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

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/Lymph Node-A, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Shinji Ikari stared quietly at the visage of Unit-01, white hair hanging limply from the sides of the iconic helmet. The mismatched eyes were the most distinctive feature now: although the Eva's left eye was still hidden behind the protective yellow lens, the lens over the right was transparent, revealing the shockingly human iris. The shade of blue was…familiar. Mother…how much have you experienced, trapped in there? Where does Unit-01 end, and you begin…? His right hand clenched into a nervous fist. When we fought the Angels…did you ever feel fear?

"Are you okay, Shinji-kun?"

The Third Child turned towards the First; she had been walking to the access door leading to Lymph Node-B, where Unit-00 was waiting. "...I don't know."

"…you are uncertain about fighting other people."

"Am I that obvious?"

"It is a logical conclusion, given that you have not exhibited hesitation to fight the Angels."

"…I mean, I know that if we don't fight, then they'll kill us. I get that. But…" There was an inherent sense of revulsion at the whole idea. "…is it wrong that I still don't want to hurt them…?"

"...your role as an Eva Pilot has been that of a protector. So has mine." Rei stepped back towards Shinji, grabbing his hand with hers in a firm grip. "However…I am also a killer. And you are not a killer."

"Rei-chan-!"

"It is okay. The ability to kill is part of the reason why I exist. I…have come to terms with that." Though her smile was small, and sad, it was strangely content. "You can focus on protecting NERV, yourself, and me. I will lead the way."

"…you don't have to."

"I know. It is well within my station to demand that you fight as well…but it is a duty that I gladly accept." She paused, tension seeming to leak away from her with each moment. "For your sake...I…I choose to accept it."

Shinji stared quietly at the blunette, inwardly marveling at her strength and sense of conviction. At last, he spoke through actions: stepping forward, he embraced her tightly, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

Slowly, the young nephilim returned the embrace. "…all I ask is that you do not die."

"I won't."

Slowly, they broke apart, Rei's fingers brushing against his. Solemnly, she moved on, leaving Unit-01's cage.

Sighing, the Third Child turned back towards the purple Evangelion, a resolute look settling in his eyes. "Well Mother…here we go again."

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Shinji Ikari quietly moved over to the lift adjacent to Unit-01, the platform ascending towards the catwalk that hung over the extended Entry Plug. The lack of Section 3 technicians only cemented the subtle wrongness that permeated the whole of the room. Under siege, and undermanned, NERV-1 was a shadow of the fortress city it had been built to be. Softly dropping into the open Plug, the Third Child remained silent as it screwed into Unit-01.

The whole process seemed automated and rote; even the normal verbal checklists that were completed with each launch were absent, for everyone was focused on the ongoing assault by the UN. However...the silence was also fitting, in a way. As the LCL filled his lungs and the distinct snap sounded in the back of his mind, synchronizing his very being with Unit-01-

"Hello, son."

Shinji blinked at the interruption, looking at the corner of his vision; a holographic monitor displaying the visage of his father had opened the moment he had achieved a Third Stage connection. The man was sitting in a cockpit of some sorts. "Father? What are you doing?"

"Preparing a contingency. I simply wanted to talk, before you deployed."

"...what about?"

"...I wanted to offer an apology."

"...what for?"

Gendo continued to speak, even as his hands moved over several switches and maneuvered a pair of handlebars. "Everything that your mother and I tried to do to avert the Instrumentality Project involved a great deal of deception and illegal activity. Even if it was all done with good intentions, to ensure the survival of the human race...our efforts ruined many lives."

Shinji frowned; he felt a vague sense of movement as Unit-01 was ferried towards the launch rail. "What are you trying to get at?"

"I once told you that it is the duty of every generation to ensure that their sins are not passed along to the next. Even if it was out of necessity, you and your friends have been made to bear the weight of my own sins for too long...and it's long past time that I live up to that lesson."

we tried our best

"...father..."

"When this is all over, many truths will come to light, and I will have to pay for my part in all of it. There will be trials...and justice will be demanded. Given everything I've done...execution is likely."

Shinji paled. "But-!"

"It's okay," interrupted Gendo. "I understood long ago that death was a possible outcome. If I am sentenced to die...then that means our world will still exist, that life will go on...and I will consider that an acceptable result." The Supreme Commander of NERV calmly removed his shades, and the two now stared eye-to-eye through the monitor. Without the opaque orange lenses blocking his eyes, the man looked...old. No; he was simply tired, and weary. Yet, he still bore a confident smirk, one bearing just a touch of the casual cockiness that his public persona wielded so effortlessly. "Even though the circumstances were far from ideal...even though it was often from afar...it was a privilege, watching you grow. And I will always be proud of the man you've become."

as am i

Shinji gulped, suddenly finding it very hard to talk. The whole situation was coming across as one last goodbye.

"Be good. And live." And with that, the connection cut.

At that same moment, Unit-01 shot upwards along the magnetic rails, and Shinji could no longer focus on his father's words.

