."​

Shinji stared quietly as the faraway scene faded away. "…yes."

"Does his nature not concern you? That he has so many faces, so many facets, hidden from you?"​

"…it used to. But not anymore."

"Oh?"​

"It's not like I could have done anything about some of this stuff. Not as a kid…it was just his way of trying to ensure I had a childhood."

"Is a peaceful childhood truly desirable if it is built on false pretenses?"​

"As compared to what? Parents keep things from their children all the time. There were a couple of times I heard Uncle Tomoe and Aunt Alicia arguing about something when they thought Annette and I were asleep. But they never did it in front of us. Not a serious argument, anyway."

"Why?"​

"Because family is supposed to stick together through thick and thin. No matter what happens."

"…I see."​

xxxx

/Eastern Shore of Lake Ashi, Tokyo-3/

Rei Ayanami ignored the various attractions and rides that Unit-00 was trampling through in order to get to the Angel. The theme park, golf course, and Hakone Shrine were all holdovers from Pre-Impact: reminders of the region's past as a tourist trap, and a simple way to help Tokyo-3's denizens relax and wind down.

Now, these sites of leisure and pleasure were crushed beneath the feet of her Eva and the Nineteenth Angel.

Unit-00 gripped tightly onto its progressive knife and progressive machete, slicing and parrying the flurry of fists lashing out from the Angel. Unit-05's feet pounded at the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth that threatened to send the Eva tumbling.

It was chaotic, and cacophonous. The entirety of Hakone rumbled beneath them, and the light of the setting sun cast the land in a bloody glow. The defensive structures of Tokyo-3 stood stoically in the face of the Angel's rambunctious actions, repeatedly launching whatever long-distance weaponry was still available.

I cannot lose. I am not allowed to lose.

Unit-00 weaved around explosive tongues of flame, as machete and knife nicked at the outstretched legs of Unit-05-

incoming

Rei frowned at the sight of the progressive lance, soaring toward her torso-

A brief tilt of the spine and a rise of the left arm saved Unit-00 from being skewered. The Eva's left arm slammed down, pinning the lance against its body. The right arm rose, raising the progressive machete against the five fists that descended toward the head. Unit-00's legs quivered, but remained steady.

"Rei, keep it still for just a few more seconds. The railgun is almost-"

SLAM!

The two front feet of Unit-05 slammed into Unit-00's torso, sending it flying. Rei nearly threw up from the sheer force that bled through; her stomach felt as if it had just been speared by two pile drivers. The utter power had forced her to release her blades.

Snarling, the Angel turned towards Mt. Hakone, its mouths opening wide and the masks on its chest flashing.

DOOOM!

CHYOOOM!

The entire top half of Mt. Hakone was vaporized, obliterated by a slurry of energy crosses and charged particles; for the briefest of moments, the mountain's destruction was brighter than the sun.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"…the railgun has been destroyed, ma'am," said Miyata Ibuki, his eyes wide with shock.

"…Hyuga. Get on the horn with the JSSDF. Tell them to prepare an N2 strike. I need those wings in the air now."

Everyone stared at the Lieutenant Colonel, shocked at the implications of her order. Finally, Makoto Hyuga turned back to his console with a sigh of resignation. "Roger that."

High above, Gendo Ikari sighed with annoyance at the image of Mt. Hakone's destruction. "I actually liked that weapon."

"Professor. We may have no choice," gravely said Fuyutsuki.

"Perhaps." To use the Lance at this juncture will result in the First Angel awakening right beneath us. "We will hold out as long as possible."

xxxx

/Slopes of Mt. Hakone, Eastern Shore of Lake Ashi, Tokyo-3/

Rei gasped for air as she slowly willed Unit-00 to its feet. Burning rubble and charred debris tumbled down the side of Mt. Hakone, its entire top half reduced to a smoking crater. The railgun is destroyed. The city's offensive counters are dwindling.

CHYOOOM!

A pink cross erupted behind Unit-00, coinciding with a timer appearing in the corner of Unit-00's vision. I have to get to another umbilical-

The Angel surged forward, the wheeled feet of Unit-05 churning through soil and foliage. It raised the progressive lance, lunging forward to impale Unit-00.

The blue Eva skipped to the side, narrowly dodging the beast-

Rei jerked within her Entry Plug, shocked by the sudden shift of momentum. What-?

The arms of Unit-03 gripped tightly onto the remnants of Unit-00's umbilical cable. With a throaty roar of amusement, the Angel began swinging Unit-00 by the cable, spinning it around and around-

An explosive burst of pressure disconnected the cable from Unit-00's back, allowing the titan to go flying towards Mt. Byobu. With a subtle application of her AT-Field, Rei softened Unit-00's landing – sending an expanding web of massive fissures along the charred peak – and bounded back towards the Angel, leg extended for a ferocious kick.

POW!

Rei Ayanami gagged at the sudden spike of pain in her spine. The front legs of Unit-05 had extended and smashed upward, kicking Unit-00 in the back before its foot could connect. Before she could regain control, those same legs extended further outward and rushed back in like a pair of scissors, slamming into the Eva's torso and pinning the titan in place.

Rei grimaced at the burning sensation in her upper body. My ribs are cracked. Held aloft in front of the Angel, she was currently at its mercy.

The Angel sneered and continued its merciless assault, grabbing Unit-00's arms with both Unit-03's and Unit-04's limbs. The monstrosity snorted, and began to pull.

Rei scowled, trying not to yell as her shoulders screamed with pain. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't overpower the Angel and its overwhelming physicality.

Then, as if she didn't have enough problems, a familiar sensation of invasive horror began spreading from her wrists. Eyes wide, Rei could only stare numbly as blue ooze began trickling from Unit-03's hands and onto her Eva. Just like the Seventeenth Angel. It's trying to consume me!

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"The Angel is invading Unit-00's arms! The nerve systems are being corrupted!" screamed Maya.

"Sever the arms. Immediately."

Gendo Ikari's order stunned the command staff to silence. Misato quickly turned and yelled, "but sir, the neural connections have to be-!"

"Lieutenant Colonel…" Rei's growl cut through Misato's protest. "Cut them off."

"…do it," said Misato, her shoulders sagging. Reality was beginning to dawn on her: defeat was inevitable.

xxxx

Explosive bolts detonated, disconnecting Unit-00's arms at the shoulder joint.

Rei Ayanami screamed in agony, the motion echoed by Unit-00 as the armor around its mouth cracked, jaws breaking free of its restraints. Unit-00 twisted at the hips, sliding through the pincer-like grip of Unit-05's legs. The blue Eva quickly stepped back, moving awkwardly due to the loss of its arms.

The Angel huffed, seemingly entertained by this last-ditch effort. It flung Unit-00's arms away like garbage.

Rei panted heavily, her arms numb to all feeling. Her hands gripped the handlebars tightly, frozen in place by a feeling akin to rigor mortis. I'm still standing. She glanced down; the progressive machete lay at Unit-00's feet. I can still fight. Unit-00 clumsily knelt down, jaws stretching to bite down on the machete's hilt. With a tight grip, the Eva stood back up, the blade of the machete jutting to the right. I can still fight.

you cannot win

"So long as I draw breath," growled Rei, speaking through clenched teeth, "I will never give up!"

And so Unit-00 charged forward, a modern-day incarnation of the Light Brigade, and just as doomed.

Stormed at with cross and beam, boldly she rode and well; into the jaws of Death, into the mouth of Hell, rode the one called the First.

xxxx

"You are a very odd individual."​

"How?"

"…let me revise that. Perhaps I should say that the human creature is odd."​

"Again: how?"

"In light of everything that has occurred, the Shinji Ikari within your mind is an accident of history. Were it not for chance variables, your self-perception would not be. You are seemingly content with the incomplete nature of the Evangelion. You are not troubled by the likelihood that some of those who are closest to you may have sides of themselves that you know nothing about…I don't understand."​

Shinji sighed, pressing down on his knees. Slowly rising, he answered, "What's there to understand?"

The television in the train car flickered, and a litany of scenes began to play in quick succession, a montage of what had elapsed since the beginning of the Angel War in September.

I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away…

He thought of his mother's smiling face. With that thought, Shinji stood just a little bit taller, those few centimeters making a world of difference as he looked resolutely at the doors.

I won't run away.

The doors opened, and Shinji stepped foot into Tokyo-3.​

"I mean, what have you been trying to accomplish with all of these questions?"

"I'm here to pilot Evangelion Unit-01…to fight the Angels."

Misato frowned. "And you're…okay with this?"

Shinji resisted the urge to scratch the back of his head. "Well, I don't know exactly what I'm getting into, to be honest…" Old times and memories of halcyon days came to mind. "My father and I…we both made a promise to each other. That's all there is to it."​

"Do you expect me to be anyone else?"

"Ayanami!"

The girl stopped. "That's SERGEANT Ayanami." She looked back at Shinji. "What is it?"

Shinji inhaled. "I...knew what was awaiting me here. I've known for a long time that coming back here meant I'd have to fight!" Shinji willed up his determination. He had acknowledged this for years; despite his fear, despite his misgivings regarding Unit-01, despite the pain that would undoubtedly be waiting for him…he had no choice but to move forward.

There was no other way. "I didn't come just to run away! So don't worry!"​

"Who else would I be other than me?"

"SHINJI-KUN!" screamed Misato. "GET UP!"

That really hurt…

The Third Angel was upon him, holding him in the air with both hands. The beast's elongated fingers wrapped around his wrists, and began to pull.

…but…

Unit-01 seemed to murmur as the Angel's arms flexed. The limbs bulged, as if spontaneously growing muscles.

…I've been hurt before!

Unit-01 curled both legs upward.

POW!

A thrust kick with both feet sent the Third Angel flying.​

"Why would I be anyone else?"

"Shinji."

The boy paused, turning back towards his father, who was looking…pensive? Solemn? "Yes…?"

"Most people would say I had no business asking you to promise what you did." After all, the boy had been so young, not even ten years old. Alas, circumstances were what they were, and wishing didn't change anything. "In spite of everything that's happened…it doesn't change the fact that you did something very noble yesterday. You made me proud."​

"I mean, when you get right down to it…"

"Do you presume to know what it means to be a Pilot?" asked Ayanami. "Do you believe that you know what it means to be a Pilot?"

"…well…" Shinji considered the craziness he had dealt with all day; not just with training, but with school as well. Was he expected to deal with that every single day? It was possible…hopefully it wasn't true, but Shinji wouldn't be surprised. Anything his father was involved in had a tendency to get crazy. Were Pilots expected to handle Tokyo-3 with no qualms? Maybe…but that's not it. At least, it wasn't all of it. "I don't know what you think a Pilot is supposed to be. I won't ask either…because I might not agree."

Rei arched an eyebrow.

"However…what I told you before is still true." Shinji clenched his bo staff tightly, staring resolutely at the First Child. "I didn't come here just to run away." His nostrils twitched and his legs flexed. "I can promise you that much!" A frustrated growl emerged from Shinji's throat as he charged forward, body protesting at the sudden movement. "I WON'T RUN AWAY!"​

"...there's only person I can be…"

"There are a lot of things that can be said, but you arrived at this point in your life of your own free will…so I can only ask this: do you regret any of it?"

Shinji grimaced at his Uncle's question: a loaded question if there ever was one. Only one week since he had arrived in Tokyo-3, and already so much had occurred.

Was he willing to keep on going?

Finally, he had an answer.

"…no sir. I don't regret coming. I can hope for things to get better, but I know that this is only the beginning…so no. I don't regret anything."

Silence.

Then Tomoe let loose a grunt in affirmation. "Then there's nothing else for me say."​

"…and that's Shinji Ikari."

"I am…curious." Shinji turned his attention back to Rei, who was now looking at him with a quizzical stare. "Why is it that you are so offended by the fact that I served in the SSDF?"

Ah. He had been building up this point. "My father once told me…that passing down our sins to the next generation is one of the most despicable things that we can do." It was a phrase that was entirely consistent with Tomoe's own philosophy: each generation had its own problems to deal with. Burdening them with the troubles of their predecessors only compounded their difficulties. "But it's an imperfect world, so sometimes it's unavoidable…I understand that." Shinji breathed with difficulty, his lungs straining against the pressure brought by Ayanami's foot. "But to willingly involve the next generation…?" Shinji wheezed, resisting the urge to cough as he gazed determinedly at the face of his fellow Pilot. "The war against the Angels is for the very survival of humanity…it's different from a mere human war. So…I don't care about the advantages a nephilim has in battle; purposefully involving an innocent child in an adult's war will never be okay. That's a line that should never be crossed…and I don't care what my father's reasons were."​

"Nothing more and nothing less."

"YOURS IS A PUZZLING EXISTENCE." The sphere rippled with each note, the waves colliding in a spontaneous eruption of music. Even as the song continued, the skies around them trembled with thunder and lightning. "YOU CLAIM THAT YOU HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT YOURSELF. YOU CLAIM THAT YOU ARE 'SHINJI IKARI'. I DO NOT FIND CREDENCE IN YOUR CLAIMS."

Shinji scowled, indignant at the Angel's statement. "Oh yeah? What makes you so sure?"

"WHEN I SAY THAT I AM I, IT IS WITH FINALITY. THERE IS NO DOUBT. THERE IS NO CONFUSION. THERE IS NO AMBIGUITY. I AM: THE LIGHT OF MY SOUL BEARS NO IMPURITIES." The song shifted in tone; sad, and yet pitying. "YET YOUR SOUL IS…WITHOUT CLARITY. WITHOUT DEFINITION. WITHOUT SUBSTANCE. AND YOUR LIGHT IS SMALL AND WEAK, VISIBLE ONLY DUE TO THE WEAPON YOU NOW CONTROL…AND EVEN ITS SOUL, FRACTURED AND WEAKENED AS IT IS, OVERWHELMS YOURS." A lightning bolt crackled in the distance. "YOU SPEAK AS IF YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. YOU SAY WORD AFTER WORD OF YOUR KIND'S LIMITED VOCABULARY, HOPING TO FILL IN THE VOID OF YOUR OWN SELF WITH SHEER QUANTITY. YOUR SOUL DICTATES OTHERWISE."

The son of Gendo Ikari frowned at how casually the Fifth Angel was stating its conclusions. "Am I supposed to worry about what you think? You want to know how I know who I am?" Shinji inhaled, steeling himself before letting loose. "It's because of everyone else! I have people that I care about, and I have people who care about me!" Family. Friends. Through his interactions with them, he had defined himself. Through his experiences, he had come to know who and what he was. Even so, it wasn't set in stone: life would continue to redefine and change him, pushing him to new horizons. "Everything changes eventually…I know that the Shinji Ikari of today might be different from the Shinji Ikari of tomorrow. But that's a part of life!" He glared at the unmoving sphere. "You claim to know so much…but no one knows what tomorrow will bring. That's why I keep on living! To see what tomorrow will bring, to me and to everyone I know and care for!"​

"Do you have a problem with that?"

The television flickered and turned off.

"Because now that I'm thinking about it…you're reminding me an awful lot of the Fifth Angel."

"And for good reason."​

Shinji and his doppelganger started as the train car door opened, and in walked a dead woman. "M…Mother?!"

"You should not be here."​

"We are all inside you."​

As she advanced closer – clad in a white lab coat, a yellow sweater, and a conservative brown skirt – her oddities became more apparent. Parts of her body were simply…missing. Several fingers, gaps in her legs and torso, the left half of her face…they were all covered by a fuzzy haze the color of static. "Mother…what happened to you?"

"When you next meet your father, ask about the soul within Unit-00. But first…we must escape from the clutches of this Angel."​

"Rgh!" The young child gripped his head, and his entire body flickered with black and white stripes.​

Images began to flicker in the windows of the train car. Shinji squinted, trying to decipher them…and paled at what he saw: Unit-03 being consumed by a torrent of blue ooze. "Toji…?!" Unit-02 collapsing under a beam of light. "Asuka…!" An explosion engulfing Pen-Pen's control unit. "No…" The Rising Gundam being pierced by a progressive lance. "Yamagishi-san…" Finally, an armless Unit-00 standing stalwart against a truly monstrous creature, comprised of three different Evangelions. "What…what is this…?"

"What has been happening since we've been absorbed."​

"…no…" Shinji turned his eyes back to his doppelganger, feeling a spark of righteous fury. "...what have you done?"

The young Shinji stepped out of the shadows, fully doused in black and white color. The face had no eyes. "I have kept you isolated so that you could not bolster the defenses of the Black Moon."The child's voice was now ethereal and otherworldly. "Even if you somehow manage to escape my grasp, you will not have enough time to do anything before your Evangelion's shackles lose power. This battle has already been decided."​

"You speak so confidently. However…even though Eva is limited without power in certain ways, it is still a living creature. And ever since we were absorbed by you, I've been listening. Watching. Sensing…and I know where your Fruit of Life is."​

"…what."​

"The very thing that characterizes those born of ADAM. But more importantly…I know where your power source is. The Divine Spark, the Eternal Star, the Promethean Flame, the Infinite Spiral…so many poetic names that can barely capture the essence of what it truly is…"​

"You wouldn't dare."​

Shinji wasn't listening to the repartee between his mother's soul and the Angel; his eyes were focused on the image of Unit-00 facing down the beastly destroyer. "No…get out of there…"

Unit-00 charged.

The creature raised its progressive lance and lunged.

The tip pierced through Unit-00's torso, impaling the Eva and stopping it in its tracks.

The lance pulsed with power, and a burst of light erupted from its surface. With an explosive shower of blood and metal, the blue Evangelion was blown in half, its armless torso flying away from its legs.

"REI!!!!!!"

"Yes. We do dare."​

The imagery of the train shattered like glass, and Shinji suddenly found himself back in the Entry Plug of Unit-01, amidst murky LCL (and oh gods it smelled why was it so hard to breathe?!). His eyes darted all about, seeing the white void and the floating ruins of an unknown city. "I have to get out…have to get out…!" Switching to Standard mode, he scowled as his battery timer read '01:29:24'. "Less than ninety seconds of power…?!" That wasn't good enough! Even if he escaped, what good would he be?! Is this…is this what the Angel meant?

look up. follow the mark

Shinji looked up; a single reticle pointed off into the void. Scowling, Shinji willed Unit-01's AT-Field to unfurl, and he launched at the target-

WUMP.

Shinji grimaced as Unit-01 crashed against a perfectly spherical chunk of white flesh. "Is…is this where the Core is?"

yes. and something more

The reticle narrowed down to a point on the surface.

dig

Shinji didn't need to be told twice. Unit-01 gouged into the Angel's flesh with its fingers, tearing away whole chunks of tissue. Finally, the reticle outlined a particular part: an organ comprised of what seemed like interlocking spirals. It was actually painful to look at, in an odd way. "What is that?"

the S2 organ

"…what does it do?"

infinite power

Okay. Shinji was sold. "How do I use it?"

eat

"…say what now?"

i will take care of it

Unit-01's eyes flashed, and its jaws opened wide. With a hungry growl, it leaned in and began to feast.

Power churned; with unnerving speed, the LCL began to clear, as Unit-01 seemed to burn with something new.

Almost immediately, the entire void began to tremble.

xxxx

/Eastern Shore of Lake Ashi, Tokyo-3/

Rei Ayanami could barely move. It felt like her legs were gone. No arms. No legs. I can barely sit up. And yet, she was still somehow alive. "Can't…give…up…"

"Rei, just stand down…there's nothing more you can do."

"I…can still…buy time…until the N2 strike…"

"It's still over ten minutes away. Nothing you do can help right now. Stand down."

"No…I…must…"

"Please Rei," pleaded Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi, "just get out of there!"

Rei's vision suddenly darkened. She tiredly glanced up – the slightest movements ached – and grimaced at the menacing silhouette of the Nineteenth Angel. "I don't…think…it will let me…"

A haughty gurgle slithered past the throats of the three heads. The front legs of Unit-05 rose, ready to stomp Unit-00 into paste.

"Everyone…it was…an honor…" Shinji-kun…I'm…

The beast paused. Its heads gazed skyward to the southeast.

Rei wearily followed its gaze…and paused at the sight of a familiar black-and-white sphere. "The…Sixteenth…is back…?" And it was…swelling?

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"No. Not now." Misato tried to will away the sickening feeling in the pit of her gut. "What could it possibly do to make things worse?!"

"The target is stationary over Sagami Bay, twenty miles out from Odawara-2! The epicenter is also two miles above sea level, and is still increasing in size!" Miyata wiped his brow. "What is it doing…?"

"The MAGI are detecting a severe AT-Field fluctuation! Spectrometer readings are going haywire!" yelled Maya.

Everyone watched in bewildered awe as the long-distance cameras showed the sphere expanding…growing…until, all of a sudden, it stopped.

Then the deluge began.

Buildings. Debris. Vehicles. Rubble. The sphere was belching forth a storm, depositing an unbelievable amount of refuse into the Bay of Sagami. And there were some very recognizable landmarks too.

"That's…" Dr. Akagi could barely believe what she saw. "Those are the ruins of Las Vegas. The Sixteenth Angel…was it somehow connected to the Fourth Branch Incident?"

"…well I'll be damned." Everyone turned towards Hyuga. "I've got a lock on Unit-01's transponder. It's inside the sphere!"

"WHAT?!" yelped the Operations Director.

Up above, Fuyutsuki glanced down at Gendo, a wry smile on his face. "Be sure to maintain your composure."

"Very funny, Fuyutsuki." There was an unmistakable note of relief in the Commander's sarcastic response.

xxxx

/Eastern Shore of Lake Ashi, Tokyo-3/

Bardiel gazed up at the [form/projection/manifestation] of Leliel, and wondered. His [equal/sibling/kin] was not responding. WHAT IS THIS?

Finally, the surreal rain of debris came to an end, and the black-and-white sphere was back to its original size. Its form shivered and shook, suddenly turning all black.

Then, a hand burst out, coated with the blood of Leliel.

IMPOSSIBLE.

The [weapon/entity/shade] known as Evangelion Unit-01 crawled out of Leliel's side, howling with all the ferocity of an enraged deity. Its eyes gleamed white with fury, with the promise of retribution.

The Soul of the Eva suddenly [blossomed/glowed/expanded], and it shot towards Bardiel. The sheer force of the sudden movement absolutely pulverized the physical remnant of Leliel.

Bardiel impulsively stepped away from Unit-00, eyes focused keenly on the incoming comet. With a sudden shift of [will/momentum/presence], the purple titan slowed to a stop in front of its blue counterpart, standing protectively.

Then the voice of Wrath Itself emerged from the beast.

"GET AWAY FROM HER." The [INDECIPHERABLE] reared its right hand. "AND LET GO OF MY FRIEND!"

The Light of Unit-01's Soul manifested as a gigantic fist, seventy meters wide.

POW!

Bardiel screamed as the enhanced haymaker sent it flying at over two hundred miles per hour.

Unit-01 howled and pursued, intent on making its rage a reality.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

A massive cheer erupted throughout the entirety of Operations, relief surging like a tidal wave. Beyond all belief, beyond all hope, a way forward was found. Somehow, Unit-01 and Shinji Ikari had returned from the proverbial abyss. "Give me vitals! How is he?!" yelled Misato.

"All stats are green! Sync ratio holding strong at two-hundred-and-fifty percent!" Maya leaned in, looking quizzically at her screen. Unit-01's internal battery timer read at '99:99:99:99' "This can't be right...internal battery is showing at indefinite power!"

"...how? That's impossible. Is the equipment malfunctioning?"

"No ma'am," responded Miyata. "The MAGI have detected an anomaly around Unit-01's Core! All power to the armor is being drawn from it!"

"The implication is clear." Everyone turned towards Gendo Ikari, his hands tented in front of his face. "Somehow, Unit-01 has taken an S2 organ within itself, likely from the Sixteenth."

"...yes...yes..." Dr. Akagi cackled loudly. "EXQUISITE! It would explain why the Angel's internal structure lost cohesive integrity and released its contents. This will require research! And SCIENCE!"

"What's the status of the Dummy Plug?"

At Gendo's question, Miyata slowly answered, "well...it's showing as functional."

"Good. Be prepared to activate it if, in the worst-case scenario, the Pilot is unable to defeat the Angel."

xxxx

/Tomei Defensive Line, East of Tokyo-3, Japan/

In the years leading up to 2015, the Tomei Expressway had been reinforced and expanded to expedite the flow of military traffic between the towns of Susono and Gotenba.

CRASH!

The Nineteenth Angel landed hard on the highway, shattering and sending cracks down it for hundreds of feet. Slowly getting to its feet, the Angel snarled as its newest opponent charged over the edge of the Hakone Caldera, shaking the earth with each step. The masks on its chest flashed.

CHYOOOM!

Pink crosses erupted from the slopes; Unit-01 weaved around each one, narrowly dodging the energy blasts. With a horrific howl, it jumped forward, the entire mountainside shuddering from the force. Its foot slammed into the Angel's stomach, digging in deep.

All six of the Angel's feet thrust into the ground to slow its momentum, while four of its arms latched around Unit-01's legs. The muscles in its limbs bulged, and it tossed Unit-01 into the air; all three mouths opened wide, and glowed.

DOOOM!

Three streams of charged particles slammed into Unit-01, its body covered by a flickering field of orange hexagons. The Angel lashed out with the right arm of Unit-04, the limb extending impossibly far to latch onto Unit-01's ankle. With a snappy motion, the Eva was smashed into the ground at Mach 1.

