Koros45 does not own Mazinkaiser, Getter Robo Armageddon, or Neon Genesis Evangelion

Stage 22: [Crisis]

The NERV staff could only stare in a mix of horror, frustration, and helplessness as Emperor Gore picked up the comatose EVA Unit 02 by the ankle. Differences between the lithe Unit 02 and the bulky and bestial Mechasaurus could not be more stark as the Evangelion was dwarfed by the azure behemoth. The blue Mechasaurus looked over the limp cyborg for a moment before snarling.

Gore snorted in turn and his machine suddenly flung its arm forwards and then in a backwards arc, causing the EVA it grabbed to flail back and forth like a rag doll. In a violent motion it hurled the cyborg body into the nearby lake. The splash could be heard on the monitor as the NERV staff could only watch.

Then the Emperor looked at the fallen Neo Getter and made a fist. The rival machine was down for the count. Gore made sure of that as it stepped on the back of the machine, talon crushing the missilepack. Each claw on his rightmost talon squeezed and metal tore and warped as his foot pressed down harder. A muffled explosion could be heard from inside the robot and Gore sneered, removing his foot and stepping back in disgust.

"Humans, that Getter was weak! Far weaker than I remember! No photonic robot or new machine can face me! Only a machine powered by true Getter Rays can hope to match my strength!" The dinosaur ruler declared as his Mechasaurus turned and his two generals flanked him.

"Though I must applaud you for wearing down most of my grunt forces. Although now that's a moot point. With my generals here with me, this is your last day!" The blue armored robot finished projecting his controller's wishes and turned to NERV HQ, beginning his advance.

/

Fuyutsuki frowned as he looked down at the scene below.

"Is Unit 02 responding at all?" The Sub-commander asked.

"Asuka's unconscious! We're not detecting anything on Unit 02's end either. We're doing our best but at the moment - !" Mikoto stopped as he heard gunfire close by and their attention was taken from the screen.

The sound of gunfire increased, ringing through the air. Then the body of a humanoid dinosaur fell in the immediate hallway, form loaded with bullet holes. The entire staff was alert, weapons pointing at the door as the Saurian's presumed killer approached.

"That was close! Is everyone alright?" A voice asked as a figure made their way into the room.

"Don't shoot! It's Major Katsuragi!" Mikoto yelled, gesturing for his allies to calm down.

Misato ran into the room, followed by two others. She was out of breath and ran up to her post and paused once there to re-load her gun.

"Unit 01's pilot is ready! I want all of us to support him and - " Misato began to speak.

The base shook as the other two made their way further into the room.

Benkei emerged with a few guns pointed at him and gave his best smile to the group. Go was with him, the artificial man walking around Benkei to make his way into the room, crouching and brandishing a pistol to cover Benkei with.

"Parties' not over yet, folks." Benkei said, spinning around and pointing his gun at the entrance. Misato did the same and Mikoto and the rest of the bridge staff followed suit.

Another group of Saurians made their way in the entrance, Go and Benkei finding cover as Misato and Mikoto shot down at the dinosaurs. Maya was surprisingly quick to follow their example, keeping the dinosaurs on their feet long enough for the Getter Team to act.

Go fired and Benkei reached forwards, grabbing an attacking saurian and throwing it out of the main room. The assembled staff and Getter Team paused for a moment of tense silence as the fighting ceased. The only sounds coming from the room were now the ones on the large monitor.

Benkei and Go waited for the doors to close before turning to the NERV staff.

"The Dinosaur Empire's troops cleared out most of Section 02, but they're still around as well. Go reported."

"Good to know." Mikoto said, looking around to see that Fuyutsuki was observing the event silently. "That Angel Getter hybrid you reported hit us too. That means the Invaders are probably on their way. Did your Getter Team have a plan for that?" The operator asked.

"Yeah. Ryoma and Hayato are working on it. But what about the Photon Labs – are we getting any kind of signals - ?" Benkei asked.

