Carpe Diem

by Brotherhood56

Book Three of Together We Stand- Final Saga of Shinji/Hikari (Read Author Notes First before reading)

Author's note (Very Important!)

This is Not my story, this story is a continuation of Hikari x Shinji saga, courtesy of Author Hotwire, which by now, been 16 years since he last updated on this Site. Unfortunately, he put his third story on his site (which is taken down) and it been move around and the last time I saw was at fanbard, which is not there anymore for some reason.

I only copy this story on web archive of their defunct website which you can only find if have read the previous story and know where to look, which is unacceptable because it's such a great story and the third series does not deserve to be on some obscure website when the other two is on here. Sadly, I cannot contact the original author since he has no contact information to give me a permission to publish and thus only hope that he approved if he is still with us.

So once again, this is not my story, all credits goes to Hotwire and read his previous two stories to make sense of this story and no, I not publishing this for attention, but for chance to give this saga to rest and for the niche Hikari x Shinji fans to enjoy hotwire work.

(EDIT: I found some problem on formatting and currently trying to fix this, unfortunately, it 4 am and I really need a sleep so wait until tomorrow or later to get this right.)

Disclaimer(for you hotwire): I do not own evangelion, all properties belong to Gainax and Hideaki Anno.

Chain Lightning Studios Presents

Together We Stand: Book Three

Carpe Diem

By T. L. Webb

and I'm waiting in this cell

because I have to know

have I been guilty all this time

Stop

Pink Floyd, The Wall

[]=======================[]

Book Three; Part One

[]=======================[]

"Leave me alone!" shouted Shinji as he ran towards the next

cab of the train. Reaching the door, he dashed through it and, as

he did so, grabbed the handle- slamming it shut behind him.

Panting more from the shock of what he'd just heard rather than the

exertion, he turned and slid down the closed door to the floor.

Finally feeling some degree of safety, he closed his eyes a moment

to catch his breath.

When he finally worked up the courage, he turned and slowly

peeked over the window to the cab he'd just left. To his surprise-

it was totally empty. Startled by this, he stood up and began

looking around through the window at the edges in order to see if

perhaps they were hiding at an angle he previously couldn't see.

"After all you have been through, why do you still run from

yourself?" a soft, familiar, and feminine voice asked him.

The voice had come from behind.

Slowly, he turned to face the speaker. This brought another

shock.

The owner of the voice was a flickering double image of a

human figure that his eyes couldn't reconcile. It was as if two

overlapping persons were flashing back and forth to take one

anthers place. To look at it for more than a moment made his

head hurt. Realizing that there was nowhere to go, and not wanting

to return to the other cab anyway, he resigned himself to facing this

blur in a human shape.

"Why did you run? It asked again- it's faces moving in and out

of focus as it spoke.

"I... I don't know," Shinji told it cautiously, "maybe I just

needed a moment to think."

"To think..." the figure mused as it turned slightly and took hold

of a handrail, "what was there to think about? I believe the

questions asked were rather simple."

"Bullshit!" Shinji shouted- surprising even himself with his

anger, "I didn't want to kill him! He didn't deserve to die! There

had to be another way!"

"Yet there was not time to discover this," the shifting figure said

as Shinji suddenly caught a glimpse of blue in the hair followed by

brown and back to blue.

"Who are you?" he asked as he took a step toward the person.

"I thought you knew," she said, her eyes flashing with flecks of

alternating red and blue.

"No, I... I don't think so..."

"I am the Rei Ayanami in your mind," she told him as for a split

second her face came into focus.

[]====[]

[]====[]

'Years of hard study,' Ritsuko thought as she walked toward

her office, 'awards of excellence form half the academies of

science worldwide, a masters in electronics, qualification as a MD,

and programmer of the most advanced biocomputers in human

history... and I'm still nothing more than a pawn.'

Was it irony? Was it tragedy? The entire long sick and twisted

path was reaching an end, and she didn't even know what her role

in this whole game between her lover and Seele had been. After

years together, she didn't even understand the man, and she was

perhaps one of the few in a position to be able to begin to do so.

In a way, she figured, the entire thing was comedy.

Ritsuko turned the corner and when she saw Misato waiting by

her door, she almost went the other way. There was a look in her

old friend's eyes that screamed danger. Yet even though she

suspected that nothing to alter the course was possible, she

wondered if she could turn the anger Misato felt for Nerv around

to her advantage.

In the hours since the Seventeenth rampage through Terminal

Dogma, Misato had been totally silent on the matter, but the looks

that she'd given spoke more volume than any words. Misato had

lost all trust for her. She was fed up with having to guess what

she was being kept from. Even before She'd taken Misato down

into Terminal Dogma, her friend had been slowly becoming aware

that there might be a larger pattern behind the war against the

Angels- a deeper purpose... or worse yet, a design. It had been

becoming more and more obvious that Misato's annoyance at the

dodges and half-truths was becoming rage.

Ritsuko only got within three feet of her one-time friend before

she found out just how angry she really was.

As she was slammed into the wall of the hallway, she had to

fight in order to resist laughing. This was a lot easier said than

done, however, and she did not manage to repress the grin that

spread across her face like the spilled coffee flowing away from

her shattered mug on the floor.

Laughing at that moment would be potentially deadly for her, it

was totally inappropriate, but she simply couldn't help finding the

entire situation hilarious.

Misato had finally decided to stop playing her part of the

obedient game piece. This was being made painfully clear by the

fact that she was holding Ritsuko up against the wall by the throat.

The fire in her eyes could have possibly pierced an AT field.

"Ritsu, I swear to _God_ that if you don't wipe that smirk off

your face _right_ now I am going to put you through this wall."

"Really, Katsuragi," she said, this time not able to hold back a

chuckle, "let's try and be realistic- these walls are at least a foot

thick."

"You don't think I'm aware of that?" growled Misato, "I might

not manage to put you through, but trying would provide some

seriously needed stress relief. Now, tell me why you didn't report

these synch rates to me!"

Ah, so that's what had set her off.

"Fine, if you'll let me have enough air to speak I'll tell you,"

she said suddenly calm, "I don't see how the explanation could

make the situation any worse than it already is."

"Damnit Ritsu!" Misato yelled, "I am so sick of this riddle

game! Stop dancing around it and just tell me the truth!"

"For God's sake Misato," Ritsuko said as she was let back

down, "lower your voice before someone hears us, I'm taking a

big enough chance _without_ tipping Section Two off."

"Fine, lead on, but you're going to tell me everything. No more

secrets."

"On your own head be it," Ritsuko said with a knowing smile

that Misato couldn't see.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"W-what?" squeaked Shinji as he stepped back away from

the flickering dual image. Unfortunately, he'd forgotten that his back

was against the door and he bumped into it- startling himself

further, "what do you mean by that?"

"This is how you see me in your mind, Shinji Ikari," the shape

calling itself Rei told him, "did it not seem odd that you saw your

own inner self as a small helpless child?"

Shinji started to speak, to deny, but instead turned back to

look at the path he had come from. There, in the center of the

previously empty train cab, stood the boy in question. This time he

stood with his shirt torn, beside him a bag of clothing and

possessions.

Suddenly, for a split second, there was another him standing

there. He could just make out the Plugsuit as the shape blinked

back to the shape of the boy.

He turned back to Rei, and began to recognize the other image

that was momentarily superimposing over her own.

"I never thought if it much I guess," he said, "but why did it

change just then? And why am I seeing you as... her as well?"

"The Shinji Ikari in your mind is slowly changing because you

are growing as a person. In fact, it has only been recently that your

younger self again became the dominant one."

"The last few Angels," Shinji whispered, "I couldn't do

anything... and now Kaoru... what he- what _it_ did to Asuka..."

"Yes," said the Rei in his mind, "you felt you were helpless to

protect her, to protect all of us, and your view of yourself changed

accordingly."

"But that doesn't explain you," Shinji pointed out, "why are you

changing like that?"

"Because of what you have learned about the real Rei

Ayanami's origins. You are seeing us as the same person."

"I am?" he asked- suddenly he found himself lying in a

hospital bed with the real Rei sitting beside him.

"Well... that's good for you," she said as the room shifted back

to the train.

"I am!" Shinji whispered in wonder, "I don't understand... how

does she know these things? Memory doesn't work like that, she

couldn't have memories of the person she was cloned from...

could she?"

"Watch," Rei said as she pointed out the window.

Suddenly he was at the observation tower of the wire cage

looking down at Unit One. On the monitor the real Rei was sitting

in the entry plug. As the activation proceeded he could hear

Ritsuko over at the console. As his past self stood at the window

He walked over closer trying to make out what she was saying.

"We're getting an odd backflow," Maya told her, "but nothing

dangerous- It's nothing like what we got with Unit Zero."

"But what is it?" Ritsuko mused, "could it be some kind of

contamination?"

"I don't think so, the pulses are way too similar to her own

spectrograph readings for that, I think it might just be Unit One

adjusting to the new pilot,"

"Alright, but keep an eye on it," she flipped a switch and Rei's

face came up on the monitor, "so how does it feel to be in Unit

One's entry plug for the first time, Rei?"

"It... smells like Ikari," Rei replied.

"I don't understand," said Shinji as he watched, "I remember

being here, and I remember hearing them whispering, but I never

made out what they were saying!"

The Rei on the monitor began to shift like the one in the train

and spoke to him.

"Yet, you did hear them speak. The information was locked in

your subconscious memory of the day. Anyone can revisit a

memory if in the proper state of mind. Hypnotists assist people to

do so every day."

"I suppose that makes sense, in a way," he agreed with a nod,

"But what does that mean? How did my mother's memories get

into Rei?"

Suddenly he found himself in Unit One's entry plug. The LCL

was cloudy, and hard to breathe. He remembered this- it was

when he'd been swallowed by the shadow of the Twelfth Angel.

Then it all came to him in a giant leap. He remembered what

had happened next even as the memory surfaced. He could see

the serene figure flying to him. The features began to crystallize in

his mind and the final piece of the puzzle was locked in place.

"You may not remember it," he could hear Ritsuko's voice say

that night down in Terminal Dogma, "but you were here when your

mother died."

"Mother," he whispered as the face floated above him and the

truth finally became clear, "you're in Unit One!"

[]====[]

[]====[]

"How is he?" a voice from behind inquired- startling Hikari

from her thoughts. She looked up from her chair beside Shinji's

bed and found Rei standing a few feet away. It wasn't the first time

she'd seen her since they'd given her the photo album, but it was

the first time they'd been alone, and Hikari wished she were more

alert for it. She hadn't slept since Kaoru's attack.

"He... he's stable," she said as she tried to focus, "the fall

broke a lot of his ribs and knocked him out... he almost punctured

a lung."

"Has he woken?" asked Rei as she walked around the bed to a

chair that was on the other side.

"No, they don't know when he will either. Its kind of funny... I

think this is the same room I was in."

Rei looked away towards the window and there was a touch

of sadness to her manner that Hikari only noticed because she was

actively trying to pay attention for such a shift.

"Oh... I'm sorry," Hikari told her as she stood, "do you

remember it?"

"I remember failing to activate Unit One, and then attempting to

defeat the angel with an N2 mine, but much of it is a blur of fleeting

images."

"What about the thirteenth? That was where I got hurt."

"I... I remember- I remember that I hesitated for fear of your

life... I believe I considered you... a friend."

"Rei," Hikari said fondly, "there isn't any reason you couldn't

still be."

"I... thank you," Rei said- her eyes wide.

"I imagine what you're going through must be strange," Hikari

said as she sat back, "I hope that the photo album helped a little."

"It has helped more than you could know," Rei told her with a

small secret smile- which Hikari was just barely awake enough to

notice.

"Hey," she said with a tired grin, "I think that's the first time

you've smiled since the explosion."

"Perhaps that is true," Rei said thoughtfully, "I have been so

caught up in remembering the past that I am sometimes unmindful

of the present... if so, I have you to thank, Pilot Horaki."

"Hikari," the tired girl said as she laid her head down on the

side of Shinji's bed, "you can call me Hikari."

Her eyes began to close, and as Rei stood, she looked down at

the two slumbering children who had once been her friends. Pilot...

Hikari was correct, and incorrect in her statement before. She had

been their friends, and as much as she wished to still be so, she

knew that there was no time left for that.

Even so, she was grateful for the feelings and meanings behind

the gesture, and she paused a moment to place Hikari's hand on

top of Shinji's. After doing so, she took a step back and smiled-

this time sadly- before walking out of the room.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"You _knew_?" Misato screamed at Ritsuko, "you _knew_

that _thing_ was an Angel and you still let him waltz around like a

God damn tourist?"

"If you'll quit spitting in my face for half a second, I'll explain

it to you, Misato!" countered Ritsuko, as her friend spun around

and fell back into her chair.

"Now, as I was saying, I suspected that Nagisa was an

Angel- not knew, suspected- after the tests. I couldn't say

anything then Misato, there were too many people watching this

event for me to even think about it."

"Seele... They sent the brat, didn't they? Did they know what it

was?"

"They'd have to; he was part of the nephilim project."

"I think I've heard you drop that name before- just what is it?"

"I'd have to explain a lot more than that for you to understand,

Misato."

"We're not moving till you do."

"Ok... it's like this; you've heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls,

right?"

"Yeah, they found 'em back in like 1940 something or other

right?"

"Correct, but not all the findings were made public. Only a

small portion was revealed, the rest was spirited away by private

collectors and other greedy bastards who wanted it for their

collections... but the most important documents were nabbed by

Seele."

"Just how long have these assholes been around?"

"You've heard of the Masons, right?"

"Yeah, those stoneworking guys, I think a bunch of them

founded the US."

"Near as I have discovered Seele predates even them. They've

been around for a long time, Misato... and they've been waiting for

something."

"For what?"

"That's the kicker, I don't know if they really had any kind of

direction before they found the scrolls... I don't have enough

information to guess, but since then, at least, their chief goal has

been the instrumentality of the human race."

"The _what_ of the human race?"

"Do you follow the scientific journals much?"

"Only what pertains to my job."

"Well, there's been a running theory for about thirty years or so

that maybe human kind is an evolutionary dead end."

"Huh?"

"I mean, where is our advancement? What has changed in the

millenia since we started keeping records? What will be our next

phase of evolution?"

"... don't look at me, I was never that big a follower of the

theory."

"I guessed that from your favorite piece of jewelry," Ritsuko

dryly said as she nodded at the medallion Misato wore so often.

"Kay, so why are we talking about this? What does it have to

do with that little shit, Kaoru?"

"The Dead Sea scrolls that Seele procured included a blueprint

for an evolutionary step that mankind could take. Those blueprints

were done in such detail that it scared most of them silly, and

drove a couple of the members mad."

"I can kinda see that, I mean, how could a two thousand old

year parchment have that kinda info?"

"It wasn't just that Misato, the scrolls told them what mankind

have to do to obtain this form, and at the time they didn't have the

technology necessary to accomplish it."

"Wait... you're talking about the Evas aren't you! You mean

those two thousand year old scrolls were talking about genetics?"

"More than that Misato, they contained mathematical equations

that blew anything that had been done up to that point not just out

of the water, but out of the atmosphere. It was like discovering

E=MC2 in the Bronze Age. Computers were just a twinkle in

mankind's eye, and while the math held up, it was decades before

it was all deciphered."

"Holyshit."

"And then some. But that wasn't what blew their minds. It was

the prophecies."

"The what?" Misato gasped.

"Imagine how they felt," Ritsuko said with a grin, "there they

were- men of science- reading mathematics more complicated

than anything they'd ever seen, a blueprint to mankind's next

evolutionary phase, and suddenly here are a list off all these

Angels."

"Probably stained their shorts."

"I imagine a few did. I only have second hand information from

the commander, but I understand that each of the angels was

predicted, as was the order in which they would appear and the

given name."

"Okay," Misato said with a little confused frown, "so what

exactly _is_ the deal with all the religious stuff?"

"Hard to say. The scrolls _were_ kept in the same series of

caves as a great deal of religious text...but, as much as _part_ of

me might wish to, the scientist in me doesn't want to put too much

emphasis on that point."

"As creepy as it is I understand. So... what else was in these

blueprints?"

[]====[]

[]====[]

Kensuke woke up to the sound of Touji's snoring. Unable

to go back to the sleep due to the awful din, he groaned and

rolled off his futon. Crawling into the bathroom to escape the noisy

rumbling he decided that while he was up he might as well make a

morning of it. Once he'd finished his morning shower, he quickly

grabbed his laptop and hurried to the living room.

Checking to make sure everyone was asleep; he plugged in

and hopped online.

There were several Emails, but the one that caught his eyes

first was the one from TetsuShojo- his girlfriend, Mana. It was

the first he'd heard from her since their date a few days before,

and he had been getting nervous that he'd done something wrong.

Crossing his fingers, he opened the file and began to read.

Dearest Kensuke,

I am sooo sorry that I didn't get back to you

sooner, but things have been way past chaos here,

and I haven't had any computer access until now.

First off, I had an unbelievably delightful time on

our date! You are a total sweetie and meeting you is

the best thing that has ever happened to me! Its been

a very long time since I've had that much fun, and I

will treasure those memories _and_ that kiss for the

rest of my life.

By now you may get the idea that I'm building

up to some bad news... I have to say that it could be-

and No, I am not breaking up with you! So get that

idea out of your skull right now! Is it gone? Good.

You're stuck with me as long as I can keep ya,

Kensuke =^_^=

Ok, now you're getting all worried about that bad

news aren't ya? Well it's like this... I've been kinda

dishonest with you. I said I worked at that UN factory

where they were building the Trident robot series

right? Well I do, but not as a secretary like I said.

I'm one of the pilots.

I didn't say anything at first cuz I was afraid we'd

trip the security net... then I got worried cuz all your

friends were getting hurt and I didn't want you

worrying about me. I also really have no idea why

they have us as the pilots- me and the other two

goofballs that are in the program that is. We're all

about the same age, give or take a couple of years,

and the only thing I can think of is that they figure we

can think like the kids piloting the Evas.

Why would we have to do that? Well... that's

something that I've been putting off mentioning as

long as I could so I could get the other stuff out in the

opening... damnit- hold on... ok, I've had yet

_another_ good cry for today. Ok... Here's why I'm

all freaked out.

We're moving out in like four hours.

No, I don't know why, but I think the UN is

making a move against Nerv. I don't want to do this,

but they kinda have me in a do or get shot through

the head situation... no I'm not happy about it. At

least I was able to sneak this Email out, I doubt

they'll even notice before the whole thing is over.

I don't know Kensuke... this might be the last

time I get to talk to you, and I'm totally scared out of

my mind! They say that we're going to be an

equalizer... but that would only be if the Evas were

going to be involved. I don't want to fight your

friends Kensuke, I really don't... but I want to live

too!