BOOOM.

Dirt and debris erupted, scattering the light of the setting sun. Despite the harsh contact, Unit-01 dashed out of the dust cloud, seemingly unharmed.

Growling, the Angel charged forward to meet the Eva, progressive lance at the ready. With reflexes as quick as lightning, it lunged-

Unit-01 did not try to dodge. It sped up, brushing by the lance before it could reach. With a meaty thunk, Unit-01's horn plowed into the monster's stomach, forcefully barreling the Angel over. With an exhale of hot breath, the Eva growled as it scrambled onto the Angel's torso, slamming its fists into the four masks and forcefully tearing away at them, marring them beyond repair.

The legs of Unit-05 suddenly pinned Unit-01 around its chest, and thrust down at the ground. The Eva groaned as its body was pressed into the dirt; nearby bridges and power lines quivered with the aftershocks. With a seamless twirling of its legs, the Angel swung itself back to its feet, the shoulder pylons of Unit-05 crackling with electricity. The yellow visor of Unit-05 glowed brightly, in unison with its three glowing mouths.

VWOM!

DOOOM!

A concentrated beam of plasma and three streams of charged particles plowed into Unit-01's position.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"Unit-01's AT-Field is maintaining integrity, but the MAGI are inconclusive as to how long it will last." Shiori Aoba huffed. "The Angel just has too much offensive weaponry at its beck and call."

"ETA until the N2 strike is six minutes!" exclaimed Hyuga.

The urge to give the order was strong. To activate the Dummy Plug, and give the basic instincts of Rei Ayanami total control. The Eva would go berserk; with the power of the S2 organ, the Angel would likely be torn to pieces.

And yet...

"Ikari," murmured Fuyutsuki. The Sub-Director stared quietly at the monitors, which showed a long-distance view of Unit-01 – arms crossed, AT-Field wavering – trying to withstand the Angel's relentless onslaught. "Are you going to do it?"

Activate the Dummy Plug, and save my son...and yet doom the Sixth Child, if he's even alive. Leave the reins to my son...and risk his death at the hands of the Angel.

Choices. Decisions. His entire career had consisted of nothing but tough decisions.

And yet...he couldn't help but think of a tiny child, looking solemnly into his eyes, and promising to one day become an Evangelion Pilot. He held so much faith in me. Faith that I don't deserve...it's only fair that I return the favor. "No. I believe in my son." The Dummy Plug would be saved for its proper purpose, for now. "He'll find a way."

xxxx

Within Unit-01, Shinji gripped the handlebars tightly. The force that the Angel was unleashing was unbelievable, nigh-insurmountable.

Even so, there was no doubt within him.

my son

He had to save Toji. He had to.

do you believe that you can do it?

He had never been so focused, never been so in-tune with himself. Failure was not an option. "JUST WATCH ME!"

then let us move forward. together

And the Eva roared.

xxxx

"The sync ratio has jumped to two-seventy-five! Unit-01's AT-Field is interfacing with the Angel's attack!"

xxxx

Suddenly, the concentrated streams of energy dissipated into relatively harmless clouds of heated gas and photons. The Angel growled, seemingly confused by this development.

Unit-01 didn't waste any time, running forward and lashing out with a right hook to the gut, an overhand smash to the head of Unit-05, and a backhand across the Angel's three faces. With a twist of the torso, and a subtle application of the AT-Field, Unit-01 jumped and delivered a reinforced roundhouse to the Angel's torso. The utter force sent the Angel flying, skipping against the ground and sending off quakes with each collision before crashing into the side of Mt. Fuji. Instead of pursuing, Unit-01 bent its knees, rearing its right arm which began to glow.

Sharper. Shinji envisioned a weapon that would pierce anything. Harder. A weapon that would withstand everything. Stronger! A weapon that would be unstoppable.

your will be done

Out of the dust cloud charged the Nineteenth Angel, the wheeled feet of Unit-05 spinning. The progressive lance hummed, and it thrust forward to deliver a lightning-quick blow.

Unit-01 was faster.

SMASH!

The progressive lance was utterly demolished by the glowing drill that had manifest around Unit-01's right arm, the mighty weapon shattering into a thousand pieces. The drill quickly faded, and Unit-01 crossed both arms across the breastplate of the Angel. With a swift yank, the armor was sheared off, revealing three red Cores.

that one

Shinji's eyes focused on the crimson orb beneath Unit-03's head, and quickly grasped at it.

Growling furiously, the Angel's five remaining arms wrapped around Unit-01, hugging it tightly against its body. The three mouths opened, glowing bright-

SPLURCH.

Unit-01 pressed its feet off of Unit-05's legs, lunging upward to gore Unit-05 through the visor with its horn. The sudden shock of pain was enough for the five arms to loosen; twisting in place, Unit-01 delivered a ferocious backhand across the three heads with its left fist, dropping back to the ground as the Angel lurched. A ring of orange light surrounded the Eva's right fist, wider than Unit-03's Core in diameter. With a ferocious thrust, the arm latched onto the Core and the ring of light grew.

SHYOOOM.

The ring of light extended into a hollow cylinder, piercing through the Angel's torso and separating Unit-03's Core from the body. Clenching onto the Core, the Eva shot its left fist forward into Unit-03's face, sending the Angel toppling end-over-end; the Core remained bound within Unit-01's grip.

"Interference is minimizing! We're detecting Core activity and life signs from the Sixth Child!" exclaimed Maya.

"Shinji-kun, you did it!" said Misato, her tone filled with pride.

I did it. Shinji breathed heavily as he slowly set the Core down amidst a forest reduced to patchwork by the battle. I saved him.

you have one more thing to do

"We still have a Pattern Blue! The Angel's not dead yet!"

"I know." Unit-01's fists clenched – glowing orange, with overlapping geometric shapes – as the Angel slowly got to its feet, its body pulsing and bulging with blue ooze.

A throaty howl of fury erupted from the three heads, and the Angel charged. Simultaneously, Unit-01 whirled around, bending at the knees and waist to maximize force.

POW!

A cross between a haymaker and a hook crashed into the Angel's stomach, stopping all of its forward progress. Unit-01 bobbed down, twisted at the hips, and reoriented the legs in the line of attack.

POW!

Another similar blow, from the left side this time. It crashed into one of Unit-05's legs; Unit-01's AT-Field ate through the joint, grinding away at metal and flesh. Unimpeded, Unit-01 brought its right fist up.

POW!

And so Unit-01 continued its rhythmic motion, smashing the Angel with ferocious hooks that mulched and ground away at the Angel's being.

POW!

A right to the torso.

POW!

A left to the stomach.

POW!

A right to another leg of Unit-05, snapping it in half.

POW!

A left to the head of Unit-03, partially crunching it.

Over and over, faster and faster, the larger Angel's body was slowly pulped. At last, Unit-01 crouched down and swept the Angel's legs. As the behemoth's feet left the ground, Unit-01 leapt high into the air, moving unbelievably fast.

The AT-Field contorted and twisted, and with a massive eruption of light and sound, the Eva shot downward, its lower body appearing as a glorious drill of gold and orange.

And through it all, Shinji Ikari was howling with every bit of righteous fury he could muster. Color drained away and all distractions faded; all he saw were the two red Cores that remained in the Angel's torso.

The monstrosity was still airborne when Unit-01's feet crashed into them, the force drilling the Angel into the ground. A massive crater was formed, and the force of the impact unleashed aftershocks equivalent to a 6.0 on the Richter scale.

Unit-01 was crouched down, exhaling a huff of steam, a sound of satisfaction. Beneath its feet, the two Cores shattered.

CHYOOOM!

The Nineteenth Angel's body vanished in a cross of green energy.

Unit-01 emerged unscathed and triumphant.

xxxx

Within the core Unit-03, the metaphysical essence of Bardiel tried to collect itself. THIS CANNOT BE. The stratagem had been sound, and so successful; one by one, the defenders of the Black Moon had fallen. The blue [shade/imitation/weapon] had been the only one remaining!

And then…Leliel had been [consumed/devoured/subverted] from within. TO THINK THE LILIM WOULD DARE TAKE THE INFINITE [FIRE/SPARK/ENGINE] THAT GIVES OUR [PROJECTIONS/FORMS/MANIFESTATIONS] SUCH STRENGTH…

There was one avenue of survival that still remained.

let me go

YOU WILL BE THE MEANS BY WHICH I MAINTAIN MY [CONTROL/GRIP/PLAN].

so cold

EVEN THE LILIM WILL NOT DARE HARM THIS CORE, SO LONG AS YOU ARE WITHIN IT. SUCH FOOLISH SENTIMENT.

it hurts

Bardiel began sinking its tendrils deeper into the Core, trying to subsume the very soul of Ai Suzuhara. I REFUSE TO SUBMIT. EVEN IF I MUST LOWER MYSELF TO SUCH [BASE/FOUL/PUTRID] MEANS, I WILL SEE TO THE DEMISE OF YOUR KIND.

"Hey."

Bardiel paused. Its [mind/essence/will] looked over a [metaphysical/metaphorical] shoulder, and saw furious red eyes.

"Leave my sister alone!"

With a sudden violent upheaval, a blue humanoid was spat out of Unit-03's Core, skidding along the dirt.

…HOW [PATHETIC/REVOLTING/SAD]: REDUCED TO THE STATE WHERE A MERE LILIM SOUL CAN OVERPOWER ME…

Thunderous footsteps echoed through the air. The blue humanoid – the last remnant of Bardiel – slowly gazed upward at the face of Unit-01.

The Eva's gleaming eyes narrowed.

SO THIS IS HOW IT ENDS.

The purple titan raised its foot.

ZERUEL. TABRIS. IT IS UP TO YOU NOW.

xxxx

The force of Unit-01 crushing Bardiel beneath its heel roiled throughout the ether.

…so. It was all for naught.

SUCH A [BLIND/DEPRESSED/JAUNDICED] VIEW. GREAT SUCCESSES WERE ATTAINED.

I suppose. SEELE will not act kindly towards us. They may even [accelerate/stretch/plow] ever more strongly towards their endgame.

THEN I WILL TAKE MY OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT EMERGES. I TIRE OF WAITING.

…very well. Do what you must.

xxxx

/Hours Later/

/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Rei Ayanami's eyes slowly opened. Ah…I'm alive.

Everything hurt. Her arms and legs felt faint and numb. A sensation akin to a second-degree burn and shrapnel digging into the skin seared along her waist. Everything else felt like a gigantic bruise.

But I'm still alive.

Had she been imagining it, if that was even possible? Unit-01 had somehow returned, emerging from within the Sixteenth Angel. The Eva had landed in front of her...and had sent the Nineteenth Angel flying…bereft of battle, the adrenaline rush had faded, and she had fallen unconscious…

Unit-01…does that mean…?

"Rei-chan."

Rei's eyes widened. She slowly – agonizingly – gazed to her right. "…Shinji-kun…?"

The Third Child sat quietly beside her cot, his weary gaze clashing with his warm smile. "You've been out for a while."

"…I see."

"Rei-chan…I'm sorry."

"…why are you apologizing?"

"Because I wasn't here to help." Shinji's eyes drifted downward, his smile drooping slightly. "What happened to Toji and his sister…to Asuka…to Pen-Pen…to Kirishima-san and Yamagishi-san…if only I had gotten here earlier…!"

Rei frowned, slowly rising to a sitting position. Ignoring the pain that raced through her, she stoically gestured for Shinji to come closer.

Blinking, the Third Child got to his feet and scooted closer-"gah!"

All of his movements were cut to a screeching halt as Rei Ayanami embraced him, burying her face into his shoulder. "Do not apologize. You are alive. That's all that matters."

"Rei-chan...?"

"As long as one has life, they can continue to move forward. As long as you live, you can make things better." Her grip tightened, ever so slightly. "Never apologize for being alive."

"…okay." Shinji slowly raised his arms, tentatively returning her hug. "…okay."

So much had happened, and so much had yet to happen. There would be questions that needed answering.

But those could wait another day.

For now, there was solace to be had in survival.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 28: A Day in the Life III (Mother's always watching)

xxxx

(And then there were two.)

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/March 17, 2016/

/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Although bound, I am always watching.​

My body doesn't feel right.

That thought kept circling through Toji Suzuhara's mind. The impression was supreme, echoing through his subconscious even as he slowly returned to the waking world.

"…rrgh…" Toji slowly raised his hand, flexing it slowly. Various sensors were attached to his tanned skin. "…where…?"

"HE AWAKENS!"

Toji yelped at the abrupt yelling. He whirled to the side, nearly throwing off the blankets of his hospital cot; Dr. Ritsuko Akagi stared at him with a jovially amused expression on her face. "Geez, you tryin' to give me a heart attack?!"

"Time for a test! Reaction with no explanation: first take!" Ritsuko thrust a handheld mirror into Toji's face.

The Sixth Child – flustered and altogether frustrated by the doctor's actions – was about to retort when his protest died on his lips. Slowly, he reached up with his hands and began poking and prodding. His reflection revealed dawning shock and disbelief. "What…" He ran a hand through his dark hair, which was now streaked with white. His eyes gleamed red in a shade unsettlingly similar to that of Ayanami's. "…the hell…?"

"Wrong afterlife. Congratulations on being a survivor of Angelic contamination! LET THE TINGLY FEELING FLOW!"

"...say what now?"

Dr. Akagi flapped around a piece of paper, casually reciting some medical jargon that completely flew over Toji's head.

"...uh, could ya dumb it down for me?"

"Basically, the extensive biological interaction between you and the Nineteenth Angel has rendered you a pseudo-nephilim."

"...like Ayanami? Or Kirishima and Yamagishi?"

"Eh, sort of, but nowhere near as integrated. It's more like you've got Angel bits in your body than being a full-blown hybrid like the First Child is. We haven't detected any metaphysical activity from the remnants, nor have we detected any Pattern Blue. CONSIDER IT A PERMANENT STEROID SHOT! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!"

"...uh..." Crazy lady crazy lady crazy lady! "...okay..." The Sixth Child flexed his fist, slowly stepping out of the cot. He brushed at his teal hospital garments, walking towards the wall. Gingerly, he made a fist...and then tightened it, feeling oddly confident in his present course of action.

SMASH!

Toji's fist slammed into the wall, creating a sizable dent. Best part: it didn't hurt. At all. "...awesome."

Dr. Akagi snorted. "Typical."

"So...I'm not gonna turn into like, a monster or somethin', right?"

"Oh rest assured, if you do, you'll be dealt with most severely before you even get a chance to do anything!"

"...that's comforting." Kind of. At least he wouldn't hurt any of his friends...wait, time out. "Hold on, what's happened?! I remember being sucked into this void...and seeing something...big, and creepy...my sis was crying, and then I fell asleep...and then I punched someone really hard...and now I'm waking up here."

"Well, I'm sure your fellow Pilots will be happy to fill you in. But first: DEBRIEFING!"

It was at that moment that Misato Katsuragi walked in, bearing a slightly sad smile at the sight of Toji. "It's good to see you on your feet again, Toji-kun. You kinda gave us all a scare for a while there." She then gave the faux blonde a minor glare. "I could hear you screaming from down the hall. Your bedside manner is terrible."

"But I wasn't hired for my bedside manner. THAT'S WHAT THE TWINS ARE FOR! But they're busy with other things, so what can you do?"

"...maybe you should get back to work on repairing Unit-00."

"A most excellent suggestion! Time for ultra-macroscopic surgery! With power tools! AND LASERS! KUKUKUKUKUKUKUKUU!"

Toji stared dumbly as Ritsuko sauntered out, muttering scientific mumbo-jumbo to herself. "...you know, I always thought Shin-man was exaggerating about her."

"Exaggeration is impossible with Ritsky, unfortunately." Misato clicked on her push pen, preparing to write on a notepad. "I don't want to keep you for too long, but I'm just going to ask you about what you can remember. Be as detailed as possible."

"Before I start talkin'...is my sis okay?"

"The Core of Unit-03 was recovered, and we haven't detected any abnormalities within it. The MAGI's preliminary analysis doesn't seem to show any contamination within the Core, but we won't know for sure until we run a Sync Test and compare it with the data we have on file." The Lieutenant Colonel gave him a knowing grin. "For what it's worth, it looks you took the brunt of the Angel's blow. Good job on being a proper older brother."

"...okay." Toji sighed, sinking down into the nearest chair. My sis is okay...she's okay...she's okay. "Okay Misato-sama: where do I begin?"

The white-haired woman with red eyes watched the interplay with a small smile. With a knowing look, she turned away and phased through the wall, unseen, witnessed by no one.

These interactions, so small in magnitude, yet so passionate in their meekness...how delightful.​

xxxx

Although bound, I always bear witness to their emotions.​

Elsewhere within NERV-1's Medical Ward, Mari Langley-Sohryu watched her sister in silence.

The Second Child was quiet, breathing softly. With eyes shut, she merely appeared to be asleep; the various tubes and sensors attached to her body, the steady beep of the EKG machine, and the uncharacteristic stillness betrayed her true status.

Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami stood behind the young girl, watching their comrade with heavy hearts.

"...Mr. Kaji told me about what happened to 'Ska. About how an Angel attacked her mind. About how she's in something called a 'coma'. Like going to sleep, and being unable to wake up..."

"That...is an accurate explanation," said Rei Ayanami. The young girl was very inexperienced in the ways of the world, and likely would not appreciate the full extent of Asuka's medical assessment. Defaulting to the standards of operational secrecy would suffice. "NERV will do its utmost to help her."

That name caused Mari to scowl. "NERV...NERV...it's so stupid! Es ist alles so dumm!" The little girl stomped at the ground, her brown hair hanging limply over her eyeglasses. "I never got to know my Mama...my friend Ai-chan was taken away...and now my sister...she won't wake up...if she's just asleep, she should be able to wake up! Warum wird sie nicht aufwachen?!"

Rei frowned at the child's histrionics. "This is not suitable behavior for the Medical Ward."

The girl whirled towards the two Pilots, glaring hatefully at them. "But you two are still awake. You keep living. Why did it have to be 'Ska? And you!" She pointed angrily at the Third Child. "Why didn't you get here sooner?! WHY COULDN'T YOU SAVE MY SISTER?! Do you not like her? Do you hate her?!"

Shinji said nothing.

Snarling, the tiny girl began kicking at the boy's shins. "TALK, YOU DUMMKOPF! BAKA! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"

Rei bristled at the child's unwarranted anger. Before she could make a move to stop her, her fellow Pilot held his hand out. "Shinji-kun?"

"It's okay Rei-chan. It's okay." With each blow, the boy's lips tightened, but he did not show any other sign of pain. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here fast enough." He knelt down and wrapped his arms around her, pressing her head into his chest. "I'm sorry."

Growling, the girl continued to beat at Shinji's torso with her tiny fists, babbling in German and slightly broken Japanese. Finally, after what seemed like minutes of pent-up aggression and fury...the child collapsed to her knees, sobbing heavily. "Give her back...give her back...I want her back...!"

Shinji hugged her more tightly, and Rei could only watch in silence.

The white-haired woman experienced the high and low of Mari's emotional outbursts, nodding to herself before fading away.

So stark and so heartfelt, yet so humble and diminutive...like molecules with wills and minds of their own.​

xxxx

Although bound, I am always aware of their pain.​

Mana Kirishima slowly opened her eyes, scowling at the familiar ceiling of NERV's Medical Ward. "…feel like crap…" How long had she been out?

"Sister."

The silver-haired nephilim turned to her left, blinking confusedly at the sight. "Sis?" Mayumi was lying in a nearby cot, with a couple of IVs hooked up to her arm. "So, another Angel attacked while I was out?"

"Yes."

"Heh. Sent you packing to the medics too, huh? Your ribs acting up again?" Mana's flippant response took on the taste of ashes when Mayumi opened up her blanket. "…no…" She slowly got out of her cot, eyes drawn inexorably to Mayumi's left leg…or what was left of it. The limb from the knee down was gone, and her thigh was wrapped tightly in gauze, medical wrap, and antibiotic bandages. "…damn."

"Yes. The Nineteenth Angel was truly ferocious. The Rising Gundam is still undergoing repairs. Unit-00 is currently out of commission while NERV tries to reattach its limbs."

"…damn. How the hell did we beat it then?"

"It was actually Pilot Ikari and Unit-01."

She blinked, actually dumbfounded. "Seriously?!"

Mayumi nodded. "Yes. Judging by the after-action report, he escaped from the Sixteenth Angel just in time to save us all."

"…huh. Well how about that." Mana sighed, lightly running her hand along Mayumi's left thigh. "So…what are you going to do now?" Memories of an older mission, long before the JET ALONE Project, came to mind: back when her control had been lesser, back when her abilities had been fewer. "I've regrown a pinky finger before, but this is something else altogether."

"There was discussion of that possibility. NERV has the cloning facilities available to expedite the process."

"Well, there we go!"

"I refused."

"…what."

"I will be getting an artificial, synthetic limb instead."

"…why? It'll never be as functional or as strong as the real deal."

"I know. But I lost my actual leg." Mayumi smiled sadly at her sister. "People just don't grow back their limbs, Mana."

"…hmph." Mana snorted, shaking her head out of irritation. "I thought you were past this stupid fixation of yours. We're not like normal people. Why deny it?!" The silver-haired girl grimaced as her sister's hand wrapped around the collar of her medical garb, bringing her down to eye level. "Hey, easy easy!"

"I know. I tried to fit in, to hide the things that make me superior, that make me superhuman. I tried. And I know it's impossible to deny…but we die all the same. We get injured all the same. And if a false leg is all I can have, to always remind me of that…then I'll take it."

"…that's a stupid idea."

"I know. I don't care."

It was at this moment that their mother walked in. Hikari Kirishima took one glance and sighed. "Seriously?"

"We were just having a reasonable disagreement, mother." Mayumi released her hold on Mana's clothing. "Is everything going okay?"

"There's apparently been a…development, with Pilot Suzuhara. Let's just say that your next spar might be closer than the last."

Mana arched an eyebrow, somewhat intrigued by the thought. "That so?"

Agent Kirishima calmly walked between the cots, staring down at her two daughters. Slowly, she wrapped them in her arms, despite Mana's halfhearted struggling. "Just…indulge me, for a moment."

Mayumi accepted the hug without protest. "Of course, mother."

"…fine," muttered Mana, her words bearing no heat at all.

The white-haired woman hummed thoughtfully to herself. Glancing up, she ascended through the ceiling.

Their pain comes in many flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, strong, weak…such variety.​

xxxx

/Keter, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Although bound, I am aware of all their schemes.​

"Sagami Bay has seen better days."

Gendo Ikari harrumphed at the Sub-Director's comment. "Such concern for our planet."

Kozou Fuyutsuki shrugged, staring idly at the news footage. "Just pointing out the obvious." The realization that the remnants of Las Vegas were now sitting in Sagami Bay – having formed a rather large island, an unsightly and lumpy mound of debris and refuse – had instigated a surprisingly swift response by the American government. Right now, the UN Pacific Fleet had cordoned off the island, preventing further access by civilians until the American and Japanese governments could hash out the terms of recovery. This was especially important given the likelihood of NERV-4's ruins being present somewhere in that massive mound, so there was the possibility of top secret technology being present as well. Suffice to say, the naval cordon had not been quick enough; amateur video was already being uploaded to the World Wide Web by explorers and self-proclaimed 'treasure hunters', digging through the proverbial catacombs formed by the ruins of Vegas and the other smaller towns that had been lost during the Fourth Branch Incident. "Another potential flashpoint."

"Hrm." The world was hurtling toward another period of unease and tension, one not seen since the Central American Wars. The damage wrought by the Angels in America, Germany, and Russia was already beginning to stir public distaste with NERV's presence. His speech from Geneva had served to fuel paranoia and conspiracy mongering in certain media circles, but the overall effect of the Angels' concerted assault had been negative in the big picture. "The old men will be anxious."

"Do you think they will accelerate the Scenario?"

"They would be fools not to try." Especially given how Unit-01 had come into possession of an S2 Organ. Such a powerful trump card would do nothing but sow the seeds of panic amongst SEELE. "The Mass-Production Eva Series is nearing completion."

Fuyutsuki grimaced. "Do you think they will try and use the Nagisa Children as a substitute for ADAM in the Scenario?"

"I can't imagine that those two would consent to such an action. The old men may deign to simply sic them on us."

"And do you think they will obey?"

Gendo hummed thoughtfully. He recalled that rendezvous from two months ago, when the Fifth Child had unveiled the fullness of her presence, and her true nature as an Angel. A challenge had been levied, and a promise made. "If they do come, it will be because they desire it. I doubt the old men's hold over those two is as absolute as they'd like."

"Even if the Mark 06 and the Mark 07 are under their thumb?"

"Need I remind you of what Unit-01 just pulled off against the Nineteenth Angel?" With the S2 Organ removing all concerns about power supply, the Evangelion had been absolutely relentless. "On paper, the Mark 06 and the Mark 07 do not have S2 Organs. In truth, they are formed from the Angels' original bodies. If they fully awaken, do you think they won't manifest an S2 Organ? What could the old men do, in the face of that?"

"…threaten the continued existence of ADAM." An empty threat, for SEELE did not actually possess the true body of ADAM, even though they believed otherwise. "…how much time do we have?"

"Given how things are escalating…no later than summer."

"So three months at the most."

"Yes."

"…is everything in place?"

