The bulking mass of its finned tail disappears down the shaft last, heading towards Terminal Dogma. Their Lord and Master has arrived and as ordered, they opened the Way, allowing Him access to Heavens Door and the Complementation waiting beyond it. Braced against the catwalk, watching the last of the olive green disappear, a small part of Yui Ikari asks herself what she's doing.
Part of this, part of her, feels that something is wrong, but the Song forces it down, whispering the sweet promises in her ear, the promises of returning to her what she had lost in this pursuit.
Such thoughts give way as the far wall does as well. The single red eye glows through the dust and smoke as Unit 00 spots her, hissing through clenched teeth as it begins stomping towards her. Defense turrets at the Main Shaft spring to life, opening fire and bouncing off armor before the Evangelion waves, its AT field pulsing and sheering the guns from the ceiling.
"I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS," the voice booms from Unit 00's speakers, "FOR TOO LONG."
Section 2 agents on the catwalks begin opening fire. Unit 00 extends its hand, the AT field's pulsing followed by the sickening crunch of flesh against the metal floor. Bearing down on Yui, it opens its mouth and shrieks.
"Oh, God," Yui whispers, "Naoko?"
Unit 00 bears down on her, the catwalk at its eye love as it reaches out an armored glove to grab and crush her.
The wall next to them cracks and shatters, Unit 00 turning to it just for the red and white fist to slam into its jaw. Unit 00 reels, teeth flying from its mouth, just as the red and white bulk charges into it and slams them both against the far wall.
"Unit 02?" Yui screams.
From the speakers, a high pitched scream emits as both Evas are sent through the barriers.
"Asuka?!"
In the entry plug, she screams. Eyes wide, mouth open, in terror and sheer disbelief at what she is doing as her will drives forwards Zwei, the snapping visage of Unit 00 filling her entire view. It screams in her mind, hijacking her A-10 connectors. Every possible insult, every vulgarity. Every worthless word about how hopeless she is, how stupid she is, every little thing she did having no use whatsoever.
THIS is the best you can do? The voice demands, I designed these, you worthless little trollop. Do you really think a dim witted little crazy bitch who just wants her precious boyfriend to hold her can own against the greatest scientist of her age? Are you delusional as well as lonely and crazy?
"Asuka," Rei says, "The Angel's already gone down the hooole!"
It sounds just like her mother. The Angel sounds just like her mother.
Angel. She has to stop the Angel. She has to stop the Angel. She has to…
Angels. Angels killed Mari.
Angels ruined Uri.
Angels will kill them all.
Angel has to F___ING DIE.
The scream is not one of terror, not one of pain. Instead, it is something she never knew she could produce. It is a scream of pure, palpable, solid rage. The connectors on her head light up, as Unit 02 barrels into the orange mecha, carrying them both across the open hangar bay, through the closing triple reinforced doors. Slamming her fists repeatedly into 00's face, she charges and grabs it, wrapping Unit 02's arms around it and running with a roar.
Standing on 02's shoulder, Rei's eyes go wide and she grips the shoulder pylon tightly, her laugh faint and nervous.
"Ho boi."
And Unit 02, Unit 00, and Rei go over the edge of the central Shaft and begin their descent towards Terminal Dogma.
-
-
Chapter 25: Asuka Strikes!
-
-
The two vertical eyes upon the flat, green face of the Angel turn as the ground shakes with the impact. The two mushroom like protrusions on the top of its flat head turn, the tendrils coming from the sloped triangle that forms a face twitching.
The center circle of the Arc Reactor glows as the rebuilt Hammer spins, splashing the sea of LCL as the flat head of the robot stares.
"Well, lookie lookie, bitch! Seems we're all alone, and I've got a hangover. My name's Mana, and I'm going to be crippling you today."
Shoulder turrets aim and fire, panels on the chest opening and firing off steel rods at Mach 17, burling the air in their wake as they hit with the kinetic force of naval destroyer cannons, the Angel reeling before it raises a finned hand and causes them to bounce off the orange wall.