Ok... crying session number six is over now... and I

think that I've probably made a total ass of myself at

this point... but I had to let you know what was

happening... if I don't come back I wanted you to

know the truth as to why.

I like you a lot Kensuke, and I probably love you a

lot too. Please remember me if I don't make it back.

Love forever,

Mana Kirishima

Kensuke had to read it over five more times before he

convinced himself it was real.

"Oh Shit, oh shit, oh shit!" he whispered as he logged onto his

newsgroup and typed in the words 'fire from heaven.'

Ten seconds after he posted the message, a blank Email

appeared in his box. He pressed the reply button and his fingers

began to fly across the keyboard.

This was way bigger than what any of his recently acquired

friends had anticipated happening this soon. He hoped that it wasn't

too late to get word out.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"She's a WHAT?" Misato screamed as Ritsuko covered her

ear. They'd been up the whole night and hadn't gotten through half

of what she wanted to say, but this was one she'd been dreading

and putting off all the same.

"Oh don't look so surprised, Major- it's not like I didn't give

you enough of the clues. Besides, one look at the Nagisa boy

should have told you _something_ at the very least."

"No, this isn't possible, Rei is _not_ the same as that little

bastard!"

"About that, I agree with you, she's something else entirely."

"Huh?"

"Don't grunt, its unladylike," Ritsuko said with a grin, "I don't

know just what Rei is exactly... maybe if I'd seen the actual scrolls

I'd have some type of clue, but I just haven't learned enough to

have any hypothesis- save that whatever Gendou's plans are for

her are, they're against Seele's wishes."

"That's almost enough to make me relax... but what's all this

about going against Seele's plan... I thought they were on the same

page."

"No, the creation of two Nephilims is not part of the plan at

all- in fact we've taken great pains to make sure none of the

clones in the room of Gauf woke up."

"You didn't know about Nagisa then?"

"I've been trying to tell you all morning that I _don't_ have all

the answers to your questions Misato. I would have hoped that, if

nothing else, you would have realized that by now."

"Damnit... ok, so we go straight to Ikari himself... but first I

want you to do something."

"What's that?"

"I need to get into the Magi, I may have a way into his files."

"Ha! So _that's_ what Kaji was up to!"

"You have about three seconds to explain what you mean by

that."

"I found him snooping around in here one day, he didn't see me

but I found out later he was going over a schematic of Casper... I

changed a few protocol locks on the system since then but it never

occurred to me to lockout the interior circuits. He must have put

together a backdoor into the firewall."

"I'm happy that you're happy, but lets get this over with... hey,

just why the hell are you being so cooperative anyway?"

"A person tends to be pissed off and rebellious when they

discover they've been sleeping with the antichrist," Ritsuko

told her with a blank expression.

Misato blinked for a moment, then it hit her who Ritsuko was

talking about. She shuddered and made a face before turning and

walking towards the door.

"Never make another comment on my sex life again," she

gravely told her friend as they headed to the command center.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Somewhere near the surface of the Geofront, two

black-clad figures moved swiftly and silently down a series of

pitch-black corridors. These areas were ones that had yet to be

repaired after the recent attacks. At the end of the darkened

hallways, the reached a point where the lights were still on and

stopped just short of visibility.

The taller of the two turned to the other- a female- and

spoke.

"Be ready. Once the second wave of the attack starts we only

have half an hour before they breach the interior, and Katsuragi

wont hesitate too pull out all the stops. We have to be in place

before that happens."

"I understand... I'm scared out of my mind, but I understand. I

wish we'd had more of an advance warning."

"We were lucky to get word at all... and that fear is good. fear

can keep you on edge and alert- just don't let it take over your

survival instincts. If you freeze in place, you'll make a delightful

target too some trigger happy asshole."

"I know, but I still can't believe how fast it all went down, are

the UN forces already in place?"

"Most of them, I'm guessing that they're all waiting on the heavy

hitters to arrive before they let their presence be known."

"I know, I saw that post too... I can't believe they think a

Trident has a chance against an AT Field."

"I doubt even the gauss cannon could pierce it, but they won't

have to worry about that if Unit Three hasn't manifested yet. Trust

me, they would never plan on attacking if all the Eva's were

operational, and they wouldn't bring in the Mechs unless at least

one of them was. It's not too hard to figure out what's about to go

down if you keep that in mind."

"Do you think that the other pilots are alive?"

"Worried about them?"

"A little, I mean how could I not be? You know why I'm doing

this."

"I'm aware, and I was still a little surprised that you had joined

up when I saw you at the rendezvous point."

"I doubt that, you always knew more than what you let on. Dr

Akagi was always telling us to watch out for you."

"Figures," the man said as he scratched his chin over the mask

he wore, "hopefully when all this is over I can discuss that with her.

Anyway, when the first wave hits the system will be way too tied

up to notice us, so that's when we make our move. You get into

position and bolt yourself in- remember, neither side is to be

trusted."

"Understood. You watch out too- you have the dangerous

part."

"Don't remind me," he said with a chuckle.

The time began to tick by slowly as the two waited for the first

wave of Seele's attack to begin.

[]====[]

[]====[]

In one of Nerv's holding cells, Asuka lay curled up beside the

doorway. She was out of range of the sole floodlight, but she

knew that someone was still watching her. Nerv wouldn't have the

room this dimly lit if they didn't have the capability to monitor

every centimeter of it.

"Damn you," she muttered at one point to no one in particular.

She didn't want to sleep- her dreams were all the same and

they scared the hell out of her. She'd see her mother hanging from

the ceiling again, but this time it wasn't the doll beside her. Each

time she'd throw open the door, and see herself hanging beside her

mother, and each time she'd wake up screaming.

She could still hear the whisper even when awake. Just as

she'd wake up she'd hear it repeat over and over like a fading

echo.

"Come die with me Asuka," her mother's voice would say,

"Come to heaven with me."

"Why didn't you just let me drown?" she'd whispered aloud the

only other time she'd spoken, "it would have been more humane...

oh that's right, you weren't human."

That had sent her into a tear filled fit of bitter laughter.

After awhile she'd slept some more, and had the same dream

again... but this time she didn't want to scream... this time she

wanted to go ahead and follow her mother. Just as she reached up

to take the cold, dead hand in her own, a voice woke her.

She sat up with a jerk as the voice called her name again. She

rubbed her eyes and saw Hikari standing beside her.

"What the hell do you want?" she muttered as she looked

down at the floor.

"I wanted to try and talk."

"Why?"

"I heard what he told you before he died," she said, and Asuka

knew exactly who 'he' was.

"Before your little _boy_friend killed him you mean?"

"Damnit Asuka, stop that!" Hikari shouted, "we used to be

friends. I don't know why you stopped trying and I'm really

starting to not care. I wanted to give you this, Makoto up at the

command center made it for me."

Hikari set a SDAT player down beside her and stood back up.

"That's everything he said to you," she said as she shook her

head sadly, "I don't know if you even want it or not, but it's all

that's left of him- even his stuff is gone from his apartment."

"Why... why would you give me this?" Asuka asked as she

realized whom the SDAT belonged to.

"I don't really know," said Hikari with a shrug, "it... just kind

of felt like the right thing to do."

Asuka picked up the SDAT and looked at it for awhile-

saying nothing.

"Well, I just wanted to give you that. I hope you get past

whatever this is that's eating away at you Asuka- you used to be

a friend... I'd like it to be like that again someday."

Asuka continued to look down at the SDAT as if mesmerized.

Finally, Hikari turned and the door opened. As she walked out,

Asuka took the earphones that were wrapped around it and

placed them in her ears.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"Wait," Ritsuko said as they opened the hatch to Magi Casper.

"What is it?" Misato growled, "don't tell me you have to go pi-"

"Hush! No it's _not_ that," Ritsuko countered, "I need to do

something in case I don't have a chance later."

As Misato watched on, she pulled a small hand held device

from her pocket and began entering passwords.

"What's that?"

"Shhhh, I need to concentrate," Ritsuko hissed as she finished

entering commands. Finally, a single icon came up on the screen

and Ritsuko looked back up at her friend, "you were worried a bit

ago that I might just be stringing you along?"

"The thought did cross my mind," Misato said as her eyes

narrowed.

"Well, after I press this you won't have to worry about that

anymore, because whatever trouble you may get into for sneaking

around a Magi is nothing compared to what Gendou will do to me

when he finds this."

"Ritsu... what are you doing?" Misato demanded- suddenly

concerned.

"Remember the room of Gauf? With all the clones?"

"More than I want to, I assure you that."

"This is the command list for that room. Right now I have

access to every aspect of it... temperature, LCL density,

circulation, even lighting. Most importantly I have access to a set

of controls we installed in case we had one of the dolls wake up

on us."

"You're saying that's the kill switch..."

"Yep."

"How long before they find out?"

"Unless he directly accesses the system, no one would know

unless he, Fuyutski, or I were to see it for ourselves."

"So it could be days?"

"Or hours, or minutes, or seconds."

"You're saying that no matter what- you're not getting out of it

if you press that."

"I'm saying that from this moment on, I'm in your corner," she

said as her thumb suddenly toggled the switch. As Misato gasped,

the board went red one section at a time before reading that the

acid had 'successfully been injected'.

"We better hurry," Ritsuko told her, "I'm your alibi now, and

we're on borrowed time."

[]====[]

[]====[]

Several feet above them, and totally oblivious to the traitorous

actions being taken below, Shigru, Yuri, and Makoto were having

their morning gossip session.

"Okay, wiseass," Shigru said, "so what do _you_ think Nerv

will do with the Eva's?"

"I think world domination is a little too far fetched myself-

sorry Yuri- I'd say that they will probably use them to secure

Japan as a sovereign nation outside the UN's control. possibly

Germany too, and if the US hadn't backed out they'd probably be

in on it- hell they might still be."

"Oh? And just why is world domination so farfetched?" Shigru

asked with a smirk, "I bet Unit One alone could take on just about

anything short of another Eva- and I could be wrong on that."

"What makes you say that, oh he of the mighty, mighty air

guitar?"

"Watch it, four eyes. Seriously, look at what the thing can

do! It stood up to just about every type of explosion outside of

nuclear that's possible and still kept going. It can regenerate body

parts- we've seen it do that more than once. It can generate a

force-field that requires all the power of Japan to penetrate- and

to top it all off it doesn't need a power feed anymore."

"Hmmm, ok... you might have a point... hey what the hell is

that?"

Suddenly an alert began to blink on all their screens.

"I dunno," Shigru said as he began to process the information,

"but it's not an angel... Oh shit, this is bad... something's trying to

hack the Magi!"

[]====[]

[]====[]

"Oh shit, this is bad," Misato said as they jumped out of the

Magi and looked around as red alerts began flashing all over the

command center.

"Hold on, Misato," Ritsuko told her as she brought out a cell

phone, "this is Akagi, what the hell is going on? Okay... right,

we're on our way."

"We got lucky," she told Misato as they hurried to the set of

doors in the back, "the Magi are being hacked."

"What!" Misato shrieked, "what do you mean lucky? What do

you call what we were just doing?"

"Hacking. But don't worry, this isn't us. It looks like the other

Branches' Magi are trying to break into ours to get at the very

information we were just looking at."

"You have one hell of a definition of lucky Ritsuko!" Misato

spat as they waited in a supply closet for an appropriate time to

make their entrance.

"Well, I always said you were a hopeless optimist... what do

you think that makes me?"

"Other than a sneaky bitch?" Misato asked as she shook her

head in amazement.

"That too."

[]====[]

[]====[]

"So now what?" Shinji asked the Rei in his mind.

"You know what you must do," she said as her image flickered

again.

He looked back to the door he'd come from and sighed. Just

as he turned and reached for the door, he paused for a moment.

Turning back to Rei/Yui he walked up and embraced her in a

tender hug.

"I know you're not really my mom," he said as he fought back

tears, "but just the same, I miss you."

"We know Shinji," she told him as she hugged him back, "we

know."

Suddenly he was alone in the train car. He took one last look

around and stepped up to the door. It opened with little effort and

with a deep breath, he crossed the threshold.

In front of him the smaller version of himself sat in the seat once

again. He was still looking directly ahead- ignoring him. Shinji

supposed that once the weirdness of the whole concept was

placed aside, he had a good reason to ignore himself. After all-

he'd run out a bit ago cursing and screaming.

Shaking his head, he sat down across from the boy and found

himself looking right into his younger self's piercing eyes.

"Um," he said nervously, "sorry about that."

"It was rude, but forgivable."

"What now?"

"A very good question, actually. There is very little else to say,

save that you have not answered the question I asked before you

took flight."

"Oh... that's right," Shinji said with a frown. His hand clenched

to a fist as he looked up and stared his opposite number in the face,

"I did it, and I did it on purpose. It wasn't an accident or a

mistake."

"But why did you kill the Angel?"

"Because if I hadn't... more people would have died."

"If it had only been your life at stake, would you still have?"

"I... don't know," Shinji went pale as he thought about that.

There had been a time when he would have let the Angel kill him.

There had been a time when he wouldn't have been able to bring

himself to kill the Angel that had once been Kaworu Nagisa. He'd

once held his own life in that low of importance.

"I... if I had to... yes," he said finally, "if it was him or me, I

would... but not otherwise."

"Very well," the boy said as he stood, "I think your stop is

coming up."

"Oh," Shinji said as he looked ahead outside the window. He

looked back at the boy and frowned, "aren't you supposed to

change or something?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Er, it's just that I thought..."

"That once you accepted the decision you were forced into I

would become the other version of yourself? The older?"

"Uh... yeah."

"Shinji Ikari, do not believe that having the capability to kill

if necessary makes one more mature. If anything it makes some

people less so," the young face suddenly smiled, "Do not worry,

the Shinji Ikari in your mind will not remain as such forever."

With that, there was a burst of spectral sound, and Shinji

suddenly found himself in the hospital. There was a siren blaring

and in the hall he could hear people yelling to run to the shelters.

He tried to sit up, but his side felt like it was on fire and his

head was spinning.

"What's going on? Another angel?" he muttered, resting back

against the sweat-soaked pillow. He'd need help if he were going

to get anywhere. As the bedlam continued, he prayed he'd have

the strength to help.

[]====[]

[]====[]

The alarms went unnoticed by one person. In the holding cell,

Asuka was oblivious to all but the soft, gentle words coming from

the SDAT headphones that were sitting in her ears. Over and over

she rewound and listened to Kaoru's words. Sometimes with

tears, sometimes with a sad little smile crossing her lips. Little by

little, the rest of the world had faded away, until in her mind the

voice took shape and she could see him speak as she rewound the

tape again and again.

When the section Two agents arrived to take her to Unit Two,

she didn't even notice.

[]====[]

[]====[]

About a mile or two from the command center, there was a

small underground room that housed a primary information cable

that ran from the Magi to various other sections of the Geofront. it

was in a rather protected section of the system, and if a person

was not intimately familiar with the layout, they would never know

it's existence as it was not in the UN's blueprints. Only the actual

Magi had the final drafts.

As she watched the screen, the female intruder tapped her foot

in impatience. She knew that it was only a matter of time before

Dr Akagi activated the 666-firewall program, and she wouldn't be

able to move until then. She'd been the one who'd helped write

that program, and she knew the ways that could be used to get

around it.

Not seeing any reason to keep it on in the hot room, Maya

Ibuki removed her mask and wiped her forehead with it. When the

hack failed, Seele would no doubt send in the UN ground forces

and the Mechs it had called in... and while they were distracted

with that- she'd make her move.

As she waited she hoped that her accomplice's nearly

legendary luck was still holding out.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Deep in Terminal Dogma, Rei walked noiselessly through the

corridors.

As she entered the room of Gauf she let out a gasp at what she

saw. The room was empty- the clones were gone! She ran up to

the glass and stared in the dimly lit liquid, and was further shocked

to find a layer of film was coating everything within. As she backed

away she concluded that someone had destroyed the clones.

Someone had destroyed her replacements.

She was- at last- unique.

As this sunk in she found herself needing to lean against the

central tube for support. This implied much; mostly that one of the

three people who had access to this room had turned against the

Plan. Ikari was almost certainly not the one, nor was Fuyutsuki...

which left Dr Akagi. She didn't know quite what to make of it. Her

memories held multiple reasons for the doctor to dislike- and in

one case even hate her.

If only she wasn't bound by her purpose... this would have

meant her freedom.

A tear slipped down her cheek as she walked from the room.

She had wished her destiny were different many times, she

knew this now, but she did not remember an occasion where she

had hated it so.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"Again they defy us," one of the Seele monoliths said angrily as

they met to discuss the ongoing situation with Nerv, "we, who

birthed and nourished them, and they sneer at us like rebellious

children."

"Akagi believes her efforts has saved them, yet it has only

delayed the inevitable. This program of her creation which carries

the number of the beast only forces us to take more drastic

measures."

"Of all the pawns there were in this game, I find myself

shocked that she would be the one to act in favor of the betrayer."

"She acts to prolong her own existence. It is a human impulse,

one that she will rue in hours to come."

"Agreed. None of the betrayers in Nerv are fit to join us in

instrumentality. Let it be known that all of the defilers are to be

eliminated on sight.

"We hoped to accomplish our goals in a peaceful manner. It is

truly a pity that Ikari forces us to shed blood to bring about such

glory for mankind."

"Ikari will now learn what we have always known to be true.

He is not the gamemaster he believes himself to be, he is merely a

game piece."

[]====[]

[]====[]

not far from the cage where the Evangelions were rapidly being

prepared for possible action, Hikari sat alone in the locker room.

She didn't understand what was going on- Misato had told her it

wasn't an angel, but she'd still been ordered to gear up. Being on

standby, she still hadn't been ordered to get into the robot, so she

sat there waiting.

And crying.

With all that had happened in the past few days she hadn't even

had time to think straight, and the emotional release had hit her the

moment she'd sealed her suit and realized how empty the room

sounded.

Rei had nearly died, Asuka was walking again on some razor

sharp edge of insanity, and poor, poor Shinji was laying there

broken... she was trying so hard to be strong for everyone, but the

fears that she'd managed to push back all these months since

becoming a pilot had finally caught up with her.

It was all so wrong, children fighting a war they couldn't even

understand while some type of bizarre game was played out among

the adults. It shook her to the core to know what she and Shinji

had pieced together from the scrapbook he'd shown her. How

could his father be so causal about all of this? What was he trying

to do that was so important he'd toss away lives to achieve it?

What did it all have to do with the Evas? These thoughts tore at

her as she realized how little she knew, and how little control she

had over it.

"Pilot Horaki, report to Eva Unit Three" a cold methodical

voice rang out over the PA system. They needed her to go out

there again. To fight and maybe end up like her friends. And she'd

do it, because she didn't know what else she could do.

