Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV Anime and Manga), End of Evangelion, Evangelion: Death and Rebirth, and the Evangelion Rebuild series are owned by Hideki Anno and written by Yoshikuki Sadamoto. I own no characters, locations nor elements or songs from the original Manga, Anime, or Rebuild/EoE movies. I own only OC Shiro Ikari. Please support future Evangelion Rebuild releases.
That Said, Please Enjoy The Show!
Normal Talking- "Hello"
Radio/EVA- "Hello"
SEELE/A.I/Angel-"Hello"
Chapter 17: Battle of Old Paris
S-31 Command Ship Vindication, Old Paris
The Command Battleship of Section-31's Assault Fleet, The Vindicator, was large in comparison to the rest of the fleet. It was built with a dark grey, black color scheme and seemed made up only of triangles and sharp corners. The bridge sat up front, atop a triangular body that extended to the back to form the diamond-like body.
Large triangular plates covered the top and lower corners of the center, which raised to show off the large energy cannon atop. The rear of the ship formed into a box of engine cells, humming loudly as the airship pushed forward.
The command bridge was open to and protected only by glass, with several control floors. The first was where the bridge crew piloted and maintained the ship, the top floor was where the commanders and military "officials" spoke about the battle plan. But the center was where Cypher sat, overseeing the battle.
Though for a commander, he didn't wear anything militaristic. He was a light blonde with long, messy hair fixed into a ponytail and dark red eyes, dressed in a light grey bomber jacket with a red tiger camouflage shirt below, black shorts, matching leggings and air force boots. He smirked. "This seems almost too easy," he bemused, his almost lay-back voice cool and collective as he did. "Soon, Wunder will fall. And the rest, well… it's only a matter of time."
"We must always show our superior strength, Cypher." The voice of Sylux made the blonde growled in irritants. He always had a way of getting under his skin too easily. "Anything else is just a sign of weakness…"
"Weakness? I'm sorry, did you just say 'weakness'?" Cypher questioned. "If I recall it was YOUR company that stood by and let WILLE and NEVEC tear down Neo-NERV during Fourth Impact. That alone tells me you're too weak to stand up and fight these dogs. While my company, RIVR, is far more than ready to take them."
"..." No reply. Now that made Cypher smile a bit more.
"Commander!" A voice called, and the blonde leaned forward to see the officer who called. "We're detecting a strong S2 Engine signature coming off Wunder. Energy reading confirms it's the same signal from 15 years ago!"
"Well, well this day just got ten times brighter!" Cypher grinned, leaning forward. "Prepare my Unit-16, deploy Mark.05A's as well! I want that signal located, and once it is, destroy it! If it means dragging that whore Misato's ship out the sky, do it. We'll crush them under their symbol of hope. That'll show the UN not to screw with us, or better yet, me."
WILLE AAA Wunder, Old Paris
Wunder shook all around the three in the dark, finally cleared by the glowing lines of the L-Barrier and Skull Plugsuits. "Okay, so were! Where to?" Shiro whispered to Shinji.
"We need to find an elevator that can get us to the tram system. From there we make our way to the Interrogation deck," Shinji explained, rubbing his head for a moment. "If the prison cells are like my… previous stay, there should be a data terminal in them."
"As bad as it is to head to the prison cells of this ship, it's a solid start.," Shiro said, shaking his head and raising his SOCOM. "Let's get to it then!" Quietly the trio exited the emergency hatch, traveling through the dark corridors of Wunder's comm tower. The warship trembled again as men and women rushed by, oblivious to the hiding men as they yelled and barked orders at one another.
"Seems like everyone's in a hurry to fight Section-31," Kensuke muttered. Because Wunder had still been working on repairs after Near-Fourth Impact, most of the new equipment was still in its cargo boxes, making perfect cover whenever anyone passed by.
"What do ya know, WILLE isn't so high and mighty after all," Shiro mumbled. He took a step forward, crouching low as he moved for the pair to follow.
Shinji quickly followed, guiding Kensuke along the way. "I can only guess after Unit-02 was lost that this happened." He pondered quietly. "But there's no way Asuka wouldn't be out there, fighting them and-"
Suddenly a sharp pain clashed into Shinji's head, making him gasp and grasp his head. "Shinji?" Shiro called, looking at him with worry. "Are you alright?"
"Y-Yeah, I-I'm fine." He said, rubbing his temple. Whatever he was hit with was painful, and very sudden too. What the hell was that? Where did it come from? He questioned. Well, whatever it was it's gone… That was weird... "C'mon, let's get to the main elevator."
They pressed on, traveling around the tower loop, passing a bulkhead door when it suddenly opened. "Shit, get back-!" Shiro gasped as a soldier stepped into the hall. Just as Shinji recalled, the soldier was decked in dark black colors with a blue bandana wrapped around his left arm.
He stepped out, shutting the door to see the group crouching from behind it. "Hey, wait a minute! You're not part of the-!" The soldier cut himself off as soon as he and Shinji made eye contact. His rifle immediately shot out. "You!"