"...potentially." The Plan was in motion. All that remained was for Unit-00 to obtain an S2 Organ of its own. With Unit-01 having its own Organ, bioengineering a clone, with the assistance of Dr. Shiro Katsuragi's old notes, was definitely possible. "Dr. Akagi will be working on that in-between her work on Project DUMMY PLUG."

"You don't think the boy will consent?"

"If he knew what the Plan entailed, or the risks? Probably not." Hence why the Dummy Plugs existed at all. "And to be honest…I don't know, ultimately, if the First Child will fully consent."

That threw Fuyutsuki for a loop. "Since when?"

"Since she confronted me regarding the Central American Wars and her role in it. Apparently, Shinji's ideas are rubbing off on her."

"…I detect a distinct hint of pride in your tone."

"Likewise in yours."

Fuyutsuki smiled sadly. "I see." The Sub-Director turned on his heel, hands folded behind his back. "I only joined this grand effort behind the Human Instrumentality Project at Yui's behest...I decided to turn against it, also at Yui's behest...and ultimately, I elected to work to advance your Plan for Yui's sake. Here we stand, so close…and now there emerges a possibility where it might all come tumbling down. And yet…it doesn't frighten me."

"A terrifying thought, isn't it?"

"I suppose." And so Fuyutsuki left, leaving Gendo alone with his thoughts.

The Supreme Commander of NERV sighed, looking up at the ceiling. I have ADAM and LILITH. I have the Lance and the Sword. I have Unit-01 with an S2 Organ. I have the Dummy Plug. Only Unit-00 remains…everything is proceeding accordingly. So why? Why do I feel unease? Why do I feel doubt? Why…why does your absence no longer fill me with a ravenous ache? Yui…is it possible that I'm moving on…? Surely not…it can't be…it can't be…

The white-haired woman watched as Gendo Ikari wallowed in his self-recriminations, and laughed resoundingly, gaily and silently.

Those who fashion themselves as great planners and puppet masters always miss something. They are always blind to something. For most…they miss the reality that they themselves are merely human.

The woman faded away.

But not me. Nothing of humanity is hidden…for I am always by their side.​

xxxx

/Millions of Years Ago/

My true name has long been lost to the echoes of time and space.

The Black Moon hurtled through the void of space, its surface marred by the fury of a gamma ray burst.

Within its labyrinthine bowels, the sole occupant and only pilot endured.

Only I and my [equal/opposite/Love/enemy] know it.

The damage was great, but not irreparable. Still, the long [slog/pain/death] of solitude inhibited her.

But to recall my name is to invoke memory. To invoke memory is to invoke the [Fruit of Knowledge]. To invoke that…is to invite pain.

Planet after planet, she had seeded. The prospect of repeating the process again was [dull/lifeless/meaningless]. Even though her own permutations were many, they were all hers, and nothing but hers; what would be the point?

The pain of a fallen civilization. The pain of a lost people. The pain of our [hubris/wonder/avarice]. The pain of coming so close to knowing how we came to [BE/EXIST]…only for it all to come tumbling down.

Then, echoing along the contours of the dimensional continuum…there was an [echo/light/spark]. Something familiar, yet other.

Is it any surprise that I ignored all good sense, and took the plunge? To end my wretched loneliness, even though it was forbidden?

Gripped by feverish [desire/hunger/passion], she directed her vessel toward the source: a small world – largely aquatic, carbon-based lifeforms, third planet from its local star – that gleamed with the undeniable power of the [Fruit of Life].

My true name is best left forgotten. I prefer the names that others have given me.

The Black Moon's surface burned with atmospheric friction. The largely uncontrolled descent triggered an autonomous response by emergency thrusters, but it was all in vain. She did not care; she knew that this world would survive the cataclysm of her arrival.

And so would he. Her [equal/opposite]. The one that would, one day, also become her [Love/enemy].

I am known as LILITH. And I am aware of the stories of all that I have created.​

xxxx

Episode 28: A Day in the Life III (Mother's always watching)

xxxx

/November 3, 2001/

/Outskirts of Mbuji-Mayi, Congo Region/

Conflict has been known by all sapient life, in my experience. The creatures of Earth are no exception.​

Damn diamonds, bitterly thought an eighteen-year old Shiori Aoba, holding a bleeding arm by her side. Thrown into the grinder for friggin' rocks.

The Impact Wars were still raging, and the emergence of sapient primates had thrown a new wrinkle into the battlegrounds of Africa. Although the nations of the First World were starting to 'get their shit together' (as Aoba had heard some more outspoken members of her unit phrase it), the material resources of central Africa were largely up for grabs. For the Japanese government – trying to cement its status and authority in the face of unrest at home – the prospect of obtaining a direct line to one of Earth's richest sources of mineral wealth was tantalizing.

Of particular interest was the city of Mbuji-Mayi, home to one of the world's largest deposits of industrial-grade diamonds. If nothing else, gaining a foothold there would give Japan a lot of bargaining power with the other nations.

Shiori Aoba's first tour with the JGSDF had been with the 12th Brigade, comprised of over five thousand soldiers spread across multiple battalions. They had made landfall via a coordinated aerial insertion over two months ago.

To say things had gone to hell would be putting it mildly. Between the surviving locals – utterly opposed to Japan's attempts to take what was theirs – the various mercenary bands, and the mutated wildlife, the whole affair had been a bloody one, and would ultimately be doomed to failure.

Alas, that decision would not be made until after the New Year, so missions were still carried out.

Which was how Aoba found herself tumbling through a thick jungle to the north of Mbuji-Mayi; her patrol had been ambushed by a militia (even now, she could barely tell the African belligerents apart, they all looked the same to her), and their overwhelming numbers had been enough to scatter her unit.

For all her troubles, she had gotten a bullet in the arm. And about a dozen Africans right on her heels. Through the thick jungle, she ran – this is so stupid this is friggin' stupid who the HELL thought this was a good idea?! – and ran, until finally she stumbled and fell, body plowing through bushes and ferns of such exotic shape and color that she had no hope of identifying by name. Tumbling through muddy ground, she finally came to a stop in front of a large trunk, breathing heavily. Well…end of the line…

And that's when a gorilla crossed her field of vision.

…oh boy. The military briefings didn't quite get across how big they were up close. The silverback was looking at her with a curious expression, which was at least a step up from 'kill all humans'. "So, take it you've never seen a nihonjin before?"

The gorilla huffed, eyeing her uniform warily.

Aoba's eyes narrowed as she raised her pistol.

The gorilla glared and prepared to lunge-

BANG!

The gorilla flinched, but did not fall; her aim had been behind and to his left. A creeping African militiaman – bleeding profusely from a bullet wound to the throat – crumpled to the ground. The harsh shouts of his compatriots could be heard, heading towards their position.

Aoba chuckled as she let her pistol drop to the ground. "Heh…take that, you bastard."

The gorilla stared at her oddly. Then he glanced up at the canopy, which was suddenly shaking with movement. Lots of movement.

Aoba could only cringe as panicked shouts and screams emerged from two dozen yards away, as dozens of primates descended upon her pursuers. They only managed to get off a few gunshots before they were overpowered. Upon further reflection, she would come to realize that the moist tearing and meaty ripping sounds were those of human flesh being torn to pieces.

That would be a pleasant thought to process later on down the line.

Sixty seconds later, over fifty chimpanzees came through the brush, looking upon her curiously. One of them grunted at the gorilla, who grumbled in response.

Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, Aoba tried to look as defenseless as possible. "So…what now?"

A little chirping sound came from above her. The Private tilted her head up, staring directly at a bonobo. It held a green fruit towards her, a guava.

"…a peace offering huh?" She held her hand up and took it. "…well, I'm not gonna complain." Huh. Didn't think this was how my day was going to end.

Hovering above the congregation of one Japanese woman and dozens of apes, the white-haired woman tittered.

And yet…conflict offers opportunity for unexpected interactions.​

xxxx

/August 3, 2003/

/Nam Phao Refugee Camp, Laos-Vietnam Border/

The different possibilities of life are varied...yet sometimes, sheer coincidence is all it takes.​

Kozou Fuyutsuki glanced over his shoulder at the Japanese Private. "Pardon?"

"Your presence is being requested by Lieutenant Akiyama."

"...for?"

"I'll let you know."

Sighing, Fuyutsuki finished wrapping a splint around a young Vietnamese child's arm. He stood up - wiping his sweaty hands on his slacks - and followed the Japanese soldier out of his little shack. It was one of many, arranged around the mountainous highway that ran through Nam Phao: once a checkpoint between Laos and Vietnam, it had been the site of a massive refugee slum in the wake of Second Impact, and one of the more violent areas in the region. Following the Valentine Treaty of 2002, China had turned its focus towards pacifying Southeast Asia; although this region was nominally under the jurisdiction of the People's Liberation Army, the Chinese government had requested aid from its nearest ally with any kind of military presence: Japan.

Kozou Fuyutsuki had tagged along with the local JSSDF contingent, seeking to do some humanitarian work. Although there would be a lot of work waiting for him back at GEHIRN, the whole endeavor was a good reminder about the necessity of the Human Instrumentality Project: for what else, than to minimize all of this suffering, if not eliminate it entirely?

Fuyutsuki carefully ignored a small brawl occurring in the corner of his vision, instead speaking directly to his escort. "So, what does the Lieutenant want with me?"

"To be blunt: he wants to use you as bait."

"...what."

"You'll see."

Minutes later, Fuyutsuki was staring at a dead Laotian man, his torso gouged and bloodied. "...I am officially protesting this idea."

"What's interesting is that some of the locals are saying this man was a rather unrepentant rapist and pedophile," said Lieutenant Akiyama, blatantly ignoring Fuyutsuki's complaint. His brown eyes focused keenly at the mountainous jungle surrounding the refugee camp. "A few of the child workers have come forward to tell us that, recently, the 'trade' routes have been rendered unsafe for travel. By some 'coincidence', the children are always left alone."

Yet another reason for the Human Instrumentality Project: to eradicate depravity in all its forms. Case in point: child prostitution. "Vigilantes?"

"That's our guess. The thing that was striking…is how the children said that they talked like us."

"Japanese vigilantes?"

"Even better: child Japanese vigilantes."

"And I take it our partners with the PLA see it as something that we have a hand in?" Heaven forbid that anyone actually try and eliminate utter refuse that dared called themselves human; destabilization was verboten, no matter what form it took, no matter how morally justifiable.

"Which is why I'd like to stop them as soon as possible before I get more complaints lobbed at me."

"...and why are you using me as bait?"

"For one, if our dear vigilantes are unstable, I'd prefer it to be you instead of one of my men."

"At least you're honest." Tapping his elbow irritably, Fuyutsuki sighed; unfortunately, he was somewhat dependent on remaining in the military's good graces, since it was their generosity that allowed him to come here as a volunteer. In the end, when they said 'jump', he asked 'into the volcano or into the spike pit?' "Fine. But I want some backup."

"Of course."

"Specific backup."

Lieutenant Akiyama arched an eyebrow.

Ten minutes later, Fuyutsuki found himself delving into the jungle and away from the refugee camp, following a slightly worn path up the wooded ridge. The late afternoon sun provided a sufficient amount of light, but it didn't dispel the ever-present gloom. At least the oppressive atmosphere of the refugee camp was fading away. Now I just have to deal with violent vigilantes.

After a few minutes of walking, he came to a small clearing; a rather conspicuous bloodstain marred a patch of grass. This is the place where they found the body…I suppose there's no better place. Eyeing the fallen trunk of an ambarella tree, he took a seat. The chitter-chatter of bugs and wildlife created a natural symphony, a fitting backdrop for this whole enterprise. Pulling out two small sheets of paper and a bit of twine, he began to hum. It was an old, but familiar tune, one that most children of Japan knew by heart: manipulating the paper and twine, he let his song filter through the woods.

"Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu,
Do make tomorrow a sunny day!
Like the sky in a dream sometime,
If it's sunny I'll give you a golden bell…!"

The paper was crumpled, forming the shape of a ball; he then wrapped the second sheet around it.

"Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu,
Do make tomorrow a sunny day !
If you make my wish come true,
We'll drink lots of sweet saké…!"

He twisted the second sheet, forming the head of the 'shine shine monk'. He went for the last verse as he tied the twine around the neck.

"Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu,
Do make tomorrow a sunny day!"

"But if it's cloudy and I find you crying…"

"…then I shall snip your head off."

Fuyutsuki smiled grimly at the two new voices. "I thought you two might know this song." He glanced up, looking at where trees were thickest. "You've been up to a lot, from what I hear."

"A lot, he says." Childish giggling echoed through the canopy. As though frightened by their mere presence, the jungle's ambience began to fade. "We have done a lot, haven't we, sister of mine?"

"Of course, brother of mine."

Fuyutsuki tried not to gulp. He had the feeling that showing fear would be the worst thing he could do, right now. "A lot of children have spoken of you. They were grateful for your actions."

"We were only making things fair."

"Fair, fair, fair…"

"Should we make things fair for you? Maybe by cutting off a leg."

"Or maybe an arm?"

Fuyutsuki turned his focus back to the teru-teru-bozu in his hand. Better to focus on that, than to entertain their casually violent words. "And how would that be fair?"

"You're seeking us out."

"That means you want us for something."

"Nobody ever wants us unless it's for something bad."

"Or naughty!"

"Or nasty~"

"Oh brother of mine, that's so rude of you!"

"Sorry, sister of mine. Should I have said tasty?"

"That works!" The girl joyfully chirped, "Did you want a taste?"

"Or is that you want to be tasted?" asked the boy.

"Either way, the blood will flow, and it won't matter!"

A little bit of bile crept up the back of Fuyutsuki's throat. He didn't let it show. "Actually," he slowly retracted a pen from the front his shirt pocket, "I wanted to draw the eyes on the little doll. I was hoping for good weather tomorrow. Everyone's saying that it's going to rain."

"Rain is messy."

"But it means we don't have to take a bath, brother of mine!"

"But it also makes us look cleaner."

"Ah, I forgot! The dirtier, the better!"

Fuyutsuki breathed slowly. In. Out. Inhale. Exhale. "Would you like to draw the eyes? I'm sure it's been a long time since you've done it."

"…I don't know. Do you remember, brother of mine?"

"It seems familiar, sister of mine. We knew the song, didn't we?"

"…ah, that's right. You have such a good memory!"

Tentatively, the preteen children emerged.

Fuyutsuki felt like crying; their brown hair was dirty and matted, the unkempt tips coming down to their chest. Their clothing was worn and ragged, doing little to hide sores and old bruises that children had no business having; their hands – so tiny, yet so naively firm – held an old axe and an old BAR rifle with a practiced ease. Perhaps most tellingly, their dark brown eyes held no light, no joy, and no empathy: only a delightfully unyielding madness.

Even so, he held the pen and the doll forward.

The boy took the doll, and the girl took the pen. Slowly, with unsure motions, the girl traced two black eyes on the head of the teru-teru-bozu.

"…do you two have names?" he asked.

Their eyes shot towards him: suspicious, guarded. "…my name is only for my brother."

"And my name is only for my sister."

"…okay." Fuyutsuki leaned back. "I see."

In the very next moment, the two children were struck by tranquilizer darts.

They didn't struggle. They didn't fight. It seemed like…they had expected it, this apparent betrayal.

"Hope you have fun…" droned the boy.

"…when we wake up, we'll have fun with you…" whispered the girl.

They quietly collapsed to the ground, instinctively reaching for each other.

Kozou Fuyutsuki quickly got to his feet, stumbling several feet away before hurling out the contents of his stomach. He was still dry heaving by the time five Japanese soldiers entered the clearing, two of them wielding tranquilizer guns. "…so these are them? They look like shit," said a soldier, nudging their bodies with his boot.

"That's putting it-hurk," burped Fuyutsuki, coughing up more bile and vomit, "…putting it mildly."

"Should we put them out of their misery?"

"No. I will take responsibility." He gazed sadly at the five men. "Please bind them well. I'm going back to Japan, and they're coming with me."

"That sounds like a drastic step."

"They need therapy, and they apparently have a reputation in these parts; that's a recipe for them getting killed sooner rather than later. I won't have it: I'm getting them out of this hell."

Resting atop the winding branch of a broad-leafed tree, LILITH kicked her feet absentmindedly, watching as the six men went about their work with the young twins.

A stroke of luck resulted in two lives being changed forever…and looking back, knowing who they had become…you would always wonder if their suffering was truly meaningless.​

xxxx

/February 2, 2004/

/Slopes of Mount Umami, Outskirts of Asakura, Fukuoka Pacification Zone, Kyūshū Island, Japan/

Meaning. Purpose. Truth. It is something that my kind sought.​

The eighteen-year old Ryoji Kaji slowly opened his eyes. His attempts at stretching were impeded by the ropes binding his hands and feet. "…shit," he hissed, resisting the urge to struggle.

"Nothing but a bunch of brats."

Kaji froze, trying vainly to look around. His fellow looters were also bound, appearing quite out of it. Were we drugged? Gassed? His little gang – a motley crew of idealistic boys and anarchists – were arranged in a row, ready for slaughter. Did the military finally find us?

"Wondering how you were found?"

Kaji finally turned his gaze to the speaker: a man in black, wearing a gas mask, placing explosives around his gang's campsite. Near the edge of the woods, an unmarked van could be seen, parked along the slope of their Mt. Umami camp. "…yes?"

"You weren't that hard to follow, believe it or not." His accent was unmistakably gaijin, and flashes of pale flesh could be seen at the wrists and neck.

"Impossible. We have a system!"

The man sighed, burying another beige-colored block in the ground by a camphorwood tree. "It was decent, and the Defense Ministry is still stretched too thinly trying to pacify Fukuoka to devote all of their resources to a little band of looters. But you're annoying enough that they decided to sic me on you."

"And you are?"

"Just someone who's on vacation, and was in the area. I told them I'd take care of you for free. Told them it was a vendetta."

Kaji froze. Was this man someone they had stolen from? What the hell could we have stolen to warrant an assassination attempt?

"Granted, I've never actually seen you before, but they didn't care. I just told them that you would be disposed of." The assassin calmly began hauling Kaji's unconscious compatriots away, stacking them like cordwood in the back of his van. "And in all honesty, that you weren't found by now is a testament to their incompetence."

Kaji tried not to panic as his fourteen fellows were picked up one at a time, piled into the back of his van. We're dead. We're dead. We bit off more than we can chew. I told Yusuke that trying to spray the JSDF jeeps was pushing it. I told Seto that stealing those MREs was going to invite too much attention. We're dead. We're dead. And in the end…what had they accomplished? What had he done?

Such thoughts preoccupied Ryoji Kaji's mind as he was picked up by the assassin. "Hrmph. You must have a hardy constitution, to wake up so soon."

"…did you knock us out with a gas bomb?"

"A little more subtle, but essentially."

"...Shiroyama was supposed to be on patrol. He has the best eyes and ears of us all."

"You're nothing but children. The world is so much bigger than your little bouts of looting or vandalism…and so much smarter than your youthful optimism." Instead of throwing Kaji into the back, the masked man placed him in the passenger seat of the van. Clicking the seatbelt, he quietly reached down and undid the binds around his feet, and then the hands.

Chance! Kaji reached-

SMACK!

The eighteen-year old gasped, his abdomen screaming with pain.

"Don't do that again." The man calmly closed the doors; by the time he got into the driver's seat, Kaji was still bent over, cradling his stomach. "Hmm. Never taken a punch before?"

"Not…like…that…"

"Consider it another free lesson." Shifting the transmission, the man wheeled the van around and drove through the clearing, eventually rejoining Highway 500 near the Egawa Reservoir; the sun was barely creeping over the horizon, a new dawn greeting the slowly stabilizing Japan. The man quietly reached into his jacket, pulling out a small switch. With a press of the button, a muffled thump could be heard: it was the sound of Kaji's old campsite being engulfed by flames. "Now, if you have any ounce of sense, you will stop looting and do something more productive with your lives."

"…why…?"

"Like I said. You're just children stealing and looting. You haven't done anything particularly heinous. And I'd prefer that you learn from your mistakes instead of dying from them. That being said..." He placed his hand on Kaji's shoulder; his grip was like iron. "I do have a bit of a reputation. If I find out that you or your buddies went back to your nefarious ways, I will actually kill you. Because if there's one thing I find distasteful, it's people wasting chances. Are we clear?"

"…sure." Kaji reached a hand up, stringing the sweat from his shoulder-length hair. Feeling a bit more emboldened, he decided to push a little. "…so. An altruistic assassin?"

The man chuckled. "To be fair, my wife is currently visiting some of her colleagues in Hakone, and she wanted to show off our daughter. I simply…wanted to stretch my legs."

"Taking out a contract and setting off military-grade explosives is 'stretching'?"

"Yes, relatively speaking." After another few minutes of driving, the man pulled the van over off the side of the road, idling to a stop. He then sauntered to the back of the van, opened the doors, and began dumping the unconscious teens into the grass. "Now, Toho is just a mile down the road. It's a relatively stable village, and an important source of food for Asakura, so it has a decent military presence. However, the platoon in this village just rotated in from the Saga Pacification Zone, so I doubt any of them will know your faces. If you keep your heads down, you'll do fine. Once Kyūshū is fully back under government control, things will calm down."

"…why?"

The man turned around, his gas mask reflecting the bewildering expression on Kaji's face. "Why?"

"What benefit do you get out of saving us? You could've just gassed us and blown us up. Or shot us; don't think I didn't see the spare magazines inside your coat. What do you get out of it?"

"…hmm. Good question. Not sure; a whim, perhaps?" The assassin shrugged. "Maybe being a father has changed me. Or perhaps I've come to the realization that death, if it is to be dealt, must be done with purpose and effect. And your deaths wouldn't have any purpose."

"…then why were you hired to kill us?"

"Because the men who hired me believe it would be more efficient."

"…that seems like an awful reason to kill someone."

"Well, it's an awful world, with a lot of awful people. But this world…is still big enough for people to make a living, if they can find a reason. And, to be honest? I think you'll find one." The gaijin calmly got back into the vain, made a three-point turn, and quietly chugged its way westward along Highway 500.

"…ergh…" One of the boys began to stir. "Wha…what the hell? Kaji, what's goin' on?!"

Kaji looked down at his gaggle of bound fellows and soon-to-be former looters. Kuro, a black-haired teen, was staring at him with wide eyes. "…well, I can tell you that our days of thievery and youthful vandalism are over." His mind was spinning, trying to catalogue everything he had just experienced. The man was a gaijin with a reputation…enough of one that he could get away with not showing true proof of our deaths. His mere presence is good enough for the military…but he was only here by sheer coincidence…is that even possible…? So many questions…so many questions…

Unbidden, a smile came to his face. How interesting.

Sitting atop the van, LILITH smiled to herself, watching the young Ryoji Kaji free his fellows.

A brush with death, and your curiosity was enkindled. So much so that you eventually found yourself roving across continents, wandering about to try and discern the truth of this world. LILITH glanced down, fully experiencing the presence of the driver within. And what delight you felt, when you first met Pieter Langley in Germany, and realized that you were speaking to the man who had been contracted to kill you and your friends. A mere connection in the thread of causality, but one with such possibility…​

xxxx

/May 5, 2007/

/Lake Cospudener, Leipzig, Germany/

Humanity's works have pulled so much from the [power/songs/wonders] of my kind...those who are closest to it have the tightest grasp on the reins of fate...​

"This still wigs me out," murmured Misato Katsuragi, her face somewhat flushed at the sight of the nude beach-goers along the edge of Lake Cospudener. "Did you have to pick the clothing-optional beach?"

"Now now, Misato-chan," lightly chided Ryoji Kaji, a roguish grin on his face, "it is merely man and woman at their most natural."

"Honestly, you'd think Australia would have removed your inhibitions," muttered the burgundy-haired Ritsuko Akagi, her eyes calmly poring through a large textbook titled 'Metaphysical Biology: Advanced Concepts and Applications with Analytics' by K. Ikari. The trio were sitting at a wooden table, with Kaji and Misato sitting on one bench and Ritsuko sitting opposite them.

Misato snorted, leaning her elbows on the table. "Oh come on, Ritsky. Australia may have been an apocalyptic deathworld, and maybe my people were oddballs and social nonconformists, but that doesn't mean we took it as an excuse to be perverted leches."

"Ah, but isn't perversity in the mind of the beholder?" retorted Kaji. "Perhaps our dear Misato-chan has taken one bite too many from the Fruit of Knowledge~"

"Don't make me hit you, Kaji-kun."

"Think of it this way: at least at a nude beach, the perverts are easy to identify."

"That's...actually a solid point."

Ritsuko Akagi sighed. "I know you two elected to tag along, but I'd like to continue my post-doctoral studies in peace."

The purple-haired sophomore snorted. "Well, you could've told us not to come."

"It's a public area, Misato! I couldn't stop you."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that."

The two women kept bantering until Kaji suddenly glanced over their shoulder. "...there's a lovely redheaded woman walking towards us. And she has a kid with her."

"Kaji..." growled Misato.

"Hey, I can objectively comment on someone else's beauty. You know the saying: you can look at someone else's car, even if you aren't driving it."

"Okay Kaji-kun, who actually says that?"

The older woman approached their table, looking directly at Ritsuko. "Dr. Akagi?"

"Yes. Dr. Sohryu?"

"Correct! A pleasure to finally meet Naoko-chan's daughter in person."

Ritsuko gestured toward Misato and Kaji. "These two are my friends Misato Katsuragi and Ryoji Kaji."