So, with a determined look crossing her features, Hikari wiped

away her tears and tried to stop gasping for breath. It was down

to her now... whether she was ready or not.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"Whew," Misato said as she slid into the chair beside Ritsuko,

she was going to have a date with a nice hot shower when she got

home, this whole day had left her with an annoying series of cold

sweats, and she was starting to smell the fear-stink on herself,

"well, I'm glad _that's_ over with..."

"Only for the moment," Ritsuko said as she nursed the mug of

coffee that Misato had carefully failed to notice contained no small

amount of alcohol, "Seele won't give in this easily."

"I didn't see when the commander left, did you?"

"I was in the damn Magi, how could I?"

"Right," Misato sighed as behind her Shigru went stiff as a

board.

"Oh shit," he shouted.

"What is it now?" Misato groaned, "no wait, don't tell me,

another Angel is attacking, right?"

Shigru didn't answer, he just put the display up on the main

screen.

The image was a satellite feed, magnified a few hundred times

to display a beach several miles outside of Tokyo Three borders.

The beach was a mass of activity as tents were being erected and

boats were landing one after the other. From these boats a flood

of human soldiers were flowing to a series of trucks. Several more

carried tanks and other armored land assault vehicles. However,

the most disturbing arrival was a large ship that held a tarp-covered

shape that Misato recognized dimly.

"I think the UN's going to attack," Shigru told her in a small

voice.

"I think I'd rather prefer an Angel," Misato said in an equally

frightened tone.

[]========================[]

To be continued...

[]========================[]

so ya

thought ya

might like to

go to the show

to feel the warm thrill of confusion

that space cadet glow

In the Flesh

Pink Floyd, The Wall

[]========================[]

Book Three; Part Two

[]========================[]

"Remember, we don't have the advantage here," Misato

informed Hikari as she rose to the surface in Evangelion Unit

Three, "they have us beat in numbers, they have us flanked, and

I'm sure they have even more nasty surprises in route."

The LCL was cushioning it tremendously, but despite that

Hikari still felt her teeth rattling from the accelerating lift platform

or maybe it was just her fear. Her face was still a little flushed and

her eyes puffy from earlier, and- for an odd moment- she

wondered if Misato could tell she'd been crying.

"If they do, for some insane reason, send the Jet Alone I want

you to be careful. That thing is little more than a walking nuclear

reactor, and I don't think I have to explain how nasty it could get if

it went boom."

"I thought it didn't work," Hikari inquired, "what's it doing

here?"

"We don't know, but keep your eye out for it just the same- I

don't trust the situation. They know those things don't stand a

chance against an Eva."

"Okay... um, how's Asuka?" Hikari asked as she reached the

top of the lift and stepped into the armament chamber on the

outskirts of Tokyo three. She selected the pallet gun and one of

the new shields. A part of her privately thanked the Americans for

sending in the surplus equipment when they abandoned Eva

construction. She still hadn't managed to unfold her AT Field, and

this shield would be critical to her survival. She'd never gotten her

synch rate high enough to manifest, and now it looked like she

might never have the chance.

"Asuka's at the bottom of the lake," Misato said, referring to

the water filled crater that Unit Zero had carved in the earth. "Her

synch rate is still too far below startup levels for combat, but at

least she'll be safe for now."

"Okay, but what about Shinji?"

"I'm in route to collect him as I speak," Misato said, "don't

worry, I won't let anything happen to him."

"Good," Hikari said as she looked over to the enormous gate

that was now beginning to cycle open. A sliver of light shot into the

cavern, reflecting dully off her Eva's black armor. She picked up

her weapons from the rack at the corner and took a deep breath.

"Wish me luck," she said as she charged out the door.

[]=====[]

[]=====[]

"Unit Three has entered the grid," a gravely voice announced

over the communications network, "all Tridents prepare systems

for launch and await orders."

Mana Kirishima sighed as she looked up at the surface of the

waters above. As the eye cameras of Trident Zero-Two cycled

and focused she could see fish swimming through the shimmering

rays of light that filtered through the water.

Slumping down into the control seat she removed the visor and

gloves that controlled the robot and buried her head in her hands.

It was bad enough that she was being ordered to kill people,

but some of these people she felt like she almost knew. Kensuke

had told her a lot about the pilots that he knew, things that few

outside of their circle of friends were aware of. She had listened

to their briefing in a state of shock once the words 'zero tolerance'

and 'extreme prejudice' had been spoken. She'd heard little after

that, and had ended up relying on the handouts to learn the attack

patterns.

'This is so beyond nuts,' she thought, 'why are we attacking

these people? Didn't they just spend the better part of a year

fighting off the biggest threat the world has ever known?'

She just didn't buy the official line like the boys apparently

had... then again she'd always been a pain in the trainers ass. If it

wasn't her flippant attitude toward all things under the sun, it was

the fact that she wouldn't just accept things without an

explanation. In short she may not have been the best soldier

material, but her scores in the simulators had made her too

valuable to dispose of.

The boys had always been more into the whole soldier thing

than she had. Not to say that she hadn't enjoyed the project at

first-she'd been the most enthusiastic of the three of them up until

recently. It was in fact her love for all things military that had

helped her hook up with Kensuke. The problem was that while

they both loved the hardware, since their date she'd begun to

share his hate towards the baggage that came with it.

'No way am I shooting people who can't fight back,' she

decided with sudden determination, 'I don't give a crap what they

threaten me with, I am not going to do that.'

On her screen, Unit Three began to make its first attack. She

retrieved her helmet and acknowledged the preparation orders.

Looking at her monitor, she watched the Evangelion tear into the

ground troops and wondered which of Kensuke's friends was

piloting it.

[]====[]

[]====[]

As the Eva ducked behind the shield, Hikari closed her eyes

and tried to think of some other way to disable all of the ordinance

aimed at her without killing the few hundred troops manning them.

All over the clear surface of the huge shield, sparks flashed, and

left little scorch marks as hundreds of anti tank rounds ricochet off

of it.

Down below her, the line of tanks and other artillery were

unloading everything they had at Unit Three. They had to know

that even the heaviest of the guns they had down there didn't have

a chance of breaching her armor. It looked like as if Misato had

been right- they were mostly trying to keep the Nerv personnel

pinned down so they could invade the Geofront at their leisure.

Of course, before they did that, her Evangelion had to be dealt

with. Apparently that was where the big ugly wedge of a head that

was lumbering over the horizon came in.

"Misato, I see the Jet Alone," Hikari said as she swung her

shield at a few of the tanks that were attempting to edge closer to

her- what they were thinking she had no idea. They were lucky

that she was taking great pains not to kill unless she had too. She

made a sweep with her foot, sending them tumbling end over

end- the pilots were no doubt injured by this, but at least some

would get out alive. With any luck someone down there would

realize she wasn't trying to kill them and this might just end without

too much bloodshed. She knew how hopelessly optimistic that

sounded, but it was the only way she could keep fighting and not

start crying.

Suddenly there was a series of sharp cracks against her head

and she cried out in surprise. It felt like she'd been struck with a

rock! Just off to her side several VTOLs were hovering as a

dozen smoke trails dissipated.

"That hurt!" She growled as she swung her shield towards

them. The resulting backwash of air sent the aircraft spinning out of

control and she grinned as she saw the crews ejecting. She could

do this- she could keep the casualties down if she was careful.

"Hikari," Misato said- and she could hear the car over the cell

phone as it screeched through a turn, "first order of business is to

disable that JA, take its legs out."

"Roger," Hikari acknowledged as she raised the pallet gun.

Just as she was preparing to open fire- however- Makoto

came in over the wire with new information.

"We just picked up three large craft zeroing in on your

position!" he told her, "better do this fast."

"What," she asked, "you mean like bombers?"

"No, we haven't gotten an ID on the design yet... But you only

have about half a minute before they arrive!"

"Understood!" Hikari told him as she sprang into action.

Shouldering the pallet rifle she began to dash through the hills

straight towards the other robot. As she dodged several land-air

missiles she drew her progressive knife and using the shield as a

battering ram slammed straight into the Jet Alone Robot.

The robot was predictably sent sailing ass over teakettle-

skidding and tumbling into the mountainsides as if finally crashed to

earth. Unit Three wasted no time- Hikari sent it into a leap that

took the Eva right over to where the Mech was floundering in the

rubble of its crash, and with one clean swipe of the progressive

knife, the Jet Alone was missing its lower half.

Just as she stood, she caught a glimpse of something on the

horizon. Skimming the ocean was a large bulky craft that looked

like some bizarre mating between a spacecraft and a lizard.

Realizing that there had been three incoming on the radar she

turned to find two more approaching from seven and two o'clock

high.

"This is bad," she whispered to herself as the three craft began

to gain altitude and zero in on her position once more.

[]====[]

[]====[]

As the elevator reached terminal dogma, Gendou Ikari stepped

off and walked purposefully into the Catacombs beneath Nerv.

Only a few of the original staff of Gehirn had called them that, and

they were long gone to other assignments or passed on... But he'd

never forgotten that nickname, and had always thought it rather

appropriate. Especially considering the dumping ground.

He still, privately, thought of Terminal Dogma as the

Catacombs- even after all that time.

After all were catacombs not a place where things of value

were hidden along with the dead?

Things like secrets were kept down here.

The creation of Rei had been a shock the first time he'd seen

her. He'd always known that the creation of a nephilim was vital

to his goals, but Fuyutsuki had almost crossed the line with her...

he'd never been so close to killing the man as the moment he'd

laid eyes on the child in the birthing tube.

Things like dreams were lost down here.

His own for a future with his wife and son had been dashed to

the wind after Yui's accident. It had not just broken his heart to

learn that it had been part of her plan all along, but it had broken

his very soul. He'd finally rejected Yui's plan after realizing that

there was a way to accomplish her goals and bring her back

without sacrificing their chance to be together as they had been.

Once he'd discovered that possibility all others had been driven

from his mind and his course had been locked in stone.

Things like love had died down here.

He'd had no room for it without Yui. While he'd taken

momentary reprises with other women to fulfill the needs of the

body, he'd felt little for them- only a sliver of the warmth he'd

felt with Yui. The closest he'd come had been with Ritsuko, and

even that had carried the bitter aftertaste of his time with her

mother. After the woman had taken her life as well as the first of

Rei's selves he'd never been able to fully trust her daughter.

Things like family might still be found down here.

After losing Yui he'd found it impossible to be around Shinji.

To have those eyes looking back up at him. When he'd been first

born he'd been goad that Shinji had been blessed with Yui's eyes

instead of his own. But the more he looked down at his son's face

the harder it had been to bear. Even Rei had been easier to stand,

her own red orbs had much less of a resemblance and were

therefore easier to have looking back at him.

As he walked down the endless corridors, he felt relief that

soon he could make it all right again. He could erase the mistakes

of the past and set things back the way they should be.

With a few improvements, of course.

[]====[]

[]====[]

The first shot caused every soldier on the field to cover their

ears and dive to the earth. It was easily three times as loud as

anything that had been fired so far, and even the explosions the

VTOL missiles did little to compare.

As the round streaked overhead at speeds several times that of

sound, the resulting series of sonic booms tore the windows off of

jeeps and trucks, and just plain scared the hell out of everyone

else. When it struck home on the leg of Evangelion Unit Three, a

gouge the size of a small car was punched into the armor as the

rubber cased pellet of metal ricochet off and went screaming off

into the hills.

Hikari let out a scream of pain as blood began to pour from the

huge slash in the Eva's leg. She looked up at the approaching

mecha and suddenly she was more furious than she'd ever been in

her life. Shouldering the pallet rifle she opened fire as another

round from the third Mech spanged off her shield- leaving a

spiderweb-like crack across it.

As she emptied her clip on the first of the Trident robot series,

she didn't notice that Trident Zero-Two had yet to fire and had

landed on a hill.

[]====[]

[]====[]

The two vehicles screeched to a halt mere inches from one

another and as Misato Katsuragi leapt out of her car the Section

Two agent helped his passenger from the back of the jeep. Shinji

seemed barely awake, and was obviously struggling to stay on his

feet. With every step she could see him winch as he favored the

side with the broken ribs.

"I'll take him from here," she told the agent, "you go man the

front lines. If those bastards get hold of the Magi then the game is

truly up for all of us."

She took one of Shinji's arms and helped him to her

passenger seat as the agent gunned the Jeep down the corridor.

As she strapped him in and slid across the hood to her side she

pulled out her cell phone.

"It's me, get Ritsuko on the horn," she told Makoto.

"I wish I could, major," Makoto said as her eyes widened,

"she took off about a minute ago and no one's seen her since."

"Damnit!" Misato spat as she revved the engine and put her

car in gear; "if we live through this I'm going to kill her. Ok, lock

onto my signal and I want you to flood this chamber with Bakelite

the second we're through. I don't want anyone following us."

"I'm on it- you take care, Misato."

"You too," she said as she hung up and turned to look at her

charge. She was momentarily reminded of the first time she'd

seen Rei. His head was bandaged and he was cringing in pain...

apparently in all the excitement no one had re administered the

painkillers he'd been put on after his fall.

"How you hanging' in there?" she asked as she saw a red wall

growing in her rearview mirror.

"I'll be a lot better if I knew what was going on," Shinji said, "all

that guy would say was we were under attack."

"The UN has decided that the threat from the angels is over,

and, apparently, when ordered to relinquish control of Nerv,

Commander Ikari told them to shove the order up their ass."

"Sounds like him," Shinji said with no humor, "how long

before I can get up there and help out?"

"_ What_?" Misato almost screamed, "look at you, you can't

even walk on your own! You have a concussion, and the ribs you

didn't break are bruised and cracked! Are you out of your mind?"

"Hikari's up there isn't she?" he asked- his eyes suddenly

growing much clearer.

". . . yes."

"Then get me the hell to Unit One," he said evenly.

They had reached a T-junction and as they pulled in the door

behind them slammed shut- blocking off the Bakelite which was-

even then- solidifying. She pulled the car to a stop and looked

Shinji directly in the eyes.

"Listen to me, because I'm only going to ask you once. Do

you think you're well enough to fight? Because I'm not going to

send you up there to die. And you know I can smell a lie on you

like you can smell my cooking- from a mile away."

The joke startled him, and threw him just enough off balance

that he knew that what little chance he might have had of fibbing to

Misato was now zero. Down at his side she saw his hand make a

fist as he looked her in the eye and answered.

"If I don't go, then we might die anyway. At least if I go we

have a better chance. And I am _not_ leaving her up there alone.

Either take me to Unit One... or I'll get out and walk there on my

own."

He suddenly took hold of the door handle and Misato knew

that he had not been bluffing in the least. She placed her hand on

his and pulled it from the handle as she dialed up the control room

again.

"Makoto? Change of plans. Shinji's going up in Unit One, I

need you to clear me a path."

Shinji leaned back in the chair and smiled as his guardian took

off down the corridors again like the proverbial bat out of hell.

[]====[]

[]====[]

As the other two Tridents swooped and circled Unit Three

from above, Mana watched on with more than a little

apprehension. She could hear the boys shouting and hollering like

wildmen in their cockpits as they attacked the Eva. They were

playing with it, blasting away from long range until its weapons

were demolished and it was left with nothing but an oversized

hunting knife to defend itself.

As she listened on, she could hear the troops around her taking

bets on how long the Eva would last, and how many shots it would

take to put it down from the gauss cannons. Several divisions had

already broken through Nerv's front lines and reports were coming

in that-as ordered- no prisoners were taken. She heard her

'friends' laughing; suddenly and she wanted to throw up. It was

_fun_ for them, they were acting like they were back in the

simulator and not killing someone bit by bit.

"Computer," she said to her craft's voice recognition system

"can I talk to the enemy pilot?"

"An all band broadcast would reach the enemy," the

computer synthesized voice replied. The programmers had

quickly realized that kids of younger generations were highly adapt

at any new technological advances and had adopted everything

they could to the system that wouldn't impair the processors.

"Set to all bands, and broadcast at my command," she said as

he thought of something, "disable all safety measures in the

targeting system as well."

"Compliance."

She toggled the targeting system and began drawing a bead on

Trident Zero-Three. Aiming for the jet propulsion system, she

closed her eyes for a moment in silent prayer that what she was

about to do would be the right thing.

As the targeting computer reported a lock on, she pulled the

trigger.

"Broadcast," she said as the round struck home and sent the

Trident tumbling to the lake below- trailing smoke and fire behind

it.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"This is the pilot of Trident Zero-Two," the voice of a young

girl shouted over the radio as Hikari turned to face the Mech on

the hillside. HQ had patched the transmission through as soon as

they got over the surprise and practically the entire battlefield had

stopped in shock of the actions.

"This is nothing more than a slaughter and I'm not going to take

part in it," she said as several micro missiles launched from her

Mech's back and began sending troops running for cover.

Hikari didn't know just what the hell was going on, but she

was happy to have one less vulture circling her and she turned to

face Trident Zero-One as it swooped from the sky.

She took another hit to the side, but it glanced off her armor

and she managed to recover her balance just as the Trident came

within range. Leaping into the air, she grabbed hold of the robot's

foot and sent them both crashing back to the rubble below.

Once she shook of the impact, she found that the Trident had

faired better than herself in it's landing, and was now charging her

on foot. She barely had time to brace for the impact as it drove

them through the ruins of a building and off a ledge into the water.

She climbed to her feet in the shallow water and saw the trident

as it righted itself. Before she could take advantage of it's

momentary imbalance, it's canon roared and Hikari's shoulder was

on fire.

She looked down to the side to find a large hole where a

portion of the Eva's biceps was supposed to be. Then the pain

kicked in. She screamed and grabbed hold of her own shoulder as

she gripped the progressive knife even tighter and dove at the

Robot in a blind rage.

[]====[]

[]====[]

All the doubts and fears were gone as Mana went about

systematically destroying the UN's heavy weapons and tanks.

She didn't know why she felt so calm- technically she was a

traitor to just about every country in the world. Perhaps it was the

knowledge that she was no longer on the side that had gone into

this battle slaughtering every moving thing in sight.

Now she stormed through the UN's camp trashing everything

that looked heavier than a bazooka. Below her the soldiers were

running around and screaming as if the hounds of hell were after

them. In their defense, they hadn't been trained to fight giant

robots.

Suddenly she noticed that Trident Zero-Three's icon was still

active on her screen.

She frowned and looked out at the lake. Somewhere out there

her former friend's mech was still fully active and capable of battle.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Oblivious to all that transpired above, Asuka shivered in the

entry plug of Unit Two. Hidden deep under the latest lake to be

crafted to hide the scar Unit Zero had carved in the earth, Misato

had felt it the best hiding place for her. Unbeknownst to Misato,

however, a war of a smaller- but no less dangerous- scale was

going on in her ward's mind. The constant blur of Kaoru's

recorded voice had blended with the din of her own mind till she

could picture the two in debate. In her mind's eye she could see

them. The shadow cloaked form of her mother, and the glowing

aura that surrounded Kaoru.

