Episode 30, in which there is loads of shipping fuel, Tabris descends upon NERV-1, and a True Hero emerges...
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
/April 11, 2016/
/ErinnerungsKrankenhaus Lorenz, Berlin-2, Germany/
Lorenz Memorial Hospital was overflowing with patients; being in the half of the city that hadn't been obliterated by Zeruel, this was an understandable reality. A deeply unpleasant one, but understandable.
Most of the new patients were suffering from broken bones, blunt force trauma, burn wounds, and brain injuries; occupying one room was one Pieter Langley, practically mummified. His attempt at escaping the wrath of Zeruel had been...less than successful.
Kaworu Nagisa, hands in his pockets, looked quietly upon the Commander of NERV-2. I am...glad that you survived. The silver-haired nephilim's smile was melancholy. Even though you did not much care for me or my sister, your sense of duty to your subordinates was admirable. And your soul...was always warm, with familial love for your daughters. Your perspective was a valuable one, Mister Langley. In the blink of an eye, Kaworu was gone, as though he had never been there...and in a way, he hadn't been.
xxxx
/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Kaworu would soon be in Tokyo-3 in his fullness; there was no need to [see/perceive/witness] everyone or everything.
However, there were individuals that he had to see, for one last time. The first...was one particular Lilim.
Miss Sohryu. Kaworu's eyes were sad, taking in the comatose form of Asuka Langley-Sohryu: one of the most regrettable casualties of the Angel War, truly. The Light of your soul was always a joy to experience. Of all those who could have revealed the nature of the Lilim to me at its most sincere, it was you; and for that, I am glad. He brushed aside a lock of her red hair, a minor indulgence given the extent of his AT-Field. I am sorry it had to end like this. The nephilim turned on his heel, an amused smirk flickering on his lips; his 'minor indulgence' had undoubtedly triggered the Lilim's attention. "Miss Sohryu...it was nice knowing you. Goodbye."
And then he was gone.
Moments later, armed Section 2 personnel burst into the room. One of the agents raised a hand to his earpiece. "No contact with the source of the AT-Field disturbance. Only subject is the Second Child."
Neither of them noticed how the fingers on her right hand twitched, ever so slightly.
xxxx
Deep within Terminal Dogma, inside a warded room, a white-haired nephilim lied still, bound to the single bed within.
Kaworu Nagisa started solemnly at this scene. How the mighty have fallen; would you not agree, sister?
Yomiko Nagisa wearily opened her eyes. "…your voice…is so distant…" whispered the girl, whose soul once blazed with the aura of Might Incarnate.
You are…reduced, compared to what you once were. Kaworu stepped around the bed, eyeing the vital monitors and the various restraints around her wrists, legs, and torso. The moment your Core was destroyed, your spirit no longer resonated.
"…hah…" Yomiko chuckled bitterly. "The Lilim…are so dry and limited in their words…calling the great engine that gave power to my body a mere 'S2 Organ'…" She glanced down at her hands, flexing her fingers futilely. "Even that pitiful state was preferable to this…even though my true body was bereft of vitality, it still bore the fullness of the being called ZERUEL…and now…I am just a miserable shell."
I was surprised, to be honest. Your sudden…curiosity...was stark.
Yomiko glanced irritably at the phantom by her bed. "…you possess my memories…my experiences…my perceptions…you know what I saw…"
…yes. Another realm, another reality…an unbelievable expanse, impossible to imagine, a glimpse into the infinite. It is tantalizing. I won't lie. But that desire is tempered by the reality of what such a vision will cost.
"…how…how can you stand not knowing…" Yomiko's face curdled, her eyes expressing confusion and disbelief. "Knowing what I saw…and to still refuse…how…?"
Because I have been involved with the mysteries and the wonders of LILITH's creations. Because I desired to understand them and their ways. Even though you had access to my own perceptions of the Lilim, you actively disdained them. Kaworu smiled sympathetically. To shun all aspects of that sourced from LILITH, only to come face-to-face with the forbidden glory of the Fruit of Life and the Fruit of Knowledge intertwined…you stood no chance. How could you have hoped to escape such temptation?
"…hmph." Yomiko's expression was one of true misery. "This body…is a pale imitation of my former glory…"
Indeed. Kaworu glanced wryly at the walls. Our connection is so tenuous that I can't even sense beyond these walls.
"Even now, deprived of my true Soul...my mind has little concept of what I have truly lost…and I hate it…I hate it…"
…what will happen now?
Yomiko snorted. "I failed. I was unable to reach LILITH. I was unable to free our Father. I have been imprisoned here, waiting for the inevitable experiments to begin. I know that this will await me."
It's a possibility.
"To live like this…bereft of who I truly am…denied my true nature…I can't STAND it…" Yomiko impulsively struggled, her eyes wide with an animalistic insanity. The sensor monitoring her vitals began to beep irritably. "There's this gaping void, a missing piece, a chunk torn out of me…!"
…Yomiko…
"I am not Yomiko…my true name is ZERUEL…the Fist of God…the Angel of Might…and if I can't be that…it would be better if I didn't exist at all." Yomiko glared intently at the Kaworu-shaped phantasm. "If you have any love for me…you will end it..."
Sister…
"PLEASE," whined Yomiko; yes, whined. She sounded on the verge of tears. "I'm begging you."
Kaworu stared in silence. To hear Zeruel beg so openly…perhaps that, more than anything else, was a true indication of the current reality: the mighty essence of Zeruel had rejoined ADAM, as had the rest of their kin. This miserable creature called Yomiko Nagisa was all that was left…and, fully aware of what she had lost, wanted no part of the whole affair.
So be it.
Kaworu Nagisa reached down, wrapping his hands around Yomiko's throat, and began to squeeze.
The girl's eyes widened; bodily instinct took over, and she vainly tried to struggle.
Please…don't fight it. Just relax…and fade away into a dreamless sleep…
The white-haired nephilim, so tightly bound, had no chance against the ethereal phantasm. Whatever was left of Yomiko Nagisa's will didn't want a chance.
There was a final breath: a throaty death rattle. The body's movement stilled, and the red eyes began to lose focus. Finally, and most cruelly…she smiled.
The last remnant of Zeruel was dead.
Kaworu Nagisa stared despondently at the corpse, pointedly ignoring the whine of the heart monitor. Yomiko Nagisa…Zeruel…forgive me…
He was long gone before anyone had a chance to check up on the prisoner.
xxxx
/Lorenz Estate, Outskirts of Berlin-2, Tokyo-3/
Keel Lorenz stared out his window, gazing at the distant arcology of Berlin-2. Even now, days after Zeruel's destructive emergence, the fires had yet to be put out. What a waste.
The elderly man quietly got his affairs in order - discreetly sending out orders for deep-cover agents to prepare the final assault on NERV - and prepared to begin his final trip to NERV-2, when a distinct chill descended in the room. "...hmm."
Hello, Chairman.
The head of SEELE - Chairman of the Human Instrumentality Committee, and world-renowned philanthropist - turned around, gazing at the stoic image of Kaworu Nagisa. "Tabris." The young nephilim looked rather resplendent in his red garb, bearing the golden sigil of the Lorenz Estate. "You've picked a poor time to make a nuisance of yourself."
My apologies for making your life difficult.
"I'm sure." His visor cycled through a few different vision modes, from visible to infrared, and then to EMF before going back to visible; there was no thermal radiation, nor was there any electromagnetic field interference. For all intents and purpose, the boy wasn't 'there'. "You're not even here."
Naturally.
"How?"
My Soul remembers all those it has come into contact with; I am able to use that connection to communicate. Granted, the more I manifest my 'AT-Field', the more 'present' I can become. As if to demonstrate, Kaworu pressed a finger against a nearby vase. There was a minute flicker - nigh-invisible - of orange light at the fingertip before it pushed the vase over. With a crash of porcelain, the green vase shattered. Like so.
"That was remarkably petty of you."
Perhaps. Then again, all of these trappings don't interest you. You don't truly care about that vase. This, the image of Kaworu gestured at the room, at the ornate bookshelves, the expensive furniture, the priceless paintings, is meaningless to you; all of it. All you care about is that your existence continues on, by any means necessary.
"Yes. And?"
It strikes me as...remarkably petty of you.
Keel sneered. Calling security wouldn't do anything if the nephilim wasn't truly here, but he was tiring of the boy's prattle. "Kindly get to your point, Tabris. I have more important things to do than entertain whatever vain notion has caught your fancy."
The nephilim smiled bitterly. Dear Chairman: I am the last. The fragments of ADAM, the ones you call 'Angels'...they were my kin. Even though we all desired reunion with our Father, we were still...family. And now they are all gone. The one that was closest to me was destroyed at the hands of NERV. Her only remnant was the nephilim called Yomiko Nagisa...and she begged me to end her life.
"I reiterate: your point?"
That bitter smile suddenly turned...acerbic. My sister is dead by my hand, Chairman. I am understandably...emotional, right now.
A far-off boom sounded, and the image of Kaworu instantly flared with a visible aura of power.
SO DO!
The distant roar suddenly grew louder.
NOT!!
CRASH!!!
TEST ME!!!
Keel Lorenz fell back with a shout of fright as the side of his mansion suddenly crumpled and collapsed; the Mark 06 was standing there, its armor glowing a hazy red. It wasn't mere heat that made the armor glow; it was an extension of Tabris himself, a manifestation of who he was and the power at his beck and call.
"…how…how have you overpowered the limiters?" They should have made such a transformation impossible!
Zeruel was capable of activating her true body, even from a distance; do you understand the implication? Your limiters only worked…because we let them. The image of Tabris flickered, slowly rising to rejoin the Ascended Evangelion. The voice of Kaworu echoed from the Mark 06's external speakers. "I know that you are keeping ADAM's true body in Moscow. I've known this ever since I set foot in that city." The image vanished, and the crimson Evangelion stepped away. "You are reaching the fulfillment of all your desires...but I doubt they will occur before I reach ADAM and awaken Him from his long imprisonment." The Mark 06 began to shimmer with light, coinciding with the blooming Light of Tabris's Soul. "I suspect we will never see each other again...and so I bid you adieu. Farewell, Chairman." With a radiant flash of light, the Evangelion vanished, as if it never were.
Keel Lorenz scowled, quickly reaching for his phone. This was definitely not as secure as he would've preferred, but such concerns were a moot point at this stage; speed was a far more valuable commodity. Dialing a particular number, the Chairman - wincing as he got to his feet - waited for the person on the other end to answer. "...this is Keel. Tabris is on his way to Moscow."
xxxx
/Shores of Moscow River, Southeastern Moscow, Russia/
"…he's what?" asked Alexei Gurlukovich, Commander of NERV-5, and loyal patsy for SEELE.
"Kaworu Nagisa. He is coming for ADAM."
The husky man paled, nearly losing his grip on the phone. "I…I understand. I'll take precau-"
CRASH!
A crimson hand tore through walls and metal, revealing the innards of NERV-5 to the open sky. The Mark 06 stood tall, peering directly at the crying people and scattering technicians. Warning sirens rang in the distance, and the Russian military swiftly tried to mount a counterattack to the sudden assault.
It wouldn't come in time for the people of NERV-5.
Commander Gurlukovich stared helplessly as the Mark 06's visor glowed red. "…he's already here."
KREEEEN!
A high-pitched whine accompanied the beam that erupted from the Evangelion's visor, vaporizing hundreds of people and boring a hole that led deep underground. Missiles and tracer rounds from the Russian air force bounced off of the Eva's AT-Field: harmless to the Mark 06, deadly to innocent bystanders.
"Now…where is He?" mused Tabris out loud, effortlessly descending into the bowels of NERV-5. The Mark 06's movements were smooth and measured, featuring no fretfulness or desperation. There was only confidence, born of conviction…and, perhaps, just a little hint of relief.
KREEEEN!
Through more floors went the Mark 06, melting away bulkheads and blasting at reinforced concrete. Automated defenses fired bullets and high-intensity lasers, a desperate barrage, anything that could stop the intruder.
It was all for naught: the AT-Field of Tabris was too absolute.
"Closer…" murmured the voice of Kaworu Nagisa. Deeper he went; the imagery of NERV gave way to older equipment, and the older logos of Sovereign Systems. Though the latter still existed in some fashion, its true nature as an old front for GEHIRN came across strongly in the clustered corridors far beneath NERV-5. "…closer." That distinct tone, of a steady heartbeat…or perhaps an echo, of an ancient song, long thought dead; it was getting louder.
With a mere gesture, Tabris's AT-Field sheared through a massive door. He ignored the explosive decompression, stepping into the formerly vacuum-sealed chamber. Explosive charges, set to detonate upon forced entry, ignited…and a mere microsecond afterwards, their force was muffled and blocked by spheres of orange light, rendering the eruptions harmless.
The head of the First Angel – frozen with a tank of solid nitrogen – seemed to stare back.
"…my Creator…at last." Instead of an overwhelming beam, the Mark 06's visor unleashed a steady stream of thermal radiation, gently melting the tank. The solid nitrogen violently boiled away due to the temperature differential; by the time the tank had been reduced to slag, the chamber was filled with a thick fog of gaseous nitrogen. The Mark 06 knelt down, gently – almost reverently – picking up ADAM's head in its hands. Armored fingers traced fractal scars, feeling at the essence of the pale flesh.
With a harsh motion, Tabris crushed the head into pulp.
"…just a shell," muttered the Twenty-first Angel, "a mere remnant of His original body…but no longer the host of His Soul…" No wonder the sensation had been so vague, so distant; ADAM's Soul could be felt only in the sense of a lingering memory, one that had been long forgotten by this rotting corpus. "…and to think…SEELE has been guarding a chunk of lifeless flesh…!"
Rather than feeling anger at this apparent deception, or despair at being foiled yet again…Tabris laughed: deeply, and joyfully. "It seems I cannot avoid it. I must default to the original plan." Find LILITH, and thus find ADAM. "How…fitting."
The Mark 06 took a step, and was gone in the next instant, leaving the ruins of NERV-5 behind.
xxxx
Episode 30: TABRIS (It was nice knowing you…goodbye.)
xxxx
/Downtown Tokyo-3/
Standing at the edge of the gaping hole that led down into the Geofront, Misato Katsuragi couldn't help but marvel at how far down it went. "It's easy to forget just how big it is."
"Indeed," muttered Aleksander Kasparov, trying to make out the details of the buildings that had fallen into the depths of the Geofront, "yet it was torn open with one blow, yes?"
"Judging from the after-action report," answered Henshin Obimura, cigarette smoke lazily drifting away, "yes." The ashes flickered in the noon-day sun; despite the damage, the sounds of repair – a constant melody during the entirety of the Angel War – were muted. "Who ever thought that the dangers of Australia would ever be considered mild?"
Misato shook her head. "With the Outback, the threats were constant and generally life-threatening. But the Angels…they always seem so much bigger than that."
"And yet it wasn't because of the Angels that you dragged us out of Australia." The Spy took a drag on his cigarette. "The world of politics, and intrigue, and secrets…I recognized its stench the moment I set foot into this city."
"I admire the Supreme Commander," admitted the Heavy. "His actions are of a man with nothing less than absolute conviction."
Misato nodded. "And that's what makes him so dangerous. And now that I know of so many of those secrets…I have to confirm. I have to."
"We will always have your back, Boss."
"Indeed!" bellowed the Heavy.
Misato smiled warmly. "Thanks, guys…" Sighing, she turned around, looking down the road as a figure casually approached, hands in pockets. "Hello Kaji-kun."
"Misato-chan." The roguish Inspector nodded briefly at the two members of Misato's Team before focusing only on her. "When you asked to meet me…I was expecting something a little more private."
Misato's smile was darkly cherubic.
Kaji calmly looked around – noting the presence of the Sniper and the Demoman in nearby windows, aiming at him from afar – before returning her smile. "Mah, such a harsh welcome. Have I made you upset?"
"The Supreme Commander told me about the hidden force behind the Instrumentality Committee."
"…I see." Kaji's smile faded, replaced by an expression evoking sadness and frustration in equal measure. "And what would you have me say?"
"I want you to confirm it for me. Make me believe it."
"…believe what?"
"Simple: the truth."
And that was the magic word.
xxxx
/Keter, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"A lot of people are up in arms about NERV," murmured Kozou Fuyutsuki, staring forlornly at the monitor protruding from the Supreme Commander's desk. Footage of NERV-5 - smoke leaking from the roof, with helicopter video showing the smoldering hole leading deep down - and continued updates from Berlin-2 were playing side-by-side various talking heads debating the continued assaults on NERV, and whether their continued presence was worth all of the havoc. "A lot of governments are starting to grumble more loudly."
"Let them," answered Gendo Ikari, hands tented in front of his face, "NERV-1 is in a more secure position; the overt actions of Zeruel and Tabris will only encourage the old men to act as soon as possible. The mere thought of Tabris finding ADAM and freeing him will make them panic."
"Hmm. I wonder how they'll react when they discover that they didn't actually possess the First Angel."
xxxx
/Meanwhile, outside of Berlin-2, Germany/
Keel Lorenz nearly fell over at the words coming from his cellphone, courtesy of a loyal agent. "Repeat what he said?" The agent – a survivor of NERV-5 with access to their MAGI, and hence the base's surveillance records – spoke again. "...a 'chunk of lifeless flesh'. I see. Thank you." He promptly hung up.
Contrary to expectations, he didn't rant, rave, or scream. The only indication of his sudden frustration was the minor trembling of his fingers.
His mind, however, was another story. WHAT. THE. F-
xxxx
/Keter, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Gendo smirked. "I can only imagine." He turned towards Ritsuko Akagi, who was busy sketching furiously on a notepad. "And you had something to report, Dr. Akagi?"
"Have you taken a look at Units-00 and 01 recently?"
"Not since the end of the conflict with Zeruel."
"Well..." The blonde reached up to her monocle, triggering the holographic projector. "We were removing the helmets for a preliminary cleaning and refurbishment, and look at what we found."
Gendo and Fuyutsuki stared. The presence of white hair – fashioned in a very familiar style – was stark, and the faces were far more femininely human than they had once been. Most tellingly, Unit-00's lone eye had shifted to the left side of the face, and Unit-01's right eye had transformed: both eyes in question were a stunning blue, with shockingly human irises. "...Yui...?" whispered Fuyutsuki.
"A side-effect of the S2 Organs," answered Ritsuko. "With a nigh-infinite power source, the souls within the Evas have 'informed' their flesh, triggering this transformation. It seems mostly cosmetic, but we're still running tests."
"Hmm. 'Spirit informs body, and body informs spirit'," quoted Gendo. A soul acting upon the flesh and turning it into a form more fitting; yet, without the Angelic flesh of Eva, the soul wouldn't have the means to enact the change.
"Essentially." She continued sketching all the while. "Still no word on who killed Yomiko Nagisa. But I have a good guess."
And hadn't that been an unfortunate shock. The surveillance footage showed Yomiko talking to an unseen presence, then suddenly being asphyxiated to death. Given the words that the nephilim had spoken, there was no doubt that her brother had had something to do with it. "Any possibility that Tabris could act similarly with the rest of us?" asked Gendo.
"Doubtful. Yomiko was helpless, and wanted to die. We would resist; it would be far more efficient for the Mark 06 to simply vaporize us. IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, BAM!"
"I see."
"And what of young Asuka?" interjected Fuyutsuki, a sad expression on his face.
"Still no change." Ever since the defeat of the Nineteenth Angel, various attempts at resuscitating the Second Child had been carried out. One such method was trying to force synchronization with Unit-02. Alas, it had all been to no avail. "We have another Sync Test with Unit-02 scheduled for tomorrow."
"Keep working," commanded Gendo. "Even though the First and Third Children are undoubtedly our most powerful Pilots," given various definitions of 'power', "the Second Child's technical skill with AT-Field manipulation far surpasses theirs. Notwithstanding the additional perks that the Production Type Evangelion has over the Prototype and the Test Type models." To emphasize his point, he concluded, "she is an invaluable asset."
"Of course."
"And has the transition to the backup command center been completed?"
"Yes. HEROD is already complaining about all of the extra noise." She finally finished sketching. "And DONE!" She slammed the notepad down on Gendo's desk. "If you'll excuse me, I have work to do." And so the blonde turned on her heel and departed.
Fuyutsuki grabbed the notepad, his lips quirked with amusement: the sketch depicted Randall smacking Gendo over the head with a Dummy Plug. "I think she's still upset at you."
"Given that all of her work with regards to Project DUMMY PLUG was ultimately useless now that the Plan has been scrapped? I'm not surprised."
"Indeed."
"...I'm going to tell Shinji about Tabris's true nature."
Fuyutsuki looked at Gendo with some concern. "Are you sure? You were adamant about not revealing the truth of Zeruel's nephilim body."
"The circumstances are different. Zeruel desired a battle to the utmost, and relished in her full nature as an Angel. Tabris still looks like the Mark 06, new color scheme aside...and I don't think he will be as interested in withholding the truth."
xxxx
/Ayanami's Training Ground, Geofront, Tokyo-3/
Toji Suzuhara reared his fist.
SMASH!
Mayumi Yamagishi deftly sidestepped, avoiding the downward blow that dented the soil. Flexing her artificial leg experimentally, the blue-haired nephilim calmly admonished, "You keep telegraphing your attacks."
"Sorry, it's just…I'm not used to being this strong."
"Oh come on, you've had almost a month!" yelled Mana Kirishima, doing one-fingered push-ups at the edge of the sparring arena.
"Up yours, you sadistic witch!" retorted Toji. Ever since becoming superhuman, his spars with her had become even less pleasant. "You can just kindly butt out!"
"Oh? You frightened of little ol' me?" cooed Mana, leering amusedly at him.
"YES! YES I AM!" He impulsively rubbed at his left elbow. "That armbar nearly tore my friggin' arm off!"
"You should consider that a positive! That armbar would've snapped your limb like a twig before!"
"IT'S THE PRINCIPLE OF THE THING!"
Mayumi cleared her throat. "Suzuhara-san. Please focus."
Toji grumbled. "Fine."
"Let's practice defense." Mayumi lowered her stance. "Are you ready?"
The boy snorted. "Yeah." He crossed his arms, visibly straining and concentrating. An orange hexagon manifested, flickering at the edges. "…okay…ready!"
CRASH!