Especially when a small voice echoed in the back of his mind with sudden panic.

they're here!

xxxx

/Sakamura's Field Office, Eastern Slopes of Mt. Fuji/

"Sir! Twelve bogies are encroaching on Hakone's airspace from the west! Positive identification: they're the twelve Mass Production Evangelions!"

General Sakamura sneered. "It took them long enough." He had received assurance that the other NERV branches had acquiesced to UN authority, and that they would assist in the subjugation of Ikari's rogue faction. Although part of him was somewhat paranoid at the thought that NERV had possessed so many Evangelions, there was a certain satisfaction in turning them against Gendo Ikari. "Establish a line of contact with their Pilots. They need to be directed to the proper areas."

"All attempts to communicate have been ignored! They're not answering!"

Sakamura scowled. "Hmph." He stared through the bulletproof windows of the field office, watching a dozen distant dots slowly begin circling over Tokyo-3. "And to think they can fly too...what are they up to?"

xxxx

The twelve MP-Evas glided over the air currents, right arms clutching their respective Replicas, which were all in their inert phase. With their free left arms, they all aimed at the city below, relying on the inherent instincts of the Nagisa Twins.

A hazy ripple coalesced beneath the white Evangelions, energy waves flickering as their AT-Fields gathered and concentrated into a single point.

Finally, after a pregnant pause...their combined spiritual pressure burst forth.

BOOOOM!!!

A sudden concussive blast rocked the entire downtown area of Tokyo-3, shattering the roof of the Geofront with all the force of an N2 mine.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

The whole of Hakone quivered, the residual force of the MP-Evas' attack sending aftershocks for miles. The entirety of Tokyo-3 buckled and bent, as the sheer power of the Evangelions' AT-Fields tore a jagged hole almost two kilometers wide. Lake Ashi began to flow into the interior of the Black Moon, and the city fell inward: buildings, vehicles, and belligerents all.

It was a hard rain.

xxxx

This was the sight that greeted Unit-01 and Unit-00 as they emerged into the Geofront: a shower of skyscrapers, crushed cars, and people.

"What...?" muttered Shinji, eyes wide with horror.

"Take evasive action!" shouted Rei.

They quickly backed away from the deluge of metal, rock, and concrete.

xxxx

/Ayanami's Training Grounds, Geofront, Tokyo-3/

"Ah..." The Sniper stared grimly as the tide of water from Ashinoko roared towards him. "...bloody hell!"

Grimacing, David Lowrie abandoned his perch, racing for the nearest access junction that would take him beneath the surface. "Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit-!"

xxxx

/Sakamura's Field Office, Eastern Slopes of Mt. Fuji/

"...they just tore it open..."

"Gods, what kind of monsters are they?"

"All communication with surface units in Tokyo-3 proper have been lost-"

General Sakamura let the words and whispers wash over him. The power of Eva...like that of the gods. Steeling himself, his voice took on a commanding timbre. "The interior of the Geofront is now vulnerable. Direct all long-range assets to open fire; do not target the MP-Eva Series." Now's the time to drive the knife in. "Launch the third wave. All nephilim are to advance with full speed towards NERV. And if they encounter any hostiles along the way...they are to cut. Them. Down."

xxxx

/Miyagino Substation, Nearly 3 Kilometers East of Tokyo-3, Hakone/

Two separate SHOCK units held fast to the rail substation of Miyagino that served as the main transport hub for the area; a mixture of Celestial Centurions and Angelic Acolytes, the twenty-seven remaining cultists had holed up with heavy weaponry, and were successfully warding off reinforcements that tried to break through their ranks. "We have another infantry unit approaching our left flank! Ishibashi, head them off!"

"On it, sir!" Another Acolyte darted past the various barricades, hefting a rocket launcher over his shoulder-

Two black blurs suddenly launched from a nearby rooftop.

CRUNCH.

In tandem, the blurs landed together, their momentum pulping Ishibashi into paste.

"Ishibashi-?!" The commanding officer turned just in time to see a pair of red eyes-

SPLURCH.

A dainty hand pierced his face, killing him instantly.

Within sixty seconds, the entire substation had been purged of cultists.

With a dismissive flick of his hand, the white-haired nephilim glanced at his bonded partner. "Let's continue on Homura. The JSSDF will take care of it from here."

"Very well, Akira." The lime-green-haired nephilim pulled her heel out of the rib cage of a fallen Centurion, scraping the bloody meat off onto the ground.

With deadly speed, they darted westward.

xxxx

/Ashinoko Supply Depot, Southern Shores of Lake Ashi, Hakone/

Gunshots echoed among the warehouses, accompanied by the occasional burst of explosive shrapnel.

Pre-Impact, this depot had been the Ashinoko County Club, a place for leisure and relaxation. By the time the Angel War had rolled around, NERV's militarization efforts had converted it to yet another means to process supplies into the Geofront.

Aside from the three SHOCK units that had been driven back to this place, it was currently defended by three Defender Gundams.

MELCHIOR.31 - Hostiles converging at designated Coordinate Alpha.
MELCHIOR.22 - Acknowledged.
MELCHIOR.6 - Flanking.

Seamlessly, one Defender Gundam turned a corner, opening fire on the armored car that had been slowly advancing. A well-aimed grenade blew the vehicle to pieces.