"No, not Shinji!" Shiro yelled, swatting the gun aside. The soldier rushed at his knife, which did little as Shiro tackled him with a battle cry. They lunged at one another, grunting and punching loud enough to get the attention of 3 others from the room. "Crap!"
"Holy shit, it's Ikari!" The 2nd soldier yelled.
"Which one?!" another questioned
Shiro punched back the 1st soldier, grabbing his rifle. "Both of them!" he yelled, running forward as the 2nd sprang forward. Kensuke jumped back out of fear while Shinji, in front of him, brought up his blade when the other two came up."Shinji, don't let them get near Kensuke!"
"Easier said than done!" Shinji yelled, swinging his sword like a bat. It worked for one soldier, sending him to the floor while the other quickly ducked down and swung his rifle up. The scabbard and rifle sparked as Shinji stumbled back, allowing the Specialist to punch the youth's stomach. Shinji grunted, slamming the sword handle onto the man's back and kicking his knee up at the same time. "Stay back!"
"Sure, kid!" the soldier growled, picking up Shinji and body slamming him into the wall. Shinji gasped at the back, clutching his side as the soldier pulled out a combat knife. He swung at Shinji, catching metal as the pilot ducked away. "Stay still, you world killer!"
"You're looking for NERV in that area, buddy!" Shinji snapped, ducking and swiping his sword up. The scabbard painfully hit the man's face, sliding off fully as he swung a fist, punching Shinji and sending him to the floor.
Shiro meanwhile was handling the first pair, dodging one who seemed to enjoy knife cutting as he swiped relentlessly. Finally, Shiro had enough, raising both his blade and the rifle, he painfully slammed both between the man's head.
A painful crack filled the air as the soldier fell to the floor, unconscious and in agony as the other raised his rifle. "Don't move, I'll shoot!" He yelled, instinctively firing. Shiro ducked the first one, but another shot grazed his arm, making him wince. "I said stay back!"
"After you shot me!" Shiro growled, running up and smacking the rifle down. He swung his scabbard, knocking the man down. He fell with a groan and bloodied nose, allowing the older sibling to turn in time to be slammed to the ground. "Shit!"
It was the soldier from before, a dark look in his eyes. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy ripping you apart traitor-!" He was cut off by the sound of flesh tearing, and metal grinding across metal. He gaped, letting blood all from his lips as he looked at the blade embedded in his side. "W-What… You… son of a-"
He was cut short as Shinji pulled the blade back, slamming the handle onto the man's head. He fell to the floor, groaning as he breathed. Shinji breathed over his body, his katana saturated in blood.
"Shinji…," Shiro said softly, pulling himself off as Shinji stood frozen still. He walked up slowly, extending his hand slowly. "Hey, hey it's okay…. Shinji, hey!"
His brother snapped out of his trance for a moment, blinking as reality came to him. He stood there for a moment, huffing and taking a breath before he gave a slight chuckle. "See… S-See what I s-said…?" He sputtered, gulping and gesturing to the downed soldiers. "This is… the type of people Misato works with…"
Shiro gave him a shock, surprised look before he nodded softly. "Y-Yeah… Yep! This seems like the kind of people Misato would hire." He replied.
Shinji shook his head. "You have no idea," he replied, grabbing his scabbard. He quickly sheathed the katana, not wanting to stare at the blood any longer as the tower shook again. "W-we better get going... I don't want to be here any longer."
"Yeah, agreed."
After that, the group finally found their target- a thin metal door with large glass windows to see through. "Looks like we found it," Kensuke said, unlocking the door. The door groaned and a small alarm blared before it split apart, revealing the familiar glass-walled elevator.
"Yeah, now we just have to figure out how it works and how to get to Interrogation," Shiro said, switching them from Comm Tower 3 to Tram Station Lima. The group descended further into the battling warship, the dark walls they passed doing nothing to soothe Shinji's increasing dread.
"Okay….. O-Okay." Shinji sputtered out, something that didn't go unnoticed to his friend and brother.
"Are you okay?" Shiro asked, turning to him. "After what just happened, I didn't know if you wanted to-"
"It-It's fine! I just… I have to get used to seeing blood and… stuff, you know…" Shinji mumbled, inhaling deeply. "Once we get to the tram, there… hopefully should be a means to getting to the Interrogation Block."
Shiro nodded. "Let's just hope we survive long enough to get there…" He said grimly.
Arc De Triomphe, Old Paris
Outside, things were as hectic as could be- Unit-08 and 07 were tearing through the Mark.44A's while Asuka's battalion tore down another wave of Mark.21's. "Jesus, how many are there?" Asuka questioned, holding on as Sahgohod drilled into the body of a downed EVA drone.
"Too damn many," Prodigium growled, his EVA grabbing a Mk.44A and swinging it as the final row of drones. They exploded in mismatching cross-shaped lights, fading away as Unit-05 and 08 swung around the remaining Drones. "This luckily hasn't gotten out of hand yet."
"Unit-05, you and 08 have two more waves of 44A's heading for you!" Kitakami yelled, looking to the distant battle.