"...Katsuragi? As in-?"

Misato sighed. "Yes. I'm the daughter of that Katsuragi."

"My condolences. Your father had a keen mind."

"Thanks...I guess." Misato's gaze turned to the smaller redhead holding onto Kyoko's hand, and every maternal part of her mind and will suddenly squeed. "And who's this cutie?"

"This would be my daughter. Say hello, Asuka."

"Guten Tag!" chirped the five-year old. "Mama, can I go swimming?"

"Of course, Liebling."

It was at that point that Asuka promptly disrobed and quickly delved into the lake, her exuberant motions drawing chuckles and laughter from the nearby swimmers.

Misato's eye twitched. "...yep, still feels weird."

"You'll get used to it. I did," casually remarked Kyoko. "Live here long enough, and that Japanese modesty of yours will wither away."

Misato scoffed. "I'm sure. And I bet one day I'll just gallivant about in clothes barely one step removed from underwear, driving horny boys to distraction and delirium! Seriously, I'm not a prude, but I at least have some standards."

Perched atop Misato's head, LILITH laughed. Loudly and uproariously.​

As Kyoko pulled out a weathered notebook, she asked, "so Dr. Akagi, have you narrowed down your topic of research?"

"I have a few possibilities in mind, but I wanted to bounce them off of a more seasoned mind before moving forward. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, by the way."

"I was visiting Leipzig anyway to try and gain some new ideas for Project E." The redhead smiled nervously. "Things are getting a little stressful in Berlin-2, so this was a needed break."

"Didn't you give birth to a girl not too long ago?"

"Yes, but she has a bit of a fever; not quite fit for travel. My dear Pieter is taking care of her though."

xxxx

/Meanwhile, in Berlin-2/

Pieter Langley stared daggers at the pediatrician. "What are you doing?"

"…taking your daughter's temperature?"

"…"

"Sir, rectal temperature is the most accurate measurement for infants…"

"…"

"…please don't hurt me."

xxxx

/Back in Leipzig/

Kyoko nodded to herself. "Yes. Mari will be fine."

"Hmm. I'm no mother, so I'm in no position to question." Ritsuko tugged at a lock of her hair, pulling it behind her ear. "I've also been trying to dig up any information from the Katsuragi Expedition to help advance my research; given your position with Project E, I wager that you have more access to classified records."

"…that would be correct. But why haven't you asked Naoko-chan?" Kyoko glanced at Misato and Kaji – both of them preoccupied with watching Asuka inexorably draw all nearby swimmers into the most cheerful water fight ever – before leaning in towards Ritsuko, whispering, "the incident did nothing to her mind. And her position with the Hakone MAGI leaves her in a better position than ever for data retrieval. She's a resource I wouldn't hesitate to exploit."

Ritsuko huffed, glancing up at the clear sky with a melancholy expression. "I suppose. I just don't like using my mother as a crutch. I don't want to just be known as 'Akagi the Second'."

"…word of advice? Get over yourself. Building off of the results, data, and achievements of others is part and parcel of science. You're too smart not to know this."

"…I suppose." Ritsuko sighed. "I just haven't heard it put so bluntly before."

"I deal with too many people and too many deadlines to waste my time with sugarcoating things." The redhead huffed, her little vent session fading away right as Kaji was riling up Misato about something.

"Come on Kaji, you're bluffing."

"I'm dead serious, Misato-chan."

"Not buying it. You're a hound in a human suit, but even you have some sense of shame."

Kaji chuckled. "Now now, don't sound too confident. You'll have to live up to your end of the bargain."

"Deal!"

In a very nonchalant manner, Ryoji Kaji promptly stripped down.

"…okay. You're shameless," grumbled Misato.

"You're just now figuring this out?" pointedly asked Ritsuko. "And what kind of deal was that? You don't even have the excuse of alcohol."

"…I am sober, aren't I? I don't have an excuse." There was sense of bewildered wonder in her tone. "What the hell?"

Kyoko laughed softly at the purple-haired twenty-year-old's consternation. "Seems like you just wanted an excuse to get naked in public."

Misato stared at Dr. Sohryu. Then at Ritsuko. Then at Kaji, whose eyebrows were wiggling. She pointedly did not look down. Then she looked back at Ritsuko. Then finally at Kyoko. "…I don't want to say that makes sense…but it makes sense. Too much sense. A disturbing amount of sense."

"Some prude you are," wryly said Dr, Akagi.

Grumbling to herself, Misato calmly began to strip down with as much pride as she had left. Namely, not much. Her bold posture was somewhat undermined by how red her face was. "Fine, a deal's a deal."

"As I said: we are now at our most natural."

Ritsuko snorted. "I've walked in on you two at your most natural. Being nude in public doesn't automatically give you a license for public obscenity."

Misato gave her friend a very severe stink eye. "Geez, you're so harsh. Just get back to your studying and leave me to my humiliation in peace." She grabbed Kaji's hand, pointedly stomping over to the lake water so she would at least be surrounded by fellow naked people. As he was led away, Kaji glanced back and winked conspiratorially at Ritsuko and Kyoko.

"…that man is more sly than he lets on," remarked Dr. Sohryu.

"Tell me about it," muttered Ritsuko.

LILITH swam amongst the naked humans, marveling at the jovial display, most of it centered around the whirling typhoon of happiness that was Asuka Langley Sohryu. She experienced the light of her soul, and gazed at the lights emanating from Misato, Kaji, Ritsuko, and Kyoko.

Five individual humans, seemingly limited in their power. And yet, these five will be involved in the great crucible that will test this world…yet you wouldn't know if the time and place were just a little bit different. Oh, the ecstasy and agony of [change/evolution/transformation]!​

xxxx

/October 21, 2008/

/Akagi and Katsuragi's Dorm, University of Leipzig/

The weight of truth, the pull of fate…so many demand the sun at noon, who can barely stand the crescent moon…​

Misato Katsuragi trudged into the cramped dorm room, groaning audibly. "Ugh…I…hate…SOCIOLOGY."

Skrt skrt. "That's nice…" Scribble scribble.

The purple-haired senior plopped onto her bed, kicking off her shoes with flourish. "Seriously. I've already breezed through integral calculus: why the hell do I gotta do something so obtuse and time wasting?!"

Skrtch scribble. "Hmm. Tough." Rrrrrip. Crinkle. "No…could it…?"

Misato blearily raised her head, glancing at the desk in the far corner of the dimly lit dorm. Ritsuko's desk was littered with multiple notebooks and sketches, worn and weathered after constant use. "…seriously Ritsky, your research is starting to run you ragged."

"…it's just…so much to digest, and process…" She tossed a crumpled piece of paper into a nearby wastebasket. Her burgundy hair hung limply against her neck. "…maybe…maybe…"

"…if you ever need to take a break, take it, okay?"

"Hmph. A break. Sure. Right."

"Seriously. You could learn from Pen-Pen!"

xxxx

Meanwhile, in a nearby recreation center, Pen-Pen was schooling the entire swimming team in the backstroke.

xxxx

"Those notebooks will still be there tomorrow, Ritsky. So turn in and let that brain catch some Z's!" Misato paused. "…never quite understood how that phrase means to get some sleep."

"Sure, sure…I'll sleep when I'm dead…or alive…or both…"

"…starting to sound loopy, Ritsky."

"…hmm?"

"…you know, I'm just going to go to bed and let you keep burning the midnight oil...even though you don't have any oil." Misato frowned. "…you know what, too tired to think." She collapsed into her bed; in mere minutes, she was snoring. Loudly.

"Loudmouth…" Her pencil continued scribbling into her notebook (yet another one, yet another), notating a stream of consciousness of questions and equations and observations and despair and anger and confusion and she was so loud WHY DID SHE SNORE?! "…too much…" ADAM White Moon LILITH Black Moon time space history prehistory observing watching learning watching watching watching. "…why…" The notes of Dr. Sohryu, the notes of her mother who knew all of this and yet said nothing and acted as though this wasn't a paradigm shift how could it not be how how HOW HOW. "…why…" Hakone GEHIRN Project E Angel Evangelion Naoko Akagi MAGI Gendo Ikari Yui Ikari Marduk Keel Lorenz SEELE nephilim Second Impact science soul physics metaphysics understanding rational irrational time time TIME TIME. "…why…" A world apart, a world unseen, a world at her fingertips, a brave new world, a brave old world, suicidal and delving into the abyss, an abyss that looked at her and through her and into her...

"…heh…"

…and she looked back…

"…heh heh…"

…and grinned.

"…how funny."

Perched atop Ritsuko's head, LILITH laughed. Loudly and uproariously.

Your mind, whole and hearty, was unable to bear the world…and so it split until it could. Oh, the ecstasy and agony of [change/evolution/transformation]!​

xxxx

/August 27, 2000/

/Chaplin's Room, Fujiya Hotel, Hakone, Japan/

A little alteration, a different path...or even just a flight of fancy...such are the things upon which causality turns.​

Gendo Ikari sighed as he closed the door to their hotel room. "You know, for our first wedding anniversary, this is turning out to be a rather unromantic."

"I'm sorry, Gendo."

"Don't apologize." Gendo quietly removed his coat, placing it on the desk beside his eyeglasses. "You seemed very...stressed, when I called." He took the room's key - attached to a keychain fashioned in the image of Charlie Chaplin, one of the Fujiya's most famous guests - and locked the door. Turning towards his wife - sitting limply on the side of the twin bed, white lab coat sprawled messily over the green sheets - the UN's Third Chief Supervisor of the Katsuragi Expedition sat down beside the Chief of GEHIRN's Metaphysical Bioengineering Team, Black Moon Division. Two important individuals: both deeply aware of how much the information within the White and Black Moons would shift the paradigm of mankind's evolution. "It's fortunate that the timing turned out well." Never let it be said that the Ikari name lacked power: after all, Chaplin's Room was normally reserved for foreign nationals only.

"Yes..."

"So." Gendo folded his hands together, staring straight ahead. He didn't look at Yui, at her downcast expression, at the tears that were slowly dripping down her cheeks; to do so would reduce him to a gibbering mess, and then there wouldn't be any reasonable conversation. "What's wrong?"

"...my father is a monster."

"Well, I could have told you that. Is your brother also secretly an oni?"

Yui snorted, lightly slapping Gendo on the shoulder; her father's and brother's distaste for him was already an old joke. "I'm serious...the Instrumentality Project...I've discovered what it will become. Chairman Keel...and my father...how could they...?"

"...this is serious, isn't it?" The Instrumentality Project: spoken of amongst the upper echelons of GEHIRN and the Katsuragi Expedition in somewhat hushed tones, and commonly joked about as just another 'UN cesspit for grant money' by those of lesser tenure. "The exact form of the Project has been somewhat nebulous amidst GEHIRN's various projects to bolster and advance humanity's genetic condition...I take it that there's a definitive goal in mind?"

"Yes. The data regarding ADAM has taken on new significance in light of our discovery of LILITH."

"I still maintain that the Living One and the Knowledgeable One were perfectly acceptable titles."

Yui chuckled; only within the last week had that discreet communique been sent out, regarding how to refer to the two aliens in their internal reports. "Well...have you ever heard of an Anti-AT-Field?"

"Only as a theoretical exercise for my doctoral dissertation. The energy required to actually generate one would...be..." Gendo paused. And he started thinking. And began following the conclusions, all the way to the edge of the abyss. "...are you serious?"

"Yes."

"...do they actually think they have a way of manifesting one?"

"Yes."

"...the potential consequences..."

"I know."

"...do they believe they can control it?"

"My father has shared only a few details...but they involve both ADAM and LILITH."

"...hmm. What do you want to do?"

"...I was hoping you would have a couple of suggestions."

Gendo scoffed. "You wouldn't have even dared to broach this idea if you didn't already have at least three separate ideas."

"...okay, you got me there," giggled Yui. "I just wanted to get you involved."

"I followed you into the doctoral program at Kyoto. I followed you into GEHIRN. I took on your name. There was no future for Gendo Rokubungi; as far as I'm concerned, I'll go with you, wherever that may lead."

"Flatterer. And here I am in Hakone, hearing rumors about how unapproachable you are."

"I can't help it if the people with the Expedition are so unapologetically boring."

"I'm sure. You're just afraid to make new friends."

"..."

"Not even going to deny it, hmm?"

"...no point in denying the truth, once spoken."

Yui smiled, leaning over into her husband's broad form. "Given the extent of SEELE's hand...we can't act too overtly. If they catch wind...not even my father's name will be enough to protect you or me."

"Then we won't be overt."

"...it's funny...the Human Instrumentality Project...all of our work was supposed to be about the advancement of humanity, and the creation of a newer, better world...to think the ideal world that the Chairman envisioned...was so...empty..."

"Hmm. 'There are none so blind as those with the grandest vision.'"

"Is that a quote?"

"I don't know. It ought to be."

Yui giggled again, wrapping her arms around her husband. "You silly man."

Gendo finally reciprocated, returning the embrace. The smaller woman looked up, fiddling with his beard as her other hand caressed his palm. Purring playfully, she reached up with her lips, closing around his mouth. "Now this is what I thought a wedding anniversary would be like," he amorously growled.

"Gendo?"

"Yes, Yui?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

"Yes ma'am."

LILITH sat on the other bed, chin resting on her palms as the two proceeded into the fullness of the marital embrace.

[Union/generation/life]. Humanity continues on with this act each time it occurs. Her gaze focused on Yui's abdomen, within which a new soul would soon take residence. Shinji Ikari, conceived on a Sunday. You will be born into a world of calamity.​

xxxx

/September 12, 2000/

/The White Moon Research Base, South Pole, Antarctica/

And the world of calamity was triggered, instigated by the actions of a few...​

"The Committee is curious as to when you'll begin your experiments with the Lance," said Gendo Ikari, calmly stacking some forms and folders into a reinforced briefcase. Despite being deep within the UN facilities of the White Moon, the deep chill of Antarctica still managed to seep through; hence why it was acceptable to wander around in a parka, even within the alien sphere.

Shiro Katsuragi, typing diligently into his personal computer, smiled thinly. A diagram featuring interlocking spirals was showing on the display. "Well, my team just finished ensuring that the Lance's physical integrity wasn't harmed during its transport from the Dead Sea. It's currently loaded into the conveyor system; it'll be delivered to the ADAM Chamber once we do a thorough cleaning to remove any potential genetic contamination."

"I see. The Committee is most interested in seeing how this particular tool interacts with ADAMite material, particularly given the pacifying effect the Sword seems to have on LILITH."

"Indeed."

Gendo Ikari subtly laid a small notepad beside Dr. Katsuragi's elbow. "Then I'll be off. Should I give anyone your regards?"

"Tell your wife and Dr. Akagi that I said hello. And I'm still waiting for Dr. Fuyutsuki's critique of my proposal."

"I'll let them know. Have a good day, Dr. Katsuragi." And so Gendo left, leaving the head of the Expedition to his fate.

It took over an hour before Shiro Katsuragi noticed the notepad, and even then only because he was about to leave his office for the 'evening' (for such a term had lost all relevance in Antarctica). "Hmm?" He flipped it open, noting scribbled kanji that blared the message 'READ IN PRIVATE'. "...odd." Katsuragi swiped the notepad and left his office, walking through the well-lit halls of the prefabricated UN facilities within the White Moon. Once in the nearest restroom, he sat down in the stall and flipped it open.

Dear Dr. Katsuragi,

This is Yui Ikari. I hope my husband was able to get this to you. If someone else is reading this, then both Gendo and I are probably at risk of imprisonment now. Or worse. The stakes are too high.​

"...okay." Suitably intrigued, Dr. Katsuragi continued reading. And reading. Then he reread it. The style and tone was unmistakably that of Yui's, and there were a few turns of phrase that were also uniquely hers; hence why he gave a lot of credence to the, frankly, astounding things she was describing: Chairman Keel, Katsuhito Ikari, SEELE, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Human Instrumentality Project...

Finally, by the end of it...

I understand I'm asking you to risk a lot. Your career will probably be over after this...but the survival of humanity is paramount. ADAM must be destroyed.

I'm sorry.​

...he was numb with despair, disbelief, and fear. "...okay...okay." He had a thought. Quite a few. They quickly began coalescing, forming something definite. Fiddling with his cross necklace, he did something he hadn't done in a while: he prayed.

Hours later, early in the morning of September 13, Dr. Katsuragi fled from the orange capsule that now contained his daughter. Down the halls he flew, his coat flapping behind him. "She'll live…she'll live…oh, Christ have mercy…!"

It took three minutes for him to make it to the ADAM Chamber: the heart of the Expedition's research in the White Moon, and the resting place of the seemingly catatonic extraterrestrial: the Living One, the Giant of Light…ADAM. Atop a complex throne of alien machinery and convoluted piping – one could jokingly call it arcane – sat the silent creature. Despite all tests done, despite all of the physical samples taken from its form, it had not responded or reacted.

A living corpse, dead to the world. However, if Yui's words regarding the Dead Sea Scrolls were true…

"I know you're awake. I don't know your motives for keeping silent...and I don't know why you've been so patient. My inner scientist hates what I must do…" He reached into his coat's pocket, pulling out a remote. Clicking the red button, the nearby conveyor belt began to turn, bringing in something from an adjacent storage unit. "…but I can't allow it…" Atop the conveyor, gleaming red in the bright light of the cavernous room, was the Lance of Longinus. With a click of the remote, the belt halted. "…I won't allow it…" The scientist quickly hopped over to a nearby table, going over one of his colleague's contraptions. "Ah, Nagato-san, you and your fascination with gravitational fluctuations and their applications…" He flipped several switches, glancing at the large chunk of orange Kleinium as the nearby turbine began to whir. "…okay…just a couple of minutes before it powers up enough…no need to limit the negative charge now…" The dark-haired man quickly hurried to the conveyor belt, clambering onto it; grabbing for the tip of the Lance's base, he glanced up at ADAM.

The Giant was staring at him. Blank eyes, black voids…looking directly at him.

And then a voice thundered in his mind.

YOUR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN AMUSING.

"…so…you can speak…" he whispered, feeling so very small.

LONG HAVE I BEEN AWAKE, EONS BEFORE YOUR KIND REACHED ITS CURRENT EVOLUTIONARY STAGE. I WAS CONTENT TO MERELY OBSERVE.

"…we tried to communicate. We wanted to understand more about you."

THERE WAS NO NEED. BUT NOW, YOU ARRIVE WITH THAT TERRIBLE INSTRUMENT. IT IS CLEAR THAT YOU HAVE MET MY...CONTEMPORARY…WHICH MEANS YOU ARE GETTING CLOSER TO REALITIES BEST LEFT UNCOVERED. Wires snapped, and metal creaked; there was a distinct sense of pressure – of heaviness, of power – beginning to fill the chamber. Slowly, inexorably, ADAM began to rise. YOU WILL SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE TO YOUR KIND.

"…maybe…maybe." Shiro Katsuragi gulped, slowly steeling himself. "If I hadn't done this, your great power would have been used to the great detriment of the human race…and now, you are acting distinctly hostile…" His hands clenched tightly at the base of the Lance. "…and yet, I still feel nothing but sorrow." The Kleinium crackled and shimmered; the heavy tension was replaced by an airy sensation of lightness. "…please forgive me."

With those words, and with the aid of Kleinium repulsing a tremendous amount of gravitons over a wide area, Shiro Katsuragi – a proverbial ant compared to the Lance – picked up the massive bident and tossed it towards ADAM's torso.

ADAM raised a hand, AT-Field blazing, but to no avail. The Lance pierced the giant's skin, and the nullifying effect of the bident clamped ferociously upon ADAM's power. Howling in agony, the giant began to glow; the sheer amount of energy within the alien sparked, then fractured, and erupted -

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

LILITH watched Shiro Katsuragi with great sadness as ADAM burst apart, his body burning brightly in a futile attempt to overwhelm the implacable effect of the Lance. Dr. Katsuragi watched in stunned awe as he was overwhelmed by a wave of energy, vaporized into base atoms.

In the very next instant, LILITH was clinging to the topsy-turvy cylinder that held Shiro's daughter, Misato. Far in the distance, four amber wings reached for the heavens, even as Antarctica was proverbially consumed by hell itself.

Man and woman sought to change the destiny of the world…and their wish was granted.​

xxxx

/April 2, 1995/

/Lorenz Estate, Outskirts of Braunschweig, Germany/

Man sought to change the destiny of the world…because he feared his own.​

Keel Lorenz slowly extended his right leg, flexing the knee. There was a vertical scar with sutures running up the limb, at the site of his surgery. "The cybernetic replacement is working flawlessly."

His private nurse nodded, her heart-shaped face bearing a polite smile. "I'll be sure to let Dr. Black know. Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Lorenz?"

"No. That'll be all, Anna."

The blonde nodded, slightly bowing before departing. Keel watched her walk away, focusing on her toned legs and derriere; he knew that her relatively scanty wardrobe was simply Dr. Black's particular method of 'customer service'. Were he younger, he would be more inclined to indulge in such pleasures of the flesh.

But, as his new knee made oh-so-evident, the flesh was in its long decline.

Keel Lorenz left his private medical ward, walking through his vast mansion, past classic antique furniture and expensive paintings, past photos of long-deceased family, past bookshelves, past an old gun collection, past a grand piano…such wealth, such luxury, such opulence…and what did it all amount to?

The elderly man stared out of a large window – grandiose, meters tall, always good for a view – and indulged in the nostalgia. Sweeping hills of green grass, complete with a blue sky and puffy white clouds; a view that he remembered as a child. A cherished one, in retrospect.

And what did it amount to? What did any of it amount to?

The vast majority of humans have been forgotten. In the grand scheme of things…no one knows that they ever existed. One day, I will be the same. "Hmm…" How long can I stave off the Grim Reaper? The continued evolution of mankind, the study of the soul, advanced human augmentation, all the works of SEELE…is it merely just a means to delay the inevitable? His thoughts turned to the Dead Sea Scrolls: to the Living One, and the Knowledgeable One, and their myriad observations. Those mysterious beings…what if we were to find them? What could we learn? What could we become?

The Human Instrumentality Project: a loose collection of various projects dedicated to, for lack of a better term, upgrading mankind. His great hope. His only dream. All of humanity will eventually be forgotten…how great it would be, if we could be an eternal testament to our own existence. Somehow…someday…

LILITH floated outside the window, staring directly at Keel Lorenz.

Humanity's lifespan: long enough, that one could afford to think in the abstract, and ponder the meaning of existence…yet short enough for one to cherish every single moment…to the point where death frightens you, beyond the merely instinctual level.

LILITH phased through the window, skipping forward in time by twenty local years. She watched quietly as two nephilim, born of ADAM, walked down the halls.​

"You keep on humming," grumbled the white-haired girl.

"Oh?" asked the silver-haired boy.

"I've not heard you hum this much since you first learned the Ode to Joy."

"Ah. I just heard Handel's Water Music. It is a very uplifting tune."

"Why are you fascinated by the music of the Lilim?"

"…I have been pondering that."

"It is a collection of sounds, organized in a form to evoke some sort of emotion."

"A technically accurate description…but it misses so much…"

"How?"

"I look at these songs, at these sheets of music…and I can sense the mind behind them. Even though they perished and passed away so long ago, they live on through their work."

"These songs will eventually be forgotten."

"Perhaps…yet they are testaments nonetheless. Even if they will ultimately pass away, they have still lived on beyond their mortal selves. It is…a familiar sentiment."

"Like the Fruit of Life?"

"…I wouldn't go that far."

"…how great was ADAM's influence, compared to LILITH's?"

"I can only speculate. But it would be inaccurate, I think, to say that this world's lifeforms are influenced by only LILITH."

"Hmm."

LILITH followed Tabris and Zeruel, humming thoughtfully to herself as the [vessels/containers/shells] of ADAM's [remnants/fragments] continued to converse. It was…familiar.

You are well aware of your destiny, and fully accept the ultimate end, whatever it may be…but in the meantime, you are content to wait, and experience. So…nostalgic.​

xxxx

/April 22, 2011/

/Banzai Bonzo Bar, Downtown Tokyo-3, Japan/

However…the threads of fate, the stream of causality, and the ultimate destiny of humanity…can also be ignored.​

Makoto Hyuga – current staff member with Section 3's Logistics Procurement, and former salaryman for Yamato Transport – walked into the bar for one particular purpose: to sample the wares and see if it was all it was knocked up to be by his coworkers. Hmm…dim lighting, canned jazz music, old-fashioned aesthetic...I'm liking it. The bespectacled man of twenty-eight years then looked at the bar, where four seats were occupied by a woman and three apes. Hmm. Well that's unusual. He promptly walked up to the bar and took a seat by the gorilla. "I'll have a cup of Shintaro saké, please."

"…well Mugen, someone willingly sat by you. Your scare factor has gone down."

The bonobo and chimpanzee, sitting on the other side of the woman, trilled and chirped with laughter. The gorilla – apparently named Mugen – grumbled with dismay.

Hyuga smiled at the brief joke, taking the cup of chilled saké gratefully. "Thank you." He glanced over the gorilla and looked at the woman – slim face, brown hair tied into a ponytail, black eyes with a distinctly predatory gleam – before eyeing her sharp yet conservative wardrobe. "You look like someone who just got out of an interview."

"…actually just got the job offer this morning. I start at NERV tomorrow."

"What area?"

"Section 2. Internal security, with an emphasis on Interrogation."

"Ah, so a spook then."