"Die with me Asuka," her mother said almost cheerfully from

one side of her. She hung there as she had the last time Asuka had

seen her, and merely looking at her sent a cold shiver down

Asuka's back.

"It would be wise not to listen to this person, Asuka," Kaoru

said. The blue glow that surrounded him was not unlike the one

that had also enveloped him the last time she'd seen him.

"And why wouldn't she listen to her own mother?" the shadow

demanded, "she's a good girl, aren't you, darling?"

"Then why are you asking her to give up?" Kaoru demanded in

return, "you are asking her to admit she has failed and shame

herself."

"But she's so tired of it all," the shadow said, "look at the poor

thing- my poor Asuka needs her mother."

"Asuka needs to understand that because one fails once- or

even ten times- it is not sufficient reason enough to give up trying,"

Kaoru said as he put his hands in his pockets and smiled over to

Asuka, "she has always fought to be the best, and while that is

indeed a noble ideal, she has stumbled. In stumbling she has

convinced herself that she can never rise again- that she is

worthless. This disregards all her past accomplishments. For you

to... hang there and incite her to continue living this falsehood that

has become the image she holds of herself is disgusting."

"And I suppose you are a master of the truth?" the shadow said

mockingly, "you lied to her from the start, and you dare accuse me

of falsehood?"

"What I did wrong, I regret," Kaoru said, "and that is more

than I can say for you. I recognize my wrongs, you chose to ignore

your own."

Suddenly an impact rocked Unit Two and Asuka curled up

tighter in the pilot's chair- not knowing that the Eva itself was

suddenly mimicking her actions.

"Just... just go away," she cried as the Eva shook around her,

"I just want to die, I'm tired of it all! I want it to be over."

"That doesn't sound like my Asuka at all," a familiar voice said

suddenly as Asuka froze in place.

"Mama?" she whispered as she saw a figure beginning to take

form beside Kaoru. As the ghostly shape came into focus she saw

that it was indeed the face of her mother- the kind and gentle face

she remembered from before her accident. The face she had so

disparately missed for so long.

"But," Asuka asked, "then who?" she trailed off as she turned

back to the shadowy figure to find The Stupid Doll hanging before

her. Her eyes widened, had this been the one she'd listened to for

so many months now? The one she'd wanted to emulate?

"Die with me," it said in a childlike version of her mother's

voice, before changing to Asuka's own- confirming her unspoken

fear, "die like me. Be like me. Be ME"

As the Stupid Doll spoke, something erupted in Asuka that she

hadn't felt in months. A strength that she'd lacked, a confidence

born of knowing just who she was and what she wanted to do.

She grabbed the Stupid Doll by it's neck and tore its head and

limbs from it's body she screamed in rage.

She took the head of the Stupid Doll and with all her strength

she smashed it into the floor. As the stuffing flew into the air she

shook from the anger, loss and pain she'd tried to hide from for so

many years. She'd lied to herself all this time, despite what she'd

told the others, she'd been trying to be the doll for her mother all

this time after all. Never again. She'd fight for herself from now on.

This time for real.

A hand came to rest on her shoulder, and she turned to find her

mother kneeling beside her. She flew into her arms, and as they

embraced she heard her mother say, "welcome back, my love."

There was a sudden jarring impact, and Asuka opened her

eyes to find herself in the entry plug of Unit two. As she blinked in

surprise there was a sudden whirring sound of something

activating, and as she gasped in shock, Unit Two came alive in a

roar of surging power.

'So that's where you've been,' she thought as she looked out

the monitors.

Just inside her range of vision she could see a circling form of

some bizarre mech as it turned to ram her apparently not for the

first time. It looked like the eighth Angel. She _hated_ the eighth

Angel.

"Oh like _Hell_," she growled as she took hold of the controls

of _Her_ Evangelion Unit Two.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"Oh my _God_!" Yuri practically screamed, "Asuka just

went active!"

"What?" Fuyutsuki demanded as he ran over to her monitor,

"what do you mean 'went active'?"

He saw it almost as she explained and he was amazed at what

he was witnessing. Asuka's synch ratio had just leapt straight

through the roof. She was over ten points higher than her recorded

peak rate!

As he was about to ask for a report on the advancing UN

troops however, he noticed something.

"Why is Jet Alone still moving?" he asked as he watched the

dot on the monitor crawl forward towards the center of the lake.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Unit two caught Trident Zero-Three totally off guard. Moving

like lightning, its hand snaked out and suddenly the Trident was

driven into the mud below.

"Ha! Take that, you scheisskopf!" Asuka screamed gleefully as

she tore the left arm off of the robot. She was about to use it to

pry one of the legs off, when suddenly there was an explosion and

something rocketed up past Unit Two's face.

Looking up through the haze of mud, she realized that the Pilot

had ejected. She threw the arm away, and decided that she still

wanted to smash something. Kicking off, she rocketed to the

surface with a grim smile on her face.

[]====[]

[]====[]

They'd made great time until the commando unit had rounded a

corner right in front of them. Misato- to her credit- had resisted

the built in urge to hit the brakes and instead had slammed down

even harder on the accelerator. This resulted in them plowing into

three of the four men; maiming them- and the front of the car-

horribly. It also resulted in Misato losing control of the car and as

they skidded around the corner she just barely managed to angle

the car so the impact with the wall winded them instead of killed

them.

Smoke pouring from the engine, she screamed for Shinji to

duck as the rear window exploded in thousands of tiny pieces of

glass.

She didn't scream, she didn't snap out any witty rejoinders or

comments, Misato merely leaned back up with her pistol out and

placed several holes in the body of the remaining commando.

"You ok?" she asked as Shinji climbed out the uncrushed door

and threw up. So intent were they on leaving, neither noticed the

crimson in the puddle.

"How far?" he coughed as he followed her out and she took his

arm over her own.

"Just a bit farther," she said nodding at a set of double doors

at the end of the hall they were in, "that's the lift right there."

"Hurry," he whispered, and she realized that he was getting

heavier.

"Shinji this is insane, you're barely staying conscious!"

"What's deadlier, waiting for you to run out of ammo or going

up there?" he asked, suddenly wide-awake.

"Damnit," she muttered, "_I'm_ supposed to be the crazy one!"

As her car continued to billow smoke, they were just reaching

the lift. As she hit the switch, Shinji leaned against the wall and

gripped his side. He was obviously in pain, and Misato had to

wonder what was keeping him going.

Suddenly there was yelling from the corner and she gasped as

she saw five more of the UN's commandos round the corner.

The door behind her opened, and she practically threw Shinji

through it as she slammed her fist on the door close switch inside.

Turning to face the advancing troops, she listened to Shinji

screaming in protest as the elevator rose behind her.

'Five troops, four bullets,' she thought as they leveled their

weapons, 'figures.'

[]====[]

[]====[]

As Hikari struggled with Trident Zero-One, she was far too

caught up in her fight to notice that Unit Two was rising from the

water a few hundred meters away like some horrible biblical

nightmare. The Trident Pilot, however, did notice- and Hikari was

shocked to see the Main cannon swivel to the side and fire.

She looked and was just in time to see a multicolored

hexagonal shape appear out of nowhere and send the round

zinging off to the sky.

The four eyes of Unit Two blazed with an unholy energy as it

continued it's slow, purposeful climb out of the lake.

Hikari didn't even notice that both she and the other pilot had

stopped their battle. Both were watching the blood-red Evangelion

stalk forward in a state not unlike a deer caught in headlights.

Asuka wasted no time in grabbing hold of the Trident's head, and

as Hikari watched in shock, Unit Two tore it straight off.

As the Pilot Ejected, Unit Two watched the long trail of smoke

as the escape pod flew off toward the coast.

"A-As-Asuka?" Hikari croaked nervously as Unit Two

turned back to face her. Suddenly the communication window

opened beside her and she almost jumped.

"Of course it's me," Asuka shot back in the playfully arrogant

tone that Hikari remembered from when they'd first met, "now lets

stop chattering like a couple of little girls and save Nerv's ass

before Shinji can show up and take all the credit, sound good to

you?"

"Um... ok?" Hikari managed to say as she watched Unit Two

gather it's Umbilical cable and leap out of the water.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"Sir!" Shigru shouted from his position, "our reserve satellite

just visually confirmed nine stealth bomber launches from the UN's

primary staging airfield in Okinawa!"

"Nine?" Fuyutsuki wondered aloud, as if the numbers were

beginning to ring a bell in his mind. Shigru didn't quite get the

relevance of the numbers, he had other worries on his mind, like

how the display had popped up on its own accord. He

remembered how Maya would do things like that. she tended to

follow the battles faster than he or Makoto could, and she'd

always pitch in to help them keep up when she was running ahead.

If he didn't know better, he'd have thought she was there.

"They can't nuke us!" Yuri cried in an understandably

frightened voice, "half the UN army is out there!"

"Oh my God," Fuyutsuki said-apparently suddenly recognizing

what was happening, "they just sent in the Mass produced Evas!"

Only Makoto looked like he had any level of understanding, of

what Fuyutsuki had just said.

"Contact the pilots," Fuyutsuki continued, as his tone made

Shigeru's blood turned to ice, "tell them to get as ready as they can,

they only have a few minutes before Hell itself is unleashed upon

us!"

[]====[]

[]====[]

As the elevator slowly rose up to the cage, Shinji finally

dropped to the floor of the small room. He'd been drifting back

and forth between consciousness ever since the section two agent

had picked him up, and it had been growing harder and harder to

focus until the crash below.

Now he was filled with a desperate fear that he might not

make it to Unit One. The burning ache in his side was- at the

moment- the main thing that was keeping him from passing out.

He hadn't told Misato, but he was pretty sure the crash had jarred

loose whatever patching the doctors had put to his ribs. He was

afraid to touch it for fear of finding out for sure.

He wanted to cry. He wanted to curl up into a corner and

scream in loss for Misato. He'd heard shots go off moments after

she'd pushed him in, and after that he'd felt a jarring shake that he

feared had been some type of explosion. But as much as he

wanted to grieve the loss, he knew that if he started now, he'd be

unable to stop.

There was a long stretch of darkness, and suddenly he heard a

loud tone and opened his eyes to find the doors sliding apart.

His side screaming in agonizing protest, he lurched to his feet

and stumbled into the cage. As he reached the edge of the

platform and leaned against the rail, however, he was horrified at

what he saw.

He had a dim understanding of the restraint system, and he

knew that they used solidifying Bakelite to trap the Eva's in the

event that they went out of control in the base. This was the same

stuff that had coated Unit Zero after Rei's first activation test, and

it was also the same substance that had flooded the corridor at

Misato's command earlier. As he followed a residue trail he could

see a tube extending through a hole in the wall and realized that the

UN had taken steps to keep the most dangerous Evangelion out of

the game.

"No..." he whispered as he looked across the cage where Unit

One was trapped, "this isn't right," he screamed, "this isn't fair!"

His hopes dashed, he fell to his knees against the rail. There

was nothing he could do... he was still helpless to save those he

loved.

Again.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Unit's Two and Three didn't wait for the armament cavern to

open; they tore through the door once there was room for them to

get a handhold. The Pilot of the rogue Trident followed from a

respective distance and kept quiet. Asuka had made sure the girl

understood that while they were grateful for the help, she wasn't to

be trusted.

"Ok, grab everything you can carry, but make sure you get

enough melee weapons," Asuka informed Hikari as they raided the

supplies of gear that were stacked along the wall, "if they're

serious about there being Evas being on the way then long range

isn't gonna do shit for us- as I found out the hard way against that

fourteenth son of a bitch."

"Right, but what about her?" Hikari asked as she gestured

out to where the other robot was keeping watch on the skies,

"she's in worse shape than I am. If she runs out of ammo she's

toast."

"Look, Hikari," Asuka said as she shouldered Nerv's positron

cannon, "unless you can find enough duct tape to strap a prog

knife to one of those stubby arms there isn't anything we can do

for her. She's on her own for now."

"What happened back there, Asuka?" Hikari asked as she

unsheathed one of the maglock swords, "how did you get your

synch rate back?"

"I'm not sure..." Asuka responded as she hefted the Smash

Hook and grinned, "maybe I had the wrong idea about something

and Unit Two didn't appreciate the sentiment."

"Well, I don't care how it happened, but it's good to see you

like your old self again."

"Thanks," Asuka said, her face softening, "and Hikari? For

what its worth... I'm sorry."

"Hey, you guys!" the panicked voice of the Trident Pilot

announced, "something's coming!"

As ready as they'd ever be, the two Evangelions climbed

from the cavern, and saw nine specks on the horizon. At that

distance it looked like nine birds flying in formation, but closer

magnification proved that this was far more deadly.

Hikari gulped as she studied the nightmarish shapes of the

mass-produced Evangelions. The first noticeable difference was

the wings. She was unsure if they were feathered, but they

certainly looked it. The faces were even more disturbing than the

wings. They had no eyes, and their entire head seemed to be one

great mouth. In each of their hands they carried a long blade that

looked like a broadsword with the handle built into the blade itself

and sharpened at either end.

They were graceful.

They were obviously powerful.

They were also revolting to look upon.

"Cover me!" the Trident Pilot suddenly, shouted as her Mechs

jets ignited and she shot into the sky to meet the enemy head on.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Gendou finally found Rei standing on the overlook platform to

the Eva graveyard. As he approached her, he was surprised to

hear her voice. She was whispering something he could not make

out, and as he grew closer he was not certain that he wanted to.

She seemed to sense him standing there, and as she turned to

face him, his breath caught in his throat. The look on her face- in

her eyes was that which had haunted his dreams for more than a

decade. At that moment- save for her pigmentation- Rei looked

frighteningly like Yui. His amazement and shock must have been

apparent on his face, because Rei let a small secret smile cross her

lips before her face went back to the more neutral expression he

was more familiar- and comfortable- with.

He swiftly collected himself and adjusted his glasses before

speaking.

"I'm surprised to find you here," he said, "you generally seem

to prefer the room of Gauf to anywhere else in the Geofront."

"There is no longer anything for me there," she replied calmly,

and he decided that he'd been imagining what he'd seen.

"I see," said Gendou, "well, it is appropriate that you feel

so... the day for which you were created has arrived. It is time for

us to go."

Rei hesitated a moment- something that troubled Gendou

more than his impression earlier, but she began walking towards

the door. A moment later, he followed silently.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Mana knew that she didn't have a chance of beating the nine

Eva's in a ground battle. The Trident was heavily armored, and

was a juggernaut against a conventional enemy, but this looked to

be out of her league. The Trident's had only been called in after it

had been determined that the only working Eva was without an

AT Field in the first place. If those Eva's had that protection, then

her only chance was to make use of the Trident's powerful

propulsion and speed to out-maneuver them in the air.

As she rocketed towards them, however, it occurred to her

that what she knew of aerodynamics was in total disagreement

with what she was seeing. The Eva's were easily sixty meters tall,

and those wings on them were way bigger than even that.

Whatever was keeping them in the air was something that she'd

never heard of... unless...

"Oh shit!" she yelled as she opened fire on the approaching

V. The shot ricochet off a hexagonal energy barrier as she put her

Trident into a barrel roll.

The Eva's responded immediately. Peeling off like dive-

bombers, they began to turn to follow her in a spiraling circle. As

she set the computer to fire at will-hoping to get lucky- she

pulled up and began to climb as fast as the thrusters would take

her.

It wasn't enough.

The Eva's began to dive at her- having climbed three times

faster than her Mech. Each swoop of the Eva's resulted in a fresh

set of damage reports as the swords they carried carved her up

piece by piece.

"No!" she screamed as she pulled the ejection lever. There

was a sudden slamming pressure as the acceleration shoved her

back to her seat. Just as she began to relax however she was

thrown forward.

Her head spinning, she barely managed to focus long enough to

glance at the monitor, as a field of white became a field of red.

Then everything went black.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"No!" Hikari shrieked as the MP Eva threw the escape pod

into its mouth. They'd tried their best to lay down a suppressing

fire, but the Trident Pilot had been moving too fast and they hadn't

been able to track her well enough to keep from striking her as

well as the MP's.

"Don't!" Asuka shouted as Unit Two took hold of Three's

undamaged arm, "stick together and pick your moment! If they

separate us they'll swarm and we're toast!"

"But she's gonna-"

"Not if I can help it!" Asuka promised as she locked the

offending Eva into her computer to track, "just concentrate on the

fight!"

As the MP's landed on the peaks of the surrounding hills

Hikari began to get nervous. When they wrapped their wings

around themselves, she broke out in a cold sweat.

"What's going on?" she asked HQ, "what are they waiting

for?"

The answer came about ten seconds later.

After being disabled, the Jet Alone had for the most part been

ignored. Its mobility gone, it had minimal to no combat abilities.

This factored in; no one had paid much attention to it as it had

continued to crawl by its arms toward the center of the battle.

Seele had been fully aware of its lack of battle capabilities, and

had decided to use it for another purpose.

It had finally reached its destination as Trident Zero-Two was

cut to pieces. While the wreckage of that machine fell to earth, it's

nuclear power plant shut down, and a timer began to tick down.

Just as Hikari began to ask what the MP's were doing, the

counter reached ten.

When it reached Zero, the N2 Mine that had been placed

within the JA went off.

[]====[]

[]====[]

As the earth shook above them, Rei stopped walking.

Gendou didn't register this for two full steps, but when he did

realize that the soft padding of her footsteps had halted, he

stopped as well and turned to face her.

"What is it?" he demanded- becoming very aware of how

little time was left.

"I cannot do this," she said- a tremor in her voice.

"It is your destiny," he said as he reached for her arm in what

he'd hoped was a comforting gesture. Apparently she did not see

it as such because she shrinks away from him as if his hand were

a serpent.

"No, I _will_ not do this," she said and in her eyes he was

horrified to find fear. This was too dangerous; she was growing

out of control- out of _his_ control.

"If you do not, Seele will achieve their goal and the world will

suffer for it. Do you prefer that fate?"

"You know that what you say is a lie!" she said- causing him

to gasp at the venom in her voice.

"How did you reach this conclusion?" asked Gendou as the

first slivers of real fear he'd felt in years began to creep into his

mind.

"I remember," she said simply.

"Explain."

"I remember Yui Ikari," Rei said, "I remember _being_ Yui

Ikari."

"Impossible!" Gendou shouted, his fear melting in to a sudden

rage.

"Really?" asked Rei, a bitter smile crossing her lips, "I know

that I was not created for this purpose originally- because I

remember what I was meant to be."