Benkei's question fell on deaf ears to Go as the man saw the wrecked Neo Getter on the monitor. It lay on its stomach, cracked arms and horns worn from battle damage. The yellow eyes had dimmed and its limbs were bent at unnatural angles from the beating it had taken. Smoke trailed from its crushed back and it looked completely ruined.

"Kei - ! Gai and Sho - !" Go whispered, the grip on his pistol slackening as he stared wide-eyed at the screen.

"Kei - !" Benkei seconded, falling to his knees as he saw the damaged Getter.

A brief moment passed as Benkei breathed slowly, fists balling up as he shook.

"Change of plans, Go! Call Shin Getter right now! We'll take off as soon as Ryoma and Hayato return!" Benkei said with a snarl. "I want - to kill that bastard Gore myself!"

His thoughts were seconded as Go's scream was heard piecing the tension in the room. The man fell to his knees as his yell of anguish echoed in the closed space.

Then it was answered as an alarm blurred on one of the stations.

"Getter Ray signature rapidly rising - !" Shigeru yelled as Go's scream finished.

"But which is it? Shin Getter or Shin Dragon?" Misato asked the rest of the staff, hoping for the best.

/

Amidst the rubble, Kouji struggled as Mazinkaiser's frame soaked in each hit from Ankoku Daishogun's blade.

"If you think-!" clang!

"-Kaiser will-" clang !

"-Lose to you-!" clang!

Kouji tried to talk back as the impact of the latest swing made him grunt and stay silent.

With the third sword-stroke, Kaiser fell into the ground, slammed even further into the surrounding debris as Ankoku Daishogun stepped on Kouji's machine. Kouji yelled as a torrent of lightning coursed within the Pilder. The control system had been damaged. At this rate it wouldn't matter if he had the means to fight back with Mazinkaiser. If the controls didn't work than it was over.

"Human. What can you do? I have already won. And once you fall I will be free to claim this world for myself." Ankoku Daishogun boasted, black sword gleaming in the sun as its blade fell for the final strike.

Kouji closed his eyes and wished for a way to fight back. "No! I won't lose Mazinkaiser!" He yelled as he dialed the Mazin Power as high as it could go, slamming both fists on each safety release for the unstable refined Photon energy.

Then he was blinded as a light shone from Mazinkaiser's chest.

"I won't lose!" Kouji roared, striking at Ankoku Daishogun with the one attack he now had access to.

"Photon Beam!"

The blast struck Ankoku Daishogun in the chest, making the demonic general stagger backwards for a moment. Raising the output of the Photon Power had been able to stun the General with a mere Photon Beam, but it was not the only effect of Kouji's actions.

The land was made barren as Mazinkaiser's chest core flashed, a prominent Z appearing in the air for a moment, shining crimson in the white light.

Kouji had a vision at that moment – a fleeting dream he quickly forgot the details of. Luckily for him the details weren't as important as what he'd learned. A man had pointed to him and gave him a solution. One that only a true 'Mazinkaiser Pilot' would have. Seeing as he was the only person to ever qualify for the position that he knew of, Kouji figured he'd know very quickly just if he was cut out for the job.

Worrying about the outcome was not a luxury he had. Right now he had to survive. The Photon Labs were depending on him to get through this. Ankoku Daishogun's form slowly recovered from the brief interference of light and glared at him straight through the Pilder.

Kouji Kabuto knew what to do at that exact moment as the figure in the light had given him an answer.

Then he roared as Kaiser stood, pulling an object from its chest with great effort. A golden light grew on his screen, beckoning Kaiser to grab onto the radiance with both hands. The machine pulled back with all its might following Kouji's motions as he freed the buried hilt hidden within the core of his machine.

"KAISER-"

A double sided silver blade emerged next. Kouji kept pulling, wondering just how large this hidden weapon Mazinkaiser had was. He could make out the handle now, long enough for Mazinkaiser to grab with either one or both hands. The pommel was golden with two inner curving prongs on each side and a red gem in the center.

"-BLADE!" Kouji yelled as the blade came free, Mazinkaiser raising its' final blade to the skies.

