The minimum operational threshold for synchronization has been met.

After testing Commander Ikari and Dr. Akagi requested that Shinji and I join them for dinner. The commander thanked us for our hard work and commitment.

I later asked Shinji to accompany me back to my quarters. Upon arrival I severed the audio and video monitoring equipment.

I asked that Shinji again question me about what he had heard from the Deputy Commander. He did so. I replied that what he had heard was not false.

Dr. Akagi and Lieutenant Ibuki arrived soon after. The lieutenant escorted Shinji back to his room. Dr. Akagi attempted to reprimand me for the destruction of the equipment. I did not allow her to hit me. I will not allow her to hit me again.

Hidden away in a shelter as the world fell to pieces around them. It was all so familiar. The frenzied clatter of automatic rifles, the concussive thud of rockets and tank rounds. Even from this far away the walls shook incessantly, dictating every moment of battle. All that was missing was the lumbering footsteps of an Eva.

Then the bombs fell. The world strained to keep itself together. Roads and buildings were reduced to rubble. Soldiers not instantly vaporized by the blast were engulfed in a superheated torrent of white phosphorus. Hot enough to kill swiftly, but far from painlessly.

The lights within the shelter flickered with each tremor. The temporary darkness consuming everything around it. Then the pale red glow of the emergency lights would return, casting strange, blood-tinged shadows across the floor.

After the seventh detonation the world fell silent again.

They sat for some time after that, wordlessly passing the last MRE tin between them. Mari drifted in and out of a fitful sleep.

Tacked to the far wall was a sprawling map outlining the interconnected system of shelters, access points, supply caches, and adjacent subway lines. Mari stood examining it, tracing the intricate paths etched on the aged and water-damaged paper.

"Up. More. Right. No, right. Up. Little more. There."

"Huh, never would have found that."

Mari's finger landed on a small square representing their current location, a thick green circle surrounding it. She then proceeded to sketch out various routes, careful to always return to their shelter before moving in another direction.

"So, are we gonna talk about the squad of Rei lookalikes we just ran into?"

Hikari curled her knees into her chest, wrapped tightly by her arms.

"No. I just want to go home."

Mari continued tracing paths.

"Little late for that. Look, we can take this footpath south then hop on the tracks here. If we stick to the innermost line we should be able to make it in a few hours."

"Mari, I don't...I don't want to."

"Yeah?"

She turned towards Hikari, kicking one foot up against the cold concrete wall and crossing her arms.

"So what? You gonna head back up there? Ask one of those...those people for a ride back to our secret base? If they're even still out there. Hell, the bombs must have destroyed everything within a click radius. And who knows what little treats NERV laced 'em with. The air'll probably kill you before anything else."

"I'm just…"

Hikari buried her head in her hands and began to sob weakly.

"Tired? Me too. But our choices are pretty slim right now. So I think we should start to move-"

"But that's all we've ever done. Move. And fight. Move and fight. Fight and move. Then sit and wait for the next fight. Then move again. Without once asking why."

Mari scoffed forcefully.

"Why?"

"Why. Why should we go to ground zero? Because General Katsuragi said so? What are we gonna do when we get there? Fight? With what? If something's happening, why can't we just let it happen? All we're doing is buying ourselves a few more minutes to live."

"So that's what this is about. If we're gonna die why not just let it happen?"

Mari's face twisted in anger.

"You think...you think you're the only one in pain? You think you're the only one who's lost someone special? You think you're the only one who's had to watch people they love die? Huh?"

Hikari rose in defiance, fighting back a river of emotion.

"I know I'm not and I never said I was! It's just this...life. What the hell kind of life even is this? Look at us. Stuck under the same damn city we fought so long to protect. And what did we get for all those years of suffering? A target on our back. I mean, I can name the people who don't want me dead on one hand, maybe two. Maybe. That's not a life. That's...that's…"

Mari began to walk towards Hikari with measured steps.

"You know, I could have let you die back in the forest. Just like you almost let me die during that ambush. By doing nothing. Standing and watching. Just letting whatever was gonna happen happen. But you didn't just stand and watch Toji die. You didn't just let it happen. I saw you and your unit fight three MP Evas with nothing but a progressive knife. I saw you tear each one of them open and crush those cores with your teeth. Even after your legs were chopped off, even after your guts were spilling out, you made damn sure all those bastards were dead. And it was only after you were half-swallowed by that Angel did you trigger the self-destruct and punch out."

