Disclaimer: Evangelion is a lovely show, but I don't own the rights to it, Gainax does. I'm just writing a little fan fiction based on their work, and I really hope they don't sue me for it. This is Deviance part 11, which corresponds to Episode 25', also known as End of Evangelion part 1: AIR/Love is destructive, and takes place directly after Episode 24. I will not be making a counterpart for the TV episode 25 and 26, because… well… I don't want to. :)
Part 11
(Episode 25)
Faith
By Random1377
Kimiko Suzuhara knew something bad was going to happen.
It's not that she was psychic, or had any kind of sixth sense – indeed, the basic senses that she DID posses had been severely hampered by her injuries… though against all odds, she actually was getting better.
No, it was more a premonition. A feeling that things were just not quite right with the world.
"So… she's doing worse?" she asked quietly, willing her young visitor to look her in the eyes.
The brown-haired boy fidgeted with his identification badge, the name Shinji Ikari plainly visible every time it turned to face her. "Yeah…" he admitted, staring at the badge as he turned it over and over, "they're… worried that she…" he trailed off.
"Mister Ikari," Kimiko prodded, using his last name to ensure that she had his attention, "please tell me. Is my sister going to die?"
Shinji flinched. "Maybe…" he whispered after a moment's quiet.
The young girl nodded slowly. She had only gotten to see her new sister a few times before she was hurt, but she had taken to Hikari very quickly – so much so that she ignored the 'in-law' title and skipped straight to calling her sister. Not that Hikari minded… she was equally enamoured of her husband's little sister.
"Touji… had to leave her alone to have a sync test," Shinji said quietly, "he hardly ever leaves her." Hikari's room and Kimiko's room were on different levels of NERV. Since Hikari's condition was so unique, she had been moved deeper into the complex, were the more sensitive life-monitoring equipment was kept.
"I know," Kimiko replied gently, "he told me. He only leaves her to see me and to shower." She paused, "He's… a good person."
Shinji smiled, staring down at the floor. "Yes he is…"
"So are you," Kimiko whispered, feeling her strength starting to fade. Though she was improving, it was still a strain to sit up for long periods of time.
Her eyes began to slip closed.
-No I'm not!- Shinji's mind screamed, -I've killed… killed someone I cared for. You don't do that if you're good!- "Thank you," he said, his voice sounding hollow.
As he stood, Kimiko smiled, forcing her eyes to open again. "Please stay a while longer… can you?" she asked softly, "I… can you please stay?" She had been on the verge of saying, 'I don't think I'll see you again if you leave now', but realized how odd that would sound.
"Sure," Shinji replied, sitting back down, "Asuka had some tests, too, so I've got nowhere else to be for a while." –She'll understand if I'm a little late,- he thought, remembering his promise to meet her there.
"Thank you," she said through an expansive yawn, "just… don't want to be alone…" she let her eyes close again and was soon asleep.
Shinji sighed deeply, thinking of how alone he felt lately, and how he knew he would have to move on soon… or go insane.
Neither of them had any idea that by asking him to stay, Kimiko had saved Shinji's life.
**
"How much longer?" Asuka asked irritably, "I've got things to do, you know…"
"Just a few more minutes," Maya assured her, "only a few more checks to go."
"Ok…" the redhead replied, easing back in her seat. In the week since the last angel, Shinji had been more quiet and reserved that normal, though Asuka was sure that the talk with Misato had halted what would have been an otherwise gruesome downward spiral.
In odd contrast, Rei had become more talkative than before – or rather, she responded in sentences longer than five words, which to Asuka made the blue-haired girl seem downright gabby.
"Can't we hurry this up?" Touji chimed in, his voice soft, "I need to get back to Hikari…"
"I know," Maya answered soothingly, "really… just a few more minutes. Thanks for being so patient, I know Sempai got things done a lot faster…"
"It's ok," Asuka sighed, "we just both… you know…"
"I understand," Maya acknowledged, trying to speed up the tests.
She was glad that Asuka and Shinji had finally dropped the pretense and stated for everyone to know that they were dating, and she had been outright shocked by the Commander's reply to their declaration.
'Maintain your sync-ratios,' Gendou had said.
That was it. Just four words on the matter, and he had left the room.
Maya wondered idly if the Commander would be as lenient with her situation. Relationships between coworkers were not exactly prohibited, but they were frowned upon. That the pilots were allowed that luxury meant nothing, really, as they were exceptions to almost every rule.
"Five more minutes and-"
Maya's assurance was cut short as the general alarm began sounding.
"What the hell?" Touji muttered, "Is that a test or something?"
"I'm afraid not," Misato's voice replied over the com system, her tone grim, "we've got intruders in the main building, and more troops coming… it's an invasion."
"Invasion?" Asuka wondered, "Why? By who?"
"The JSSDF and the Chinese government," Misato replied.