Then his machine steadied the sword in both hands and Kouji could see Ankoku Daishogun adjusting his own stance in kind. It was a powerful position, legs grounded and steady to accommodate both attack and defense. His was a double grip as well and Kouji braced for a quick and decisive match of strength and skill. Both faces of Ankoku Daishogun grinned as both pairs of eyes narrowed in focus.

Boss' parting gift to him of a random coil was useful beyond just a blunt object, as had Kouji thrust the coil through the damaged controls of the Pilder. Gripping it was difficult, but at least now he could swing his newest weapon with all of his strength.

"You wanted a duel?! Well a duel you'll get, Ankoku Daishogun!" Kouji roared as he and the general ran towards one another. Each passed the other as the death-match was decided in a single moment.

/

The purple Bio-weapon reached the cityscape and Shinji found himself relieved to move the EVA relatively easily since it activated. His mother was with him as he saw three gigantic prominent figures in the distance. Asuka was nowhere to be found but the NERV staff informed him to be on standby. Her Unit 02 had been thrown into the lake and he'd worry about retrieval only after this current threat had passed.

From what he could see, the main forces of the Dinosaur Empire had been routed, the destroyed husks of countless Mechasaurus laid scattered before him. Their demise due to Neo Getter Robo, Diana A, and Boss Borot. The cost had been the lives of the pilots as their debris scattered the battlefield. Shinji felt a sinking in his stomach, his earliest fears of dying in battle surfacing even past his grief and shock at Kaworu's death. Now there were more friends to add to that number. And he didn't even have time to grieve about it.

And there was Asuka of course. Shinji was glad to hear that she was not dead, although he still wished Unit 01 had arrived sooner despite his slim chances even then. Then he heard a noise from within the cockpit and focused on what was in front of him.

There was an alarm that went off in his EVA as a spike of Getter Rays was detected. A green pillar of light fired off far in the distance.

Shin Getter couldn't get there soon enough, Shinji reckoned as the Emperor of the Dinosaur Army gave him a glance from the ruler's dark blue Mechasaurus body.

To the Emperor's right and left there were two other machines. One resembling a gigantic jellyfish with a mechanical mass in the center of the translucent flesh. And the second was a more humanoid looking machine.

"General Bat - ! Deal with the next nuisance!" The Emperor said.

"Yes, Emperor Gore!" The voice of the general on the left boomed, the tentacled bipedal Mechasaurus making its way towards Unit 01. It was hunched and bulky, eyes squinted shut in a red glare. Tendrils from the face and arms swayed with each gigantic stride it took.

The voice was the same as the winged saurian that had attacked him earlier. Shinji braced himself as the creature got closer to him.

"Let us see if this boy's machine was worth the Getter Team's effort!" Bat yelled as his machine threw a punch that shook Shinji's AT Field.

"Unit 01's AT Field is holding stable! You're good to go, Shinji!" The boy could hear Misato yell to him through the comm.

"My turn then - ." Shinji mused, throwing his best punch in return.

The Mechasaurus took the hit and was knocked back, but did not falter from where it stood. Shinji gasped as the tendrils on its arms wrapped around Unit 01's and he felt his own arms heat up to an intense degree At the rate it was going his arms would be burned badly. Only the material of his plugsuit was enough to keep him from screaming out in pain.

Then he felt his connection to Unit 01 wane as his mother distanced their sync rate on purpose – if only to lessen the pain her son felt.

"My Mechasaurus Boar will take far more than that!" General Bat admonished and Unit 01 responded by biting down on one of the tendrils and ripping through it.

One arm was free and Shinji grappled with the second tendril while he shoved a foot into Boar's stomach and pushed as hard at he could, concentrating his AT Field as he did.

Unit 01 lept back as the tendril retracted and the two fighters took a moment to gauge the other, the severed tendril falling from Unit 01's jaws.

"Hmph. Not a Getter but – I see the spark of battle is in your soul. Then I will treat your machine as a Getter in this case! Before we continue our fight I would request your name, boy."

"Asking me that at a time like this?!" Shinji asked.