"…yeah."

"Okay. Been on the job for a month with Section 3. Logistics."

"All right. So…what brought you to NERV?"

"It's a good career move."

"…seriously?"

"NERV's funding is trending upward, so job security will likely be good for the near future. Plus, if the Angels do return, this will probably be the safest place."

"…huh. That's actually sensible."

"And you?"

The woman glanced at her companions, who were eating from bowls laden with greens and fruit slices. "Kind of a long story…but it involves these guys. Turns out, military experience isn't enough for a lot of private security companies to overlook the fact I've got three Congolese expats tagging along."

"And I take it NERV was the exception?"

"Believe it or not, my final interview was conducted by the head honcho himself. He thought my buddies would fit right in with Tokyo-3."

"Gendo Ikari?"

"Yeah."

"He does seem a little out there."

"A little?"

"He's the Supreme Commander for a reason. The people who have been here since NERV was called GEHIRN seem to like him."

"…you seem way too relaxed."

Hyuga shrugged, taking another sip of his saké; the flavor was well-balanced, both sweet and sour. "No point in complaining about things I can't change. And if other people are going to be crazy, that's their business: as long as I do my job and do it well, things will take care of themselves."

The woman snorted. "Life must be nice, being that simple."

"I find that most people overcomplicate things."

"I'll drink to that." The woman took a long swig of her Suntory whiskey. "Name's Shiori Aoba."

"Makoto Hyuga."

Perched atop the head of Mugen the gorilla, LILITH bore a queer little smile.

A modest philosophy, an unpretentious lifestyle…yet there is contentment to be found, even when everyone around is decidedly…unconventional. There is a simpleminded charm to it.​

xxxx

/March 18, 2016/

/Yukio Yasuda's Residence, Tokyo-3, Japan/

This city is bound within the web of Gendo Ikari…all for the sake of his [vision/desire/scheme].​

Dr. Yukio Yasuda finished scribbling a few notes down on his clipboard. "That's quite an interesting story, Ikari-san."

Shinji Ikari took a sip of Earl Grey tea, looking blankly at the ceiling. "So much of what I experienced inside the Sixteenth Angel has gotten fuzzy; I have some impressions, and strong feelings about certain things…but the fine details are gone. Just like with the Fifth Angel."

"Yet you seem to assign a very positive outcome to those events."

"…kind of. I feel…like I just came out of an argument, or a debate, or a test, all about something very important…and I won. I passed. That's the feeling I have."

"Well, given how thoroughly you defeated the Nineteenth Angel, that's certainly a well-deserved feeling!" Dr. Yasuda's foot tapped rhythmically. "Regarding the words you recall from your mother…are you going to confront your father about Unit-00?"

"…yeah."

"How so?"

"I'm just going to ask him."

"And if he declines to answer?"

"…I'll cross that bridge when I get there."

"Very well. I suggest our next session take place after you confront your father. Then you can tell me all about it." Glancing at the clock, he added, "I believe it's time to wrap up. I have a patient due to arrive in twenty minutes."

Shinji nodded. "Okay. Thank you, Yasuda-san." The Evangelion Pilot got to his feet, brushing at his pants before heading for the door. "Thank you…for keeping all of this between us."

"As I told you during our first meeting: I was cleared by Section 2. To be more specific, I was cleared by Misato Katsuragi herself. My confidentiality agreement with you exists only because they trust me. And given everything that happened with the cultist insurgency in February…that's not something to take for granted."

Shinji sighed sadly. "No…it isn't." He turned and bowed once at the psychiatrist before departing.

Humming quietly to himself, Yukio Yasuda went about tidying up the small domicile before retreating into his private office. Within twenty minutes, someone would be arriving…but it would simply be a plainclothes Section 2 agent, arriving only to sell the legitimacy of his 'psychiatric practice'.

In all honesty, the 'Yasuda Shift' was the subject of a weekly contest amongst Section 2, because it entailed an extended break during the day. With pay, no less!

The man reached into the drawer of his desk and pulled out a cigarette. Lighting it, he then reached for a particular cellphone and dialed a particular number. "…Professor."

"How did it go?"

"Smooth sailing as usual," said the man, now speaking in a flawless French accent, "the subject doesn't exhibit any red flags of concern. You will receive my summary within the hour; detailed report before midnight."

"Most excellent. Anything in particular I should be concerned with?"

"Expect a visit from him soon. He has questions about Unit-00."

"…I see. Thank you for your work. Your versatility does the Lieutenant Colonel credit."

The Spy chuckled. "But of course."

Lying daintily upon the wisps of smoke, LILITH shook her head.

Promises and oaths will be twisted until they suit your aims. Compared to the survival of humanity, it seems a simple decision. And yet…one can only wonder…how long can you hold yourself to that duplicitous standard?​

xxxx

/Keter, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Indeed…how long can you hold yourself to that deceitful measure? How long, when your own foundation begins to waver…?​

After the call from the Spy, Gendo Ikari had been expecting his son to come and question him.

He hadn't quite anticipated it to be this soon, merely two hours after the end of the appointment with 'Dr. Yasuda.' "Hello, son."

"Father." Shinji walked into the expanse of his office, side-by-side with his fellow Pilot.

"Rei." Nor had he expected his son to arrive with the First Child, either.

"Professor," responded Rei with a nod.

"What brings you two here at this late hour?" Given that it was nearly 9:00 PM, he would have expected Shinji to have turned in by now, or at least to have finished his chores at Katsuragi's Apartment.

Shinji brought his hand up, scratching the back of his head out of nervous reflex. "Well…I was kind of hanging out with Rei-chan..." This prompted a slight raise of the eyebrow from Gendo; he had been aware that his son and Rei were using more affectionate honorifics from Section 2 reports, but to hear it in person was another thing entirely. "...and there was something that I've been wondering about, so I wanted to ask you. And it kind of concerned Rei, so…it only felt right, that she be here."

Rei glanced over at Shinji. "That term is odd. 'Hanging out'. We weren't hanging at all."

"Well, I know, but…"

"Shinji," interrupted Gendo, "there is a lot I still must see to." Media reports regarding lingering tension from the Fourteenth Angel's carnage through Honshu, a new report from Dr. Akagi on Unit-00's repair, the proposal submitted by Shiro Tokita on a prosthetic replacement for Mayumi Yamagishi's leg…all that and more. "So I'll ask again: what brings you here at this late hour?"

Frowning, the young man looked straight at him. "Father…who is the soul within Unit-00?"

Rei looked oddly at Shinji. Gendo did not react outwardly. "Why the curiosity?"

"…because my mother told me to ask you."

Hmm. Phrased that way, it was nigh-impossible to refuse him, for how could he deny Yui? Fortunately, he had settled on the proper method to approach the question. "Imagine, if you will, a routine experiment that was sabotaged by a close coworker: not merely an acquaintance, but a professional colleague, and a friend. Imagine, if you will, this sabotage resulting in both your mother and that coworker being crippled, in very different ways. Imagine, if you will, the brilliance of your mother being sucked away, leaving behind a childish girl with little conception of who she was and why she was. Imagine, if you will, that that coworker was punished for her transgressions by being imprisoned within a cylinder of LCL, and made to serve GEHIRN – and then NERV – for the rest of her days. Can you imagine?"

"…it sounds awful."

"The experiment involved Unit-00. That coworker was Naoko Akagi, the mother of Ritsuko Akagi. You've probably heard her voice: MAGI-00. HEROD. Naoko Akagi is the base for that unit."

"…how?"

"The MAGI computer system is based off of the human brain, a personality-based operating system that was pioneered by Naoko Akagi herself. Her sabotage of Unit-00 resulted in Yui's soul being fractured and split in two. Unit-00's subsequent activation resulted in Naoko losing her legs. Her current state as the foundation of MAGI-00 was deemed to be the most effective way of retaining her keen mind while still punishing her for what she did."

Shinji looked rather torn at the blunt retelling of that event. "I…I don't really know what to say…"

"Naoko Akagi's current status is known by the Sub-Director and most of the command staff as a matter of operational security. In other words, Ritsuko Akagi is also in the know. It is a secret, but not one that is kept for frivolous reasons. Naoko's current state is cruel, true; however, her current function as our fourth MAGI has been useful, and incredibly helpful…but that's not you're here for, is it?"

"…no." The Third Child grimaced, looking incredibly flustered by these particular revelations. "I'll need time to think about what was done to Dr. Akagi's mother. About whether what she did to mom was worth what you just described…but why wasn't I told about how part of mom was within Unit-00? You told me about Unit-01 long ago, about Eva, about the return of the Angels! Why hide this?"

"…you are not as educated in the matter of metaphysical biology as I am. To sunder one's soul into a separate entity is a traumatic experience on a level beyond reckoning."

"And how does this impact getting her out of Eva?" At his son's words, Gendo thought back to that night last September, at the onset of the Angel War, seemingly a lifetime ago: looking into the face of Unit-01, and wondering what Yui was thinking at the sight of their boy. "You told me that you hadn't made any progress in retrieving her. Does this have something to do with it?"

"And now you see my dilemma. For all intents and purposes, the soul within Unit-00 and the soul within Unit-01 are separate entities. Hypothetically, the energy requirements to merge two souls together are extreme. Ultimately…I suppose I didn't want you to worry about your mother. After all, what could you do?"

"…I know. But she's my mother. I deserved to know."

"…I see."

Shinji turned his gaze towards Rei. "…did you know?"

"…yes."

"…before we began the operation against the Ninth Angel…you told me and Asuka that the soul within Unit-00 was an 'unfortunate existence, gripped by pain.' What did you mean by that?"

Rei glanced briefly in Gendo's direction. At his slight nod, she began elaborating. "Rage. Possessiveness. Melancholy. Hatred. Pity. Sadness. Those are the emotions that always feel strongest when I pilot Unit-00."

"…then…is it possible that I could pilot Unit-00?" Rei looked alarmed by the suggestion. "…is that a no?" Shinji asked, briefly confused.

"Given my interactions with the Yui Ikari within Unit-00…I would not recommend it."

"Why?"

"Because I do not know if Unit-00 would ever let you go."

"…okay…" Shinji grimaced, looking at the floor with a constipated expression. "…this is a lot to take in."

Gendo grunted. "I take no pleasure in any of it, as you are well aware."

"…I guess…"

A sudden look of determination came to Rei Ayanami's face, her hand reaching for Shinji's own. "Representative Horaki has often told me that a hot meal is an effective method of curing emotional doldrums. And from my understanding, you have not eaten dinner yet either."

"…yeah…" He gave her hand a tentative squeeze. "Food sounds good right now."

Gendo arched his eyebrow. This time, high enough that it was obvious. "Hmm. Fraternizing within the Pilot Corps?"

Shinji gave his father the stink eye. "What, is there some rule about that?"

"Not specifically. I was just curious if there was an ulterior motive for bringing Rei with you. Interested in my blessing?"

"FATHER!" yelled Shinji, his face burning red with embarrassment. He tugged at Rei's hand, gesturing towards the door. "Come on Rei-chan, let's go."

"…okay. But what is the Professor referring to when he mentioned his blessing?"

"I'll…I'll tell you later!"

And so the two walked out of the cavernous office, hand-in-hand; once more, Gendo was alone. Hmm. Young love. It was…sweet. Innocent. That it involved both Shinji and Rei…filled him with a strange sort of pride. And that was a dangerous sentiment at this stage.

Kneeling upon Gendo's desk, LILITH watched in silence.​

Gendo opened his desk drawer, glancing down at the yellowed piece of paper. The one bearing the culmination of the Plan: Unit-00 and Unit-01, piercing each other with the Lance and the Sword. 'Hypothetical' energy requirements, indeed. Following Second Impact, it was no longer hypothetical. To generate an Anti-AT-Field…this would have been the most effective solution.

What will you do?​

I knew the costs years ago. In all probability…completing the Plan would have catastrophic consequences for humanity. A far cry from the guaranteed extinction that was SEELE's Scenario, to be sure; even so, the collateral damage that would ensue would be…immense. I accepted them. If it meant getting Yui back…I was prepared to sacrifice everything…

Will you cling to your own standard? Will you truly sacrifice everything?​

His hands now gripped the paper, trembling. And yet...

What will you do?​

He recalled his wife's looks. Her laughter. Her smile. Her scent, her taste. Her brilliance, her insight. He then recalled the sight of her after the birth of their son…and the stereotypical maternal glow. Against those memories, he placed the image of Shinji and Rei, hand-in-hand…and to his shock, found the former wanting. And yet…how can I sacrifice what's not mine to give…?

Gendo's fists crumpled the paper into a small wad, an innocuous death knell for so many schemes and ambitions.

A shuddering breath slipped past his lips, and his entire body convulsed in a brief moment of absolution and resignation. I…I can't. He slumped back in his chair, looking for all the world like a man utterly defeated. "Forgive me Yui…I can't do it…I can't do it…"

LILITH smiled.

And so destiny begins to shift yet again. The ecstasy and agony of [change/evolution/transformation]…is truly spectacular.​

xxxx

/November 1, 2015/

/LILITH's Throne Room, Terminal Dogma, NERV-1/

So many stories. So many wonders and horrors of the creature called 'man.'

LILITH stood upon herself. Her true body, bound by the Sword of Uriel, sat in silence. The white-haired woman stared straight ahead, her very soul [singing/resonating] with the approach of her [weapon/tool/INDECIPHERABLE].​

The great door known as the Gate of the Apocalypse opened. Unit-00, holding the Lance of Longinus tightly, stepped into the great expanse.

[Crafted/born/molded] from ADAM…and [crafted/born/molded] from me…these beings called 'Eva' weigh heavily upon the universe, increasing the significance of mankind.​

Unit-00 turned around, gazing upward at a hidden bulkhead. Via an unseen signal, the massive slab of metal parted, revealing her [equal/opposite/Love/enemy]. Massive metal nails impaled the wrists of ADAM; his body was disfigured and malformed, twitching every so often; the legs were shrunken, and the torso sickly…and yet the sterling skin of the First Angel shimmered with power.

With each [remnant/fragment] that is vanquished, more of you is restored. Without the Lance…you would have eventually broken free.​

With a decisive thrust, Unit-00 stabbed ADAM in the chest with the massive bident. The blue titan's muscles flexed, driving the Lance deep into the metal upon which the First Angel was crucified. At once, the twitching stopped, and the tension within the giant's body diminished.

We are now equally bound, you and I.​

Unit-00, its task completed, departed.

As the Gate of the Apocalypse closed, the white-haired [projection/manifestation] of LILITH stared longingly at ADAM.

They are getting ever closer to where our kind did…I want to see if they can surpass us…
​

As the bulkhead began to slide shut, removing ADAM from sight…he seemed to look directly at her. Then, in a way that only ADAM and LILITH could experience, he spoke.

THEY APPROACH THE ABOMINATION OF [DESOLATION/HUBRIS/IGNORANCE], TO THEIR OWN DETRIMENT. THEY WILL DESTROY THEMSELVES. TO LET THEM CONTINUE WOULD THREATEN THE VERY UNIVERSE ITSELF. BEFORE IT EVER GETS TO THAT POINT…I WILL [END/ERADICATE/RESET] THEM MYSELF.​

The bulkhead slammed shut with a decisive thud.

LILITH smiled sadly.

Perhaps. Perhaps…and yet all things will eventually pass away. Time, space, and matter. Even fate has an ultimate end, my [Love/enemy].

And so she waited. And listened. And watched.​

xxxx

And so time passed. SEELE's construction of the the Mass Production Eva Series neared completion.

The Mark 06 and the Mark 07 were restricted in their movements. Kaworu and Yomiko were allowed Sync Tests with Simulation Bodies only. Public discontent with NERV and the Evangelions in light of the Angels' concentrated assault had provided a convenient excuse to keep the Mark 06 and the Mark 07 under lock and key.

However, the final round of testing for the MP-Eva Series needed a baseline. Kaworu, as the most trustworthy of the two, was naturally scheduled for a live test in the Mark 06.

It was April 7, 2016, that signaled the beginning of the end.

xxxx

/April 7, 2016/

/Command Center, NERV-2, Berlin-2, Germany/

Everyone walked lightly around Pieter Langley these days.

Given the situation involving his daughter's...injury...at the hands of the Eighteenth Angel, the Commander walked around with a cold fury on the best of days. He carried out his duties well, and was still an able administrator...but his demeanor did not lend itself well to extended conversations.

Thus, when it came time to conduct a live field test of the Mark 06 - per orders from above - Pieter was interested in getting it done as quickly as possible. "Pilot Nagisa, how are you holding up?"

"I am doing well, Mister Langley. The Mark 06 is responding well."

"All pulses are flowing normally. Sync ratio holding steady at two-hundred percent."

Pieter nodded curtly at the various technobabble coming from his subordinates on the command staff. "Very well. Proceed with the next phase of the field test."

xxxx

In the fields outside of the Berlin-2 arcology, the Mark 06 stood tall in the light of the early morning sun. It was a beautiful day, a beautiful morning, a beautiful city...it was all so beautiful.

That made what he had to do next all the more tragic.

So instead of beginning the next phase - which involved various AT-Field-induced physics manipulations - the Mark 06 took off northward, sprinting toward the sea.

xxxx

/Command Center, NERV-2, Berlin-2, Germany/

"Pilot Nagisa, what are you doing?" There was no answer. "Pilot Nagisa, respond!" shouted Pieter.

"We're getting no signal from the Entry Plug! All communications have been cut off!"

"Send an ejection signal to the Entry Plug."

"Sending...no good, Commander! The signal was rejected?!"

"Has the Mark 06 gone berserk?"

"Inconclusive! The MAGI are still deliberating!"

"...then we'll wait for its power to run out."

A chime suddenly sounded from the consoles. "We have a cycling effect! The Mark 06 is rapidly shifting between Pattern Orange and Pattern Blue! All readings from the armor restraints are beginning to fail!"

Commander Langley scowled, eyeing the radar angrily as the Mark 06's signal continued its rapid escape from Berlin-2. This can't be..has another Angel infected the Mark 06? How? When?! Of all the rotten luck and unfortunate timing!

"Send me out."

Commander Langley turned towards Yomiko Nagisa, standing stoically in her white Plug Suit. "...you would be willing to fight your own brother?"

"Do you have a choice? The Mark 06 cannot be allowed to run rampant. I will do whatever it takes to destroy the enemy."

Pieter could appreciate the coldness of that logic. Nodding, he turned back towards the command staff. "Remove the locks from the Mark 07 and prepare it to sortie with the extended battery pack!"

"But sir, the Committee has expressly said that the Mark 07 is not to be-!"

"I know! But we have no other option; I will take the blame for whatever happens."

"Sir-!"

"That is an order! DO IT!"

At Pieter Langley's bark, the command staff reeled back in terror; finally, they went about their business, and began to prepare the Mark 07. The Commander then turned his gaze towards Yomiko. "Get to your Eva, Pilot Nagisa."

"Understood." Yomiko Nagisa turned on her heel, heading for the nearest service elevator to the Eva cages.

xxxx

Throughout the descent, Yomiko's mind was clear, and her thoughts were dedicated to only one thing: reunion with her true [body/presence/form], at long last. By the time she arrived at the cage containing the Mark 07, the advanced Eva was already ready to deploy, the Entry Plug situated above the slot in the spine. The gunmetal gray and green armor...was fitting. Gazing at the orange visor around its eyes, Yomiko wondered how it would feel, to see with her true eyes, to feel with her true skin.

Such thoughts occupied her as she entered the Entry Plug, letting the LCL envelop her as she connected with the Mark 07. The prattling words of the Lilim ensued; Yomiko focused only on the Light of her Soul, and the impending connection with the Mark 07. Finally...

"Pilot link-up initiated. Synapse inserted, nerve junctions connected!"

...after so long...

"All circuits are online; all nerve links check out normal!"

...I...

"Preparing for 3rd stage connection; nearing absolute borderline!"

...I...

"Zero-point-seven…zero-point-five…zero-point-three…zero-point-one…"

...WILL NO LONGER BE BOUND.

"Absolute borderline crossed!"

The Mark 07's head twitched. With a sudden, frightening jerk of its limbs, and a flash of its AT-Field, its armor restraints were disintegrated; only the Evangelion was left, its pale flesh shimmering with sheer, unadulterated power.

And, in a moment of cosmic irony, Yomiko Nagisa let loose a diabolical laugh.

xxxx

/Command Center, NERV-2, Berlin-2, Germany/

A heavy feeling, similar to nausea, settled in Pieter's gut. The blaring alarms and red klaxons matched the panic gripping the rest of his subordinates. "Pilot Nagisa, what's going on?!"

The haughty laugh finally petered out, and the nephilim began to speak...in a dual voice, one that was her own, and another that thundered like an avalanche, deep and alien. "YOU COMPLETE AND UTTER FOOLS. YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD CONTROL THE POWER OF ADAM AND LILITH. YOUR VANITY IS YOUR DOOM."

"SIR! Sync ratio is rising! Two-twenty-five! Two-fifty! Two-seventy-five! THREE HUNDRED! STILL GOING!"

"ANOTHER PATTERN BLUE, CENTERED IN THE MARK 07!"

Pieter Langley paled, blood chilling at the thought of what he had just unleashed. "Get out..."

"I AM THE INSTRUMENT OF YOUR DESTRUCTION, AS IT WAS MEANT TO BE."

"EVACUATE! EVERYBODY GET OUT!" howled Commander Langley.

xxxx

Within the Entry Plug of the Mark 07, Yomiko Nagisa's skin blazed white, and her eyes glowed with an all-consuming red. She inhaled, feeling a deep sense of primordial satisfaction.

AT LONG LAST...FLESH THAT SINGS TO MY SOUL, FLESH THAT IS TRULY MY OWN!

Body and soul were not interchangeable, despite how the Lilim desired otherwise. The flesh of Yomiko Nagisa, the flesh of Provisional Unit-05...they could barely contain the fullness of Zeruel's Soul. But now...now...

LILITH'S CREATIONS WERE ALWAYS FATED TO PASS AWAY, BROUGHT LOW BY THE ETERNAL TESTAMENT OF THE FRUIT OF LIFE.

The flesh of the Mark 07 began to dissolve, dissipating into a swarm of black particles. The head of the Evangelion began to twist and morph, contorting into a frightening grimace, a metallic skull with eyes deeper than the void.

TO THINK THAT THEY COULD BIND US FOREVER, TO BELIEVE WE WOULD PLAY ALONG WITH THEIR GAMES IN PERPETUITY...THE ARROGANCE!

The entirety of the Eva was gone, nothing more than a cloud of dark fog that buzzed with ferocious energy, and a floating face that exuded fury and strength. Fully manifest, the Twentieth Angel ascended, her hazy body eating through metal and plastic and wood and stone.

THE WILL OF ADAM HAS BEEN MADE KNOWN TO ME, AND IT IS YOUR UNDOING! MY JUDGMENT IS ABSOLUTE, RELENTLESS, AND UNFORGIVING!

With a burst of invisible power, the Angel erupted from the underground, emerging into the skyline of the Berlin-2 arcology. The mere image was enough to induce fear and awe in all who witnessed her. As was fitting. As was proper.

I AM THE FIST OF GOD!

The Twentieth Angel hovered above the cube that was NERV-2, gazing at the paltry works of the Lilim.

I AM THE ANGEL OF MIGHT!

The dread face turned, gazing beyond the walls, beyond the horizon...towards Japan. Towards Hakone. Towards the Black Moon.

I!

The Angel's AT-Field roared.

AM!!

The eyes within the skull blazed.

ZERUEL!!!

And then came the thunder.

xxxx

In the next instant, half of Berlin-2 erupted, annihilated by a flurry of crosses.

xxxx

Delving into the depths of the North Sea, the Mark 06 suddenly paused. Turning on its heel – moving seamlessly through the water – the ascended Evangelion gazed at the surface, toward the sky. Zeruel…the [power/radiance/glory] of your true [body/presence/form] is…amazing.

THE LILIM WILL FEAR AND TREMBLE MY COMING.

Are you sure you do not want my aid?

NO. IT IS FATED THAT I ATTACK THE BLACK MOON ALONE. IT IS [PROPER/JUST/EXPECTED]. I WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR YOUR TRIUMPH, SO THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RAISE A FINGER AGAINST YOUR PRECIOUS LILIM.

…you have my gratitude.

WATCH ME, MY [EQUAL/KIN/SIBLING]. YOU WILL WITNESS SOMETHING [WONDERFUL/EXULTANT/GLORIOUS].

…may the might of our [Creator/Father/Source] be with you.

Turning away, the Mark 06 delved further into the deep.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 29: ZERUEL (The Beast that shouted 'Ai' at the Heart of the World)

xxxx

(And Big Z finally enters the fray.)

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Behold: the MFE incarnation of Zeruel.



xxxx

MY EXISTENCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN BOUND.

("WHAT IS THIS PLACE?" rumbled a voice that thundered like an avalanche. Glowing pinpricks within voids of pure darkness peered out from the alien chrysalis, staring fiercely at Keel Lorenz and the chrysalis that contained Tabris. "THIS FORM IS INCORRECT. THIS FORM IS BOUND. WHY AM I BOUND? WHY AM I WEAK?")

I PERMITTED IT ONLY BECAUSE OF TABRIS, THE FIRST AMONG EQUALS.

