5. Challenge.
Smile! It makes them wonder what you're up to.
~

"Suzuhara, I swear, if you do that one more time, I'm going to throw it in the fountain."

"Picking on a cripple? That's low, Soryu, even for you. Take this!"

"Ach!I said stop it, you moron! Anyone would think it was your brain that was disabled, if it hadn't been before."

"You got some nerve!"

There was a thud, and a shriek from Asuka; the sounds of a struggle, and finally a splash. I looked around, dreading what I might see.

Kensuke sat in the pool of the fountain, water up to his elbows; from the wetness of his shoulders and hair it was apparent he had recovered from full submersion. He was glaring at Asuka, who was glaring at Toji, who was laughing and still held his prosthetic leg on his lap.

"Oops," said Sugimoto, and giggled. "I wonder how that happened?" She raised her eyebrows at me.

"I expect Kensuke was defending Toji's leg," I said, and placed a greeting card upright on the growing structure on the table between us.

"Probably. How do you get it to stay half-open like that?" Her attempt to emulate my feat with another of Toji's many 'get well soon' cards ended in failure when it sprang open and tumbled off onto the tabletop.

Hikari had hurried over to the others. "Oh no, what happened?"

"Soryu was trying to steal Toji's leg," Kensuke snapped. Water streamed off him as he stood up.

"He hit me with it!" Asuka said. "I warned him! Aida shouldn't have interfered."

"You shouldn't be beating up a cripple!" Kensuke retorted.

"Who're you calling cripple, four-eyes?" Toji said, grinning at him.

"Hey, I'm the one defending you, you damn ingrate!"

"You're both idiots!" Asuka fumed.

"Asuka, please don't do anything to Toji's leg," said Hikari, peacemaker-mode fully engaged. "What if it gets damaged? I know he's not really walking on it yet, but it'd be really bad if anything happened to it." She turned to her boyfriend. "And Toji, you shouldn't be hitting people, either. The doctor told you to take care of it, remember?"

I called over to her, "It is fortunate that we have you around, Hikari, to instruct us on proper etiquette regarding artificial limbs."

Hikari tried to look disapproving, but she was smiling. "You haven't changed a bit, Kaworu, have you?"

I shrugged. "I did not see any reason to. Do you?"

Asuka laughed scornfully. "Oh, where do I start?" she teased.

"Don't pick on Kaworu, either!" Toji said, and brandished his leg at her for the umpteenth time. She scrambled out of his reach, swearing in German.

"That's it! Sorry, Kari, but I've had it with this stooge. Where's Sugi? Sugi!" After casting a final glare at Toji and patting Hikari apologetically on the arm, Asuka stalked over to us. "Come on, stop flirting, we're going to find some civilised company." She grabbed Sugimoto's wrist.

"Oh – hey..." Sugimoto protested, casting a pleading glance back at me, but I gestured to indicate that I had no wish to incur Asuka's wrath for obstructing her plans. Giving up, she shrugged and went with her friend.

Kensuke threw himself down in Sugimoto's vacated seat, splashing my house of greeting cards when he shook his head. I was splattered, as well.

"Kensuke, must you?" I complained.

"Yeah, I must," he said grumpily, and started trying to wring out his hair onto the ground.

"You could do that into the fountain," I suggested. The dark look he cast me explained that it was not an option he was inclined to utilise.

At that moment Shinji rejoined us, a bottle of juice in each hand. He regarded Kensuke in surprise as he passed my drink to me. "What happened to you? You're soaked."

Kensuke heaved an exaggerated sigh. "Really? I hadn't noticed."

"Is that so? Then perhaps the aspersions Asuka casts on your intellectual capacity have some truth to them," I mused.

In response, Kensuke got to his feet, rounded the table, and wrung out his t-shirt over my head. Toji nearly fell out of his wheelchair laughing.

It was Shinji's second visit to Toji in hospital since the battle with Unit 03 and the Angel Bardiel; their first meeting, before Third Impact, had been private. Shinji had emerged from the ordeal red-eyed and emotionally drained, but settled and secure in Toji's forgiveness – his forgiveness of himself was coming in slow but steady increments.