The tendrils twitch, the fingers curling forward, gesturing towards Jet Alone Prime. In the cockpit Mana rolls her head and palms her fist.
"Have it your way, Fish Bitch."
Palming the hammer, the massive mecha charges. Missiles drop out of the sides and legs, engines igniting and firing, flying the distance and exploding against the field, ripples running through the yellow sea and shaking the red lined cave as the hammer swings back.
The head of hammer swings, jets firing on the back, quickly accelerating the 15,000 tons of mass to near sonic speeds as the bow wave becomes visible. In the cockpit, Mana laughs, ready to watch as countless tons of ugly fish Angel are spread along the length of Terminal Dogma.
At least, until a purple fist catches the head of the hammer.
Horn fist, the purple and green giant rises out of the waters, eyes glowing baleful yellow as the hammer drops. Its hand knits itself, the locks around its jaw straining as it bends forward.
"Please be a paperweight, please be a paperweight-"
The locks release, the bound blood red mouth snapping open as Unit-01 pitches its head back and howls.
"Oh, F___ me."
*
*
The screaming is not coming from the Entry Plug, but from the blue haired girl holding on to dear life on the shoulder pylon. Terminal velocity was reached some time ago as the two Mechas struggle, slamming each other against the green metal walls of the massive tube.
Unit 00's shoulder pylon opens, releasing the Progressive Knife, the edge glowing red as the vessel of the insane scientist stabs at Unit 02, a glancing blow slicing armor and skin and making Asuka scream in pain.
She screams through the pain, grabbing the hand with the knife and crushing the bone, pulling Unit 00 and slamming her chariot's head against the cyclopean visage.
USELESS LITTLE GIRL, the insane mecha screams, TROLLOP! WHORE! THEY'LL NEVER LOVE YOU!
"You're worse than my mother!" Asuka screams.
Unit 02 pitches forward, slamming into Unit 00 and carrying them both into the side of the shaft. A red white hand smashes into the side of the orange Eva's head, grabbing it and slamming it into the side of the shaft. Sparks fly, Rei ducking behind the pylon as metal meets metal, dragging along the final lengths of the shaft as both exit into the quarter mile drop over the sea of LCL.
Were Asuka able to see anything but her mother's face on Unit 00, she would have noticed the red stalactites and the dragging orange reliefs of the unnatural ceiling, leading into the sea of orange and red as they drop towards it.
But instead, all she sees is the rage, screaming it as she twists, Unit 02 twisting and planting both feet on Unit 00's chest, pointing the enemy's back to the sea as terminal velocity translates into force.
Screaming, shrieking, Unit 02 pounds on Unit 00's chest, riding it all the way down until both disappear under the LCL sea.
*
*
The LCL sea gives way to the white and yellow hallway, the tailed fin of the Angel disappearing down the corridor as Jet Alone Prime reels back, a heel imprint on its chest visible as Unit 01 flips back, snorting and growling as it crouches. Crouch gives way to a leap, claws snapping out with a howl.
"Hey, Ichi. Nothing personal, but I'm gonna have to whip your ass."
Bringing up its right arm, Jet Alone catches the claws, head butting Unit 01 before opening its shoulder turrets and firing flack in Unit 01's face to making it shriek.
"Oh, poor baby! Baby don't like big booms? Well, f___ you!"
A massive metal fist smashes into Unit 01's face, sending it flying back, the hammer swinging up and down before Unit 01 dodges, the hammer smashing through the shallow LCL and sending it spraying into Mana's field of view.
Unit 01 flips back, leaping, slamming into the wall before kicking off and tackling Jet Alone. Snapping its blood red jaws, it lunges at the cockpit. Mana screams, wrestling with the purple berserker as its jaws close and open directly in her field of view.