"Stop," Gendou growled as he clenched his hands into fists.

"She never told you, merely made the preparations with

Fuyutsuki. Why did you alter the plan?"

Gendou's face was red in anger. He let it wash over him

because he suspected that if he didn't focus on that emotion,

others would overwhelm him. Would weaken him. This was

impossible, it could _not_ happen! They'd tried it years before and

it hadn't worked- the memories had never been successfully

carried over. Naturally Rei would not know that, but the fact she

knew of the intent alone was a shocking revelation in itself.

"Stop this charade Rei," he growled, "we do not have time

for this."

"You don't believe me," Rei nodded as she accepted it. She

closed her eyes for a moment and then began to speak, "you

chose my name the same day you chose Shinji's- a month before

he was born. You said if it was a boy it would have his name, if a

girl- my own."

She opened her eyes and Gendou found that he could not

speak. He didn't know how it had happened, but it was true. Had

he the time, he would have realized when it might have happened,

but his mind was in too much chaos to place it all together.

"The first date the two of you went on was a dubbed

American film with poor voice acting. Afterwards you went to the

park and laughed at the translations of some of the phrases."

"How?" he whispered, the disbelief melting in the face of the

memories her words were bringing to his own mind.

"I do not know. I know only that her memories are within me,

and I know that what you wish me to do, I can not... not while

knowing that there is another way."

"I can't accept that path!" he said hotly, "I won't abandon her if

there is a way to bring her back!"

"Even if it means risking the entire human race?"

"Yes!" he spat back.

"Do you really believe that she would accept that? If even if

you succeeded, do you, in your purist heart, believe she would

forgive you?"

"If I change things it won't matter!" he shouted, "I can make it

the way it was! don't you see?"

"I see," Rei said sadly, "that you would rather live with a world

of dolls than one of real people... that's all we are to you... that is

all your son is to you... that is all I am to you."

For a split second he intended to strike her. To strike back at

the accusations that she was making. But as he raised his hand, he

remembered something that Fuyutsuki had said shortly after

discovering he and Yui had wed. The words had always sounded

somewhat bitter, and while Gendou had always detected a little

jealousy in them, he'd known them for what they were- honest and

useful advice from someone who knew him almost as well as he

knew himself.

"Always listen to her Gendou," Kozo had said, "Yui is more of a

conscience than you'll ever have."

Suddenly, through the memory, the red haze began to clear,

and he realized that Rei had just said things to him he'd never

shared with another soul, things that even Fuyutsuki had not known.

Kozo had been totally confused at the selection of Rei's name...

Yui had never shared that with him... Rei was speaking the truth

about knowing... but was she also speaking the truth about the

other?

If he changed Yui so that she'd forgive him for what he'd

done... for what me would do... would she still be Yui?

Precious seconds ticked past as he pondered that question.

Finally, the answer came to him in horrible clarity.

No.

"Go," he said through gritted teeth.

"What?" Rei said, her eye's widening.

"I said go!" he shouted, "before I come to my senses! There

may still be time to stop all of this!"

Rei didn't hesitate, and as her rapid footfalls faded down

through the endless hallways of Terminal Dogma, Gendou Ikari

dropped to his knees and shook in grief.

[]====[]

[]====[]

The shaking of the earth had subsided for a moment, and Shinji

painfully climbed to his feet. As he rested against the wall, he was

suddenly aware that the room had not stopped shaking, and- in

fact- the sound and fury was becoming fiercer.

Suddenly the solidified Bakelite began to crack and split all

over the cage. As he tried to stay upright amongst the shifting of

the room, he watched Unit One's hand tear free of the restraints

and begin to pull the rest of its massive shape free.

"Mother..." he said aloud as excitement washed through him.

He wasn't out of the fight yet.

[]====[]

[]====[]

The MPs' had wasted no time in taking advantage of the

confusion and disorientation that the N2 Mine had caused. As

Asuka climbed to her feet she barely had time to recognize that

there was an enormous hole in the earth as the first of the winged

vultures swooped down at her.

Sparks flew as she swung the Smash Hook up in a parry. The

two blades glanced off one another and as the MP shot back up

to the sky, Hikari's voice warned her that another was attacking.

She leapt out of the way of the attack as the sword gouged a

long slash in the earth behind it.

A glance over at Hikari showed that she was only having

slightly better luck- her Maglock sword making a much better

parrying tool than her axe.

"scheisse!" she shouted as she leapt out of the way of yet

another swooping Eva. If they didn't make a move quick, then they

might not make it through this. Fortunately, Asuka had been

thinking about fighting Eva's ever since the thirteenth angel.

As the fourth of the MPs' flew down towards her, she stood

her ground and waited for just the right moment before leaping up

into the air.

The sword sliced through her umbilical cable, but she was

prepared for that. As the MP flew below her, she grabbed hold of

the fin-like protrusion just over its neck and swung herself onto its

back.

The thing shrieked in protest, and as it buckled under her

weight, she brought her axe down into its wing, cutting it neatly

off at the base.

She had not, however taken into account how fast they were

moving, and as the two Eva's fell from the sky, she realized she

was above the hole she'd seen moments ago.

The hole she now saw to be a crack in the top of the

Geofront- and they were falling right into it.

The calmness that came over her was more due to her years of

training than anything else. She got her bearings by locating the

Nerv pyramid and let go of the MP as she began firing her

shoulder jets to control her angle.

Crashing to the earth below with only slight damage to the

armor of her Evangelion, she quickly climbed to her feet and

dashed over to a power station where she replaced her umbilical

and took her progressive knife out.

"Come and get it, you bastard!" she shouted as the MP

burst from a lake not too far away.

[]====[]

[]====[]

As Asuka had disappeared into the gaping hole in the earth,

Hikari had been engaging in the most frightening moment of her

life. After apparently realizing that their tactics were not working,

one of the MPs' had landed and had begun attacking her directly

as the others began to circle the hole where Asuka had fallen.

As she frantically parried blow after blow, she screamed in

fear. The thing was much better than she was, and was attacking

relentlessly. It was as if someone had melded a master swordsman

with a barbaric berserker and had used the best aspects of both.

Had her Eva not been programmed to fight this way, she'd have

long since been cut to ribbons.

It was moving faster and faster and she could barely keep up,

much less counter attack. Suddenly it picked up a tank and

_threw_ it at her. As she screamed something in her mind seemed

to push outward and- without warning- the tank crashed into

something in midair a split second before a shimmering hexagonal

field of light appeared in that space.

She was so amazed that she'd finally activated the AT field that

she didn't notice the MP leaping back into the air for a moment.

As it hovered backward on its wings, it took its sword and

reared back like it was going to smash something. Hikari thought

for a moment it would try to smash its way through the field but

instead it threw the sword at her- it's blade cutting through the air

cleanly.

Hikari was so stunned by the move that she forgot momentarily

about her at Field and instead tried to dodge the blade by ducking

out of the way.

This may have saved her life.

As it struck the AT Field, the sword began to morph and shift

into a long slender spear. It pierced Unit Three's AT Field like a

pin popping a balloon and as it flew towards her it struck her

damaged arm and punched a hole straight through her Eva's elbow

and pinned her to the ground.

Hikari screamed in pain, and as she looked down at the spear

sticking through her Eva's arm in shock she realized that it

looked like the lance of Longinus.

The other MPs' turned to watch as the one whom the weapon

belonged landed and crouched- preparing to pounce.

Hikari gritted her teeth, and reached down to the spear. She

gripped it in her free hand and with everything she had, she pulled

the lance from the ground and out of Unit Three's arm.

The MP hesitated as it watched on. While it did that two of the

others jumped from their spots at the edge of the hole and

disappeared

within.

Hikari suddenly noticed that her Power was running out, and a

quick glance at her screens showed the sparking edge of the

umbilical leaping around to her side.

In front of her, the MP seemed to grin- as if to say, "Your

move".

[]====[]

[]====[]

As Asuka removed the Progressive knife from the throat of

the MP, she suddenly heard a shriek of rage that she didn't

recognize.

Realizing that it was coming over the communications net, she

turned to the Pyramid and gasped as she saw the side of it erupt

outward. A huge burst of energy that she couldn't help but notice

looked like a cross flared up out of the resulting hole, and as two

of the MP Eva's dropped from their perch above, something

began to emerge. Slowly at first, a massive purple and black hand

gripped the edge of the jagged hole in the pyramid. This was

followed by a dark shape with two fierce eyes that blazed form

behind the swirling smoke. As it rose, the smoke began to spin

faster until it twisted into a tornado of crackling energy and debris

from all over the Geofront. A growl rose from within the

hurricane, and for a moment, she saw the MPs flinch as the shape

became clear to all.

Her eyes went wide as Evangelion Unit One climbed from

the rubble. Its restraints were shattered and hung loosely from the

remaining cables and tethers. From its shoulders, six glowing

wings of pure energy lit up the Geofront. Whatever she'd thought

of the Purple war machine now, she felt a sliver of terror of the

shear power it radiated.

Unit One let loose with a world-shaking roar and on her side, a

window popped up showing Shinji looking more angry and

determined than she'd ever seen him. Sweat dripped from his

brow- dissipating in the LCL, but his eyes were piercingly clear.

She almost felt sorry for the white Evas surrounding them for a

moment, then came to her senses and hefted her progressive

knife- ready to return to the fight.

The battle had just been joined.

[]==========================[]

To Be Concluded...

[]==========================[]

hey you

don't help them to bury the light

don't give in without a fight

Hey You

Pink Floyd, The Wall

[]=====================[]

Book Three, Part Three

[]=====================[]

As the gateway to Nerv's LCL plant cycled open, Gendou

Ikari found himself staring at the glove covered palm of his hand.

Something would have to be done about it before he could enter.

He'd known from the moment he'd allowed Rei to go there was no

other way. Without her there by his side, the danger from that

which lay under the soft white material on his hand was too high.

Something might go wrong while in Lilith's presence if it was not

dealt with right away.

Now that he was committed to this new path, he refused to

allow anything to alter it further. This was why when he saw the

shadow on the other side of the gate, he drew his weapon and

turned Ritsuko's advantage of surprise to a stalemate in one quick

blur of motion.

She blinked as she saw him aiming the pistol at her, but she did

not drop her gun or flinch. Each of them looked down the barrel of

the other weapon. The seconds ticked by- moment after

agonizing moment. Finally, they both broke out into a nearly

identical pair of smirks.

"Hello, Gendou," she said- her tone dripping with honey and

poison, "funny meeting you here."

"Yes," he replied- his tone as unreadable as ever, "the timing is

unfortunate, however."

"That," she said, " is strictly is a matter of point of view.

Personally, I'd say the timing is perfect... incidentally, where's Rei?

I expected you to have her in tow like a good little puppet."

"Let us say that Rei is currently engaged in another project... I

assume you mean to use that?" he asked as he nodded in her gun's

direction while keeping his own aimed right at her heart.

"You seem to have as firm a grasp of the situation as ever," she

replied in a voice that was almost regretful.

"I see. Perhaps I could persuade you to wait for a moment

before pulling that trigger?" he asked her as he lowered his

weapon.

She stared at the gun at his side blankly for a moment before

shaking off her shock and nodding. Gendou slowly placed his

weapon in its holster, and as Ritsuko looked on he tore a strip off

of his jacket and placed it in a pocket.

"What are you doing?" she finally demanded as he began to

peel off his glove. The answer came to her a second later in a

horrified gasp. Ever since his accident with Unit Zero's entry plug

he'd claimed that he disliked removing the gloves- and in fact

she'd only seen him do so twice. Once just after the fourth angel

and again now.

She had to fight no to throw up as she saw what had been-

until now- concealed from her sight.

In the palm of Gendou Ikari's right hand was a twisted mass of

flesh that was not his own. It covered nearly half his palm, and

resembled a human fetus. It seemed to be grafted on, and it took

her several seconds to actually realize what she was seeing.

"Oh my God..." she whispered as he held it up in front of him.

Her gun clattered to the floor- and so great was he shock that she

did not realize she'd dropped it, "is that..."

"Yes," he said as he reached into his jacket and removed

his weapon, "this is Adam."

"You insane son of a _bitch_!" she screamed at him, her horror

dissolving into rage as she began to put the pieces together, all the

horrifying implications and hidden meanings coming together in one

sickening rush.

He could picture what was going through her mind at that

moment- how he'd actually touched her with that hand, held her,

and made love while that thing had been imbedded on it. He didn't

fault her for becoming upset. As she started towards him her fists

clenched shut, he chose that moment to remove the gun from its

holster. He pulled the trigger and as she flinched, her gun skidded

several feet backwards, making a splash as it landed in LCL.

She froze in place, glancing from him to where her gun now lay

and back to Ikari.

"Make it clean and quick," she said to him as she closed her

eyes, "you owe me that much at least."

"That will be unnecessary," he said as he placed the barrel of

his gun against the palm of his hand and pulled the trigger again.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Shinji wasted no time.

His overly dramatic entrance had resulted in a moment's pause

in the battle. Everyone stared in shock at Unit One as it towered

over the battlefield, and whatever these white monsters were they

were as surprised as everyone else that he'd arrived. That

hesitation had allowed him to get over the insanity of what he was

seeing. Accepting Asuka's awakening as something to deal with

later, he turned his attention to finding Hikari. Not seeing her

anywhere in the Geofront itself, he decided to look up top.

He leapt up to the air from the pyramid- instinctively taking

to the air on Unit One's wings. The deadly purple and black

Evangelion shot skyward and, as he rose, he saw one of the two

incoming MPs' swerve to give him a wide berth. It, and the other

both proceeded to dive into the Geofront towards Unit Two, who

was racing toward one of the armament stations.

'Why aren't they attacking me?' he wondered as he burst

through the cracked ceiling of the Geofront. The four MPs that

had been perched along it leapt out of his way- scattering like the

carrion eaters they were- and he saw Unit Three just as it drove a

long spear into the head of an attacking MP.

He noticed in shock that the black armor was streaked in

crimson, and in his mind's eye he could see it as it had been after

the thirteenth. The mental image was so overwhelming that it took

him a moment longer to focus again on the battle. He wouldn't

realize until much later that it was more than just surprise that was

causing him to have trouble focusing.

"Hikari!" he cried as he landed on the twitching MP- pushing

the spear deeper into the ground and through association its head.

Her Eva's arm hung limply at its side and blood poured from huge

gouges in its armor, but when her face came up on the window

beside him he could see that she was comparatively unharmed.

"Shinji!" she yelled suddenly, "look out!"

He did not jump or dodge to the left or right, he merely

gestured with the glowing wings of energy, and Unit One drifted

backwards just in time to dodge two spears-no lances! - that

crashed to earth where he had been moments before. Whatever

their earlier hesitation to attack him had been must have worn off-

he assumed, not realizing that the spears had been aimed at Unit

One's hands.

He turned to look at the sky where the MP's circled and

growled- not realizing that Unit One was doing the same. He was

using the wings as if he'd been born with them, but he didn't know

if that had been just reflex... or something else. What he did know

was a basic fact that Misato had taught him about combat. The

MPs had the high ground and therefore the advantage at the

moment. He'd have to do something about that.

Dashing foreword and grabbing hold of Unit Three, he

reversed directions, and with the wounded Eva in arm, flew

back into the hole in the Geofront. He was fearful for a moment

when he didn't see Asuka, but then he saw the Two MPs hovering

around the armament station and he cracked a smile as he realized

they were playing right into her hands.

"Shinji, what are you doing?" Hikari demanded, "we're sitting

ducks down here!"

"No," he countered, "they are! They have no room to

maneuver. They'll have to land to keep us from picking them off,

and puts them on even ground."

Even as he spoke, the remaining MPs' began to dive through

the gap after them one after the other in a stream of white winged

violence.

"I hope you're right," she whispered.

As the MPs closed in, however, Shinji noticed that he

suddenly felt very dizzy.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Asuka stood in the darkened cavern with her total attention

focused on its entrance. She was just beyond the light's reach and

she had to resist the urge to tap her foot in impatience. In Unit

Two's arms was one of the most powerful weapons in Nerv's

arsenal. The UN's Particle beam rifle.

"We've got all available power diverted to you Asuka, "Yuri

told her, "you can fire at will."

"Roger that," she informed them as she adjusted the targeting

system for manual fire, "Come on you asshole, take a peek," she

muttered impatiently.

Finally, over the top of the entrance, the grotesque head of one

of the Eva's swung down and she opened fire. The top of the MPs

grinning head disappeared as the blinding beam of energy cut

through it's AT Field. Even at a fraction of it's full power it was

enough to do the job.

As the MP's smoking body dropped from the top of the

entrance, the other dashed over, and was about to charge inside

when it brought itself to a sudden stop. Asuka had dropped the

rifle and was standing in it's way with two fully loaded pellet rifles

aimed right at it's chest.

"Peek-a-boo," she said sweetly as she emptied both clips at

point-blank range.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Hikari had just attached a fresh umbilical when the MP Eva's

began landing all around them in a loose circle. She and Shinji

turned back to back and she realized that he didn't have a

weapon. Then she remembered the tapes of the battle with the

fourteenth angel and was suddenly thankful that Unit One was on

her side.

The Evas' rushed them and Hikari barely had time to blink

before the MP's sword slashed through her shoulder fin. She

ducked under the blade and took advantage of the MP's

momentum to perform a flying tackle that took both of them

against the remains of the Nerv pyramid.

It was just then that she noticed activity from an indicator that

she'd downloaded earlier from Asuka's targeting system- this was

the MP that had swallowed the Trident Pilot! She angrily took the

head of the MP and began slamming it again and again into the

pointed peak of the Pyramid. When she was satisfied that the thing

was at least immobile, she wrenched it's mouth open with her hand

and foot and tried to reach inside. Just as she grabbed hold of

something that felt like it didn't belong, however, she was violently

thrown backwards and the escape pod was sent flying into the

lake.

She shook her head to clear it, and saw that Shinji was

grappling with not one but two of the MPs. Just as she noticed that

the fight was less of him fighting, and more of him holding them

back, another landed on her and she was looking right into it's

grinning face.

She quickly drew up her legs, and kicked the MP off of her

just as a blinding beam of light shot across the Geofront out of the

armament station. Picking herself up off the ground Hikari drew

her spare progressive knife and was just about to jump in to help

Shinji when her world exploded in pain.

Reeling from the tearing flash of pain, she looked down to find

one of the lances' sticking out of her Eva's stomach. It wasn't until

she saw the blood drift up from her own body that she began to

scream.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Shinji's eyes had followed the particle beam and he was

watching the second of Asuka's opponents back explode in

fountains of red when he heard a gut wrenching scream come over

the com. The knowledge that he recognized the owner of the voice

hit him like a sledgehammer.

Hikari.