"Ignore the fighting! Stay on target!" Maya snapped, pondering silently as they worked. This was a much larger force than they anticipated, and from the explosion sounds above, it appeared as though 31 was waiting for them. Not good... "Time?"
"420 seconds and counting!"
"It's working, but slowly Chief! It's like working on old school, 8-bit PCs." Hideki answered.
"What'd you expect?" Hyuga persisted. "It's always been an enigma this or long riddle codex that for Eva. Controlling things with human hands just isn't easy like before…" He continued, feeling the Sealing Pillar tremble slightly as he looked to Maya. "Stage-04 complete, late by 5 seconds!"
"Stay calm, don't panic. Just hurry." Maya replied softly, letting her lighter side slip out to control their worries.
It worked luckily. "Yes, ma'am!" all three of them replied.
Back with Unit-05 and 08, the fight was going fairly quickly. "I need a guiding adjustment of 20, Nagara! Tilt's just fine, just need to keep up speed with the chrome dome over yonder!" Mari called, snickering from her Entry Plug.
"Understood…!"
"Kiss my ass, shitty glasses!" Prodigium growled, ramming his Sankaku into a pair of drones. They crackled and twitched as their body hummed with energy, which was enough of a sign to let them go. "Here, take these two for me!"
"Oh no, I don't want them!" Mari retorted, kicking them to an incoming group of Mk.44A's. They exploded rightfully so, along with a good dozen or so surrounding them. The wrist cannons continued to rain hell down as the drones dispersed, encircling the pair. "Shit, time to kick it into high gear!"
"You've been fighting this whole time and you weren't in high gear? That's just cruel." Prodigium called, hovering just beside Unit-08. "A hundred fake-EVA's against two real EVA's?"
"They do say small flocks drive away from the coming hawk…" Mari mumbled, checking her Anti-A.T Rounds. She groaned, rubbing her temple softly. "Damn, out of ammo too."
"Unit-05 and 08 are surrounded!" Kitakami yelled out. "And we've only 360 seconds left!"
"Dammit!" Hyuga cried out, looking at Maya. "I can't get us past Stage-05."
Maya glowered. "Try everything. Keep digging!" She ordered.
"If we do, we won't have enough time to replace the data!" Hideki stated.
"Then add more bypass!"
"But Chief we don't have enough time, it's impossible!"
Maya's glare darkened as she typed furiously now. "We made it this far! Nothing is impossible!" She snapped. "So quit your whining! Christ, this is why I have young guys…"
"Alright, then- follow my lead!" Unit-05 called, swinging the Sankaku. It clashed with Mk.44A's Longinus blade's, clicking onto one as Unit-08 tugged itself up to avoid getting caught.
"Ah, improvising. I love it!" Mari called, dropping her pink EVA downward. She grabbed onto the flying Sankaku, kicking any and every Drone which lunged forward. Unit-05's A.T cannons fired off rounds, finishing off the kicked back Unit's as they danced in the air. "Alright, your turn Pro!"
"Don't call me Pro!" Unit-05 froze, letting gravity and Unit-08 pull it around with a powerful swing. The dark silver EVA's turbine pack roared, bringing it flying twice as fast as the wings and legs crashed and burned through the blue Units. Finally, the turbine pack's fuel ran dry, and Prodigium cursed. "Fucking shit, dude!"
With a painful growl, Unit-05 ripped the turbine off, swinging it like a blade at the Mark.44A's as they suddenly backed off. "Oh come one, you fucking pansy's!" The humanoid roared from inside his falling EVA. "We were just getting to the best part!"
"Oh, look! Here they come!" Mari exclaimed, watching Mark.44A's rush all at once at them. In a flash, she pulled Unit-05 into a back hug, raising its legs alongside the dark EVA. "Get ready, chrome dome!"
"Oh, this is just great! Now they'll think we're lovers or something!" Prodigium snarled, raising Sankaku and the turbine pack. As soon as the first Mark.44A flew forward, Unit-05 slammed the weapons into its aerial figure and held it like a shield. And just in time too as the Mark.044A's built-up into a gigantic pile of meshed together, now stuck, EVA drones. "You ready Blind-Eyes?"
"Those idiots! C'mon, let's do this!" She yelled, pulling them back. Both yelled triumphantly as they flew forward, kicking the ball of Mark.44A's downward to the city. They crashed painfully, flying like debris as they exploded and decimated the oncoming Mark.21's and Section-31 soldiers."That's gotta suck."
"No regrets." Prodigium retorted, sitting back as his helmet flashed another proximity alarm. "Oh my… Are you fucking kidding?"
'DANGER,'
'CAMOUFLAGE COCOON MATERIALIZING.
CONTENT DATA N/A - ANALYSIS ONGOING…'
"Oh look, now they've fallen another peg. Fake luring Angels?"Mari called out, fixing her spectacles with a dull stare. She looked out in the distance, seeing large white hexagon shields begin to unveil and form together to make a large wall. "That's so lame…!"