"Why? I thought they were on our side?"
"They were…" the purple-haired woman said hurriedly, "but since the angels are all gone, we've become too big a risk to just let run-"
"Hikari!!" Touji blurted, "I have to get to her!"
"I'm with her right now," Misato's voice answered soothingly, "we're going to put her in Unit 04 and launch it underwater… she'll be safe there."
"Thank you, Misato…" the boy said, relieved.
"Of course," she said softly, "but I'm afraid I have to ask you two to help defend headquarters… it will mean fighting people…"
"Understood," Asuka said, nodding her head, "we'll do what we have to, Misato…"
"Then launch," Misato replied, her voice tense, "they've already killed a number of good people. I plan to get Shinji to Unit 01 and then flood the halls with Bakelite. It will slow the soldiers down for a while… and maybe we can get some assistance from other countries."
She hesitated. "I know that the United States, at least, has been a strong supporter of what we do…" she said tentatively, "I don't think they'll sit still for this. The trick will be to contact them – and to hold out until they get here. You two destroy anything that has a radar dish or antenna, we have to make sure our communications are not cut off…"
"Got it," the two Children replied at the same time.
"Ok," the purple-haired woman said, her voice becoming brisk, "I'm going to find your boyfriend, Asuka."
"Give him a slap when you do," Asuka answered, "I told him to be here an hour ago so we could go to dinner after the tests…"
Misato laughed. "I'll think about it. Out."
**
Shinji looked out the door and frowned. "Everyone's running around like crazy," he said softly, "I don't know what's going on…"
"Mister Ikari…" Kimiko said softly.
"Hmmm?" he replied absently, still looking out at the scrambling technicians.
"Go now…" the girl said, gently.
"What?" he asked, turning to face her, "I can't just leave y-"
"Go… now…" she repeated, "you need to do something for me."
He frowned, confused. "What do you need?"
"I need you…" she began softly, "to protect me."
His eyes widened, "But if I leave, then I-"
"With your EVA…" she interrupted him. "Can't you hear it?" she said sadly, "The gun shots? They're killing people, Mister Ikari… and they won't stop unless someone stops them…"
"But how can I stop them with EVA?" he asked, feeling more confused than ever at the young girl's odd reasoning.
"If you fight…" she whispered, "they'll back off. Nothing can stop an EVA…"
"But people will die if I do that…" he whispered, "I can't kill anymo-"
"More people will die if you do nothing," she said calmly, "and everyone you know will be gone."
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. –God in Heaven, she's too young to be talking this way…- The irony of the fact that he was too young to be saving the world was lost on him as he answered, "Ok… I'll go…"
As he reached for the door, she giggled. "Not that way, dummy… go through a vent, or something… like in the movies – that way they won't get you."
He smiled at her logic, then looked thoughtfully at the grill over her bed…
Ten minutes later, four JSSDF soldiers stormed the room… pumping fifteen rounds of high caliber ammunition into the bed before making their exit.
Curled in a ball, protected by the bed's steel frame, Kimiko allowed herself a small sigh of relief. –Hurry, Mister Ikari…- she thought, drifting off to sleep in spite of the turmoil in the halls outside, -hurry…-
**
"We launched… for this?" Asuka said disgustedly as another group of VTOLs swarmed Unit 02.
Touji's voice came back to her, sounding annoyed, "You would rather they all attack headquarters and kill everyone?"
Unit 02 slapped the offending vehicles from the sky with effortless ease, "No… I'm just saying it doesn't seem fair. It's like the old saying about using a cannon to swat a fly."
"Multiple inbound targets," Hyouga's voice reached them, "big ones… EVA carriers…"
As Unit 02 crushed the last of the attacking machines, Asuka willed its head to come up. "You've got to be kidding me," she said disgustedly, "the EVA series has been completed? And we have to FIGHT them??"
"I don't think it's a joke…" Touji said, sounding vaguely ill as the huge black planes dropped their cargo, "guess us launching was a good idea…"
Asuka made no reply… she just sighed and shook her head. –Great…-
**
Shinji peeked around the corner, then ducked back.
"Lovely…" he muttered to himself, "crawl through a ventilation shaft, and what do I get? Filthy… scraped… and lost."
He sighed, thinking that maybe taking the advice of a grade-schooler on escape routes was perhaps not the best idea.
-No matter what happens,- he thought suddenly, -I won't run anymore… I'm so tired of running.- He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. –Rei… Asuka… Misato… Kimiko… they're all right – I've been running away. Now it's time to fight. Now I have to-
Click
His thought was interrupted as he felt the cool barrel of a pistol press against his temple.
"We've found the Third," the soldier holding the gun said, "proceeding with elimination."
-Well,- Shinji thought with a trace of irony, -guess it's not time to fight after all… at least not for me…-
"Sorry kid," the soldier said quietly, motioning for his two companions to step back, "don't take it personally."