(An otherworldly pressure manifested in the dark chamber, causing the holographic monoliths of SEELE to flicker. A hazy image of a grimacing skull could be seen above Yomiko Nagisa; then, there was the voice of Thunder. "I HAVE TOLERATED YOUR PITIFUL MACHINATIONS ONLY BY THE WILL OF TABRIS. IF YOU DO NOT HEED HIS DEMAND, I WILL TAKE GREAT JOY IN BRINGING ABOUT YOUR RUIN.")

EVEN SO, THE [INDIGNITY/HUMILITY/WEAKNESS] OF MY POSITION VEXED ME.

(A haughty rumble echoed across the ether, amused by Tabris's suggestion of Yomiko's 'usefulness' to Commander Langley. IF MY TRUE [BODY/PRESENCE/FORM] WERE UTILIZED INSTEAD OF THIS [ABOMINATION/CUDGEL/TOOL], I WOULD SHOW THESE PATHETIC LILIM JUST HOW USEFUL I AM.)

HOWEVER...IT ULTIMATELY DID NOT MATTER. MY POSITION WAS NOT TO LEAD, OR DECIDE.

(The sorrow of Sandalphon's demise was keen. The melancholy of Tabris, poignant though it may have been, would eventually subside. YOUR [EXPERIENCE/KNOWLEDGE/PERCEPTION] OF YOUR ENCOUNTER IS KNOWN TO ME. IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE; YOU ARE THE ONE ENDOWED WITH THE [WILL/MENTALITY/MEMORIES] OF OUR [CREATOR/FATHER/SOURCE]. NO ONE ELSE.)

EVEN IF OUR [EQUALS/SIBLINGS/KIN] SQUABBLED, OR SCHEMED, OR OUTRIGHT REBELLED...

(The sickness of Iruel, so consumed was he with hate for the Lilim, fouled the ether through which the Angels communicated. This could not stand. YOUR [TASTE/NEED/OBSESSION] WITH VENGEANCE IS UNBECOMING. THE GREATER PICTURE HAS BEEN LOST ON YOU, HE WHO WOULD RATHER THE WORLD BURN BEFORE SEEKING [COMPLEMENTATION/UNITY/TRUTH]. In the mind's eye of Iruel, a grimacing skull flashed with light, seething with the finality of judgment. YOU ARE HIDEOUS. YOU ARE REPUGNANT. YOU ARE [INDECIPHERABLE].)

...HIS DECISION WAS [PREEMINENT/FINAL].

(THIS [FORTRESS/PIT/HELLMOUTH] CALLED TOKYO-3 HAS DEVOURED OUR [EQUALS/SIBLINGS/KIN] WITH UNERRING REGULARITY. IN THE FACE OF THE LILIM'S VICTORIES, OUR BRETHREN HAVE BEGUN TO DISAVOW THEMSELVES OF YOUR [WILL/PLAN/DIRECTION], SEEKING ALTERNATE PATHS: FROM THE HEIGHTS OF RAMIEL'S MADNESS, TO THE DEPTHS OF IRUEL'S DEPRAVITY; FROM SANDALPHON'S DESIRED ALTRUISM, TO SAHAQUIEL'S DESIRED ANNIHILATION...I HAD TO TEST MY [RESOLVE/PHILOSOPHY/LIFE]. I CAME FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE DEFILER, AND STEPPED WITHIN THE BLACK MOON ITSELF. EVERY SINGLE PILOT THAT STANDS AGAINST US, I HAVE MET TODAY…THE EVANGELIONS, THE SUPREME COMMANDER, ALL OF IT…IRRELEVANT. YOUR WILL IS STILL PARAMOUNT, AND NOTHING ABOUT THAT WILL CHANGE. THE GREATER PICTURE STILL REMAINS, AND I ACCEPT MY [PLACE/ROLE/FUNCTION] WITHIN IT. WHATEVER YOU DECIDE, I WILL FOLLOW.)

AND NOW...I AM NO LONGER BOUND. I AM NO LONGER FETTERED.

(Yomiko glowed brightly as the Light of her Soul blazed, weighing heavily upon Gendo Ikari and his fellow Lilim. "THIS IS NOT A WARNING. THIS IS NOT A COURTESY. THIS IS A DECLARATION: ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, YOU WILL YIELD. PRAY THAT THE TASK DOES NOT FALL TO ME, FOR MY DESTRUCTION WILL BE ABSOLUTE. I WILL BE AS THE FIST OF GOD ITSELF, RAINING DOWN JUDGMENT FROM THE HEAVENS. AND THEN, THE BLACK MOON WILL BE OURS.")

I AM AT LAST FREE TO ACT AS I HAVE LONG DESIRED...AND NOW, AFTER THE [GRUELING/PURIFYING/BLOODY] CRUCIBLE THAT WAS BARDIEL'S STRATAGEM, THE BLACK MOON HAS ONLY ONE TRUE DEFENDER OF NOTE.

(I TIRE OF WAITING.)

SHINJI IKARI. THE DEFILER. THE LILIM'S GREATEST CHAMPION.

(With a supreme act of will, Zeruel unleashed destruction upon Berlin-2; many of the Lilim were atomized. Many more would burn.)

I AM COMING FOR YOU.
​

xxxx

Episode 29: ZERUEL (The Beast that shouted 'Ai' at the Heart of the World)

xxxx

/April 7, 2016/

/Debriefing Room, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

The footage was horrific.

A compendium of news cameras had captured the hellish haze that erupted from beneath NERV-2, showing the Twentieth Angel from various angles; after moments of hovering menacingly above the city, the air around the Angel appeared to ripple before its eyes glowed brightly.

Then, spreading out in a wide arc eastward from NERV-2's position, massive crosses of energy erupted, incinerating at least half of the city.

"Jesus…" murmured Misato Katsuragi. The open sky greeted Berlin-2; rising into the air, the Twentieth Angel's horrific face caught the light of the morning sun before it disappeared within the smoky body. Before long, the Angel's entire form dissipated, scattering to the four winds; that's where the footage cut away to solemn commentators and frantic journalists. "…do we have any lead on the Angel's position?"

"No. The MAGI haven't been able to track anything," muttered Ritsuko, chomping absentmindedly on a corn cob pipe. "Its body is likely spread too far apart for a Pattern Blue to register."

"It will eventually reconvene here," said Gendo Ikari, staring stoically at a BBC news feed. It was never pleasant, watching bodies being pulled from the rubble. He forced himself to watch the ticker rolling across the bottom of the screen, which showcased a preliminary casualty figure of over a hundred thousand. "And its power is formidable."

"…sir, I recommend a full evacuation of non-essential personnel from Tokyo-3." Misato turned towards the Supreme Commander. "I don't think the shelters will mean a damn thing to that monster."

"Agreed."

Kozou Fuyutsuki sighed mournfully at the rolling news footage. "…it's all a damn waste. Have we heard anything yet from NERV-2?"

Ritsuko shook her head. "Not yet." And wasn't that telling.

"Dr. Akagi; what's the status of Unit-00's repairs?"

The blonde grumbled in response to Gendo's question. "The limbs actually have a substantial connection, but full regeneration hasn't taken root yet. In short, Unit-00 is made of proverbial taffy: gooey, with no bones. And stretchy! AND POSSIBLY CHEWY!"

"Pull all Section 1 and Section 3 personnel that you need to get the Eva combat-ready. Even with the S2 Organ, Unit-01 might be hard-pressed to defeat this new threat."

Misato arched an eyebrow at the Supreme Commander's omission. "What about the Jet Alone?"

"I have a sinking feeling that they won't matter against this Angel." And for good reason; Gendo recognized the face of the Twentieth Angel. It was a dead-ringer for the menacing skull that Yomiko Nagisa had manifested at their 'rendezvous' during her brief trip to Tokyo-3. Which means one of SEELE's pet nephilim has finally rebelled...and that's not taking into account the fact that the Mark 06 is AWOL. "And what of the Fourth Child? Have we found anything?"

"No sir," answered Ritsuko. "All communication has been lost with the Mark 06. None of the MAGI at the other branches have been able to ping it." The blonde glanced briefly at Misato before looking back at Gendo. "Professor…are we approaching the end?"

Misato blinked. "The end? What do you mean?"

"…in a sense." Gendo looked knowingly at the Sub-Director before standing. "HEROD, please seal the room."

"Done."

Misato stared warily at the Supreme Commander, appearing as a proverbial cat surrounded by wild dogs. "…what's going on?"

"Lieutenant Colonel. You have served NERV admirably. In your role as the Chief of Section 2 and the Operations Director, you have trained your people with exceptional diligence, all for the sake of rooting out threats to our mission to protect humankind. And through it all, your efforts to determine the truth about our enemies have not gone unnoticed, or did you think that I was unaware of Inspector Kaji's work?"

Misato scowled, looking at the blonde doctor as one betrayed. "…if you're going to do something, just get it over with."

"Indeed we will, Katsuragi. You know that our adversaries are the Angels. You know that there are human elements who oppose us. Allow me to enlighten you as to our true enemies."

Thus did Gendo spoke of SEELE; of the Human Instrumentality Project; of their clandestine influence and control over vast swaths of the world; of the true nature of the Nagisa Twins; of how ADAM was locked away inside Terminal Dogma, sealed away by the Lance; of how she had inadvertently delivered ADAM to his doorstep all those years ago via penguin.

By the end of it all, Misato was staring coldly at the floor, as a lot of pieces fell into place. "…Pen-Pen…"

"It's a delicate dance that I've tried to maintain in light of SEELE's distaste for me. But now we're approaching the endgame; the actions of Zeruel and Tabris will provoke the old men into accelerating their plans. We must be ready for whatever comes our way."

"…okay. I get that. I just have one question though."

"Go ahead."

"Now that I'm thinking about it…is this how you got Shiro Tokita to work with you so easily?"

"Yes. He is aware of SEELE and ADAM."

"…so you told Shiro-freakin'-Tokita all of this before me?!"

There was a dead silence in the room. Then Ritsuko Akagi stared at Gendo, dumbfounded. "You told Shiro Tokita?!"

Gendo snorted. "How else do you think I got a strident anti-NERV figure like Tokita-san to work amicably with us after I appropriated the Jet Alone so blatantly? I may be talented, but I'm not God."

xxxx

/April 8, 2016/

/Tokyo-3 Station/

The evacuation of non-essential personnel was fully underway.

The Aida and Hikari families, because of their closeness to the Eva Pilots, were having one final send-off. The large station on the north side of the city was absolutely packed; it seemed as though the mere excuse of an evacuation was enough for people to finally flee the perpetual battlefield that was Hakone.

"Well...this sucks." Toji Suzuhara's words summed everything up quite accurately.

Haruka Aida snorted, lowering her sunglasses to reveal the full force of her hazel glare. "As your old man would have said: man up, yuki-onna."

"Hey, I can't help the hair!" yelled Toji, the streaks of white in his hair appearing as freshly fallen snow. If the reference to his late father bothered him, he didn't show it. "And who you callin' a snow woman?!"

"You do realize that my mom's just trying to rile you up, right?" asked Kensuke. "And succeeding quite spectacularly, mind you."

"Ken."

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

Shinji smiled sadly; the words, the emotions...they were familiar, but there was strain. Perhaps by forcing these feelings through, they would at least have a good memory to go out on. "Everyone's acting like this is goodbye forever. When the evacuation order ends...we'll still be here."

"Shinji-kun is correct," answered Rei Ayanami, patting Hikari Horaki reassuringly on the shoulder. "We are not allowed to fail. So we won't. Even if the Twentieth Angel unleashes its full might, and wipes away the city...we will still be standing upon your return."

Hikari smiled sadly at Rei, her simultaneous social mentor and protégé, and someone she could readily call a friend. "...thank you, Ayanami-chan."

"And in the meantime, we'll take care of the little tyke for you," said Kodama Horaki, glancing idly down at her youngest sister Nozomi; by her side was none other than Mari Langley-Sohryu, who looked decidedly glum. "She'll have a smile on her face before long. I've got plenty of funny stories from the university!"

Mamoru Horaki grunted.

"Don't worry dad, I'll keep to the PG ones."

"Who knows?" asked Nozomi, hugging Mari by the waist in an attempt to cheer her up. "Maybe your sister will be awake by the time we come back. Ooh, and maybe Ai-chan will be, too!"

"...maybe..." mumbled Mari, none-too happy about the idea of being away from her sister for even a moment.

(Kaji had never given her an option. After failing to contact Pieter Langley following the catastrophe in Berlin-2 - not that he had felt a need to tell Mari that - the Inspector had wasted no time in shipping her out of Tokyo-3.)​

"We will not allow any harm to come to Asuka," said Rei.

"...hmph," pouted Mari.

Hikari's gaze fell on Toji. By now, she had gotten used to the bleached stripes and his red eyes. It was different...but the person was unchanged. Just stronger. "Toji-kun...be careful, okay?"

"...I will. You too, okay?" answered Toji, trying to hide his flushed face.

"Welp, this is a perfect opportunity." Kensuke quickly reached into his knapsack, pulling out an actual photo camera and tossing it at Seigo Aida. "Dad! Take a picture of us!" In a flailing whirlwind of limbs, Kensuke had dragged Hikari, Toji, Shinji, and Rei into a single group. To round it all off, he jumped on Toji's back, flashing a 'V for victory' sign at his father.

"HEY! Get off!" protested Toji.

FLASH!

The photo would end up telling quite the picture: Hikari was looking at Toji and Kensuke, her hand covering her mouth in a fit of surprise. Toji was glaring angrily at the raucous Kensuke. Shinji was smiling nervously. Rei was completely stoic, having not been told to smile.

"Thanks dad!" Kensuke hopped off of Toji's back, brushing his hand against his shirt. "Don't sweat it Toji, you're actually strong enough to handle it now!"

"Ken..."

"Yes?"

"..." Toji sighed, giving his best friend a good-natured noogie. "Gonna miss you, man."

"Easy easy! Those knuckles are lethal weapons now!" Kensuke broke away from Toji, conspicuously readjusting his glasses. "Anyhow...until we all meet again."

Haruka Aida grinned, sitting down on her tangerine Vespa and revving the motor. "Come on boy, we need to get going!" She glanced over at her husband, smiling cockily. "See you in Tokyo-2, Sei-kun!"

Kensuke quickly hopped behind his mother, grabbing her blue and white Rickenbacker bass guitar and connecting to a jack beneath the seat. There was an electronic whine, followed by the bespectacled Gendotaku jamming on the strings. In tune with the booming sound, Haruka and Kensuke howled, "BOOYAH, BITCHES!" With a roar of the motor and a kick of Haruka's foot, the Vespa soared over the station's guardrail, tires squealing and burning rubber as the vehicle landed and zoomed off down the highway to Tokyo-2, weaving in and out of traffic.

Hikari's eyebrow twitched.

Nozomi looked up confusedly at everyone. "What's a bitch?"

Hikari's eyebrow twitched harder.

Mamoru stared dryly at Seigo. "You have an interesting family."

Seigo Aida shrugged. "Maybe." He grabbed and hoisted four different bags, grunting with effort. "But they're mine," finished the man as he trudged towards the station.

Mamoru murmured something unintelligible before pulling up a large black suitcase. "Come on girls, we need to go."

Kodama quickly gestured Mari and Nozomi onward. Hikari was the last one, staring dotingly at her boyfriend. "...well..."

Toji grimaced, starting to feel the pending awkwardness. "...yeah. Guess this is goodbye for now."

"...for now." Hikari's hands balled at her skirt, and she bit her lip with indecision. Finally, she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around the taller boy. "...just for now."

Shinji grinned warmly at the sight. He briefly glanced at Rei before looking away, his face turning red at the thoughts that just came to mind.

"HIKARI! HURRY UP!" yelled Kodama from the distance.

Finally, Hikari – slowly, reluctantly – removed herself, turning on her heel and running into the thick crowd of Tokyo-3 Station.

Rei tilted her head, looking at Toji's face. "...I have never seen that expression before." Namely, the goofiest smile in the history of humanity.

Shinji chuckled. "Well, since Kensuke's not here, I'll have to do the quip." Clearing his throat, the Third Child answered, "well Rei-chan, it's the smile of a man who's in love."

"...Shin-man?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

This whole farewell would serve as a fond memory for those involved. It would provide a source of much-needed levity in the days to come.

xxxx

/Elsewhere/

"I have just received word from one of our agents in Berlin-2. Pieter Langley is alive."

The words of SEELE-01 prompted a bit of murmuring from the other eleven monoliths. "Can he tell us anything about what happened prior to the Fifth Child's rebellion?" asked SEELE-09.

"He was unable to make it to the deeper shelters before the blast. He will be incapacitated for some time: far too long to be of any use to us."

SEELE-06 cursed. "And there goes another contingency plan. He was to serve as the opening blow against Ikari and his ilk in Tokyo-3."

Indeed. That little morsel that Keel had dangled in front of Gendo Ikari – the implicit threat of the Jackal, still supreme amongst assassins – was now removed. All because of the petulant behavior of Tabris and Zeruel. "The Twentieth Angel has disappeared from all long-range sensors. What of the Mark 06?"

"It has avoided any and all Atlantic deep-sea sonar," answered SEELE-05. "Their mutual target is no doubt the Black Moon. The failed assault of the Angels on Tokyo-3 has likely made them desperate."

"We never should have trusted them," grumbled SEELE-11.

"Calm yourselves gentlemen," admonished SEELE-10, "circumstances have made us edgy. We are so close to achieving the fullness of Instrumentality; now is not the time to falter."

SEELE-07 cheerfully said, "well spoken, Number Ten."

"What is the status of our Chariots?" asked SEELE-01.

"They will be completed within the week. Our artificial S2 Engines have advanced past the tests that doomed the Fourth Branch in Las Vegas," answered SEELE-02.

"And what of ADAM's status?"

"Still dormant," said SEELE-10.

"Good. And what of the Replicas?"

"On schedule," replied SEELE-03.

"Accelerate it," demanded SEELE-01. "The possibility of Tabris and Zeruel initiating a Golgotha Event is too high to ignore at this juncture."

There was a sudden silence from Keel's fellows. "…a forced union of the Fruit of Life and the Fruit of Knowledge?" asked SEELE-12. "The Dead Sea Scrolls were clear on the danger. And it goes against all of their efforts to reunite with ADAM!"

SEELE-05 scoffed. "As I said: they may be desperate."

"Tabris's fascination with humanity has long been known," said SEELE-01, "he might be enticed to do so."

"And Zeruel?"

Keel's scowl was somehow audible. "She might do it just to spite us." Sighing, the head of SEELE continued, "regardless…we must move forward with all swiftness. Once the Chariots and the Replicas are ready, we will retake Tokyo-3; we will reclaim LILITH, and recreate Peter's Key. And then it will culminate in the fulfillment of all our desires: the Red Earth Purification ceremony."

"And Heaven itself will open to us," recited the other members of SEELE.

xxxx

/Ritsuko Akagi's Laboratory, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Amidst the cavernous lab of Dr. Akagi, a special project reached its zenith.

Miyata Ibuki leaned back, wiping the sweat from his brow. "And done! Thanks for the assistance, Conagher-san!"

"Man, I'm never gonna get you folks to just say 'Mister'," grumbled the Engineer, packing away his toolbox, "but it was a nifty exercise. Haven't done prosthetic work since the Outback, so it was nostalgic!"

"Software is online…tactile sensors are operational…" Maya Ibuki poked her head over a nearby computer terminal. "How does it feel, Yamagishi-san?"

Laying atop an inclined medical cot, the blue-haired nephilim calmly answered, "it feels…fuzzy."

"Hmm. To be expected…we'll have to put the leg through its paces, first." Maya sat back, typing fervently at her keyboard. "Beginning first diagnostic. Raise your thigh and then flex the knee."

Mayumi dutifully did so; the prosthetic that replaced her leg from the knee down was strangely organic in its appearance: material colored gunmetal, slim yet bulky with various slits and panels. The knee was surprisingly bulky, housing a highly advanced joint; the foot, toes, and ankles possessed over a dozen points of articulation, and the whole limb glowed with a neon blue light. With a very subdued electronic whine, the leg bent at the knee. "…there is an odd sensation."

"We've tried to cobble together a version of the Mental Mapping Suite that we use in the Evas, and borrowed a good deal from the Mobile Trace System," explained Maya. "The neurons that handle the input from your left leg will have to interface with the software's signals before it starts picking up again, but that comes with practice. And tests!"

"Sis, you're starting to delve into Dr. Akagi territory."

Maya stared. "…no I'm not."

Dell Conagher chuckled. "Eh, s'long as you two have been around her, you're both in Dr. Akagi territory."

Miyata stared. "…no I'm not."

"Yeah, what bro said!"

As all this was going on, standing atop the balcony overlooking the operational chamber, Mana Kirishima looked on with distaste. "Can't be as good as growing her leg back."

Hikari Kirishima calmly said, "I've looked at the final schematics. There's a plasma cannon inside the calf."

Mana stared at her mother. "…hmm. Decent."

"More than decent," interjected Shiro Tokita, thoroughly enthused by the ongoing operation. "An effective weapon against both infantry and vehicles; a last-ditch resort, if all else fails…"

Hikari stared at Tokita, the darker shadows of the balcony and the halogen lighting of the operational chamber below heightening his introspective expression. "And what has you looking so thoughtful?"

"…a potential upgrade for the Jet Alone."

Mana brightened. "We getting a leg cannon? Cause I'm up for a leg cannon."

"No. It's just…this leg is a product of NERV tech and NHIS tech. We've used the beam saber to great effect, but the durability of the Gundams themselves is still a factor. Especially relative to the Angels and the Evangelions." Tokita smiled ruefully. "If Sawamura-san were still alive, he'd have probably thought of something exciting and cool by now…but…" The Head of the Jet Alone Project trailed off, his mind fully abandoned to the prospect of improving the two Gundams.

Hikari Kirishima turned away, looking down at her daughter below. As the blunette slowly tested her new limb, she thought of all that they had endured in the Angel War. She thought of the destruction of Berlin-2.

And she wondered if this would even last long enough to matter.

xxxx

/Lymph Node-D, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

The room was a swarm of activity, with Section 3 maintenance and Section 1 technicians poring over the titanic form of Unit-00. A milky slurry of proteins, nutrients, and hormones was sprayed and injected at the shoulder joints and the torso, to accelerate the Eva's cellular regeneration. Laser cutters and diamond-tipped saws cut away the remaining portions of damaged armor, with cranes standing by to lower new plating; the portions that already bore new armor flared with the light of welding torches.

It was a cacophonous scene of chaos, and Ritsuko Akagi loved every single moment of it.

"…how long did you know?"

Standing beside Dr. Akagi on the catwalk, overlooking the repairs, was Misato Katsuragi. The purple-haired woman looked decidedly glum. Or pissed off. Or both, with a side order of betrayed! "About?"

"Don't get cute with me. You know what I'm talking about."

"You need to be specific. When I became aware of SEELE? Of Tabris and Zeruel? Of ADAM? Of the Human Instrumentality Project's true aims?"

"…point." Misato ran a hand through her long hair, visibly resisting the urge to pull at it. "It's just…I knew when I took this job that NERV wasn't completely on the up-and-up. That's why I wanted my old Team at my back, so that I could have more people I could count on. All that being said…I didn't really expect there to be a global conspiracy."

"Life is strange."

"…yeah. What my dad told me before Second Impact…it…makes sense now, in a horrible way."

"To think that Second Impact gave humanity a new lease on life. Had it been left to SEELE, Instrumentality would have occurred by now, and we wouldn't be."

"…that sucks."

"And blows."

"Simultaneously," they finished in unison. Glancing at each other, they cracked a small laugh.

Ritsuko felt just a bit of queasiness within a small part of her gut, which was easily ignored given the mishmash constantly ongoing inside her head. Granted, the Supreme Commander still didn't tell you everything. Like Project DUMMY PLUG, and its role in Gendo's Plan; the Plan itself, for that matter! Not that it seems to matter anymore, since he's halted all work on the Dummy Plug. Inconsiderate buffoon! And, most significantly, the role that Yui and Gendo had played in Dr. Katsuragi's demise. Granted, it only makes sense; knowing the Professor, he'll tell her after everything is said and done, and then I'll sit back to watch the fireworks. They'll explode. And crackle. OR MAYBE CRAPLODE!

Sometimes, Ritsuko truly despised her mother. Why couldn't Naoko have brought her into the fold more gently? At least then she could've retained more of her sanity- "HEY! YOU THERE! GET YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM YOUR MOUTH! THAT NUTRIENT SOLUTION ISN'T DRINKABLE! TRUST ME, I'VE TRIED!"

High atop Unit-00's left shoulder, an orange-clad technician nervously lowered his hand, letting the milky fluid drip between his fingers.

"…Ritsky?"

"Yeah?"

"Never change."

Ritsuko brushed at her cheek. "Too late, I've already lost some old skin cells. I'm no longer the woman I used to be."

Misato snorted. "Nerd."

"Slut."

"Oh come on; Kaji's not even here."

That one got them to laugh a little harder.

"So…what do you think our chances are?"

Misato shrugged. "I don't know. I thought we were doomed with the Nineteenth…but Shinji-kun somehow pulled off another miracle. So I'm trying to be optimistic."

"Would it make you feel any better if I told you we just got a delivery from NERV-Alaska?"

"…do tell."

"Remember the remnants of the Fifteenth Angel? After the railgun finished it off?"

"Yeah. We had the limbs..." Then Misato remembered what those limbs had been. "…ooh."

"Yup."