Today was much more relaxed for Shinji, particularly since Toji himself was in high spirits – both physically and mentally, he was recovering strongly from the unimaginable trauma he had suffered during the battle. Hikari's visit buoyed him; it also helped that he was now able to travel freely around the hospital, using the wheelchair since he was still learning how to walk with his prosthetic leg. After first granting Toji and Hikari an interval of privacy, the rest of us had joined them, and together were investigating every garden area and cafe in the extended medical complex.

I had thought it my imagination, but people all through the hospital seemed to be (relatively) more cheerful and vocal than those outside – certainly less overwhelmed by the calamity of a mere five days ago.

In a free moment, I had accessed a public computer and searched for the hospital's records over Third Impact, and made a startling discovery – the mortality rate for patients had been less than half that of the general population, and even lower for staff. Many coma patients had suddenly woken up, just like Asuka; discharges for psychologically-influenced cases had already risen sharply.

Perhaps being more familiar with struggles for survival, with mortality and the resulting fear, pain, bravery and relief, made the people of the hospital more stubborn: passionate about life, fully cognisant of heartache and difficulties, fatigued in body and even spirit, but inclined to fight for it nonetheless – exactly the qualities Instrumentality tested.

Something else I had noticed, and found very moving, was that the number of visitors, particularly for long-term patients and aged residents, had leapt. People had realised how important their family and friends were to them, and resolved to focus more on those precious relationships and stay in closer touch. I was surrounded by people who valued each other more (or at least, more demonstrably) than ever before.

It was a good day.

I realised that I had been hoping desperately for it to last.

Shinji's phone rang; he answered with a cheerful, "Hello, Misato," and a moment later his face went white. "I – I don't understand. Why—? At the hospital with Toji ... Yes, Kaworu's here – Asuka, too ... Y-Yes, ma'am. Yes. See you soon." As though on automatic, he ended the call, and for a moment simply stared at his phone.

I touched his arm. "Shinji? What is the matter?"

"What did Misato say?" asked Kensuke. Toji and Hikari had approached, their faces wrought with concern.

Shinji blinked, and stirred himself. "NERV ... NERV is on second-stage alert. They're expecting an attack."

I stared at him. "Attack...?"

"Shit, an Angel?" Toji blurted. Hikari gasped, hands over her mouth. "Dude, you gotta go fight! Are they coming to get you?"

"NERV's response team can get anywhere inside city limits within sixteen minutes," said Kensuke. "They'll be here in no time. They've probably already got Ayanami. Get moving, Shinji!" He pushed at Shinji's shoulders until he was on his feet.

Shinji looked at me helplessly as I stood up. "Kaworu ... you need to come too."

"I understand." I rounded the table, feeling the others' eyes on me.

"You're a pilot?" exclaimed Kensuke.

"Not you as well, Kaworu," Hikari whispered.

Toji slammed his fist down on the table. "Damn it! If you get hurt too I'm gonna kick someone's ass."

"With which leg?" I asked him, trying to force a smile.

The three of them glared at me. "This isn't any time to be joking around," Hikari said severely.

"Shinji!" came Asuka's voice, and we turned to see her and Sugimoto running towards us. "Misato just called me," she said as she reached our table. "They want me there. Me! I said I wouldn't pilot that damn thing again! That's Kaworu's job now."

"I was hardly successful in my last attempt," I remarked. Sugimoto was staring at me, eyes wide.

She stamped her foot. "That's not the point. I told them I was done with Eva. Finished! No more! Sick of the whole damn thing and through with it!" I wondered how much of her adamance was due to rejection of what had been a destructive, controlling force in her life, and how much fear that she would fail if she did attempt to pilot it again.

"So do not come with us," I suggested. "Ignore Misato's order and stay with the civilians. It is unlikely Unit 02 will be sortied, anyway – it was badly damaged in the last fight."