Shinji briefly considered telling the man that he really didn't see any other way to take it, and if it was all the same to him, he'd rather not take it at all.
Instead, he closed his eyes, holding in his mind an image of Asuka and offering a silent prayer that she would make it through unscathed.
The sound of the gun sounded small to him. –Shouldn't I not be able to hear it?- he thought in the split second before another shot was heard, -Shouldn't I not be able to think? Shouldn't I be dead??-
He opened his eyes… and was just in time to see Misato ramming her fist into the last remaining soldier's gut (the other two were already lying on the ground in spreading pools of blood).
"Please don't take this personally," the purple-haired woman mocked, pushing the man's head back up against the wall and pulling the trigger on her pistol.
As the man slumped to the ground, Shinji just stood there staring at his guardian.
"What?" Misato said, flushing slightly, "He said it first…"
"It's not that…" Shinji said, looking down at the three dead men, "I was just thinking that it was really lucky you came down this hall…"
"Wasn't luck," she said with a smile, "I put a tracker on you two days ago… I thought you would run away again, and I didn't want to go looking all over creation for you."
She shrugged as he stared at her, dumbfounded.
"Anyway," she said after a beat, "there's an elevator not too far from here that leads straight to the EVA cages…" she paused, eyeing him speculatively before saying, "I need you to pilot, Shinji…"
He said nothing, just stared at the bodies.
-Damn,- she thought, -he's too shocked… he's not going to do it…- she stepped forward, opening her mouth to try and convince him it was the only way… but stopping as he looked at her and smiled.
"Well," he said after a brief pause, "I don't imagine it's going to come to us…"
Misato stared at him, forgetting to close her mouth and wondering who had taken the sad, sullen boy who had been moping around her apartment for the past week and replaced him with this level-headed young man.
"Come on," she said finally, breaking into a broad grin, "let's get you there…"
As they began hurrying towards the emergency elevator, Misato allowed herself to think that maybe, just maybe… things might turn out ok…
**
As the white EVAs floated down, Touji spoke calmly to Asuka, "I count nine of them… nine versus the two of us. Pretty bad odds if you ask me, Souryu."
Asuka's voice came back to him, sounding confident, "Yeah, four and a half for each of us… means we get to play tug of war with the last one." He smiled in spite of himself as the first EVA touched down. "Besides," Asuka continued, "Shinji will be here soon, and then it will be three each."
As they positioned their EVAs back to back Touji said softly, "Asuka? If I don't make it… tell Hikari that I loved her more than anything… ok?"
From the corner of his eye, he saw Unit 02 crouch as she replied, "Tell her yourself, Suzuhara. Now let's get to work!"
The red EVA sprang into action so fast that the white one she was facing barely had time to raise its head before she leapt into the air and tore it from the creature's shoulders. Letting her momentum carry her forward, Asuka landed behind the white EVA and caught it on her back as it fell. Raising it over her head, she pulled downwards and outwards, tearing it cleanly in half.
Touji just watched, stunned by the swiftness and ferocity of the attack.
Asuka's voice came to him over the EVA's sound system, sounding satisfied,
"Erste!"
**
"That's it," Misato announced, sounding relieved, "just through that door, into the elevator, and two minutes later – we're at Unit 01!"
"I hope everyone's ok," Shinji said, "I'm really wor-"
"MOVE!" Misato yelled suddenly, grabbing Shinji's shoulder and shoving him towards the door as gunfire sounded from the level just below them.
As they reached the door, Misato gasped and lost her footing, collapsing to the ground as the door slid shut behind them.
"Are you ok?" Shinji asked, panting for breath.
When she didn't reply right away, he turned to look at her… and a low moan of despair slipped past his lips.
"It's… not bad," the purple-haired woman said, smiling as she forced herself to her feet… her hand clenching firmly over her side.
"You're bleeding…" he said, his voice small.
"Shinji," she replied, "get in the elevator…"
"W-what?" he stammered, mesmerized by the small trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth, "Come on, Misato… we have to get-"
She pushed him back up against the elevator's door, shaking her head slowly. "Go…" she whispered, taking his hand, "I'll catch the next one…"
His eyes widened as he felt a familiar cross shape press into his palm. "But… but I need you…" he stammered, "who else is going to tell me what to do… who else is going to help me when I'm in trouble…" he tried to stave off his tears, "who else is going to be there when I come home?"
Misato leaned forward, whispering, "You know who…"
Gently, she pressed her lips against his forehead, trying to convey all that she felt but had never spoken in that one, delicate kiss.
Shinji closed his eyes, torn between his urge to fight and defend his loved ones… and his desire to save his guardian.
Slowly she pulled away, "You're the only one who can protect her now."
"Come with me," he said urgently, "please. We can get you help, we can-"
"Go now…" she said, smiling gently as she put her hand squarely on his chest, "make me proud…"
Shinji drew a breath to reply, but didn't get the chance as Misato pushed him firmly through the door.