MELCHIOR had devoted an individual cycle for each Defender Gundam under its command. The hardware upgrades had enabled it to control the P2 System more efficiently, but the effort was still taxing.

The attack of the MP-Evas had suddenly reduced MELCHIOR's available Gundams by over half.

On the bright side, at least it lessened the operational strain.

MELCHIOR.22 - High alert: nephilim hostiles detected.

One of the Defender Gundams suddenly turned, opening fire on the quartet of nephilim approaching. However, a nigh-opaque barrier of orange had manifested in front of them, blocking every single shot. Slowly, yet inexorably, they advanced.

MELCHIOR.22 - Identification match confirmed: nephilim hostiles tied to Ikari_Katsuhito. Designation: LEMON. LIME. PINK. PERRY.
MELCHIOR.31, MELCHIOR.6 - Acknowledged.

Suddenly, their barrier sprouted spikes. With a synchronized thrust of their fists, the barrier rushed forward-

SMASH!

MELCHIOR.22 - Defender-22 is nonfunctional.
MELCHIOR.31, MELCHIOR.6 - Acknowledged.

Within sixty seconds, the other two Defender Gundams were disposed of in a similar manner.

xxxx

Similar situations occurred all throughout the battlefield, as twelve separate deployments of nephilim - twenty-seven in all - descended upon Hakone.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/Shiroganeyama Defensive Line, Less than 4 Miles Southeast of Tokyo-3, Hakone/

POW!

The Jet Alone's fist pulverized the white torso of a Highhawk Gundam, the centurion-esque machine toppling over into pieces.

Mana sighed with satisfaction. "Best. Upgrade. EVER." Her gaze fell upon the wrecks of armored vehicles and Gundams of all shapes and sizes, smoldering and shattered upon the hillsides and wooded mountains. A veritable trail of destruction and death marked the path behind the Burning Gundam. "Sis! How are we doing on power?"

"Fuel cells are down to forty-five percent."

"Forty-five percent? Seriously?!" In the entire time they had worked for NERV in the Angel War, never had the Jet Alone's power supply been an issue. "Geez, this mode is greedy."

Mayumi's eyes focused upon a particular monitor, her lips contorting into a small frown. "The Geofront is being breached, and twelve Evangelions are about to attack."

"Twelve?"

"Yes."

"...well, I know where we're going next."

With a burst of the thrusters, the Burning Gundam took off towards Tokyo-3.

xxxx

/Geofront, Tokyo-3/

Units-00 and 01 slowly moved away from the edge of the Geofront, walking between the rubble and the ruin of the great fortress city. Shinji, in particular, couldn't help but see the bodies: Section 2, UN, it didn't matter...dead was dead.

above

He solemnly looked up at the twelve winged Evangelions, descending and circling above like scavengers.

With a heavy thud, the dozen interlopers set down, their wings folding into their backs. Each one wielded a large bludgeon of some sort, looking more like a slab of iron than a serviceable blade.

be alert

"Be alert, Shinji-kun," echoed the voice of Rei through his Entry Plug's internal intercom. "We can't afford to hold back."

Cementing the image of the dead in his mind, Shinji clenched his fist. "No." He thought of Asuka, and Kaworu. He thought of his friends, and family. If they failed...it would all be over. "We can't."

It was at the point that one of the MP-Evas spoke. "Hah. Only two?" said the one labelled '11'. "This won't be fun at all."

"...you think this is fun?" With a thought, Unit-01 gestured at the entirety of the Geofront, at the senseless destruction. "Literally none of this had to happen."

"Spoken like a true child: unenlightened and foolish," sneered MP-12. "Instrumentality will save humanity from itself."

"...twelve Evas," murmured Rei. Unit-00 tensed up with anticipation. "You must be the ones that the Supreme Commander spoke of: SEELE."

"We are indeed its figureheads," answered MP-01. "We have business below with ADAM and LILITH. Stand aside, and you will be spared; after all, who am I to deny the blessing of Instrumentality?"

"We will stop you." Unit-00 raised its arms and bent at the knees, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

With a flick of its arm and the jerk of a handle, MP-07's weapon twisted, transforming into a copy of the Lance of Longinus. "How adorable. We possess replicas of the true Lance and the true Sword. The Pilot data of our Evas is based off of the nephilim shells of Zeruel and Tabris, strongest of the Angels. We have S2 Organs, with limitless power...what could you possibly do?"

simple: what we can

Shinji stared at MP-07; it was the closest one to him. Inhale. Exhale. A brief thought of Uncle Tomoe came to mind, and he subconsciously balled his fist. "...have you ever thrown a punch before?"

MP-07 quirked its bizarre head. "What does that have to do with any-" Unit-01, in a burst of light, was suddenly in its face. "-THING?!"

POW!

Unit-01's fist sent the MP-Eva flying.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Unit-01's fist sent the MP-Eva flying.

Growling, three MP-Evas leapt at him, bodies thrumming with energy. They swung their bludgeons downward.

SMASH!

The earth trembled at the collision, but they had missed; Unit-01 had shifted over a hundred meters away-

look out!