"Yes! I would do well to remember you – a lone boy who stood and fought when your elders would not. As this is a one of one battle, my pride means I must ask your name, boy." The Saurian demanded.

"Ikari, Shinji." The boy said.

"Well met, Ikari, Shinji! And I am the Dinosaur Empire's General Bat! Now – we begin again!" Bat yelled as he went on the attack.

Boar charged again and Shinji braced both of Unit 01's feet and screamed, the AT Field knocking back the Mechasaurus.

"Interesting barrier system. But - !"

Shinji was at a loss for words as Boar slammed its arm into the ground and moments later it burst from the ground directly under the EVA, wrapping around Unit 01's ankle.

"An attack through the ground?! He really got around the AT Field?!" Shinji thought, panicking.

" - It's not an invincible defense!" General Bat finished.

A pull sent Shinji falling to the ground and he felt the heat return, this time burning his leg. Then his world spun as Boar had thrown him across the battlefield. He felt a large crash and shuddered as Unit 01 had slammed into the ground below, right in front of NERV's Geofront. Rubble fell onto Unit 01's form and he staggered as he rose. The pain of the recent fall rendered the previous injuries numb for now and Shinji rose, glad the LCL did its job to cushion the force.

"You've got as much power as the EVA will give you. Just be aware the other two are watching, so don't drag it out if you can help it." Mikoto advised.

"In that case – I'll use the Prog Knife – I'll settle it with close combat." Shinji said aloud, the blade firing out of Unit 01's shoulder as he caught it in his right hand.

His vision cleared and he jumped back, landing on his feet as the tentacle struck where he used to be standing. Then he lept into the fight once again.

/

Gendo Ikari had finally arrived in Terminal Dogma. He took stride deliberately slow, meeting Ritsuko's gaze with his own deadpan one. It was too late to talk about anything, the scientist knew as she made her move.

Ritsuko had wasted no time brandishing a firearm and pointing it at him. She noticed he had the same idea and they both stood for a moment, wondering who would get shot first. She was relieved to find that she felt free in the moment. If he was right then killing or being killed would soon be moot. And if he was wrong, well then one of them would be dead a lot sooner than the other. The orange ambiance of the room would be the end regardless of the details.

She explained her plan to detonate the MAGI system to the unflappable Commander and he said nothing as she pressed the switch. It did not respond.

Ritsuko felt scorn but beyond that a sense of frustration . The MAGI system had disobeyed her– her mother's soul choosing Gendo over her own daughter. She wanted to laugh at the cruelty of it all – and the lies from Gendo's lips as he told the last lie he would ever tell her.

Two gunshots were heard and Ritsuko fell backwards as she felt a bullet in her lower chest. Off of Terminal Dogma. She would fall to her death in the same place as her mother. Fitting in a way considering how complacent she'd been in NERV's – no – Gendo Ikari's plans.

Something stopped her from falling and even with the flash of pain from the bullet tearing through her, she saw a brief snapshot of Gendo Ikari clutch his arm, blood dripping down it as his mouth was open in . .. . pain? He'd been shot too, no doubt causing his aim to be off. Seeing a man as intimidating as the Commander in that state was cathartic. A fitting punishment for all the sins he'd caused. But why hadn't she fallen down?

Something pulled her along and Ritsuko saw a red scarf and a tattered trench-coat as she was moved back away from Terminal Dogma's edge, the figure carrying her and taking refuge behind a computer system.

"Did you really have to interfere with this, Mr. Nagare? It's almost the end. None of this matters anymore." Gendo Ikari's voice was heard, speaking clearly despite the pain he had to feel.

"I thought you'd get the hint after I broke one of your fingers. But now you're trying to kill your own staff, you bastard!" He yelled and Ritsuko chuckled at the man's words, her head swimming with adrenaline from the injury.

Ryoma Nagare crouched and pulled out a set of fresh bandages in one hand, setting it down as he glanced around the computer to look for Gendo. "Dammit. Asshole's slipperier than I thought." he whispered, looking to Ritsuko.