As the elevator slid shut, Misato sighed. "I did my best… didn't I?"
Silence was her only reply.
"I should have… changed the carpet, like Asuka said…" she whispered, her mind starting to wander as she finally slid to the floor, "she was right… it was filthy…"
A coughing fit seized her, blood running more freely from her mouth… and the wound in her side. She knew her time was short, and hoped with all of her heart that Shinji would be able to save the others.
A movement caught her attention, and she looked up, her eyes widening.
"Kaji…" she whispered, her voice low and broken as she sought validation, "did I do alright?"
The apparition before her smiled and nodded, kneeling in front of her. It touched her face gently, and all of her pain faded away.
A gentle sigh escaped her, and the labored rise and fall of her chest slowed… and finally stopped.
Misato Katsuragi went willingly to the arms of her lover, leaving her body behind… as a tremendous explosion eradicated it in a burst of fire…
**
In the rising elevator, Shinji was trying to hold back his tears. He kept wiping at his eyes, the cool chain of Misato's cross pendant brushing his skin from time to time.
The elevator shook momentarily as an explosion rocked it. His eyes widened… then slipped closed as he couldn't contain his sorrow anymore.
"Misato…" he sobbed.
He knew she was gone. Even if the blast hadn't killed her, the gunshot would have. He put his head in his hands, his body shaking as he wept for the woman that had somehow become like a second mother.
As the elevator stopped and slid open, he remembered something she had told him when he had first arrived. 'No one is keeping you here… if you want to leave, there's the door!' He smiled, remembering how angry she'd been… and how caring she had turned out to be later.
He wiped away his tears and rose to his feet, slipping the necklace over his head.
"I know where the door is…" he whispered, holding her face firmly in his mind, "and I won't run away…"
He stepped out of the elevator… and into his worst nightmare…
**
Touji knew he was in trouble. Unit 03 was almost out of power, and the white EVA in front of him was not going down. "Asuka? Little help over here?"
"Just a minute, Suzuhara, I can't be everywhere!" Asuka no longer sounded confident, and Touji risked a look out of the corner of his eye. He could see Unit 02 on it's back, with one hand wrapped around the haft of a lance that was being driven slowly forward by one of the other EVAs. Her other hand was reaching behind her EVA, grasping frantically for a weapon of some sort.
-Damn,- he thought, as he sidestepped a thrust from the white EVA's lance, -Where is Shinji?!-
It was bad enough that his umbilical cable had been severed in the first encounter with the creatures… and that he had nearly been killed by the very first attack.
As he dodged again, he thought of the moment of panic he had felt when the white EVA's weapon had come in contact with his AT field… then bent and warped, changing to the familiar shape of the Lance of Longinus.
If Unit 02 had not tackled his Unit, he would have just stood there as it punched through his field and impaled him.
"Come on, buddy…" he whispered, circling the other Unit cautiously, "come bail us out…"
**
"No…" Shinji whispered quietly.
He was staring at Unit 01, the last hope of everyone and everything on Earth. He was staring at the Bakelite that encased it, ensuring that it would not go anywhere.
His knees buckled and he fell to the ground, tears welling up in his eyes, "No… no this can't be happening."
The speakers in the cage relayed the sounds of the battle raging above him, "YES!" Asuka's voice rang out in triumph, "Now I can help you, Touj-" she trailed off, then yelled, "TOUJI!!!"
Shinji heard Maya's shaky voice, gunfire echoing in the background, "Unit 03 has gone silent!!"
Shinji's hands curled into fists, and he pounded the railing in impotent fury, "NO!!!! It can't end like this!" Tears streamed down his face, "Please… please God… anyone help me!! FATHER!! Touji… Asuka… please, let me help them… please…"
He put his head in his hands and sobbed, and so missed the fact that the Bakelite had begun to shudder ever so slightly.
**
Screaming, Asuka slammed into the last EVA just before it could impale the powerless Unit 03 with its lance. Pinning it to the ground with her EVA's legs, she drove Unit 02's stiffened fingers into the other EVA's throat, satisfied with the sickening crunch that resulted. The EVA shook once, and became still. Nodding grimly to herself, Asuka rose and moved to Touji's EVA.
"Touji! Touji are you ok?" Asuka reached down and tore the back off of the heavily damaged Unit 03, causing the entry plug to auto-eject and vent its LCL. The hatch opened, and Touji climbed shakily out.
He looked up at her EVA, smiling weakly, then frowned and yelled, "Asuka, watch out!!"
Asuka felt a bright flare of pain assail her senses. Looking down, she found that she was bleeding from two holes in her side. She turned her EVA's head and looked around.
One of the fallen white EVAs was behind her, it's lance buried in her Unit's back.
She watched in horror as all around, the fallen EVAs began to regenerate and rise to their feet, "No…" she whispered.
