"Oh, hey, how about this one? Have you heard this story? It's about, give me a second… what was it again. Oh, right! The frog, the toad, and the jar of death!"

You know that one person that you want nothing more than to get away from? We're talking about the kind of guy that just sort of jumps on any opportunity to strike up a long-winded conversation. He probably just wants to hear the sound of his own voice, the narcissistic prick. Well, normally I'd love nothing more than to just say a polite excusal and run away as fast as I can. Sadly, fastened into a seat that's forty five thousand feet above the Pacific and about seven hours away from landing at Narita International, there's only so far someone can flee to.

"So, it goes something like this. Give me some time, mind you. I don't really remember exactly how it went, so I wanna make sure I get it right."

Ah, wonderful, apparently he's decided to take my silence as some kind of cue that I hadn't heard the story before. Well, it's probably not that far off the mark, at least. Of course, I would be perfectly happy to go another several hours without hearing the story. But, it looks like I won't have that much luck.

"So, it seems that, one day, god came around and gave this jar to a toad. And this jar held death, right? Remember how I said it involved the jar of death? Only makes sense that that would be what was in the jar."

'Oh please. If there really is a god, just kill me now. Please!'

"Right, so the day comes along that this frog walks up to the toad, and says 'Hey, warts! Lemme hold that jar!' Of course, the toad is having none of this. I mean, even if you're a toad, you wouldn't want to be called warts, am I right?"

"Right," I say. 'Frick. I engaged him again. Now I'm going to be stuck to listening to him talk for another hour. Dammit.'

"See? Knew I was right!" His face lights up a bit before getting back to his story. "Anyways, turns out, the frog just keeps going day and night, begging the toad to let him hold the jar. Can you just imagine what kind of jerk would do something like that?"

Did he really just… You know, I honestly think he has no idea just how ironic that statement actually was. Of course I can imagine some jerk that doesn't know when to shut up. I've been stuck his this chair next to one since we left Houston about ten hours ago!

"Well, eventually, the frog wears down the toad, and so the toad lets him hold the jar. But, it was only supposed to be for a second. After all, it was toad's god-given responsibility to watch over that jar. But, the frog is all excited about having the chance to hold the jar. So excited he starts to juggle the jar around. It's now that the toad realizes he's made a big mistake and demands the frog give the jar back. And when the frog goes to give the jar back…. BANG! He drops the jar. And can you guess what happens next?"

I just sit there. 'Don't engage him. Don't engage him. Just let this story end and go to sleep. Maybe he'll just shut up already.'

"Ah, come on. Ain't it obvious? Death escapes from the jar. Fills to all corners of the globe. And, just like that, all things have to die."

I nod absentmindedly, closing my eyes and making sure to readjust my headphones. Such a wonderful story. Very thrilling. Blah blah blah. I just want to sleep.

"Oh, hey. How about this one! It's another great story. Bit longer, of course. I hope you don't mind. Something of an urban legend, I guess. Took place a few years back, when they were de-orbiting the space station…"

This is going to be a long flight…

Angel Like Me

First Act

So, I made you listen to that rambling buffoon on the plane ride here, and never even properly introduced myself. The name's Jace. Yeah, it's a nickname, so what? I picked it up a few years back, and it's just kinda stuck. Has a nice enough ring to it, at least. And don't worry, now that I've finally made it to Tokyo, things are about to get interesting.

Here's a little extra stage setting for ya. I'm a Leo, twenty nine at the time of the story. It's late 2015, and I'd made the trip over here in order to catch Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0 (A.N.: Or, at least, I hope it's finally coming out now! Guess we'll see in a few months, no?), visit some friends on deployment, and see how big of a dent in my wallet I can make with shopping. At least, that was the plan. Somehow, things never seem to go according to plan. Hardly even an hour after landing in Japan, my real story is about to begin…

It took me two years to get here. Scrimping and saving, trying to find every spare penny available to me to save up for this trip. And now, at long last, I was finally enjoying my first month-long trip to Japan, the mecca of Mecha. OK, so I always wanted to say that. Just calm down and let me have my moment.

Walking around Akihabara, well, I'm a kid in a candy story to say the least. When I started saving for this trip, I never thought this day would actually come. The lights, the buildings, the people… I'd been to Times Square once, as well as a few anime conventions. I thought that would prepare me, dull my senses at least a bit so that I didn't look like some stereotypical American tourist. Oh man, I was wrong.

"First time in Tokyo?"

I turn with a sheepish grin on my face. "That obvious, huh?"

A dark haired British woman standing behind me just laughed. "You practically ran to the train once you left the airport." She extended a hand. "By the way, the name's Missy."

"Jace," I said, shaking the offered hand. "Pleasure to meet you. But, have you really been following me since the airport?"

Wendy motioned towards one of the nearby hotels with her chin. "I happened to be headed this way. Just had to say something though before I broke away though. Your expression is just too priceless."

My cheeks started to redden just a hair as my ears warmed up. "Oh, well. Thanks?"