Mari stopped inches away, their eyes locked. Hikari could see the tears again streaming down her own face through the polycarbonate reflection.

"Hikari, I'm tired as hell. My head is throbbing, my muscles are on fire, and I'm pretty sure I lost a tooth at some point. But damn it-"

"Let me see."

Hikari deftly pried Mari's bottom jaw open with a feathered touch and held the flashlight up to investigate.

"Yeah...one of your bottom molars. Right side. That sucks."

Standing there, in the ruins of a deserted city after countless near misses with death, performing a dental exam. Hikari and Mari couldn't help but let the absurdity of it all sink in. They burst into a deep laughter that took their breaths away. Left them dizzy, gasping for air. The twinge of a sore abdomen a welcome replacement from days of illness and pain.

Hikari double-checked Mari's proposed route before they struck out. It looked solid, bypassing the sewers and NERV-controlled transport networks. Four, maybe five hours tops if they didn't stop to rest.

It was a strange feeling neither of them could shake. Traversing those tunnels with millions of tons of concrete, steel, and rock above their heads. Agents from SEELE or NERV could spring a trap at any moment. Walls could cave-in from the years of continued punishment. And even though their path kept a good distance from the sewers, if one pipe were to burst they would be quickly and unceremoniously swept up in the tide. Death surrounded them, yet they continued on.

By the time they reached the last subway junction the force of the AT field was palpable. What was once a tingle, then a buzz, now left their entire bodies shaking. The chatter of their teeth echoed like a drum roll. Their ears rang viciously, their vision blurred, their gait turned unsteady.

Strange, multi-colored orbs of light flitted around their periphery, dodging in and out of sight. Their movement leaving behind iridescent trails like those of a long exposure photograph. Mari swatted wildly at one, throwing herself off-balance. She crashed to the ground with a whimper.

"...ouch."

Hikari fell to her knees and cradled Mari's head between her palms.

"Come on...Mari. We got...we got places...to go."

Her voice trembled with every syllable.

"I...I feel sick. I think...I'm...I'm gonna..."

"That's...do what you...gotta."

Mari heaved violently. Her stomach lurching in an attempt to force up what little food remained. Sweat beaded down her forehead, collecting inside her glasses. Her head swam, her throat burned like an inferno, tears welled behind bloodshot eyes. Hikari remained, unmoved, until the nausea passed.

"I'm home."

The warm, gentle voice with its distinct accent came from behind. Mari glanced up. Hikari knew all too well who it was.

"Go...go away. You're not...you're not here."

Mari wrapped an arm around Hikari's shoulder. They staggered to their feet and began to feebly shuffle by, eyes glued to the ground. His sneakers flashed into her line of sight.

"C'mon Hikari, one last look is all. I'm beggin' ya."

"No...no..."

The exit hatch came into view. They could hear his footsteps creeping along with them. Then another set echoed into existence.

"Mari, love?"

"...mom?"

Her voice cracked with sadness.

"...mommy?"

They clung desperately to each other as the dazzling orbs began to swarm. Hikari pressed her forehead against Mari's. They could each feel the other's roaring fever.

"You can do...this...we just...just gotta...keep...going. Just...one foot in front...of the other."

Left foot.

"Mom...I...buried you a long...time ago."

Right foot.

"But, honey…"

Left foot.

"Hikari, I've been missin' ya so much. I just wanna see that 'eautiful face again."

Right foot.

"No..."

Left foot.

"Remember our special Sunday morning porridge, Mari?"

The hatch grew closer. Tears flowed continuously, their faces slick with the salty brine of longing and loss. The veil of orbs grew thicker, a burning, electric yellow. It felt almost impenetrable.

"No..."

Right foot.

"Honey?"

Left foot.

"No!"

Right foot.

"Love?"

Left foot.

"No...no!"

Hikari's quivering hand reached for the handle. With her last remaining ounce of strength she twisted.

The door swung open, a blast of cool evening air rushing in to greet them.

The tremors calmed as the lights faded. Along with those that had followed them.

They had arrived at ground zero.