"No shit," Prodigium said, letting go of Unit-08 as she dropped him off. The Sankaku slammed down, creating a painful tremor as Section-31 troops and Mk.21's moved… back? "Something's not right here…"
"Lookout, here comes the cavalry!" Kitakami called, her radar flaring vivid as the white wall exploded. From out of the wall came a giant drill-like platform, followed by an army of drones.
The first noticeable thing was the army coming from behind- they were composed of two EVA Mark.04 torsos and legs, their upper body replaced by rounded, cylinder-shaped sections covered by exhaust holes. They were connected at the "shoulder" by a center box generator, extending to a pointed-energy emitter.
But it was the front one, leading the charge, that drew the most attention.
The upper bodies of four Mk.04 EVA's were attached to something resembling a large, cylinder-designed drill platform. Their bodies were clones of Unit-03 and 04's design, with military green, white, black and red colors across their tops. From the waist below, however, their bodies had been replaced by sphere-shaped sockets that connected to the centerpiece.
The center was a "small" cylinder connecting to a lower sphere covered in purple glowing holes, whereas the top, connected by a bundle of tubes and cored to a gigantic power feeding array which was held up by the Mark.04's. It was a large funnel with an outlining ring, covered by outward pointed EVA shoulder pylons
Finally on the front of the funnel was a large sphere, connected to the long Positron Cannon. It was covered by a pair of curving, semicircular panels with a large purple armored wire wrapped around the Cannon and feeding into the energy funnel.
The EVA platform hovered forward for the most, supported by four large drill-like apparatus tendrils that pulled into the Earth and tugged the gigantic machine forward, with a white halo-like ring forming a handrail for the EVA torsos.
Ritsuko tsked, glaring lack at the white, beak-masked Mark.04 'Angel' heads. "Dr. Akagi, is that what I think it is?" Prodigium questioned.
"Indeed it is; another forbidden EVA military design scrapped by the Vatican Treaty..." She explained. "An impressive combination to be sure- A Ground-Type Mk.4444C with a Positron Cannon, and a platoon of Mk.44B's configured to supply power." She hummed softly, glancing at the retreating forces as she continued. "It would seem that the Commander of Section-31 is testing our resolve."
"I think I have enough human 'resolve' to speak for the entirety of WILLE," Prodigium growled, sending his EVA forward. "Whatever the case, I won't dying to something so stupid looking!"
Prodigium raised his lance, ready to cut down the forward cannon and he nearly would have made, too. That is, had it not for one of the drill tendrils snatching Unit-05's waist and flinging the EVA back. "Now, now children!" A voice called from above, revealed to be from an Evangelion with large mechanical wings. "No need to be so critical about our work, you know?"
The giant fell to the floor, its wings retracting into the shoulders to reveal a full body Mk.04 EVA. It was completely white save for the red torso piece, black shoulder pylons and arms, pointed knee blades, and claw-shaped feet. In its hand was a large dual-blade Heavy Spear, sharp to the touch. "We're still in the building phase…" The pilot said, raising the sharp-pointed, eyeless EVA head.
Mari snickered."So this is another Mark.04, I presume?" She asked, quietly scanning the winged EVA.
"I prefer you to call it the official name- Unit-16," Cypher called, fixing his jacket collar from inside the Entry Plug. His visor read that the Unit-08 was scanning him-not that it would do good, most of their systems were covered by 666 Firewalls. "But then again, I doubt you mouth-sucking EU losers would care for that."
"Rgh, self-righteous motherfucker..." Prodigium snarled out.
"So I've been told. Now, if you'll excuse us we have an Installation to destroy." Unit-16 took a stance, raising its Heavy Spear. "So please, get out the way, rip-off."
"You're one to talk, kid." Prodigium rushed forward, swinging the turbine and long spear forward.
Quarantine Deck, WILLE AAA Wunder
"Sounds like hell out there…" Kensuke said, feeling the Wunder tremble. "To think, Section-31 had its own Assault Fleet."
"Well, can't say I didn't expect it… Just didn't imagine it would fly…" Shiro bemused, watching the tram car pass by more areas of the were so many places to explore, so many areas they could take interest in. But they couldn't. Not now, while Wunder would be distracted for only so long.
Finally, they arrived. Shinji gulped the moment he saw the corridor; that long hallway drenched in an ominous glow, with steel submarine-designed doors covering every inch of it. He glanced down at his gloved arm- nothing still. That was… something he was grateful for. "Okay… One of these rooms should do…" he mumbled, gesturing around. "Try any of the doors, see if they open."
Shiro nodded. "You take that side, I'll take this one." He ordered, grabbing a wheel handle. They began pulling and turning the large doors, slowly making their way down the lines with little luck. Some would budge but most of the time they were stuck thanks to the lock system. "Can't you do anything about this, Kensuke?"
"Hey, you're lucky enough as it is I'm able to distract the camera feed," Kensuke argued, trying on his computer case. "But aside from small things like cameras, I don't have access to ship doors. That's on an entirely different command system, no doubt connected to the bridge."