"I have too god damn much of a god damn headache to deal with a god damn mind controlled god damn Eva!"
Chest cannons fire, the grip loosing through a half dozen tank shell impacts against the chest armor. The hammer drops as the two massive metal fists box Unit 01's ears, loosening the grip and making it shriek. It holds its head, dropping off Jet Alone, whining as Jet Alone brings back its right fist as Mana laughs.
"My turn!" she yells, "I can fly! Can you?"
She grabs the power cord, Unit 01 giving off a confused growl as two metal hands grip the lifeline. Swinging back, Unit 01 howls before Jet Alone swings it into the wall.
*
*
Red fists pound on the orange face. There is no reason, only rage, Unit 02 bringing up its fists before sending them down into the LCL, Unit 00 pinned underneath its massive feet. Rei is screaming something about needing to get into Unit 00, but there is only the rage.
HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU.
Red hands lock around Unit 00's neck. She squeezes, screaming, roaring like an unchained beast. The ANGEL HAS TO DIE.
The knee comes up into 02's stomach. In the plug, Asuka coughs up blood, an orange blur smashes across Unit 02's face and making her recoil, throwing her off. A fist pounds against her jaw, a heel against her chest, the snapping sound telling her that the second progressive knife has been deployed. Unit 00 spins the knife, hissing through its teeth eye glowing as Unit 02 stands.
"Don't give up," she whispers, "Don't give up. Don't give in. It's just like mother. It's just like mother."
It lunges. The knife deflects off the AT Field as Asuka's eyes glow. Swinging the knife around, it flips it in its hand as the red eye of the orange Evangelion glows, smashing through the field and stabbing the red giant in the shoulder.
Asuka screams, the red hands grabbing Unit 00's own.
"You can't win," the voice of Naoko Akagi growls, "You can never win. No matter what you do, you won't win. They'll always be better than you, little girl."
The knife digs deeper. In the plug, she whimpers, feeling the pain herself, the Core shuddering beneath her.
"Does it feel good, knowing how far down you are? Do you love it, never being able to talk down to anyone because you're always beneath their heel?"
Unit 00 hisses, almost grinning. She clenches her eyes shut. Rei's voice is a distant echo. It can't end like this. It can't end like this. It can't end like this.
"I will make it quick. You aren't worthy of a prolonged death. You useless little girl."
Teeth grit. Hands clench around Unit 00's wrists, breaking bone underneath the armor and meet. Opening glowing blue eyes, Unit 00's jaw shudders as she pulls the hands back, a slow growl escaping Asuka's throat.
"I," she whispers, "Am not. Useless."
The jaw locks on Unit 02 strain, Unit 00's useless hands spasming as the four eyes glow white.
"I. Am Not. USELESS."
Pressing the red booted heel into Unit 00's stomach, she kicks it off, stumbling back towards the entrance of the main tunnel. Charging, Unit 02 releases a growl in time with Asuka's roar and Rei's squeak, bringing back her fist and slamming it into Unit 00's face.
"You're just like my MOTHER!"
Armor shatters, the eye piece breaking and teeth flying. The armored form of the orange Evangelion falls back as Unit 02 grabs it, carrying it to the ground, pinning it at the waist before bringing its fist up again and slamming it into the head once more, spilling the gray liquid that was once its head across the metal floor.
"Um, Asuka?" Rei asks, "I…kind of need to pilot it."
The speakers boom with Asuka's berserker shriek as the fist rises and comes down, flattening the armored helmet, repeatedly smashing against it until it resembles less the fully formed head of Unit 00 and more an orange and white manhole cover.
"Yeah, okay," Rei says, "Or not."
Fists come up and down, smashing armor, smashing artificially built bone, smashing the head until it resembles ground gray meet and mess, Asuka screaming in time with the blows. The red knuckles leave imprints, the final strike going through the head and embedding in the metal floor.
"Yeah," Rei says, "I think she's dead."
