Echoes of Angels6 an Eva fic by AngelDragon
Disclaimer: Not owned by me (but drawn regularly!)
Warnings/Notes: This is it, the final showdown between our bishonen and the typical forces of evil (I know, cliché, but I couldn't help it).
Chapter 6: Endgame
The next day, Misato found herself suddenly in charge and trying to figure out why Unit 00 had disappeared into thin air, not to mention Lilith.She had to make arrangements for Ritsuko and the Commander's bodies, too. She did it all in a daze, trying to get used to suddenly being called Commander of Nerv Headquarters.
She found Shinji with Kaoru and told them about what had happened. Shinji was shocked, but didn't cry for Gendo. I'd stopped crying for that cold bastard a long time ago. Where was he when I still did? he thought.
Kaoru pretended ignorance, though he vowed to explain what he'd witnessed to Shinji, when it was all over. No one seemed to notice Ayanami's sudden disappearance and Kaoru had a feeling she'd planned it that way. Too many questions right nowhe thought, sadly.
When the two of them were walking back to Kaoru's room from having finished lunch, the alert sounded. Without waiting to be summoned, the boys raced through the corridors to the locker room to suit up. As fast as they could, they stripped off their street clothes and shoes and slid into their plug suits; purple, black and blue for Kaoru, white, black and blue for Shinji.They pressed the vaccu-buttons on the wrists to make them form fitting.
'Shinji and Kaoru, report to the Eva hangar immediately!'came Misato's frantic voice over the loud speaker. The boys exchanged knowing looks as they turned to go.
'This is it, Kao-chan,'Shinji said, offering an arm. Kaoru accepted, grasping it as he nodded and gave him a strong hug with his other arm.
'Yes, it is. We can do this, Shin-chan,'he said, releasing his soul mate. 'Let's do it!'they said together fiercely, as they ran towards their new destiny. Misato met them at the hangar and filled them in.
'Nine enemy Evas approaching Tokyo-3, you two. They're the Mass Production Models, called Next Gens.Seele sent a message ten minutes ago; they're going to destroy this place, unless you guys stop them!'she said.
They nodded, watching as Unit 01 and Unit 02 were readied, crew scrambling to check and double check as much as they could.
'Understood, Misato.Do we have any more info?'Shinji asked, knowing that Kaoru had already pretty much filled him in.She'd be expecting me to ask, can't tip her off yetShinji thought.
'Only that they're capable of flight and they run on the Dummy Plug system, no human pilots. So don't hesitate to kill them, before they kill you.'She winced as soon as the words were out of her mouth, remembering too late about the Toji incident. Oh, damnit, I am such an idiot today! she thought. It's just too much at once!
'Shinji, I -'she began, holding up a hand.
Shinji flinched, but stood strong, nodding as Kaoru put a hand on his shoulder.
'It's alright, Misato.I won't hesitate this time,'Shinji said, blue eyes flashing with determination. Misato was proud of this newfound change in him. Kaoru must be rubbing off on him, in more ways than oneshe thought, smiling a bit.
'Good luck, both of you,'she said, enfolding the pair in her arms and squeezing tightly, not wanting to let them go, but she did and wiped at her eyes.'The plugs are ready, boys, so hurry.'
They plugged in, so to speak, feeling the warmth of the LCL all around as it filled the cockpits, Shinji in Unit 01 of course and Kaoru in Unit 02.They synched up with their Evas and Shinji got vague impressions of his mother, Yui.She calmed him, backing his own strength. Kaoru sensed the determination and aggressiveness Asuka had shared with her Eva.It'd closed its soul to her after she had started to breakdown and she had never acknowledged her own limitations and blind ambitions. Kaoru coaxed the Eva to share these impressions with him, so they could better synch with each other.
Let's work together, I'm not like herKaoru thought to her, feeling the acknowledgement flow from her.
The Evas were loaded into their gates and launched after the boys announced they were set, shooting to the surface and coming to a sudden jolt. Their pulse rifles arrived seconds later and they took them up in their Evas' giant hands. Misato's voice came through the com network as they went into position behind a pair of tall buildings.
'Alright guys, the only thing I can recommend is hit them hard and fast, before they can gang up on you. Other than that..'
'Misato, I have a plan, so we'll take it from here, okay? And, please Misato, no matter what you may see here today, know that it's for our side, not theirs,'Kaoru said, cutting her off and taking a deep breath of the aerated liquid to calm his nerves. I hope this doesn't blow up in our faces, Shinjihe thought.
Puzzled, Misato went along with it. Like I can come up with anythingshe thought. 'I sure hope you do, Kaoru,'cause none of us down here have a clue. These things aren't like anything you'll have seen before,'she said, crossing mental fingers.'It's in yours and Shinji's hands now.'Then the link fell silent.
