Hmm, this fic isn't receiving as much attention as Adaptation or Humanity's
Faith. Unfortunately, for some reason I can only focus on this fic. Just
a note. The final battle isn't just them firing off seriously powerful
attacks. It's a battle on the mental level too.
Recrudesce of Evangelion
Chapter 7: End of Scenario
It was strange. The month preceding the final battle had seemed to fly by and yet Shinji felt ready. All the training with Eve and Asuka had helped him increase his strengths and lessen his weaknesses. However, one still remained. The will to fight was lacking because Shinji was still searching for a reason to fight. Was he fighting for Asuka, or for himself? Or was he fighting for the rest of humanity? Shinji found no answer inside his heart. Maybe that answer was held by someone else.
Asuka was on the roof again, looking at the evening sky. Tomorrow the battle would begin at the strike of midnight and she was sure victory was hers. Her reason for wanting to win was solid. Shinji had helped her before when she was weak, but now that she was strong she would return the favor. It was quite obvious Shinji wanted Third Impact to be reversed and Asuka was going to do just that. With the powers that flowed inside of her, it would be a small task. She wouldn't even kill Shinji. She'd make him dependant on her and show him what he'd missed because of his attitude before. That would be the sweetest thing of all.
"Asuka."
The young woman didn't bother turning around. She knew fully well who it was behind her.
"What do you want Shinji?"
"Tonight, could we not fight?"
"What do you mean? We've never fought since this month began."
"We were close to it a week ago. Remember?"
Asuka remembered it fully. Shinji had expressed his feelings but Asuka had thrown them right back. It had hurt both of them and Asuka knew it. What bothered her was why they had hurt her. That shouldn't have happened. The pain wasn't just physical either. It had gone far deeper, striking something deep in her psyche.
"Of course. Are you going to try to make up, or pick up where you left off?"
"Knowing you, you wouldn't want either. But then again, this isn't exactly about what you want, right?"
"You were always kind no matter what. You never tried to insult me. I find that odd. I had believed you were simply being arrogant."
"Me? You didn't know me very well back than. But after what we've been through, I would hope that has changed."
"It has. Now I see you as someone that won't share the burden you carry with others."
"And neither will you. We're mirror images of each other, complete opposite and yet still the same."
Asuka smiled cruelly. She so enjoyed toying with him, now was no different.
"Are you making an approach," she asked.
"Yes, though you seem to consider it a form of entertainment. One would think you had not matured by your behavior."
That statement angered Asuka. How dare he think I'm not mature! How dare he even assume that!
"You had better be careful passing judgment," Asuka replied, "You are not god."
"No I'm not, and I don't want to be. I want to be human."
This drew a frown. Human? Humanity was weak. Being a god meant holding true power. That was far better than being in this fragile husk of a body. Being a god meant people truly respected and feared you. That was the reward for being a god.
"There is always a price to pay," Shinji continued, "I don't think you'll be willing to pay it when the time comes."
"And you will?" Asuka snapped, starting to lose her temper.
"No. But then again, I've always been reluctant to take anything for free. That's why I feel this is actually worth the effort. For you."
That's it. Asuka spun around and slapped Shinji hard on the face. His head didn't jerk back like she expected. It didn't move at all. However, there was still a red mark on his face.
"You say you won't pay the price? Well don't think I won't cause I will."
"I won't pay the price," Shinji replied, "I already have."
The red hand mark on his face disappeared completely, showing no trace of ever being there. Asuka frowned and looked at Shinji closely. There was a difference but it was subtle. So subtle that she hadn't noticed it before.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"Walk with me?"
Shinji disappeared much to Asuka's annoyance. But as she was curious to find out what she meant she followed. Asuka rematerialized in a valley standing next to Shinji.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"This is one of the valleys outside the city. You never had the chance to see the beauty of the land before."
"What does it matter about the land? It is nothing except a resource to be used."
"And yet it can also reflect the beauty and creativity of humanity. But I'm sure you already know that."
Surprisingly, Asuka found that she did know this little fact. But why did she know it? And more importantly, how?
"You're also human, Asuka. Are you willing to accept that?"
"No. I'm better than human. I'm the Antichrist, remember?"
"All too well. As I said, you may not be willing to pay the price."
"And what exactly is this price?" Asuka demanded.
"Your pride."
Asuka winced as if Shinji had hit her. She had never expected something like this and she knew it was going to be almost impossible for her to accept something like this.
"You know nothing," Asuka said stubbornly.
"Then let me help you," said Shinji, "You want to pay the price? That's the first step."
"And how would I know?"
"Because I paid it already."
Asuka frowned but saw truth in his words. What he had done to pay for it she did not know but she wasn't about to be outdone again.
"Fine."
Everything around them disappeared. The trees, the grass, the lake and the mountains were gone. The already dark sky turned into nothingness and what was left of the sun was blotted out. Then everything was reset but the sky was light.
"What is this?" Asuka demanded.
"Consider this an illusion. This present situation is a reflection of your mood. Surprisingly, you are at peace."
Needless to say, this caused Asuka's temper to flare. As it did, the sky darkened and she heard thunder far off.