Unit-01 turned; MP-06's bludgeon had transformed into a twisted zweihander. With a single mighty swing, a wave of power rushed towards his position. Out of reflex, Shinji willed his AT-Field to rise, to be an impenetrable wall-PAIN.

Shinji screamed as the wave brushed through his AT-Field like it wasn't even there. The energy was scalding and blistering, his skin was burning!

"So the Sword does not have to directly touch Lilithian matter to nullify it." MP-06 raised the blade again. "Good to know." A gigantic orange hand suddenly smashed into the MP-Eva, a proverbial sumo slap that knocked it away. The Replica Sword was knocked out of the Eva's grip, and fell into the open hands of Unit-00.

"Shinji-kun!" yelled Rei. Unit-00 skidded to a halt by Unit-01's side, holding the Replica Sword warily; the twelve MP-Evas leered at them, slowly circling. "Stand up!"

Shinji gasped for air, his breath short as the purple Evangelion slowly staggered to its feet. "That weapon…it did something…" The S2 Organ within his Eva churned and burned, regenerating the damaged tissue.

the sword stands against LILITH, the lance against ADAM

"It is the nature of the weapons they wield," answered Rei. "Somehow…they have managed to replicate the Lance of Longinus and the Sword of Uriel."

"Then you understand the implications." MP-01's bludgeon morphed into a spiraling bident, the tips wickedly sharp and piercing. With a harsh motion, the MP-Eva hurled the Replica Lance, aiming directly at Unit-00's head-

A sudden impulse roared through Shinji's brain, stepping up to face the oncoming weapon (it's moving so fast, how is it that fast?). An elbow to the torso shoved Unit-00 aside just enough for Unit-01 to move forward (Mother's voice was yelling frantically in the back of his head, the lance will kill her), and a single, all-encompassing thought embodied his actions: STOP!!!

The Lance slammed into Unit-01's AT-Field…and came to a screeching halt.

Without hesitation, Shinji took hold of the weapon, holding it tightly in front of him.

MP-02 actually laughed. "Ha! How bloody careless of you two, losing your weapons like that."

"It doesn't matter," said MP-09. "The outcome is inevitable." As he said those words, MP-01 and MP-06 stepped away; the other ten transformed their Replicas, half into Lances, half into Swords.

Unit-01 and Unit-00 stood side-by-side, holding their stolen weapons warily. Shinji glanced to his side, mentally opening up a window into Rei's Entry Plug. "…together."

Rei blinked. However, she eventually nodded in return. "Together."

together

As one, the ten MP-Evas swung their weapons.

As one, Unit-00 and Unit-01 lashed back.

KRAKA-CHYOOM!!!

AT-Fields chaotically intermingled as Angelic energy roiled and crackled within the Geofront, boiling away at the very air. Into the storm rushed the MP-Evas, clashing against the stalwart defenders of NERV-1.

Those who witnessed this battle would all have their own opinions, but they would all agree on one thing: this, was a war between gods.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Those who witnessed this battle would all have their own opinions, but they would all agree on one thing: this, was a war between gods.

And that's when artillery shells and rockets, courtesy of the UN, started rocking the interior of the Geofront.

xxxx

/Reserve Command Center, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

The shaking was nonstop.

Misato Katsuragi grimaced, gripping the side of a computer terminal to keep from falling. "Structural integrity?!" she yelled at Hyuga.

"Still holding! Aftershock buffers are still operational!"

Grimacing, the Operations Director looked up; one of the flatscreen monitors was dislodged from its moorings, falling to the floor with a dreadful crash. "Do we have any readings on the battle?!"

"Too much interference! The MAGI can't comprehend any of the signals coming from the Evas!"

"How are our defenses holding up?"

"More units are starting to break through the access junctions," replied Aoba. "The Engineer's sentries are still providing a bulwark, but we've got footage of nephilim approaching Tokyo-3! ETA until the outer defenses fall: ten minutes!"

It was to this cacophony of barely-panicked shouting and rumbling metal that Kozou Fuyutsuki decided to activate Gendo Ikari's other contingency. Raising a hand to his earpiece, Fuyutsuki said, "Agent Kurosawa. Agent Mifune. This is Sub-Director Fuyutsuki. Release the Fourth Child."

xxxx

/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"…understood sir." The black-clad Section 2 agent looked at his partner, standing at the other side of the cot containing Kaworu Nagisa. "Undo the restraints."

The duo calmly began undoing the wards that bound the nephilim in place, their movements tense and uncertain. Understandable: this was the vessel of the Final Angel's soul, and he was mere days removed from assaulting the First Branch. However, orders were orders…and judging by the horrific quaking and echoing gunshots that could be heard down distant corridors, drastic measures were required.

In a matter of three minutes, Kaworu Nagisa was on his feet, rubbing gingerly at his wrists. His Plug Suit felt strangely cramped, as though the material had lost some of its elasticity. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be worn for days on end…oh well. "Thank you."

"Just do whatever the Sub-Director requires of you," muttered Mifune.

"Oh, don't worry…I know where to go."