Shinji looked around the side of his building and gasped. The nine Next Gens were only distant shadows against the sky, but still approaching. His heart pounded as he steeled himself and brought up a window to Unit 02.
'Kaoru, they're coming. How do we do this?'he asked. The tension was thick around them, thoughts flowing fast and furious in their heads.
Kaoru brought up a window to Unit 01,fixing his partner with a calm stare. 'Shinji, listen to me carefully. When I was with Seele, I was made to test run one of these things. Don't underestimate them, Shinji, they're vicious, violent killers who won't think twice about ripping into you. They're like man-made vultures or hyenas.'He shuddered, then continued.'Their Dummy Plugs are obscene copies of my own brainwaves, but totally devoid of any emotions or conscience.
'My plan is this; in order to prevent their regeneration, we must rip out their cores and their Plugs.Without those, they cease to function. But we'll have to work in tandem, like how you and Soryu did when battling the One who was Two.'He'd told Shinji of his dreaming about the battles many days previous.
Shinji nodded, hefting his pulse rifle. I can't believe it's come down to thishe thought. But I don't think I'd have anyone else as my backup, anymore.
The nine were nearly here, circling like the vultures Kaoru had said they were. He eyed them warily; they were hideous, grimacing, eyeless white things with red-rimmed lips and parodied wings, vaguely like a crow's. He could see they were carrying things, elongated weapons of some kind.
'What are those weapons they have?'he asked Kaoru. Damn creepy looking thingshe thought.
Kaoru directed Unit 02's head skyward and gasped, albino eyes widening. 'They're copies of the Lance of Longinuss! Watch that they don't spear you, Shinji, spread your AT field now!'he yelled, a chill running down his spine.
Shinji complied and dodged quickly, just missing being skewered as one of the long red lances thunked into the ground where he'd stood on seconds before. He turned and fired up at the descending 'Gens.A couple of them took hits in their wings and spiraled to the ground, taking out a few buildings in their wake and screeching like banshees.
'Quickly, Shinji, please open the rest of your mind to me and I'll open mine to yours! We need to synch with each other now, to pull this off!'Kaoru yelled, swinging around his building to also fire at the creatures. This has to work, this has to workhe thought, a little mantra in his mind. The remaining 'Gens dodged his fire and alit on the ground, folding their mock wings, brandishing their lances and making animalistic noises and chatter. Narrowing his eyes, he spread his own AT field and faced their attackers.
'How do I do that?!'Shinji asked, a little panicky as one of the monsters came at him. 'Think to me!'Kaoru yelled, emptying the last of his ammo into the monstrosity, as another came at him, now.
Shinji cried out in his thoughts to Kaoru as the 'dead' weight of 'his' 'Gen propelled into Unit 01,knocking him back a few steps. He shoved it off in disgust. Kaoru jerked his head up in the cockpit, hearing the force of Shinji's call. Find me now, koi! I felt your soul! he called to Shinji, as he sliced at his own attacker with his prog knife.
As their minds connected, it was electric and intense. Each felt the other's emotions and thoughts as if they were one person. Shinji felt Kaoru's concern and anger, Kaoru felt Shinji's anxiety and tension and backed him up with his own determination. Together, we can be strongerhe thought to Shinji. Y-yeah, we can, can't we? Shinji thought back to him. Linked together, they pounced on Kaoru's mortally wounded enemy and dispatched it, Kaoru ripping out the core and crushing it with Unit 02's hands and Shinji yanking and digging out the plug to crush it in a spurt of gore. Only his concentrating on the task at hand kept his gorge from rising and disturbing memories from Toji's death creeping in.
They turned in time to see two 'Gens launch themselves at them, lances high, toothy maws open wide in screeching fury and together, took their toys away. They stabbed the things in their necks, slashing at their throats, blood coursing out in waves from the deep wounds. Quickly, before others could close in, Kaoru and Shinji worked them over, crushing and digging out, minds and pulses racing, trying to keep up with the creatures' pace.
The boys had barely finished as more of them rushed in, one of them catching Kaoru off guard a split second and running him through Unit 02's side with it's lance! Kaoru screamed in pain, arcing his back in the cockpit as he scrambled to reroute the connections with his telekinesis, blood gushing from Unit 02's side. have to - keep up, keep uphe thought,wearily.
Shinji felt his pain and winced, then came at the stabber as it ripped it's lance from Unit 02 and emptied his rifle into it in a fury, blowing it's head off in a shower of gory chunks. He left his back exposed in his haste, allowing one of the 'Gens to sever the umbilical cable to Unit 01 with it's teeth.
