Considerably shorter than the chapter before but it get the job done.

Hope you enjoy.

Round 52

Bind

Shikinami could see that something had changed in Asuka`s eyes. The girl`s body had stayed so visibly still that she might have passed for a statue. Her skin was had become abnormally pale as she stared down at the bed in front of her.

"A…A clone," she whispered, "A…clone."

Shikinami continued to stare at the girl.

"That`s the reality of it," she said, "Kyoko had become one with Genesis meaning she was more than a normal human being. Her power was stronger than I am right now…she didn`t have enough practice in it`s use. It`s probably why she died that day…GEHIRN had killed her and then created you…hoping to have Genesis under their control."

She tightened her fist.

"I couldn`t let that happen," she said, "I couldn`t let them use Mother like that…it was unforgivable…"

Asuka`s breath started to come in heavy drawing Shikinami`s attention. Her eyes suddenly widened noticing that the younger redhead was struggling to draw breathes which were coming in short gasp. She quickly ran toward Asuka putting a hand upon her back.

"Asuka, calm down," she said, "You have to calm down…"

The girl didn`t seem to hear her as her entire body seems to be shaking in her short gasps. Shikinami knew that she was having a panic attack. She was using her Ki, merging it with Asuka`s so that she could calm the girl down but then the latter fall against her.

"She passed out," Shikinami said.

Her arms cradled Asuka in her hands as she sighed a little. This younger child right there, was the clone of her Mother, Kyoko Soryu. She still couldn`t hardly believe it as she hold Asuka in her arms right now.

I will protect you now Mother, she thought closing her eyes, Just has you have done for me in the past…

She made Asuka lied back down upon the bed. She then stared at her, the blue eyes scanning Asuka`s face. She raised a hand and touched Asuka`s face seeing that the girl`s skin was oddly cold.

I better go find Takatsuki, she thought as she stood up.

Shikinami watched Asuka`s face for a few seconds before stepping out of the room. She made her way toward Takatsuki`s lab where he usually is. When she arrived, she found the man standing by the computer typing quickly.

"Takatsuki," she said.

He turned around. He must have seen her expression for he quickly stood up.

"What is it?"

"Something`s wrong with Asuka," she said, "She had a panic attack after I told her everything…and passed out. Her skin was oddly cold so I wanted you to look at her to check if anything was wrong."

The man nodded.

"Well, I am a Healer after all," he said giving her a smirk, "I`ll see what I can do."

The two arrived back into the room finding the unconscious Asuka on the bed. Takatsuki walked straight toward her and started his work. Shikinami stood by the door with both of her arms crossed, waiting for the work to finish.


Neon Genesis Academy

Rei arrived in front of the Headmaster`s door and knocked upon it, before stepping inside. The woman was seating behind the desk her head in her hands, probably thinking deeply about something. She had seen her do something like this before in the past.

"Headmaster,"

Yui looked up.

"Rei? You need something?"

The blue haired girl walked forward.

"There is something I would like to talk to you about?" she said.

Yui blinked.

"Is it about school?" she asked.

Rei shook her head.

"No, it`s about Asuka,"

Yui didn`t bother to hide her surprise. She continued to stare at the younger girl giving her a nod.

"That`s unusual for you," she said, "asking about something that's not school focused."

Rei looked a little uncomfortable but she hid it well. That caused Yui to laugh a little.

"Anyway, what is it that you wanted to ask about Asuka," she continued.

Rei looked up toward her again.

"What is it that is being done about Asuka?" she asked, "Is GEHIRN doing anything to find her?"

Yui ran a hand through her hair.

"GEHIRN had decided to "take it over from here"," she said, "Whatever the old man was saying. I don't know but I feel like there is something they`re not telling us. From the files I have on Asuka, GEHIRN seemingly funded the girl`s entire life up till now. It was like they were watching over her since birth."

"Since birth?" Rei repeated.

Yui nodded.

"Kaji, an old friend of mine, had been taking care of her since she was a little girl," she said, "GEHIRN never said anything about Asuka`s real father…even thought I researched some information about who her father could be…I came up with nothing."

"Headmaster," Rei said, "I want to ask your permission before I do what I am planning to do."

Yui blinked.

"What you are planning to do?"

"I want to go after Asuka."

"Are you insane?" Yui asked her, "You`re no match for them. Heck, even I was beaten and I am stronger than you are Rei."

"I am not abandoning my friend with these people," Rei snapped.

Her outburst caused Yui to become silent. The elder woman stared at her the brown eyes watching Rei`s red ones but the Academy Number One was staring without fear into her eyes. Yui was surprised at this development. She was surprised to see so much feeling behind those eyes…

"Your friend…?" Yui repeated.

Rei had her hands tightened into fists.

"Asuka is a friend of mine," she said, "I don't know who these peoples are to her…but the Asuka I know won`t just turn her back against her friends. She helps them, even before they knew they needed help. This…This is why I just can`t abandon her like this."

"You want to go after people that are more powerful than you?" Yui said.

Rei narrowed her eyes.

"I am stronger than I was in the past," she said, "I will bring Asuka back."

"Rei, you know if you do this," Yui told her, "You will be suspended…and that will squash your chances to become an Evangelion considering the Winter Exams are in a few weeks."

The blue haired girl looked down toward the ground, then she stared right back up toward the Headmaster, her eyes shining with a determination that Yui herself had never seen before upon the young girl`s face.

"Then, so be it," she said.

Yui`s eyes widened a little.

"Rei…,"

"I`m ANGEL," she said, "I can always take it during the Summer Exams…even if I am held back a semester. A couple of more months is nothing."

At that, a small smirk worked its way upon the Headmaster`s face.