The orange hand shoots up and grabs Rei.
"Or not!" Rei yells, "Little help!"
A swipe breaks the arm. Pressing the heel against Unit 00's chest, Zwei grabs the arm and pulls, ripping it from its socket, slamming its heel down on the other arm and pounding at the chest.
The armor releases, scattering along the floor, displaying proudly the reddish orange Core against the gray flesh.
Asuka shrieks, Unit 02's hand grabbing it, digging into the meat as the Core glows in protest. The missing arm regenerates, the gray tendril of meet and bone grabbing at the hand, met only by scream after scream as the flesh begins to give way, cracks forming along the sphere as it finally gives, trailing yellow blood as it launches across the tunnel and finally smashes against the wall.
The form of Unit 00 spasms, shrieks, and finally falls silent.
"Okay," Rei says, "I think she's dead."
A blast of steam escapes Unit 02, like a relieved breath. Hopping out from behind the pylon, Rei walks in front of the green optics and waves her arms.
"Hey! Asuka! Angel!"
Unit 02 rises from the crouch.
"Right," Asuka says, "Let's go!"
And growling, Unit 02 charges down the hall to the Heaven's Gate.
*
*
Locks release around the waist and the top half of Jet Alone spins, Unit 01 howling as the power cord acts as an impromptu hammer chain, becoming a blue before Jet Alone releases and launches the purple giant down the hallway and slamming into the far wall.
"Man, Ichi. Without Shinji at the helm, you're actually kinda stupid! I almost feel bad for beating up on you."
Falling off the wall, Unit 01 shakes its head and charges, roaring as it clears the last distance with a leap. Jet Alone's shoulders sag with a burst of steam and hefts up the hammer.
"Sa-WING BATTAH!"
15,000 tons of metal meet 25,000 tons of angry cyborg and the hammer wins. Unit 01 hits the wall, bouncing off and going silent on the floor. One final kick to the face ensures it is unconscious as Jet Alone's back jets ignite and it takes off towards the end of the tunnel.
*
*
*
*
*
I am.
Through license of He who is called "I am" I have come.
Though I must drag my feet along the Base Earth on this most holy quest, I have come.
I shall merge with the enemy of Father, becoming a being of perfection and peace.
Through my Song, shall the hopes and dreams of the filthy Lilim be fulfilled in peaceful non-existence.
Let My words be the seeds of your ending bliss, growing within your souls.
I am the Master of the Heavenly Song of God.
Angel of the Unborn.
I am Sandalphon.
I am here.
It floats above the ground, its AT Field canceling gravity itself as the flat whale-like tail slides along the LCL stained metal, the two eyes on one side of its flat, manta-like head. Two arms fall the length of the rest of the body, ending with clawed and bladed finned fingers, two tendtils escaping the flat closed mouth.
It stands before the two doors five times its size. On the other end is its goal.
Sandalphon has come.
Through its Song have the Lilim opened the way to their destruction.
Nothing can stand before it now.
"It's like a religious experience. Wanna know my prayer?"
It turns as Jet Alone Prime approaches, giving its hammer a testing swing.
"Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I shall fear no evil! For I am driving 35,000 tons of F___ YOU."
Back jets ignites and Jet Alone Prime charges. Swinging the hammer back, the jets ignite and the hammer accelerates to near sonic speed. Force equals mass times velocity, so that means 15,000 tons at Mach 1 should hit nice and hard.
The impact shakes the ground and can be felt topside. A cup of water in an apartment building in Tokyo-3 proper ripples.
And the hammer stops as Sandalphon catches it. The mouth tendrils twitch and the AT Field ripples, smashing the head of the hammer and tossing Jet Alone across the entrance, smashing into Heaven's Gate itself.
"Okay," Mana groans, "I see three Angels. I'm guessing I gotta hit the one in the middle."