Alarms went off in his cockpit and tech displays came up to warn him he only had three minutes of auxiliary power left. Shinji ignored them, focusing on ripping and digging into the headless thing. Kaoru slashed, punched and kicked his way over to him as fast as he could, feeling his koibito's growing fatigue and fear, but also his will to continue, despite all that.
The power went out of Unit 01 just as Kaoru cracked the misshapen skulls of two attackers together with such force that he fractured them open. The 'Gens who'd regenerated or hadn't been immobilized, circled Shinji on the ground and in the air, laughing insanely like a pack of ravenous hyenas, then began to stab into Unit 01 with their lances, grinning hideously.
Shinji screamed and thrashed in the cockpit, unable to reroute his connections like Kaoru could. He cried out mentally to Kaoru, who felt it, full force in a wave of pain that literally rocked him back in his Eva.
'Shinji!!'he screamed, ripping out Unit 02's umbilical as he wrenched away from his opponents and ran to beat them off of the incapacitated Unit 01,Shinji still screaming in his head.I'm trying,koi,hold on!he thought- spoke to him. His mind raced to reroute Unit 01's connections and give it a power boost from his own Angelic AT field and boosted Unit 02,also. He swooned in his Eva, vision swimming. t-too many-at once he thought, wearily.can't -stop now,shinji..
As Unit 01 surged to life again, two 'Gens pounced on Unit 02 and ripped into Kaoru, penetrating his now weaker AT field. As they crushed Unit 02's arms and ripped one off, drooling and giggling and lapping up the blood, Kaoru screamed in supreme agony. He desperately rerouted the connections as best as he could. so - tired..not my arms..not my armshe thought. He couldn't see Unit 01,for the press of the 'Gens' bodies around Unit 02.He panted in the cockpit and felt Shinji's mind surge in anger.
He yelled like a berserker and leapt high into the air, coming down on Kaoru's enemies with both of Unit 01's massive feet, crushing their chests into bloody pulps, ripping with it's hands to crush their plugs and cores as Kaoru severed Unit 02's useless other arm. Now totally armless, he could only use Unit 02's legs, kicking out as best he could while struggling mentally with keeping power to their Evas.Shinji was at his back as they faced the final three hell-beasts.
Shinji, we have to finish this quickly! I - I don't know how much longer I can keep this upKaoru thought-spoke to him, breathing hard. His vision was getting blurry, too and was feeling like he'd either pass out or throw up, his body couldn't decide which.
He hoped his mental stamina could keep up with his faltering physical stamina; he'd never had to focus on so many things at once or with such force. He watched the trio of cackling monstrosities circle them again as they licked their lips and got an idea. He narrowed his deep red eyes again and focused hard, using his rage at Shinji's pain as a tool.
'Kaoru-kun, what are you doing?!'Shinji screamed, eyes widening in his Eva, in disbelief. Kaoru launched himself at two of them, sweeping out with Unit 02's legs, yelling at the top of his lungs and knocking them to the ground.
'I'll handle these, take out that one now, before it's too late!'he barked as his opponents fell over themselves in an attempt to get up, screeching at the indignity of their prey getting the drop on them.
Shinji, torn, heeded his friend's request reluctantly, brandishing his prog knife as his enemy screeched and hooted and came at him with it's broken lance. It stabbed Unit 01 in the leg with it as it opened it's gaping maw to try and bite at the Eva's face, saliva spraying and dripping over it, in anticipation of an easy meal.
Shinji screamed in pain and slashed at its throat as it closed in. Kaoru's enemies were up now and pounced on him, emitting the high, eerie sounds as they began ripping off Unit 02's armor, Kaoru trying to twist away. He screamed, convulsing in the cockpit as he felt them cracking into Unit 02's chest and dragging the Eva to the ground. He felt Shinji's anger radiate from him like a small sun, along with his love and he focused on him, enduring the intense pain.
Shinji, use this to bring them down! he called, squeezing his eyes shut to concentrate.
'NO-O-O-O! KAORU!!'Shinji screamed, witnessing the gruesome scene before him. He felt a sudden surge of energy rush through him and gasped, feeling floaty and hearing Kaoru's anguished words in his mind. He suddenly felt powerful, like he could take on anything.
He yelled out his anger and pain as he swiftly rent out the core and plug of his 'Gen, crushing them with his newfound strength, then, blue eyes wide, crying his tears into the LCL, he charged the two vulture-like monsters who were trying to get to Kaoru's entry plug.