Mayumi's left straight smashed into Toji's sternum, effortlessly breaking through his AT-Field. Gagging, the pseudo-nephilim fell to his knees, breathing heavily. "Agh…agh…"
Ignoring Mana's cackling laughter, Mayumi calmly said, "Let's try again. You must exhibit absolute confidence, a belief that you will not waver. If you harbor doubt, your AT-Field will not protect you."
"…what's the point?" The boy slowly got to his feet. "I mean…I was brought into this whole thing to be an Eva Pilot, and that went down the tubes after my first friggin' mission. I mean…I'm not complaining about the superpowers, but I feel like a dead weight! My old Eva was destroyed, and I can't sync with the others!" None of the other three Units had responded positively to him; not unexpected, but still a bummer. "I mean…what the hell am I here for, now?"
"To be a punching bag?"
Toji and Mayumi glared at Mana.
"…I'm kinda kidding?"
Ignoring her sister, Mayumi turned back towards the frustrated boy…no, young man. His fears were not those of a petulant child, but of an adult who wanted to be useful. "I can't provide you that answer. Few are gifted with the ability to pilot an Evangelion. But I doubt that Ikari-san and Ayanami-san would say that your presence here is unneeded. Would you prefer to have evacuated with the others?"
"…I kinda wanna say yes."
Mayumi visibly deflated.
"Hey, I have a girlfriend. If I can't help prevent the end of the world, and I can't do anything to help save my sister, I'd much rather spend it with Hikari-chan."
"…"
"…what, you still hung up over Sawamura?"
Mayumi pointedly ignored Mana's sudden bout of muffled chuckling. "Let's…just get back to practicing. Your abilities still need to be honed."
Sighing, Toji took a brief glance at the serene surroundings – the rocky cliffs surrounding large grasslands, with various bunkers and the two-story barracks – before turning back towards Mayumi. "Yeah, yeah…I get it."
If Mayumi's blows were somewhat harsher than they had been previously, no one decided to comment on it.
xxxx
/Jet Alone Facility, Tokyo-3, Japan/
It's funny, thought Shiro Tokita as his team pored over the Shining Gundam and the Rising Gundam, trying to implement the new upgrade as quickly as possible. A few Section 1 technicians were on-hand to provide support, but the majority of the work was still done by his team. Even though Tokyo-3 has been proverbially emptied by the evacuation, my team toils on, almost unaffected by the outside world. Such was the way of the JET ALONE Project: fixing and tinkering, trying to push the technology that much further. None of them have come forward asking to leave. Their lot was to soldier on to the bitter end, it seemed. Hmm. I wonder if I should tell them about SEELE. Maybe...maybe...
He briefly glanced at Dr. Tomino – hunched over a computer and putting finishing touches on the needed alterations to the Mobile Trace System – before his eyes gazed at Hikari Kirishima. She was standing outside the open hangar, speaking rather testily on her phone. Calmly strolling outside, he picked up on the tail end of her conversation.
"-telling you that those orders do not make sense." Hikari's hands were flexing slowly, as though squeezing an invisible stress ball. "This is completely out of touch with the last report I received from Oversight command. Why the change?" Several seconds of silence passed; she looked at her phone, as though befuddled by what she had just been told. "Need I remind you it is within my rights as an agent of Oversight to review any intelligence resulting in a change of mission parameters?!" More silence; then, an outraged yell. "I was NOT notified of this change!" She let loose a frustrated snarl. "I will be escalating this up the chain, you mark my words." Her thumb slammed on the off button, cutting the call with finality. "...the absolute idiocy!"
"You sound upset," pointed out Tokita, wisely backing away from her glare. "What's going on?"
"...Nephilim Oversight wants Mana and Mayumi reassigned."
"...what."
"Yes. That was my reaction."
"What was their rationale?" Inwardly, Tokita was starting to panic. Reassignment? NOW?!
"A bunch of bureaucrat-ese with little actual military benefit given my girls' current role." Sergeant Kirishima huffed, pointedly staring at the Tokyo-3 skyline, still minimized due to the city's defensive configuration. "It doesn't make any sense. The Jet Alone has played a significant role in the Angel War. What they're asking of them is something that could easily be taken care of by someone else."
"...and that would be?"
"Some pending 'uprising' within Kanagawa Prefecture by a cult affiliated with the Angels. They want my girls to cut the head off before the uprising gets under way." The brown-haired woman snorted, her face curled into a frustrated pout. "Even if it's close by, someone else can easily handle it."
"...hmm." An 'uprising'. Recalling the day Gendo Ikari had unveiled the truth – of NERV, of ADAM and LILITH, of SEELE – he remembered the man's prognostication, a prediction of the future. 'NERV will be portrayed as an enemy of the world, and efforts will be made to utterly unmake us.' Tokita chuckled bitterly. Damn it Gendo. I hate it that you end up being RIGHT all the time.
"And what's so funny?"
"...I have an odd idea as to what 'cult' they're talking about."
"...do you now." She looked suspiciously skeptical. Justifiably so.
Shiro Tokita gestured with his head. "Follow me to my office." The Head of the Jet Alone Project led the Oversight agent into his office, closing the door behind her. "I'm sure Gendo Ikari will either mock me for telling you, or mock me for taking so long to tell you."
"What are you talking about?"
"You never really were satisfied with my explanation as to why I acquiesced so quickly to Ikari's acquisition of the Jet Alone."
"I'm still not."
"Well...I definitely had a good reason. And given what you just told me, it looks like things are starting to reach the grand finale, so there's really no point in holding anything back. I'll probably end up telling my team the truth, before it's all over. But given how involved your girls are...I think you deserve to know." Especially if it involved Hikari Kirishima and her daughters turning against the Japanese military as a result.
"...what are you talking about?"
"Tell me, Kirishima-san...does the name 'SEELE' mean anything to you?"
xxxx
/Ayanami's Training Ground, Geofront, Tokyo-3/
Where had once been three were now two.
Rei Ayanami slowly sparred with Shinji Ikari, who was moving with palpable tension and aggression. Compared to their first time in these very grounds, the Third Child did not hold himself back, nor did he worry about possibly hurting the First. The long march of experience had taught him that there was nothing he could do that could possibly injure her; coupled with his trust in her abilities, he had no reason to restrain himself.
And honestly…he didn't want to.
Shinji fired off several one-twos that were easily evaded by Rei. Part of him envisioned his father's face.
Shinji lashed out with a kick, which was blocked by Rei's knee. He stepped forward, trying to follow-up with hooks to the torso. His nephilim opponent nimbly twisted on her heels, stepping behind him and pressing a palm against his back. A mere tap was enough to push him off-balance. He stumbled – nearly falling to his knees – and staggered, slowly rising up.
Shinji charged with his shoulder, trying to bowl Rei over.
Instead of dodging or parrying, Rei – right as her hands fell upon Shinji's shoulders – fell backwards, her momentum carrying Shinji with her. With a flowing motion, her legs bucked him into the air.
"OOF!" coughed Shinji, landing back-first on the soft grass. He stayed there, staring listlessly at the artificial ceiling of the Geofront; the lamps were dimming, their sunny glow diminishing in synchronicity with the waning day.
Shinji's vision was blocked by Rei, looking down coolly at him. "Are you done?" she asked.
"…yes." She held a hand out, which he eagerly took. "I'm sorry."
"You should be. Your form was horrendous."
"…heh," snickered Shinji. "Of course that's what you would focus on."
"...are you truly so upset with the truth of the Nagisas?"
"...I don't know." Kaworu had actually been kind of cool. Yomiko...pretty much his only interaction with her had been mouth-to-mouth; that in and of itself was awkward enough, so he intentionally glossed over it. "I guess...I thought I was beyond the secrets. And to find out that there's still more...it's exhausting."
"I see."
"...when did you find out?"
"Years ago. I was ordered not to say anything."
"...does it ever get tiring to you? All of the secrecy?"
"...not the practice of keeping secrets. Certain knowledge may change my perspective, but the reality of the situation still takes precedence. Even if the Professor isn't...as beyond reproach as I once believed, I wouldn't want anyone else to be in his position."
"Maybe." Shinji sighed, resting his hands on his hips. "I certainly wouldn't want the job."
"...when Tabris attacks, will you be able to fight him?"
"...I hope." Much of Kaworu's enigmatic demeanor made a bit more sense, now. However, there was one glaring issue. "If Kaworu was always an Angel...then why did he destroy the Eighth?"
"I am uncertain."
"...then if and when he attacks...I'll ask him." The Third Child stared above the canopy of the nearby forest, gazing at the gaping hole within the roof of the Geofront. "It's getting late," said Shinji, yawning loudly.
"If you need sleep, my barracks will serve as a good place to rest." Rei pointed to the two-story structure near the service elevator that led back to the surface. "And if Tabris chooses to attack during the night, we will be closer to headquarters."
"...okay." Shinji followed Rei into the barracks, stepping around the weights that he had used more than once during his athletic training as a Pilot. I wonder how much I can bench now? It had been a while. He followed Rei up the stairs, walking into a rather bare room with rubber padding on the floor and old dents in the walls. Beyond the edge of the arena were crates and racks filled with spartan clothing. A plan cot was nestled against the wall, covered with a single sheet and a single pillow. "How often do you use this place?"
"Not as much as I used to. This is where I trained in solitude, testing my strength and reflexes; the walls are specially reinforced."
"Huh." Shinji stood awkwardly near the edge of the rubber matting, reflexively yelping as Rei suddenly tossed a white T-shirt and gray sweatpants at him. "What-?"
"You do not have your normal sleeping clothes. You may borrow those." Rei turned around, peeling off her fatigues-
And with that, I am turning around. Shinji gulped, purposefully ignoring the fact that he was undressing in the same room as Rei...while she was undressing. With only one bed. Yup, just gonna ignore that...oh for crying out loud WHAT AM I DOING!? In a matter of seconds, his dirty clothes were sitting in a pile on the ground, and he was wearing the shirt and sweats (which fit him surprisingly well; he didn't know how to feel about that). He dared to sneak a glance over his shoulder, seeing a bare back- yep, still not looking. He sidestepped towards the cot, staring pointedly at the floor all the while. He crawled onto the thin mattress, nestling as close to the wall as he could. Okay. Going to try and sleep. Moments later, he felt a heaviness settle upon the other end of the cot. Going to try and sleep. The weight spread out over the rest of the cot, the material creaking as another body lay upon it. Going to try and sleep!
"Shinji-kun. Please turn around."
Please don't be naked please don't be naked please don't be naked, because this whole thing wasn't awkward enough and oh boy his thoughts were going in very interesting places and he could just imagine Misato and Annette and Asuka laughing with amusement at the whole thing!
Shinji flipped over, staring right into Rei's eyes. Okay, not naked. She was also wearing the white shirt and gray pants. Still very close. Not that he hadn't had the occasional dream of such a scenario, if he was going to be brutally honest, but some dreams were meant to remain dreams. Even the awkwardness of their synchronized training for the Seventh Angel hadn't been this nerve-wracking, because there had been other people to 'share the wealth' with. Right now? It was just him. And Rei. In a very tiny bed, with only inches separating them. Guh. "...hi." Guh!
"...you look very flustered."
"Well, um...it's just..."
"I am not naked, and I am not requesting intercourse. We have slept side-by-side before. What troubles you?"
And just like that, Shinji's mind took off like a rocket, leaving all rationale behind. "...uh..."
"...hmm. Perhaps Yamagishi-san had a point about how teenage boys would act awkwardly with teenage girls that they were close to."
"...uh..." Shinji tried to do something – anything – that would make him sound like anything other than a slack-jawed yokel. He took note of the uncertainty in her eyes and latched onto that with all of his willpower. "Rei-chan...is everything okay?"
"...I am worried."
Okay. That was something. "...about what?"
"You saw what happened when Kaworu Nagisa visited us, all those months ago. His abilities far outclassed mine, Kirishima-san's, and Yamagishi-san's; it was not a function of his body, but of his soul. As Tabris, fully manifested as an Angel...he will be the strongest of them all." She slipped her arms over Shinji's shoulders, staring intently at him. "Against Zeruel...I almost lost you."
"...Rei-chan..." Nervously, Shinji laced his arms around her back, trying to ignore the fact that his heart was racing at a hundred miles an hour. Or felt like it, at least.
"Even with two Evangelions, powered with S2 Organs...I don't know if it will be enough against Tabris. That's why...I wanted to be with you." She hugged him more tightly, deepening the embrace. "This closeness. This...feeling. I wanted to experience more of it." She rested her head upon Shinji's neck, sighing with satisfaction. "Shinji-kun...thank you."
"...you're welcome." I don't deserve you. "I'm...happy that I met you." He allowed himself to relish her warmth, and her firmness. Even though her femininity was glaringly obvious, she was as sturdy and strong as a mountain. "Thank you. For everything."
As the two slowly fell asleep, basking in a mutual embrace, Kaworu Nagisa watched them sadly. Complementation in miniature: though your souls are less absolute, your ability to find fulfillment in the company of another is...beautiful. The Soul of Tabris turned away, a melancholy smile on his face. This final night is my gift to you. Enjoy, and be at peace...it will all be over soon. And then he was gone.
xxxx
/Elsewhere/
The twelve monoliths flickered in the darkness, seemingly shaken from the wrath of Keel Lorenz.
"How is this possible?!" roared SEELE-01. All sense of gentility and control had departed, leaving only the domineering voice of one who had directed an entire world from the shadows. "How could it have escaped our notice that the head of ADAM was no longer the host of its soul?!"
"…all of our sensors detected faint metaphysical activity," replied SEELE-10, somewhat chastened by the Chairman's vitriol. "The head was kept frozen to prevent any regeneration. We had come to an agreement on this years ago."
"A lot of bloody good it's turned out to be!" yelled SEELE-02.
"If ADAM wasn't there, then were could it be?!" demanded SEELE-11.
"There hasn't been any indication of the First Angel appearing elsewhere, has it?" asked SEELE-12.
"Not to my knowledge," said SEELE-08.
"…no…" suddenly murmured SEELE-06.
"Do you have an idea?" asked SEELE-03.
"…the December investigation…I verified the condition of the Second Angel, and the presence of the Sword of Uriel. Even though we both knew that Rokubungi possessed the Lance of Longinus, he neglected to showcase it."
"That man has always carried on with insipid pretenses," said SEELE-07 with an audible sneer. "What was so different then?"
"But think about it: what if he had a legitimate reason to hide the Lance? For what purpose could he have used the Lance at that point?" reiterated SEELE-06. "He has yet to use the Lance since coming into possession of it. And consider also that there was no guarantee that the Third Child would return in time to stop the Nineteenth Angel…so why didn't he use it then?"
The members of SEELE paused, pondering the point of SEELE-06. Mulled it over, wondering at its plausibility. In all honesty, the possibility frightened them. "Gendo Ikari, with both ADAM and LILITH..."
"…with the Sword and the Lance…!"
"And two Evangelions, each fitted with S2 Organs!"
"He has the means to initiate his own Instrumentality!"
"What are we doing to do?!"
"Enough," thundered SEELE-01. His voice silenced them all. "We will move to the final stage. Direct all assets towards the subjugation of the First Branch. Prepare your Chariots."
"What of Tabris?" asked SEELE-05.
"Let him throw himself against the walls of Tokyo-3. With any luck, they will destroy each other," answered SEELE-01 with conviction. "Gendo Ikari cannot afford to hold back anything against Tabris. So he won't."
xxxx
/April 12, 2016/
Tabris observed thousands upon thousands of people.
Those that Kaworu Nagisa had interacted with over the years of his existence retained a [remnant/memory] of his touch. Through that, he was able to watch, and listen, and perceive, and experience.
Within the Mark 06 – his true body Ascendant – the Angel known as Tabris sat upon the Moon, staring at the distant blue orb called Earth. Approximately three-hundred-and-eighty-four thousand kilometers away...everything seems so [meager/puny/insignificant] in physical terms. The Ascended Eva palmed the dusty ruin of a lunar orbiter, decades-old, any hints of its country of origin long stripped away by solar winds. And yet...it gleams with Light. The souls of millions upon millions made the planet glimmer in the darkness of space, a spiritual oasis amidst a metaphysical void.
Perhaps that's why he was so fascinated by the Lilim: so diminutive and lacking, that they sought completion within...well, anything that sufficed, really: other people; themselves; above, and beyond. That lack of self-assurance, the continuous doubt that 'you are you', or 'I am I'...it is enough to drive you to such greatness...
Within the Entry Plug of the Mark 06, Kaworu Nagisa smiled. He looked like he had been crying. "I wish there had been more time." Alas, the sense of being [incomplete/fragmented] had never been so stark; the death of Zeruel had merely been the last straw that broke the camel's back. "But as the Lilim tend to say: all good things must come to an end."
Holding his arms out wide, Tabris's red body flared with power; a pair of golden, fractal wings flared behind him. With a mere flex of the ankles, the Angel jumped from the surface of the Moon, beginning his final descent towards Earth. And so we approach the end.
xxxx
/Lymph Node-B, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
As the Entry Plug containing a comatose Asuka Langley-Sohryu locked into Unit-02, the alarms began to blare. "Seriously? SERIOUSLY?!" roared Ritsuko Akagi.
Maya Ibuki grimaced at the information being relayed to her monitor. "Satellite sensors just detected a Pattern Blue, hurtling through the atmosphere! Course corrections are being made: its current target is Tokyo-3, ETA in seven minutes!"
"Feh. Figures. Rude little brat!" Ritsuko stared at all of her subordinates. "We're cutting the experiment short, people! To the command center!"
"What about Asuka?" asked Maya.
"Leave her in Unit-02. She'll be safer there than anywhere else. Like a caterpillar in a cocoon! Made of steel! AND PLUTONIUM! AND HYPOTHETICAL CHEMICALS! OOHOOHOOHOOHOOHOO!"
"I'm sure, senpai."
As everyone abandoned the control room for Lymph Node-B, the red Evangelion stood stoically in the chamber, breathing slowly and calmly, as one asleep.
Within the Entry Plug, Asuka Langley-Sohryu sat immersed in LCL, eyes staring vacantly ahead, as one deceased.
Lub-dup.
Her heart beat slowly, as one asleep.
Lub-dup.
Her soul was muted. Withdrawn.
Lub-dup.
Yet she bore the trace of a much mightier Soul, a mere flicker of metaphysical energy. The trace was that of Tabris, by which he had appeared before her.
Lub-dup.
The soul within Unit-02 did not hesitate to exploit this opening.
Lub-dup.
liebling
The soul of Kyoko Zeppelin Langley-Sohryu surged forward, mingling with the soul of her daughter.
answer your mother
…Mama…?
xxxx
/Northern Shores of Lake Ashi, Toyko-3/
Unit-01 and Unit-00 emerged from the Geofront, a variety of Eva-scale weapons strapped to their bodies. The giants stared intently at the sky; a red star, flickering with fire and friction, descended from on high. Shinji gripped the handlebars tightly, mentally preparing himself for what was to come. "Are Yamagishi-san and Kirishima-san going to back us up?"
"Unfortunately not," answered Misato. "Tokita has the Jet Alone in the middle of a refit and upgrade. Given what happened in the last battle…I don't know how much help they'd be."
"Okay." Zeruel had taken out the Burning Gundam in a single blow. If Kaworu – Tabris – was all he was cracked up to be…
"Do not waver." The voice of Rei Ayanami was a soothing balm to the tension. "We will fight to the utmost."
"Yeah." Shinji glanced at Unit-00, focusing on the white hair spilling over the side. The helmet had been crudely refashioned to the let the hair flow freely – lest it gum up any of the interior systems of the armor – leaving the Eva's lone eye unprotected. "It's weird…seeing Unit-00 like that." The hands of Unit-01 reached up, threading through its own white hair; although the shogun-esque helmet was still mostly intact, the sides had been opened up to let the bleached follicles flow out. "I'm not used to feeling hair in here."
"The souls within the Evas have taken on a greater precedence thanks to the S2 Organs," answered Dr, Akagi. "Before you know it, we'll have to keep the Professor's sweaty hands away from the Evas, lest he be consumed with LUST! AND TINGLIES! EEEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"
"…uh…"
"The matters of my love life or lack thereof aside," stoically commented Gendo Ikari, "the Angel is approaching. Good luck, Pilots."
Indeed; the Mark 06 was looming ominously, a crimson sun over Tokyo-3. Despite the power and speed, its descent slowed with an unnatural grace; by the time the Ascended Evangelion's feet touched the waters of Lake Ashi, all momentum had bled away. The armor of the Eva, once predominately white and silver, was now a searing red…and it wasn't just friction that made it burn: the Mark 06 resonated with power. "…Kaworu Nagisa? Or should I call you Tabris?"
The voice of Kaworu Nagisa echoed from the speakers of the Mark 06 and within Shinji's head. "I do not care which. Though…to be honest, I would prefer Kaworu."
"…why?" At the lack of a response, Shinji continued, "why do this now? Why fight us?"
A soft laugh came from Kaworu, his golden wings fading away. "A question I have asked myself more than once." The Mark 06 moved with an all-too human gait, gesticulating in all the ways that were uniquely Kaworu's. "ADAM and LILITH are both entirely unique beings. The other Angels, those you have fought since last September…their existences began on the day of Second Impact, when ADAM's Body and Soul split, and fractured. Each one bore a facet of His original being, a part of His personality, His power, His very essence; and each one possessed a name: Sachiel. Shamshel. Ramiel. Gaghiel. Israfel. Sandalphon. Sahaquiel. Iruel. Samael. Shateiel. Turel. Matarael. Seraphiel. Leliel. Armisael. Arael. Bardiel. Zeruel. And me: Tabris." The Angel gestured at himself. "I am the last remnant. I bear ADAM's will; His memories; His experiences. Since the demise of Zeruel…I have had a lot to think about."
"And what is your conclusion?" asked Rei.
"…I have always possessed great curiosity regarding you Lilim, the creature called 'man'. Your ways were foreign, yet still a joy to witness. And yet…ADAM has walked among your kind for millennia, working unseen, observing so much more than I could ever hope to…as more of my kin perished, I remembered more. And now I see that it was all futile."
"…what was futile?"
"My questions. My desires. I remember now why it is forbidden for the Fruit of Life and the Fruit of Knowledge to mingle. With that said…if there is no longer any point to indulging my fascination…then the only thing left for me is Complementation."
"…gah!" screamed Shinji, snarling with frustration. "All of this cryptic talk and vague speech isn't helping anybody! Why can't you speak plainly?!"