"Any time," she says as she looks at her phone. "Blast. It's that late already? Hey Jace, I'll be seeing you around." A second later, I'm gifted with a parting slap on the back that was just hard enough to send a chill right down my spine.

"Uh… yeah, sure…"

With a shrug and a slight bounce in my step, it's back to wander the streets for me. The plan was to find the theater, so that I'd be ready to catch my movie when the time came. It's all well and good to have a map to look at, or a GPS to help find your way. But, when all was said and done, nothing beat actually knowing where you were going.

"Abunai!"

You know how just about every movie that has some near-death experience has that sudden flashback scene? A brief moment in which you can relive your life before it's ended for good. Oh, how I would have loved to have that right now. Trust me, there are plenty of memories that I would love to look back on and relive, seem them as clean and crisp in my mind's eye as they were the day they happened.

But no, that's not going to be the case for me. Instead, looking in the direction of the shout, I am greeted by the sight of a twelve foot Sachiel statue that was being installed for the movie release breaking free of its supports, the beak of its mask pointed right at my heart. Of all the beautiful, meaningful things I could say in those final seconds, my mind is stuck on just one stupid phrase.

"Oh fuck all kinds of duck…"

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"Well, that was certainly eventful, don't you think?"

Female voice…

English…

British accent…

Familiar…

"I believe ironic is the term you were looking for."

Second voice…

Male…

Broken English…

Japanese accent?

My eyes start to flicker open…

Bright light…

White ceiling tiles…

Unfamiliar…

"I could use him. With the right… upgrades, of course."

First voice again…

"We had a deal, Missy. This one is mine."

Second voice…

Angry?

To the left?

I turn my head, blinking away tears from the blinding light. It's some kind of hospital room, I guess. Can't be too certain.

"Don't get your knickers in a bunch, Adam. I will uphold my end of the bargain, if you uphold yours."

That was definitely Missy's voice. I was sure of that now. But, who the hell was this 'Adam' she was talking to? More importantly, wasn't I… wait… The statue! I sat up in an instant, my hands bolting to wear the beak would have pierced my chest. The area felt hot to the touch and seemed to have the faintest of red glows, though there was no sign of any suture marks. In fact, there really wasn't any sign of a wound at all.

"Well then, it seems out time in this limbo is up," I heard 'Adam' say. "Our 'patient' is awake."

"Oh, don't worry, sweetie. He be falling back to sleep very shortly."

What were they talking about? My heart was beating a good thousand times a minute, pure adrenaline being pushed through my veins. There was no way I could fall asleep again now. Not even with that gas that was quickly filling the… ohh…

The last thing I saw as unconsciousness reclaimed me was a single pair of blood red eyes…

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"I must say, these… pancakes, was it? Exquisite! How those lilin ever decided that combining such simple ingredients would make something do wonderful, I can never understand."

Have you even had that feeling that you have absolutely no idea how you got somewhere? Or, to be more exact, you have some vague idea of the means, but absolutely no recollection of how it happened? Sort of like when you're out for a walk and end up two miles away from the last known landmark. Multiply that feeling at least ten-fold, and you'll have a pretty good idea how I'm feeling right now.

I remember being in Akihabara.

I remember the collapsing statue.

I remember that otherworldly hospital room, for lack of a better description.

And I fully well understand that I am currently sitting in some kind of waffle house.

How, exactly, I got from A to D, though. Well, there, I have absolutely no clue. But, right now, there are a few more pressing matters at hand. Specifically, the individual sitting across from me at the table. Human male, though I'm sure we all know exactly how loosely I am using that term here. Roughly fifteen years of age. Alabaster skin. Smokey grey hair. Blood red eyes. And that free use of the term "lilin" and their creations. As impossible as it may be, there's only one being that fits that description.

"T… Tabris?!"

"Tch. Now now, brother. You shouldn't be so free to use my name here. The lilin might hear. And besides, there's still quite some time before they need to concern themselves with that name. Please, for now, call me Kaworu."

Part of my mind was focusing on the fact that there was no way this was real, that it was all some kind of delusion while in a medically induced coma fueled too many visits to . Another part of my mind couldn't help by think that I could play the hero and end the Seventeenth right here. Sure, I wouldn't have any real fame or glory for it. Heck, I'd probably end up locked up in prison. Or worse, when SEELE found out. And then, there was the small part of my mind that was hanging on Tabris's choice in words, "brother" and "those lilin" chief amongst them.

"So, let's get right down to business, Mikhael, shall we?"

"Wait… What did you just call me?" I blinked in surprise. Let me make one thing clear. I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church. I know my angels. Michael the archangel, literally "He who is like god", viewed as the defender of the Jewish people, and often by extension the defender of all humanity. Some sects actually cite him as one-in-the-same as the Angel of Death from the Passover story. But, that didn't explain why he would call me by that name.

"My apologies, brother. I had forgotten that you only just woke up."