Unit 01 began to glow eerily and thin beams of light came from its massive shoulders and back, expanding and lengthening to form three pairs of elegant light-wings as Shinji directed it to run. Without thinking, he reached skyward as a massive object shot into his Eva's hand: the original Lance of Longinuss!
Rearing back with it in both hands now, full of Kaoru's love and his own rage, breathing hard, he yelled out his kiai, twisting and locking the Lance and thrusting it full force. He skewered the two abominations like a shish kebab, just as they began to crush Kaoru's plug. He pinned them to the ground, heedless of the destruction and yowling of the squirming creatures and violently ripped open their chests and backs, both at once and crushed their cores and plugs until you couldn't tell what they were anymore.
In his focused rage and pain, he hadn't heard someone trying to talk to him over the com link, until he felt the fierce power drain out of him and Unit 01 slumped, kneeling by Unit 02's desiccated body, Kaoru's plug half in and half out of it.
'Shinji..Shinji..SHINJI!! It's over.'Misato's voice cut through his weary daze.
'M -Misato?'he asked, dully.what - happened ..?he thought.
'We -we saw everything..The Next Gen Eva series is destroyed. Come -come back to us now.'She was shaken, as was every one who'd stayed behind in the control room. What the hell WAS that?!she thought. My God, the power was..incredible
Shinji stared silently out through Unit 01's viewpoint, surveying the carnage he and Kaoru had caused. Kaoru!!he thought, snapping out of it. He had Unit 01 gently pull Kaoru's half-crushed plug out, holding it in her giant hands. He searched for his mind, desperate and felt the feather-light impulses from it. He's still alive! he thought, relief flooding over him. Frantic, he called up Misato over the link.
'Misato, activate Kaoru's CPR pulse, quick!'Have to work fasthe thoughtbefore it's too late!
'Shinji..'she began, thinking he wanted to believe he was still alive.Poor Shinji..she thought, thinking of how she'd reacted to Kaji's death.I wanted to believe,too..
'Just DO it, dammit! He's still alive, I can feel it!'he yelled, snarling protectively. Sighing, Misato obliged, pressing a button on the main console back at Nerv HQ, the others around her holding their breath in anticipation.
'Initiating pilot life support now,'she said, closing her eyes and hoping Shinji would see for himself.
A jolt of electricity surged through Kaoru's unconscious, battered form, then the LCL surged in and out of his lungs a few times to stimulate him to breathe it. No response.
'Again!'Shinji commanded eyes fixed on the plug, focusing on Kaoru's fragile impulses. Come on, Kaoru, ai shiteru! he thought, trying to send it to him,to get a real response.
Kaoru convulsed again as the shock from his suit's core came again, chest rising and falling in the LCL.Still no response.
'Again! Kaoru-kun, don't leave me!'Please, PLEASE, wake up, koibito! he pleaded with his mind, tears merging into the LCL that surrounded his shaking body.
Kaoru spasmed again and the LCL flowed back and forth, trying to give him the breath of life. He twitched on his own then and coughed, wincing in pain. Half opening his eyes, he saw twin, thin trails of blood flowing into the LCL from his nose and mouth. blood, where did that come from?he thought,weakly. Pain, everywhere he felt pain and the traces of Shinji's anguish at his near-death.
Shinji.Right.. Now I remember. I helped him defeat those abominations. Okay then. ..It's okay to go to sleep now..Shinji is safe.. My Shinji.. itsumo. He closed his crimson eyes with a weary sigh.
Outside, the recovery team had arrived. Shinji reverently lowered Kaoru's battle-scarred plug to the gory ground, just as his Eva ran out of the power that Kaoru had lent it. They manually released Shinji's plug and Misato led the dazed and confused boy to a stretcher, putting a blanket around his shaking shoulders.'It's alright now, Shinji..'he heard her say, in the background of his thoughts.
He sat there, watching as they pried open Kaoru's plug hatch, the LCL gushing out and carefully pulled his unconscious, bleeding and wet body from it. He couldn't see it too well; they were hustling him into a transport vehicle and Kaoru into a med vehicle, speeding away to Nerv's Geofront hospital. He had caught snippets of the med techs' assessment of his lover;
'.. Possible internal injuries.' '.. Fractured ribs.. leg.' '.. needs..MRI.. check for brain damage.' All these voices, swirling around Shinji's tired head. He yawned, despite himself. On the way to the hospital, he tuned out the voices of the 'techs who were trying to check him over and just stared at the windshield, the rhythmic flashing of the landscape and the drone of peoples' voices lulling him into exhausted sleep, as he slumped to the padded stretcher, out before he hit it.
Well, how was it? I know it was long, but what can I say? Please review. The last one will hopefully live up to your expectations. I hope the battle scenes turned out well, I'm not very good describing mecha anime, I'm afraid..