Forgetting the two MPs that he'd been grappling with, he

swung Unit One's massive frame around to face where Unit Three

was dropping to its knees- a lance piercing it's back and

emerging through it's gut. Behind it a grinning Mass Production

Evangelion stood- holding the lance in what looked like glee.

"Nnnrrrraaaaaaarrrhhh!" Shinji bellowed- losing coherence

and all self-control in his fury. He blindly charged the MP, plowing

through another as Unit One's wings flared like the sun.

He slammed into the MP with force enough to shatter

mountains- and indeed that is exactly what they did. Shooting

through the Geofront, the Evas' obliterated the hill that rose up it's

side. Through the dust and rocks and smoke he saw one of the

MP's hands rise up- grasping for a hold. He gripped that arm,

and- planting Unit One's foot- tore it from the socket.

And ocean of hot blood splashed across Unit One's face as

Shinji tore into the other Eva. Even more flowed down the side of

the hill as the carnage finally peaked with a horrible sickening pop.

Unit One rose from the cleft in the hill covered with blood and

dust. Held in its hands was a crumpled black cylinder that had the

words 'dummy plug' stenciled across it.

Dropping the plug, he raced back to where Unit Three lay

motionless- screaming Hikari's name as he ran.

Just before he reached her, however, a sudden wave of nausea

washed over him, and- for a second- saw only darkness.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"This is unacceptable," one of the Seele monoliths said, "we

cannot allow any more of the Nine to be destroyed."

"The ritual is already at risk with the loss of but one," another

said, "if another destroyed the failure will be complete."

"It is Unit One that we cannot risk losing," the first among them

said, "the MPs can be replaced, but it is Unit one that is the

ultimate key to our goals."

"I concur, but the construction of more Eva's would be tipping

our hand at this point. Without more angels the threat is gone. We

cannot risk losing this chance."

"We are at an impasse then. We must subdue Unit One, and

we must not lose another of the Nine."

"Cripple it then, as long as it yet lives we may still succeed."

"Very well," the first said, "I will order them to tear the

lotheful

Evangelions apart- but not yet. Let them think they have won for a

fleeting moment- it will lower their guard. Surprise will be the tool

of our ultimate victory."

[]====[]

[]====[]

Asuka saw Shinji stumble as she launched from the armament

station. She also saw Unit Three lying in pain beside the lake. She

_also_ saw the three remaining MPs dashing her way.

Grinning maliciously, she unsheathed the Maglok blade she'd

taken and charged to meet them head-on.

The first tried to cleave her in half with a downward swipe of

it's sword- which she easily dodged and countered with a slash of

her own. Her cut took a fair size chunk out of it's side and cleaved

off it's left arm and right hand- sending the sword tumbling off

with the hands still holding it. The next was a little more cautious as

it swung it's great blade sideways- forcing her to parry it's attack.

She did just that- gritting her teeth from the impact, and as the

MP reared back for a second swipe, she took hold of her own

Umbilical and threw a loop around the monster's neck-

distracting it and allowing her to adjust the grip on the sword and

send it into the MP's torso. She shoved as hard as she could

downwards, and in one bright red splash, the MP was gutted.

The third didn't wait for her to finish, it jabbed at her with

it's

lance and had she not had as wide a range if vision it would have

pierced her Eva's eye. She leaned back just in time to dodge,

and- grabbing the lance- used her own momentum to pull the

MP to her.

As it fell forward- thrown off balance by her actions- she

twirled the Maglok in her hand and shoved it into the MP's back.

A leg sweep later, the sword was supporting the enemy Eva as it

fell backwards and impaled itself up to the hilt guard.

Asuka didn't waste time congratulating herself, she just ran

over to where Unit One was heading as well and skidded to a

stop beside Hikari.

Two communication windows popped up in a response to her

frantic screaming, and she was just as surprised to realized that

she'd been afraid for them as she was to find out they were still

alive.

That didn't mean they were all right however.

Hikari was whimpering in pain, and Asuka could see a dark

red patch just below Hikari's ribs and was amazed to realize that it

corresponded to the wound on her Eva. As impossible as it

seemed, she was bleeding from a wound that had been created

through the neural connection.

Shinji was in worse shape. She could see enough to know that

he was fighting unconsciousness. To make matters worse, she

could see thin tendrils of blood drifting into the LCL from between

his lips and from his nose. He winced every time he turned his

body, and Asuka was shamed to know that she was responsible

for his condition.

She'd have to deal with it later though.

Both she and Shinji began to work to remove the lance and

between them they managed to do so without hurting Hikari much

more than she already was.

As they helped Unit Three to its feet, however, one of Asuka's

displays went apeshit.

"What the hell?" She said aloud, "HQ, can you read?"

"We're a little busy at the moment!" Makoto called to her as

she heard gunshots in the background.

"I'm getting some crazy energy readings," she said as she tried

to figure out if there was a way she could get her Eva to the

secondary command center, "I need a clue up here!"

"We'll do what we can," Makoto said as the line shut down.

"Shinji!" Hikari was yelling- having just seen his condition,

"are you okay?"

"I think I need to lay down," he responded as Unit One

stumbled a bit.

"Well you better not croak out here, because I-" the words

died on Asuka's lips as she saw the source of the energy surge.

There was an ethereal glow covering the MP's and as it

reached its peak, - to Asuka's total horror- they began to move.

[]====[]

[]====[]

After several panicked minutes of running across the thin

platform, Ritsuko paused for a moment to check on their pursuers.

They were still back at the other end- probably checking to see if

they had any missiles left.

Almost as soon as she'd bandaged Gendou's hand, a dozen

armed soldiers who'd been drawn by the gunshot had found them.

The door had held them for awhile, but soon a set of charges had

gone off and they had been momentarily under pursuit again.

The only thing that had allowed them to get out of range had

been Lilith's crucified form. The guards had freaked out at the

sight and had expended most of their long-range weaponry in a

futile attack on the immobile Angel.

This was fortunate as Gendou was slowing down due to loss of

blood and (although he refused to show it outwardly) pain.

The cloth wrapped around his mangled hand was soaked red,

and she knew he had to be in unbearable agony, but Gendou still

looked as if nothing was amiss. It was unbelievable, but she

expected no less from the man who prided himself on appearing

like such a heartless bastard.

Finally, they reached the cross, and Gendou pressed a subtle

outcropping in its side. A panel slid off, and a computer console

was revealed. He began to type furiously as the guards began

charging them.

"You know that once I am done there is no escape," he said

suddenly looking at her, "you don't have to join me in this."

"The UN aren't taking prisoners... if I have to die I'd prefer it

be with someone I have _some_ feelings for- not a nameless

grunt."

"I see," he said as he turned back to the console and typed.

Behind them the soldiers were closing in. They would be within

firing range in less than a minute. Blood dripped from his fingers

onto the keyboard as he sped his work.

"Did... did you love me?" she asked suddenly- her voice

welling with a multitude of emotions.

He paused and was silent for several seconds. Finally he

answered, "as much as I was able."

He typed in the last of the code, and- after a moments pause-

she reached out to him, pulling him close to her. While a

countdown began on the monitor behind them, they took those

stolen moments to share a final kiss.

[]====[]

[]====[]

At the base of the shaft that led from Terminal Dogma to the

surface, Rei Ayanami came to a halt and looked up. She knew

that there was only one way for her to make it in time to have any

effect on the battle's outcome. She also knew that she might not

survive the process. Yet she didn't care. Her friends were in grave

danger, and there was something she could do to save them. As

long as that was the case, all the hordes of hell would not be able

to hold her back.

She closed her eyes as a shimmering distortion of light washed

out from her body. Her brow furrowed in concentration, and when

she finally opened her eyes, a glow began to surround her. She rose

from the earth and began to rise upwards towards the sky so far

above.

[]====[]

[]====[]

On the surface of the Geofront Asuka and Shinji were

disparately trying- and failing- to fend off the brutal second wave

of the MPs' assault. Having discarded their earlier orders to take

Unit One mostly unharmed Shinji found himself held down by two

of the MPs as another was trying to bite into his neck.

The attack had begun without warning. Eight of the Nine MPs'

had simply swarmed them and as he'd fought merely to stay

awake, the upper hand had shifted to the enemy.

As bad as his own situation was, he was pretty sure Asuka

was in worse shape. He could hear her scream in pain as Unit

Two was literally being torn to pieces by four of the others. The

final two were attacking Hikari and as she screamed for him he

tried even harder to escape the monstrous beasts holding him

down.

He managed to kick the one on his chest off but even as he did

that, one of the ones that had been after Asuka leapt up to replace

it's ally- it's white face smeared in the purple liquid that was Unit

Two's blood.

He screamed in rage and helplessness and just as he was about

to pass out again, two things happened almost simultaneously.

Unit One's AT Field suddenly threw off a wave of force-

hurling the MPs' away so hard they struck the ceiling of the

Geofront. As Unit One climbed to its feet the ground began to

tremble. As Shinji blinked in surprise, he realized it hadn't been

him who'd made the beast move.

Unit One had just gone berserk again.

That was when the N2 mine went off and the entire world

seemed to tremble.

[]====[]

[]====[]

A blazing pillar of fire blasted the metal covering off of

Terminal

Dogma's entrance shaft. The force of the blast sent it sailing out

through the crack in the Geofront where it landed several miles away.

Sensing something dangerous, all the standing Evangelions

turned to face the pyre of flame. The MPs' were watching with

something close to awe, while Unit One merely stood it's ground

and growled- eager to return to battle.

Inside the beast, Shinji felt another wave of nausea strike and

began to cough. When he again opened his eyes he almost

screamed. Horror washed over him as he finally saw the ever

thickening trail of blood flow from his mouth and dissolve a few

inches away into the LCL. He didn't have much time to react to

this, however, as something began to happen outside.

From within its blazing radiance, an even brighter shape began

to emerge from the flame. It was small, but gave off more light than

the fire now behind it. However, it wasn't until the figure landed on

the ruins of the Pyramid, and its glow lessened, that Shinji was

able to make out any details. Even then he was stunned. That was,

however, one of the last things he saw as the pain finally

overwhelmed him. He passed out with the startling sight still fresh

in his mind's eye.

The shining figure was Rei Ayanami.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Finally, Unit One let loose with a shriek of rage and the spell

was broken. It charged one of the MPs' and put a fist straight

through its armor. It began brutally tearing the MP's insides out

through a fresh cavity it's chest, another suddenly appeared behind

Rei and with one great bite, she disappeared into its mouth.

The MP stood and was about to launch itself at Unit One

when it's body suddenly spasmed and the beast froze in place-

it's grin dissolving to a look not unlike horror. It wrenched back,

its elbows touching as it's spine seemed to be trying to twist it into

some unnatural shape.

The Eva continued to convulse a moment longer before it's

upper body erupted in a hurricane of blood.

As the fine mist of its insides rained down on the surface of the

Geofront, a sphere of light remained in place of its body. Soon, the

hail of blood subsided, and Rei's AT Field expanded again.

Frowning, she floated towards where the MPs were swarming

Unit One.

The Evangelion was fighting like a thing possessed, flinging the

winged monsters off of itself as fast as they could try to attack. It

turned to one MP as it charged and merely punched forward. This

succeeded in driving it's fist through the grinning maw- pulverizing

it's teeth- and continuing onward up to elbow depth. For a

second, the two titans stood like that, the white monster spastically

twitching before Unit One's arm jerked twice. When it emerged it

held the dummy plug clenched in it's gore-stained fist.

The one that had been earlier relieved of one of its wings by

Asuka's axe found itself with a matching pair as it was

inadvertently thrown in Rei's direction by another pulse of force

from Unit One's AT Field.

Rei responded by extending her hand and manipulating the

surface of her own AT Field. The MP struck it, and the Field

flashed- splitting the MP into four neat pieces. It fell to earth

shattered and lifeless.

Her red eyes flashing with power, Rei turned to face the

remaining Mass Produced Evangelions.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Below the battle, both Unit's Three and Two had been

disabled. The pilots had been a bit shocked to find themselves

alive, and after climbing from the entry plugs they'd raced for the

relative cover of the lake. Hikari had discovered as soon as she'd

left the Eva that her injuries were beginning to fade, but with the

carnage going on above it was the least of her problems.

They watched the fight above in a combination of total terror

and awe. No one had told them the AT Fields were capable of

this. Neither had said anything as of yet, and until the voice called

out from behind they hadn't intended to.

"Hey you!" the feminine voice shouted, "can someone give me

a hand over here?"

Asuka whirled around to see a girl about their age clinging to a

large piece of shattered lumber several yards out in the water. Out

in the lake behind her was a metallic cylinder that she suddenly

realized looked familiar. She blinked for a moment as Hikari

turned to see as well. Both jumped into the water and began

swimming to help.

It only took them a moment to reach her. In spite of all the

equipment packed inside them, plugsuits were almost as good as

wetsuits for swimming. As they began to turn, a thundering

smashing sound caused all three to jump. The sound was result

of another of the MPs' crashing to the earth almost exactly where

they'd been standing moments before- it's lower half landing

almost a mile further down the beach.

The girl cried out as Hikari adjusted her hold and Asuka

realized that she was wearing a military jumpsuit.

"Careful, I think my arm's broken," the girl said speaking

rapidly in her pain and fright, "not that I'm ungrateful or anything I

mean you did save my life and all and oh my God is that thing

really dead?"

"Calm down," Hikari said as they swam for a group of trees,

"are you the one who was in that Mecha?"

"Uh huh, and if I never do that again as long as I live I'll be

happy, oh and I'm Mana by the way and I'm sorry for the whole

'coming here to fight you' thing but I was under obey or die

orders."

Trying to keep track of the injured girl's dialog, they reached

the shore. As Hikari went to look for something to make a splint,

Asuka turned back to where another of the MPs' had fallen before

the combined wrath of Unit One and Rei Ayanami.

She couldn't help but think of Kaoru as she watched Rei slam

her AT Field into the earth- crushing yet another of their enemies

into a ocean of pulp against the ground. The ground lurched from

the impact and Unit One suddenly spread its wings and leapt

straight up to the ceiling above. It somersaulted as it reached the

top, and- like an Olympic swimmer- it used the ceiling of the

Geofront to press off and turn back to the earth below.

Asuka had never seen anything like this in her life, and as she

watched, she realized that she never wanted to again. This wasn't

glorious combat, this was brutal slaughter for its own sake. This

was what the Eva's truly were capable of. She'd seen it before but

it hadn't sunken in until now what the monsters really were. The

Evangelions were gods all right...

Gods of Death and War.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Unit One shot to earth, taking careful aim, and plowed into

another of the MPs'- driving it into the ground in a cloud of rock,

dust and blood. When the dust began to settle Unit One rose

holding the broken body of the enemy in its hands. A flex of it's

arms later there was one less Eva to fight.

Rei had made short work of the remaining foes with a wave of

her hand. A thin sliver of light shot across the Geofront, and the

MP's were simply cut to ribbons.

Finally the battlefield was silenced, and the remaining two

combatants turned to face one another.

There was a long pause of quiet- startling in contrast to the

fearsome din moments before.

Unit One stood facing the tiny figure. It's head tilted in a look

of

puzzlement as Rei stared back.

Her breath was rapid and this was not merely due to

exertion. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she could feel the

very fabric of her body fighting the discorperation that was the

cost of using her AT Field at this level. There was also something

in her mind-in her very soul that was trying to overtake her. It

was a feeling she'd experienced once before as she'd watched the

destruction of the seventeenth angel.

That feeling had been the result of her dangerously close

proximity to Lilith. With Lilith destroyed Rei had hoped she would

never feel that awful/rapturous pull again. She'd never considered

that with Lilith gone, that which had been crafted in her form

would call out to her. She'd never considered the Eva would call

out to her as such.

Now, as Unit One began to step toward her, she found that the

pull was beyond her ability to resist. Her own Eva had been born

from the First Angel- as had all the others save this. It had been

what made Unit One so valuable to Ikari and Seele. She felt

herself floating towards the giant, and as she watched helplessly,

Unit One reached up and tore it's left chest plate from its body,

leaving the raw flesh beneath revealed.

It held out it's hand and she landed therein. One final time she

tried to resist the call, but she was too close. As Unit One held it's

hand against the bare flesh, she could hear the heartbeat through

the skin, and realized that it matched her own beat per beat.

"Please," she whispered, "I do not want to do this."

Giving no reply, Unit One's hand closed against its chest, and

with matching screams, it and Rei Ayanami began to merge. It

wasn't a long event, but a rapid merging of tissue that was not

unlike a drop of water in a pool. Rei' scream cut off in a flash,

which left the bellows of Unit One to rock the geofront in a long

agonizing howl.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Down below the chaos, an access hatch was kicked open and

Misato Katsuragi- unaware of what was happening above-

crawled out with another person in tow.

"All I'm saying is that you could have written or something!" she

growled as she pulled Kaji from their escape route.

"The risk of being found out was too high," he responded as she

placed his arm over shoulders. Favoring his broken leg, they

began limping out of the wooded area, "I never would have

made as much headway if they had known that I was still

breathing- I'd have been too busy looking over my shoulder.

Quite frankly you're probably alive thanks to not knowing _I_

was."

She'd been stunned to see him- even more stunned than she'd

been when one of the masked commandos had mowed down his

teammates. And that had been a considerable shock. When he'd

removed his mask and Misato saw Kaji grinning down at her

she'd- for a moment thought she was already dead. Then he'd

opened his big dumb/ beautiful mouth.

"You just going to sit there all day or do you want to get out of

here?" he'd said- that stupid grin plastered all over his face

seeming to widen further as he watched her stare up at him in

shock.

She'd wanted to slap him- then kiss him, but had settled on

reversing the order and forgetting the former in the process. As

they'd hurried down the halls, however, another attachment of

troops had seen them. Kaji had thrown a small shape at them and

seconds later an explosion had sent them flying. She'd had to carry

him much of the rest of the way. After they'd come to they'd

found that he'd fractured his leg during the blast.

Now as they emerged from the shrubbery, she wondered if she

wouldn't have been better off with the rain of gunfire.

Towering above the fallen bodies of the MP Evas, Unit One

was shrieking in pain. Its body was convulsing and through the

torn patches in its armor, it's body was glowing ethereally. It's

hands slowly began to rise to it's head and as they watched in

stunned silence, it grasped its helmet and unlatched it.

The horned covering fell to earth and beneath it, the membrane

that normally covered Unit One's true face began to melt away in a

wave of light- like a sheet of burning paper. The Eva dropped to

one knee as pieces of its armor began splitting and falling off of

it's body, revealing the glowing flesh beneath. From it head a waving

mane of ethereal hair fell down it's back and Misato was amazed

to see wires and joints beginning to emerge out from the glowing

flesh as if being shoved out from within. The shape of the body

was undeniably feminine, and Misato was equally shocked to see

that the face was Rei's.