"Kaworu's right," said Shinji. "You'd probably be on standby the whole time."

She glared at him. "You're making me feel like a coward, Third Child." He flinched, guilt blazing on his face.

"Oh, I don't know about that," I said. "Misato can be downright frightening when she is angry – I would not be inclined to disobey her commands." Shinji nodded fervently in agreement.

"Well..." Asuka hesitated for a moment.

"Hey, is that your ride?" Kensuke interrupted. We looked in the direction he was pointing, and saw the by-now-familiar black sedan and Section-2 agents. They had their backs to us, but were glancing around – at any moment they would look in our direction.

Sugimoto grabbed Asuka and shoved her behind a large spray of flowers. "Go," she hissed. "We'll tell them you already left."

Asuka looked conflicted and angry – at herself, if I was any judge – but after a moment she straightened her back, lifted her chin, and strode towards the door of the nearest building, making sure to keep the plants between herself and the agents. Hoping to draw attention from any movement in her direction, I set off without a backward glance and waved until I knew they were looking at me.

"Here we are," I called. Shinji caught up and walked beside me.

The taller agent appeared to count us. "Where is the Second Child?" he said.

I feigned a look of confusion. "She went on ahead, of course. Was she not supposed to?"

"There was an empty taxi," Shinji added. "We thought we should wait, but she got impatient."

The agents looked at each other; without speech or visible expression, they seemed to confer. "Understood," said the shorter one at last. "You two will come with us."

"Why," I said to Shinji as we got in the car, "if they are on our side, do I feel threatened by them?"

He smiled nervously. "Me too," he admitted. "But then, they haven't always been on my side... I ran away once, not long after I came here, and Section-2 were sent to find me and bring me back, whether I cooperated or not."

He saw my alarmed expression, and hurriedly reassured me, "They wouldn't have been violent or anything, they're not allowed to be – not to pilots, anyway. I don't know about anyone else." We shared a wary look.

We did not go directly to NERV, but took the underground expressway out of the city westbound, at what felt like top speed. As we travelled, we received a more detailed brief from Misato that a foreign, unidentified object was headed directly for the base, having destroyed an unmanned marine outpost in the Sea of Japan.

# Now it's on final approach to New Okishodou, # she informed us. Even over the imperfect audio link we could hear the steel in her voice. # It's still out of range for most readings, but a helicopter's on its way to get an early look. # To someone at her location she called, # Have we got visual contact yet? #

# Negative, # came Lt Hyuga's voice. # Visual transmissions are being blocked – no correction, they're all over the signal. #

# Accessing low-orbit satellite JSO-192, currently over New Okishodou, # Lt Aoba reported. # Transferring ... No good, connection lost. #

# What's the cause? # Misato said.

# Finding that out now... # He gasped. # JSO-192 has been destroyed, repeat, low-orbit satellite JSO-192 has been destroyed! #

# The helicopter's down! # Lt Ibuki called. # We've lost contact! #

# Go to first-stage alert, condition red, # ordered Commander Fuyutsuki. # There is an unknown enemy approaching. #

# It must be an Angel, # said Misato.

Shinji and I looked at each other. We knew it was not an Angel – should we tell them? But then we would have to explain how we knew... They were on a combat footing anyway, so it was not as though they were unprepared for danger.

"Wait," I whispered to him.

He nodded. "I hate waiting," he said, just as quietly.

It was another ten minutes before we reached NERV's advance base on the coast, directly between the object and Tokyo-3. There was no further news of the approaching enemy. We were rushed to the linear rail terminus where the three Evangelions stood ready.

Early repair work had made dramatic improvements to the damage from the battle with the sixteenth Angel, but Unit 00's right arm was still bound to its chest to protect the healing shoulder and ribs; meanwhile a crater in Unit 02's torso showed how much of its core was yet to be regenerated, and how much of its native strength it yet lacked.

We suited up in a cubicle of hospital-style curtains, and approached the docking station. Misato was waiting for us, Rei at her side. We three pilots shared a look – none of us knew what we were up against.