It`s strange seeing you like this, she thought, With eyes full of life unlike before… With eyes like this, maybe you can become a true Evangelion. You have grown…Rei.

"GEHIRN will probably send someone to find Asuka before you can," Yui told her.

"Maya is the best Ki Sensor there is," Rei said, "I will find Asuka long before they can…and I will save her from those people."

She turned around to walk out of the room when Yui called her again.

"Rei, tell me why you want to help Asuka?" she said.

The blue haired girl came to a stop at the door.

"I guess…she showed me that I don't have to think I am alone no longer," she said.

Then she stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her. Yui chuckle a little as she glanced up toward the ceiling.

This generation has a lot of promises, she thought.


Rei arrived in the Student Council Room, and she was glad to see Maya there, and as usual the girl was simply reading her book.

"Maya," she said.

The girl blinked glancing toward her, her pale eyes showing a little confusion.

"What is it Rei?"

"Come with me," Rei told her.

The girl blinked a little before following after Rei and the two walked through the empty school`s corridors since class had started a while ago.

"What is it?" she said, "Where are we going?"

"First, we are going to look for Hikari," Rei told her, "Can you locate her Ki for me?"

Maya blinked a little.

"Sure I can do that," she said.

The girl closed her eyes as she put herself to work, searching for the other girl`s Ki.

"She is in class right now," Maya told her, "Third floor. The last room, I think."

"History," Rei whispered to herself before running up the stairs.

"Oi, Rei…will you tell me what`s going on?" Maya called after her.


Hikari was seating in her class, with a dazed expression on her face. She was hardly taking in what the teacher was saying and was spinning her pen through her fingers, as her other hand holds her face up. The bandages had been removed but she wondered about Asuka and where she is at this moment and what she was doing?

Asuka, she thought, narrowing her eyes, Do you know how worried I am for you?

She sighed a little as she try to focus upon her work but it wasn`t working. But her distraction come up when the classroom door was thrown open, drawing everyone`s attention toward it. Rei Ayanami stepped inside the room, followed by Maya, and walked straight toward the teacher.

"Ayanami-san, I am in the middle of a lesson," the teacher told her.

"I would like to borrow Hikari Hokari, please" Rei told him, "It`s an ANGEL problem."

The teacher nodded before glancing toward Hikari.

"Hokari-san," he said, "You`re excused for the rest of the period."

Rei glanced toward her also raising an eyebrow seeing that she wasn`t moving. Then, Hikari quickly packed her things into her bags and stepped outside of the classroom along with Rei and Maya.

"What is going on Rei?" she asked.

"We`re going to search for our mutual friend," Rei told them, "It`s a little side field trip."

Hikari was confused.

"Our mutual friend…? You don`t mean…"

Rei`s small grin was the answer she needed.

"You can`t go outside of the grounds during school hours, you`ll get suspended," Hikari chastised, "if you`re suspended…you won`t be able to participate for the Winter Exams."

"I`ve already talked it over with the Headmaster," Rei told her, "I simply have to take it during the Summer Exams then."

"Rei…you," Hikari said.

"It`s the least I can do for Asuka," Rei said to her, "The three of us are going to find her and bring her back."

"Those guys are immensely strong you know," Maya said, "Shouldn`t we take Kaworu with us?"

Rei shook her head. They were now out of the school building running straight toward the large Gates.

"President and Vice-President can`t both be absent from school grounds," she said, "Beside, the two of you…are the strongest in the entire Student Council."

Both Hikari and Maya exchanged glances.

"Hikari, I don`t think there is anyone in the world that is as fast as you are," Rei told her, "Your speed rivals Evangelions…and even go beyond that. Maya, you never fight against people because you don`t like fighting too much, but I do know when you get serious…no one can stand in your way."

Rei had a small smile on her face now as they arrived by the front Gates of the school.

"Me, well, I am not number one for nothing," she said, "Maya, I want you to start focusing upon Asuka`s Ki and try to locate it. Once you do, we will head that way immediately. I don`t believe that the people who have taken Asuka away from us are out of Tokyo yet…"

"Sure okay," Maya said.

Hikari glanced around them, the exact same location that Asuka had taken off with the strange peoples. Maya put her hands together as her Ki started to appear around her body.

"I…I have never tried to scan an entire city before," she said, "That might be a challenge."

"I know," Rei said.

Maya had her eyes closed as she grits her teeth together. The other two stood besides her waiting for her to scan the city searching for it.

"I…I think I got her," she said after a while.

Rei glanced toward her.

"Where?"

"In somewhere in the South," Maya said, her eyes still closed, "But I can`t be too sure…since it`s far…and it feels like something is blocking my senses."

Rei frowned, thinking.

"I never heard of this happening before," she said, "But we have our heading. Now let`s go."

The three girls disappeared from the spot they were standing in, all of them running straight toward the direction Maya had indicated.

Just wait Asuka, Hikari thought, frowning, I am coming for you.


GEHIRN

Gendo and Fuyutsuki were both walking into the underground corridors of the building they were in.

"Gendo, what exactly is CHEVALIER?"

The man smirked.

"You`re about to see it for yourself Sensei," he said.

They arrived in front of a heavy steel door which read. AUTHORIZED PERSONEL ONLY

Gendo approached the door and pulled out his card and pushed it into a slot in the corner. There was a slight beeping sound as the red glow at the top of the door shifted to green. Then they opened showing them the darkened void beyond.

He stepped inside followed by Fuyutsuki and then the lights flashed on, blinding them for a few seconds before they adjusted to it. Fuyutsuki gazed at the sight in front of him as his eyes widened in shock, his face turning white from the sight in front of him.

"W…What is this?"

Here ends this chapter ladies and gentlemen.

Hope you have enjoyed the read.

Jacques0 out.

R&R.