As the wires began to fall and suddenly a large cylinder fell

from the Eva's back. The entry plug of Unit One split open and as

Misato screamed, she saw that nothing had fallen out. No LCL,

no Shinji... nothing at all.

"Shinji..." she whispered aloud as she realized that he'd

been absorbed again.

As the last of the armor and electronics fell from it's body;

Misato suddenly began to wonder why the creature was simply

standing in place.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"Where am I?" Shinji whispered as he spun in the darkness.

There was no direction, no up no down, nothing to anchor him to

a spatial relation. There was no sense of time, as he didn't even

seem to be breathing.

"You are from whence you came," a musical, and somehow

familiar voice told him. He did not hear the voice with his ears, and

it took a moment to realize that he'd heard it somewhere deeper...

Somewhere from inside his mind.

"What does that mean?" he wondered.

"All humanity is born of and returns to me," the voice said, "you

are all my children."

"Are you... God?" he whispered in awe.

"Not in the sense you mean the word."

"Am I dead?"

"Some might say you are, but your condition is not unfamiliar to

you."

"I don't understand... where's Hikari?"

"She will be with us soon."

"Is she hurt?" Shinji cried out, "where is she? I have to help

her!"

"Why?" the voice asked simply.

"I just do!" he shouted.

"Answer the question."

"Who are you?"

"Answer the question."

"You first."

"Some have called me Lilith."

"But that isn't your name, is it?" Shinji said, not sure why he

was so bold about it.

"I have no name. However, Lilith will serve for this discussion.

Answer my question."

Shinji nodded, out of habit more than anything, "I can't let

someone I love be hurt if I can stop it from happening."

"You... love her?"

"I do."

"Explain."

"What do you mean, 'explain'?"

"Explain this emotion you feel for the girl."

Shinji floated there for many seconds before speaking

carefully, "I don't know if I can put it into words."

There was a short silence, and then everything around him

brightened for a moment. Shinji felt something open inside him,

and his mind was touched by something warm and soothing.

Instead of fearing the touch, he found himself welcoming it. He

began to see the last few months of his life play before him. His

first day in Tokyo Three, the battle, meeting Hikari, the second

battle, her hugging him at the train station. Talking with her,

walking to school together. Their first kiss. The dawning realization

that what he was feeling for her was deeper than anything he'd

ever known. The horrible way he'd nearly ruined all of it. The

nightmarish weeks after, the day they were reunited... all of it

played out in an instant and when the touch retreated, Shinji was

stunned at the experience... by the realization that his feelings for

Hikari were deeper than even he'd understood.

"I see..." the voice said as it faded, and left him alone in the

void.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Rei found herself watching the events of the past hour from

outside her body. As she stood atop the Nerv Pyramid, a voice

spoke that seemed to come from all around her.

"why did you externalize your AT Field?"

"it was necessary to save the others."

"even though your body would not have survived for more than

an hour? Even though your other selves had been destroyed? You

would condemn yourself to nothingness to save these others?

Why?"

"I would not allow my friends to die if I could stop it."

"But what prompted this risk? What do these Lillum mean to

you, one born of my own flesh? Why would you risk yourself for

them?"

"I know who you are. I know what you are. If the human race

is truly born of you, why is it that you find my actions so alien? I

acted to stop a great wrongness which I'd been a pawn in bringing

about. If I'd done nothing, even if I had joined with you, I would

never have forgiven myself for not acting when I could."

The voice said nothing, and Rei Ayanami waited for the

ultimate fate of all mankind to be decided.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"Why did you choose to bond with the Evangelion?" the voice

asked Yui Ikari.

She looked around startled again, for so long she's lived as a

wraith in the Eva, and she was still trying to adjust to this

nothingness when the voice spoke up.

"Oh no, don't tell me it's begun," she whispered in horror as the

memories rushed back to her of fighting and the Angels and Shinji

screaming for the pain to stop and Gendou and the giant white

Evas and the poor sobs of her son helpless to stop the fourteenth

without her and the black armor tearing like tinfoil in her hands and

the power- oh God the power- of the AT field at her control.

"You refer to the event you call Third Impact. You helped to

orchestrate this event."

"Bullshit," Yui shouted, "I didn't understand what I was

working on till after Antarctica."

"Yet you continued to help them," the voice said.

"Wrong," Yui said firmly, "I helped build a tool that would let

us survive the war with the angels."

"And that is all the responsibility you claim?"

"No," Yui said, tears wanting to come, which seemed not to

be possible in this place, "I know that I was seduced by the idea

that we could become what you are. I fantasized every day by the

dream of sailing immortal through the stars. But at no point did I

want this to happen, damn you, I wanted to stop it. I don't care

what you, Kiel or ANYONE says, you don't have the right to

decide the fate of a whole world."

"You'd wish I stop now, even if it meant abandoning your only

child?"

"Don't even try to use the mother/cub argument with me," Yui

growled, " if you're what I think you are, you don't have the right

to judge my actions. I saved Shinji's life by doing this. No one else

could have fought the angels like we did together. Don't you dare

tell me that it was all for nothing. Don't you dare tell me it's all

over and I've failed, and don't you dare accuse me of abandoning him

when you've been sitting there doing nothing for hundreds of

thousands of years."

Again the voice was silent.

[]====[]

[]====[]

When Shinji came to again, there was the sense that someone

was nearby. He turned to see a familiar woman in her early

twenties. She was looking at him with an expression of confusion

and surprise that matched his own.

It took him only a second to realize who she was.

"M-mo-mom?" he whispered as another figure stepped into

view between them.

Yui took a step away as Rei stopped and looked back and

forth between them with a quizzical expression. Her confusion was

only increased as the voice they'd all heard spoke.

"So this is what my children have become," said the voice. It

was like listening to the wind, a harmonious, melodically voice that

was somehow not human, incredibly powerful, yet not in the

least frightening.

"what's going on?" Shinji began to demand.

"Silence," Rei said in a stern- yet not menacingly- voice. She

looked into his eyes, and Shinji wondered if she knew what was

happening.

A light came from nowhere and entered Rei, who began to

glow, and as Shinji and Yui watched, a shape emerged from within

her. A glowing human figure stepped free and they all heard a

voice in their minds as everything went white.

"You have done well. The bonds you hold for those you love

extend beyond even the walls between your souls. You may never

know just how truly rare that is in this universe. I am pleased with

you, my children. Farewell."

[]====[]

[]====[]

As the humans watched on in rapt fascination, the glowing form

that had emerged from Unit One's armor took to the air. It floated

for a few moments as its wings spread, as if testing them for the

first time. A sphere of light emerged from within the creature,

floating down to land within a crater from the battle. That

accomplished, she launched skyward- the great sweeping wings

spreading even further from her back

Lilith rose from the Black Moon- her egg that was known

among her children as the Geofront. She flew up through the sky

and rose gracefully through the upper layers Earth's atmosphere.

All over the nation- and in the countries around Japan, those

within sight watched in amazement. News crews dropped what

they were doing and soon everyone in the world was watching the

ascension of Lilith.

As her glow lit the dimming sky's she passed through into

space. Sailing across endless depths ever faster she sailed to the

Moon where a twisted length of crimson metal floated in orbit.

Her hand extended and the lance of Longinus was suddenly

thrown outward. It shot into space and as it accelerated, the

gravity of the sun caught hold of it. It's course altering, it shot

straight towards the glowing sphere and moments later was

obliterated within.

Lilith nodded in satisfaction and flexed her wings. Turning from

the blue planet on which she had dwelled for so long she flew off

into the depths of space.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"This is absolutely unacceptable!" one of the Seele monolith's

screamed in rage.

"Everything we've done," another whispered in shock, "all our

work... lost, how did this happen? How _could_ it happen?"

"This means the inevitable doom of mankind," Kiel told them,

"this festering pool of hate and filth will not last much longer

without destroying itself, I see no reason not to speed the

process- a mercy killing instead of a slow... What is this?"

Suddenly one by one, the Seele monoliths began to disappear.

A hissing of static began to filter through the room as Kiel stood

and looked around him in confusion.

This had never happened before. The connections between the

members of Seele were monitored by the most powerful security

programs ever devised. Had any of them killed the connection

willingly or unwillingly he should have known.

Something was wrong.

"That's him," a voice suddenly said thorough the static.

"Who dares!" Kiel spat as he spun to try a pinpoint the source

of the voice. His spine creaked in protest of the fast movement,

as did his hip. So much of his body had been replaced to extend

his life to this day... and it had been stolen from him, the rage

began to return and overwhelm his confusion.

"He's shorter than I'd thought," a sarcastic voice said-

different

from the first.

"Who is this?" Kiel shouted, "I will not stand for this affront!"

"Is the location confirmed?" the first voice asked- apparently

not to him.

"We have confirmation," yet another voice said this one female

and vaguely familiar, "signed sealed and delivered."

"I demand to know who this is!" Kiel growled as he backed

away from the center of the room. This was unprecedented-

someone had broken into the meeting. It should have been

impossible and as Kiel pondered it further he began to grow

afraid. As he reached for his door, however the voices finally

answered him directly.

"Kiel Lorenz," the first voice said, "you have been caught in the

act of a high crime against the human race. The evidence of this

has been recorded and sent to every law enforcement agency on

the planet. I imagine that most people will want you drawn and

quartered at the very least for what you just tried to do. You have

no hope to escape, and we recommend you give up peacefully as

to make it easier on yourself."

Kiel shook in rage and as he listened to the arrogant fool mock

him with the legal threat. He'd brought nations to their knees

to reach this day! Yet... anyone who could breach his security

measures was no doubt capable of doing what had just been

promised. Kiel's resources had been exhausted this day, and he'd

made no preparations for beyond. He could not buy a judge this

time. He was a doomed man.

"One last thing," the voice said in an insultingly cheerfully

tone,

"we of the Prometheus alliance would like to thank you for

allowing us to perform the hack of the millenium, "there was a

pause before a sickeningly sarcastic voice piped in, "Have a nice

day."

The room went silent and Kiel seethed in hate as he stepped

over to his seat. He sat down and removed a small device from his

pocket. Behind his visor he smiled.

"You arrogant little worm, do you really think I was completely

unprepared?"

As he pressed the switch on the device, charges that had been

long ago set all over his estate detonated, burying him in a

mountain of rubble. Gendou Ikari had made great pains to insure

that Kiel Lorenz would take no one but himself with him in death.

The worlds network of nuclear missiles had long been

disconnected from the kill switch.

As Kiel breathed his last, his final coherent thought was to

realize that maybe he'd been wrong... Gendou had proven to be

the gamemaster after all.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Closing the lid of her laptop, Maya breathed a sigh of relief.

She'd managed to pull it off after all. The others were busy

copying any vital information they could out of the other Magi

units, and her own laptop would be busy with it's own decryption

of Ikari's files for another hour or so. With the news being spread

across the world of the truth behind the last fifteen years, the

Prometheus Alliance had done what it had been created to do-

stop the lies and reveal the truth to the world. She was happy to

have had a part in that.

She took a long drink from her canteen and wondered how

things had gone topside. Since she was still breathing she assumed

the world hadn't ended.

Looking down at one of the other computers she'd hooked up

she was glad to see that the bridge crew had survived. Their

position just beside the Magi had protected them, and now that

the UN was calling for a cease fire they were more or less safe.

Changing the angle, she laughed as she saw her friends jumping

around and yelling in glee and excitement. She began gathering her

things, and in a few moments was on her way to join them.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Hikari had never run so far so fast in her entire life. After what

felt like forever she reached a small crater in the surface of the

Geofront. She almost fell in as she skidded to a halt and tried

to catch her breath.

This had been where the glowing orb of light had landed, and

she had to know what was there. She'd left Mana in Asuka's care

and had dashed here hoping against hope to find something left of

Shinji.

What she found caused her to lose her balance and fall

down in the crater. When she stopped rolling and regained her

equilibrium, she was laying beside three nude figures. All three had

brown hair, and two of them were female. The third was Shinji

and as she cried out his name she scrambled to his side.

"Wake up," she cried as she cradled his head in her lap,

"please Shinji, wake up!"

He let out a moan, and she hugged him in relief as he groggily

began to wake up.

"Shinji!" another voice called up from above. Hikari looked up

to see Misato sliding down the embankment towards them.

Misato stopped just short of them however, and a puzzled look

crossed he face. Hikari turned to follow her gaze and realized that

she'd completely forgotten about the two women.

The first was in her late twenties and while the second looked

remarkably like her- she was much younger. The older woman

began to wake up, and it only took Hikari a moment to realize that

she was the woman from Shinji's scrapbook- she was Yui Ikari!

"Rei?" Misato whispered as Hikari let out a gasp of surprise.

The younger of the two was indeed Rei, and as she woke, even

Shinji sat up in shock. Not only was her hair now the same dark

brown as Shinji and Yui Ikaris', her eyes now had the same blue

shade. At the moment, their nudity was the last thing on anyone's

mind.

Yui suddenly looked over at her and Shinji, and Hikari

watched the woman's eyes widen and tear as she saw her son

looking back at her.

"Oh my God, Shinji!" Yui cried as she embraced both her son

and Hikari. Shinji began to cry and laugh at the same time.

After several more tearful hugs and greetings- and the loaning

out of clothes from Kaji and Misato- the five of them climbed

from the crater and joined the rest of Nerv's survivors.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"What's going to happen now?" Asuka asked several hours

later as they waited for word from the UN. They'd joined up with

the Bridge crew and the other surviving Nerv staff and after

exchanging stories and information several of them had gotten

together to talk about what was to come.

"Hard to say," Kaji replied, "most of the people here will be

cleared thanks to the information that is- as I speak- being

released to news agencies all over the world. There will be a lot of

questions... and a lot of explaining. Hopefully the information

Maya got from the Magi will explain most of this and let people

know that we had nothing to do with Seele's plans."

"I doubt I'll make it through this," Fuyutski said sadly, "I was

far too involved... with any luck they will simply give me a life

sentence."

"That's something else I wanted to talk about," Kaji said, "most

of us are relatively unknown to the world. No photos were ever

published of the pilots, and very few outside their school know

who they are. I can arrange for most of us to simply disappear. The

people I've been working with can arrange new lives for all of us

with little effort. All I need is for you to agree and I'll have Maya

set it up with them."

"What about all our friends and families?" Hikari asked, "I don't

want my sisters or my dad to get hurt if they go after them trying to

find us."

"I don't want to leave Kensuke behind," Mana insisted, "he's

the reason I'm even here right now. If I hadn't met him, I might

have been acting just like the other two during the battle..."

"I don't think it will be much of a problem," Maya told her, "

not only is the Alliance is still hooked into the Magi, I helped them

hack the other branch's systems as well. We have more or less

total access to every computer that's wired to a phone."

"I know I'd like a chance at a normal life," said Yui, "I may not

remember everything about being in Unit One, but I remember

enough. Now that I'm out I don't want to spend the next eleven

years in a court explaining what happened to people who won't

believe us. I want to go out and talk to people, see things and

just... Just live!"

"I would like to see the world beyond Tokyo three as well,"

Rei said, causing everyone to pause. Yui was still uncertain about

the young girl, but Shinji had accepted her almost immediately as

his 'little sister' and she couldn't help but feel a little closeness

toward her. After all, she was more than a daughter, she was

technically _her_.

"You have a few hours before the UN makes their decision,"

Kaji told them, "think it through and let us know."

[]====[]

[]====[]

Thirty-five hours later, an emissary from the UN arrived to take

the staff of Nerv into protective custody. Other than a few

wandering members of the organization, no others were found.

[]====[]

[]====[]

On the shores of a distant world- many light years removed

from Earth, the glowing figure of Lilith came to rest. Her travel had

exhausted her almost completely and what little energy she had left

she spent weaving a sphere that would protect and nurture her as

she rested.

When it was at the size she desired, she stepped up to, and

into it. There she would sleep for hundreds of years before a new

race of lillum would emerge from the black egg.

And so the cycle began again.

[]=======================[]

End of Carpe Diem

[]=======================[]

And one last final...

[]=======================[]

All alone, or in twos

the ones who really love you

walk up and down outside the wall

some hand in hand

some gathering together in bands

the bleeding hearts and artists

make their stand

and when they've given you their all

some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy

banging your heart against some mad buggers

wall

Outside The Wall

Pink Floyd, The Wall

[]====================[]

Epilogue

[]====================[]

It's been three years.

I have a hard time believing it sometimes, but it really has been

that long. I think it's because everything happened so fast during

the war- it was as if we never had time to catch our breath once I

was drafted. No matter how much time passes, though, I'll never

forget any of it. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night so

sure that when my eyes open they will look down and see the

lance piercing my body. Even when I reach down and touch my

stomach to make sure that it was only a dream, my hand will pass

over the scar and I'll have to bite my lip so I won't scream. Yes,

the lances left scars. It didn't bleed for but a minute after I go tout

of the Eva, but they tell me I'll have the mark for a few years, and

the skin there will always have a discoloration.

Lots of those nights have resulted in me sneaking in to sleep

beside Shinji- despite repeated lectures from both Miss Ikari and

Misato. It's funny... they're so close to each other's ages and Yui is

technically much older. It makes my head spin to think about it

sometimes.

They've become close friends though, and I think that Yui is

looking forward to seeing her again- it's been about a year since

she and Kaji took off together. They called it a sightseeing tour,

but most everyone else called it a honeymoon. I didn't, I can't

believe they haven't even gotten engaged yet! It's almost

embarrassing that Shinji and I have already set a date while those

two have been living in sin almost as long as we've been alive.

Shinji misses her. She was the closest thing to family he had for a

long time, and that's not something that you forget. I _know_

Kodama misses her, she goes ballisticly happy every time we get a

postcard from them. It's pretty cute really.

It's a little weird living in the North American Republic, but we

felt it was safer here than anywhere else. After the dissolving of the

Canadian and Mexican borders the population is as eclectic as

they come. I don't think I've seen so many different races in all my

life- and now I'm learning about some I'd never even heard of

before. The upside to this is that no one gives us a second look.

Actually, I think that once most of us got a handle on the language

we began to fit in pretty well.

Even so, this country is like an identity crisis with a Class-A

Misato hangover!

I can't complain too much, though. We've done pretty well for

ourselves. Dad and Ms. Ikari and used some of the startup capital

that the Alliance lent us to open a doctor's office and fixed us up

with equivalents to their old credentials. Even with all the

rebuilding, things are still pretty dangerous out there, and we were

in business practically from day one.