The Angel extends a hand. The world around Jet Alone Prime warps and it rises. The two vertical eyes of the Angel glow and the massive Mecha launches into the sky, the Angel watching as Mana's swears fade out before increasing in volume and bile before the gunmetal gray robot crashes to the floor.
"Yeah…yeah, you keep floating there…let the world stop spinning."
Sandalphon raises its hand. Jet Alone rises, rotates, and is pinned against Heaven's Door by the AT Field, metal joints creaking as Mana hisses in pain. Inside the Ball, her eyes narrow, the targeting reticule coming up, tracing slowly along the face of the angel as the genderless voice warns about structural integrity.
"God bless…computer…aided…targeting."
The right control sphere twists and swings underneath, a joystick coming up in its place.
"The engineer was a total nerd."
She depresses the trigger.
"Unibeam!"
The arc reactor circle glows and fires out, a beam of accelerated white hot plasma striking the Angel in the face. It rears back, the tendrils parting and opening into a circular mouth lined with razor sharp teeth, its Core at the center. Shrieking, a sound like a beached whale, it lashes out, striking Jet Alone and sending it flying, floating over as it rises and grabbing its arm.
Metal tears and wires snap as Sandalphon tears it off with almost casual grace, Mana screaming as the Angel grabs the mecha's head and lifts it up.
"Always the right F___ing arm!"
It lists Jet Alone to eye level. It stares at it, waiting a moment before opening its maw once more.
"Cut the theatrics, Cupid. Get it over with."
"Heee~ey."
Something hits the tail. The maw closes and Sandalphon turns, eyes going wide as Rei runs up the tail, the AT Field around Sandalphon shifting as Rei's eyes glow.
The scales shift and turn to metal, a field of spikes rising up its back as Rei dodges, leaping over them, leaping off an extended AT Field and swinging onto one of the Angel's fingers, swinging on them like parallel bars before landing on its nose.
"Hi there," she says, "I'm Rei. That's Asuka."
Unit 02 barrels into the Angel as Rei jumps off and slams it face first into Heaven's Door. Jet Alone drops, red fists slamming into the back of Sandalphon's head as the Angel emits a mournful cry, like chirping birds and cricket porn.
"Asuka! Core's in the mouth!"
The mecha climbs back to its feet, missile ports and batteries opening, aiming and locking onto the Angel.
And then there is a blur of purple and Unit 01 tackles it.
"You are SHITTING ME!"
The eyes of the Angel glow and Unit 02 goes flying back, bounced off its AT Field as the Angel turns, whipping tail leaving a gash along Heaven's Door as the locks open, the door slowly beginning to slide open. With a snort, the Angel grabs Rei as she leaps at it, off handedly tossing her aside, hearing her bounce off the wall and fall unconscious on the floor below.
The AT Field extends and slams Unit 02 against the opposite wall, Asuka screaming out in pain before the green hand wraps around her chariot's head and begins to squeeze.
The Song sings in her ears, probing her mind. The maw opens, the rows of swords displayed before her, slowly rotating like a great divine blender, her eyes going wide as her hands scramble for something, anything to use. Fingers wrap around cold metal and grip, and Asuka jams Jet Alone's severed arm into the maw.
The maw closes and Sandalphon hisses, the end of the arm sticking out between the tendrils, squeezing harder on Unit 02's head as it slams her into the floor, again and again, the palm of the Angel taking up Asuka's entire field of view.
Die, the song sings, Die and then they all die.
The hissing and spitting as Unit 01 wrestles with Jet Alone fills her ears, and she feels it. Warm and rubbery, and realizes what it is. A yank and it comes free, as the pressure on her head makes the vision tunnel. Again slammed against the floor, again the pain shoots through her, and she grits her teeth against the pain.
With a final scream, the arm moves. And the severed power cord from Unit 01 enters the severed arm of Jet Alone Prime, energizing the Shock Cannon embedded in its wrist to fire directly into Sandalphon's Core. The Angel of the Unborn allows itself a moment to realize what is about to happen before the power output of a good sized power plant empties itself directly into its life source, the Fruit of Life roasting as the body spasms.