"Dr. Akagi, this will hurt like hell, but I have no intention of letting you die. That shot was an exit wound, so I'll bind you up now." He said in hushed tones, somehow looking serious despite the ridiculously thick black eyebrows and sideburns.

A gunshot was heard and Ryoma ducked, shielding her body with his own. It was close as a bullet hit the far wall of Terminal Dogma's shaft leading to the horror they'd hidden away. "Dammit!" Ryoma yelled as the bullet's sound rang all around the large room.

"I wonder how you knew how to find us, but regardless – that doesn't matter. Instrumentality WILL occur." Gendo said and fired again.

This time it was even closer as he'd switched hands, steadying his left with the injured right hand. The shot was off and Ryoma had solace as the monitor they hid behind had taken the hit. Gendo's own condition would make it difficult for him to fire again.

"Rei, are you ready?" Ryoma heard him say and flinched. His eyes widened as the leader of the Getter Team took a glance towards the other man.

"Shit. He brought a kid here?!" Ryoma's eyes widened and Ritsuko coughed.

"It won't matter. Just let it happen. We'll all be one soon and then-" She began.

"Stop talking! You're losing blood!" Ryoma said as he put the gun down and opened the pack of bandages, pulling up Ritsuko to start binding her up.

"Dad of the Year over there is too busy grabbing Ayanami to shoot back." Ryoma said glancing over his shoulder before he began to fuss with the bandages. Ritsuko lost her sense of time as Ryoma tied a hard knot around her with the bandages. Ritsuko cried out from the action, but was too winded for it to be very loud.

/

Yui. Soon he would be with her again. Gendo felt a sweet feeling of relief he hadn't felt in years as the hand he'd exposed to Adam went through Rei's breast, into her chest, beginning to move the mass down to her stomach. Soon he would fuse with Adam and thwart SEELE's plans. But that was nothing for the goal. For his dream of ten years. For all his sacrifices - he would be triumphant.

Rei gave a curious smile and Gendo paused.

"We don't have much time left. We need to initiate the fusion now." He said and a jolt of pain racked his whole body. Nagare was occupied with Doctor Akagi. Things should be right. Yet he felt worried. Gendo brushed off the nagging feeling and addressed the First Child.

"Rei – what?" Gendo asked, feeling apprehensive suddenly.

"Yes. We must initiate the fusion." She responded.

Her smile deepened and a black spike shot out of her chest, stabbing through Gendo's own. His mouth hung open in shock as he processed what had just happened to him.

"It is said to be careful what you wish for." Rei said as the smile got wider. One of her red eyes widened and split into three yellow ones, tendrils writing as the organic spike that had impaled Gendo started to writhe around. "Then you can join us, Gendo Ikari – at the cost of your own humanity." She said, her voice distorting.

No. No no no NO ! She was his doll! She was Yui's face and the link to get her back! She was supposed to be completely obedient in the plan! Gendo could only look on in horror as the Rei Ayanami in front of him had been replaced by an Invader.

"And now – I can finish you as well – Ryoma Nagare." She said, her head unnaturally pivoting to stare directly at him with wide eyes. Her left arm swung backwards to point at Ryoma and Ritsuko, firing off into a black tentacle that sped towards them.

Ryoma tensed, ready to move as a ringing sound was heard.

Then an AT field ripped through the false Rei, the spike vanishing as the Invader screamed, howling in surprise.

Rei Ayanami hovered down, floating above Gendo and her incapacitated mimic. The girl landed neatly on the ground, her face emotionless as the AT field fired again, tearing apart the Invader a second time.

Gendo was quick to act. If Rei was here then the plan could still work out after all.

Gendo had too little time to worry about semantics as he pointed the gun at Rei III.

"Rei, we're out of time! Complete the merge." Gendo warned.

"No." Rei said as she reached into the Invader's stunned body and ripped out the part of Adam that the Invader had consumed. The other Rei scowled at her as she dissolved into black tendrils that slithered away even as Ryoma fired at the retreating mass.

Gendo couldn't believe it as Rei hit him with an unflinching gaze. Truly nothing like Yui's, Gendo realized.