The door suddenly slid open, and a soldier in the dark garb of the UN took in the situation at a glance. "CONTACT!" he shouted for his fellows down the hall, raising his rifle.

As the Section 2 agents withdrew their pistols, Kaworu casually waved his hand at the soldier.

SPLURT.

The mere extension of his AT-Field was enough to pulverize the soldier, his body splattering against the opposite wall in the corridor.

"…what the…?"

At Agent Kurosawa's dumbfounded expression, Kaworu smiled sadly. "I may be deprived of my true body, but my Soul is still intact…and this form, meager though it may be, is still able to utilize some of my true power." He turned on his heel, slowly walking into the hall. "From flesh unlimited, to a limited prison…but will it still be so, when I reach the end…?" The ashen-haired boy continued on, humming quietly to himself, purposefully ignorant of the bullets bouncing off of his AT-Field.

The sound of gunfire was punctuated by wet splashes.

Once all was silent, the two Section 2 agents peered into the hall…and paled.

The corridor was covered with red, the pristine walls and floor of the Medical Ward painted a macabre color. The only remnants of the JSSDF soldiers were their fatigues, weapons, and body armor, lying limply and bereft of the human flesh that they had once adorned.

And Kaworu Nagisa, the vessel of Tabris, strolled along, with not a spot on him.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/Geofront, Tokyo-3/

a storm of fury and arrogance

Rei Ayanami grimaced as she ducked down, raising her Replica Sword to block MP-02's gunmetal bident streaking towards her shoulder. With seamless dexterity, Unit-00 rolled to the side, barely dodging another wave of energy from MP-08's Replica Lance. With a wordless growl, Rei willed her AT-Field to explode; swinging the gunmetal zweihander around, a wave of blazing orange erupted from her Eva, pushing her five opponents away. Focus.

The entire battlefield was fraught with peril. The energy being thrown about by all of the Evangelions was seemingly warping the air within the Geofront, adding an otherworldly feel to the whole affair.

a single step in the wrong direction

I know. I will cease to exist.

As if their opponents weren't deadly enough, the entire Geofront was being bombed from afar, pelted by heavy shells and rockets. Some exploded harmlessly off of their AT-Fields; the rest smashed into the ground, making their footing ever more treacherous.

Unit-00 backstepped, narrowly missing the downward stab from the airborne MP-04.

behind

Reaching behind, Unit-00's fist slammed into MP-11's throat. The white Eva gagged, the bulbous gray tongue protruding sickly-

RIP.

Unit-00 gripped onto the slimy organ, ripping it out of the beast's maw. "Gah!!! You whore-!"

POW!

A vicious sidekick sent MP-11 soaring.

"Vicious, aren't you."

Unit-00 leapt away from the downward kick of MP-10, the collision sending visible waves through the earth. "And it will not avail you!" The white Eva punched the air, sending massive fists of orange that slammed into Unit-00's AT-Field. MP-08 and MP-04 stepped up from behind, thrusting their Lances forward: twin beams of light erupted, which her Eva barely evaded.

Grimacing, Rei held out her free hand (bleed away the force, convert the leftover kinetic energy back to potential); Unit-00 grabbed a shell before it crashed into the ground. She tossed it (let the energy return to its original state) at the gathered MP-Evas; rather than dodging, they let the explosion brush off harmlessly against their AT-Fields.

...how vexing.

Unit-00 raised her Replica Sword, blocking the strikes of MP-02 and MP-11. The sheer force pushed her back by over a hundred meters; with some annoyance, she noted that MP-11's tongue had regenerated.

...VERY vexing. Rei chanced a brief glance towards Shinji-kun's position; Unit-01 was swinging the Replica Lance with abandon, lashing out with arcs of crackling energy that his five opponents were far more wary of (his lance can kill them instantly if it hits). Thanks to his greater sync ratio with Unit-01, Shinji-kun's method of dodging was to teleport from one position to the next, dodging strikes from the Replica Swords and the UN's artillery. He will be fine. I must trust in him. She looked back at her enemies, who were grinning viciously-

"BOOYAH!!!"

A comet of orange slammed into the side of MP-11, the collision knocking it into the other four. As the Evas fell over in a sprawl of limbs, the comet faded away leaving a most surprising sight. "Kirishima-san?"

The Burning Gundam flashed a 'V for Victory' sign at her. "You look like you need a hand."

"Sister! Incoming!" shouted Yamagishi.

MP-11 roared, fists slamming downward towards the Jet Alone. "Annoying pest!" howled the MP-Eva, slashing furiously at the diminutive Gundam.

Grimacing, Rei willed Unit-00 to advance, only to pause as the other four MP-Evas stepped in front of her. "You are in my way!"

Her enemies leered, and lunged at her.

I'm sorry Kirishima-san, Yamagishi-san. Unit-00 raised its Replica Sword. You will have to face it alone!

xxxx

/Reserve Command Center, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"Give me telemetry on the Jet Alone!" roared Misato.

"Power reserves are holding at thirty-eight percent, and dwindling rapidly!" answered Miyata.

Behind the command staff, Hikari Kirishima stared pointedly at Shiro Tokita. "They won't be able to stay on the battlefield for much longer."