"Great…" Shinji moaned, trying another door. This one opened to his surprise, and his heart clenched with who he saw inside. "Rei?!"
Shiro's head snapped to attention and Kensuku jumped up out of shock (and slight fear) at the name. "Wait, what?" Shiro asked, walking up. Sure enough, sitting behind the glass wall of the interrogation cell was Rei Ayanami. Or rather, Rei-Q as he recalled Rei-2 was still inside Unit-01. "Holy…"
"Rei." Shinji breathed, stepping in. As soon as he did, the room came to life revealed it was just as he recalled it- an emergency phone by the door, a table connecting to a long wall mounted table across the glass window, and another emergency phone connected to a built-in computer terminal on the opposite wall.
"Quick, no time to waste!" Shiro ordered Kensuke, who quickly got to work connecting to the ship systems. As he did this, Shiro walked up to Shinji who was staring at Rei-Q from behind the glass. "Shinji…?"
"I can't believe she's still alive…." Shinji whispered, a look of relief and worry in his eyes.
"You know her, I assume?"
"Yeah, she was the pilot of the Mark.09- the yellow Unit-00 model." he clarified, looking around the table. His eyes wandered about before he found a small console area. "There!" he pressed a button, causing Rei to look up a bit. "R-Rei?"
As soon as he spoke, Rei looked up with a gasp. She blinked, leaning closer to see Shinji. "Shin-Pilot Ikari…" She stated softly. "You are alive, after the Fourth Impact event?"
"Yes, I am! It's me." He said with a smile. "But what about you, why are you here on Wunder?"
"Captain Katsuragi captured me when Evangelion Mark.09 was destroyed during the Fourth Impact event. Once I was found, I was taken prisoner aboard here, and kept under surveillance for interrogation."
"I'm guessing they haven't had any with you, huh?" Shiro mumbled softly.
Rei looked to Shiro for a moment, her eyes just slightly opening more before she replied, "Yes. Captain Katsuragi has failed numerous times to 'break me' as she described the interrogation process."
"Yeah, that sadly sounds like Katsuragi…" Shinji said with a huff. "I'm surprised you haven't broken out here yet."
"I see no reason to," Rei answered.
"Because you haven't been ordered to?" Her silence was enough of an answer. Shinji sighed, putting a hand to the window. "Rei, you can't be serious about this. You can't stay here, you know WILLE will kill you."
"I know this. However, I don't see any point in answering their questions as well." Rei said, earning confused looks from the group. "If I am to keep silent, I will die. If I answer their questions, I will die. If I try to escape, I will die. Even if I return to Commander Ikari, I will die."
"So you have nowhere to go. That's no excuse to just give up!"
"I am a mere clone of the real Rei Ayanami. A clone to Yui Ikari. I am nothing. My existence is only meant to pilot Evangelion. I have no other reason to fight, or continue fighting."
"I don't believe that, and I don't think you do either!"
"And how would you know what I want?"
"Because you're Rei," Shiro said, gaining their attention. He stepped forward, looking at Rei-Q "I may not know about you and my brother's relationship, but I do know this- You're an exact replica of the Rei Ayanami Shinji and I knew before all this. Before Third Impact. You feel as though there's no reason to do anything but pilot EVA, no obligation to live a normal life."
"But I also know there's a part of you that wants that. A part that wants to live past this, to understand those emotions you never got to see. The emotions you haven't been able to see." He continued. "You can't just sit here and tell us that there's no reason to continue- there has to be something!"
"Such as…?" She asked softly, though there a hint… a faint hint of sharpness in her voice. "There is nothing to live for. WILLE will continue fighting until your group and NERV are destroyed. NERV will not stop until Final Impact has been initiated, killing everything on this planet. And NEVEC…" She trailed for a moment as if trying to find the right words. "NEVEC is no different. They may fight for peace and humanity's survival, but they still rely on Evangelion."
"There's no denying we've come to using Evangelion- it's a fact we use them. But we don't use Evangelions to destroy cities, we use them to protect those in need!" He argued.
"Did NERV not once fall under that belief?" Rei questioned, making Shiro silent. "Look what befell them in Third Impact."
Shiro went silent, looking down. He couldn't fault her, she was right! NERV and NEVEC, hell even WILLE they all had the same goal in mind- protecting humanity. But deep down, he knew that while NEVEC showed its true colors to the world, WILLE and NERV had very different obligations to their causes.
"I can't say you're wrong… It's clear that we look like NERV and WILLE on the outside. But I swear to you, NEVEC's intentions have always been made to defend humanity from people like Misato, or people Gendo and SEELE!" Shiro stated firmly. "Besides, I have no reason to doubt that-"
All of a sudden, the Wunder shook, this time more violent than before. Rei cried out as she was sent to the far wall, while the group on the opposing side was slammed into the walling. "What the hell was that?!" Shinji yelled out, grabbing at the table as emergency alarms began blaring through the Quarantine Deck.
Arc De Triomphe, 2 Minutes Earlier
"Dammit, it's no use!" Hyuga grunted, slamming his fist into the Sealing Pillar they worked. "It's like Stage-05 is being reinforced or cut off from our connections!"