Disclaimer: Not owned by me (but drawn regularly!)
Warnings/Notes: This is it, the final showdown between our bishonen and the typical forces of evil (I know, cliché, but I couldn't help it).
Chapter 6: Endgame
The next day, Misato found herself suddenly in charge and trying to figure out why Unit 00 had disappeared into thin air, not to mention Lilith.She had to make arrangements for Ritsuko and the Commander's bodies, too. She did it all in a daze, trying to get used to suddenly being called Commander of Nerv Headquarters.
She found Shinji with Kaoru and told them about what had happened. Shinji was shocked, but didn't cry for Gendo. I'd stopped crying for that cold bastard a long time ago. Where was he when I still did? he thought.
Kaoru pretended ignorance, though he vowed to explain what he'd witnessed to Shinji, when it was all over. No one seemed to notice Ayanami's sudden disappearance and Kaoru had a feeling she'd planned it that way. Too many questions right nowhe thought, sadly.
When the two of them were walking back to Kaoru's room from having finished lunch, the alert sounded. Without waiting to be summoned, the boys raced through the corridors to the locker room to suit up. As fast as they could, they stripped off their street clothes and shoes and slid into their plug suits; purple, black and blue for Kaoru, white, black and blue for Shinji.They pressed the vaccu-buttons on the wrists to make them form fitting.
'Shinji and Kaoru, report to the Eva hangar immediately!'came Misato's frantic voice over the loud speaker. The boys exchanged knowing looks as they turned to go.
'This is it, Kao-chan,'Shinji said, offering an arm. Kaoru accepted, grasping it as he nodded and gave him a strong hug with his other arm.
'Yes, it is. We can do this, Shin-chan,'he said, releasing his soul mate. 'Let's do it!'they said together fiercely, as they ran towards their new destiny. Misato met them at the hangar and filled them in.
'Nine enemy Evas approaching Tokyo-3, you two. They're the Mass Production Models, called Next Gens.Seele sent a message ten minutes ago; they're going to destroy this place, unless you guys stop them!'she said.
They nodded, watching as Unit 01 and Unit 02 were readied, crew scrambling to check and double check as much as they could.
'Understood, Misato.Do we have any more info?'Shinji asked, knowing that Kaoru had already pretty much filled him in.She'd be expecting me to ask, can't tip her off yetShinji thought.
'Only that they're capable of flight and they run on the Dummy Plug system, no human pilots. So don't hesitate to kill them, before they kill you.'She winced as soon as the words were out of her mouth, remembering too late about the Toji incident. Oh, damnit, I am such an idiot today! she thought. It's just too much at once!
'Shinji, I -'she began, holding up a hand.
Shinji flinched, but stood strong, nodding as Kaoru put a hand on his shoulder.
'It's alright, Misato.I won't hesitate this time,'Shinji said, blue eyes flashing with determination. Misato was proud of this newfound change in him. Kaoru must be rubbing off on him, in more ways than oneshe thought, smiling a bit.
'Good luck, both of you,'she said, enfolding the pair in her arms and squeezing tightly, not wanting to let them go, but she did and wiped at her eyes.'The plugs are ready, boys, so hurry.'
They plugged in, so to speak, feeling the warmth of the LCL all around as it filled the cockpits, Shinji in Unit 01 of course and Kaoru in Unit 02.They synched up with their Evas and Shinji got vague impressions of his mother, Yui.She calmed him, backing his own strength. Kaoru sensed the determination and aggressiveness Asuka had shared with her Eva.It'd closed its soul to her after she had started to breakdown and she had never acknowledged her own limitations and blind ambitions. Kaoru coaxed the Eva to share these impressions with him, so they could better synch with each other.
Let's work together, I'm not like herKaoru thought to her, feeling the acknowledgement flow from her.
The Evas were loaded into their gates and launched after the boys announced they were set, shooting to the surface and coming to a sudden jolt. Their pulse rifles arrived seconds later and they took them up in their Evas' giant hands. Misato's voice came through the com network as they went into position behind a pair of tall buildings.
'Alright guys, the only thing I can recommend is hit them hard and fast, before they can gang up on you. Other than that..'
'Misato, I have a plan, so we'll take it from here, okay? And, please Misato, no matter what you may see here today, know that it's for our side, not theirs,'Kaoru said, cutting her off and taking a deep breath of the aerated liquid to calm his nerves. I hope this doesn't blow up in our faces, Shinjihe thought.
Puzzled, Misato went along with it. Like I can come up with anythingshe thought. 'I sure hope you do, Kaoru,'cause none of us down here have a clue. These things aren't like anything you'll have seen before,'she said, crossing mental fingers.'It's in yours and Shinji's hands now.'Then the link fell silent.