"I am not your doll. But you are correct that you are out of time." Rei said with no emotion.

Then Gendo's vision was cut off as a shadow landed right in front of him. Gendo saw a wide eyed man with the grin of a hyena.

Hayato Jin leered and raked at his face and Gendo roared out in more pain. Gendo's glasses came off as they blocked the scratch. The hand didn't stop as Gendo felt it slash his remaining hand, five claw-like fingers searing bone and muscle as the gun fell from his grip.

"Shot on sight, my ass, Commander Ikari." Hayato said, his grin prominent as he looked at Gendo his target's legs gave and he fell on his back.

"Consider yourself lucky I saved your face." Hayato said, looking to his raised hand with extremely sharp nails.

"You're too late. Even if it's not me, Instrumentality will still happen. SEELE will-" Gendo managed, suddenly feeling terrified.

"Doctor Akagi, we're taking you out of here." Hayato said as Ryoma pocketed his gun and hoisted the Doctor up. Then Ryoma looked across the room to Rei Ayanami.

"Rei, are you going to be OK? Your arm's . . . gone." Ryoma said, looking concerned. Rei looked over to the stump where her left arm had been, paying it little attention.

"This mortal form will not matter soon, Mr. Nagare, but thank you for your concern." She glanced from Ryoma back to the man sprawled on the floor, Hayato stepping aside so that Rei could address him.

"Gendo Ikari, you were wrong thinking I'd choose you. Not after you introduced me to him." Rei's smile did not fade and Gendo's eyes widened. Suddenly he looked afraid.

"Who did you choose, Rei?" he asked, practically pleading for the answer.

"Shinji." Rei finished as she looked at the body of Lillith, contained at the bottom of the pit.

"No. Why him?! Why Shinji?!" Gendo asked, looking utterly devastated.

Rei ignored him as she jumped off of the catwalk to Ryoma and Hayato's shock.

Her body landed on the gigantic form crucified at the bottom of Terminal Dogma, the multi-eyed mask breaking off. Rei Ayanami's body melted into the larger one as her face and hair formed where the mask used to be.

The legs of the creature formed and it began to move. Ryoma and Hayato could only watch as the being known as Lilith opened its eyes.

/

The black pyramid was in sight, the side of it smoking as something had collided with it earlier. Gore could feel the Getter radiation and snarled with a grin. Inspection showed the damaged shell of a white Getter Dragon, now half buried in the rubble. It looked as though it had used its Shine Spark to break into the structure.

"The Getter Team defended this place . . . this Dragon is a strange sight. Regardless we will crush this human base and then call for more forces." Emperor Gore said as General Bat continued to face the purple interloper in the city.

He gestured for his Science Adviser Gally to follow his march on the base.

The pair began to advance towards the base, yet halted as a massive green blast struck the ground. Gore didn't get a chance to respond as the wide pillar of light split the skies. His General had been unlucky as the Jellyfish Mechasaurus was caught in the blast. The light broke apart the jellyfish Mechasaurus, disintegrating the mecha on contact.

Beyond the absence of his Science Officer, Gore felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. The searing pain was enough to reignite his old wounds. He recalled the final battle with Musashi Tomoe years ago and roared in pain. Now the pain felt fresh once again.

Officer Gally had been incinerated by a massive Getter Beam. It was the only conclusion that made sense as warning alarms and signs detecting a spike in Getter Radiation went off in his machine.

"Getter?!" Gore exclaimed, looking to the skies and expecting a true manifestation of his age old foe.

What he got was far beyond his nightmares. This was a Getter larger than the land he stood on. A bestial face glared down at the area as it slowly began to descend. The open mouth glowed with a receding emerald light as it had been the origin of the blast. It was truly fitting for the surname of Dragon.

A coiled tail wound around in the sky as the creatures' wings cast a shadow on the entire area around them.

"Heheheheheheh - ! It's been a while, Emperor Gore!" Dr. Saotome's voice boomed to the entire area.

Emperor Gore's mightiest Mechasaurus machine took a step back as he knew fear once again.