"Keep trying!" Maya snapped, ignoring the sound of rockets being launched and the ground trembling. In the distance Unit-08 and 05 were fending off the newly arrived Unit-16, trying to get past it and to the activating Mk.4444C. Sadly, they weren't getting far as the NERV EVA was easily holding back Unit-05, allowing Unit-08 to fend itself against the distant Section-31 forces.
"God, just stay down!" Mari yelled out, running at Unit-16 with the remains of an Mk.21 in her EVA's hands. The pink giant raised the Crawler's body, preparing to slam it down on the white giant.
However, Cypher easily noticed the shadow and swung Unit-05 around, crashing it into Unit-08. "You first!" he called, sending the pair flying down as the Mark.44B's came to a halt behind the gargantuan energy weapon. "Finally!" Unit-16 quickly unveiled its wings once more, sending gusts of winds all around as it took to the air. "Prepare to fire!"
The Mk.44B's generators began humming loudly, their inner working conductors spinning shaking strong enough to make the 'EVA' bodies tremble. "I'm detecting a rise in high energy! It's coming from the 44B's!" Kitakami yelled out.
"Damn!" Akaki cursed, looking to the defense fleet. "All ships, defensive measure Delta! Prepare for impact and EM pulse!"
At her command, the Paris Assault Fleet began to turn and spin, shifting in front of the Sealing Pillar to form a shield of ships. The 6 battleships stood on guard, their reinforced plating facing the now warming Positron Cannon. "The 4444C is in firing position!" The doctor stated, watching the platform raise itself with the drill-tendrils.
In the distance, the 4444C arose to match the ship shields level, creating bright halo rings which formed beside the Positron Cannon. More and more did the 44B's shake as if about to explode with energy. "Energy increase coming from the 44B's, ultra-high tension system activating!" Kitakami exclaimed. "It's about to fire!"
"Keep working… and brace!" Maya yelled, ducking down along with the others as the 4444C's energy sphere opened below the body. Blue lights flashed from within as the halo rings pulsed a deep purple, glowing and spinning faster as the 44B's revealed their power units, shifting open.
"Dammit, we gotta stop this!" Prodigium yelled, pulling his EVA up and running forward. He only got halfway there as the 4444C's tendril shot out, grabbing at his EVA and holding him away. It twisted and clenched around the dark mech, spending sparks and metal groans out from under its grasp as the humanoid screamed in pain. "Augh, god-fucking-fuck!"
"Ha, fools." Cypher taunted from above, smiling as he saw the failed attempt go down. "Hurry up and fire, wipe the damn Pillar off Earth!"
"Not yet!" Another voice called. Jumping passed the down Unit-05, Mari gave a battle cry and charged forward, right at the 4444C platform. Unit-08 jumped at the last second, crashing with the A.T Field. The Mark.04's cried out at the sudden attack, unable to fight as Unit-08 tore past the Field and quickly lunged at the long cannon. "This looks important to you! Allow me to assist!"
With a painful grunt, and the sound of metal grinding from Unit-08, the EVA began forcing the Positron Cannon upward, pointing it now at the Section-31 fleet. Cypher's eyes widened and he jutted downward with a scream, "No, wait! Stop, you damn fools! Don't fire!"
Too late.
In a flash, arcs of pure energy shot from the 44B's and into the 4444C's energy sphere, which rocketed and flared brightly with raw power. As if a mock of the old Operation Yamashia, the bodies of the Mark.04's slouched forward suddenly, their 'eyes' focusing with cross-star lights.
Unit-16 barely had time to kick the Cannon downward as it fired. The Cannon fired a vivid beam of power, sending Unit-08 and 16 flying back as it cut through the sky in a flash of light and burned anything in its path.
Entry Plug Command Bridge, AAA Wunder
"Brace! Brace! Brace for impact!" Katsuragi yelled, gripping the command railing as the beam hit. The wing of the flagship exploded violently, sending a chain-reaction of explosions all across the wing and lower hull. Wunder screamed like a pained animal at its wing was burned apart, the melting and falling metal sliding off as the Section-31 Fleet continued their assault.
Sparks flew all around the bridge as the large ship shook, struggling to fight back from the onslaught. "Rgh, status!" Katsuragi barked.
"We've lost flight stability!" Sumire cried out, struggling to lean the Wunder back up. "I've lost all connections to the left-wing!"
"Damage control isn't responding!" Shigeru reported. "I'll try raising whoever I can from here to the engine deck!"
"I'm reducing main engine power, redirecting to wing stabilizers!" Koji yelled.
"Captain, we're losing altitude! And that fleet is getting closer!" Sumire yelled.
"Goddamnit, when will they let up!" The lavender-haired woman growled. "Keep us leveled, whatever it takes! Tell the forward guns to continue suppressing fire-!"
"We can't! The lower defense system was taken out by- Oh shit! Captain!" Aoba yelled, bringing up another camera feed. "We've got incoming!"