"I know. We couldn't do as much long-term testing of the Super Mode's effect on the fuel cells as we wanted to."

"...it's funny, though. To think this all began with a fight against Eva. And here we are again."

"It's not quite the same though," murmured Tokita, a strangely serious look in his eyes. "The JET ALONE Project was founded to be an alternative to Eva, true...but throughout it all, I always dreamed that the Jet Alone wouldn't just be an equal...but superior."

xxxx

/Geofront, Tokyo-3/

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" howled MP-11. Its horrific mouth widened...

BWONG!!!

...and a stream of concussive force slammed into the Burning Gundam. The Jet Alone's AT-Field flashed, barely holding as it was driven into the ground.

"Fuel cells are still dwindling, sister," said Mayumi, sounding vaguely nervous.

"...hey sis," growled Mana, straining against the sheer force of the MP-Eva's attack, "look up my Finishing Move index, numbers three and five."

Mayumi hastily typed at her waterproof keyboard, pulling up the index in question...and paused, looking stoically at the monitor. "These aren't feasible. Not even our combined AT-Fields would be enough to channel the charged particles-"

"What if we both went into Overdrive?"

"...hmm. It's possible."

"Worth a shot. We're losing power anyway...so we should give it our all!"

"...very well. Let's do it."

"OKAY! ENGAGE HYPER MODE!" The two sisters roared, their skin glowing white as their eyes began to glow.

At that very same moment, the Burning Gundam seemed to shine a blazing gold, its six wings flaring with a ring of charged particles. The Gundam's right hand grabbed the handle of the beam saber, even as it seemed to burn. Through the might of their souls, amplified by the nanomachines of Iruel, they willed the charged particles to flow around the pink saber. "HERE WE GO!" roared Mana. "ERUPTING!" The saber grew. "BURNING!!" The Burning Gundam now held a massive red blade of energy, over seventy meters long. "SABER!!!" With a foreboding swing, the blade slashed through the MP-Eva.

MP-11 gurgled, purple blood leaking horrifically from the diagonal cut. Dropping its Replica Lance, the Eva pressed its hands against its sides, trying to keep itself from splitting apart. "Regenerate...regenerate...!"

"And now for the finisher!" roared Mana. The Burning Gundam deactivated the beam saber, bringing both hands back. Fields of orange hexagons overlapped the burning palms, concentrating the charged particles even more. "SEKIHA!" To all who were watching, it was as though the Jet Alone held the sun itself. "TEN! KYO!! KEN!!!!!!" The Burning Gundam thrust its hands forward, launching the flickering orb of ethereal fire and plasma at the MP-Eva.

BOOOOM!!!

The whole of the Eva's torso burned away, S2 Organ, Core, and all. A putrid gurgle trickled from the beast's mouth...and then it fell, limbs and head scorched to a crisp.

xxxx

/Reserve Command Center, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Misato Katsuragi whistled. "...damn."

Hikari Kirishima blinked. "That was...honestly impressive." She looked over at Tokita...and paused.

The man had the biggest grin: jaw open, teeth showing, and fists held up in sheer, giddy joy. Even his eyes were sparkling. "I am so happy right now," he whispered.

Kirishima rolled her eyes. "But that...is not impressive."

"You cannot take this away from me."

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/Geofront, Tokyo-3/

The Burning Gundam ascended into the air, Mana's haughty chuckle emanating from the external speakers. "All right, who's next?!"

"Sister, we're only at two percent power-!"

Suddenly, MP-06 was right in front of them. It hadn't shifted or teleported as Unit-01 was doing…it had simply appeared from nowhere.

And its fist was about five meters away.

"SHIELD!" screamed Mayumi.

The fearsome hook smashed into the golden Gundam, sending it crashing into the side of the main pyramid complex.

xxxx

/Reserve Command Center, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Shiro Tokita's grin fell. "…well. Shit."

Hikari Kirishima stormed over towards Misato Katsuragi, demanding, "what level did they land on, and how can I get there?" Before the Lieutenant Colonel could even answer, Kirishima added, "and don't you dare tell me not to go because of 'security'. Those are my daughters."

"Wasn't going to." The Operations Director looked over at her Communications and Logistics Officer. "Hyuga, help her out."

"Yes ma'am!"

BOOM!

A sudden blast rocked the lower levels of the command center; through the smoke came gunshots and UN soldiers bearing armored riot shields. Although a few focused on the hapless technicians and support personnel on the lower level, the majority aimed their rifles up at the upper levels where the command staff was.

Before any bullets arrived, they slammed into a translucent field of overlapping hexagons, conjured by one Toji Suzuhara. "Focus…focus…focus…!" he repeated to himself, almost like a mantra.

"Damn it," growled Shiori Aoba, pressing several keys at her terminal. "We still have a few tricks up our sleeves!"

There were several open spots on the walls where no flatscreen monitors hung, and for good reason; they slid open, and out emerged minigun turrets – modeled after the Heavy's dear Sasha – which turned towards the UN forces and opened fire.

The sheer storm of bullets was enough for them to retreat back into the corridor, but not before the armor-piercing shells eviscerated several of the invaders.