**
Hikari Suzuhara was dreaming. That was the only explanation she could come up with. She was floating in a dark void, but she could still see her features.
"What is this place?" she wondered out loud, not really expecting a response.
"This is the boundary," a soft female voice replied, seemingly from a great distance, "the boundary of the soul."
Hikari looked around, trying to find the source of the voice, "Why am I here?"
The voice became sad and far away, "You are here because someone poisoned you… and you are on the cusp of life and death."
Hikari gasped, "Why? Why would someone poison me? I… I don't want to die…"
"They did it to prevent you and me from fulfilling our destinies… I will help you, if you want me too…" The voice sounded familiar to Hikari, but she could not place it.
"Yes," she answered, "please help me… I have to… I have to get back to Touji."
The voice grew closer, whispering warmly, "Yes… Touji… your husband. I like him, Hikari, you chose wisely…"
Hikari felt a… presence… brush past her, and she felt her limbs become light, "Wha-What's happening?"
"You are returning to yourself. I have done all I can, my sweet one, the rest is in your hands… remember that you are loved, and that those you love need you… and be strong…" The voice was growing fainter.
"Thank you…" Hikari whispered.
In the entry plug of Unit 04, she opened her eyes.
**
Asuka had had better days. The EVA series had fallen fairly easily the first time, but they were learning… and they were getting faster.
"Shiest!!" Asuka cursed as she dodged yet another spear, throwing her EVA to side.
The situation looked bad. Touji had taken cover somewhere, so Asuka was not worried about him… this time she was worried about herself.
Blood was running freely from the two holes in her side, and she had only narrowly avoided being impaled by eight other spears like the one that was still stuck in her EVA's side. The only thing that had saved her that time was her quick idea to bring both of her EVA's fists down on the lance itself, snapping it in half and causing her to fall. The fall had saved her, allowing the other lances to fly right over her head.
Somehow in all of the fighting, her umbilical cable had been severed.
She dodged a quick punch from one of the white EVAs and countered with a roundhouse kick, breaking the thing's neck, -Ok… it's down for a couple minutes,- she thought desperately, -Shinji, where are you!?- She risked a quick look at the timer behind her, -Great!- She thought, -three minutes…-
The pain in her side suddenly became more pronounced, "Wha...?" Asuka looked around to see one of the white EVAs holding the broken shaft in one hand and her EVA's neck in the other.
It began to twist the lance.
"AAAAAAAA!!!!" Asuka's world exploded with pain, and more blood started flowing from her side to mix with the LCL. Her vision grew dim.
"Shin…ji…" she whispered.
As the world started to fade from view, Asuka became aware of someone screaming – and a silver comet struck the EVA that was holding her.
Shaking herself, she looked around… and saw Unit 04 drive its knife into the white EVA's throat.
"Hikari…?" she whispered.
The silver Unit kicked the white machine onto its back and turned towards the next attacker. "I'll take care of this," her friend replied, not waiting for the other mecha to make the first move.
As she ran towards it, she reached down and scooped up Touji's progressive knife from where it had fallen. She screamed, drawing back with both of her EVA's hands, and buried the knives in either side of the white EVA's neck… then brought them together, slicing its head neatly from its shoulders.
As blood sprayed from the creature's neck she became aware of Asuka's frantic voice, "Hikari!! They just get back up!!"
"Wh-what?" she whispered, looking down at the headless monster.
"They regenerate! You can't kill them!!"
Hikari nodded grimly to herself. "There's a way… there has to be a way, everything has a weakness." She surveyed the scene, "Where's Touji?"
"He's ok…" Asuka reassured her, grasping her side painfully, "probably hiding under a rock somewhere like a true stooge…"
"Find him," Hikari replied quietly, "protect him… I'll take care of this…"
"Hikari," the redhead panted, "Unit 02 is almost… I…"
"Asuka!" Hikari gasped as her friend slumped forward in her seat.
"Unit 02 is out of power," Maya reported, "it's just you right now…"
The brown-haired girl considered the remaining Units, frowning slightly.
The umbilical cable dropped from the back of the silver EVA.
"Hikari!" Maya's voice came to her, sounding panicked, "What are you doing?"
Hikari took a deep breath before responding, "I'm engaging the S^2 engine, Miss Ibuki."
"But… but we still don't know what caused the last incident, what if it happens again?"
Hikari sounded grim, "There's no other way… I need to be free of the constraints of the cable. Besides," she added sadly, "If there is another explosion, at least it's better than Third Impact…"
Maya found that she had no reply, so she braced herself.
Hikari's voice rang through Central Dogma, "Counting down to S^2 activation. Five… four… three… two…"
**
"Unit 04 has gone S^2 active!" Maya's voice rang over the communications system, "All systems looking stable."
"I should be there…" Shinji whispered, staring sullenly at the floor.