The feed revealed two large Evangelions that flew forward from the fleet. Like Unit-16, these EVA's had full bodies, save for their ankles which were replaced by large cylinder-shaped thrusters with exhaust ports along the rim. They were colored light grey with white highlights across their bodies, their heads covered by Angel masks.
"Dammit, more Mark.04 drones!" Katsuragi groaned. "What are their headings?!"
"Scanning for S2 Engine signals…" Aoba cursed under his breath. "The engine! They must be searching for Unit-01!"
Dammit, does that mean Section-31 detected Unit-01's energy signature? Is that possible, even with the Nullification Barriers?! She questioned herself. Katsuragi looked back to the battle, she had to stay focused above all else. "If they get their hands on Unit-01, it'll drag us down badly… Activate emergency shielding!" She ordered. "Koji, bring the engine into the hull of Wunder! Emergency Code 9-6-2-8!"
"Initializing!" Outside Wunder, the rib-cage opened slightly as the Mark.05's rammed their spears into the hull. One of them reached out to the oval-shaped cocoon, but it hissed as the engine flashed them with a spark of energy. They growled, trying to reach the hidden EVA as it was pulled into the inside of Wunder, the rib-cage closing up and covering the area wholly.
Koji laughed. "The main Engine has been sealed! We're safe for-" The ship trembled again, shuddering as Sumire forced it afloat. "For the time being." He finished.
"But for how long…?" Katsuragi murmured, looking below at the battle. "What the hell are they doing down there?"
Arc De Triomphe, Old Paris
"Don't just sit there you useless Dummy Plugs! Get the Positron into firing position!" Cypher ordered, his EVA swooping down as unit-08 stood up. He painfully grabbed the head of the pink giant, pulling it loose from the Cable Flight wires.
"Ah, crap-!" Mari cried, bracing and trying to grasp onto Unit-16's body. She struggled as the white EVA flew upward, grabbing its wing and tugging. "Take that-Augh!"
Unit-08 cried as 16 crashed down, using it at a shield. "You dropped this, have it back!" Cypher growled, tossing Unit-08 aside. It turned to the Sealing Pillar, a low gurgle escaping the mouth bolts as the white EVA stomped forward. "That's it, now I'm pissed."
"You forgot about me, dipshit!" Prodigium's voice called, and a long lance tore right into Unit-16's side. Cypher screamed at the attack, turning his head to see Unit-05 holding the Sankaku Lance. "You really should pay attention to your surroundings!"
"Unit-05, get out of there!" Kitakami yelled. "The cannon is going to-!"
Too late. The Position gave a whirl as it's crew eyes all flashed red. Another powerful Angel-like beam tore through the air, and Unit-05 barely had time to react as it's right side was completely burned off. Prodigium screamed as his visor flashed all sorts of emergency warnings and errors, his dark silver EVA collapsing as Unit-16 took flight once more.
The beam slammed into the shield of warships, burning through one after another like a hot knife through butter. Their melted halves were sent flying, destroying the old houses and apartment buildings- hell, one even crashed right into the Eiffel Tower.
The final battleship stood before the beam, barely holding it back as its hull was burned through. While most of the crew behind her were struggling to keep calm from possibly dying, Ritsuko was not. She didn't care if she died here or not. It didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. And yet, against all odds, fate seemed to have different intentions.
The warship was pushed forward, almost crashing the pillar as a familiar Evangelion charged forward, kicking it back. "Ha, made it just in time!" Mari called, her EVA called to the ground beside the pillar. Amid all the chaos, she managed to snag one of the loose Flight wasn't much, but it helped out in the end. She grunted, glancing down at the tossed around Tank Battalion as she turned to the downed Unit-05. "If they fire again we're toast!"
"I AM toast, Mari!" Prodigium managed out, trying to pull his EVA up with his one remaining arm. He groaned, looking to see the Mk.44B's humming again. "You better hurry the fuck up, or we're all dead!"
"He's right- there's another reconcentration of energy!" Kitakami yelled out. Sure enough, the 44B's were charging up again, humming loudly as the Positron Cannon lowered itself to face the Pillar. "Acceleration engaging- They've taken firing position!"
"Second shot coming!" Asuka yelled from down below. "Prepare for impact!"
Mari growled, looking for anything she could use as a weapon. She grinned when she spotted something. "Okay, let's hope this works!" She exclaimed, grabbing the remains of the red tower and charging forward. "Nagara, I need another distraction!"
"Trying to do the best- fuck!" Sumire's voice cut out just as a shadow flew over.
"Don't you dare!" With a bird-like shrill, Unit-16 flew forward after Unit-08, a blood trail escaping it's injured side. The fingers of the beast extended out to long, skeletal claws as it reached for the running EVA. "You won't stop this-ack?!"
The EVA screamed as it's wing was hit, sliced open by a familiar, flying Sankaku lance. Unit-08 spun sharply, grabbing the lance and tugging it out, tearing the wing fully and forcing the white EVA down. "Here I come!"Mari yelled, thrusting the Tower forward…
Only to cry out as the lower half of Unit-08 was wrapped around by the Mk.4444C's drill-tendril. She was right there, just meters away from the damn Cannon! "God this sucks…!" Mari cried, forcing the controls as much as she could. The EVA groaned in pain as it's lower half was torn clean off. "Don't think that'll stop me!"