Mr. Fuyutski was with us at the beginning, but last year... well

he disappeared one day, and a week later the news said he'd

turned himself in somewhere in South Mexico. The trial started

three months ago, and while he doesn't do much talking, I think he

felt guilty about all the things he did back when he was helping

Shinji's dad run Nerv. He never talked much when he was with us,

most of the time he'd just sit on the porch and look out like he was

in deep thought over something. I guess there are some things that

he felt he had to atone for. The trial started last year, and it still

going on. No one knows just how it will end. Most of the

information the Prometheus Alliance uncovered cleared the

Nerv staff, but... I don't think some people are going to let what

happened go until they get a scapegoat. Maybe that's why Mr.

Fuyutski went?

Once Shinji and I graduate we're thinking about opening up a

restaurant- both of us have been feeding this wild bunch long

enough that I doubt even the most disgruntled customer could

phase us! Its kind of funny, we enrolled at a local school out here

only to find that their curriculum was only about even with what we

learned back in grade school. We were just about to laugh most of

it off when suddenly the courts jumped all over the school's system

and everything got _much_ harder. I guess the new legislature

was serious about changing things after all. I can't say that it's a

bad thing.

Other than Kaji and Misato most of us stayed together after

we arrived. Maya kind of got drafted by Kensuke and Mana and

the three of them have been busy on developing a new operating

system that they say will blow the world away... as creepy as it is

to hear Kensuke say that phrase I don't doubt that it will be good.

Maya was one of the best programmers in the world after Dr

Akagi.

We don't really talk much about her and Mr. Ikari. Yui and

Misato used to sit up with the others when they thought we were

all in bed and debate- sometimes argue about it, but Shinji's put

all of it behind him, and the rest of us leave the topic alone. I think

after Rei told us what happened before she came to the fight,

Shinji sort of forgave his father for some of what happened. Not

all of it, but some of it.

The absolute weirdest thing that's happened has got to be the

whole thing with Touji and Asuka. I'm still not sure what to make

of it myself. They aren't dating or anything, but... jeez it's hard to

describe. I mean, they fight constantly, but there's this look that

passes between them after their arguments that makes me wonder

if maybe there's something going on when we aren't looking. I

don't know... I'm not going to snoop, but I can't help but notice it

when they sneak glances from across the room. Kensuke found

out about it and we decided not to tell anyone. Then again, he

doesn't even want to think about it- in his own words 'it's against

all laws of god and man!'

I'll admit that it's more than a little creepy given that both have

proclaimed a strong desire to kill the other on many occasions, but

if they haven't strangled one another by now, it's probably not

going to happen.

I don't talk about it with Asuka, though. We're usually too

caught up in working on my dress or just hanging around the

house. I think it might embarrass her if I pointed out anything, and

while she's come a long way, I can't deny that many of us are still a

little jumpy around her. It's not really fair to her to act like that, but

we've slowly come around and I think that in time few of us will

remember what she was like during the war.

I still don't know what to make of Mana. She and Kensuke are

practically joined at the hip most of the time- well that or you'll

find them fiddling around with the software for the computers

Maya builds. They're so comfortable around one another that I

can't use any word other than soulmate to describe it. Kensuke

seems more together when she's around- less prone to otaku-

rants, and she actually talks at a normal pace. Regardless of

how strange it seems, I'm happy for them, it's good that they're so

happy with one another.

I have to admit though; Rei has been through the largest

change. It's getting kind of hard to tell her apart from Yui, and I

don't just mean visually. Rei has this... quality about her that puts

people immediately at ease. She's still quiet most of the time, and

for a long time after the last battle she was even shyer than Shinji

ever was. But when she opens up to you it's obvious that she has a

great capacity for love and compassion. As of late she'd actually

become a little playful and can be nothing short of a joy to be

around. I hesitate to say that she's like an angel because of- well,

you know- but I don't know of many other ways to put it.

However, don't get between her and Yui when they're having an

argument. I made that mistake when Rei wanted to see that guy

Josh who works at the library- Yui forbade it and we nearly had

a small scale war between the two before Shinji negotiated a

compromise... kind of scary since both have nearly given their lives

for their ideals in the past. Hopefully Yui won't be so

overprotective when Misato gets back.

Nozomi loves Rei unconditionally, and looks up to her. The two

are an interesting combination. Nozomi has always been a bright

one, and between her and Rei they've come up with some of the

most amazing little innovations for the family's different business

that I've ever seen. Between the two of them I think we can credit

a quarter of our little families' earnings for this year. I think if they

ever go into business consulting they will make a fortune.

Sometimes when I'm up late like I am now and I'm writing in

this, I'll stop and look back at everything that happened, and I try

to figure out just where it all started. I mean the point where I got

caught up in it all. Touji could almost as easily been selected as the

Fourth Child... and I don't know, maybe if I'd never gone after him

and Kensuke it may have all been different. Maybe if I hadn't

heard what happened during lunch that day I'd have never been

thinking about them in the shelter... it's hard to know, and I don't

dwell on it too much. It brings to mind a lot of frightening

possibilities.

I do think about the future a lot though, and I get a sense of

exhilaration each time. When we were with Nerv, every choice we

had was structured and manipulated so that we'd perform exactly

as they wanted us to. We had no real freedom back then, just the

little that they allowed us to keep us complacent. Its so different

now. So many things could happen, and there are so many things

that Shinji and I can do with our lives now that we're free from

Nerv and Eva. We have a chance now to follow our dreams if we

so choose. We finally have something that was so terribly fleeting

during the long war with the angels.

We have hope.

Hikari Horaki- 2018

[]====[]

[]====[]

Hikari set her laptop down beside her on the windowsill and

took a sip from her tea. She'd been typing half the night and her

drink was growing chilled, but she was glad to have finally

completed the notes. Ever since she'd found Professor Fuyutski's

journal backed up on Maya's computer she'd been working on

recording as many of her memories from the Angel War that she

could bear to dredge up. She'd even gone to the others for what

they could remember and slowly the project had grown.

Someday, when the world had finished climbing back to it's

feet and the wound Nerv had caused was not so raw, she thought

that she might consider publishing it. But it was too soon for that

now, and it would have to remain hidden away in her computer

until that day.

She yawned and pulled a quilt around herself, walking out to

where she suspected she'd find her fiance.

Shinji always liked sitting up like that, he said that it reminded

him a bit of just after the ninth angel- when Tokyo Three had

been powerless and he'd been able to see the sky in it's full glory.

She smiled as she found him sitting out on the patio's swing looking

up at the stars with a small content smile on his face. She walked

outside and over to him. Snuggling up beside him on the swing, she

laid her head on his shoulder.

"Hey Shinji?" she asked with a chuckle, "when we're married,

do you really want to... um... you know? I mean, were you serious

about what you said at dinner?"

He put his arm around her and chuckled lightly, "well, I

suggested it kind of as a joke, but everyone seems to like it. If you

don't have any objections then I don't mind."

"Still, if you don't want to I really don't mind."

"I don't have any objections," he said, "and Mom is all for it. I

think it's a tradition with her family actually."

"Ok... I do admit though, it's not exactly normal in this

country."

"There is no such thing as normal in this country," Shinji said

with a laugh.

"You have a point," she agreed.

"Come on," he said, "are you really saying you'd prefer the

other way round?"

"Um," she paused as she thought about it, "maybe you have a

point."

"Then it's settled," Shinji said happily as they snuggled closer

and looked up at the bright moon above, "Hikari and Shinji Horaki

it is."

They stayed there all night and watched the sun come up. As

the first light of the morning began to light the skies, Shinji took

her hand and together they watched the dawn of a new day.

[]==========================[]

End of Together We Stand

[]==========================[]

Author's Incoherent Babbling

. . . Wow.

It's done. Finally done. An entire year of work... twenty-six

chapters and nearly 600 pages. I know that this last part was a

little waffy, but I make no apologies- I wanted to end on a high

note since that was the idea behind this story in the first place.

The first place... man that was a while ago. I suppose this

whole thing started with a simple question. "Why aren't there

more Shinji X Hikari fics?" well; now there's one more. Hope

whoever asked that is happy with the results ^_^

I honestly didn't expect it to be this long, but after I thought

about it and I realized that if the story was even gonna work I was

gonna have to start the relationship pretty early. Now- granted I

played with the idea of having a triangle between Shinji, Hikari,

and Touji... but it looked like another of the two Shinji + Hikari

fics- The Party- was gonna go there so I decided against it. (The

other is called 'H.I.' btw)

I also decided to avoid love triangles as much as I could. That

being the case, it occurred to me what a phenomenal change on

the plot that the relationship could have. I also decided that it

would be unfair not to follow this through to the end. As early as I

was planing on setting the first chapters I quickly realized that this

was going to be one hell of a monster fic. The outline proved this

right, and here I am several hundred pages later, looking back and

scratching my head in disbelief.

I finally decided that the theme of this story was going to be

how the relationship might have changed the outcome of

Evangelion. Hikari's name was also another factor in the decision.

The translation according to the Webster English- Japanese

dictionary means, 'ray of light' that's what this fic was about.

Shining a ray of light into Shinji Ikari's life and giving him a chance

at hope and love.

Some of you may perhaps think that this fic was another

written in response to the End of Evangelion. That perhaps I was

totally pissed off at the ending like so many others. This is not the

case. When I wrote the drafts of this story, I hadn't seen the entire

movie yet- only a little that a friend managed to download.

Having now seen and gotten my hands on a copy, I _personally_

feel that EoE was a fitting end to the story that had been told,

and- although it did indulge a little too much in revenge against

those who hated the TV endings- I thought it worked. I also

didn't see it as the downer that so many others did- read my fic

'Wake' for why I feel that way.

Evangelion has had a huge impact on me. (No that wasn't a

pun ^_^ ) it has influenced me in several ways and the most

important has been that through these fics my writing has

improved. For someone who wants to someday do this for a living

I can not really think of a better training ground than fanfiction.

Until I finally decide to take that last step, however, I still have a

few smaller steps before me- such as collage, and that's

something I may not have considered had I not started writing

fanfiction.

I only hope that this meager fanfic was in some way worthy of

being related to such an amazing and moving story.

As for influences and sources... there are so many to list... the

final draft of this epilogue will hold a more complete list as I go

back and look for them, but for now here is a partial one.

Pink Floyd's The Wall is an obvious one ^_^ keep an eye out

on my site for a fun little list of weird comparisons and contrasts

between it and Eva. The Eva Sage's name is the source for

Kensuke's Internet ID. A more immediate one that comes to

mind is Robert Heinlein's books for the family arrangements here at

the end- not to mention that the character Minerva was the prime

source of inspiration for writing Rei at some points. In addition

Rei's scenes in a few earlier chapters had an indirect influence from

Stranger in a Strange Land. Buffy the Vampire Slayer can't go

unmentioned, and references to that show abound in this story...

there will be a test on that topic later btw ^_^ Daughter of Elysium

gave me the idea to pair off Asuka and Kaoru there at the end.

H.I., one of the only two other Shinji+Hikari fics (that I know of)

was what Shinji and Hikari were joking about there at the end- I

meant no offence btw ^_^ .

I want to quickly thank some people who've been a huge help

throughout this project. In no particular order- Alain Gravel,

Rhine, Sparky Clarkson, Sudo King, Lara Baratam, Paul Allen

Nathans, Daniel Snyder, Stephane, Strike Fiss (for giving me a

reason to get my but in gear and finish before HL was done ^_^)

The Anime Heretics of Arlington, Rion, the somewhat less than

sane crew of Animeworx ^_^, and anyone else I'm forgetting-

thank all of you!

Well... I guess I ought to say something deep a meaningful to

close this all out... but since I can't think of anything I'll just leave

you with the smartass quip on my bumper sticker.

"We are the people our parents warned us about"

[]==========================================[]

Omake!Omake!Omake!Omake!Omake!

[]==========================================[]

what you're about to read is material I'd originally planned to end

the epilogue. Eventually, I decided to cut it down to Hikari's

journal entry and the nighttime scene, but I couldn't bear to part

with some of the text as I'd had too much fun writing it. So I

decided to add it here as a bonus ^_^ hope y'all enjoy ^_^

[]==========================================[]

Yui had just finished the last of her day's paper work as Hikari

came down the stairs. They were living on a refurbished ranch in

the middle of what had become the North American Republic

after the UN had fallen apart. It wasn't exactly what she'd have

chosen- she was, after all, more used to city life- but it was large

enough for them all to live together comfortably. After the initial

culture shock they'd experienced in California upon their arrival,

no one had wanted to split up.

"They're here!" Hikari announced happily as she hopped down

the last of the stairs.

"That's wonderful!" Yui told her as her face lit up, "why don't

you get Shinji, and tell him that if he needs any more help with

dinner I'll join you two after we say hello. I'll go let the other's

know."

"On my way," Hikari replied. Moments later she was in the

kitchen where Shinji was frowning at a cake he'd apparently just

removed from the oven.

"I don't think it's going anywhere, sweetie," she teased-

knowing full well that this was Shinji's third attempt at baking that

type of cake at their altitude. The last two had been nothing short

of disastrous and it had taken him weeks of research to find a

recipe that wouldn't collapse in on itself.

"That's what it wants us to think," Shinji told her with a grin-

and without looking up, "as soon as I look away it's gonna go

flat- I just know it."

"You can fight the conspiracy of the red velvet cake later

Shinji," she said trying not to laugh, "they're here!"

Shinji's face brightened just as his mom's had, and he smiled

as they hurried back to the front door just as the doorbell rang.

She opened the door and as the others came in from various other

doors Kaji and Misato smiled at her from the porch.

Hugs and greetings went all around as everyone said hello. As

the unloaded Kaji's car Shinji and Hikari got pulled aside for more

hugs and a hearty congratulation from Misato. Finally, everyone

settled down and Misato pulled Shinji aside to talk for a bit.

"So when's the date set for?" Misato asked as she and Shinji

sat on the porch.

"Next year," he said with an almost embarrassed grin,

"valentine's day. We're going to spend the honeymoon over her

birthday."

"Hmm now that's going to be a hell of a present to unwrap,"

Misato said as she eyed him, then ruffled his hair, "gotta say I'm a

little envious- you're growing up to be quite the little hunk."

"Hey," Shinji said as he laughed and tried to wave off her hand,

"I thought you finally outgrew that!"

"What? Teasing you? Naw I'll keep doing it as long as it's fun,

and as much as you still blush that'll probably be quite a while."

"Wonderful, I'm doomed."

"Oh just admit that you love it!"

"I do not!" he grinned as they both began to laugh.

[]====[]

[]====[]

Kensuke was heading to the dining room to stake out his and

Mana's seat at the dinner table when he passed Touji's room.

Hearing what sounded like an argument, he paused and listened

for a moment before his eye's widened in shock.

"Look, it's not like I'm doing this because I want to!" that could

only have been one voice- and for the life of him Kensuke

couldn't begin to guess why it would be coming from Touji's room.

"Oh?" he heard Touji say sarcastically, "so what are you

saying, you just can't resist my manly body? Or is there some other

reason that you can't stop sucking face with me?"

"You disgusting swine! How dare you insinuate that I-"

"I ain't insinuating nothing! You're the one who's getting your

panties all bunched about this, all I want to know is why you insist

we keep sneaking around!"

Kensuke stepped back from the door in horror. This was not

only unbelievable; it was against all laws of God and man! Touji,

and...Asuka? What was the world coming to?

His jaw hanging open, he wandered towards the dining room.

[]====[]

[]====[]

"So how have you been Rei?" Kaji asked as he helped

her set the table.

"I've been very well, thanks," Rei beamed back. Kaji had to

work hard to remember this was the same girl he'd met back in

Japan, "Nozomi and I have been working on a new billing system

for the clinic, and we think that we can cut back the price of

supplies by at least ten percent if things go well."

"That's great! so, anyway, I take it you've still yet to meet

anyone... special?"

"Well, this is kind of a small town... but there is one nice guy

down at the school. Unfortunately, Mom's watching us like a hawk.

I think once I have enough saved for my trip I might ask him to go

with me."

"Ah, so you finally decided to follow our lead and see the

country?"

"Um... if half of what I hear is true I doubt you two did much

sightseeing Kaji," Rei replied with a small smile.

Kaji laughed at that, "okay, you've found us out... I won't bore

you with the details though."

"Why does everyone assume I don't want to hear 'details'?" Rei

pouted," I probably know more anatomy than you do. And Mom

still won't let me go on so much as a date!"

"Oh?" Kaji said- his eyebrows raised, "just who else has been

denying you these details?"

Rei hid a giggle with her hand, "Kodama for one, she's got a

boyfriend and keeps pretending that everyone doesn't know about

it. And I still can't pry anything out of Shinji and Hikari... I know

something has to have happened- it's been three years!"

"Poor deprived Rei," Kaji said sympathetically, "don't worry,

there are plenty of boys out there willing to share the, um, 'details'

with you. I'm sure Yui just wants to make sure you find the right

one. After all you've had a very unusual life- more so than any of

the others."

"Alright, you have a point," Rei conceded, "but the wedding's in

just under a year and I'm just kinda getting wound up, you know?"

"I'm not going to get involved in this," Kaji said with a laugh, "I

might be able to supply some advice here and there, but I won't

help you sneak out at night for any moonlight rondivus, Rei."

"Oh well... 'plan B' it is," Rei said with a sigh.

"Neither will Misato," he added as Rei pouted cutely

[]====[]

[]====[]

"I'd like to have everyone's attention please," Yui said as they

all sat at the dinner table.

Nearly everyone was there. Touji's grandfather had decided to

stay behind, but had insisted that Mari join them. Kensuke's father

had more or less adopted the two, along with Mana who had been

a ward of the state before being drafted to the Trident project.

The whole group had become an extended family- all resources

turning towards providing for the children and improving their new

home.

Between the adults, and the growing resources of the younger

members of the family they'd done quite well for themselves.

"Three years ago," Yui said solemnly, "most of us here were

involved in something so horrible that not a day goes by that I

don't feel shame to know I was partially responsible for it's

beginning. Some of those who started there with us are no longer

alive, and while many of us have divided feelings towards them,

they are in fact part of the reason we are alive here today. So

before I begin embarrassing my son and his fiance I'd like us to

have a moment of silence for those who are no longer with us."

It didn't take much imagination to guess who she meant. After a

moment's hesitation everyone complied as their thoughts turned

toward Gendou Ikari and Ritsuko Akagi. Peace had been made

with what had been done, the reasons and motivations eventually

emerging and reluctantly becoming understood. It was difficult and

in some cases, impossible to forgive the actions taken by Nerv, but

had they not been taken, none at the table would have lived to see

this meal. For that, at least, they owed them a debt of gratitude.

Finally, Yui gave a toast for her son and Hikari and dinner was

served.

[]==========================================[]

^_^ okay, show's over, time to pack it in and move on to the

next project. Y'all come back now, y'hear?

Hotwire

Chain Lightning Studios

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