Kaworu chuckled. "You wish me to speak plainly? Very well." The Mark 06 took a step forward. "Imagine knowing on a fundamental level that you are incomplete. It is a painstaking fact; no matter what you try to do to fill that void, it is still there at the back of your mind, like a cancerous growth." Another step. "And imagine that as more of your kin die, that sense of incompleteness grows. After all, the ignorant can be forgiven their conceit, for they know not what they don't know." A third step. "As a simple nephilim growing up in Germany, my actions were…amusing. But now? Fully manifested in my true body, armed with the fullness of knowledge?" A final step, a light touch that still caused a thunderclap. "It is an amusement I can no longer afford to indulge."
"…one last question, then. If what you say is true…then why did you destroy the Eighth Angel in Mt. Asama?" Shinji mentally counted up from Kaworu's list of names, arriving at one in particular. "Why did you destroy Sandalphon?"
Tabris stilled, as though struck.
"…well?"
"…Sandalphon's desire was for harmony. He wished to offer his body as a holocaust to humanity, a sacrifice upon which a new age of wonders would begin."
"…then why? Why did you kill him?!"
"Because I know very well where that road leads: damnation. Annihilation. Absolute destruction. I will not let it happen again."
"But why?! Explain it to me! Why would it be so bad?!"
"To show you would take too long." Tabris clenched a fist, pressing it against his abdomen. "The pit in my very being demands to be filled…and I will wait no longer. I will meet with LILITH; through Her, I will find ADAM, and awaken Him from his slumber…and what He chooses to do after that? Well…I can only imagine."
Unit-00 withdrew a progressive glaive, holding it forward with an assured grip. "We will stop you."
"Kaworu…" Shinji sighed, steeling himself for what was to come. "…there could have been peace."
xxxx
Within the Entry Plug of the Mark 06, Kaworu jerked as though shot. Those words.
The very last words of Sandalphon.
Oh, the irony! The accursed irony!
Kaworu's smile was a truly pitiful thing to witness. "…I wish I could believe that," he echoed.
And so the Final Angel let his AT-Field unfold.
xxxx
One moment, Tabris flickered with orange light.
The next, reality vanished, and Shinji's vision was replaced with darkness. "W-what?!"
xxxx
/Reserve Command Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
The backup command center for NERV-1 was located directly above the MAGI nodes, with a more constrained layout that utilized older flatscreen monitors instead of the more advanced holographic system that had been implemented for the newer Operations Deck.
Right now, most of those monitors showed 'NO SIGNAL'. Others showed a pitch-black dome, one that had suddenly enveloped the southern reaches of Tokyo-3. "What in the world is that?!" asked Misato.
"The MAGI are detecting an AT-Field at the dome's threshold! All waves and particles are being blocked!" exclaimed Miyata. "Not even light is escaping!"
"Hmm. So the Angel's AT-Field has manifested as a perfect blackbody, absorbing all incoming radiation without reflecting any…or perhaps it's a more simplistic barrier. An absolute one." Ritsuko snorted. "CHILD'S PLAY!"
"When can we get a signal?" demanded Misato.
Maya looked over her shoulder. "Whenever the AT-Field is disrupted!"
xxxx
Shinji was having uncomfortable flashbacks to Alaska. "Okay…not being sucked in…can still move…" He just couldn't see. At all. There was no noise either, only simple silence. "…alright then."
dispel it
"Got it." An act of will – dispel the darkness! – and Unit-01's AT-Field flared outward. Simultaneously, as though with an unseen act of synchronicity, so did Unit-00's. The void around them flickered and wavered, waves of light curving through at increasingly shorter intervals. However, it was enough to see and communicate.
The Mark 06 was gone. "Where…?"
"S…..-kun! Behind!" came the voice of Rei, scratchy and distorted.
Shinji turned around; the crimson Evangelion was walking towards the hole leading into the Geofront. "He's…ignoring us?"
"His ob..ctive isn't to fight! His objective is the Second Angel!"
"Got it!" The two Evangelions took off in pursuit, breaking through the void right as the Mark 06 descended into the Geofront. Without hesitation, the duo followed Tabris into the breach.
The Ascended Evangelion flipped around, falling back-first towards the ground. With a mere gesture of his fingers, Tabris pointed at the two.
Between Units-00 and 01, two orange octagons flared into existence, their radiance distracting Shinji. "Wha-?"
Tabris flung his arms out wide.
THWOMP!
The pair of octagons smashed into the two Evas, flinging them to the far reaches of the Geofront. Clouds of dirt and foliage were kicked up by their rough landing.
"You two are quite the pair," spoke Kaworu, his tone still ever so polite. "Individually, you are strong. Together, the Light of your souls is formidable. But it won't be enough." The crimson Evangelion flipped back around, facing the ground as it approached. "Mere strength will never be enough." The air beneath the Mark 06 hummed and rippled; slowly, gently, Tabris set foot on the ground.
VWOM.
Tabris held a hand out, catching the red beam that been fired from afar. A nigh-invisible field of orange surrounded it, keeping it stable. Wordlessly, he held his palms up, aiming one each in the direction of his foes: Unit-01, emerging from a forest, and Unit-00, who had fired the last remaining Azrael rifle from atop a large bluff.
The energy split between both hands, perfectly duplicated with an influx of power from Tabris.
VWOM.
Two red beams shot right back at the Evas, exploding magnificently in a flash of gas and dust.
"You are at a disadvantage. I do not have to defeat you; I only have to keep you at bay." And so the Final Angel continued his advance towards the shattered pyramid complex of NERV-1, humming the Ode to Joy all the while.
xxxx
/Lymph Node-B, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
To the outside world, Unit-02 was silent and still, as much as its Pilot, the Second Child.
Within the Entry Plug, a realm beyond the physical…took precedence…
Kyoko Zeppelin Langley Sohryu walked through a recreation of her old apartment from Berlin-2. Echoes of old memories bounced through in a chaotic mishmash, a swirling miasma of happiness tinged with sorrow, joy marred by regret, conviction reeking of doubt. "Now…where are you…?"
"…don't look at me…"
The doctor sighed, trying to find the source of the voice. All the while, she kept on talking. "And why don't you want me to look at you?"
"…I'm ugly…"
"Ridiculous. You've always been beautiful."
"…I thought I was good…"
"And why do you think you haven't been good?"
"…I don't know…I thought I knew…but I don't know…"
Kyoko frowned, wading through the fog of negativity. She was getting closer to Asuka's room. "And what was it that you thought you knew?"
"…I tried to be happy…I knew it made people feel better, and that made me feel good…so I kept at it..."
"And?"
"I…was reminded of thoughts…of feelings…of times when I was angry, or confused, or unhappy…I thought I was doing good…"
Kyoko grimaced, straining against the door. "Okay. Suppose you get top grades throughout an entire semester in geometry. But there's one homework assignment you don't do so well on, for whatever reason." She pounded on the door with her shoulder. "Does that mean your excellence in geometry is in doubt? That your grasp of the subject is suddenly horrid?"
"No. That's silly, Mama."
"Then why," She raised her foot and began kicking, "do you," bam, "think," bam, "so," BAM, "poorly," BAM, "of," BAM, "yourself?!" BAM!
The door broke in, and a torrent of orange haze blew past, laced with anguish and remorse.
"…I don't know…"
"The Angel's grasp of human thought was poor." Kyoko stepped into the breach, wading towards where Asuka's bed would be. "Time and space, cobbled together without any regard for nuance or circumstance, all judged by the same absolute standard…preposterous! Would you treat a joke and a promise the same? Would you talk to your father the same way you would talk to me?"
"…of course not. You're a woman, and Papa's a man. Silly."
"Exactly. So why judge yourself by the same skewed standard?"
"…I made a promise to you…that I would always be happy…I tried, I really did...!"
"And that brings me to my next point." The storm was at its strongest at the bedside, the proverbial eyewall of emotion. "When I wished for you to never let the world take away your smile, or your joy…did you honestly believe that this meant you would never allow yourself to feel anger? Frustration? Sadness?"
There was hesitation.
"Answer me, liebling."
"…yes…?"
"…hmph." Kyoko shook her head ruefully. "I'll have to wallop my dear Pieter for letting it reach this point. He's always been hopeless when it comes to family."
"…eh?"
"Asuka." Kyoko reached forward with her arms, struggling against the silent gale that stormed around her daughter's soul. "Your joy was always a source of light for me. It still is. But to force the appearance of happiness, even if you feel otherwise…is false. Fake. Fraudulent. I understand that there are times and places when a smile is needed, even if you feel otherwise…but I would NEVER tell you to disavow your emotions entirely. Quite simply: it is impossible to be completely happy all the time. At least, in this life."
"…really?"
"It is the nature of humanity. We have poor days. There are those who are difficult to communicate with, which can cause frustration. These are perfectly legitimate feelings to have! The difference…is in how the individual reacts. They can obsess over petty hurts, or they can acknowledge a problem and find a solution. They can brood over their mistakes, or they can step forward, armed with new knowledge. They can fixate on the troubles of this life, to the exclusion of all else…or they can acknowledge the blessings, and smile through it all, unbowed by a world that would prefer they be broken. THAT, my dear daughter…is what my wish was: that in spite of whatever this life may throw at you, you would find the strength to make it through those dark times with a smile."
"…then…you're not mad at me?"
Kyoko laughed. "Oh, my little liebling…" Her arms broke through the torrent, wrapping around a smaller figure. The woman embraced the eye of the storm, stroking soft hair, the strawberry blonde color shimmering a vibrant red. "…what do you think?"
"…Mama…" Sniffling, the girl reached up, embracing her mother with all her might. The swirling miasma began to die down. "…I'm…"
"Silly girl. For such an intelligent little scamp, you can be awfully bullheaded."
Asuka's face flushed. "Mama! I was trying real hard!"
"I know. And I'm very impressed at how long you soldiered on. But now that you know…you can grow from this. And you will. I know this for a fact. Because I know you."
"…okay." Asuka nodded, sniffling once. "I will. I promise."
"Good girl." Kyoko softly kissed Asuka on the forehead. A radiant light, with all the warmth of the sun, began to overtake everything. "Now wake up. Your friends need you."
Asuka blinked…and opened her eyes.
xxxx
/Reserve Command Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"The Angel has entered the Main Shaft! Units-00 and 01 are in pursuit!" said Aoba.
A sudden ping caught everyone's attention. "What the...Unit-02 is activating?!" exclaimed Hyuga.
The image of Asuka Langley-Sohryu popped up, looking somewhat tired, yet still bearing a small smile. Most importantly of all, her eyes bore the spark of life.
"...Asuka...?" whispered Misato.
"Hallo. What did I miss?"
xxxx
/Main Shaft, Central Dogma, NERV-1/
Tabris slowly descended down the main shaft, his AT-Field effortlessly slicing through the bulkheads that had slid into place. "Hmm hmm hmm...hmm?" The crimson Eva glanced up, watching the rapidly descending forms of Units-00 and 01. "You are welcome to keep trying."
Unit-00's heel dropped down in an axe kick, which was effortlessly parried by the Mark 06. As the blue giant fell further downward, Unit-01 latched onto Tabris's shoulders-
FWOOM!
A burst of pressure slammed Unit-01 into the side of the shaft. Unit-00 - landing with a loud crash upon the next bulkhead - shot back up, its right fist glowing orange. The Mark 06 casually grabbed Unit-00's hand, the force bleeding away as Tabris countered with a right straight to the face. Turning around, the Ascended Eva grappled with Unit-01, twisting the purple titan's wrists and slinging it downward. "I really do wish you would stop." The Mark 06's visor glowed. "The futility should be apparent."
KREEEN!
The two Evangelions barely got their AT-Fields up in time to block the optic blast; the residual energy splash was still enough to melt through the bulkhead, causing the duo to fall further down.
And so Tabris continued his descent into Terminal Dogma.
xxxx
/Reserve Command Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"...huh. Always knew Kaworu was weird...but to be an Angel?"
Misato and Ritsuko glanced briefly at each other before the former said, "you're...taking this awfully well."
"Well, it does explain a lot."
"Pilot Sohryu." Gendo Ikari's tone cut through the entire atmosphere, inexorably grabbing Asuka's attention. "Are you capable of fighting?"
"...yeah." The Second Child nodded. "I am. But I'm gonna need a few things."
"Like what?" asked Misato.
"Two extended battery packs, Olga, and a crane."
"...huh?"
xxxx
/Evangelion Graveyard, Terminal Dogma, NERV-1/
Unit-01 slowly stood, looking warily throughout the dread chamber and eyeing the pits filled with bones. "What the…?" Shinji sounded bewildered, and just a little afraid. "What is this…?"
"These are the first samples. The ones that failed to become a true Eva," answered Rei. Unit-00's lone blue stared up, glaring at the crimson figure descending. "He is here."
"Corpses, one and all, aborted attempts at birthing those with the power of gods," hummed Tabris, lightly dropping down in front of his foes, "yet in the proverbial blink of an eye, the Lilim have crafted the beings you now control. Your kind has much to be proud of." The Mark 06's body shimmered, arms elevating. In sync, the bones began to rise. "But I will not be denied."
A torrent of bones slammed into the blue and purple titans from all sides, their AT-Fields standing strong against the barrage. Tabris waded into the maelstrom, firing a vicious right hook that sent Unit-01 reeling. He then crouched down, delivering a leg sweep that decleated Unit-00 before following up with a downward haymaker that smashed Unit-00 into the ground, the metal crumpling from the force. He stepped beyond the two, gesturing with his fingers; in a thunderclap of motion, the bones plowed into the fallen Evas, pinning them in place.
The Ascended Evangelion strolled through the long corridor that NERV-1 called 'Final Judgment', leading up to the Gate of the Apocalypse. The air was thick with a supernatural aura, leaking imperceptibly past the massive bulkhead. Within the Entry Plug, Kaworu Nagisa couldn't help but gulp. "Just beyond that door…"
The skeletal prison exploded, echoing shrilly within the depths of Terminal Dogma. Units-00 and 01 charged, legs pumping hard against the floor, AT-Fields glimmering like orange comets.
Tabris turned on his heel, hand held out with supreme confidence. His opponents crashed into the octagonal barrier that manifested in front of him, the air humming with an eerie cacophony. "Perhaps this is what I admire most about you Lilim…your tenacity." His barrier doubled. "But you two are simply…" It tripled. "…not…" Quadrupled. "…enough."
SMASH!
The forward momentum of Units-00 and 01 was overwhelmed, the barrier of Tabris's Light rocketing them backwards down the corridor.
The Final Angel returned his gaze towards the Gate of the Apocalypse. With a circular motion and a blazing optic beam, the bulkhead's edges were burned away; a single kick was enough to knock the door down, shuddering with a thunderous finality.
Tabris stepped inside, gazing upon the Second Angel, bound by the Sword of Uriel. "…and so we finally meet…LILITH." The crimson Eva paused; there was a distinctly familiar tinge to the air. One that made him shiver with anticipation and disbelief. "…could it be…?" Tabris turned, glancing up at an armored partition suspended above. "…here…the whole time…?"
With a mere thought, Tabris's AT-Field ripped away the barrier, revealing ADAM crucified, and pinned through the body by the Lance of Longinus. "…well then." He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "If I had known you were here…away from SEELE's hands…" All of the Angels could have attacked at once; free from the threat of ADAM's destruction for such an overt action, it would have been child's play! "…alas. What was, has happened. There is only now, and what will be." The Final Angel reached up, hand reaching for the Lance. "At last…it will all be over…"
"I don't think so, Dummkopf."
Within the Entry Plug, Kaworu Nagisa actually startled. "That voice…" Suddenly distracted from his focus, a familiar Light glowed at the far end of Final Judgment. "…is it you…?"
A long chain – its links glittering orange, sheathed by a finely-tuned AT-Field – suddenly shot at Tabris from the distance, the crane hook at the end latching onto a slot within his armor. Potential energy built up within the chain, prevented from becoming kinetic energy by sheer willpower.
Tabris, mesmerized by that familiar Light, could only stare as the potential energy – after three long excruciating seconds – transformed into kinetic force; tension suddenly took hold, and the Angel snapped backwards with a whip-like crack of air.
BOOM!
Tabris smashed back into the wall beneath the opening to the Main Shaft, shaking his head with befuddlement. Looking up, he already knew who he was going to see. "…my my. This was unexpected, Miss Sohryu."
"Likewise, Kaworu." Unit-02 stood tall and proud, an extended battery pack strapped to its shoulders. The remains of a crane's chain sat on the ground, pooled around its feet. In one hand, it held another battery pack; in another, a gigantic minigun. Dropping the extra power supply to the ground, the red Eva hefted the minigun up with both hands. "We have a lot to talk about."
Kaworu Nagisa, with a mere thought, opened personal communication channels to all three of the other Eva Pilots. Rei Ayanami's eyes exhibited a sense of relief, and Shinji Ikari was struck by disbelief, mouthing 'Asuka...'. As for Asuka herself? She was looking straight at him, blue eyes shining with life, a small yet confident smile on her face. "...I did not expect to see you again."
"Well, I had some sleep to catch up on," joked the Second Child, trying to lighten the mood. "But in all seriousness, the Eighteenth Angel put me through the wringer."
"You have my sincerest apologies. What was done to you was..."
"Wrong? Nasty? I'll settle for 'mean'."
"...that is accurate."
"So, I'm being told that you're actually an Angel. Explains why you were always such a dork." Asuka clenched her handlebars tightly, a strange tension in her shoulders. "Any chance you can turn right back around and leave?"
"...no." Kaworu shook his head slowly. The sense of joy he had felt upon realizing Asuka's presence was fading, overpowered by the knowledge of what he had to do, of what he needed to do. "I must rejoin with ADAM."
"...and what will happen if you do?" Shinji and Rei weren't interjecting in this conversation, obviously sensing that this was something that had to be hashed out between the Second and Fourth Children.
"This existence will end, and I will become one with my source. The entity known as Kaworu Nagisa – Tabris – will cease to be, and all of ADAM's faculties will be restored. Given my memories of Him...it will result in the end of mankind."
"And you're okay with that?"
"It doesn't matter what I want. I tire of being incomplete, of this existential loneliness. In the grand scheme of things, this existence of mine had no meaning." Kaworu sighed, a melancholy smile on his face. This whole encounter was...cathartic. "I welcome the oblivion that has taken my kin. But your species has the right to defend itself: so the choice you have is to stop me or die trying."
Kaworu expected denial. Perhaps a passionate speech about the power of friendship; it would be within Miss Sohryu's character to do so.
He didn't quite expect her to let loose a put-upon sigh. "...that's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard you say, you baka." She actually glared at him. There wasn't any anger or hatred to it, but it was surprising to see. "Do you honestly believe that your existence had no value? That the life you lived had no meaning?"
Kaworu blinked. "...ultimately, my desires were meaningless. Regardless of what I did or did not do...my fate was the same. So yes."
"Du hast den Arsch offen."
Okay. This was not what Kaworu had expected. And the craziest part: there was no heat to it. Her soul still shined with an inherent sense of joy and happiness, despite her outward demeanor. "...um...this is unusually forceful for you."
"I had what you could call an epiphany. So here's what's going to happen: we're going to stop you. I'm going to knock some sense into that dorky head of yours." Unit-02 took aim with the minigun, the barrels spinning with a distinctive whirr. "And we're gonna have a long talk about something called perspective." A flickering field of orange manifested in front of the barrels. "Okay?"
"...I'm sorry, Miss Sohryu." The Mark 06 cracked its knuckles, and the voice of Tabris thundered with conviction. "I will have to decline."
Asuka giggled. "And I'm not going to give you a choice. Shinji! Rei! Let's do it!"
Olga let loose a storm of bullets the size of minivans; as they passed through the AT-Field, the shells were coated, the light sticking with them like protective coating.
Startled, Tabris backed away, grimacing as the bullets shattered against his AT-Field with force far beyond what their mere mass indicated. "Very clever!" Before he could make another move, Unit-01's AT-Field slammed into him, pressing down hard on him, and here came Unit-00 from the left-!
POW!
Tabris was sent stumbling, jaw stinging from the blue Eva's right cross. It had been the first clean hit landed on him. "...two were not enough...and yet with three..." The Final Angel chuckled, the Light of his Soul flickering with each bullet that slammed into it. "Very well then! As I believe you Lilim say: advance towards me, brethren!"
Asuka laughed out loud, even as she continued firing. "You knucklehead! It's 'come at me, bro'!"
"Those mean the same thing!"
"Looks like we'll need to have a talk about your poor use of lingo, too!" Unit-02 jerked its head at Units-00 and 01, gesturing towards Tabris. "Let's go, guys!"
"Understood," replied Rei.
Shinji nodded, invigorated by Asuka's presence. "Right!"
And thus, at the Second Child's boisterous command, did the three Evangelions advance at the Final Angel.
xxxx
/Reserve Command Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Misato Katsuragi's foot tapped impatiently, frustrated by the information scrolling across the monitors. Or, to be more precise, the lack thereof. "This is unacceptable." The monitors focusing on the action kept flickering 'NO SIGNAL'. "And annoying."
"The confluence of AT-Fields is interfering with all of our sensors," answered Ritsuko. "Duh."
"I figured that, Ritsky." The foot-tapping continued. "But I don't like feeling helpless."
"You could settle for having faith in the brats," commented Aoba. "It seemed to be your M.O. against the Ninth Angel."
The Ninth Angel. The orbital bomber that had been thwarted by Operation Shop Till' You Colony Drop. Somehow, despite not as outwardly an existential threat, Tabris seemed far worse. "I know. But I have a bad feeling about this one."
xxxx
/Evangelion Graveyard, Terminal Dogma, NERV-1/
KREEEN!
The red beam sliced through Olga, prompting Unit-02 to drop it. "Well. That wasn't nice," grumbled Asuka.
an unparalleled storm
I know. Asuka – picking up the crane chain – willed Unit-02 forward, AT-Field flaring in opposition to Tabris's.
In the midst of the field of scattered bones, a ghastly monument to death and failure, three Evangelions tried to bring down a lively Angel, brimming with vigor.
Tabris sidestepped Unit-01's punch, elbowing it in the back of the head, moving forward to greet Unit-00's roundhouse. The kick was parried by a forearm, and Tabris brushed his other palm into the blue Eva's abdomen; a mere push was amplified by his AT-Field into a battering ram, sending Unit-00 sprawling. He ducked under Unit-02's flying kick, only to gag as a chain wrapped around his neck. With a pained grunt, his crimson body flared, and his ego barrier brushed against Asuka's own in an attempt to pulverize the chain with mere thought alone. "Versatile, Miss Sohryu!"