As if in reply to his sorrowful lament, Unit 01 broke free of the Bakelite with a tremendous crash, its hand reaching out to grasp the catwalk where the Third Child stood.
Shinji looked up into its glowing eyes, remembering all the times he had felt something… else in Unit 01.
"Mother…" he gasped as understanding dawned.
Clenching his hands into fists, he climbed onto the EVA's outstretched arm and scrambled towards the entry plug, "Asuka, Hikari… hang on – I'm coming!"
As he reached the plug and inserted it, the sounds of combat reached him. "Damn, they're fast!" Hikari called out.
"Give me an exit!" Shinji called out, "Get me there!"
"SHINIJ!!" Maya and Hikari's voices overlapped.
"I need to get to Asuka," he said grimly, "get me there, Miss Ibuki."
"Launching on route six," Maya replied happily, "Evangelion, Unit 01… go!"
The purple mecha reached the surface in less than fifteen seconds… and the white EVAs found themselves facing the long-contained rage of the highest-rated bravest number-one sync-ratio holder of them all.
**
In Terminal Dogma, Rei stood quietly considering the giant on the enormous red cross.
"My destiny," she whispered quietly, "is it time?"
She became aware of someone calling her name. She looked around, but could not see anyone. She walked toward the sound of the voice.
She came to a door, concealed in one of the walls, and pushed it open. On the other side was a dimly lit room with a tank similar to the one that had been used to design the dummy plug system. Within the tube was another Rei, floating with her eyes closed and had a look of concentration on her face.
Intrigued, Rei stepped forward towards the tank.
The girl in the tank opened her eyes, and Rei realized that she was not exactly the same. The girl in the tank had the same features as herself, but her hair was jet black, and her eyes were blue-gray, -Like Shinji's- Rei thought.
Inside the tank, the girl placed her hand on the glass and smiled.
"Who are you?" Rei asked quietly. The girl cocked her head to the side and looked at a control console on the wall, then back to Rei, then back to the console.
Rei nodded, understanding the girl's desire. Having been in a similar tank many times, she was familiar with the controls… and in short order had triggered the release.
The other girl's relief was almost palpable as the LCL drained from the tank, and the hatch opened. "Help… me…" the girl said, her voice rusty and hard to understand.
Not quite understanding why, Rei hurried to her side, helping her out of the tank and sitting her on the floor. "Who are you?" she repeated.
The girl took a deep breath… a breath of air, not thick, cloying LCL, and replied, "There is not much time… you must undress…"
**
"Watch your left!" Shinji called out.
Unit 04 leapt to the side as one of the white EVAs tried to decapitate it with its weapon. "Thanks," Hikari panted, burying one of her knives in the thing's forehead, "how many more?"
"Ummm… five," Shinji replied, looking around at the remaining Units as the one who's neck he had just broken fell to the ground. He had not been able to draw his weapon… but so far that hadn't made a difference.
Fighting hand to hand, he had managed to take down three of the four Units currently on the ground.
"We've got to cover Unit 02," Hikari said, moving towards the downed mecha, "Asuka's still inside." She switched over to the external speakers, "Touji! I'm going to get the entry plug out… get Asuka somewhere safe!"
A small figure popped out from behind a large boulder, holding its hand out and waving it vigorously… then nodding.
The two upright EVAs backed up until they were between the white Units and the fallen red one.
"I won't let them have you, honey," Shinji whispered, his eyes flitting to the savagely dismembered remains of Unit 03.
"They did that while I was fighting their friends," Hikari said, gesturing to the shattered black mecha, "like that was more important than getting rid of me."
"Must be in their program," Shinji mused as the white EVAs began to slowly spread out around them, "get ready… here they come."
His prediction proved to be correct, as the mass-produced EVAs charged as one… and again, the battle was joined.
**
"Undress?" Rei asked, her brow drawing down slightly in confusion, "I do not understand."
"The Commander will be here soon…" the other replied, "you must be ready."
"It is time to fulfil my duty…" Rei whispered.
"Well," the other girl replied, getting shakily to her feet, "that's up to you."
"What?" Rei asked, feeling more confused.
"Shinji's fighting now, isn't he?" the girl asked softly, "In Unit 01."
"How do you know these things?" the blue-haired girl inquired.
"I don't know that…" the other admitted, "but it seems logical, since you've found your way here, and the base is shaking so hard… we must be under attack. Shinji would be defending us…" she smiled, "because that's what heroes do."
"Heroes…" Rei repeated.
"Yes," the dark-haired girl answered, "Shinji is a hero. After all he's done, you doubt that?"
"No," Rei said with a faint smile, "I did not doubt… I am just," she pondered how to phrase it, "unused to hearing it from others."
"Well then," the other girl said, pleased, "I'm glad we understand each other. But we need to hurry… Shinji's in a lot of trouble in that thing, there's something that you need to do."