"Okay," said Misato, not realising our thoughts, "Units 00 and 02 are only 50% operational, so Rei and Kaworu will be on backup. Shinji, Unit 01 checks out fully, so you'll take point. We haven't confirmed yet, but I expect it's the last Angel. We'll see." She smiled at Shinji. "If it all goes well, this might be the last battle you have to fight. Isn't that good?"

He nodded, not knowing what to say.

"All right then. Get moving, you three. Good luck." She turned and marched off to join a hollow-eyed Dr Akagi at the command station.

"What do you think it could be?" Shinji asked, as we hurried along the walkway.

"It is an enemy," said Rei. "We must defeat it, whatever it is."

"I still wish we knew," Shinji said. "Then we might have some idea what to expect." He halted where the bridge to Unit 01's entry plug left the main walkway, and looked at us worriedly. "Be careful, both of you, okay?"

"You too," I said, and Rei nodded.

We each boarded our designated Evangelion, and were soon making our way towards the shore. Shinji halted Unit 01 at the bottom of a low hill, just before the dunes; Rei and I took positions a little way back and to either side. None of the Evangelions could function with any reliability underwater (and only Unit 02 was compatible with the relevant supplementary equipment anyway), so we were obliged to wait for it to come into range so we could battle on land.

After what felt like an age, I thought I spotted movement. I increased the magnification of the interior display; sure enough, there was a disturbance in the water – a bow wave, without any boat to make it.

"I see something," I called, and read out the direction.

# Approaching object confirmed, # came the response, # two kilometres due west and closing. Estimated depth twenty to thirty metres. Continuing to monitor. #

# No blood pattern detected. Correction! Blood pattern is ... cycling between orange and blue. Cannot confirm Angel, repeat, cannot confirm Angel. #

"Blood pattern ... orange and blue?" I repeated. "But that would mean ... No, surely not ... Would they?" I stared at the rapidly nearing bow wave so intently I thought I might strain my eyes, but it remained underwater.

# Can we get submarine visual? #

# Negative, underwater station unable to transmit – equipment failure. #

# Interference reported by local sonar relays. #

# What is that thing? # Shinji muttered.

On the monitor, I caught Rei's eye, and knew she was thinking the same as I was. I mouthed the word at her, and she nodded.

Then the bow wave reached an offshore sand bar, and the object that had been making it burst from the water and faced us – giant, humanoid, white; faceless except for its red mouth which grinned sickly.

Evangelion Unit 08.

# What the hell? # gasped Misato.

# That – that's an Eva, # said Hyuga, stunned. # Unit 08, from Beijing. #

# What's it doing here? # Ibuki asked.

# That is our enemy, # came Fuyutsuki's voice. # It must be destroyed. #

The Evangelion leapt from the sand bar onto the shore and halted in a crouch. It was less than a kilometre away from us – nearly within pouncing range. In one hand it held a double-ended broadsword; it shifted its head from side to side, and although it had no eyes I felt sure it was looking at Unit 02 – at me.

Was it aware of me? Was the pilot, my clone, responsive to the presence of its original?

# But – no, # Shinji whispered, before his voice hardened. # No, not again! There's a person in there! #

# There was no report from the Marduke Institute, was there? # stammered Lt Ibuki. # So who—? #

# We suspected other NERV branches have been developing their own dummy plug systems, # said Dr Akagi, her voice strained. # Otherwise they'd never find enough candidates in time to operate the rest of the Eva series. #

To Lt Ibuki she added in an undertone, # Though we don't know whose data they would have used. #

# Dummy plug? # Shinji repeated. # But – you're not sure, are you? There could be a real person piloting it? #

# Regardless, it is a threatening hostile, # said Fuyutsuki. # Unit 01, engage your enemy. #

Unit 01 raised its rifle, then lowered it. I heard Shinji swallow, and gritted my teeth, feeling torn. I ached to reassure him – I owed him this truth – but could I risk exposing it now? With everyone else watching?