"Not gonna throw up," murmured Toji, pointedly trying not to look at the bloody bodies below. "Not gonna throw up…!"

Misato grimaced. "To think they've already made it this far. Aoba, start redirecting any free units to reinforce our position!" Glancing over at Ritsuko, she said, "Ritsky. Any particular ideas in that brain of yours about how we can stall them?"

"Oh, I have PLENTY of ideas!" Blowing out a puff of cigarette smoke, she nonchalantly continued, "but the most feasible one would be to just flood certain sections with bakelite."

Misato nodded. "Aoba, do it. Focus on the ones with the greatest enemy concentration."

"On it!"

And through this sudden onslaught of havoc, Makoto Hyuga finally finished his brief task. "Okay. Follow this route," he jabbed at his monitor, which showed a schematic of the entire base; a red arrow winded upward, bending several times before arriving at the outer edge of the main pyramid, "and you should be where the Jet Alone crashed. This route should be free of enemy activity, but I can't make any guarantees." The bespectacled man reached under his terminal, pulling out a Steyr MPi 69 submachine gun. "Consider it insurance."

"Thank you," said Hikari Kirishima, grateful for the extra firepower. Her pistol was good, but she doubted it would be sufficient if she ran into any unsavory types. She started walking towards the exit door, and she felt more than heard Tokita walking beside her. "And what are you doing?"

"Backing you up."

"You are not a soldier. You'll only get in the way."

"Backup is still backup, isn't it? Besides: the Jet Alone is my baby, so to speak. And since your girls have worked so long with it, they're kind of mine, in a strange sort of way. And it doesn't feel right just standing here, now that they're no longer in battle."

Hikari Kirishima didn't really hear anything beyond 'they're kind of mine.' "Wait, could you repeat what you said-?"

"And besides!" hastily interrupted Tokita, pulling a familiar metal rod out of his jacket, "I managed to swipe my prototype back from Ikari. How can you say no to a beam saber?!"

"…just…stay behind me, and try not to get yourself killed."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/Geofront, Tokyo-3/

Shinji Ikari didn't know how long he could keep up this pace.

you must

Unit-01's every step was desperately planned; the entire world that he now saw was a maelstrom of death incarnate, where the wrong move would get him killed.

(Stabbing MP-03 in the torso: ninety-seven percent chance of death.)

The vision of his Eva saw beyond the physical, beyond the visible, and into probability itself.

(Ducking and diving to the side: one-hundred percent chance of death.)

Swiftly, impossibly, the mind of Unit-01 synced with his own, and he saw predictions, possibilities...maybe even certainties.

(Shift thirty meters backwards, swing Replica Lance in a two-hundred degree arc: thirty-three percent chance of death.)

Unit-01 shifted backwards, lashing out with his stolen gunmetal bident; the arc of energy that erupted from it forced the three oncoming MP-Evas to evade.

This dizzying progression to battle continued on; mere moments seemed to stretch into minutes, minutes into hours, a strenuous test where the only choices were varying degrees of death, and the constant shelling and the endless bombs composed a discordant symphony and it was too much.

you can do this

(Enhanced punch at the ground, sending a wave of rock and soil: sixty-four percent chance of death.)

It's too much.

(Expand AT-Field like a dome, pushing the enemy back: seventy-one percent chance of death.)

i believe in you

It's too much!

(Kick MP-07 in the face, and throw it at the others: eighty-two percent chance of death.)

His options were beginning to narrow down. The combined force of MP-03, 05, 07, 09, and 12 was simply too overwhelming.

IT'S TOO MUCH!

Howling with frustration, Shinji willed Unit-01 to shift backwards by half a kilometer, if only just to get some breathing room. "This is…insane…" gasped the Third Child. This had, by far, been his longest engagement and his most stressful.

The five Evangelions seemed to leer at him.

Then, with a flick of their wrists, their Replica Swords shifted into Replica Lances.

What…?

rei!

They turned…

…no…

…and lunged towards Unit-00, who was still preoccupied with her four opponents.

…NO!

Snarling, MP-12 threw its bident at Unit-00.

Unit-01 shifted-

"AGH!!!" shrieked Rei, the bident piercing her left shoulder and tearing the whole limb away.

-and then Unit-01 was right beside its blue counterpart, eyes blazing with an unearthly glow. "BACK OFF!!!" roared Shinji, AT-Field expanding in a massive, concussive wave. The nine Evas simply raised their own AT-Fields, warding off the force even as it pressed them back. "REI-CHAN! Are you okay?!"

"I'll…live…" growled the First Child. "I can regenerate…the arm…" Slowly, new flesh began to bud from the left shoulder, but not quickly enough, it wasn't quick enough!

"…I don't know if they'll give us enough time," muttered Shinji, looking warily at the nine MP-Evas. Their chuckles sounded cruel.

And as another wave of artillery from the UN careened into the Geofront, the nine Evas continued their attack.

In the back of his mind, Shinji couldn't help but wonder where the others had gone. Weren't there twelve…?

xxxx

/Main Shaft, Central Dogma, NERV-1/

MP-11 had, of course, been destroyed by the Jet Alone.