Rei considered the girl's words and spoke carefully, "But the soul of Pilot Ikari's mother is within Evangelion Unit 01, is it not? Will she not try to protect her son?"
The girl with the black hair studied Rei carefully for a moment before speaking, "Yui Ikari was insane." She ignored Rei's look of astonishment and went on, "She felt that Third Impact could not be avoided, so she built the Evangelions as proof than mankind existed… she gave up on humanity entirely."
She shook her head, finishing, "Yui won't try to stop Third Impact from happening – she's too far gone. If anything, she'll try to encourage its completion so that she can feel validated." She looked down sadly, "and perhaps you were not aware of this, but Yui Ikari was one of the top ranking members of SEELE… everything that has happened has gone according to their – no, her plan."
Rei looked at the ground, "There nothing that we can do, then?"
The girl laughed, causing Rei to look up once more, "There is something that can be done… but you must be the one to do it – you are the only one that can do it." She shook her head sadly, "But it requires a sacrifice. Your life must end."
Rei thought for a moment before speaking, "If I were to sacrifice myself, there would be no more I. The tanks from which I come are now empty, I am the last."
The girl smiled at her sadly, "Now you truly know what is means to be human, little sister, but you claim to love Shinji, correct?" Rei nodded, and the girl went on, "It is a noble thing to sacrifice oneself for a loved one."
Tears began to fall from Rei's eyes, "I am scared," she whispered, "I do not want to lose what I have so recently found. Everything that makes me will be gone…"
The girl put a hand on Rei's cheek, wiping away the tears as she spoke, "Don't cry, little sister, for all will be well. When your body is no more, everything that you are will become part of me. Do not be afraid."
Rei's eyes widened, "Then that means you-"
The girl smiled radiantly, "Yes… I'm the same as you. To be more precise, I'm the template that you were based on. I'm Rei Ikari. Shinji's sister."
**
They stood side by side, silver brushing purple, and surveyed the scene.
"They're just going to get back up…" Hikari whispered in desperation. Even as she spoke, one Unit twitched… and its wounds began to knit.
"I know," Shinji said dejectedly, "they're more resilient than an…" he trailed off, then yelled, "ANGEL!" Hikari looked confused as Shinji opened his shoulder compartment and drew his progressive knife.
He quickly positioned himself behind her, speaking quickly, "Listen, the EVAs are clones of the first Angel, Adam… and ALL angels have a core – a glowing, red-"
"CORE!" she finished excitedly, "I saw one in the last one I killed, but I never thought to destroy it!" She braced herself, readying her own blade.
Shinji narrowed his eyes. "We can do this…" he said, regarding one of the white creatures as it regained its footing.
Hikari smiled, "Damn right we can!" she exclaimed.
As the mass-produced EVAs began their attack one last time, the two pilots met them head on… showing them the advantage of having a human soul – emotional weaknesses, insecurities, indomitable spirit, and all.
**
"I do not understand," Rei whispered, finally beginning to undress, "how can that be?"
Rei Ikari dropped her gaze to the floor. "When I was very young," she replied, "I was the subject of an experiment. Project E."
"The Evangelion project," Rei said quietly, "how were you a part of it?"
The girl raised her dark blue eyes to meet her duplicate's red ones. "Unit 00…" she whispered, "Unit 00 needed a soul."
"You?" Rei replied, her eyes widening.
"Yes," the other girl confirmed, "my soul was taken from my body – don't ask how, I don't want to describe it… but suffice it to say that I won't ever forget it – even though I was only three at the time."
"I do not understand," Rei said, "Unit 00 rejected me… and tried to invade Shinji's mind… why?"
The girl flushed. "With you, I… I thought I could take your body and escape. It was so lonely in there… I'm sorry. It was the first time I had felt another's presence since I had been put in that blue monster… and I… I wanted to get out so bad. I'm sorry." She stared at the floor, "With Shinji… I knew who he was… and I tried to talk to him… but he shut me out. It was more than I could take…"
"He said he could sense me…" Rei said thoughtfully, "it was you… wasn't it?"
"Yes," the other girl said softly, "I tried to talk to him… but he couldn't hear me… and I lashed out."
"I see," the blue-haired girl nodded, laying her clothes neatly on the floor, "and when Unit 00 was destroyed…"
"I was set free…"
The sound of a woman's voice reached them. "You always chose her!!"
"Hurry!" the black-haired girl whispered urgently, "it's time…"
Rei nodded and headed for the door. "What will become of you?" she asked quietly.
"I'll hide here until it's all over," the girl replied, smiling as she dressed herself for the first time in her life, "then I'm going to find my brother…"
"I see… good luck," Rei replied.
She opened the door and slipped out, closing it behind her.
Rei's eyes widened as she was just in time to see the Commander fire a single round from his small pistol, sending Doctor Akagi's body arching back off the platform and into the LCL.