My hand wavered over the communications interface – even if I spoke to Shinji on a private frequency, our commanders would demand to know what I had said.

# Rei and Kaworu, # spoke up Misato, # get behind it and take the heat off Shinji – make sure that it knows it's dealing with all three of you. It's outnumbered – you should be able to incapacitate it with minimal risk of injury to a potential sentient pilot. #

Shinji's escaping breath of relief was almost as loud in my ears as my own.

I directed Unit 02 to a suitable place among the dunes, at a point where I judged the artificial consciousness of the dummy plug would have trouble keeping all three of us in sight. Across from me, Rei in Unit 00 matched my movement, and we both drew our weapons.

# In position, # she reported.

# AT field at maximum, # I added (for what that was worth in Unit 02's current state).

# Ready to engage, # Shinji said.

But even as he brought his rifle to bear, Unit 08 dropped to all fours – a weaving movement started at its head before travelling down its spine – as the motion reached its feet and hands it suddenly was hurled into the air – directly towards my Unit 02.

# Kaworu! # Bang! The report of Unit 01's weapon evidenced Shinji's resolve.

I hurled Unit 02 sideways – Shinji's shot had hit truly, and the light calibre weapon carried just enough force to divert Unit 08's momentum so that the whirling broadsword missed me by a hairsbreadth.

A roll brought me back to my feet (so slow! compared to her usual agility!) and a desperate leap put distance between myself and the enemy, as they crashed gracelessly to the earth.

Even as I brandished my progressive knife, Unit 01 was between us, and lifted its reversed rifle, ready to slam the blunt stock down on our enemy's head.

But quicker than before, another sinuous motion rippled through Unit 08's form – it was propelled off the ground and the broadsword whipped out to catch Unit 01's arm a glancing blow – but a glance was bad enough. Shinji screamed and dropped his rifle; his Eva's arm dangled from a strip of skin and sinew just above the elbow. Blood bathed the hill.

# Shinji! # I cried, and # Ikari! # Rei gasped in the same instant.

Even as I set Unit 02 into a run – and behind them saw Unit 00 sprinting towards us – Unit 08 pounced. It brought the broadsword down in an arc, and though Shinji dodged, this time the blow was true. Unit 01's arm flew from its body; Shinji screamed again as its agony was transmitted to him.

Unit 08 stood over its foe and raised the sword again in both hands.

I threw the progressive knife, and blade-first it sheared through the rogue Evangelion's wrists. The broadsword fell to the ground; blood exploded from the stumps of Unit 08's arms. It froze for a moment, then staggered to the impact of the bullets from Unit 00's gun, severed arms flailing as Rei emptied her clip.

"Shinji!" I cried, stopping beside Unit 01. "Are you all right?"

On the monitor I saw his face twisted in pain, drenched with sweat. He was clutching his arm just above the elbow, in the place where Unit 01's limb had been cut.

# I'm ... okay, # he panted, his ragged voice proving him a liar. # I can ... go on ... I'll ... keep fighting... #

# Fall back, Unit 01, # said Misato. # Retreat immediately. #

# But I have to ... #

# That's an order, Shinji! # she snapped. # You're hurt! #

Lt Aoba had worked quickly. # Nerve connections to Unit 01's arm have been dampened by fifteen percent. # Any further would compromise Shinji's control of the rest of the body.

# Unit 02! # Rei shouted. # Back-up, immediately! #

I looked up, and my jaw dropped as I saw Unit 08 rush her, and punch her gun away – its lack of hands appeared to cause it no impediment or pain. It tackled Unit 00 to the ground; Rei struggled, but her one-armed Evangelion was pinned, Unit 08's forearm across its throat. Rei gasped as her air was cut off.

# I'm coming! # I said.

Unit 08 appeared not to notice my approach; it held Unit 00 down and ground its elbow against its captive's neck. Rei sobbed desperately for breath. With Unit 02 I charged it bodily, sending it sprawling; even through the noise of the crash I heard her draw a gulping breath.