Shinji looked around the side of his building and gasped. The nine Next Gens were only distant shadows against the sky, but still approaching. His heart pounded as he steeled himself and brought up a window to Unit 02.
'Kaoru, they're coming. How do we do this?'he asked. The tension was thick around them, thoughts flowing fast and furious in their heads.
Kaoru brought up a window to Unit 01,fixing his partner with a calm stare. 'Shinji, listen to me carefully. When I was with Seele, I was made to test run one of these things. Don't underestimate them, Shinji, they're vicious, violent killers who won't think twice about ripping into you. They're like man-made vultures or hyenas.'He shuddered, then continued.'Their Dummy Plugs are obscene copies of my own brainwaves, but totally devoid of any emotions or conscience.
'My plan is this; in order to prevent their regeneration, we must rip out their cores and their Plugs.Without those, they cease to function. But we'll have to work in tandem, like how you and Soryu did when battling the One who was Two.'He'd told Shinji of his dreaming about the battles many days previous.
Shinji nodded, hefting his pulse rifle. I can't believe it's come down to thishe thought. But I don't think I'd have anyone else as my backup, anymore.
The nine were nearly here, circling like the vultures Kaoru had said they were. He eyed them warily; they were hideous, grimacing, eyeless white things with red-rimmed lips and parodied wings, vaguely like a crow's. He could see they were carrying things, elongated weapons of some kind.
'What are those weapons they have?'he asked Kaoru. Damn creepy looking thingshe thought.
Kaoru directed Unit 02's head skyward and gasped, albino eyes widening. 'They're copies of the Lance of Longinuss! Watch that they don't spear you, Shinji, spread your AT field now!'he yelled, a chill running down his spine.
Shinji complied and dodged quickly, just missing being skewered as one of the long red lances thunked into the ground where he'd stood on seconds before. He turned and fired up at the descending 'Gens.A couple of them took hits in their wings and spiraled to the ground, taking out a few buildings in their wake and screeching like banshees.
'Quickly, Shinji, please open the rest of your mind to me and I'll open mine to yours! We need to synch with each other now, to pull this off!'Kaoru yelled, swinging around his building to also fire at the creatures. This has to work, this has to workhe thought, a little mantra in his mind. The remaining 'Gens dodged his fire and alit on the ground, folding their mock wings, brandishing their lances and making animalistic noises and chatter. Narrowing his eyes, he spread his own AT field and faced their attackers.
'How do I do that?!'Shinji asked, a little panicky as one of the monsters came at him. 'Think to me!'Kaoru yelled, emptying the last of his ammo into the monstrosity, as another came at him, now.
Shinji cried out in his thoughts to Kaoru as the 'dead' weight of 'his' 'Gen propelled into Unit 01,knocking him back a few steps. He shoved it off in disgust. Kaoru jerked his head up in the cockpit, hearing the force of Shinji's call. Find me now, koi! I felt your soul! he called to Shinji, as he sliced at his own attacker with his prog knife.
As their minds connected, it was electric and intense. Each felt the other's emotions and thoughts as if they were one person. Shinji felt Kaoru's concern and anger, Kaoru felt Shinji's anxiety and tension and backed him up with his own determination. Together, we can be strongerhe thought to Shinji. Y-yeah, we can, can't we? Shinji thought back to him. Linked together, they pounced on Kaoru's mortally wounded enemy and dispatched it, Kaoru ripping out the core and crushing it with Unit 02's hands and Shinji yanking and digging out the plug to crush it in a spurt of gore. Only his concentrating on the task at hand kept his gorge from rising and disturbing memories from Toji's death creeping in.
They turned in time to see two 'Gens launch themselves at them, lances high, toothy maws open wide in screeching fury and together, took their toys away. They stabbed the things in their necks, slashing at their throats, blood coursing out in waves from the deep wounds. Quickly, before others could close in, Kaoru and Shinji worked them over, crushing and digging out, minds and pulses racing, trying to keep up with the creatures' pace.
The boys had barely finished as more of them rushed in, one of them catching Kaoru off guard a split second and running him through Unit 02's side with it's lance! Kaoru screamed in pain, arcing his back in the cockpit as he scrambled to reroute the connections with his telekinesis, blood gushing from Unit 02's side. have to - keep up, keep uphe thought,wearily.
Shinji felt his pain and winced, then came at the stabber as it ripped it's lance from Unit 02 and emptied his rifle into it in a fury, blowing it's head off in a shower of gory chunks. He left his back exposed in his haste, allowing one of the 'Gens to sever the umbilical cable to Unit 01 with it's teeth.