"Rei," he said calmly, "there you are."
She nodded as he began walking towards her, remembering the other girl's words. –I will protect him,- she thought, closing her eyes, -as I promised…-
**
Unit 01 and Unit 04 stood, facing each other.
"Did we win?" Hikari wondered aloud. She looked at the broken remains of the Evangelion series.
"Sure looks that way," Shinji laughed, unable to hide his relief.
"She's alive!" Touji's voice came to them over the communications network, "She's bleeding, but she's alive."
Hikari looked to the shattered remains of Unit 02, half of the replica lance still protruding from its chest. Touji had Asuka cradled in his arms, both of his hands pressed against her side. She sighed, feeling relief fill her… but it was short lived.
"Hikari?" Shinji's voice came to her, sounding slightly confused, "What are you doing?"
"What do you…" she trailed off as she realized that Unit 04 was moving without her. It slowly raised its hands and grasped the plates covering its chest.
She looked out and saw that Unit 01 was doing the same.
Shinji's voice sounded more panicked this time, "Hikari, I can't… I've lost control…"
She pulled hard on the yokes, trying to will the EVA to stop, but it was no good. She felt the EVA pull down sharply, and agony ripped through her chest. She heard Shinji's scream echo her own as Unit 01 tore its chest armor away with a savage tug.
Panting, Hikari noticed that both EVA's cores were glowing bright red.
"Shinji! Shinji, I think something bad is going to happen!!" She tried to eject the plug, but found that all of the controls were dead.
She watched in horror as the two Units stepped closer, arms stretched out, and touched the glowing cores together. She was aware of a brilliant flash, then everything went dark.
**
"It is time to fulfill your destiny, Rei." Gendou spoke quietly as he stepped closer to her. He reached out, his right hand radiating power.
Rei closed her eyes, feeling her will leave her as Gendou's hand came to rest on her breast. She whimpered in pain as the hand slowly pushed into her flesh, Adam's power causing her flesh to retreat. A shudder passed through her body as he moved his hand down, finally stopping in her virgin womb.
"Now," Gendou said quietly, "take me to Yui."
Rei began to nod, when Shinji's scream penetrated her mind, -SHINJI!!! He's in trouble!!- She remembered what the other Rei had said about Shinji's mother, -It's happening now… I must help him.- Her eyes shot open as her will returned in a flash of anger.
Gendou looked at her expectantly, -Why is she hesitating? This is her sole reason for being!- He started to speak but stopped when he saw the look of determination on her face.
Rei closed her eyes again and focused on her body, visualizing it as she had seen it every day in the mirror. Gendou's gasp of surprise and pain informed her that she had succeeded. She opened her eyes, just in time to see him pull his arm (minus the hand) to his chest.
"I am not your doll." She whispered quietly, turning from him and walking toward the giant being on the cross.
"Rei… why…?" Gendou's pained gasp came from behind.
She looked over her shoulder at him, "Because I am not yours." Reaching deep inside of herself she found a place she had never known about (and at the same time, had ALWAYS known about), and she began to fly.
"Rei… Rei!!!" Gendou cried desperately, -No… all that I've worked for!!-
As Rei rose she whispered, "Shinji… my brother is calling me. I must go to him." As she reached the giant she thought, -I am no longer afraid of losing myself… if it is for him.-
"I am home."
From that place deep in her soul, and all through her mind, a soft, feminine voice whispered, "Welcome home…"
Rei closed her eyes as part of the creature's chest reached out and pulled her into it. Her last conscious thought was, -Hang on, big brother… I'm coming…-
Then, Rei Ayanami – designated First Child, pilot of the destroyed Unit 00, and partial clone of Yui and Rei Ikari – ceased to exist.
Third Impact had begun.
To be concluded.
Author's notes: well, there you have it – the secret of the Prime project. Was it all you hoped it would be? One of the things that always bothered me about Evangelion was the fact that they never say who's soul is in Unit 00, and why it wanted to kill Gendou and Rei (or Ritsuko, if you believe her little 'It was going after me' thought). I've always felt that it was Ritsuko's mother… but I thought this would be an interesting alternative to that scenario. On Misato seeing Kaji during instrumentality – I consider this canon. In End of Evangelion, she looks up, says, "Kaji-kun… did I do ok?" and the floor explodes underneath her. Before it does, however, the audience is shown one of the ghostly Reis standing over her – which is what happened to everyone else that saw a loved one, so I firmly believe that's what she was seeing. The last chapter will most likely be a while in coming. I've had a lot of real life issues taking my time and concentration lately (hence, why this chapter took so long when it was already a third written when the last chapter was released), but as I've said before – I WILL finish this story. Guaranteed.
Thanks once more to Ryoma for pre-reading and coming with me this far… we're almost done, my friend… just one more to go… ^_^
Feedback is always welcome at random1377@yahoo.com