"And would you quit with the whole "brother" thing! I'm not like you. I'm human! I'm lilin, dammit!" My anger, mostly fueled by my own fear and confusion, boils over and I slam both hands against the table as I stand up. And the final shoes drop. I'm 6'4, so I should have been looming over the seated angel. Well, I guess I really should say that I was 6'4, because now I was just barely looking over the top of his head. Not only that, but looking at my hands, I came to the realization that my usually bronzed skin was now just about as white as Kaworu's.

"It seems you're starting to understand," Kaworu said as I slumped back into my seat. "As confused as you may be, you have been reborn in this world as the vessel for the soul of the third Adams, just as I am the vessel of the first. So, as you can see, you are, in matter of fact, my brother."

"Then I… well… Jace is…"

"Dead," the angel said, without any hint of emotion.

I sigh. "What would you ask of me… brother?"

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

Just southeast of Challenger Deep, he stirred.

Driven by a need to complete his father's work, the fourth Angel began his march on Tokyo-3.

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"Alright, let's be honest here. There's got to be at least two full tank battalions lined up on the ridge line. Who knows how many hidden artillery mounts and rocket buildings. Then we've also got the second home defense fleet stationed in the harbor. Oh, and did I forget to mention the fact that there's probably going to be three wings of VTOLs launched from the neighboring airfields?" I was mumbling harmlessly to myself as I wandered around the empty streets of Tokyo-3. With the special advisory already going off, everyone with any sense was in the shelters. "Oh! And how could I forget the N2 mine? Or the mighty Evangelion? Sachiel's going to be watched like a hawk and hounded by both the JSSDF and NERV from the moment it breached the bay. How am I supposed to get close to him?"

This was ridiculous. Look, I'm not going to deny, there was always a part of me that wanted to get stuck into one of these stories. But I always saw myself as one of the pilots, ya know? Pretty sure most every writer of Eva fiction had that slight desire to climb into an entry plug and beat the ever-holy snot out of the angels. Maybe find a bit of romance along the way, maybe do what they could to fix the shattered souls they met along the way. What do I get though? I'm drafted as a bloody grim reaper for the souls of the Angels!

"Excuse me, Mister…"

My best option was likely going to be to ground zero of the N2 mine. Well, assuming I could somehow survive the blast, and make it in and out of there in about two minutes, I would be able to get the job done while surveillance was down.

'Oh come on, Mikhael. What kind of pipe dream is that?'

"Please, Mister…"

There was no way around it. The only viable path that lay before me was going to be to take the light of Sachiel's soul sometime during the fight with Unit-01. Was it going to be dangerous? Well, yeah. There was no question of that. And, odds were, he would be spotted by NERV's camera recording the entire incident.

"Please help me… I'm lost."

Actually, it would be a bit of a gamble, but if I was able to get there while Unit-01 was going berserk, then maybe NERV staff would be more concerned with the pilot than an albino at Sachiel's feet. Sure, given time, they'd likely filter through the footage. But, with any luck, they won't be able to find me by then.

"Please…"

So, I guess that'll be my course of action. Bunker down somewhere, and await Unit-01's ill-fated first sortie. Was it the best idea? Of course not. But, there really wasn't any other option. And Tabris had been clear. I needed to gather as many souls of the Angels as I could. The third was already lost to us by now, killed, once again Kaworu as had said, by Mari up at Bethany Base.

'Is that… crying?'

I looked around, for the first time actually broken out of my one-track mind, to find a little brown-haired girl, probably about nine or ten, running down the street away from me.

"Now, why would a little girl be all alone out here… during… a… Oh hell…"


A/N: Welcome to the start of a three-night mini-series! Something a little different for me, right? Three different shows I love tossed into a blender, and you've got this little 'masterpiece.' Props to those that can properly guess all three. Mostly, this is just meant as a fun little writing exercise that I wanted to share with y'all. Of course, you're also welcome to look at it as a kind of pilot for a new series, in the sense that if I get enough of a demand, I'll pick up the story as a full series.

And that brings me to the other point of writing this: To make a note for fans of my other series.

In Your Father's Shadows: Cloaks and Tridents – The one-shot that I promised for the end of May has been indefinitely suspended. There were certain elements of the story that, no matter how hard I tried to iron them out, they just stayed wrinkly. So, I'm going to step away from it for a while and return in the hopes that, later on, I can actually make it work. Since I don't know how long that break will be, I don't really want to make any promises.

Third Time's the Charm – If all goes smoothly, Chapter 4: Meltdowns is slated for release on the first of August. From that point on, we should be back on our regular schedule.

Dein Vater – If all goes smoothly, Chapter 8 is slated for release on the eighth of August. Like TTtC, from that point on, we should be back on our regular schedule.

What am I doing between now and then? Well, I'm hoping to actually build up a small buffer of chapters so that, if I should feel the need to take another mental break from writing, I won't actually leave y'all hanging in the wind and waiting on baited breath. So, see you tomorrow for Act 2!

JaceSterne