Alarms went off in his cockpit and tech displays came up to warn him he only had three minutes of auxiliary power left. Shinji ignored them, focusing on ripping and digging into the headless thing. Kaoru slashed, punched and kicked his way over to him as fast as he could, feeling his koibito's growing fatigue and fear, but also his will to continue, despite all that.
The power went out of Unit 01 just as Kaoru cracked the misshapen skulls of two attackers together with such force that he fractured them open. The 'Gens who'd regenerated or hadn't been immobilized, circled Shinji on the ground and in the air, laughing insanely like a pack of ravenous hyenas, then began to stab into Unit 01 with their lances, grinning hideously.
Shinji screamed and thrashed in the cockpit, unable to reroute his connections like Kaoru could. He cried out mentally to Kaoru, who felt it, full force in a wave of pain that literally rocked him back in his Eva.
'Shinji!!'he screamed, ripping out Unit 02's umbilical as he wrenched away from his opponents and ran to beat them off of the incapacitated Unit 01,Shinji still screaming in his head.I'm trying,koi,hold on!he thought- spoke to him. His mind raced to reroute Unit 01's connections and give it a power boost from his own Angelic AT field and boosted Unit 02,also. He swooned in his Eva, vision swimming. t-too many-at once he thought, wearily.can't -stop now,shinji..
As Unit 01 surged to life again, two 'Gens pounced on Unit 02 and ripped into Kaoru, penetrating his now weaker AT field. As they crushed Unit 02's arms and ripped one off, drooling and giggling and lapping up the blood, Kaoru screamed in supreme agony. He desperately rerouted the connections as best as he could. so - tired..not my arms..not my armshe thought. He couldn't see Unit 01,for the press of the 'Gens' bodies around Unit 02.He panted in the cockpit and felt Shinji's mind surge in anger.
He yelled like a berserker and leapt high into the air, coming down on Kaoru's enemies with both of Unit 01's massive feet, crushing their chests into bloody pulps, ripping with it's hands to crush their plugs and cores as Kaoru severed Unit 02's useless other arm. Now totally armless, he could only use Unit 02's legs, kicking out as best he could while struggling mentally with keeping power to their Evas.Shinji was at his back as they faced the final three hell-beasts.
Shinji, we have to finish this quickly! I - I don't know how much longer I can keep this upKaoru thought-spoke to him, breathing hard. His vision was getting blurry, too and was feeling like he'd either pass out or throw up, his body couldn't decide which.
He hoped his mental stamina could keep up with his faltering physical stamina; he'd never had to focus on so many things at once or with such force. He watched the trio of cackling monstrosities circle them again as they licked their lips and got an idea. He narrowed his deep red eyes again and focused hard, using his rage at Shinji's pain as a tool.
'Kaoru-kun, what are you doing?!'Shinji screamed, eyes widening in his Eva, in disbelief. Kaoru launched himself at two of them, sweeping out with Unit 02's legs, yelling at the top of his lungs and knocking them to the ground.
'I'll handle these, take out that one now, before it's too late!'he barked as his opponents fell over themselves in an attempt to get up, screeching at the indignity of their prey getting the drop on them.
Shinji, torn, heeded his friend's request reluctantly, brandishing his prog knife as his enemy screeched and hooted and came at him with it's broken lance. It stabbed Unit 01 in the leg with it as it opened it's gaping maw to try and bite at the Eva's face, saliva spraying and dripping over it, in anticipation of an easy meal.
Shinji screamed in pain and slashed at its throat as it closed in. Kaoru's enemies were up now and pounced on him, emitting the high, eerie sounds as they began ripping off Unit 02's armor, Kaoru trying to twist away. He screamed, convulsing in the cockpit as he felt them cracking into Unit 02's chest and dragging the Eva to the ground. He felt Shinji's anger radiate from him like a small sun, along with his love and he focused on him, enduring the intense pain.
Shinji, use this to bring them down! he called, squeezing his eyes shut to concentrate.
'NO-O-O-O! KAORU!!'Shinji screamed, witnessing the gruesome scene before him. He felt a sudden surge of energy rush through him and gasped, feeling floaty and hearing Kaoru's anguished words in his mind. He suddenly felt powerful, like he could take on anything.
He yelled out his anger and pain as he swiftly rent out the core and plug of his 'Gen, crushing them with his newfound strength, then, blue eyes wide, crying his tears into the LCL, he charged the two vulture-like monsters who were trying to get to Kaoru's entry plug.
Unit 01 began to glow eerily and thin beams of light came from its massive shoulders and back, expanding and lengthening to form three pairs of elegant light-wings as Shinji directed it to run. Without thinking, he reached skyward as a massive object shot into his Eva's hand: the original Lance of Longinuss!