Asuka grimaced, Unit-02's feet digging into a metal. With an act of will, she increased the coefficient of friction on the material beneath her Eva's feet, increasing resistance to the Angel's pull.
"And shrewd!" His visor glowed.
KREEEN!
The ground beneath Unit-02's feet exploded, sending the Second Child flying.
Tabris grunted, ripping the chain off of his neck, right as Unit-01 flickered into existence behind him and grabbed him in a full nelson. In the same instant, Unit-00 landed in front of the Angel, delivering a vicious combination of hooks, fists, and knees to his body.
His visor glowed again.
dilute it
Got it! Asuka raised her hand, in league with Unit-02.
KREEEN!
Instead of obliterating Unit-00's face, the laser coated the blue Eva's face with all the effectiveness of a laser pointer. The excess power was vented away as heat, and the air above Tabris began to boil. "An interesting technique!" Instead of trying to block the laser entirely, Asuka's AT-Field had initiated an energy transformation, lowering the laser's peak power by shunting it away as heat. "You are indeed the most dangerous one, Miss Sohryu." Snarling, Tabris headbutted Unit-00, then smashed the back of his head into Unit-01's face. "Your technique and diversity with the Light of your Soul, the artistry…instead of a mere bludgeon, you deign to alter the world according to your whims."
Asuka smiled. "Well, the tougher the opponent, the more I have to give it my all, right?" Her gaze flickered over to her battery timer. Less than a minute left. She turned towards where she had left her second battery pack-
CRUNCH.
With a simple act of will, Tabris's AT-Field had pulverized her second battery pack from afar. "And that's why I can't let you continue. You are too risky for me to let you run freely." Tabris suddenly turned his attention back to Units-00 and 01, who were upon him yet again.
"…no…" Asuka scowled, mind racing to try and come up with another solution. Think Asuka. Think. What's the problem? Armor running out of power. How to get more power? All solutions were too time-consuming. Wrong angle. View it another way. Get rid of the armor. Eva is primarily biological. The armor is not strictly needed to operate.
what are you doing
You already know, Mama.
you can't. the armor protects you from the Eva
Sorry. With no hesitation, Asuka willed Unit-02 to latch onto the armor plating around the shoulders. I have to.
xxxx
Tabris slammed his blue and purple opponents into a wall, drilling them into the metal. Stepping back, he let his Soul spread through the ground; before his enemies could even move, pillars of extraterrestrial steel protruded from the floor and into the two Evas. Soon, they were effectively pinned. "Do be so kind and stay here. It will all be over soon."
Although Rei was soundlessly struggling, Shinji's voice sounded strained. "No…you don't have to…Kaworu! Rrrggh!"
Within the Entry Plug, Kaworu laughed softly. "I don't have to. I must." Satisfied, Tabris turned-
Asuka's soul, in unison with Unit-02's, suddenly grew, for lack of a better word.
Pausing, Tabris turned towards Unit-02; the Eva had ripped off the armor plating covering the thighs, shoulders, scapula, biceps, and breastplate. Unit-02's gray flesh rippled and flexed, as though the titan sensed its shackles had been removed. "...a curious tactic." And a dangerous one.
Asuka's face flashed into view in front of him; the holographic screen revealed the interior of Unit-02's Entry Plug, filled with a strangely visible tension. Yet, despite it all, the Second Child was still smiling. It was a strange expression, with a quality that Kaworu couldn't quite place.
Finally, she spoke. "Shinji. Rei. Kaworu…" Ah. He recognized it now: it was resignation. Or perhaps acceptance. "…it was nice knowing you."
Rei continued to struggle. Shinji managed to choke out, "w-what are you saying…? Asuka…!"
…these are my words. The same tone, the same phrasing, the same sensation: it was a match for what he had said and felt during his oh-so brief visit to her hospital room. The similarity was so stark that it momentarily stunned him.
At last, the Second Child looked up; she didn't look sorrowful in the least. "…goodbye."
Unit-02 jumped forward, extending one hand forward; the molecular bonds in the floor underneath Tabris loosened and weakened, rendering the material more brittle. Ruthlessly taking advantage, Unit-02 swung its opposite hand downward.
SMASH!
The AT-Field-enhanced hammer blow crashed downward, the force easily shattering the floor beneath their feet. And so fell Unit-02 and the Final Angel, into the darkness below.
xxxx
/Reserve Command Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"We finally have a signal!" exclaimed Maya.
"Unit-00 and Unit-01 are both still within Terminal Dogma; no signal from Unit-02! The Pattern Blue...is beneath it?" Miyata blinked with confusion. "Did they somehow break into the sealed areas?"
Dr. Akagi frowned. "Those areas have been off-limits ever since Second Impact." She suddenly shouted, "THEY HAD A KEY WITH THEM THE WHOLE TIME! THE NERVE!"
Misato quickly leaned over the console, speaking into the mic. "Shinji-kun! Rei! Status report!"
"Misato-san! We're trying to get out!" The sounds of Shinji struggling echoed over the speaker. "Kaworu somehow manipulated the metal; my AT-Field isn't reacting with it!"
"It is somehow resisting us. We are trying to physically escape." Rei's voice sounded unusually stern, even for her. "Lieutenant Colonel, Asuka has removed parts of her armor."
"WHAT?!" interrupted Ritsuko Akagi, suddenly possessed of her faculties. "Why the HELL would she do that?!"
"The Angel destroyed her backup battery pack. I can only hypothesize that she did it to get around the power limit."
"Ritsuko?" The blonde turned towards Misato, the Ops Director looking very concerned. "What's wrong?"
"The armor is more than just a means of protection; it is a means of repressing the Angelic nature of the Evangelions. Without the armor, their metaphysical hunger is unrestrained, constantly drawing in other souls to fill the void within itself."
"...what are you trying to get at?"
"It means," interjected Gendo, sounding unusually grave, "that the Second Child is at risk of being absorbed by Unit-02, much like her mother was years ago."
Misato stared. She promptly yelled into the mic. "SHINJI! REI! Get to Asuka ASAP! She needs backup!"
"We're trying!"
"Understood."
xxxx
/Uncharted Area, Beneath Terminal Dogma, The Black Moon/
Unit-02 fought with no mercy.
Tabris parried the flurry of punches and hooks – each one brimming with power beyond anything he had ever experienced in this life – from the red Evangelion, the force of each blow rippling through the tight corridors. The changes in pressure rattled through the hall, disrupting pipes and cracking old machinery; snarling, Unit-02 barreled into him, AT-Field flaring brightly on the wall behind them.
Instead of smashing into it, they phased through, stumbling into a jungle of exotic flora and fauna that had never been seen by human eyes. Odd birds and gargantuan reptiles shrieked as the two titans rolled through the undergrowth, their aura frightening everything away. "This is quite an extraordinary effort, Miss Sohryu!"
Asuka didn't reply. Unit-02 answered by pointing its index fingers at him.
BANG!
Pop went a burst of spiritual pressure against his AT-Field.
BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!
Unit-02 kept miming these handgun motions, 'firing' bolts of willpower at Tabris. The impacts were sharp and severe, cracking away at his AT-Field. Even so, he endured. "But it won't avail you!"
A large octagon manifested behind Unit-02, slamming it forward. Tabris reared his fist, smashing it into the Eva's face. The impact rang throughout the jungle, dispelling the artificial atmosphere around them. The hook had sent Unit-02 airborne, surely enough to render it immobile...
...and yet its eyes flashed, its body coiling with tension as an orange trident manifested in hand. With a swift thrust, Unit-02 stabbed at Tabris.
The Angel barely caught the prongs in his hands, gripping tightly; this worked against him, for his opponent suddenly sent him flying with a wild toss. Tabris slammed into the wall at the far end of the biological chamber, bringing his arms up as Unit-02 charged into him yet again.
CRASH!
The two Evangelions tumbled into a deep shaft, grappling in midair as they fell deeper down, past more doors and massive vaults. The Mark 06's visor blazed with a furious light.
KREEEN!
Tabris's trajectory was thrown by Unit-02's hand, gripping at his neck and jerking at it. Instead of blasting away at the Eva's torso, the beam blazed over the shoulder, burning a hole into the side of the shaft below. They plummeted through the molten hole, falling into a vast desert with rusty-red rock formations. The Evangelions tumbled onto a sand dune, rolling over each other before scrambling to their feet. "Your persistence is admirable, Miss Sohryu." To Tabris, her soul was progressively becoming brighter, her metaphysical essence weighing heavier upon the fabric of reality. However, such a thing came with a trade-off. "But if you keep this up, you will be consumed by your weapon."
Asuka didn't answer. Unit-02 responded by charging, lashing out with glowing limbs that fired arcs of spiritual energy at him.
Tabris ducked under the waves, stepping away from the various kicks and swinging punches. The red Evangelion was a whirling dervish of hands and feet, moving with all of the gymnastic dexterity that the Second Child was known for. "This is a pointless exercise." Tabris gestured with his hand, knocking Unit-02 away with a burst of spiritual power. "Submit!"
KREEEN!
Tabris's optic beam was a second sun, overwhelming the ambience of the artificial light that hung in the false sky of this biological chamber. It slammed into the red Eva, threatening to overwhelm it...but it just. Kept. Coming. "Why?" The splash of energy from impact crept closer and closer, beaten back by Unit-02's AT-Field. "Why won't you stop?!"
Unit-02 suddenly powered through the beam, punching Tabris in the face with a glowing left cross. The Ascended Evangelion flew backwards, each impact against the ground kicking up plumes of sand. The Angel flung his arms out, hands clenching tightly, and pillars of orange light suddenly stopped Unit-02 in its tracks. "Miss Sohryu...why do you keep fighting?"
A communication channel opened within the Mark 06's Entry Plug. Kaworu Nagisa looked solemnly at Asuka, who finally spoke. "Because somebody has to stop you, Dummkopf."
Kaworu's red eyes fell upon Asuka's left arm. Or rather, the lack thereof; in its absence, the girl's red Plug Suit dangled lazily in the LCL. "Your efforts were valiant. But your power, great though it may be, is not enough. And you will be taken by the Evangelion long before you defeat me."
"Looks that way, doesn't it?"
"...please. Stop fighting."
"Sorry Kaworu. I can't. If ADAM was going to be hunky-dory and leave humanity alone, I might consider. Might. But it doesn't sound like that'll happen, right?"
"...no. It won't. He will end your civilization."
"And that's why I have to stop you, you dork." The redhead's smile was sad. "For what it's worth...I'm sorry about Yomiko. I heard the basic details about Zeruel, but not much. Still, even if she was standoff-ish and kinda mean...I know what it's like to have a sister you care about more than anyone."
Kaworu's throat constricted. "Miss Sohryu...you are truly amazing. I haven't felt a single ounce of hatred or fury from you throughout this battle, even though you have every right to."
"Why would I? I don't think you're a bad guy. Misguided, absolutely...but not a bad guy."
"It was an absolute pleasure to know you. I mean that, with every fiber of my being."
"Likewise. You're my friend, after all." Asuka's smile quirked into something odd: a serene yet discerning expression. As though she were in on some joke that he had no answer to. "Growing up in Germany...probably my best friend, if I'm going to be honest."
"Please. Stop fighting. I beg you."
"Sorry Kaworu. I have to." Unit-02 tensed against the pillars of light. "Never expected I'd have to use this...but hey, might as well go out with a bang, you know?"
"...what are you doing?"
"Unit-00 was the Prototype. Unit-01, the Test Type. Unit-02 was the first Production Type, with features they don't have. And I know them all." Sitting up straight, the Second Child grinned. "Can't afford to hold back at this point, right?" And then she spoke with authority and conviction. "Initiate Omega Protocol. Disengaging all limiters. Code word...the BEAST."
Turquoise pylons, crackling with bolts of power, erupted from the shoulders and back of Unit-02; its eyes flashed, and the souls of Asuka and her mother flared.
BOOM!
The orange pillars that had been keeping Unit-02 in place shattered. Tabris winced, warding off the burst of wind and sand; as his vision cleared, he stared at the red Evangelion.
The armor at the jaw had cracked open, revealing a maw filled with razor-sharp teeth. "Unit-02…Mama…" The Eva's gray flesh pulsed, as though struggling to contain itself. "…I give you everything that is mine to give…" The greatest change was the figure floating above and behind the Eva. "Don't hesitate…" There was a golden, faceless goddess, blazing orange, with long flowing hair; it seemed to be glaring at him. "…take." And despite the pain, Asuka continued to speak, straining through it all. "It." Unit-02 leaned forward. "ALL."
And then Unit-02 was right in Tabris's face. So fast-!
A hand wrapped around his throat, and the two shot upwards, the golden goddess manifesting jets of fire beneath the Eva's feet. Upward and outward they went, Unit-02 using Tabris as a battering ram to break through the Black Moon.
xxxx
/Evangelion Graveyard, Terminal Dogma, NERV-1/
Unit-00 finally broke through the last pillar keeping it in place. "We must make haste," said Rei.
"Almost...got it...!" Unit-01 kept punching at the stake pinning its other arm in place.
CRASH!
Unit-00 and Unit-01 turned, gazing at the orange and crimson rocket that burst through the floor and through the roof, its mighty roar echoing through the chamber. "…was that Asuka?!" exclaimed Shinji.
"Quick. Follow them!"
xxxx
/Reserve Command Center, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"The Angel and Unit-02 are ascending at high speed!" exclaimed Aoba. "Surface breach in three seconds!"
xxxx
/Geofront, Tokyo-3/
Out of the ground burst Unit-02, still holding tightly to the neck of Tabris as it shot into the air.
Snarling, the bestial Eva howled in the Angel's face before slinging the Ascended Evangelion downward towards the ground. Through a rock formation went Tabris, bouncing through a cluster of pines and skipping across the ground. With great dexterity, the Angel clutched at the ground, carving a deep trench and slowing down. Huffing, he looked up, and Unit-02 was right there.
SMASH!
A wild haymaker sent Tabris shooting backward again. The Angel barely got to his feet before Unit-02 was upon him, joined by the golden humanoid. The Angel feverishly parried and blocked the blitz of oncoming blows; Unit-02 moved like lightning, and the faceless avatar moved even faster. Tabris roared, shifting backwards in an instantaneous blink as his visor glowed.
KREEEN!
Unit-02's mouth opened wide, and it swallowed the optic beam. As the golden goddess kicked furiously at Tabris's side – cutting the attack short – Unit-02's gut extended, heavy with excess energy. With a deep below, the red Eva returned Tabris's attack tenfold.
CHYOOM!
Tabris repulsed the golden humanoid, raising his AT-Field to block the terrible blast. The Ascended Evangelion, body flaring with crimson energy, barely dodged as Unit-02 struck with batons of orange light, the very air igniting with each swing. Growling, Tabris lashed out with an open palm, blasting Unit-02 away with a burst of spiritual pressure.
Not to be outdone, the golden goddess circled around him, splitting apart into over three dozen orbs of orange that drew in the surrounding air. Heated plasma streamed from the orbs, splattering against the spherical shield conjured by Tabris. As the liquid fire continued to rain down, fueled by ever more hydrogen and oxygen sucked in by the orbs, Unit-02 lashed against Tabris's shield. Its fists descended like hammers, the sheer force liquefying the soil around them.
Before the shield cracked, Tabris reached up grabbed Unit-02's fists. As the two struggled with each other, the Light of the Angel's Soul intermingled with the faceless avatar, forming a torrential whirlwind of spirit and soul and will.
In the midst of the storm, Tabris and Unit-02 fought for dominance. The physical and the metaphysical bled together, and the Final Angel couldn't help but see the image of Asuka Langley-Sohryu overlaying that of Unit-02. The redhead was grimacing, her very essence becoming more and more prominent – more real, more substantial – within the metaphysical plane, even as her physical self wasted away.
Yet, despite it all, she soldiered on. And again, there was not a drop of anger within her soul; only sheer determination.
Kaworu Nagisa had to be honest; it was a privilege to witness, and it was yet another reminder of why the Lilim fascinated him, Miss Sohryu most of all. "Magnificent."
Tabris and Unit-02 headbutted each other. They broke apart, lashing out with their hands; knuckles crashed into knuckles, their movements perfectly mirroring each other. This deadly symmetry continued, picking up tempo as fist met fist, over and over and over.
However, it was clear: Tabris was just a little bit stronger, a little bit faster, and a little bit tougher. Left at that, the Angel would have eventually won.
Out of defiance, the golden humanoid – the soul of Kyoko Zeppelin Langley-Sohryu – erupted with unparalleled force, dispelling the torrent that was Tabris's AT-Field.
you shall not prevail this day
The faceless soul transformed into four arms, and Unit-02's barrage became a bombardment of fists.
Tabris continued striking, even as his body was slowly pulped by Unit-02. Alas, even his resolve gave way to the survival impulse; he crossed his arms to protect himself, straining under the storm of knuckles.
At last, Unit-02's ferocious assault culminated in a simultaneous punch with six fists.
SPLURCH!
The Core of Tabris went flying out of the back of the Mark 06, which quivered under the force of Unit-02's blow before exploding into a fine mist of blood and tissue. As the red sphere landed far in the distance, Unit-02 howled with triumph.
Victory was bittersweet.
xxxx
/Reserve Command Center, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"Pattern Blue is diminishing," breathed Maya. "We still have a signal coming from the Angel's Core, but the main body has been completely destroyed. I…I think she did it."
Misato pounded at the nearest console with her palm. "Get me a channel with Asuka. NOW!"
"On it," said Hyuga. "Channel opening."
The interior view of Unit-02's Entry Plug flashed onto the screen. The loose, floppy Plug Suit was bad. The head of strawberry blonde hair, weakly slumped over, was worse. "…Asuka…?" muttered Misato.
The head slowly rose, and many a gasp echoed throughout the command center.
Half of Asuka's face was simply gone, dissolving into orange goo. Despite the horror, her remaining blue eye twinkled with satisfaction, her lips forming a small smile. Struggling, the girl mouthed two words.
'Got him.'
The Second Child collapsed, the rest of her body liquefying into LCL.
Misato screamed.
xxxx
The golden goddess faded away, a faint yet sorrowful cry accompanying her departure.
Unit-02 moaned, eyes flashing before it all went dark. Gurgling, the unleashed Eva drooped, going still.
At long last, there was only the sound of silence.
xxxx
Elsewhere.
"Tabris has been vanquished," said SEELE-03.
SEELE-01 snorted. "See? Ikari did not hesitate."
"Then shall we continue?" asked SEELE-10.
"Yes. We will start by coordinating with the MAGI. In the event we cannot take control from within…prepare a military offensive against Tokyo-3. Direct any cults still within our sway; incite feelings of revolutionary fervor if you must."
"Hmm. Finishing what the February invasion started?" SEELE-05 chuckled. "How…appropriate."
"Farewell, gentlemen. When we next see each other…it shall be within the glory of our Chariots."
xxxx
/Outside Keter, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Shinji Ikari sat on a bench outside of his father's office, staring glumly at the floor. We weren't fast enough…we weren't strong enough…
Not five minutes after Unit-02 had shut down, Unit-00 and Unit-01 had emerged on the surface. They had retrieved the Core of the Final Angel, which was now under Section 2 lockdown. The fate of Kaworu was…uncertain.
Unit-02 had been pulled off of the battlefield. The knowledge that Asuka had been absorbed by her Eva…was hard to deal with.
A firm hand rested upon his shoulder. The young man glanced up, looking straight into Rei's concerned eyes. "It was not just your failure; it was mine as well."
"It's just…Asuka was in a coma for a whole month. She finally wakes up…only for this to happen." Shinji sighed, rubbing furiously at his scalp. "And the thing with Kaworu…" He glanced over at the door leading to his father's office. "…I really hope my father will finally answer everything." He had known for the longest time that outside forces would try and hinder NERV's mission…but who were the 'true enemies' he had spoken of, yesterday?
"It's time." The voice of MAGI-00, Naoko Akagi, echoed from the hallway intercom. "The Professor will see you now."
"…Shinji-kun." Rei stood, holding her hand out towards him. "Let's go."
"…okay." He took her hand; the two Pilots, still clad in their Plug Suits, walked side-by-side into Keter. The cavernous office held a foreboding atmosphere, far removed from that day last September, when Shinji had signed the contract to become an employee for NERV.
He stared at the figureheads of NERV-1, gathered around his father's desk: Lieutenant Colonel Misato Katsuragi; Doctor Ritsuko Akagi; Sub-Director Kozou Fuyutsuki…and of course, his father, the Supreme Commander.
Gendo Ikari was watching them quietly, hands tented in front of his face. "Hello, son."
"…father." Shinji gripped at Rei's hand once – as if to reassure himself – before stepping forward. "…we defeated Kaworu. And now Asuka's been absorbed by Unit-02."
"A true loss, I-"
"Father." Shinji's forceful tone cut off Gendo's response. "I'm sorry, but…if I'm going to keep being a Pilot, I need to know what I'm fighting for." He gestured angrily at the floor, pointing down at a point far below their feet. "It wasn't just LILITH down there, but ADAM as well! Kaworu and Yomiko Nagisa were Angels, and you knew about it, but didn't do anything when they were here! You talked about 'true enemies'; if they're not the Angels…then who are they?"
"…a very weighty question. One that can only be answered now that we're at this late stage." Gendo glanced at Misato. "As the Lieutenant Colonel knows very well."
Misato rolled her eyes.
"Shinji," spoke Fuyutsuki, "everything that is occurring now has its roots in events set in motion long ago. Your mother and your father…they did their best to try and get ahead of it, to stop it. But now…I'm afraid we're short on time."
"The darkness of the world will soon be at our doorstep," ominously said Gendo. "Allow me to enlighten you of the organization called SEELE, and their grand Scenario called the Human Instrumentality Project."
xxxx
To be continued…
Next time…
Episode 31: The End of Evangelion (It all returns to nothing...)
xxxx
(And now, we're finally caught up.)
/ErinnerungsKrankenhaus Lorenz, Berlin-2, Germany/
Lorenz Memorial Hospital was overflowing with patients; being in the half of the city that hadn't been obliterated by Zeruel, this was an understandable reality. A deeply unpleasant one, but understandable.
Most of the new patients were suffering from broken bones, blunt force trauma, burn wounds, and brain injuries; occupying one room was one Pieter Langley, practically mummified. His attempt at escaping the wrath of Zeruel had been...less than successful.