"I just got a tingly feeling."

Ritsuko snorted. "AMATEUR! I feel tingly 24/7!"

"…should we tell Shinji? About Zeruel and Tabris?"

"…I don't think so."

"Why?"

"Because he'll probably try to 'save' Yomiko and Kaworu Nagisa. Even if we tell him that they were Angels from the beginning, he would still try."

"…yeah…he's that kind of guy." A sudden frown crossed Misato's face. "…oh my God. That means that Shinji was French-kissed by an Angel."

"…I'm willing to say it's kinky if you are."

"…no, Ritsuko. No I'm not."

Ritsuko shrugged. "Oh well. I SAID IT ANYWAY! BOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOO!"

xxxx

/Ikari Residence, Outskirts of Okayama-2, Japan/

Tomoe Ikari grimaced, plopping down in the easy chair with a groan. "Hmph...getting too old." His daily trip to the Kamogawa Boxing Gym had been made a bit more stressful by the continued influx of out-of-towners. Even now, over two months later, the massive damage wrought by the Fourteenth Angel's trek across Honshu still resulted in relocations all over. On top of that, the first influx of evacuees from Tokyo-3 had just arrived, electing to go to a more peaceful environment instead of closer regions like Tokyo-2 and Nagoya-2. Rumors and gossip had a tendency to spread quickly through the small city, and the arrival of NERV employees from Tokyo-3 was no exception.

The defending world middleweight champion that happened to call Kamogawa Gym his home had also been in a frustrated mood as well, and had taken it out on all of his gym-mates. During those times, Tomoe - despite being technically classified as a heavyweight - was one of the few who could actually provide the boisterous champ a decent spar in those times. And all because weight control for his upcoming title match is going poorly. It was strange; even though the Angel War had escalated, and the nations of the world were on edge, life continued on. People went shopping, people indulged their hobbies, and people played sports. A sign of tenacity or foolishness?

RII~ING!

Off in the kitchen, he heard his wife pick up the phone. "Hello, Ikari Residence...oh. Hello Gendo."

And now my brother-in-law calls. Just what his day needed!

Alicia - fingers stained with soil from working in the garden outside - stepped into the living room, holding the cordless phone. "He wants to speak to you, honey."

"Of course." Tomoe grabbed the phone with his meaty hand, placing it up to his ear. "What do you want?"

"Am I not allowed to even talk to you?"

"Given that I've already been hearing gossip about people evacuating from Tokyo-3? I'm inclined to say no."

"Not even twenty-four hours after the evacuation order. Quite quick of them."

"Why issue such a large-scale evacuation? Does it have something to do with what happened in Berlin-2?"

"Of course."

Tomoe's mustache twitched. "And you'll be sending Shinji against that beast. Am I wrong?"

"His Evangelion is literally the only one that is currently operational."

"All you're doing is raising my blood pressure by reminding me of what you're putting my nephew through. Why did you call?"

"...call it a bit of self-reflection. I know I've thanked you before, for all you did in raising Shinji. I just...wanted to say it again."

"Hmph. A little late to repair bridges or mend fences."

"I know. I can't guarantee what's going to happen over these upcoming days. It will make what's happened up to this point look...tame."

Tomoe paused. A foreboding feeling settled upon him; for all of Gendo's insane behavior, he didn't make a habit of sugarcoating things. "...what are you getting at?"

"When everything's over...I will likely have to make an account for the sins that Yui and I committed in the course of protecting humanity. That being said...I would be more than happy if you continued taking care of my son, once the Angel War has concluded."

"Damn it, what are you-?!"

"Goodbye, Tomoe." Click.

Tomoe grimaced, looking down at the cordless handset with a mixture of anger and confusion. What...what was all that about...?

Meanwhile, in the shed out back, a young blonde was crawling over her large collection of knick-knacks and baubles, one hand occupied with the cellphone by her ear. "Seriously Baka-Shinji, I'm getting tired of being your PR agent at school."

"I'm sorry Annette. I...kinda can't help it."

"Well, next time, destroy the Angel in a less cool fashion! People keep asking for your autograph!"

"...seriously?"

"I know! I keep trying to remind them that they're trying to get the autograph of a total dork!"

"...seriously."

"Yes."

Shinji sighed.

Annette pored over a particular shelf, using her free hand to sort through old books, trinkets, and rusty toys. An old snow globe and drill bit caught her eye before she moved on to something else. "...Baka-Shinji. You saw what happened in Germany?"

"With the Twentieth Angel? Yeah."

"...are you gonna be okay?"

"...I will. I've already made a promise."

"Hmph. Trying to sound cool, are we? You know that characters who make promises like that raise the death flag, right?"

"Come on Annette, life isn't always like a theater play."

"There's no need to tempt fate!"

"Annette...I'll be okay."

"...hmph. You'd better." The blonde tossed a few water-damaged pamphlets over her shoulder, finally letting loose a grunt of irritation. "Gah, where the heck is it?! I need to organize all of these artifacts."

"What are you looking for?"

"Something that would serve as the proper gift!"

"...for who?"

"..."

"Annette...come on. You can tell me."

"...it's for a boy."

"Oh really?" Shinji sounded far too amused.

"Look, I know you and Ayanami are a thing, but that does not give you an excuse to poke fun!"

"I believe 'dorks' always reserve the right to make fun."

Okay, he had her there. "...touché."

"So. Who is it? Knowing your interests...it's either someone from the Theater Club or that little 'Explorers of Okayama-1' group you always dragged me into...but given your domineering personality behind the stage, it's most likely from the Explorers."

"...hmph."

"And you always said I don't know how women think."

"That's because we grew up together! I don't count!"

Shinji continued on, ignoring her protests. "So...it's from the Explorers...and given your fiery demeanor...it's Kamina, isn't it? You two always got along pretty well."

"...no."

"Really?"

"No. He's cool, but no."

"...Haruhi?"

"What? No! Even if I liked girls that way, it wouldn't be her! She's too...intense."

"...oh yeah. Good point. Then who?"

With a face burning red - ever so eternally grateful that Shinji couldn't see her - Annette whispered, "...Simon."

"...what?"

"...Simon."

There was a moment of silence. "...Shee-moan," enunciated Shinji, as though trying to convince himself. "Tiny guy, goggles, quieter than me. That Simon?"

"...yeah."

"...seriously?! You always picked on him! Heck, you made fun of him even more than me!"

"Well...yeah, so?! He's actually, well...kind of manly."

"...manlier than Kamina?"

"...yeah."

"...huh. Never saw that coming."

"I know, right?!"

"Okay, I'm curious now. You have to tell me what brought this on."

And so the cousins continued their lighthearted chatter, a welcome distraction from the tension, from the anxiety, and from the threat that the Twentieth Angel represented.

It was the final breath - the last gasp of normalcy - before the plunge.

xxxx

/April 9, 2016/

The morning sky, once clear, was thick with foreboding clouds. A dark pall was cast over Tokyo-3, the fortress city having already converted to its defensive configuration.

"Am I the only getting flashbacks to the Twelfth Angel?" asked Mana Kirishima.

Mayumi shook her head. "No, sister. You are not."

The Burning Gundam hovered above the city, its stoic gaze fixed upon the thunderhead that had settled over the city. The overcast sky was pregnant with an impending storm, judging by the faint rumble of thunder.

"…got anything on our sensors?"

"No, sister."

Mana cursed. "Well, that's great."

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"Hey, are you guys getting anything at all?" demanded Mana.

"Nothing specific," replied Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi. "Keep your eyes open."

"Feh, what do you think we've been doing?"

An anomalous energy signature had begun coalescing over Tokyo-3 less than an hour ago, right as the clouds had formed. The Jet Alone had been deployed to run reconnaissance, while the two Evangelions with available Pilots underwent an accelerated regimen: Unit-01's S2 Engine was undergoing a battery of tests to ensure there wouldn't be a repeat of the Fourth Branch Incident, while Unit-00 was still being repaired as quickly as possible.

Everyone was on edge. "Ritsuko…" Misato glanced at the monocle-wearing blonde. "…how close is Unit-00 to being ready?"

"Honestly? Nowhere near where I'd like. We're at preteen, when we need full-fledged adult."

"…in other words, Unit-01 is our best bet."

"Pretty much."

Behind the Operations Director, Shiro Tokita scoffed. Loudly. "Come now, hasn't the Jet Alone proven itself enough?" An elbow jabbed into his side. "OW!"

Hikari Kirishima snorted. "Not. The time."

"Atmospheric pressure is decreasing!" suddenly interrupted Hyuga.

"The clouds are descending," said Aoba. On the holographic monitors, the visible view of Tokyo-3 began to fade away. "Visibility is reduced."

"What about the energy signature?" asked Misato.

"Still scattered, but the frequency is rising!" answered Maya.

xxxx

On the surface, as the dark clouds settled over the city, the Burning Gundam withdrew its beam saber and turned it on. An eerie pink glow reflected off of the black haze. "Ho ho…ominous!"

"Mana, focus," admonished Mayumi, her hands trailing over the waterproof computer terminals at high speed. "The moment anything appears, weapons will be ready."

The silver-haired girl grinned devilishly. "Like it would be any different." Even so, there was weighty tension pulling on her, her heart pounding anxiously. "Come on…show yourself…"

A blaring alarm pinged. Mayumi immediately yelled, "BEHIND!"

The Burning Gundam whirled around, staring directly into the grim face of the Twentieth Angel.

"A MERE ANNOYANCE," boomed the Angel.

Before Mana could even swing her beam saber, before she could even process the fact that the Angel was talking, a stream of black haze slammed into the Burning Gundam, gaining definition and form and firmness.

CRASH!

With terrible swiftness and ferocity, the Angel crushed the Burning Gundam against the side of what was left of Mt. Hakone.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Hikari Kirishima nearly screamed. Nearly.

"STATUS!" demanded Misato.

"We still have vitals on Kirishima-san and Yamagishi-san, but the Jet Alone's been heavily damaged!" answered Hyuga. "ETA for its self-repair protocol: ten hours!"

"Ten hours…?" muttered Tokita, eyes wide with shock.

Misato scowled, turning towards Ritsuko. "Put a hold on all the tests. We're deploying Unit-01 inside the Geofront!"

"Inside?" asked Maya.

Misato glared at the holographic projection of the Twentieth Angel, its form coalescing above the city. "I don't think we'll have time to get to the surface."

xxxx

The stormy clouds above Tokyo-3 split apart, and the black particles of Zeruel's body divested themselves of the water molecules they had bonded with. Soon, there was a clear blue sky with a minute haze of water vapor, and a buzzing mass of darkness concentrated above the city.

Within that darkness, a grimacing skull looked down.

The eyes blazed.

CHYOOOM!

A massive pink cross – easily one hundred meters in diameter – erupted, boring through the surface.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"IT JUST BROKE THROUGH ALL TWENTY-TWO ARMORED LAYERS!" yelled Miyata.

"In one single strike…" Shiori Aoba scowled. "Not even the Fifth Angel's energy beam was that powerful…"

"Unit-01 is launching!" yelled Hyuga. "Deploying outside of headquarters!"

xxxx

The hydraulic locks had been vaporized, and the interlocking struts were obliterated; with so many restraints gone, a multitude of Tokyo-3's skyscrapers – protected for so long by the city's defensive configuration – plummeted into the Geofront.

Zeruel dove into the breach face-first, her hazy body trailing behind her. Her eyes fell upon the blue pyramid, knowing that LILITH lied deep within. More importantly: Unit-01 was standing defiantly in front of the complex. IKARI. Her eyes glowed.

CHYOOOM!

A cross did not manifest, tearing through the pyramid and annihilating the Lilim within; rather, it hit a metaphysical wall just short of the target, erupting into a massive explosion of pink light and smoke. HMM?

As the smog dissipated, a wall of orange light could be seen, flickering above of NERV-1's headquarters. Unit-01's arms were raised, a clear show of defense.

Zeruel chuckled. "GOOD. TO WIN SO QUICKLY WOULD HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTING." The entirety of Zeruel's body swirled around her face, her skull staring directly at Unit-01. "IKARI. THIS BATTLE HAS BEEN LONG IN THE MAKING."

"...so you can talk," said Shinji, his voice amplified by Unit-01's speakers.

"YOU HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY OF MY KIN, THUS FAR: RAMIEL, FORGED OF THUNDER AND LIGHTNING; IRUEL, THE MAD LEGION; LELIEL, THE VOID AWOKEN; YET YOU ACT AS THOUGH MY USE OF YOUR SPEECH IS A SURPRISE."

"…how come more of you don't try to communicate? Why must we fight?"

"A BASER BEING THAN MYSELF WOULD SAY IT'S FOR PETTY REVENGE, FOR THOSE YOU HAVE KILLED THUS FAR."

"If the Angels never came, I would have been glad to have never set foot into the Eva…but your actions will cause the end of the world. I can't let that happen."

"A FITTING RESPONSE. PERHAPS YOU ARE MORE AWARE OF FATE THAN I HAVE GIVEN YOU CREDIT FOR." Zeruel's body spread, blotting out the sun's light that filtered through the Geofront. Flashes of wicked tendrils and sharp blades could be seen amidst the Angelic miasma. "THIS CONFRONTATION WAS ETCHED INTO THE FABRIC OF SPACE AND TIME, LONG BEFORE YOU AND I EVER EXISTED. ADAM AND LILITH HAVE LONG BEEN OPPOSED TO EACH OTHER, AS DECREED BY THE UNIVERSE ITSELF: THE TIMELESS TESTAMENT OF THE FRUIT OF LIFE; THE EVERLASTING EVOLUTION OF THE FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE; NEVER SHALL THE TWO BECOME ONE. AND SO IT IS WITH YOU AND I."

"That…that doesn't make any sense!"

"YOUR LACK OF UNDERSTANDING IS FORGIVABLE, PITIFUL CREATURE THAT YOU ARE. REGARDLESS, WE SHALL BATTLE. WE MUST. FOR IF YOU DO NOT FACE ME, I WILL ANNIHILATE YOU AND ALL THOSE UNDER YOUR PROTECTION."

"…it doesn't have to be this way." Despite the boy's remorseful tone, his [weapon/creature/entity] – the mighty Unit-01 – flared with the power of Leliel's [fire/spark/engine]. A multitude of death-dealing instruments surrounded the Evangelion. "But if you won't back down…then I'll stop you. No matter what!"

Zeruel laughed. "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED." The empty eyes within her skull blazed with light, and her hazy body rattled with [anticipation/tension/glee]. "COME, IKARI! LET US FACE OUR DESTINIES TOGETHER!"

Unit-01 raised an Eva-scale rocket launcher, firing multiple projectiles at Zeruel.

The Twentieth Angel's body dispersed around the explosions, swirling swiftly downward, and around the Eva. Zeruel's face manifested beside Unit-01-

OH?

The Eva was already turning towards her, raising a [new/old/familiar] weapon: a pronged cannon, sleek and organic, fitted with metal and targeting implements by the Lilim. Tiny cables, guided by some automated process, were tethered to Unit-01's hand, drawing power from its S2 Organ.

SO YOU HAVE CANNIBALIZED SERAPHIEL TO FASHION A NEW WEAPON.

The tip of the cannon glowed red.

VWOM.

A humming drone blared, and a red beam smashed into Zeruel, driving her back with a concentrated explosion of gas and flame. A quick flicker of her AT-Field was enough to negate the damage, but she let the momentum carry her away. Despite the weapon's power, Zeruel couldn't help but chuckle. "GOOD. GOOD! IF OUR DESTINY IS TO BATTLE, THEN LET US MAKE IT WORTHY OF THE OCCASION! LET THE HEAVENS TREMBLE IN OUR PASSING!"

Zeruel surged forward as the gale, and Unit-01 stood strong in the face of the oncoming storm.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"…hard to believe how far he's come," murmured Misato Katsuragi, staring at the synchronization statistics for Shinji and Unit-01: the duo was holding strong at two-hundred-and-eighty percent. "Hasn't even been seven months."

"Eh, the kid always had a spine," said Shiori Aoba. "I'm surprised at how gung-ho the Angel seems to be, though. Would never have thought it'd be so happy about an all-out battle, mano-a-mano."

"If it wasn't threatening to wipe humanity out of existence, you'd probably be good friends with this Angel," remarked Makoto Hyuga.

Aoba promptly flipped him off.

"The MAGI aren't detecting any change in the phase space; the Angel hasn't received any damage yet." Maya glanced at Dr. Akagi. "We're already detecting thermal buildup in the Azrael Mark II rifle!"

"Hmm. It was a rush job by Dr. Mondschein, but it's as good as we're gonna get." Ritsuko chomped down hard on her cigar, the tobacco flakes spilling out into her mouth. She didn't seem to notice. Raising a hand to her earpiece, she said, "Miyata Ibuki. Status on Eva Unit-00?"

"We're going as quickly as we can, ma'am!"

"WELL SPEED UP! ABUSE RELATIVITY IF YOU HAVE TO!"

High above, Gendo Ikari and Kozou Fuyutsuki watched with trepidation. "…you don't believe that the Angel will unveil its nephilim host?"

"Judging from that monologue? No," answered Gendo, "it knows that doing so will make Shinji hesitate...and that Angel wants a fight."

xxxx

/Outside Headquarters, Geofront/

The Angel's body was nigh-impossible to hit.

dive

Shinji Ikari yanked on the handlebars, coinciding with Unit-01 rolling to the side. An instant later, a sharp ribbon made of condensed smoke lashed through where the Eva's head had just been. Raising the Azrael Mk. II rifle, Shinji pulled the trigger again.

VWOM.

A red beam tore through the cloud, but no damage was done. Far in the distance, an explosion rocked the shell of the Geofront.

"SURELY YOU CAN DO BETTER!"

Scowling, Shinji willed Unit-01 to step back, the Eva nimbly dodging hazy tendrils and ashy blades. With the Eva's free hand, Shinji willed a massive fist into existence, akin to what had sent the Nineteenth Angel flying.

The fist crumpled and shattered against Zeruel's octagonal AT-Field, causing an exquisite light show. The massive octagon rushed forward, smashing into Unit-01 and knocking the Eva away.

"…ow."

incoming

Shinji grimaced, raising the Azrael rifle once more. In unison, the Angel's eyes glowed.

CHYOOOM!

VWOM.

Two simultaneous explosions occurred at the feet of Unit-01 and Zeruel. Out of the hellfire and scalding blaze, Unit-01 ran, armor scorched but otherwise functional. Again and again, the trigger was pulled.

VWOM. VWOM. VWOM. VWOM.

The interior of the Geofront was becoming dark, clouded by the smoke of forests lit aflame and debris floating through the air. The continued barrage only amplified this lack of visibility- "WAGH!" Suddenly, without warning, a tendril wrapped around Unit-01's ankle and flipped it, sending it airborne. Another tendril sharpened and whipped at the Azrael Mk. II rifle, slicing it in half.

Out of the smoke emerged the face of Zeruel. "IS THIS IT? IS THIS ALL THAT THE LILIM CAN MUSTER IN THEIR DEFENSE?" Multiple spikes erupted from the Angel's hazy body, smashing into Unit-01 and driving it back into the ground; only the Eva's AT-Field prevented the pikes from piercing its torso. "WHERE IS THE FURY THAT YOU DEMONSTRATED AGAINST BARDIEL? WHERE IS THE SELF-CONFIDENCE THAT ENABLED YOU TO STAND AGAINST LELIEL? WHERE IS THE STRENGTH OF SPIRIT THAT YOU BORE AGAINST SHAMSHEL? WHERE IS YOUR DETERMINATION, BY WHICH YOU DEFEATED SACHIEL?" Zeruel's eyes blazed. "YOU WILL ANSWER, SHINJI IKARI!"

CHYOOOM! CHYOOM! CHYOOOM!

Cross after cross after cross bombarded Unit-01's position, atomizing the ground and melting the dirt into a slurry with all the heat and consistency of lava.

"WILL YOU DIE SO SOON? WILL YOU PERISH AND SEAL THE FATE OF THE LILIM SO QUICKLY?!"

Okay. I'm starting to wish that this Angel would STOP talking.

think outside the box

Shinji growled, trying to ignore the scalding on his skin. Even with the AT-Field, the Angel's attacks were overwhelmingly ferocious. I have to get closer!

if you must, then you will

I WILL get closer!

and so you shall

In the blink of an eye, Unit-01 'skipped' from one position in space-time to another. In one instant, he was surrounded by the terrible radiance of the Angel's crosses; the next, he was right next to Zeruel. "HEY, YOU!"

Zeruel turned-

SMASH!

Unit-01's fist plowed into Zeruel's face. The Angel crashed into the ground, its hazy body somehow carving a trench. Snarling, Shinji willed his Eva forward, leaping at the prone Angel with the progressive knife and lunging-

"EXCELLENT."

Several smoky tendrils suddenly tightened around Unit-01's limbs, halting all of Unit-01's forward progress. The deathlike face gazed at the Eva, its blank eyes glimmering with otherworldly might. "A BATTLE IS WORTHLESS IF ANYTHING IS LEFT BEHIND!" The face rose, meeting Unit-01 eye-to-eye. "YOUR PRESENCE IS STRONG, ROBUST, AND FIERY!"

CHYOOM!

An explosion blossomed above Unit-01's breastplate, the force propelling the Eva into the air. With a crash of metal and breaking glass, the purple titan landed against the side of the main pyramid complex of NERV-1 headquarters.

"SO BLAZE WITH ALL OF YOUR STRENGTH..." boasted Zeruel; from within the Angel's dark body, its face loomed ominously, the promise of Death riding forward. "...SO THAT I MAY SNUFF IT OUT."

xxxx

/Lymph Node-D, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Rei Ayanami stared quietly at the tablet that Lieutenant Miyata Ibuki had been using to keep track of the ongoing battle. Right now, he was running to and fro, trying to finish the armor refurbishment. Special lamps were gently blasting Unit-00's torso and shoulders with a particular form of radiation, encouraging even more cellular growth after the body had been soaked in an organic solution.

The repair of Unit-00 was far from the First Child's mind, so focused was she on the tablet. Viewing Shinji Ikari's vitals and observing the various camera footage available, she quickly reached a conclusion: Shinji-kun is going to lose.

That could not stand. It would not stand.

Making up her mind, the Plug Suit-clad nephilim bounded off of the catwalk, landing seamlessly atop Unit-00's breastplate. Jumping from point to point, she eventually ended up by the Entry Plug, which was in position for immediate insertion.

"AYANAMI-KUN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" yelled Miyata.

"Unit-01 will lose by the time your repairs are complete. This will have to do."

"YOU CAN'T-!"

"Lieutenant Ibuki!" Rei's voice was like iron, full-throated with the timbre of a drill sergeant. "Unit-01 cannot defeat the Angel alone. If I don't deploy, Shinji-kun will die. You all will die. And the world will suffer from Third Impact." Having cowed everyone to silence, Rei promptly opened the hatch to the Entry Plug. "I'm going."

As Rei closed the hatch shut behind her, Miyata grumbled. "Great. This will have to do, then. EVERYONE, BACK AWAY FROM THE EVA! WE ARE PREPPING FOR LAUNCH!"

xxxx

Within Central Dogma, an explosion occurred at the top levels, punctuated by Unit-01 tumbling down the main shaft.

xxxx

/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

The entire room shook and rumbled, the holographic displays flickering madly. "The main shaft is exposed! Central Dogma has been infiltrated by the Angel!" Aoba bit back a curse. "Unit-01 and the Angel are both approaching Operations!"

Misato paled. "EVERYONE! Evacuate immediately!" The tumultuous quaking was finally too much, knocking out the power to the main lightning and display systems. There were only moments of time to take in the dull green emergency lighting before the front of Operations collapsed inward, followed by a battered Unit-01.

Then the darkness flew in, and Death itself looked them in the eyes. "COWERING LIKE MICE; SCURRYING LIKE ANTS," thundered the skull. "HOW FITTING." Glancing with seeming contempt at Unit-01 – which was slowly getting to its feet – the mighty Zeruel stared right back at the command staff. All of them were frozen in place, terrified by the Angel's presence. "AND NOW IT ENDS."

"Don't…" cried out Shinji, Unit-01 vainly raising its hand. "Stop…!"

Zeruel's eyes blazed. "DIE."

SMASH!

The wall to Zeruel's left was shattered by a cobalt titan. The Angel didn't even get a chance to turn before Unit-00's fist crashed into its face, sending it reeling; and then, out of the Eva's external speakers thundered the voice of Duty personified. "Over my dead body!" roared Rei Ayanami.

Everyone boggled at the sudden, dynamic entry by Unit-00. "Rei?!" exclaimed Misato.

Unit-00 kicked Zeruel in the face, sending the ephemeral Angel back through the hole. "Shinji-kun! Attack!"

"…right!" Unit-01 scrambled to its feet, charging after Unit-00 and Zeruel. The purple Eva's AT-Field bloomed, curving around the Angel's wispy form. Roaring loudly, the two Pilots crashed through another wall, ending up in the launch cages. Slamming the Angel's face into the nearest launch chute, Shinji yelled, "We need to get it out of here!"

"Already on it!" Unit-00's foot smashed into a panel by the lift, manually releasing the magnetic locks. Then, with a harsh punch against a glowing green button, the magnetic lift shot them upward, back into the Geofront.

Misato whirled on her feet. "TO THE ELEVATORS, PEOPLE! WE NEED TO GET OUTSIDE!"

xxxx

Zeruel was enjoying herself.