Then as I directed my Evangelion to its feet I felt a blow to the side of my head that made me the world go dark and drift away. It was only for a moment – I returned to my senses just in time to get the full force of the next blow, and again for the next.

Then there was nothing but empty blackness, and the pain.

# ...u? ...a...! #

Softly, from a great distance, an indistinct voice reached me. I noticed it, but did not stir.

# Kaworu! Please ... Kaworu! #

I knew that voice ... knew it, and cherished it. But it was so sad...

# Can you hear me, Kaworu? Please, wake up... #

I did not want the cherished voice to be sad. I wanted to protect it from sadness.

# It's going to be okay, Shinji. The med team's on their way – he'll come around soon. #

The voice – had a name...

"Shinji?" I said, and could barely hear myself.

But my cherished one heard it. # Kaworu! You can hear me? Are you hurt? Please be all right... #

"Shinji ... don't be sad. I don't want you to be sad."

Then I blinked, and was suddenly awake. The first effect was for my head to suddenly swell with pain. I doubled over, groaning.

# Kaworu! #

Clutching my head, I forced my eyes open. "I am all right. What happened to Unit 08?"

# It's dead, # said Shinji. Over the video link I saw that he was back at the docking station, his arm in a sling. # Are you sure you're okay? #

# Ikari destroyed the enemy, # said Rei. Her image appeared on my monitor; she looked at me closely, then nodded as though satisfied my condition was not serious. # He retrieved Unit 08's weapon and drove it through its head. #

Blinking, I looked around at the battlefield. Rei's Evangelion was nearly out of sight, headed towards the linear carriage. The retrieval team had just arrived at the terminus. Unit 08 lay nearby, the broadsword embedded in its skull and protruding from the other side; the stumps of its arms were further broken and mangled, I inferred from the force of the blows it had rained on me.

Dr Akagi put in, # Unit 02's head casing suffered a hairline fracture – you may have a concussion. Do you feel sleepy, Kaworu? #

"I think I just saw Unit 08 move," I said.

There was a sharp intake of breath from Shinji. # No way. I killed it ... right? #

"Its foot just twitched."

Hyuga tried to reason with me. # Kaworu, it's probably just the nervous system shutting down. How could it be actually moving with a sword through its head? #

In a moment, I had Unit 02 on its feet, and fought down a wave of dizziness. "I could not say how, only that it is."

And Unit 08 dragged itself upright and faced me, tilting its head to the side. The broadsword slid jerkily out and fell to the ground, but the Evangelion's slow, feral grin did not flinch.

# Oh … God, # whispered Ibuki.

# What is that thing? # muttered Aoba.

I took a deep breath, and settled into a fighting stance.

# Unit 00 moving into position, # Rei reported, sounding shaken. Returning from the linear rail, she directed her Evangelion to a point behind and to the left of Unit 08, and drew her progressive knife.

# How do you stop it? # Shinji whispered. # How on earth are you supposed to stop it? #

# I'm working on it, # said Misato. # Tactical division, get new weapons to them immediately. Rei and Kaworu, stay back and do not engage. #

# Battle-axe and lance are on their way, # reported Lt Hyuga. # Fifteen seconds to arrival at D-595. #

I wished I had not dropped Unit 02's weapons; I knew roughly where they were, and I could never reach them before this monster overtook me. Unit 08 had already proven itself to be stronger than both our damaged Evangelions, and impervious to pain on top of that – we could not match the berserker in hand-to-hand combat.

"Rei," I said, "Unit 02's pistol is at a point five hundred metres to your north-west, if you have the chance to get it."

# For now I will not leave you, # said Rei, pragmatic as always.

Unit 08 took a shuffling step towards me, then another. I crouched and tilted Unit 02's left shoulder towards it; as soon as it came within range, I fired the arm pylon's short-range pellets directly into its chest.

It recoiled; even as it steadied itself Unit 00 was behind it, and Rei drove the progressive knife into its back. It collapsed on the ground and thrashed violently, gouging trenches in the earth and splattering blood and gore in all directions.