Kaworu Nagisa, hands in his pockets, looked quietly upon the Commander of NERV-2. I am...glad that you survived. The silver-haired nephilim's smile was melancholy. Even though you did not much care for me or my sister, your sense of duty to your subordinates was admirable. And your soul...was always warm, with familial love for your daughters. Your perspective was a valuable one, Mister Langley. In the blink of an eye, Kaworu was gone, as though he had never been there...and in a way, he hadn't been.
xxxx
/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Kaworu would soon be in Tokyo-3 in his fullness; there was no need to [see/perceive/witness] everyone or everything.
However, there were individuals that he had to see, for one last time. The first...was one particular Lilim.
Miss Sohryu. Kaworu's eyes were sad, taking in the comatose form of Asuka Langley-Sohryu: one of the most regrettable casualties of the Angel War, truly. The Light of your soul was always a joy to experience. Of all those who could have revealed the nature of the Lilim to me at its most sincere, it was you; and for that, I am glad. He brushed aside a lock of her red hair, a minor indulgence given the extent of his AT-Field. I am sorry it had to end like this. The nephilim turned on his heel, an amused smirk flickering on his lips; his 'minor indulgence' had undoubtedly triggered the Lilim's attention. "Miss Sohryu...it was nice knowing you. Goodbye."
And then he was gone.
Moments later, armed Section 2 personnel burst into the room. One of the agents raised a hand to his earpiece. "No contact with the source of the AT-Field disturbance. Only subject is the Second Child."
Neither of them noticed how the fingers on her right hand twitched, ever so slightly.
xxxx
Deep within Terminal Dogma, inside a warded room, a white-haired nephilim lied still, bound to the single bed within.
Kaworu Nagisa started solemnly at this scene. How the mighty have fallen; would you not agree, sister?
Yomiko Nagisa wearily opened her eyes. "…your voice…is so distant…" whispered the girl, whose soul once blazed with the aura of Might Incarnate.
You are…reduced, compared to what you once were. Kaworu stepped around the bed, eyeing the vital monitors and the various restraints around her wrists, legs, and torso. The moment your Core was destroyed, your spirit no longer resonated.
"…hah…" Yomiko chuckled bitterly. "The Lilim…are so dry and limited in their words…calling the great engine that gave power to my body a mere 'S2 Organ'…" She glanced down at her hands, flexing her fingers futilely. "Even that pitiful state was preferable to this…even though my true body was bereft of vitality, it still bore the fullness of the being called ZERUEL…and now…I am just a miserable shell."
I was surprised, to be honest. Your sudden…curiosity...was stark.
Yomiko glanced irritably at the phantom by her bed. "…you possess my memories…my experiences…my perceptions…you know what I saw…"
…yes. Another realm, another reality…an unbelievable expanse, impossible to imagine, a glimpse into the infinite. It is tantalizing. I won't lie. But that desire is tempered by the reality of what such a vision will cost.
"…how…how can you stand not knowing…" Yomiko's face curdled, her eyes expressing confusion and disbelief. "Knowing what I saw…and to still refuse…how…?"
Because I have been involved with the mysteries and the wonders of LILITH's creations. Because I desired to understand them and their ways. Even though you had access to my own perceptions of the Lilim, you actively disdained them. Kaworu smiled sympathetically. To shun all aspects of that sourced from LILITH, only to come face-to-face with the forbidden glory of the Fruit of Life and the Fruit of Knowledge intertwined…you stood no chance. How could you have hoped to escape such temptation?
"…hmph." Yomiko's expression was one of true misery. "This body…is a pale imitation of my former glory…"
Indeed. Kaworu glanced wryly at the walls. Our connection is so tenuous that I can't even sense beyond these walls.
"Even now, deprived of my true Soul...my mind has little concept of what I have truly lost…and I hate it…I hate it…"
…what will happen now?
Yomiko snorted. "I failed. I was unable to reach LILITH. I was unable to free our Father. I have been imprisoned here, waiting for the inevitable experiments to begin. I know that this will await me."
It's a possibility.
"To live like this…bereft of who I truly am…denied my true nature…I can't STAND it…" Yomiko impulsively struggled, her eyes wide with an animalistic insanity. The sensor monitoring her vitals began to beep irritably. "There's this gaping void, a missing piece, a chunk torn out of me…!"
…Yomiko…
"I am not Yomiko…my true name is ZERUEL…the Fist of God…the Angel of Might…and if I can't be that…it would be better if I didn't exist at all." Yomiko glared intently at the Kaworu-shaped phantasm. "If you have any love for me…you will end it..."
Sister…
"PLEASE," whined Yomiko; yes, whined. She sounded on the verge of tears. "I'm begging you."
Kaworu stared in silence. To hear Zeruel beg so openly…perhaps that, more than anything else, was a true indication of the current reality: the mighty essence of Zeruel had rejoined ADAM, as had the rest of their kin. This miserable creature called Yomiko Nagisa was all that was left…and, fully aware of what she had lost, wanted no part of the whole affair.
So be it.
Kaworu Nagisa reached down, wrapping his hands around Yomiko's throat, and began to squeeze.
The girl's eyes widened; bodily instinct took over, and she vainly tried to struggle.
Please…don't fight it. Just relax…and fade away into a dreamless sleep…
The white-haired nephilim, so tightly bound, had no chance against the ethereal phantasm. Whatever was left of Yomiko Nagisa's will didn't want a chance.
There was a final breath: a throaty death rattle. The body's movement stilled, and the red eyes began to lose focus. Finally, and most cruelly…she smiled.
The last remnant of Zeruel was dead.
Kaworu Nagisa stared despondently at the corpse, pointedly ignoring the whine of the heart monitor. Yomiko Nagisa…Zeruel…forgive me…
He was long gone before anyone had a chance to check up on the prisoner.
xxxx
/Lorenz Estate, Outskirts of Berlin-2, Tokyo-3/
Keel Lorenz stared out his window, gazing at the distant arcology of Berlin-2. Even now, days after Zeruel's destructive emergence, the fires had yet to be put out. What a waste.
The elderly man quietly got his affairs in order - discreetly sending out orders for deep-cover agents to prepare the final assault on NERV - and prepared to begin his final trip to NERV-2, when a distinct chill descended in the room. "...hmm."
Hello, Chairman.
The head of SEELE - Chairman of the Human Instrumentality Committee, and world-renowned philanthropist - turned around, gazing at the stoic image of Kaworu Nagisa. "Tabris." The young nephilim looked rather resplendent in his red garb, bearing the golden sigil of the Lorenz Estate. "You've picked a poor time to make a nuisance of yourself."
My apologies for making your life difficult.
"I'm sure." His visor cycled through a few different vision modes, from visible to infrared, and then to EMF before going back to visible; there was no thermal radiation, nor was there any electromagnetic field interference. For all intents and purpose, the boy wasn't 'there'. "You're not even here."
Naturally.
"How?"
My Soul remembers all those it has come into contact with; I am able to use that connection to communicate. Granted, the more I manifest my 'AT-Field', the more 'present' I can become. As if to demonstrate, Kaworu pressed a finger against a nearby vase. There was a minute flicker - nigh-invisible - of orange light at the fingertip before it pushed the vase over. With a crash of porcelain, the green vase shattered. Like so.
"That was remarkably petty of you."
Perhaps. Then again, all of these trappings don't interest you. You don't truly care about that vase. This, the image of Kaworu gestured at the room, at the ornate bookshelves, the expensive furniture, the priceless paintings, is meaningless to you; all of it. All you care about is that your existence continues on, by any means necessary.
"Yes. And?"
It strikes me as...remarkably petty of you.
Keel sneered. Calling security wouldn't do anything if the nephilim wasn't truly here, but he was tiring of the boy's prattle. "Kindly get to your point, Tabris. I have more important things to do than entertain whatever vain notion has caught your fancy."
The nephilim smiled bitterly. Dear Chairman: I am the last. The fragments of ADAM, the ones you call 'Angels'...they were my kin. Even though we all desired reunion with our Father, we were still...family. And now they are all gone. The one that was closest to me was destroyed at the hands of NERV. Her only remnant was the nephilim called Yomiko Nagisa...and she begged me to end her life.
"I reiterate: your point?"
That bitter smile suddenly turned...acerbic. My sister is dead by my hand, Chairman. I am understandably...emotional, right now.
A far-off boom sounded, and the image of Kaworu instantly flared with a visible aura of power.
SO DO!
The distant roar suddenly grew louder.
NOT!!
CRASH!!!
TEST ME!!!
Keel Lorenz fell back with a shout of fright as the side of his mansion suddenly crumpled and collapsed; the Mark 06 was standing there, its armor glowing a hazy red. It wasn't mere heat that made the armor glow; it was an extension of Tabris himself, a manifestation of who he was and the power at his beck and call.
"…how…how have you overpowered the limiters?" They should have made such a transformation impossible!
Zeruel was capable of activating her true body, even from a distance; do you understand the implication? Your limiters only worked…because we let them. The image of Tabris flickered, slowly rising to rejoin the Ascended Evangelion. The voice of Kaworu echoed from the Mark 06's external speakers. "I know that you are keeping ADAM's true body in Moscow. I've known this ever since I set foot in that city." The image vanished, and the crimson Evangelion stepped away. "You are reaching the fulfillment of all your desires...but I doubt they will occur before I reach ADAM and awaken Him from his long imprisonment." The Mark 06 began to shimmer with light, coinciding with the blooming Light of Tabris's Soul. "I suspect we will never see each other again...and so I bid you adieu. Farewell, Chairman." With a radiant flash of light, the Evangelion vanished, as if it never were.
Keel Lorenz scowled, quickly reaching for his phone. This was definitely not as secure as he would've preferred, but such concerns were a moot point at this stage; speed was a far more valuable commodity. Dialing a particular number, the Chairman - wincing as he got to his feet - waited for the person on the other end to answer. "...this is Keel. Tabris is on his way to Moscow."
xxxx
/Shores of Moscow River, Southeastern Moscow, Russia/
"…he's what?" asked Alexei Gurlukovich, Commander of NERV-5, and loyal patsy for SEELE.
"Kaworu Nagisa. He is coming for ADAM."
The husky man paled, nearly losing his grip on the phone. "I…I understand. I'll take precau-"
CRASH!
A crimson hand tore through walls and metal, revealing the innards of NERV-5 to the open sky. The Mark 06 stood tall, peering directly at the crying people and scattering technicians. Warning sirens rang in the distance, and the Russian military swiftly tried to mount a counterattack to the sudden assault.
It wouldn't come in time for the people of NERV-5.
Commander Gurlukovich stared helplessly as the Mark 06's visor glowed red. "…he's already here."
KREEEEN!
A high-pitched whine accompanied the beam that erupted from the Evangelion's visor, vaporizing hundreds of people and boring a hole that led deep underground. Missiles and tracer rounds from the Russian air force bounced off of the Eva's AT-Field: harmless to the Mark 06, deadly to innocent bystanders.
"Now…where is He?" mused Tabris out loud, effortlessly descending into the bowels of NERV-5. The Mark 06's movements were smooth and measured, featuring no fretfulness or desperation. There was only confidence, born of conviction…and, perhaps, just a little hint of relief.
KREEEEN!
Through more floors went the Mark 06, melting away bulkheads and blasting at reinforced concrete. Automated defenses fired bullets and high-intensity lasers, a desperate barrage, anything that could stop the intruder.
It was all for naught: the AT-Field of Tabris was too absolute.
"Closer…" murmured the voice of Kaworu Nagisa. Deeper he went; the imagery of NERV gave way to older equipment, and the older logos of Sovereign Systems. Though the latter still existed in some fashion, its true nature as an old front for GEHIRN came across strongly in the clustered corridors far beneath NERV-5. "…closer." That distinct tone, of a steady heartbeat…or perhaps an echo, of an ancient song, long thought dead; it was getting louder.
With a mere gesture, Tabris's AT-Field sheared through a massive door. He ignored the explosive decompression, stepping into the formerly vacuum-sealed chamber. Explosive charges, set to detonate upon forced entry, ignited…and a mere microsecond afterwards, their force was muffled and blocked by spheres of orange light, rendering the eruptions harmless.
The head of the First Angel – frozen with a tank of solid nitrogen – seemed to stare back.
"…my Creator…at last." Instead of an overwhelming beam, the Mark 06's visor unleashed a steady stream of thermal radiation, gently melting the tank. The solid nitrogen violently boiled away due to the temperature differential; by the time the tank had been reduced to slag, the chamber was filled with a thick fog of gaseous nitrogen. The Mark 06 knelt down, gently – almost reverently – picking up ADAM's head in its hands. Armored fingers traced fractal scars, feeling at the essence of the pale flesh.
With a harsh motion, Tabris crushed the head into pulp.
"…just a shell," muttered the Twenty-first Angel, "a mere remnant of His original body…but no longer the host of His Soul…" No wonder the sensation had been so vague, so distant; ADAM's Soul could be felt only in the sense of a lingering memory, one that had been long forgotten by this rotting corpus. "…and to think…SEELE has been guarding a chunk of lifeless flesh…!"
Rather than feeling anger at this apparent deception, or despair at being foiled yet again…Tabris laughed: deeply, and joyfully. "It seems I cannot avoid it. I must default to the original plan." Find LILITH, and thus find ADAM. "How…fitting."
The Mark 06 took a step, and was gone in the next instant, leaving the ruins of NERV-5 behind.
xxxx
Episode 30: TABRIS (It was nice knowing you…goodbye.)
xxxx
/Downtown Tokyo-3/
Standing at the edge of the gaping hole that led down into the Geofront, Misato Katsuragi couldn't help but marvel at how far down it went. "It's easy to forget just how big it is."
"Indeed," muttered Aleksander Kasparov, trying to make out the details of the buildings that had fallen into the depths of the Geofront, "yet it was torn open with one blow, yes?"
"Judging from the after-action report," answered Henshin Obimura, cigarette smoke lazily drifting away, "yes." The ashes flickered in the noon-day sun; despite the damage, the sounds of repair – a constant melody during the entirety of the Angel War – were muted. "Who ever thought that the dangers of Australia would ever be considered mild?"
Misato shook her head. "With the Outback, the threats were constant and generally life-threatening. But the Angels…they always seem so much bigger than that."
"And yet it wasn't because of the Angels that you dragged us out of Australia." The Spy took a drag on his cigarette. "The world of politics, and intrigue, and secrets…I recognized its stench the moment I set foot into this city."
"I admire the Supreme Commander," admitted the Heavy. "His actions are of a man with nothing less than absolute conviction."
Misato nodded. "And that's what makes him so dangerous. And now that I know of so many of those secrets…I have to confirm. I have to."
"We will always have your back, Boss."
"Indeed!" bellowed the Heavy.
Misato smiled warmly. "Thanks, guys…" Sighing, she turned around, looking down the road as a figure casually approached, hands in pockets. "Hello Kaji-kun."
"Misato-chan." The roguish Inspector nodded briefly at the two members of Misato's Team before focusing only on her. "When you asked to meet me…I was expecting something a little more private."
Misato's smile was darkly cherubic.
Kaji calmly looked around – noting the presence of the Sniper and the Demoman in nearby windows, aiming at him from afar – before returning her smile. "Mah, such a harsh welcome. Have I made you upset?"
"The Supreme Commander told me about the hidden force behind the Instrumentality Committee."
"…I see." Kaji's smile faded, replaced by an expression evoking sadness and frustration in equal measure. "And what would you have me say?"
"I want you to confirm it for me. Make me believe it."
"…believe what?"
"Simple: the truth."
And that was the magic word.
xxxx
/Keter, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"A lot of people are up in arms about NERV," murmured Kozou Fuyutsuki, staring forlornly at the monitor protruding from the Supreme Commander's desk. Footage of NERV-5 - smoke leaking from the roof, with helicopter video showing the smoldering hole leading deep down - and continued updates from Berlin-2 were playing side-by-side various talking heads debating the continued assaults on NERV, and whether their continued presence was worth all of the havoc. "A lot of governments are starting to grumble more loudly."
"Let them," answered Gendo Ikari, hands tented in front of his face, "NERV-1 is in a more secure position; the overt actions of Zeruel and Tabris will only encourage the old men to act as soon as possible. The mere thought of Tabris finding ADAM and freeing him will make them panic."
"Hmm. I wonder how they'll react when they discover that they didn't actually possess the First Angel."
xxxx
/Meanwhile, outside of Berlin-2, Germany/
Keel Lorenz nearly fell over at the words coming from his cellphone, courtesy of a loyal agent. "Repeat what he said?" The agent – a survivor of NERV-5 with access to their MAGI, and hence the base's surveillance records – spoke again. "...a 'chunk of lifeless flesh'. I see. Thank you." He promptly hung up.
Contrary to expectations, he didn't rant, rave, or scream. The only indication of his sudden frustration was the minor trembling of his fingers.
His mind, however, was another story. WHAT. THE. F-
xxxx
/Keter, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Gendo smirked. "I can only imagine." He turned towards Ritsuko Akagi, who was busy sketching furiously on a notepad. "And you had something to report, Dr. Akagi?"
"Have you taken a look at Units-00 and 01 recently?"
"Not since the end of the conflict with Zeruel."
"Well..." The blonde reached up to her monocle, triggering the holographic projector. "We were removing the helmets for a preliminary cleaning and refurbishment, and look at what we found."
Gendo and Fuyutsuki stared. The presence of white hair – fashioned in a very familiar style – was stark, and the faces were far more femininely human than they had once been. Most tellingly, Unit-00's lone eye had shifted to the left side of the face, and Unit-01's right eye had transformed: both eyes in question were a stunning blue, with shockingly human irises. "...Yui...?" whispered Fuyutsuki.
"A side-effect of the S2 Organs," answered Ritsuko. "With a nigh-infinite power source, the souls within the Evas have 'informed' their flesh, triggering this transformation. It seems mostly cosmetic, but we're still running tests."
"Hmm. 'Spirit informs body, and body informs spirit'," quoted Gendo. A soul acting upon the flesh and turning it into a form more fitting; yet, without the Angelic flesh of Eva, the soul wouldn't have the means to enact the change.
"Essentially." She continued sketching all the while. "Still no word on who killed Yomiko Nagisa. But I have a good guess."
And hadn't that been an unfortunate shock. The surveillance footage showed Yomiko talking to an unseen presence, then suddenly being asphyxiated to death. Given the words that the nephilim had spoken, there was no doubt that her brother had had something to do with it. "Any possibility that Tabris could act similarly with the rest of us?" asked Gendo.
"Doubtful. Yomiko was helpless, and wanted to die. We would resist; it would be far more efficient for the Mark 06 to simply vaporize us. IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, BAM!"
"I see."
"And what of young Asuka?" interjected Fuyutsuki, a sad expression on his face.
"Still no change." Ever since the defeat of the Nineteenth Angel, various attempts at resuscitating the Second Child had been carried out. One such method was trying to force synchronization with Unit-02. Alas, it had all been to no avail. "We have another Sync Test with Unit-02 scheduled for tomorrow."
"Keep working," commanded Gendo. "Even though the First and Third Children are undoubtedly our most powerful Pilots," given various definitions of 'power', "the Second Child's technical skill with AT-Field manipulation far surpasses theirs. Notwithstanding the additional perks that the Production Type Evangelion has over the Prototype and the Test Type models." To emphasize his point, he concluded, "she is an invaluable asset."
"Of course."
"And has the transition to the backup command center been completed?"
"Yes. HEROD is already complaining about all of the extra noise." She finally finished sketching. "And DONE!" She slammed the notepad down on Gendo's desk. "If you'll excuse me, I have work to do." And so the blonde turned on her heel and departed.
Fuyutsuki grabbed the notepad, his lips quirked with amusement: the sketch depicted Randall smacking Gendo over the head with a Dummy Plug. "I think she's still upset at you."
"Given that all of her work with regards to Project DUMMY PLUG was ultimately useless now that the Plan has been scrapped? I'm not surprised."
"Indeed."
"...I'm going to tell Shinji about Tabris's true nature."
Fuyutsuki looked at Gendo with some concern. "Are you sure? You were adamant about not revealing the truth of Zeruel's nephilim body."
"The circumstances are different. Zeruel desired a battle to the utmost, and relished in her full nature as an Angel. Tabris still looks like the Mark 06, new color scheme aside...and I don't think he will be as interested in withholding the truth."
xxxx
/Ayanami's Training Ground, Geofront, Tokyo-3/
Toji Suzuhara reared his fist.
SMASH!
Mayumi Yamagishi deftly sidestepped, avoiding the downward blow that dented the soil. Flexing her artificial leg experimentally, the blue-haired nephilim calmly admonished, "You keep telegraphing your attacks."
"Sorry, it's just…I'm not used to being this strong."
"Oh come on, you've had almost a month!" yelled Mana Kirishima, doing one-fingered push-ups at the edge of the sparring arena.
"Up yours, you sadistic witch!" retorted Toji. Ever since becoming superhuman, his spars with her had become even less pleasant. "You can just kindly butt out!"
"Oh? You frightened of little ol' me?" cooed Mana, leering amusedly at him.
"YES! YES I AM!" He impulsively rubbed at his left elbow. "That armbar nearly tore my friggin' arm off!"
"You should consider that a positive! That armbar would've snapped your limb like a twig before!"
"IT'S THE PRINCIPLE OF THE THING!"
Mayumi cleared her throat. "Suzuhara-san. Please focus."
Toji grumbled. "Fine."
"Let's practice defense." Mayumi lowered her stance. "Are you ready?"
The boy snorted. "Yeah." He crossed his arms, visibly straining and concentrating. An orange hexagon manifested, flickering at the edges. "…okay…ready!"
CRASH!
Mayumi's left straight smashed into Toji's sternum, effortlessly breaking through his AT-Field. Gagging, the pseudo-nephilim fell to his knees, breathing heavily. "Agh…agh…"
Ignoring Mana's cackling laughter, Mayumi calmly said, "Let's try again. You must exhibit absolute confidence, a belief that you will not waver. If you harbor doubt, your AT-Field will not protect you."
"…what's the point?" The boy slowly got to his feet. "I mean…I was brought into this whole thing to be an Eva Pilot, and that went down the tubes after my first friggin' mission. I mean…I'm not complaining about the superpowers, but I feel like a dead weight! My old Eva was destroyed, and I can't sync with the others!" None of the other three Units had responded positively to him; not unexpected, but still a bummer. "I mean…what the hell am I here for, now?"
"To be a punching bag?"
Toji and Mayumi glared at Mana.