With a roar, Unit-08 pulled up the Sankaku and rammed it into the Eiffel Tower. Mari gave an enraged cry as she forced the lance forward, sending the tip of the red tower right into the barrel of the Positron Cannon. The A.T Field flashed to life and struggled to stay active, collapsing as the Sankaku pierced through the hexagon shield.
"Excusez-Moi, Eiffel!" Mari grunted, pushing her wrecked EVA as her Entry Plug static and struggled to remain online. The Tower was destroyed as Mari twisted and turned the Sankaku, forcing it to bend and twist into the Positron Cannon. With one final scream, Unit-08 forced the tower into the Cannon barrel, at the cost of its torso being ripped apart.
"No, fuck!" Cypher screamed, punching the side of his Entry Plug as the Mk.4444C tilted backward, it's systems faulting and breaking up as the long drill-tendrils slapped away the
Inactive 44B's. "Goddammit!"
The Mk.4444C exploded in a bright orb of purple energy, sending the two halves of Unit-08 flying (Unit-08's top was pulled away by the Flight Cable), decimating any remaining Mk.4 drones around in a bright burst of 'Angel' crosses.
"The Mark.4444C has gone completely silent. Operation time is 30 seconds!" Kitakami announced.
"The last lock has been deactivated, ma'am!" Hideki yelled out, looking to Maya. "System Anti-L, Stage 5 complete!"
Sure enough, Maya's screen after another second blinked red, reading, 'SYSTEM UNLOCKED. ANTI-L SHIELDING SYSTEM CONTROL: ONLINE.' "Fuck yes!" Maya yelled, looking at Ritsuko. "Vice-Captain, the Sealing Pillar is activating!"
All across the Sealing Pillar red outlines of squares glowed all around the Pillar, raising it slightly as a bright flashed echoed around the area. A shield of energy expanded from the pillar, transforming the red land into a familiar, alive land.
The trees returned to lush green as the buildings returned to a bright, pale color as Kitakami connected into the main systems. "Restoring Old Paris. Euro-NERV France Installation is rebooting. Main systems coming online!" In an instant, connections pillars unlocked as the buildings encircling the Arc De Triomphe rose to reveal their "catacombs"- giant storage contained bearing the blue Euro-NERV sigil.
"The enemy is in the open!" Asuka yelled over the comms to the remaining Charger Tanks. "Push forward!"
In an instant the remaining Charger Tanks rolled over the abandoned cars and downed Section-31 troops, firing rounds at the newly revealed, bright red Mk.21's forces who were trying to sneak upon them. They exploded as they turned tail, climbing over one another as their forces dwindled one after another.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Cypher roared. He growled, looking upwards as his Assault Fleet. As strong as they were, the Fleet was taking damage, and Wunder would be on them sooner or later. The blonde growled, closing his EVA's wings. "All forces, pull back immediately! Fall back into the Exclusion Zone!"
The blonde snarled, almost tempted to yell out or last the enemy forces. But he knew they'd shoot him down or mock him. "Soon…" he told himself, turning away. "Soon I'll rip those cowards limb from limb…" With that he pulled Unit-16 away, rushing away as the Assault Fleet pulled back.
"Enemy forces are on the retreat…!" Kitakami gasped out, breathing heavily as she slouched atop her computer. "And 11 seconds to spare…!"
"Thank God…" Maya groaned, sighing as she laid back.
"Good work, Maya." Ritsuko turned, coming to face the group. "That was a close call." She turned upwards, wincing when she saw the burning Wunder, before pressing a button on her Anti-L Mask. The mask opened, and she breathed actual oxygen air for the first time in decades. "Assault successful, Captain Katsuragi."
"And by the looks of things, our guests are following suit…" Katsuragi's voice rang out. "Activate the Installation's defense grid. Something tells me we won't be leaving for a good while."
"Understood." Ritsuko nodded, looking to the distance Unit-08 and 05. "Seems we'll have to do our part down here."
"Preparing for emergency resupply units. Priority EVA rebuilding supply parts and ammunition!"
"Release the remaining logistic support ships. We need the parts to rebuild Unit-02 Dash!"
"Welp looks like we'll be stuck here for a while…" Mari called, standing atop the controls to her Entry Plug. "But then again, to the victor goes the spoils."
"The only spoils I see is Unit-02 getting rebuilt along with our EVA's…" Prodigium groaned, going through his EVA's systems. "God, this sucks…"
"I like to look at the plus side of this. Now the blown up Unit-02 can be upgraded, and our Unit's 05 and 08 can be modified for superposition compatibility." Mari said with a soft smile. She crossed her arms, looking at the distant EVA parts that would be added to their arsenal. "No matter what it takes, I'll win this… Just wait a little longer… and then I'll come to find you, Shiro."