# Get back! # Misato snapped. # I said do not engage! #

Suddenly Unit 08 bunched up, and from all fours it leapt at Rei's Evangelion, the knife still lodged between its shoulders, evidently having missed the spinal column.

I dropped my right shoulder and fired the rest of the pellets – they distracted it enough for Rei to struggle free. I reached them then, and stomped across its head, then again in the stomach, but with that blow it latched onto Unit 02's leg, handless arms clutching fast. It grinned up at me, and dragged Unit 02 to the ground and delivered a stunning kick to my Evangelion's ribs. I felt two of them break, and didn't have any breath to voice my scream.

Through a red mist I saw Unit 00 kneeling on Unit 08 and stabbing it again and again. Still the white Evangelion clutched at Unit 02, and kicked out again.

Desperately I tried to block, and this time it was my arm that broke. I should have passed out; somehow I clung to Rei's voice in the dark and crucial moment.

# It's no good, # she panted. # It won't die! #

"The entry plug," I gasped.

# Nagisa? #

"Take out the entry plug."

# Yes! Understood. #

But as though it had heard us, Unit 08 suddenly twisted its head back and closed crocodilian-span jaws around Unit 00's hand and the knife held in them. Rei cried out and tried to tug free, but Unit 08's teeth dug into her Evangelion's wrist like a deathlock. The point of the knife burst through its lower jaw, and still it bit. Unit 00's ulna and radius armour shattered in a burst of blood; Rei screamed.

I saw Unit 08 draw its leg back to kick me again, and knew I would not remain conscious this time. I focused every scrap of my remaining concentration, and struck.

Unit 02's fist came down on the base of its enemy's neck like a hammer, and the force of the blow buried the whole hand and half the forearm. The white Evangelion jerked ... trembled ... froze in place for an agonising moment ... then collapsed. Orange liquid gushed from the crater at the back of its neck and it shrank in on itself. Fragments of armour came away with Unit 02's fist, adhered by fluid viscera.

The world span around me; for an instant I thought wildly that I could see my own body in the wreckage.

Then Unit 02's arm fell, obliterating the remains of the Evangelion's nerve control centre. The monster, at last, was defeated. I lay back and closed my eyes, unable for any longer to concentrate on holding Unit 02 upright. Unit 00 struggled to lift its head for a moment, before shadows took its eyes and it too collapsed.

Misato's voice was faintly audible beyond the surging tide of pain. # Cut the nerve connections to both Evas, # she ordered, and blessed relief washed over me as the link with Unit 02 was severed. My skull, arm and ribs no longer felt as though they were broken.

# Send a rescue team to collect the pilots, # Misato said.

Shinji joined the link, his expression intensely worried. # Kaworu? Rei? Are you both okay? #

# No lasting injury, # Rei said. Her face was pale and beaded with sweat, but she appeared calm. # I'm all right. #

I rubbed my temples gingerly. "I may need an aspirin, but other than that I am well." Shinji's relieved smile was a joy to see.

Misato chuckled. # I think we can arrange an aspirin for you. #

She paused. # That was amazing, all of you. You confronted a terrible threat and gave it your all – there's no better word, you were magnificent. I'm sure I don't say this enough, but you are heroes – we owe you our lives, and I for one am proud to be in your debt. #

Shinji had gone red; Rei lowered her eyes. The thought struck me that for neither of them was it just a job any more to pilot the Evangelion – they had gone beyond duty, beyond external expectations and pressure, and had found something of personal, profound value in the task. Their satisfaction and happiness came not from the praise of others, but from their own will to whole-heartedly protect that which they cared about. Far from the empty existences they had imagined for themselves, they were not powerless, but strong – because of love.

My eyes strayed to Unit 08's corpse, seeming shrunken in death. There had been no love in that puppet, that hollow beast; though it aped my impression, my thought patterns, neither the Evangelion's heartless pilot nor the creature itself could never have claimed value, or a will, of its own. It was the truly empty one, and for all its physical might, ultimately powerless.

…I hoped.