"…I'm kinda kidding?"
Ignoring her sister, Mayumi turned back towards the frustrated boy…no, young man. His fears were not those of a petulant child, but of an adult who wanted to be useful. "I can't provide you that answer. Few are gifted with the ability to pilot an Evangelion. But I doubt that Ikari-san and Ayanami-san would say that your presence here is unneeded. Would you prefer to have evacuated with the others?"
"…I kinda wanna say yes."
Mayumi visibly deflated.
"Hey, I have a girlfriend. If I can't help prevent the end of the world, and I can't do anything to help save my sister, I'd much rather spend it with Hikari-chan."
"…"
"…what, you still hung up over Sawamura?"
Mayumi pointedly ignored Mana's sudden bout of muffled chuckling. "Let's…just get back to practicing. Your abilities still need to be honed."
Sighing, Toji took a brief glance at the serene surroundings – the rocky cliffs surrounding large grasslands, with various bunkers and the two-story barracks – before turning back towards Mayumi. "Yeah, yeah…I get it."
If Mayumi's blows were somewhat harsher than they had been previously, no one decided to comment on it.
xxxx
/Jet Alone Facility, Tokyo-3, Japan/
It's funny, thought Shiro Tokita as his team pored over the Shining Gundam and the Rising Gundam, trying to implement the new upgrade as quickly as possible. A few Section 1 technicians were on-hand to provide support, but the majority of the work was still done by his team. Even though Tokyo-3 has been proverbially emptied by the evacuation, my team toils on, almost unaffected by the outside world. Such was the way of the JET ALONE Project: fixing and tinkering, trying to push the technology that much further. None of them have come forward asking to leave. Their lot was to soldier on to the bitter end, it seemed. Hmm. I wonder if I should tell them about SEELE. Maybe...maybe...
He briefly glanced at Dr. Tomino – hunched over a computer and putting finishing touches on the needed alterations to the Mobile Trace System – before his eyes gazed at Hikari Kirishima. She was standing outside the open hangar, speaking rather testily on her phone. Calmly strolling outside, he picked up on the tail end of her conversation.
"-telling you that those orders do not make sense." Hikari's hands were flexing slowly, as though squeezing an invisible stress ball. "This is completely out of touch with the last report I received from Oversight command. Why the change?" Several seconds of silence passed; she looked at her phone, as though befuddled by what she had just been told. "Need I remind you it is within my rights as an agent of Oversight to review any intelligence resulting in a change of mission parameters?!" More silence; then, an outraged yell. "I was NOT notified of this change!" She let loose a frustrated snarl. "I will be escalating this up the chain, you mark my words." Her thumb slammed on the off button, cutting the call with finality. "...the absolute idiocy!"
"You sound upset," pointed out Tokita, wisely backing away from her glare. "What's going on?"
"...Nephilim Oversight wants Mana and Mayumi reassigned."
"...what."
"Yes. That was my reaction."
"What was their rationale?" Inwardly, Tokita was starting to panic. Reassignment? NOW?!
"A bunch of bureaucrat-ese with little actual military benefit given my girls' current role." Sergeant Kirishima huffed, pointedly staring at the Tokyo-3 skyline, still minimized due to the city's defensive configuration. "It doesn't make any sense. The Jet Alone has played a significant role in the Angel War. What they're asking of them is something that could easily be taken care of by someone else."
"...and that would be?"
"Some pending 'uprising' within Kanagawa Prefecture by a cult affiliated with the Angels. They want my girls to cut the head off before the uprising gets under way." The brown-haired woman snorted, her face curled into a frustrated pout. "Even if it's close by, someone else can easily handle it."
"...hmm." An 'uprising'. Recalling the day Gendo Ikari had unveiled the truth – of NERV, of ADAM and LILITH, of SEELE – he remembered the man's prognostication, a prediction of the future. 'NERV will be portrayed as an enemy of the world, and efforts will be made to utterly unmake us.' Tokita chuckled bitterly. Damn it Gendo. I hate it that you end up being RIGHT all the time.
"And what's so funny?"
"...I have an odd idea as to what 'cult' they're talking about."
"...do you now." She looked suspiciously skeptical. Justifiably so.
Shiro Tokita gestured with his head. "Follow me to my office." The Head of the Jet Alone Project led the Oversight agent into his office, closing the door behind her. "I'm sure Gendo Ikari will either mock me for telling you, or mock me for taking so long to tell you."
"What are you talking about?"
"You never really were satisfied with my explanation as to why I acquiesced so quickly to Ikari's acquisition of the Jet Alone."
"I'm still not."
"Well...I definitely had a good reason. And given what you just told me, it looks like things are starting to reach the grand finale, so there's really no point in holding anything back. I'll probably end up telling my team the truth, before it's all over. But given how involved your girls are...I think you deserve to know." Especially if it involved Hikari Kirishima and her daughters turning against the Japanese military as a result.
"...what are you talking about?"
"Tell me, Kirishima-san...does the name 'SEELE' mean anything to you?"
xxxx
/Ayanami's Training Ground, Geofront, Tokyo-3/
Where had once been three were now two.
Rei Ayanami slowly sparred with Shinji Ikari, who was moving with palpable tension and aggression. Compared to their first time in these very grounds, the Third Child did not hold himself back, nor did he worry about possibly hurting the First. The long march of experience had taught him that there was nothing he could do that could possibly injure her; coupled with his trust in her abilities, he had no reason to restrain himself.
And honestly…he didn't want to.
"Kaworu Nagisa…is an Angel?!"
"Yes."
"Yes."
Shinji fired off several one-twos that were easily evaded by Rei. Part of him envisioned his father's face.
"Well what about his sister?"
"She was also an Angel."
"…was…?"
"She was also an Angel."
"…was…?"
Shinji lashed out with a kick, which was blocked by Rei's knee. He stepped forward, trying to follow-up with hooks to the torso. His nephilim opponent nimbly twisted on her heels, stepping behind him and pressing a palm against his back. A mere tap was enough to push him off-balance. He stumbled – nearly falling to his knees – and staggered, slowly rising up.
"Zeruel…and Tabris…I don't understand! How?!"
"They were unique, as far as nephilim were concerned. Their nephilim bodies were formed to serve as hosts for their souls."
"That's not what I mean. I know that nephilim production is controlled by NERV. How could Angels get bodies without anyone knowing?!"
"And that's just it: they were a known factor."
"They were unique, as far as nephilim were concerned. Their nephilim bodies were formed to serve as hosts for their souls."
"That's not what I mean. I know that nephilim production is controlled by NERV. How could Angels get bodies without anyone knowing?!"
"And that's just it: they were a known factor."
Shinji charged with his shoulder, trying to bowl Rei over.
Instead of dodging or parrying, Rei – right as her hands fell upon Shinji's shoulders – fell backwards, her momentum carrying Shinji with her. With a flowing motion, her legs bucked him into the air.
"OOF!" coughed Shinji, landing back-first on the soft grass. He stayed there, staring listlessly at the artificial ceiling of the Geofront; the lamps were dimming, their sunny glow diminishing in synchronicity with the waning day.
"If you knew…why didn't you do anything? What could have possibly stopped you?"
"…Tabris. The Twenty-first Angel. He will come soon. If you survive…I will tell you of our true enemies."
"But why not NOW?!"
"Because you will be too preoccupied with the fact that you are fighting the Fourth Child to focus on anything else."
"…Tabris. The Twenty-first Angel. He will come soon. If you survive…I will tell you of our true enemies."
"But why not NOW?!"
"Because you will be too preoccupied with the fact that you are fighting the Fourth Child to focus on anything else."
Shinji's vision was blocked by Rei, looking down coolly at him. "Are you done?" she asked.
"…yes." She held a hand out, which he eagerly took. "I'm sorry."
"You should be. Your form was horrendous."
"…heh," snickered Shinji. "Of course that's what you would focus on."
"...are you truly so upset with the truth of the Nagisas?"
"...I don't know." Kaworu had actually been kind of cool. Yomiko...pretty much his only interaction with her had been mouth-to-mouth; that in and of itself was awkward enough, so he intentionally glossed over it. "I guess...I thought I was beyond the secrets. And to find out that there's still more...it's exhausting."
"I see."
"...when did you find out?"
"Years ago. I was ordered not to say anything."
"...does it ever get tiring to you? All of the secrecy?"
"...not the practice of keeping secrets. Certain knowledge may change my perspective, but the reality of the situation still takes precedence. Even if the Professor isn't...as beyond reproach as I once believed, I wouldn't want anyone else to be in his position."
"Maybe." Shinji sighed, resting his hands on his hips. "I certainly wouldn't want the job."
"...when Tabris attacks, will you be able to fight him?"
"...I hope." Much of Kaworu's enigmatic demeanor made a bit more sense, now. However, there was one glaring issue. "If Kaworu was always an Angel...then why did he destroy the Eighth?"
"I am uncertain."
"...then if and when he attacks...I'll ask him." The Third Child stared above the canopy of the nearby forest, gazing at the gaping hole within the roof of the Geofront. "It's getting late," said Shinji, yawning loudly.
"If you need sleep, my barracks will serve as a good place to rest." Rei pointed to the two-story structure near the service elevator that led back to the surface. "And if Tabris chooses to attack during the night, we will be closer to headquarters."
"...okay." Shinji followed Rei into the barracks, stepping around the weights that he had used more than once during his athletic training as a Pilot. I wonder how much I can bench now? It had been a while. He followed Rei up the stairs, walking into a rather bare room with rubber padding on the floor and old dents in the walls. Beyond the edge of the arena were crates and racks filled with spartan clothing. A plan cot was nestled against the wall, covered with a single sheet and a single pillow. "How often do you use this place?"
"Not as much as I used to. This is where I trained in solitude, testing my strength and reflexes; the walls are specially reinforced."
"Huh." Shinji stood awkwardly near the edge of the rubber matting, reflexively yelping as Rei suddenly tossed a white T-shirt and gray sweatpants at him. "What-?"
"You do not have your normal sleeping clothes. You may borrow those." Rei turned around, peeling off her fatigues-
And with that, I am turning around. Shinji gulped, purposefully ignoring the fact that he was undressing in the same room as Rei...while she was undressing. With only one bed. Yup, just gonna ignore that...oh for crying out loud WHAT AM I DOING!? In a matter of seconds, his dirty clothes were sitting in a pile on the ground, and he was wearing the shirt and sweats (which fit him surprisingly well; he didn't know how to feel about that). He dared to sneak a glance over his shoulder, seeing a bare back- yep, still not looking. He sidestepped towards the cot, staring pointedly at the floor all the while. He crawled onto the thin mattress, nestling as close to the wall as he could. Okay. Going to try and sleep. Moments later, he felt a heaviness settle upon the other end of the cot. Going to try and sleep. The weight spread out over the rest of the cot, the material creaking as another body lay upon it. Going to try and sleep!
"Shinji-kun. Please turn around."
Please don't be naked please don't be naked please don't be naked, because this whole thing wasn't awkward enough and oh boy his thoughts were going in very interesting places and he could just imagine Misato and Annette and Asuka laughing with amusement at the whole thing!
Shinji flipped over, staring right into Rei's eyes. Okay, not naked. She was also wearing the white shirt and gray pants. Still very close. Not that he hadn't had the occasional dream of such a scenario, if he was going to be brutally honest, but some dreams were meant to remain dreams. Even the awkwardness of their synchronized training for the Seventh Angel hadn't been this nerve-wracking, because there had been other people to 'share the wealth' with. Right now? It was just him. And Rei. In a very tiny bed, with only inches separating them. Guh. "...hi." Guh!
"...you look very flustered."
"Well, um...it's just..."
"I am not naked, and I am not requesting intercourse. We have slept side-by-side before. What troubles you?"
And just like that, Shinji's mind took off like a rocket, leaving all rationale behind. "...uh..."
"...hmm. Perhaps Yamagishi-san had a point about how teenage boys would act awkwardly with teenage girls that they were close to."
"...uh..." Shinji tried to do something – anything – that would make him sound like anything other than a slack-jawed yokel. He took note of the uncertainty in her eyes and latched onto that with all of his willpower. "Rei-chan...is everything okay?"
"...I am worried."
Okay. That was something. "...about what?"
"You saw what happened when Kaworu Nagisa visited us, all those months ago. His abilities far outclassed mine, Kirishima-san's, and Yamagishi-san's; it was not a function of his body, but of his soul. As Tabris, fully manifested as an Angel...he will be the strongest of them all." She slipped her arms over Shinji's shoulders, staring intently at him. "Against Zeruel...I almost lost you."
"...Rei-chan..." Nervously, Shinji laced his arms around her back, trying to ignore the fact that his heart was racing at a hundred miles an hour. Or felt like it, at least.
"Even with two Evangelions, powered with S2 Organs...I don't know if it will be enough against Tabris. That's why...I wanted to be with you." She hugged him more tightly, deepening the embrace. "This closeness. This...feeling. I wanted to experience more of it." She rested her head upon Shinji's neck, sighing with satisfaction. "Shinji-kun...thank you."
"...you're welcome." I don't deserve you. "I'm...happy that I met you." He allowed himself to relish her warmth, and her firmness. Even though her femininity was glaringly obvious, she was as sturdy and strong as a mountain. "Thank you. For everything."
As the two slowly fell asleep, basking in a mutual embrace, Kaworu Nagisa watched them sadly. Complementation in miniature: though your souls are less absolute, your ability to find fulfillment in the company of another is...beautiful. The Soul of Tabris turned away, a melancholy smile on his face. This final night is my gift to you. Enjoy, and be at peace...it will all be over soon. And then he was gone.
xxxx
/Elsewhere/
The twelve monoliths flickered in the darkness, seemingly shaken from the wrath of Keel Lorenz.
"How is this possible?!" roared SEELE-01. All sense of gentility and control had departed, leaving only the domineering voice of one who had directed an entire world from the shadows. "How could it have escaped our notice that the head of ADAM was no longer the host of its soul?!"
"…all of our sensors detected faint metaphysical activity," replied SEELE-10, somewhat chastened by the Chairman's vitriol. "The head was kept frozen to prevent any regeneration. We had come to an agreement on this years ago."
"A lot of bloody good it's turned out to be!" yelled SEELE-02.
"If ADAM wasn't there, then were could it be?!" demanded SEELE-11.
"There hasn't been any indication of the First Angel appearing elsewhere, has it?" asked SEELE-12.
"Not to my knowledge," said SEELE-08.
"…no…" suddenly murmured SEELE-06.
"Do you have an idea?" asked SEELE-03.
"…the December investigation…I verified the condition of the Second Angel, and the presence of the Sword of Uriel. Even though we both knew that Rokubungi possessed the Lance of Longinus, he neglected to showcase it."
"That man has always carried on with insipid pretenses," said SEELE-07 with an audible sneer. "What was so different then?"
"But think about it: what if he had a legitimate reason to hide the Lance? For what purpose could he have used the Lance at that point?" reiterated SEELE-06. "He has yet to use the Lance since coming into possession of it. And consider also that there was no guarantee that the Third Child would return in time to stop the Nineteenth Angel…so why didn't he use it then?"
The members of SEELE paused, pondering the point of SEELE-06. Mulled it over, wondering at its plausibility. In all honesty, the possibility frightened them. "Gendo Ikari, with both ADAM and LILITH..."
"…with the Sword and the Lance…!"
"And two Evangelions, each fitted with S2 Organs!"
"He has the means to initiate his own Instrumentality!"
"What are we doing to do?!"
"Enough," thundered SEELE-01. His voice silenced them all. "We will move to the final stage. Direct all assets towards the subjugation of the First Branch. Prepare your Chariots."
"What of Tabris?" asked SEELE-05.
"Let him throw himself against the walls of Tokyo-3. With any luck, they will destroy each other," answered SEELE-01 with conviction. "Gendo Ikari cannot afford to hold back anything against Tabris. So he won't."
xxxx
/April 12, 2016/
Tabris observed thousands upon thousands of people.
Those that Kaworu Nagisa had interacted with over the years of his existence retained a [remnant/memory] of his touch. Through that, he was able to watch, and listen, and perceive, and experience.
Within the Mark 06 – his true body Ascendant – the Angel known as Tabris sat upon the Moon, staring at the distant blue orb called Earth. Approximately three-hundred-and-eighty-four thousand kilometers away...everything seems so [meager/puny/insignificant] in physical terms. The Ascended Eva palmed the dusty ruin of a lunar orbiter, decades-old, any hints of its country of origin long stripped away by solar winds. And yet...it gleams with Light. The souls of millions upon millions made the planet glimmer in the darkness of space, a spiritual oasis amidst a metaphysical void.
Perhaps that's why he was so fascinated by the Lilim: so diminutive and lacking, that they sought completion within...well, anything that sufficed, really: other people; themselves; above, and beyond. That lack of self-assurance, the continuous doubt that 'you are you', or 'I am I'...it is enough to drive you to such greatness...
Within the Entry Plug of the Mark 06, Kaworu Nagisa smiled. He looked like he had been crying. "I wish there had been more time." Alas, the sense of being [incomplete/fragmented] had never been so stark; the death of Zeruel had merely been the last straw that broke the camel's back. "But as the Lilim tend to say: all good things must come to an end."
Holding his arms out wide, Tabris's red body flared with power; a pair of golden, fractal wings flared behind him. With a mere flex of the ankles, the Angel jumped from the surface of the Moon, beginning his final descent towards Earth. And so we approach the end.
xxxx
/Lymph Node-B, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
As the Entry Plug containing a comatose Asuka Langley-Sohryu locked into Unit-02, the alarms began to blare. "Seriously? SERIOUSLY?!" roared Ritsuko Akagi.
Maya Ibuki grimaced at the information being relayed to her monitor. "Satellite sensors just detected a Pattern Blue, hurtling through the atmosphere! Course corrections are being made: its current target is Tokyo-3, ETA in seven minutes!"
"Feh. Figures. Rude little brat!" Ritsuko stared at all of her subordinates. "We're cutting the experiment short, people! To the command center!"
"What about Asuka?" asked Maya.
"Leave her in Unit-02. She'll be safer there than anywhere else. Like a caterpillar in a cocoon! Made of steel! AND PLUTONIUM! AND HYPOTHETICAL CHEMICALS! OOHOOHOOHOOHOOHOO!"
"I'm sure, senpai."
As everyone abandoned the control room for Lymph Node-B, the red Evangelion stood stoically in the chamber, breathing slowly and calmly, as one asleep.
Within the Entry Plug, Asuka Langley-Sohryu sat immersed in LCL, eyes staring vacantly ahead, as one deceased.
Lub-dup.
Her heart beat slowly, as one asleep.
Lub-dup.
Her soul was muted. Withdrawn.
Lub-dup.
Yet she bore the trace of a much mightier Soul, a mere flicker of metaphysical energy. The trace was that of Tabris, by which he had appeared before her.
Lub-dup.
The soul within Unit-02 did not hesitate to exploit this opening.
Lub-dup.
liebling
The soul of Kyoko Zeppelin Langley-Sohryu surged forward, mingling with the soul of her daughter.
answer your mother
…Mama…?
xxxx
/Northern Shores of Lake Ashi, Toyko-3/
Unit-01 and Unit-00 emerged from the Geofront, a variety of Eva-scale weapons strapped to their bodies. The giants stared intently at the sky; a red star, flickering with fire and friction, descended from on high. Shinji gripped the handlebars tightly, mentally preparing himself for what was to come. "Are Yamagishi-san and Kirishima-san going to back us up?"
"Unfortunately not," answered Misato. "Tokita has the Jet Alone in the middle of a refit and upgrade. Given what happened in the last battle…I don't know how much help they'd be."
"Okay." Zeruel had taken out the Burning Gundam in a single blow. If Kaworu – Tabris – was all he was cracked up to be…
"Do not waver." The voice of Rei Ayanami was a soothing balm to the tension. "We will fight to the utmost."
"Yeah." Shinji glanced at Unit-00, focusing on the white hair spilling over the side. The helmet had been crudely refashioned to the let the hair flow freely – lest it gum up any of the interior systems of the armor – leaving the Eva's lone eye unprotected. "It's weird…seeing Unit-00 like that." The hands of Unit-01 reached up, threading through its own white hair; although the shogun-esque helmet was still mostly intact, the sides had been opened up to let the bleached follicles flow out. "I'm not used to feeling hair in here."
"The souls within the Evas have taken on a greater precedence thanks to the S2 Organs," answered Dr, Akagi. "Before you know it, we'll have to keep the Professor's sweaty hands away from the Evas, lest he be consumed with LUST! AND TINGLIES! EEEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"
"…uh…"
"The matters of my love life or lack thereof aside," stoically commented Gendo Ikari, "the Angel is approaching. Good luck, Pilots."
Indeed; the Mark 06 was looming ominously, a crimson sun over Tokyo-3. Despite the power and speed, its descent slowed with an unnatural grace; by the time the Ascended Evangelion's feet touched the waters of Lake Ashi, all momentum had bled away. The armor of the Eva, once predominately white and silver, was now a searing red…and it wasn't just friction that made it burn: the Mark 06 resonated with power. "…Kaworu Nagisa? Or should I call you Tabris?"
The voice of Kaworu Nagisa echoed from the speakers of the Mark 06 and within Shinji's head. "I do not care which. Though…to be honest, I would prefer Kaworu."
"…why?" At the lack of a response, Shinji continued, "why do this now? Why fight us?"
A soft laugh came from Kaworu, his golden wings fading away. "A question I have asked myself more than once." The Mark 06 moved with an all-too human gait, gesticulating in all the ways that were uniquely Kaworu's. "ADAM and LILITH are both entirely unique beings. The other Angels, those you have fought since last September…their existences began on the day of Second Impact, when ADAM's Body and Soul split, and fractured. Each one bore a facet of His original being, a part of His personality, His power, His very essence; and each one possessed a name: Sachiel. Shamshel. Ramiel. Gaghiel. Israfel. Sandalphon. Sahaquiel. Iruel. Samael. Shateiel. Turel. Matarael. Seraphiel. Leliel. Armisael. Arael. Bardiel. Zeruel. And me: Tabris." The Angel gestured at himself. "I am the last remnant. I bear ADAM's will; His memories; His experiences. Since the demise of Zeruel…I have had a lot to think about."
"And what is your conclusion?" asked Rei.
"…I have always possessed great curiosity regarding you Lilim, the creature called 'man'. Your ways were foreign, yet still a joy to witness. And yet…ADAM has walked among your kind for millennia, working unseen, observing so much more than I could ever hope to…as more of my kin perished, I remembered more. And now I see that it was all futile."