"This means nothing," she insisted.
"To you, perhaps it is nothing. But to me, it is a way to gauge how well I'm doing in my efforts to help you."
"And how are you doing so far?" Asuka said sarcastically.
"I am doing well. It is you who is not."
"Don't give me that crap. Just tell me what you have to do and I'll do it."
"Are you going to do it because you don't want to, or are you going to do it to satisfy your pride and prove yourself? There is a difference."
"What? What the hell does that mean!"
"Think calmly. Do you really think you can trick anyone, most of all yourself? You'll prove nothing to yourself or me if you do it just for that purpose."
"That's it? Well, even with that stupid rule I won't fail."
The scenery changed and was a ballroom. Shinji saw dozens of people waltzing in the hall but she couldn't make out any of their faces. Why was that?
"Care to dance?" Shinji asked, extending his hand.
Asuka saw Shinji wearing a formal suit with a white shirt, black tie, and black pants. When she looked down she realized she was also in a formal gown. It was utterly beautiful. The dark red dress was just short of touching the ground and had beautiful stitching decorating it along the bottom. She wouldn't have had anything going over her shoulders except for a piece of fabric that helped hold up the dress and added as decoration. It was a lighter shade of red and rang along the top of the dress on front and back, looping around Asuka's arms as well.
Raising an eyebrow, Asuka took his hand and drew closer. Shinji wrapped an arm around Asuka and they fell into step with the dance. They swung about, the image of a content couple in perfect harmony.
"And what's the point of this?" Asuka asked.
"To see if you can stand my company. Here everyone considers us to be married."
"But we're only fourteen!"
A brief smile appeared on Shinji's face before it completely changed. Asuka's eyes went wide as she saw a more mature and handsome Shinji standing before her.
"S-Shinji?"
"At the age of twenty-five. And you, twenty-four."
"What the hell is this!" Asuka demanded.
"As you said, we were too young."
"Well Mrs. Ikari, you certainly are lucky."
The two separated, Asuka almost jumping away. She spun around and saw another woman with short brown hair and pale green eyes standing before them. She was dressed in a white dress and smiled at the couple.
"What? Who are you?"
"What? I'm hurt. But then again, you probably never wanted to remember me."
"Asuka, this is Mana. Remember?"
Her eyes narrowing, Asuka recalled knowing a girl named Mana. She had been interested in Shinji and Asuka had felt rather jealous at their relationship. Wait, jealous? Asuka shook her head, driving that thought out. Mana interpreted that a different way.
"So you actually did forget me. Well, can't say I blame you."
"No I remember," Asuka managed to say civilly, "I was just thinking about something else."
"Oh. Well, I hope the two of you are happy."
That snapped Asuka back to reality. When she looked around, she saw that the mood in the ballroom was cheerful. No one seemed to have any worries here. Why was that? Then Asuka asked herself that question. Why the happiness? It didn't seem right for some reason. But then she felt Shinji's arms around her. They felt right. It was comforting to have him hold her. She could remember him hugging her only once before. Was that it?
"Well, I hope the two of you will be happy. Bye."
Mana backed away and disappeared into the crowd. Asuka couldn't help but feel relieved that she was gone. It felt more comfortable being with Shinji while no one else watched.
"Do you know what I mean now?" Shinji asked.
"Yes. Yes, I think I do. This is more than just a simple test of my psyche, pride, or strength. This is a test of love as well. The love that you knew I had for you. Very clever, Messiah. No, it's Shinji pulling the strings, isn't it?"
"Of course."
Asuka smiled and leaned back against Shinji.
"The Messiah always loved humanity as a whole too much. He never could concentrate on a single human. Unlike you."
"There is truth in that. My compassion is my weakness. My kindness is not focused, and thus neither am I. What about you?"
"What about me? I am vain, cruel, and evil. What is there to me?"
"You are capable of kindness, deserving of happiness, and willing to sacrifice to achieve a goal. Admirable qualities, don't you think?"
"You seem to forget the other aspects of me," said Asuka, "I am the Antichrist."
"And I am the Messiah. But remember, these mean nothing unless we want them to."
Asuka frowned and pulled away. She turned around and faced Shinji, their eyes meeting.
"You want to run away, don't you?"
"I want you to not fight," Shinji replied, "I want you to see what I have to offer you."
"A generous offer, but I like mine better," said Asuka, "There will be a final battle no matter what."
"As you say, Asuka."
The scenery changed once more to the valley. This time, everything was peaceful. Life was plentiful and lush, flowers and trees covering the land.
"What?"
"You are at peace. Do not deny it. You enjoyed the time with me."
Asuka smiled. "Of course I enjoyed my time with you. But all good things must end."
"Only if you end it. The choice is yours."
"No. The choice is ours. What we choose will determine the end. The end justifies the means, Shinji."
"The end never justifies the means. You should know that already. If you destroy something you try to protect in order to save it, you still failed to protect it."
"What philosophical nonsense. I had expected better from you, Messiah."
"And I had expected more perception from you, Antichrist."
Asuka frowned. This was the first time Shinji had actually addressed her by that title. Did that mean something? No, of course not.
