Unit-02´s Last Battle, part Two

Desperate, Asuka screamed as loud as she could, trying to spur Shinji back into action, but the boy was almost unconscious, in agony. The german pilot yanked the control yokes, as if that could reactivate Unit-02. She didn´t realize the was mimicking Shinji´s own actions during his combat versus Zeruel.

A strange image appeared in the LCL, it looked like a tangled mass of black hair. The young redhead was about to wave it away, when a porcelain mask appeared at the center of the mass. Its right side was covered in cracks, and a single blood tear rolling from the left eye. Somehow, a smell of lavender filled the plug, overpowering the LCL´s smell of blood.

´Just what I needed...´she thought, ´I´m hallucinating...´

The mask spoke, impossibly, the porcelain moved like the flesh of a real face. "Shinji needs help. Let me help you both."

She swallowed, that voice... there was something familiar in that voice... despite being cold as the grave, behind it was... Warmth? Fondness?

She had nothing to lose, and nodded. The mask smiled and dissolved into particles. A greenish light inundated the plug. The power counter, that a second before showed 0:00:00, now showed 8:88:88, just like if an umbilical cable was connected to the EVA´s back.

Hesitating a bit, she tried to command the EVA to raise a hand. The titanic biomechanoid obeyed. She could see the EVA´s hand mimic her own movements, but the armor had changed, instead of it´s usual red, orange and white colors, now it was white and green.

The Tree of Life rose more and more at each moment, floating away.

Furious, Asuka and Unit-02 ran towards the sinister tangle of bodies, and jumped. Hoping she could get to them. Her jump continued for far longer she had expected, and the young german pilot noticed a weird feeling at her back. Like a beating of wings.

xxxx

Down at Central Dogma, NERV´s staff could not believe their eyes, two wings had appeared at Unit-02´s back. The colossus was actually flying upwards, to meet the Tree of Life.

Kozo Fujutsuki whispered, "It can´t be!""

By his side, Rei and Ritsuko supported each other. A small smile appeared on Ayanami´s face, seeing that Unit-02´s wings were like a crane´s, white as the purest snow, "...They are not beaten yet..."

Xxxx

Asuka didn´t care to know how it was possible for Unit-02 to fly. Nor why it had changed colors. The only thing that mattered to her now was to rescue Shinji. She growled, and an incoherent battle scream preceded her attack on the grotesque Mass Production Evangelions. Those damned bastards had the unmitigated gall to get up after she and her beloved Unit-02 had finally had the best battle of their lifes.

At the last moment, Asuka remembered she had lost her Progressive Knife when Unit-02 had lost power, but she still felt the familiar weight of the weapon on her/its hand. Unit-02 closed its fist around the handle of a new knife, with a white blade and green handle.

´It will do,´ she thought, and in a single thrust, she cut one of the false Lances of Longinus in half. A white Evangelion dropped from its place on the Tree of Life, unfurled its wings, and attacked.

The monstruous EVA seemed to smile in anticipation.

Asuka put some distance. Once again, she felt a tranquilizing presence around her.

No. Not one presence.

There were two.

Unit-08 swerved before Asuka could close the distance and use the Prog Knife. For a split second, the redhead wished she had her Progressive Halberd again, like the one she had used during her impulsive first attack against Israfel.

The second presence seemed to nod, and the Prog Knife changed shape, imitating perfectly the desired weapon. Suddenly, Unit-08 was no longer out of reach. With both hands, Unit-02 stroke, digging the point of the blade into her enemy´s throat. A shower of purple blood erupted from Unit-08´s neck, and it tried to strike back.

It really had no chance.

A whispering at the back of her mind guided Asuka´s strike. The EVA´s left hand grabbed the almost loose head of its enemy, while the other ripped away the Prog Halberd, striking again at the body, right through the core.

The white Evangelion fell to ground, a brief tsunami in the lake was the only signal of its death.

"Hurry, Asuka!" yelled the porcelain mask´s voice, "They will cause Third Impact!"

The hideous Tree of Life rose still, an unholy light surrounded Unit-01.

Beating its wings, Unit-02 flew faster and faster. Asuka, in her desperation, had conceived a plan.

xxxx

In their holographic rooms, SEELE´s members watched the events.

"What is the meaning if this? The Dead Sea Scroll didn´t indicate anything like this."

"No, but our understanding of them is far from perfect."

"How it´s Unit-02 still functioning? It had no power left! Those wings and the change in color... they can´t be spontaneous."

"That´s irrelevant; the Escenario is at risk. We have no more resources at the area. The JSSDF is silent, and the satellites show that all vehicles are immobile."