"…what was futile?"
"My questions. My desires. I remember now why it is forbidden for the Fruit of Life and the Fruit of Knowledge to mingle. With that said…if there is no longer any point to indulging my fascination…then the only thing left for me is Complementation."
"…gah!" screamed Shinji, snarling with frustration. "All of this cryptic talk and vague speech isn't helping anybody! Why can't you speak plainly?!"
Kaworu chuckled. "You wish me to speak plainly? Very well." The Mark 06 took a step forward. "Imagine knowing on a fundamental level that you are incomplete. It is a painstaking fact; no matter what you try to do to fill that void, it is still there at the back of your mind, like a cancerous growth." Another step. "And imagine that as more of your kin die, that sense of incompleteness grows. After all, the ignorant can be forgiven their conceit, for they know not what they don't know." A third step. "As a simple nephilim growing up in Germany, my actions were…amusing. But now? Fully manifested in my true body, armed with the fullness of knowledge?" A final step, a light touch that still caused a thunderclap. "It is an amusement I can no longer afford to indulge."
"…one last question, then. If what you say is true…then why did you destroy the Eighth Angel in Mt. Asama?" Shinji mentally counted up from Kaworu's list of names, arriving at one in particular. "Why did you destroy Sandalphon?"
Tabris stilled, as though struck.
"…well?"
"…Sandalphon's desire was for harmony. He wished to offer his body as a holocaust to humanity, a sacrifice upon which a new age of wonders would begin."
"…then why? Why did you kill him?!"
"Because I know very well where that road leads: damnation. Annihilation. Absolute destruction. I will not let it happen again."
"But why?! Explain it to me! Why would it be so bad?!"
"To show you would take too long." Tabris clenched a fist, pressing it against his abdomen. "The pit in my very being demands to be filled…and I will wait no longer. I will meet with LILITH; through Her, I will find ADAM, and awaken Him from his slumber…and what He chooses to do after that? Well…I can only imagine."
Unit-00 withdrew a progressive glaive, holding it forward with an assured grip. "We will stop you."
"Kaworu…" Shinji sighed, steeling himself for what was to come. "…there could have been peace."
xxxx
Within the Entry Plug of the Mark 06, Kaworu jerked as though shot. Those words.
The very last words of Sandalphon.
Oh, the irony! The accursed irony!
Kaworu's smile was a truly pitiful thing to witness. "…I wish I could believe that," he echoed.
And so the Final Angel let his AT-Field unfold.
xxxx
One moment, Tabris flickered with orange light.
The next, reality vanished, and Shinji's vision was replaced with darkness. "W-what?!"
xxxx
/Reserve Command Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
The backup command center for NERV-1 was located directly above the MAGI nodes, with a more constrained layout that utilized older flatscreen monitors instead of the more advanced holographic system that had been implemented for the newer Operations Deck.
Right now, most of those monitors showed 'NO SIGNAL'. Others showed a pitch-black dome, one that had suddenly enveloped the southern reaches of Tokyo-3. "What in the world is that?!" asked Misato.
"The MAGI are detecting an AT-Field at the dome's threshold! All waves and particles are being blocked!" exclaimed Miyata. "Not even light is escaping!"
"Hmm. So the Angel's AT-Field has manifested as a perfect blackbody, absorbing all incoming radiation without reflecting any…or perhaps it's a more simplistic barrier. An absolute one." Ritsuko snorted. "CHILD'S PLAY!"
"When can we get a signal?" demanded Misato.
Maya looked over her shoulder. "Whenever the AT-Field is disrupted!"
xxxx
Shinji was having uncomfortable flashbacks to Alaska. "Okay…not being sucked in…can still move…" He just couldn't see. At all. There was no noise either, only simple silence. "…alright then."
dispel it
"Got it." An act of will – dispel the darkness! – and Unit-01's AT-Field flared outward. Simultaneously, as though with an unseen act of synchronicity, so did Unit-00's. The void around them flickered and wavered, waves of light curving through at increasingly shorter intervals. However, it was enough to see and communicate.
The Mark 06 was gone. "Where…?"
"S…..-kun! Behind!" came the voice of Rei, scratchy and distorted.
Shinji turned around; the crimson Evangelion was walking towards the hole leading into the Geofront. "He's…ignoring us?"
"His ob..ctive isn't to fight! His objective is the Second Angel!"
"Got it!" The two Evangelions took off in pursuit, breaking through the void right as the Mark 06 descended into the Geofront. Without hesitation, the duo followed Tabris into the breach.
The Ascended Evangelion flipped around, falling back-first towards the ground. With a mere gesture of his fingers, Tabris pointed at the two.
Between Units-00 and 01, two orange octagons flared into existence, their radiance distracting Shinji. "Wha-?"
Tabris flung his arms out wide.
THWOMP!
The pair of octagons smashed into the two Evas, flinging them to the far reaches of the Geofront. Clouds of dirt and foliage were kicked up by their rough landing.
"You two are quite the pair," spoke Kaworu, his tone still ever so polite. "Individually, you are strong. Together, the Light of your souls is formidable. But it won't be enough." The crimson Evangelion flipped back around, facing the ground as it approached. "Mere strength will never be enough." The air beneath the Mark 06 hummed and rippled; slowly, gently, Tabris set foot on the ground.
VWOM.
Tabris held a hand out, catching the red beam that been fired from afar. A nigh-invisible field of orange surrounded it, keeping it stable. Wordlessly, he held his palms up, aiming one each in the direction of his foes: Unit-01, emerging from a forest, and Unit-00, who had fired the last remaining Azrael rifle from atop a large bluff.
The energy split between both hands, perfectly duplicated with an influx of power from Tabris.
VWOM.
Two red beams shot right back at the Evas, exploding magnificently in a flash of gas and dust.
"You are at a disadvantage. I do not have to defeat you; I only have to keep you at bay." And so the Final Angel continued his advance towards the shattered pyramid complex of NERV-1, humming the Ode to Joy all the while.
xxxx
/Lymph Node-B, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
To the outside world, Unit-02 was silent and still, as much as its Pilot, the Second Child.
Within the Entry Plug, a realm beyond the physical…took precedence…
Kyoko Zeppelin Langley Sohryu walked through a recreation of her old apartment from Berlin-2. Echoes of old memories bounced through in a chaotic mishmash, a swirling miasma of happiness tinged with sorrow, joy marred by regret, conviction reeking of doubt. "Now…where are you…?"
"…don't look at me…"
The doctor sighed, trying to find the source of the voice. All the while, she kept on talking. "And why don't you want me to look at you?"
"…I'm ugly…"
"Ridiculous. You've always been beautiful."
"…I thought I was good…"
"And why do you think you haven't been good?"
"…I don't know…I thought I knew…but I don't know…"
Kyoko frowned, wading through the fog of negativity. She was getting closer to Asuka's room. "And what was it that you thought you knew?"
"…I tried to be happy…I knew it made people feel better, and that made me feel good…so I kept at it..."
"And?"
"I…was reminded of thoughts…of feelings…of times when I was angry, or confused, or unhappy…I thought I was doing good…"
Kyoko grimaced, straining against the door. "Okay. Suppose you get top grades throughout an entire semester in geometry. But there's one homework assignment you don't do so well on, for whatever reason." She pounded on the door with her shoulder. "Does that mean your excellence in geometry is in doubt? That your grasp of the subject is suddenly horrid?"
"No. That's silly, Mama."
"Then why," She raised her foot and began kicking, "do you," bam, "think," bam, "so," BAM, "poorly," BAM, "of," BAM, "yourself?!" BAM!
The door broke in, and a torrent of orange haze blew past, laced with anguish and remorse.
"…I don't know…"
"The Angel's grasp of human thought was poor." Kyoko stepped into the breach, wading towards where Asuka's bed would be. "Time and space, cobbled together without any regard for nuance or circumstance, all judged by the same absolute standard…preposterous! Would you treat a joke and a promise the same? Would you talk to your father the same way you would talk to me?"
"…of course not. You're a woman, and Papa's a man. Silly."
"Exactly. So why judge yourself by the same skewed standard?"
"…I made a promise to you…that I would always be happy…I tried, I really did...!"
"And that brings me to my next point." The storm was at its strongest at the bedside, the proverbial eyewall of emotion. "When I wished for you to never let the world take away your smile, or your joy…did you honestly believe that this meant you would never allow yourself to feel anger? Frustration? Sadness?"
There was hesitation.
"Answer me, liebling."
"…yes…?"
"…hmph." Kyoko shook her head ruefully. "I'll have to wallop my dear Pieter for letting it reach this point. He's always been hopeless when it comes to family."
"…eh?"
"Asuka." Kyoko reached forward with her arms, struggling against the silent gale that stormed around her daughter's soul. "Your joy was always a source of light for me. It still is. But to force the appearance of happiness, even if you feel otherwise…is false. Fake. Fraudulent. I understand that there are times and places when a smile is needed, even if you feel otherwise…but I would NEVER tell you to disavow your emotions entirely. Quite simply: it is impossible to be completely happy all the time. At least, in this life."
"…really?"
"It is the nature of humanity. We have poor days. There are those who are difficult to communicate with, which can cause frustration. These are perfectly legitimate feelings to have! The difference…is in how the individual reacts. They can obsess over petty hurts, or they can acknowledge a problem and find a solution. They can brood over their mistakes, or they can step forward, armed with new knowledge. They can fixate on the troubles of this life, to the exclusion of all else…or they can acknowledge the blessings, and smile through it all, unbowed by a world that would prefer they be broken. THAT, my dear daughter…is what my wish was: that in spite of whatever this life may throw at you, you would find the strength to make it through those dark times with a smile."
"…then…you're not mad at me?"
Kyoko laughed. "Oh, my little liebling…" Her arms broke through the torrent, wrapping around a smaller figure. The woman embraced the eye of the storm, stroking soft hair, the strawberry blonde color shimmering a vibrant red. "…what do you think?"
"…Mama…" Sniffling, the girl reached up, embracing her mother with all her might. The swirling miasma began to die down. "…I'm…"
"Silly girl. For such an intelligent little scamp, you can be awfully bullheaded."
Asuka's face flushed. "Mama! I was trying real hard!"
"I know. And I'm very impressed at how long you soldiered on. But now that you know…you can grow from this. And you will. I know this for a fact. Because I know you."
"…okay." Asuka nodded, sniffling once. "I will. I promise."
"Good girl." Kyoko softly kissed Asuka on the forehead. A radiant light, with all the warmth of the sun, began to overtake everything. "Now wake up. Your friends need you."
Asuka blinked…and opened her eyes.
xxxx
/Reserve Command Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"The Angel has entered the Main Shaft! Units-00 and 01 are in pursuit!" said Aoba.
A sudden ping caught everyone's attention. "What the...Unit-02 is activating?!" exclaimed Hyuga.
The image of Asuka Langley-Sohryu popped up, looking somewhat tired, yet still bearing a small smile. Most importantly of all, her eyes bore the spark of life.
"...Asuka...?" whispered Misato.
"Hallo. What did I miss?"
xxxx
/Main Shaft, Central Dogma, NERV-1/
Tabris slowly descended down the main shaft, his AT-Field effortlessly slicing through the bulkheads that had slid into place. "Hmm hmm hmm...hmm?" The crimson Eva glanced up, watching the rapidly descending forms of Units-00 and 01. "You are welcome to keep trying."
Unit-00's heel dropped down in an axe kick, which was effortlessly parried by the Mark 06. As the blue giant fell further downward, Unit-01 latched onto Tabris's shoulders-
FWOOM!
A burst of pressure slammed Unit-01 into the side of the shaft. Unit-00 - landing with a loud crash upon the next bulkhead - shot back up, its right fist glowing orange. The Mark 06 casually grabbed Unit-00's hand, the force bleeding away as Tabris countered with a right straight to the face. Turning around, the Ascended Eva grappled with Unit-01, twisting the purple titan's wrists and slinging it downward. "I really do wish you would stop." The Mark 06's visor glowed. "The futility should be apparent."
KREEEN!
The two Evangelions barely got their AT-Fields up in time to block the optic blast; the residual energy splash was still enough to melt through the bulkhead, causing the duo to fall further down.
And so Tabris continued his descent into Terminal Dogma.
xxxx
/Reserve Command Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"...huh. Always knew Kaworu was weird...but to be an Angel?"
Misato and Ritsuko glanced briefly at each other before the former said, "you're...taking this awfully well."
"Well, it does explain a lot."
"Pilot Sohryu." Gendo Ikari's tone cut through the entire atmosphere, inexorably grabbing Asuka's attention. "Are you capable of fighting?"
"...yeah." The Second Child nodded. "I am. But I'm gonna need a few things."
"Like what?" asked Misato.
"Two extended battery packs, Olga, and a crane."
"...huh?"
xxxx
/Evangelion Graveyard, Terminal Dogma, NERV-1/
Unit-01 slowly stood, looking warily throughout the dread chamber and eyeing the pits filled with bones. "What the…?" Shinji sounded bewildered, and just a little afraid. "What is this…?"
"These are the first samples. The ones that failed to become a true Eva," answered Rei. Unit-00's lone blue stared up, glaring at the crimson figure descending. "He is here."
"Corpses, one and all, aborted attempts at birthing those with the power of gods," hummed Tabris, lightly dropping down in front of his foes, "yet in the proverbial blink of an eye, the Lilim have crafted the beings you now control. Your kind has much to be proud of." The Mark 06's body shimmered, arms elevating. In sync, the bones began to rise. "But I will not be denied."
A torrent of bones slammed into the blue and purple titans from all sides, their AT-Fields standing strong against the barrage. Tabris waded into the maelstrom, firing a vicious right hook that sent Unit-01 reeling. He then crouched down, delivering a leg sweep that decleated Unit-00 before following up with a downward haymaker that smashed Unit-00 into the ground, the metal crumpling from the force. He stepped beyond the two, gesturing with his fingers; in a thunderclap of motion, the bones plowed into the fallen Evas, pinning them in place.
The Ascended Evangelion strolled through the long corridor that NERV-1 called 'Final Judgment', leading up to the Gate of the Apocalypse. The air was thick with a supernatural aura, leaking imperceptibly past the massive bulkhead. Within the Entry Plug, Kaworu Nagisa couldn't help but gulp. "Just beyond that door…"
The skeletal prison exploded, echoing shrilly within the depths of Terminal Dogma. Units-00 and 01 charged, legs pumping hard against the floor, AT-Fields glimmering like orange comets.
Tabris turned on his heel, hand held out with supreme confidence. His opponents crashed into the octagonal barrier that manifested in front of him, the air humming with an eerie cacophony. "Perhaps this is what I admire most about you Lilim…your tenacity." His barrier doubled. "But you two are simply…" It tripled. "…not…" Quadrupled. "…enough."
SMASH!
The forward momentum of Units-00 and 01 was overwhelmed, the barrier of Tabris's Light rocketing them backwards down the corridor.
The Final Angel returned his gaze towards the Gate of the Apocalypse. With a circular motion and a blazing optic beam, the bulkhead's edges were burned away; a single kick was enough to knock the door down, shuddering with a thunderous finality.
Tabris stepped inside, gazing upon the Second Angel, bound by the Sword of Uriel. "…and so we finally meet…LILITH." The crimson Eva paused; there was a distinctly familiar tinge to the air. One that made him shiver with anticipation and disbelief. "…could it be…?" Tabris turned, glancing up at an armored partition suspended above. "…here…the whole time…?"
With a mere thought, Tabris's AT-Field ripped away the barrier, revealing ADAM crucified, and pinned through the body by the Lance of Longinus. "…well then." He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "If I had known you were here…away from SEELE's hands…" All of the Angels could have attacked at once; free from the threat of ADAM's destruction for such an overt action, it would have been child's play! "…alas. What was, has happened. There is only now, and what will be." The Final Angel reached up, hand reaching for the Lance. "At last…it will all be over…"
"I don't think so, Dummkopf."
Within the Entry Plug, Kaworu Nagisa actually startled. "That voice…" Suddenly distracted from his focus, a familiar Light glowed at the far end of Final Judgment. "…is it you…?"
A long chain – its links glittering orange, sheathed by a finely-tuned AT-Field – suddenly shot at Tabris from the distance, the crane hook at the end latching onto a slot within his armor. Potential energy built up within the chain, prevented from becoming kinetic energy by sheer willpower.
Tabris, mesmerized by that familiar Light, could only stare as the potential energy – after three long excruciating seconds – transformed into kinetic force; tension suddenly took hold, and the Angel snapped backwards with a whip-like crack of air.
BOOM!
Tabris smashed back into the wall beneath the opening to the Main Shaft, shaking his head with befuddlement. Looking up, he already knew who he was going to see. "…my my. This was unexpected, Miss Sohryu."
"Likewise, Kaworu." Unit-02 stood tall and proud, an extended battery pack strapped to its shoulders. The remains of a crane's chain sat on the ground, pooled around its feet. In one hand, it held another battery pack; in another, a gigantic minigun. Dropping the extra power supply to the ground, the red Eva hefted the minigun up with both hands. "We have a lot to talk about."
Kaworu Nagisa, with a mere thought, opened personal communication channels to all three of the other Eva Pilots. Rei Ayanami's eyes exhibited a sense of relief, and Shinji Ikari was struck by disbelief, mouthing 'Asuka...'. As for Asuka herself? She was looking straight at him, blue eyes shining with life, a small yet confident smile on her face. "...I did not expect to see you again."
"Well, I had some sleep to catch up on," joked the Second Child, trying to lighten the mood. "But in all seriousness, the Eighteenth Angel put me through the wringer."
"You have my sincerest apologies. What was done to you was..."
"Wrong? Nasty? I'll settle for 'mean'."
"...that is accurate."
"So, I'm being told that you're actually an Angel. Explains why you were always such a dork." Asuka clenched her handlebars tightly, a strange tension in her shoulders. "Any chance you can turn right back around and leave?"
"...no." Kaworu shook his head slowly. The sense of joy he had felt upon realizing Asuka's presence was fading, overpowered by the knowledge of what he had to do, of what he needed to do. "I must rejoin with ADAM."
"...and what will happen if you do?" Shinji and Rei weren't interjecting in this conversation, obviously sensing that this was something that had to be hashed out between the Second and Fourth Children.
"This existence will end, and I will become one with my source. The entity known as Kaworu Nagisa – Tabris – will cease to be, and all of ADAM's faculties will be restored. Given my memories of Him...it will result in the end of mankind."
"And you're okay with that?"
"It doesn't matter what I want. I tire of being incomplete, of this existential loneliness. In the grand scheme of things, this existence of mine had no meaning." Kaworu sighed, a melancholy smile on his face. This whole encounter was...cathartic. "I welcome the oblivion that has taken my kin. But your species has the right to defend itself: so the choice you have is to stop me or die trying."
Kaworu expected denial. Perhaps a passionate speech about the power of friendship; it would be within Miss Sohryu's character to do so.
He didn't quite expect her to let loose a put-upon sigh. "...that's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard you say, you baka." She actually glared at him. There wasn't any anger or hatred to it, but it was surprising to see. "Do you honestly believe that your existence had no value? That the life you lived had no meaning?"
Kaworu blinked. "...ultimately, my desires were meaningless. Regardless of what I did or did not do...my fate was the same. So yes."
"Du hast den Arsch offen."
Okay. This was not what Kaworu had expected. And the craziest part: there was no heat to it. Her soul still shined with an inherent sense of joy and happiness, despite her outward demeanor. "...um...this is unusually forceful for you."
"I had what you could call an epiphany. So here's what's going to happen: we're going to stop you. I'm going to knock some sense into that dorky head of yours." Unit-02 took aim with the minigun, the barrels spinning with a distinctive whirr. "And we're gonna have a long talk about something called perspective." A flickering field of orange manifested in front of the barrels. "Okay?"
"...I'm sorry, Miss Sohryu." The Mark 06 cracked its knuckles, and the voice of Tabris thundered with conviction. "I will have to decline."
Asuka giggled. "And I'm not going to give you a choice. Shinji! Rei! Let's do it!"
Olga let loose a storm of bullets the size of minivans; as they passed through the AT-Field, the shells were coated, the light sticking with them like protective coating.
Startled, Tabris backed away, grimacing as the bullets shattered against his AT-Field with force far beyond what their mere mass indicated. "Very clever!" Before he could make another move, Unit-01's AT-Field slammed into him, pressing down hard on him, and here came Unit-00 from the left-!
POW!
Tabris was sent stumbling, jaw stinging from the blue Eva's right cross. It had been the first clean hit landed on him. "...two were not enough...and yet with three..." The Final Angel chuckled, the Light of his Soul flickering with each bullet that slammed into it. "Very well then! As I believe you Lilim say: advance towards me, brethren!"
Asuka laughed out loud, even as she continued firing. "You knucklehead! It's 'come at me, bro'!"
"Those mean the same thing!"
"Looks like we'll need to have a talk about your poor use of lingo, too!" Unit-02 jerked its head at Units-00 and 01, gesturing towards Tabris. "Let's go, guys!"
"Understood," replied Rei.
Shinji nodded, invigorated by Asuka's presence. "Right!"
And thus, at the Second Child's boisterous command, did the three Evangelions advance at the Final Angel.
xxxx
/Reserve Command Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Misato Katsuragi's foot tapped impatiently, frustrated by the information scrolling across the monitors. Or, to be more precise, the lack thereof. "This is unacceptable." The monitors focusing on the action kept flickering 'NO SIGNAL'. "And annoying."
"The confluence of AT-Fields is interfering with all of our sensors," answered Ritsuko. "Duh."
"I figured that, Ritsky." The foot-tapping continued. "But I don't like feeling helpless."
"You could settle for having faith in the brats," commented Aoba. "It seemed to be your M.O. against the Ninth Angel."
The Ninth Angel. The orbital bomber that had been thwarted by Operation Shop Till' You Colony Drop. Somehow, despite not as outwardly an existential threat, Tabris seemed far worse. "I know. But I have a bad feeling about this one."
xxxx
/Evangelion Graveyard, Terminal Dogma, NERV-1/
KREEEN!
The red beam sliced through Olga, prompting Unit-02 to drop it. "Well. That wasn't nice," grumbled Asuka.
an unparalleled storm
I know. Asuka – picking up the crane chain – willed Unit-02 forward, AT-Field flaring in opposition to Tabris's.