Unit 01's eyes dim and it collapses next to Jet Alone Prime.
Throughout NERV and throughout Tokyo-3, every citizen's eyes glow briefly and they collapse, holding their heads and groaning.
The vertical eyes of the Angel go wide, its skin turning from mottled green to sickly grey as its hand releases Unit 02's head, spasming and flapping its tail as it eats lightning and craps itself with thunder.
With a final, desperate act, it reaches for Unit 02's head.
The eyes cloud over and dim, and the Angel collapses on the Eva.
*
*
Popping two aspirin and downing them with a shot of scotch, Yui rubs her temples, waiting as Misato walks in, wringing LCL from her hair over the Mausoleum's floor. Gendo has his chair turned away, staring out the window with Fuyutsuki facing forward.
"Well?" Kozou asks.
"Akagi's team has a live feed in Terminal Dogma," Katsuragi responds, sharply saluting, "And…well, that explains why we can't find the Evas or Jet Alone."
"Heaven's Door has been re-set?" Gendo asks.
Misato nods. Pulling out her PDA, she sets it on the desk. The light flashes on, forming into a holographic screen where they can see Ritsuko's face.
"I've found the Evas. Unit 00, or I should say what's left of 00, is in the entranceway of Terminal Dogma. I'm afraid it's a loss. The Core's destroyed, among other things, but from what we could see from security tapes it went insane with an AI version of the elder Dr. Akagi at the wheel."
"Well, it tried to kill me, so I can't say I'm sorry for it," Yui says, "Section 2's still compiling the security tapes. What's the status of the other Evas?"
"Unit 01, 02, and Jet Alone are at Heaven's Door. The Angel is, to. It's corpse was found on Unit 02 with Jet Alone's arm in its mouth and a power cable jammed into it. We presume the cable jury rigged the shock cannon to fire on the core."
"So another one in Shinji's column?" Fuyutsuki asks.
Gendo snorts with a grin.
"Actually, Section 2 just found Shinji in a welded shut locker in the women's locker room," Misato responds, "And from what Ritz told me, Unit 01 doesn't have a Plug. Apparently, the Angel controlled it."
Yui nods, sitting on her husband's desk. Folding her arms, and affords Gendo a glance before turning back to Ritsuko.
"I assume Rei piloted Unit 02?"
"Dr. Ikari, we found Rei near Jet Alone Prime. She's banged up, but fine. And we just opened up Zwei's entry plug, too. You're going to love this."
*
*
Her eyes open with a start, blinking to adjust to the light. Her entire body is sore to put it lightly. She feels like she hasn't slept in a week. Is this what it is like all the time? The thrill, the exhilaration, the…losing yourself to it, followed by the fatigue and pain?
"Hey there, trooper."
Blue eyes adjust, seeing the blob next to her bed. Blinking, adjusting, the blob becomes Misato. Arms folded, face split in a grin, her guardian walks over as Asuka sits up.
"Is e-everyone alright?" Asuka asks.
Misato laughs, patting her on the shoulder.
"Damned straight they are," she responds, "So…folding chair?"
*
*
The hologram blinks out of existence, the lights in the domed briefing room turning back on as the image of the dead Angel fades into nothingness. Yui turns as the main doors open, the double doors emitting the grunting woman, holding an ice pack to her nose as she mutters oaths.
"Someone tell me what happened," Kyoko Sohryu growls, "I feel like I was hit in the face with a truck."
Yui smiles. Clicking her PDA, the hologram projector fires up and shows a security camera view of the main Prinbow box, showing Kyoko advancing on a wounded, prone Rei.
"We were mind controlled by the Angel," Yui says, pausing the image, "It was classified as a Rapture-based attack. Three personnel were not affected. Rei because she is a Nephilem, Mana due to her cybernetic upgrades. During the attack, under the Angel's orders, you attempted to kill Rei."