Rearing back with it in both hands now, full of Kaoru's love and his own rage, breathing hard, he yelled out his kiai, twisting and locking the Lance and thrusting it full force. He skewered the two abominations like a shish kebab, just as they began to crush Kaoru's plug. He pinned them to the ground, heedless of the destruction and yowling of the squirming creatures and violently ripped open their chests and backs, both at once and crushed their cores and plugs until you couldn't tell what they were anymore.
In his focused rage and pain, he hadn't heard someone trying to talk to him over the com link, until he felt the fierce power drain out of him and Unit 01 slumped, kneeling by Unit 02's desiccated body, Kaoru's plug half in and half out of it.
'Shinji..Shinji..SHINJI!! It's over.'Misato's voice cut through his weary daze.
'M -Misato?'he asked, dully.what - happened ..?he thought.
'We -we saw everything..The Next Gen Eva series is destroyed. Come -come back to us now.'She was shaken, as was every one who'd stayed behind in the control room. What the hell WAS that?!she thought. My God, the power was..incredible
Shinji stared silently out through Unit 01's viewpoint, surveying the carnage he and Kaoru had caused. Kaoru!!he thought, snapping out of it. He had Unit 01 gently pull Kaoru's half-crushed plug out, holding it in her giant hands. He searched for his mind, desperate and felt the feather-light impulses from it. He's still alive! he thought, relief flooding over him. Frantic, he called up Misato over the link.
'Misato, activate Kaoru's CPR pulse, quick!'Have to work fasthe thoughtbefore it's too late!
'Shinji..'she began, thinking he wanted to believe he was still alive.Poor Shinji..she thought, thinking of how she'd reacted to Kaji's death.I wanted to believe,too..
'Just DO it, dammit! He's still alive, I can feel it!'he yelled, snarling protectively. Sighing, Misato obliged, pressing a button on the main console back at Nerv HQ, the others around her holding their breath in anticipation.
'Initiating pilot life support now,'she said, closing her eyes and hoping Shinji would see for himself.
A jolt of electricity surged through Kaoru's unconscious, battered form, then the LCL surged in and out of his lungs a few times to stimulate him to breathe it. No response.
'Again!'Shinji commanded eyes fixed on the plug, focusing on Kaoru's fragile impulses. Come on, Kaoru, ai shiteru! he thought, trying to send it to him,to get a real response.
Kaoru convulsed again as the shock from his suit's core came again, chest rising and falling in the LCL.Still no response.
'Again! Kaoru-kun, don't leave me!'Please, PLEASE, wake up, koibito! he pleaded with his mind, tears merging into the LCL that surrounded his shaking body.
Kaoru spasmed again and the LCL flowed back and forth, trying to give him the breath of life. He twitched on his own then and coughed, wincing in pain. Half opening his eyes, he saw twin, thin trails of blood flowing into the LCL from his nose and mouth. blood, where did that come from?he thought,weakly. Pain, everywhere he felt pain and the traces of Shinji's anguish at his near-death.
Shinji.Right.. Now I remember. I helped him defeat those abominations. Okay then. ..It's okay to go to sleep now..Shinji is safe.. My Shinji.. itsumo. He closed his crimson eyes with a weary sigh.
Outside, the recovery team had arrived. Shinji reverently lowered Kaoru's battle-scarred plug to the gory ground, just as his Eva ran out of the power that Kaoru had lent it. They manually released Shinji's plug and Misato led the dazed and confused boy to a stretcher, putting a blanket around his shaking shoulders.'It's alright now, Shinji..'he heard her say, in the background of his thoughts.
He sat there, watching as they pried open Kaoru's plug hatch, the LCL gushing out and carefully pulled his unconscious, bleeding and wet body from it. He couldn't see it too well; they were hustling him into a transport vehicle and Kaoru into a med vehicle, speeding away to Nerv's Geofront hospital. He had caught snippets of the med techs' assessment of his lover;
'.. Possible internal injuries.' '.. Fractured ribs.. leg.' '.. needs..MRI.. check for brain damage.' All these voices, swirling around Shinji's tired head. He yawned, despite himself. On the way to the hospital, he tuned out the voices of the 'techs who were trying to check him over and just stared at the windshield, the rhythmic flashing of the landscape and the drone of peoples' voices lulling him into exhausted sleep, as he slumped to the padded stretcher, out before he hit it.
Well, how was it? I know it was long, but what can I say? Please review. The last one will hopefully live up to your expectations. I hope the battle scenes turned out well, I'm not very good describing mecha anime, I'm afraid..