MP-01 and MP-06, however, were slowly descending deeper into the bowels of NERV, their AT-Fields nullifying all knowledge of their existence…so to speak. Invisible, undetectable by all of the MAGI's sensors …they just weren't there. Even their AT-Fields were masked by the massive metaphysical fluctuations occurring on the surface.

Borrowing a trick from the Devil himself, they had convinced the world that they didn't exist.

Just as planned, thought Keel Lorenz. While his compatriots occupied everyone on the surface of the Geofront, he and Katsuhito Ikari would interface with ADAM and LILITH…and initiate Instrumentality. Soon, it will all be over.

And so MP-01 and MP-06 – the latter armed with MP-11's Replica Lance, taken to serve as insurance – continued their descent towards Terminal Dogma.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/Sub-Floor 20, Secondary Supply Access Junction/

The sound of distant gunfire was…somewhat unnerving to hear.

Shiro Tokita gulped as he quickly followed Hikari Kirishima through the halls; never had NERV-1 felt so empty. "How eerie…"

"Keep quiet, I'm trying to think." Looking at a nearby wall, Kirishima focused on some directional symbols. "Okay, so we turn left here…and we should run into a service elevator in about seventy meters. It'll lead us right into the main complex."

"Then let's go."

The duo turned left, and were soon running over a suspended bridge. Various lifts could be seen suspended to the walls, serving as a means for supplies and parcels to be transferred from floor to floor within the sublevels. They neared the end-

BATABATABATABATABATABATA!!!

They cringed at the sound of ricocheting bullets, coming from somewhere further above. "Damn it!" Kirishima impulsively took aim with her submachine gun-

"KEEP GOING!" yelled Tokita, forcefully pushing her forward as more gunfire rained down on their position.

Entering another corridor, Kirishima looked over her shoulder, yelling, "I had a clear shot-"

BOOM.

A sudden explosion rocked the mouth of the corridor, whereupon it quickly collapsed behind them. "…I…saw a…grenade launcher," groaned Tokita.

"…good eye," admitted Kirishima. "But the two on the level above only had rifles-"

"It was…two from below our level. I…barely saw them before they took aim." Tokita grimaced. "To think so many have made it this far already…this makes the February invasion look like a picnic…"

"Well in any case, we should hurry up before they break through the debris. They're not going to leave any survivors." Hustling over to the trio of service elevators, Kirishima pounded on the button. "Hurry up, we need to keep going!"

Shiro Tokita looked at her – lithe figure, hair wrapped in a loose ponytail, still wearing her JSSDF-issue fatigues – and burned the image into his mind. It's the last one I'll get, after all. "Unfortunately…this is my stop."

Kirishima arched an eyebrow, lips curling with disbelief. "Please don't tell me you have some cockamamie plan, because this is NOT the time to-!" Her objection died when Tokita turned around: there were two pockmarks on his lower back, and the red stain on his uniform was expanding. "…I told you that you'd only get in the way…"

Tokita chuckled bitterly. "Then that means I took a bullet for you. I call that being successful backup."

"This isn't funny!"

"And I'm being deadly serious."

"Did…did you just make a pun about dying?!"

"…maybe."

The middle elevator made a little ping sound as its doors opened. "Come on, we have to get you to a first aid station-" The woman blinked as Tokita shoved a metal hilt into her hands. "What-?"

"Consider the beam saber additional insurance: you still need to get to the girls. Me…I'm just the guy who helped to create their Gundam. You? You're their mother…they still need you."

Kirishima snarled, "this self-sacrificial bee-ess is wasting time-!"

Tokita leaned forward, pecking her on the cheek with his lips.

Just like that, her whole objection ceased. Her entire body froze, for that matter. And that gave Tokita more than enough opportunity to shove her into the elevator, reach for the button labelled '18', and step away as the doors began to slide shut. Bearing a cocky grin, Tokita said, "give em' hell!"

The Head of the JET ALONE Project stepped away from the elevator doors, chuckling grimly at the sound of fists pounding metal, slowly fading away as the elevator ascended upward. "Heh…it's always the feisty ones…" The man suddenly lurched over, groaning at the sudden spike of pain around his torso. "Why is it always the feisty ones…?"

BOOM.

The man smiled darkly as the debris blocking the corridor was blown away. "…oh well…" He raised his handgun, aiming at the cloud of smoke and dust and firing with abandon. "Still worth it!"

He would never learn if he had ever hit anyone, because the last thing he saw was another grenade flying at his face.

BOOM.

xxxx

Hikari Kirishima pounded furiously at the elevator doors, cursing and swearing quite vociferously. "YOU STUPID BASTARD!" howled the woman. "YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!!"

The seconds ticked by, and her frustration bled away, leaving only a deep, gnawing pit in her stomach. "You idiot…"

Furiously wiping at her eyes, the woman huffed, pocketing the beam saber hilt and raising the submachine gun. "This wasn't the time…this wasn't the time…!"

The doors slid open, and Kirishima continued on, purposely ignoring the ache that had settled in her chest.

xxxx

/for a given value of 'resolved'