"How are we alive, then?" Kyoko asks, rubbing her temples.
Yui's smile goes wider. She clicks her remote again, and the playback resumes.
In the image, Kyoko presses her gun against Rei's forehead. She says something, something particularly unpleasant, as Sohryu watches, arms folded under her chest. Which is when they see her.
Asuka picks up a folding chair from the side of the room and charges, swinging it into Kyoko back, drawing it back as Kyoko drops the gun and turns and launching Kyoko across the Box with a direct hit to the face.
The hologram pauses. Yui turns to find Kyoko's mouth hanging open and face red.
"This…what…how?"
"Somehow, Asuka was not affected by the mind control, either," Yui says, closing the hologram, "Oh, and that's not the best part, Kyoko. You're going to love this."
Composing herself, clicking her tongue, Sohryu walks to the projection table and braces her hands against it.
"Yes, yes," she growls, "While I'm sure you enjoy seeing that girl have a violent outburst, what happened to the Angel? How are we still alive?"
Yui folds her arms, sighing with a contented, almost matronly smile on her face. Clicking the remote, the projector powers up again and begins displaying telemetry, ratios, numbers, and finally a picture of a red haired girl with a percentage number next to it.
"Asuka," Yui says, "Killed the Angel."
"Bullshit."
"She manually activated Unit 02 with an 87% synchronization score, wrestled and then beat to a pulp a berserk Unit 00 after dragging it down to Terminal Dogma. Then she engaged the Angel and jury rigged Jet Alone's shock cannon to fry the Angel's core."
The metal underneath Kyoko's fingers begin to warp.
"I'm not making this up," Yui says, "I forwarded all the relevant data to your office. Everything's there. Akagi's retrieval team recovered Asuka from the plug a few hours ago and she's resting. Since she, well, saved the world we're going to hold off on the debriefing."
Circling the projector, Yui pats Kyoko on the shoulder.
"Now, I don't expect any nepotism or you to treat her special," she says, pursing her lips and leaning in to Kyoko ear, "But if you'll excuse me, I need to talk with the Chairman about Asuka being classified as the Second Child."
The sounds that come from Sohryu's throat would not technically be classified as human.
"We'll talk later," Yui sing-songs, and walks out. She leaves just before the screaming begins.
*
*
Misato left shortly afterwards. She heard Misato talking with Father in the hallway, protesting that, no, he can't visit her yet, she's resting. Father reluctantly agreed and then pulled rank, and Asuka sits up to find her father standing in the doorway. A grin is on his face and his hands are thrust in his pockets, and he waits.
"Hi," she says.
"Hey," he responds, "Um…how are you?"
"I'm…okay," she responds, "A l-little shaken b-but…"
He nods, walking over. He sits in the chair by the bed, folding his hands in his lap. Chewing his lip, his gaze runs downward, silent and pensive.
"So," he says, "It's probably…not worth much coming from me but…"
He sighs. She waits.
"I'm proud of you," he says.
He waits, staring down at his hands as if they hold the answers. Deciding quickly that they do not, he continues.
"I'm…not very good at this," he continues, "And…well, that thing was going to kill us all. You stopped it. You, Mana, and Rei, but…mainly you. Right now, the entire Human Race exists because of you, Asuka."
Scratching his head, he sighs, looking up to find her staring at him with a shaky smile across her face.
"So…well, I've been a crappy father and…I don't think I said this enough to your sister but…I'm proud of you. I am…and your mother's on the warpath so I'll be around a lot more. So…that's it."
"Okay," she whispers.
Slapping his knees, he stands up. Reaching out, he ruffles her hair, an odd gesture to him as she gives off a shaky smile, and without another word, walks out. She lies back, staring at the ceiling for a while long. Sleep comes soon enough.
It is a good sleep.