In the midst of the field of scattered bones, a ghastly monument to death and failure, three Evangelions tried to bring down a lively Angel, brimming with vigor.
Tabris sidestepped Unit-01's punch, elbowing it in the back of the head, moving forward to greet Unit-00's roundhouse. The kick was parried by a forearm, and Tabris brushed his other palm into the blue Eva's abdomen; a mere push was amplified by his AT-Field into a battering ram, sending Unit-00 sprawling. He ducked under Unit-02's flying kick, only to gag as a chain wrapped around his neck. With a pained grunt, his crimson body flared, and his ego barrier brushed against Asuka's own in an attempt to pulverize the chain with mere thought alone. "Versatile, Miss Sohryu!"
Asuka grimaced, Unit-02's feet digging into a metal. With an act of will, she increased the coefficient of friction on the material beneath her Eva's feet, increasing resistance to the Angel's pull.
"And shrewd!" His visor glowed.
KREEEN!
The ground beneath Unit-02's feet exploded, sending the Second Child flying.
Tabris grunted, ripping the chain off of his neck, right as Unit-01 flickered into existence behind him and grabbed him in a full nelson. In the same instant, Unit-00 landed in front of the Angel, delivering a vicious combination of hooks, fists, and knees to his body.
His visor glowed again.
dilute it
Got it! Asuka raised her hand, in league with Unit-02.
KREEEN!
Instead of obliterating Unit-00's face, the laser coated the blue Eva's face with all the effectiveness of a laser pointer. The excess power was vented away as heat, and the air above Tabris began to boil. "An interesting technique!" Instead of trying to block the laser entirely, Asuka's AT-Field had initiated an energy transformation, lowering the laser's peak power by shunting it away as heat. "You are indeed the most dangerous one, Miss Sohryu." Snarling, Tabris headbutted Unit-00, then smashed the back of his head into Unit-01's face. "Your technique and diversity with the Light of your Soul, the artistry…instead of a mere bludgeon, you deign to alter the world according to your whims."
Asuka smiled. "Well, the tougher the opponent, the more I have to give it my all, right?" Her gaze flickered over to her battery timer. Less than a minute left. She turned towards where she had left her second battery pack-
CRUNCH.
With a simple act of will, Tabris's AT-Field had pulverized her second battery pack from afar. "And that's why I can't let you continue. You are too risky for me to let you run freely." Tabris suddenly turned his attention back to Units-00 and 01, who were upon him yet again.
"…no…" Asuka scowled, mind racing to try and come up with another solution. Think Asuka. Think. What's the problem? Armor running out of power. How to get more power? All solutions were too time-consuming. Wrong angle. View it another way. Get rid of the armor. Eva is primarily biological. The armor is not strictly needed to operate.
what are you doing
You already know, Mama.
you can't. the armor protects you from the Eva
Sorry. With no hesitation, Asuka willed Unit-02 to latch onto the armor plating around the shoulders. I have to.
xxxx
Tabris slammed his blue and purple opponents into a wall, drilling them into the metal. Stepping back, he let his Soul spread through the ground; before his enemies could even move, pillars of extraterrestrial steel protruded from the floor and into the two Evas. Soon, they were effectively pinned. "Do be so kind and stay here. It will all be over soon."
Although Rei was soundlessly struggling, Shinji's voice sounded strained. "No…you don't have to…Kaworu! Rrrggh!"
Within the Entry Plug, Kaworu laughed softly. "I don't have to. I must." Satisfied, Tabris turned-
Asuka's soul, in unison with Unit-02's, suddenly grew, for lack of a better word.
Pausing, Tabris turned towards Unit-02; the Eva had ripped off the armor plating covering the thighs, shoulders, scapula, biceps, and breastplate. Unit-02's gray flesh rippled and flexed, as though the titan sensed its shackles had been removed. "...a curious tactic." And a dangerous one.
Asuka's face flashed into view in front of him; the holographic screen revealed the interior of Unit-02's Entry Plug, filled with a strangely visible tension. Yet, despite it all, the Second Child was still smiling. It was a strange expression, with a quality that Kaworu couldn't quite place.
Finally, she spoke. "Shinji. Rei. Kaworu…" Ah. He recognized it now: it was resignation. Or perhaps acceptance. "…it was nice knowing you."
Rei continued to struggle. Shinji managed to choke out, "w-what are you saying…? Asuka…!"
…these are my words. The same tone, the same phrasing, the same sensation: it was a match for what he had said and felt during his oh-so brief visit to her hospital room. The similarity was so stark that it momentarily stunned him.
At last, the Second Child looked up; she didn't look sorrowful in the least. "…goodbye."
Unit-02 jumped forward, extending one hand forward; the molecular bonds in the floor underneath Tabris loosened and weakened, rendering the material more brittle. Ruthlessly taking advantage, Unit-02 swung its opposite hand downward.
SMASH!
The AT-Field-enhanced hammer blow crashed downward, the force easily shattering the floor beneath their feet. And so fell Unit-02 and the Final Angel, into the darkness below.
xxxx
/Reserve Command Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"We finally have a signal!" exclaimed Maya.
"Unit-00 and Unit-01 are both still within Terminal Dogma; no signal from Unit-02! The Pattern Blue...is beneath it?" Miyata blinked with confusion. "Did they somehow break into the sealed areas?"
Dr. Akagi frowned. "Those areas have been off-limits ever since Second Impact." She suddenly shouted, "THEY HAD A KEY WITH THEM THE WHOLE TIME! THE NERVE!"
Misato quickly leaned over the console, speaking into the mic. "Shinji-kun! Rei! Status report!"
"Misato-san! We're trying to get out!" The sounds of Shinji struggling echoed over the speaker. "Kaworu somehow manipulated the metal; my AT-Field isn't reacting with it!"
"It is somehow resisting us. We are trying to physically escape." Rei's voice sounded unusually stern, even for her. "Lieutenant Colonel, Asuka has removed parts of her armor."
"WHAT?!" interrupted Ritsuko Akagi, suddenly possessed of her faculties. "Why the HELL would she do that?!"
"The Angel destroyed her backup battery pack. I can only hypothesize that she did it to get around the power limit."
"Ritsuko?" The blonde turned towards Misato, the Ops Director looking very concerned. "What's wrong?"
"The armor is more than just a means of protection; it is a means of repressing the Angelic nature of the Evangelions. Without the armor, their metaphysical hunger is unrestrained, constantly drawing in other souls to fill the void within itself."
"...what are you trying to get at?"
"It means," interjected Gendo, sounding unusually grave, "that the Second Child is at risk of being absorbed by Unit-02, much like her mother was years ago."
Misato stared. She promptly yelled into the mic. "SHINJI! REI! Get to Asuka ASAP! She needs backup!"
"We're trying!"
"Understood."
xxxx
/Uncharted Area, Beneath Terminal Dogma, The Black Moon/
Unit-02 fought with no mercy.
Tabris parried the flurry of punches and hooks – each one brimming with power beyond anything he had ever experienced in this life – from the red Evangelion, the force of each blow rippling through the tight corridors. The changes in pressure rattled through the hall, disrupting pipes and cracking old machinery; snarling, Unit-02 barreled into him, AT-Field flaring brightly on the wall behind them.
Instead of smashing into it, they phased through, stumbling into a jungle of exotic flora and fauna that had never been seen by human eyes. Odd birds and gargantuan reptiles shrieked as the two titans rolled through the undergrowth, their aura frightening everything away. "This is quite an extraordinary effort, Miss Sohryu!"
Asuka didn't reply. Unit-02 answered by pointing its index fingers at him.
BANG!
Pop went a burst of spiritual pressure against his AT-Field.
BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!
Unit-02 kept miming these handgun motions, 'firing' bolts of willpower at Tabris. The impacts were sharp and severe, cracking away at his AT-Field. Even so, he endured. "But it won't avail you!"
A large octagon manifested behind Unit-02, slamming it forward. Tabris reared his fist, smashing it into the Eva's face. The impact rang throughout the jungle, dispelling the artificial atmosphere around them. The hook had sent Unit-02 airborne, surely enough to render it immobile...
...and yet its eyes flashed, its body coiling with tension as an orange trident manifested in hand. With a swift thrust, Unit-02 stabbed at Tabris.
The Angel barely caught the prongs in his hands, gripping tightly; this worked against him, for his opponent suddenly sent him flying with a wild toss. Tabris slammed into the wall at the far end of the biological chamber, bringing his arms up as Unit-02 charged into him yet again.
CRASH!
The two Evangelions tumbled into a deep shaft, grappling in midair as they fell deeper down, past more doors and massive vaults. The Mark 06's visor blazed with a furious light.
KREEEN!
Tabris's trajectory was thrown by Unit-02's hand, gripping at his neck and jerking at it. Instead of blasting away at the Eva's torso, the beam blazed over the shoulder, burning a hole into the side of the shaft below. They plummeted through the molten hole, falling into a vast desert with rusty-red rock formations. The Evangelions tumbled onto a sand dune, rolling over each other before scrambling to their feet. "Your persistence is admirable, Miss Sohryu." To Tabris, her soul was progressively becoming brighter, her metaphysical essence weighing heavier upon the fabric of reality. However, such a thing came with a trade-off. "But if you keep this up, you will be consumed by your weapon."
Asuka didn't answer. Unit-02 responded by charging, lashing out with glowing limbs that fired arcs of spiritual energy at him.
Tabris ducked under the waves, stepping away from the various kicks and swinging punches. The red Evangelion was a whirling dervish of hands and feet, moving with all of the gymnastic dexterity that the Second Child was known for. "This is a pointless exercise." Tabris gestured with his hand, knocking Unit-02 away with a burst of spiritual power. "Submit!"
KREEEN!
Tabris's optic beam was a second sun, overwhelming the ambience of the artificial light that hung in the false sky of this biological chamber. It slammed into the red Eva, threatening to overwhelm it...but it just. Kept. Coming. "Why?" The splash of energy from impact crept closer and closer, beaten back by Unit-02's AT-Field. "Why won't you stop?!"
Unit-02 suddenly powered through the beam, punching Tabris in the face with a glowing left cross. The Ascended Evangelion flew backwards, each impact against the ground kicking up plumes of sand. The Angel flung his arms out, hands clenching tightly, and pillars of orange light suddenly stopped Unit-02 in its tracks. "Miss Sohryu...why do you keep fighting?"
A communication channel opened within the Mark 06's Entry Plug. Kaworu Nagisa looked solemnly at Asuka, who finally spoke. "Because somebody has to stop you, Dummkopf."
Kaworu's red eyes fell upon Asuka's left arm. Or rather, the lack thereof; in its absence, the girl's red Plug Suit dangled lazily in the LCL. "Your efforts were valiant. But your power, great though it may be, is not enough. And you will be taken by the Evangelion long before you defeat me."
"Looks that way, doesn't it?"
"...please. Stop fighting."
"Sorry Kaworu. I can't. If ADAM was going to be hunky-dory and leave humanity alone, I might consider. Might. But it doesn't sound like that'll happen, right?"
"...no. It won't. He will end your civilization."
"And that's why I have to stop you, you dork." The redhead's smile was sad. "For what it's worth...I'm sorry about Yomiko. I heard the basic details about Zeruel, but not much. Still, even if she was standoff-ish and kinda mean...I know what it's like to have a sister you care about more than anyone."
Kaworu's throat constricted. "Miss Sohryu...you are truly amazing. I haven't felt a single ounce of hatred or fury from you throughout this battle, even though you have every right to."
"Why would I? I don't think you're a bad guy. Misguided, absolutely...but not a bad guy."
"It was an absolute pleasure to know you. I mean that, with every fiber of my being."
"Likewise. You're my friend, after all." Asuka's smile quirked into something odd: a serene yet discerning expression. As though she were in on some joke that he had no answer to. "Growing up in Germany...probably my best friend, if I'm going to be honest."
"Please. Stop fighting. I beg you."
"Sorry Kaworu. I have to." Unit-02 tensed against the pillars of light. "Never expected I'd have to use this...but hey, might as well go out with a bang, you know?"
"...what are you doing?"
"Unit-00 was the Prototype. Unit-01, the Test Type. Unit-02 was the first Production Type, with features they don't have. And I know them all." Sitting up straight, the Second Child grinned. "Can't afford to hold back at this point, right?" And then she spoke with authority and conviction. "Initiate Omega Protocol. Disengaging all limiters. Code word...the BEAST."
Turquoise pylons, crackling with bolts of power, erupted from the shoulders and back of Unit-02; its eyes flashed, and the souls of Asuka and her mother flared.
BOOM!
The orange pillars that had been keeping Unit-02 in place shattered. Tabris winced, warding off the burst of wind and sand; as his vision cleared, he stared at the red Evangelion.
The armor at the jaw had cracked open, revealing a maw filled with razor-sharp teeth. "Unit-02…Mama…" The Eva's gray flesh pulsed, as though struggling to contain itself. "…I give you everything that is mine to give…" The greatest change was the figure floating above and behind the Eva. "Don't hesitate…" There was a golden, faceless goddess, blazing orange, with long flowing hair; it seemed to be glaring at him. "…take." And despite the pain, Asuka continued to speak, straining through it all. "It." Unit-02 leaned forward. "ALL."
And then Unit-02 was right in Tabris's face. So fast-!
A hand wrapped around his throat, and the two shot upwards, the golden goddess manifesting jets of fire beneath the Eva's feet. Upward and outward they went, Unit-02 using Tabris as a battering ram to break through the Black Moon.
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/Evangelion Graveyard, Terminal Dogma, NERV-1/
Unit-00 finally broke through the last pillar keeping it in place. "We must make haste," said Rei.
"Almost...got it...!" Unit-01 kept punching at the stake pinning its other arm in place.
CRASH!
Unit-00 and Unit-01 turned, gazing at the orange and crimson rocket that burst through the floor and through the roof, its mighty roar echoing through the chamber. "…was that Asuka?!" exclaimed Shinji.
"Quick. Follow them!"
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/Reserve Command Center, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"The Angel and Unit-02 are ascending at high speed!" exclaimed Aoba. "Surface breach in three seconds!"
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/Geofront, Tokyo-3/
Out of the ground burst Unit-02, still holding tightly to the neck of Tabris as it shot into the air.
Snarling, the bestial Eva howled in the Angel's face before slinging the Ascended Evangelion downward towards the ground. Through a rock formation went Tabris, bouncing through a cluster of pines and skipping across the ground. With great dexterity, the Angel clutched at the ground, carving a deep trench and slowing down. Huffing, he looked up, and Unit-02 was right there.
SMASH!
A wild haymaker sent Tabris shooting backward again. The Angel barely got to his feet before Unit-02 was upon him, joined by the golden humanoid. The Angel feverishly parried and blocked the blitz of oncoming blows; Unit-02 moved like lightning, and the faceless avatar moved even faster. Tabris roared, shifting backwards in an instantaneous blink as his visor glowed.
KREEEN!
Unit-02's mouth opened wide, and it swallowed the optic beam. As the golden goddess kicked furiously at Tabris's side – cutting the attack short – Unit-02's gut extended, heavy with excess energy. With a deep below, the red Eva returned Tabris's attack tenfold.
CHYOOM!
Tabris repulsed the golden humanoid, raising his AT-Field to block the terrible blast. The Ascended Evangelion, body flaring with crimson energy, barely dodged as Unit-02 struck with batons of orange light, the very air igniting with each swing. Growling, Tabris lashed out with an open palm, blasting Unit-02 away with a burst of spiritual pressure.
Not to be outdone, the golden goddess circled around him, splitting apart into over three dozen orbs of orange that drew in the surrounding air. Heated plasma streamed from the orbs, splattering against the spherical shield conjured by Tabris. As the liquid fire continued to rain down, fueled by ever more hydrogen and oxygen sucked in by the orbs, Unit-02 lashed against Tabris's shield. Its fists descended like hammers, the sheer force liquefying the soil around them.
Before the shield cracked, Tabris reached up grabbed Unit-02's fists. As the two struggled with each other, the Light of the Angel's Soul intermingled with the faceless avatar, forming a torrential whirlwind of spirit and soul and will.
In the midst of the storm, Tabris and Unit-02 fought for dominance. The physical and the metaphysical bled together, and the Final Angel couldn't help but see the image of Asuka Langley-Sohryu overlaying that of Unit-02. The redhead was grimacing, her very essence becoming more and more prominent – more real, more substantial – within the metaphysical plane, even as her physical self wasted away.
Yet, despite it all, she soldiered on. And again, there was not a drop of anger within her soul; only sheer determination.
Kaworu Nagisa had to be honest; it was a privilege to witness, and it was yet another reminder of why the Lilim fascinated him, Miss Sohryu most of all. "Magnificent."
Tabris and Unit-02 headbutted each other. They broke apart, lashing out with their hands; knuckles crashed into knuckles, their movements perfectly mirroring each other. This deadly symmetry continued, picking up tempo as fist met fist, over and over and over.
However, it was clear: Tabris was just a little bit stronger, a little bit faster, and a little bit tougher. Left at that, the Angel would have eventually won.
Out of defiance, the golden humanoid – the soul of Kyoko Zeppelin Langley-Sohryu – erupted with unparalleled force, dispelling the torrent that was Tabris's AT-Field.
you shall not prevail this day
The faceless soul transformed into four arms, and Unit-02's barrage became a bombardment of fists.
Tabris continued striking, even as his body was slowly pulped by Unit-02. Alas, even his resolve gave way to the survival impulse; he crossed his arms to protect himself, straining under the storm of knuckles.
At last, Unit-02's ferocious assault culminated in a simultaneous punch with six fists.
SPLURCH!
The Core of Tabris went flying out of the back of the Mark 06, which quivered under the force of Unit-02's blow before exploding into a fine mist of blood and tissue. As the red sphere landed far in the distance, Unit-02 howled with triumph.
Victory was bittersweet.
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/Reserve Command Center, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"Pattern Blue is diminishing," breathed Maya. "We still have a signal coming from the Angel's Core, but the main body has been completely destroyed. I…I think she did it."
Misato pounded at the nearest console with her palm. "Get me a channel with Asuka. NOW!"
"On it," said Hyuga. "Channel opening."
The interior view of Unit-02's Entry Plug flashed onto the screen. The loose, floppy Plug Suit was bad. The head of strawberry blonde hair, weakly slumped over, was worse. "…Asuka…?" muttered Misato.
The head slowly rose, and many a gasp echoed throughout the command center.
Half of Asuka's face was simply gone, dissolving into orange goo. Despite the horror, her remaining blue eye twinkled with satisfaction, her lips forming a small smile. Struggling, the girl mouthed two words.
'Got him.'
The Second Child collapsed, the rest of her body liquefying into LCL.
Misato screamed.
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The golden goddess faded away, a faint yet sorrowful cry accompanying her departure.
Unit-02 moaned, eyes flashing before it all went dark. Gurgling, the unleashed Eva drooped, going still.
At long last, there was only the sound of silence.
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Elsewhere.
"Tabris has been vanquished," said SEELE-03.
SEELE-01 snorted. "See? Ikari did not hesitate."
"Then shall we continue?" asked SEELE-10.
"Yes. We will start by coordinating with the MAGI. In the event we cannot take control from within…prepare a military offensive against Tokyo-3. Direct any cults still within our sway; incite feelings of revolutionary fervor if you must."
"Hmm. Finishing what the February invasion started?" SEELE-05 chuckled. "How…appropriate."
"Farewell, gentlemen. When we next see each other…it shall be within the glory of our Chariots."
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/Outside Keter, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Shinji Ikari sat on a bench outside of his father's office, staring glumly at the floor. We weren't fast enough…we weren't strong enough…
Not five minutes after Unit-02 had shut down, Unit-00 and Unit-01 had emerged on the surface. They had retrieved the Core of the Final Angel, which was now under Section 2 lockdown. The fate of Kaworu was…uncertain.
Unit-02 had been pulled off of the battlefield. The knowledge that Asuka had been absorbed by her Eva…was hard to deal with.
A firm hand rested upon his shoulder. The young man glanced up, looking straight into Rei's concerned eyes. "It was not just your failure; it was mine as well."
"It's just…Asuka was in a coma for a whole month. She finally wakes up…only for this to happen." Shinji sighed, rubbing furiously at his scalp. "And the thing with Kaworu…" He glanced over at the door leading to his father's office. "…I really hope my father will finally answer everything." He had known for the longest time that outside forces would try and hinder NERV's mission…but who were the 'true enemies' he had spoken of, yesterday?
"It's time." The voice of MAGI-00, Naoko Akagi, echoed from the hallway intercom. "The Professor will see you now."
"…Shinji-kun." Rei stood, holding her hand out towards him. "Let's go."
"…okay." He took her hand; the two Pilots, still clad in their Plug Suits, walked side-by-side into Keter. The cavernous office held a foreboding atmosphere, far removed from that day last September, when Shinji had signed the contract to become an employee for NERV.
He stared at the figureheads of NERV-1, gathered around his father's desk: Lieutenant Colonel Misato Katsuragi; Doctor Ritsuko Akagi; Sub-Director Kozou Fuyutsuki…and of course, his father, the Supreme Commander.
Gendo Ikari was watching them quietly, hands tented in front of his face. "Hello, son."
"…father." Shinji gripped at Rei's hand once – as if to reassure himself – before stepping forward. "…we defeated Kaworu. And now Asuka's been absorbed by Unit-02."
"A true loss, I-"
"Father." Shinji's forceful tone cut off Gendo's response. "I'm sorry, but…if I'm going to keep being a Pilot, I need to know what I'm fighting for." He gestured angrily at the floor, pointing down at a point far below their feet. "It wasn't just LILITH down there, but ADAM as well! Kaworu and Yomiko Nagisa were Angels, and you knew about it, but didn't do anything when they were here! You talked about 'true enemies'; if they're not the Angels…then who are they?"
"…a very weighty question. One that can only be answered now that we're at this late stage." Gendo glanced at Misato. "As the Lieutenant Colonel knows very well."
Misato rolled her eyes.
"Shinji," spoke Fuyutsuki, "everything that is occurring now has its roots in events set in motion long ago. Your mother and your father…they did their best to try and get ahead of it, to stop it. But now…I'm afraid we're short on time."
"The darkness of the world will soon be at our doorstep," ominously said Gendo. "Allow me to enlighten you of the organization called SEELE, and their grand Scenario called the Human Instrumentality Project."
xxxx
To be continued…
Next time…
Episode 31: The End of Evangelion (It all returns to nothing...)
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(And now, we're finally caught up.)
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