"We can only wait. If two more MP EVAs fall, the rest won´t be able to mantain the Tree of Life formation, and the Human Instrumentalization will fail."

"Then, the immediate priority must be EVA-02´s destruction. Have two EVAs fly away with Unit-01. The rest must destroy Unit-02"

"If necessary, we can build more EVAs to continue the Red Earth Ceremony. Bring Unit-01 to a safe place. The pilot´s will can be broken more than once, and so, secure his participation."

Xxxx

Before she could tackle Unit-01 away from the Tree, Asuka saw the white Evas undo the grotesque sculpture, two of them grabbed Unit-01, and, unfurling their wings, flew away.

"Cowards!" Asuka´s fury grew even more. She threw her Prog Halberd towards the fleeing EVAs, right between the flock flying towards her. One tried to stop the weapon and procet it´s companions. It simply passed through it´s fingers, becoming a Lance of Longinus as it closed on its target.

It struck, nailing the Dummy Plug first, and then the core. The monster fell limply, it´s mate couldn´t keep flying with Unit-01´s weight. All it could do was to slow the fall.

A new weapon appeared in Unit-02´s hands, an elegant Progressive Naginata, with a white shaft and blade, and a tuft of green feathers. It was the weapon of a lady, combining sword and spear. She made it twirl, testing its weight and balance.

It was perfect.

As a dervish, she threw herself at her enemies; cutting, hacking, and slashing their bodies; blocking and parrying their attacks. The first battle against the nine MP EVAs had been a brutal slaughter. This time, Asuka was in a war trance, akin to a berzerk fury, but under her total control.

Unit-02 spun like a tornado, flying up and down on white wings. A lethal dance, beautiful and brutal, like Asuka herself.

The false Lances of Longinus were dodged or parried. Once, the naginata guided one to strike at another white EVA´s core.

On the ground, Unit-10 dragged Unit-01 away from the battle.

Xxxx

At Central Dogma Kozo Fujutsuki had recovered from the last few minute´s surprises, and after a quick check of resources, he started to bark orders.

"Lieutenant Aoba, reestablish communications with the EVAs! Lieutenant Ibuki, check the pilot´s life signals! Lieutenant Hyuga, check if there are any cannons we can use!"

The three bridge bunnies obeyed instantly.

He turned to face Rei and Ritsuko. "We will talk later, I want to know what happened down there." He shot a significant look at the techs, that defriefing would have to be private. Both knew that.

"Sir! We have signal from both Units!"

"On speakers, now!"

Aoba obeyed, and a stream of german curses came out. Fujutsuki smiled. "What about Unit-01?"

"Shinji seems to be unconscious, Sir." Maya added. "His life signals are weak but estable. He has wounds at hands and feet. Sympathic lesions because if his synchronization with Unit-01 when it was... when it was crucified. Asuka´s signals are very strong, pulse and blood pressure are high, but also estable."

Hyuga slammed his fist on the desk, "Sir! All cannons were destroyed or are off-line!"

"I see. Lieutenant Ibuki, can we wake Shinji up?"

"Reduce the power of the defibrilator to 5%, that sould be enough." Doctor Akagi instructed

"Do it, Lieutenant."

Xxxx

A painful shock made way into his awareness.

"Shinji!"

Nebulously, he recognized his own name.

"Shinji!"

"...gnnnjj..."

"Shinji, wake up!"

"...lieutenant... Ibuki..." he raised a hand to his head. And suffered a little moment of panic as he saw the trail of blood left in the LCL.

"Are you OK?"

Shinji almost laughed bitter, but he stopped in time. "...Everything hurts..."

"You were wounded when they got you. Asuka rescued you."

Forgeting about the pain, Shinji´s eyes shot open instantly. "Asuka! Where is she?"

Fujutsuki´s voice answered, "She´s fighting the Evangelions that captured you. One of them is dragging Unit-01 away from the battle. You have to go back. I don´t know what are they planning to do with you and Unit-01," he lied, "but it can´t be good."

Shinji willed EVA-01 to move its head, looking for Unit-02. He found it on the air. Somehow, Unit-02 had sprouted wings, and changed color. It was a bit hard to tell it apart from the mass of white EVAs, but her fighting style was unique.

She was fighting and winning, once again.

This gave him a little respite. He turned back to his own problems. Unit-01 was wuite damaged, his own wounds were proof enough of that, but it could still fight.

He grabbed the control yokes, pouring all his will on moving Unit-01. He forgot about his pain, his doubts and his sadness. He allowed himself to get lost in his determination.

Unit-01´s eyes lit up. Shinji roared, and Unit-01 roared with him. The jaw restraints broke.

Berzerker.