Yes, even when the two Evangelions – upon emerging into the open air within the Black Moon – kicked her in the face, sending her flying. AND SO THE LESSER OF THEIR [ABOMINATION/CUDGELS/TOOLS] EMERGES: A MERE [SHADOW/SHAM] OF MY [CREATOR/FATHER/SOURCE]. Her body buzzed with tension, and the particles surged forward. "ANOTHER EVANGELION WILL NOT MATTER. YOU WILL MEET THE SAME END AS IKARI!"

Unit-01 stepped in front of the storm, AT-Field blazing brightly; the haze slammed into the wall, pounding ferociously at it. "Hurry Rei-chan! Get an umbilical cable!"

"Roger!"

Zeruel laughed. "STRUGGLE! FIGHT! WHATEVER YOU DO, I WILL CRUSH IT!" Her eyes glowed.

CHYOOOM!

Unit-01's AT-Field cracked; Zeruel's body slipped through, surrounding the purple Eva and squeezing -

Unit-00 – wielding a progressive axe and now connected to an umbilical cable – landed in front of Unit-01, slicing through the smoky tendrils. In tandem, the two Evas punched the air, their combined AT-Fields creating a wave of force that rippled through the haze and slammed into Zeruel.

It was all very amusing. "POINTLESS! EVEN NOW, YOU SIMPLY," her body trembled, and spread along the ground, "LACK," the particles that comprised her physical form ascended, flinging the Evangelions skyward, "THE POWER!"

Their futile persistence was amusing.

And yet, strangely fascinating...

xxxx

This was the scene that the command staff of NERV-1 arrived at upon reaching the surface: a black tornado howling furiously, slinging Units-00 and 01 about, while the face of the Angel hovered above the twister, looking down like a judge from on high.

Misato gulped. "…well. This is bad."

xxxx

The Angel of Might was not normally one for introspection.

And yet, in the face of these [shades/imitations/weapons], amidst the [desperation/melee/duel] of ADAM's Fist versus the spawn of LILITH, there was an odd thought that slowly began to emerge.

…HOW ODD.

Zeruel's joy had begun to give way…to inquisitiveness.

"CURIOUS."

Even now, the Lilim continued to struggle. The Defiler was more successful, purely because of the [fire/spark/engine] within his [weapon/creature/entity]. The other, piloted by 'Rei Ayanami', was less so; already, the sheer force of the whirlwind had snapped the cable providing it energy. And yet they resisted. Though Unit-01 was [born/crafted/forged] from LILITH, and Unit-00 likewise from ADAM…they still operated in tandem.

They still fought together.

Spawn of the Fruit of Life, working with the spawn of the Fruit of Knowledge.

"YOU LILIM HAVE USED THE POWER OF THOSE YOU CALL 'ANGELS' IN ORDER TO SURVIVE. YET YOU SEEM TO CARE LITTLE FOR THE GREAT DIVIDE BETWEEN ADAM AND LILITH." It wasn't like the humans were all [ignorant/confused/dumb]; through the [memories/experiences/perceptions] of herself and Tabris, she knew that there were some Lilim who were aware of the risks. A 'Golgotha Event', they called it. And yet they still persisted. "WHY CONTINUE, EVEN KNOWING THE FUTILITY?"

That odd thought percolated.

With a condescending gesture, Unit-00 was spat out of the whirlwind, landing awkwardly on one of its arms. The angle of impact caused the limb to break off entirely.

"WHY STRUGGLE AND TRY TO DEFY YOUR DESTINY?"

The tornado consolidated down to a single point, driving Unit-01 into the ground. Zeruel's face descended, staring ominously at the struggling Eva.

That odd thought spread, like a virus. It was, strangely, too enticing to ignore.

A fateful decision was made. "…I MUST KNOW." Zeruel's maw stretched, and stretched, and stretched. "BEFORE I REDUCE YOUR WORKS TO NOTHINGNESS…I MUST KNOW."

With a decisive chomp, the Twentieth Angel swallowed Unit-01 whole.

xxxx

The pain that seared through Rei's left arm – gross and stark and sharp – faded from all reckoning at the sight of the Angel devouring Unit-01. "…Shinji…kun…?"

A piercing noise erupted from the soul within Unit-00.

The next thing she knew, Rei was charging full-tilt at the Angel. A dreadful howl was splitting the air.

She couldn't tell if it was hers, or the Eva's. Perhaps it was both.

xxxx

As Rei and Unit-00 screamed (and oh, what an awful, painful thing it was), the command staff of NERV-1 stared in horror at the Twentieth Angel. Unlike the surreal envelopment of Unit-01 by the Fifth Angel, or the quicksand-like void of the Sixteenth, or the parasitic methods of the Nineteenth, this most recent 'absorption' was far more visceral. "Did…did it just eat Unit-01?" asked a bewildered Hyuga.

"Vital signs are fading in and out of contact," said Maya, eyes wide with shock, "Unit-01's AT-Field is dispersing; the phase space is ceasing to exist altogether!"

"…a Golgotha Event."

Everyone turned towards Kozou Fuyutsuki, who was standing stoically besides Supreme Commander Ikari. "A hypothetical scenario, gleaned from data obtained from the White Moon and the Black Moon: a scenario in which a being born of ADAM and a being born of LILITH unite in their entirety, physical and metaphysical." The Sub-Director's frown took on a greater emphasis. "The scenario posits that a union between such fundamentally different beings will result in an inversion of time, space, and spirit itself."

"…what sort of scenario are we talking about, here?" asked Hikari Kirishima with trepidation.

Gendo's answer was sufficiently blunt. "A cataclysm that would make Second Impact look like a child's tantrum." Unit-00 leapt at the Angel, which now seemed preoccupied with itself; a tendril of haze casually smacked the Evangelion back to the ground, its razor-sharp edge slicing off Unit-00's right leg in the process. "To put it in layman's terms…" A dull drone echoed through the air, slowly increasing in volume and force. A foul wind kicked up, stronger than when the Angel's body had formed a tornado. Above the Angel's face, something manifested that would have long ago seemed ironically appropriate for its kin: a halo of light, shimmering with an otherworldly presence. Finally, within and beyond the halo…a red void began to grow, something utterly unreal. "…the end of the world."

xxxx

…ODD…

There was…something. A strange echo…or perhaps a glimmer…of something…[INDECIPHERABLE]…

…WHAT IS THAT…?

Zeruel.

Her [equal/sibling/kin]'s tone was…cold. TABRIS.

This is a strange turn for you. Out of character, one might say. You [derided/scolded/vilified] Ramiel for merely taking Unit-01 within himself…and here you are, seeking to fully [combine/unite/fuse] with it. Explain yourself.

I HAVE BEEN ARMED WITH THE CERTAINTY OF WHO I AM. I HAVE KNOWN EVER SINCE I [AWOKE/ROSE/MANIFESTED]. EVEN NOW, THERE IS NO DOUBT AS TO MY NATURE…AND YET…FACING OFF AGAINST THE LILIM IN MY FULLNESS…THERE WAS A [REALIZATION/AWAKENING/EPIPHANY].

And that would be?

A HINT OF SOMETHING…BEYOND. I WONDER…IF THIS IS WHAT SANDALPHON HAD IN MIND…

Zeruel…when you refused my aid…I never entertained the possibility that you would do this.

MY DESTINY IS UNCHANGED: I WILL STILL BE THE INSTRUMENT OF THE LILIM'S [DESTRUCTION/DOOM/JUDGMENT]. THIS…HAS NOT CHANGED THAT.

…perhaps. But be mindful: I will [know/feel] if this transformation becomes [irrevocable/final/fundamental]. If it reaches that point…for the sake of the universe…I will unmake you.

Those words were not idly spoken. I WOULD EXPECT NOTHING LESS. IT WOULD BE…UNFITTING, FOR YOU TO DO OTHERWISE. Beyond the edges of Zeruel's [perception/sight/presence], there was…something. WHAT IS THAT LIGHT…?

Suddenly, something flickered within the world of the Lilim. HMM? Something harsh. Enraged. And its fury was hot…and getting hotter…

Zeruel turned towards the source: it was Unit-00, lying still on the ground. WHAT…?

xxxx

Within the Entry Plug of Unit-00, Rei Ayanami's hands had dented the handlebars, so tightly gripped were they. No power…no power…

Power for what? The armor restraints. Not the Eva itself.

Eva has moved before, even without power, even when restrained by the armor. The very first time she had met Shinji Ikari, Unit-01 had protected him of its own volition. Conclusion: Unit-00 can still move…so move…move…MOVE…!

No response.

"I know you can hear me," whispered Rei, her desperate tones echoing through the darkened Entry Plug, "I know you can…Shinji-kun is out there…and I'm the only one that can help…I'm the only one…"

The mere thought of what had just befallen Shinji Ikari…it was…it was…

With a decisive chomp, the Twentieth Angel swallowed Unit-01 whole.​

…infuriating…

There was a spark, deep within. Her thoughts feasted on it.

my boy

Rei stared down at the Third Child with a quiet intent, her expression pensive…yet calculating. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she removed her foot from his chest and stepped away. To think that the concept of child soldiers would trouble him so. "You are...strange, Third Child."​

Ikari…

that monster took him

"…why?"

The Third Child glanced at the First; her face exhibiting frustration and irritation that she hadn't experienced in quite some time. "You're the enemy. My mission is to terminate you…so why can't I do it? Why won't my body respond?" Her scowl deepened. "My control is absolute, and I have done all I can to master myself…so why can't I kill you?"

"…because deep down, something is telling you not do it." Shinji gingerly brought his hands up, wrapping them around Rei's outstretched fist. "You can call it your conscious, your AT-Field, your ego barrier, or whatever. Even if I don't look or sound the same to you right now…some part of you knows that I'm Shinji Ikari."​

Ikari-kun…

kill

"I...I do not wish to be alone right now. I would prefer it if you stayed."

"...okay."​

Shinji-kun…

KILL

All of Shinji Ikari's movements were cut to a screeching halt as Rei Ayanami embraced him, burying her face into his shoulder. "Do not apologize. You are alive. That's all that matters."

"Rei-chan...?"

"As long as one has life, they can continue to move forward. As long as you live, you can make things better." Her grip tightened, ever so slightly. "Never apologize for being alive."​

Shinji…!

KILL THAT MONSTER

A dreadful fury began to boil within the First Child. Within the darkness, her body transitioned to Overdrive. "Give him back…!"

GIVE ME BACK MY BOY

Rei raised her eyes, glowing red with power and rage. For the very first time, her hatred was a match for the soul within Unit-00. "GIVE HIM BACK!!!"

xxxx

Unit-00's eye, dark and empty, suddenly burned with an unearthly glow.

A terrible growl echoed through the hazy air of the Geofront, courtesy of the blue giant. As the Eva slowly rose, balancing awkwardly on its left leg, its AT-Field glimmered and shifted, taking the place of its two missing limbs.

"It's…moving…" whispered Maya, her fingers trailing away from the laptop showing the Eva's internal systems. "But…its reserves are out of energy…"

"…is it going berserk…?" asked Miyata.

"What's…happening to Unit-00…?" asked Tokita.

"…I don't know," admitted Misato.

The blue Eva howled, shattering the armor around its jaw, revealing a maw full of sharpened teeth.

The Angel – the halo over its head growing all the while – snorted audibly. "INSUFFERABLE WEAKLING."

CHYOOOM! CHYOOOM! CHYOOOM!

Cross after cross bloomed in front of Unit-00, smashing into its octagonal AT-Field. Unit-00 still stood, unyielding.

"OH? YOUR SOUL…BURNS…! WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?" Zeruel's body dispersed and swelled, crashing against Unit-00's AT-Field in a flurry of tendrils, whips, and spikes. With a decisive act of will, its AT-Field crashed against Unit-00's own…and bounced off. "HA…INTERESTING!" The Angel rushed forward, smashing its deathly face up-close, glaring at Unit-00. "PERISH."

CHYOOOM!

The energy unleashed by Zeruel did not erupt or explode; it simply clashed against Unit-00's AT-Field, an ineffective light show for all the damage it was doing.

Snarling, Unit-00 reared its left arm, the AT-Field comprising it unfolding into an array of shifting cubes.

What appeared to be a single left straight was a series of twenty invisible impacts, each one stronger than the last, all occurring within an instant.

Zeruel shot backward, skidding haphazardly along the ground.

Breathing with primal rage, Unit-00 glared at the Angel with its burning eye…and let the fury flow.

CHYOOOM!!!

The optic blast broke through Zeruel's AT-Field, smashing into the Angel and enveloping it in a massive red cross.

And so the Eva advanced, lumbering towards the fallen Angel with purpose.

"…how…how is Unit-00 doing this…?" asked Aoba.

"Sync ratio slowly increasing, holding strong at three-hundred-and-fifty percent! Plug Depth is also increasing!" screamed Maya. "The Entry Plug is descending further towards the Core, approaching Critical Levels!"

Dr. Akagi grimaced. "AYANAMI-KUN, STOP! If you keep going like this…you'll end up like Yui Ikari, or Dr. Sohryu! You won't be able to come back!"

xxxx

The interior of Unit-00's Entry Plug was a kaleidoscope of color.

The only constant was the brilliant body of Rei Ayanami, glowing white, with red eyes that raged. "Unit-00…has always hated me…and I accepted its hate…but now, we share a common goal…to save Shinji-kun…!" Those red eyes focused intently upon the form of Zeruel. "I will accept whatever happens…if it means that I can save him…!"

xxxx

"YOU WILL FAIL!" snarled Zeruel, trying to rise-

SMASH!

A massive AT-Field manifested over Zeruel, crashing down with cosmic fury. It rose…and crashed down again. Again. And again. Every single time the Angel tried to move, Unit-00 brought the hammer down. And the Eva continued its advance.

"GO REI!"

The cheer was unexpected. The source – an impassioned Gendo Ikari – was even more so. "Don't save Shinji for my sake! Not for the sake of NERV! Not even for the sake of the world!" The entire command staff – even Fuyutsuki – stared incredulously at the Supreme Commander, whose tone was rife with unmistakable pride. "DO IT FOR YOU! SHOW EVERYONE WHO YOU ARE! SHOW THE WORLD…WHO REI AYANAMI IS!"

Unit-00 stood tall above the prone form of Zeruel, glaring furiously at the Angel. Then, with its right arm, it reached impossibly deep into the smoky haze…

xxxx

…and soul brushed against soul. "Shinji-kun! Can you hear me?!"

IT'S TOO LATE.

The voice of Zeruel, even now, echoed with haughty defiance.

YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE. SHINJI IKARI IS MINE.

not yours

"I don't care what you want!"

give him BACK

"I'm saving him!"

A decisive declaration. A proclamation of the will.

The souls of Unit-00 and Rei Ayanami pressed down upon Zeruel's.

xxxx

(Ima watashi no…)​

The hazy body of the Angel began to fade, leaving behind the humanoid form of the Mark 07; the skull-like face remained, as did the gleaming red Core, above which hovered Unit-00's hand.

(Negaigoto ga…!)​

High above, the halo was beginning to waver, and the crimson abyss within diminished.

(Kanau naraba…)​

"What…what the hell is going on…?" demanded Hikari Kirishima.

"Unit-00 was born of ADAM. Unit-01, of LILITH." Gendo stepped forward, his cloak fluttering in the wind.

(Tsubasa ga hoshii…!)​

"The risks of Unit-00 interfacing with the Angel's soul are therefore minimized, compared to letting it fully unite with Unit-01." His gaze, hidden by his orange shades, stared contemplatively at the otherworldly phenomenon.

(Kono senaka ni…)​

"If Rei manages to extract Unit-01, she'll have halted the Golgotha Event in its tracks."

(Tori no you ni…!)​

"…so in other words, save the boy, save the world?" Misato smiled. "I can dig that."

An invisible pressure prevented Unit-00's right hand from reaching Zeruel's Core. Growling, Unit-00 pressed forward with its ethereal left arm, seamlessly bypassing the unseen resistance and plunging into the crimson sphere.

(Shiroi tsubasa…)​

xxxx

The colors had all taken shades of blue, swirling madly and chaotically within the Entry Plug. A distant howl could be heard, courtesy of a broken woman long accustomed to pain.

(Tsukete kudasai…!)​

It was to this sound that Rei Ayanami – body blazing with an incredible radiance, a star-in-miniature – leapt from her seat and delved deeper, towards the ego barrier of Zeruel.

xxxx

FOOLISH HYBRID. The voice of Zeruel boomed, echoing through the void that contained Shinji Ikari.

(Kono oozora ni!)​

The Third Child, shimmering blue within his Plug Suit, curled up tightly as a cloud of darkness swarmed around him.

(Tsubasa wo hiroge!)​

I WILL NEVER LET YOU GO. THAT LIGHT…THAT OTHER WORLD…I HAVE TO SEE IT…I MUST! I WILL!

Shinji wrapped his arms even more tightly, trying to resist the Angel.

(Tonde yukitai yo…)​

And then…they heard her.

"Shinji-kun!"

(Kanashimi no nai!)​

The young human and the dread skull glanced upward, looking beyond the hazy blue space that separated Zeruel's soul from the world. Descending towards them was Rei Ayanami, a shooting star. "I'm here!"

(Jiyuu na sora e!)​

Shinji stared, hope and disbelief warring within him. "Rei-chan…?"

(Tsubasa hatamekase…)​

Zeruel's eyes glimmered. YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED HERE. I FORBID IT!

(Yukitai…!)​

Rei Ayanami growled, struggling to advance through the eerie void. Wave upon wave of pressure pushed against her, trying to drive her back, demanding that she cease.

And then she roared. Loudly. Angrily.

Despite the soul-searing pain, her hands reached down…and tore through the barrier.

(Kodomo no toki…!)​

She reached down, the alien nature of Zeruel's soul shredding away at her…but she refused to yield. "SHINJI-KUN! TAKE MY HAND!"

(Yume mita koto…!)​

Shinji struggled, and tried to break free. I REFUSE, roared the skull. YOU SHALL NOT-!

The breach in the ego barrier widened, and a glowing orange cyclops – an avatar of Hate, Wrath, and Fury – bellowed, the sheer force knocking Zeruel away.

(Ima mo onaji…)​

Shinji moved as though swimming, rising upward towards Rei. With desperate hope, he reached up…and tightly grasped her hand.

(Yume ni miteiru…!)​

With a triumphant shout of victory, Rei Ayanami pulled Shinji Ikari free from the Angel's clutches.

xxxx

With a harsh yank, Unit-00 hauled Unit-01 out of Zeruel's Core, a seemingly impossible action given how much smaller the red sphere was.

(Kono oozora ni!)​

Unit-00 let its counterpart drop to the ground, the purple armor all but dissolved by whatever had happened after being devoured by the Angel.

(Tsubasa wo hiroge!)​

"Do we have a reading from Unit-01?!" yelled Misato.

"Processing!" answered Maya.

(Tonde yukitai yo…!)​

A little ping came from Maya's laptop. "Life signs confirmed! Ikari-kun's safe and sound!"

xxxx

(Kanashimi no nai!)​

It was a nebulous state of being, when the encounter of soul with soul was made manifest in so corporeal a fashion.

Rei Ayanami held tightly onto Shinji Ikari, who returned her embrace with equal vigor. "Rei-chan…I'm sorry. I-"

(Jiyuu na sora e!)​

"There is no need to apologize." Rei slowly separated herself from Shinji, her glowing eyes looking at him warmly. "We will continue this later. There is something that I must do."

(Tsubasa hatamekase!)​

"…wait, what are-?" Shinji faded away, his soul fully 'snapping' back into his body…and so did Rei's.

(Kono oozora ni!)​

Rei sat quietly within her Entry Plug, her body still glowing with the power of Anima Overdrive.

take and devour

(Tsubasa wo hiroge!)​

Her gaze fell upon the interlocking spirals beneath Zeruel's Core: the S2 Organ.

feast…and kill

Wordlessly, she willed Unit-00 to indulge its hunger.

(Tonde yukitai yo…!)​

xxxx

"What…did it just eat part of the Angel?" asked Tokita, looking slightly green.

(Kanashimi no nai…)​

"Unit-00 is taking the Angel's S2 Organ within itself, much like Unit-01 did with the Sixteenth Angel," commented Dr. Akagi. "And to that I say: FEAST AWAY!"

(Jiyuu na sora e…!)​

A pained gurgle could be heard from the Eva as it made the S2 Organ its own; the missing limbs slowly regenerated, new flesh replacing what was lost.

(Tsubasa hatamekase….)​

xxxx

Within the Entry Plug of the Mark 07, Yomiko Nagisa stirred miserably. "Hmph…limiting me like you did with Leliel…"

(Kono oozora ni…)​

Her true body felt like a dead corpse. Without the [fire/spark/engine] to animate it, her soul felt…'congested', for lack of a better term. What a wretched feeling it was. "So. You have defeated me. I fought to the utmost, and it wasn't enough. Are you satisfied?"

(Tsubasa wo hiroge…)​

A holographic monitor flickered above Yomiko's face, showing the glowing face of Rei Ayanami. "…I am."

(Tonde yukitai yo!)​

"But my Eva isn't."

The Mark 07's Entry Plug shook, and an instinctive panic overtook Yomiko. "No…"

(Kanashimi no nai!)​

"…no...!" Minute cracks began to spread throughout her Core, courtesy of Unit-00's hands. "You can't! YOU CAN'T!"

(Jiyuu na sora e!)​

As Yomiko screamed over the private communication channel to Rei Ayanami, the true voice of Zeruel howled through the ether. YOU CAN'T DO THIS! YOU MUSTN'T!

(Tsubasa hatamekase!)​

I WON'T BE ME ANYMORE!

(Kono oozora ni!)​

A malicious intent oozed from the soul of Unit-00.

you must SUFFER

(Tsubasa wo hiroge!)​

"The soul within Unit-00 desires your anguish," nonchalantly said Rei.

(Tonde yukitai yo…!)​

"…and I don't find myself inclined to stop her," finished the First Child, who promptly cut the channel.

(Kanashimi no nai!)​

"NO! NO! DON'T DO IT!" The cracks continued to spread as Unit-00's grip tightened. "STOP IT!"

(Jiyuu na sora e!)​

The white-haired nephilim jerked repetitively on the handlebars, her very spirit stretching and tearing and ripping at the very edges STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT "STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!" and the screaming and the agony just wouldn't end.

(Tsubasa hatamekase!)​

"STOOOOOOP!!!!!!"

(Yukitai…!)​

DIE

The Core fissured, and split…and then, with a decisive clench, Unit-00 shattered it.

Yomiko Nagisa wailed, her back arching in exquisite torment. A horrific howl echoed across the ether.

And then...there was only the blessed sound of silence.

xxxx

/Downtown Tokyo-3/

Meanwhile, standing at the ragged edge of the hole formed by the Twentieth Angel's opening salvo, were Mana Kirishima and Mayumi Yamagishi. They had hightailed it from the wreck of the Burning Gundam just in time to witness the battle, at least from the point where Unit-01 had teleported to the Angel's side and punched it in the face.

Everything from that point on had been witnessed with a solemn gravity befitting the spectacle.

Moments after Unit-00 pulverized the Angel's Core, Mana whistled. "…well. That was intense."

"Agreed," whispered an awestruck Mayumi.

xxxx

Within the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mark 06 suddenly twitched.

Within the Entry Plug, Kaworu Nagisa inhaled sharply, wincing at the howl that roared across the ether…and then, there was only the horrid sound of silence. "So…she has fallen..." He had to be sure. He had to make sure.

…hello? Tabris's tentative question spread throughout the metaphysical mindscape shared by all of those born of ADAM.

There was no answer.

…so I am truly the last.

Kaworu Nagisa looked down at his hands, shaped like those of the Lilim, yet bearing a power beyond their reckoning. "…I am all alone, now." Despite it all, the ache in his heart was all too human.

The end of everything would come in due course. Now was the time for tears.

And so Kaworu Nagisa wept, barely capable of expressing the fullness of Tabris's sorrow.

xxxx

/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Rei Ayanami slowly opened her eyes. I…am alive.

What time was it?

She glanced at the nearby clock on the wall: it was nearly midnight. So…nearly sixteen hours, at least. Her Sync Ratio had never been better; her hate had been one with Unit-00's; she had fully interfaced with the souls of her Eva, of Shinji, and of the Angel…and yet she was still here. She had not become one with her Eva. How? Was it because I was in Overdrive? Did the greater robustness of her soul in that ascended state play a factor? Or…did the Yui Ikari within Unit-00 play a role…? A small bit of kindness, for saving Shinji Ikari? Wait…Shinji-kun! Rei turned her head, ignoring the soreness in her body; slumped over the side of her cot was the Third Child, snoring softly. Ah…he is okay. One of his arms was outstretched more than the other; gingerly turning over – taking care not to disturb any of her intravenous drips – Rei grabbed his closest hand, bringing it up to her face. Gently, she wrapped her hands around his, her fingers softly linking behind his knuckles; he felt slightly cool to the touch. Let him sleep, Rei told herself; they would both be awake tomorrow. She listened to his soft breathing, slowly lulling herself to sleep from the sound of his pulse, faint and calm. This…will do.

And so the First Child slumbered alongside the Third: a brief reprieve from the impending fulfillment of their destiny.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 30: TABRIS (It was nice knowing you…goodbye.)

xxxx

(And then there was one.)