"Is this all?" Asuka asked.
"No. One last thing before we begin."
Again the valley disappeared. Asuka was starting to get annoyed at the scene changes. However, the moment she realized where they were a sense of horror gripped her.
"No. Anywhere but here. Please! Anywhere!"
"Momma!"
Asuka spun around to see a younger version of herself running down the hallway.
"I've been selected!"
"No! Don't go there! Don't open that door!"
Asuka broke off into a run and tried to stop the little girl. As she moved, she felt as if she was running through molasses. No matter what, the girl was always ahead of her. She was too late to stop the little Asuka. The door flung open and revealed Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu hanging from the ceiling.
"Momma?" the little Asuka said, stunned. She then saw the doll that had its head ripped off.
The real Asuka collapsed and starting sobbing.
"No. I don't want to see this again. No."
She heard footsteps and looked up, seeing Shinji standing next to her.
"This is what caused it all. You pushing me away, unable to accept kindness from anyone, always searching for praise and always trying to win at everything."
"Why are you showing me this? I thought you cared."
"If I didn't show you this, that would be a sign that I didn't care. If I tried to pamper you, you would never accept the pain and move on."
"I don't want to accept pain! I just want to be happy!"
"Moving on is the first step to happiness," said Shinji. He knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder. "That's what I want you to learn. Then you will be happy."
Asuka didn't know what came over her. She suddenly shot up into Shinji's arms, holding onto him tightly and crying on his shoulder.
"Why?"
"Because you are lonely. Just say it. You're lonely."
"I'm lonely."
It was as if a great burden had been lifted off her shoulders. Asuka felt lighthearted and even happy being held by someone that cared for her. She had never thought Shinji would look out for her until after Third Impact. Now, she just didn't want to lose him.
The two were suddenly torn apart and thrown back.
"What? What's going on!" Asuka demanded.
"Midnight."
It didn't take Asuka long to figure out what he meant. The final battle was at hand.
"I won't kill you Shinji, you'll still be alive and we'll still be together after this."
"Likewise, but I will win."
Both drew their weapons and assumed a combat stance. Asuka's Excalibur had a dark fiery aura surrounding it while Shinji's Lance of Longinus glowed brightly. The two charged and at the same instance dropped out of real- time. The world was frozen as the two swung their weapons, blades clashing and power building up from the opposite energies. A giant sphere of energy formed around them, black and white light swirling all around and continued to grow in size. Neither was willing to let the other gain an advantage so they kept on pushing. Finally the sphere exploded but the two were still there, pressing their blade against the other.
"You can't win," Asuka insisted.
"Neither can you."
Their weapons slipped off and both jumped back before charging again. Shinji attacked from the side and Asuka quickly blocked it. He then twirled his lance, pushing Asuka's sword to the side while at the same time bringing down the other blade on the other end. Asuka barely got her sword up in time to block the swipe. She pushed the lance away and launched her own offensive. Driving forward, Asuka flew towards Shinji and was nearly upon him when he disappeared.
Asuka slid to a stop and looked around. Where had he gone? Out of nowhere Shinji reappeared and kicked her in the back, sending her flying. She flipped back onto her feet and tried attacking again. Shinji expected her to try the same tactic again but Asuka had a little surprise for him. Instead of just diving in Asuka created a shockwave and sent it his way. This was totally unexpected and threw Shinji back several feet before he recovered.
"Neat trick," he commented, "Let's try something more advanced."
Shinji started thickening the air with static electricity. After he had built up enough of a charge he launched it at Asuka. The charge continued to build up from all the free static in the air and when it struck Asuka it had the strength of a lightning bolt. Asuka tried to use her sword to block it and it was surprisingly effective considering it was metal. However she couldn't stand her ground and got flung back. Shinji wasted no time in lunging for her. He suddenly ran into a wall of fire and was repelled. When he got back up, Asuka was looking at him defiantly.
"You aren't the only one capable of tricks," she said proudly.
"Impressive. But you'll have to do better than that."
Shinji drew the moisture from the air and drenched the fire wall. It dissipated quickly. Asuka responded by throwing wind at Shinji. He sliced right through them with his lance and then created ice by drawing on more moisture and sucking their heat away. Asuka's feet were then frozen to the ground and she struggled to free them. Shinji then used the warmth he had gathered to create a firestorm and set it upon her.
"Think again!" Asuka shouted.
She raised one hand and all of the fire was drained into it. The ice melted and Asuka was once again ready to fight.
"Should have figured. Fire is your element."
Shinji summoned a tidal wave from out of thin air and tried to flood out Asuka. She merely evaporated the water with a flaming aura that now surrounded her.
"I've tapped into my true powers. Have you?" she asked.
Asuka slammed her sword into the ground and a pentagram of fire erupted beneath her. The fire started gathering and soon a massive dragon appeared, composed purely out of flames. She raised her sword and pointed at Shinji. The dragon took off and sped towards him. Smiling, Asuka knew this would be the end.
The dragon flew at full speed, roaring as it went. Shinji made no move to dodge but simply stood there. At the last moment white light flared and the dragon rammed into something. It completely dissipated, leaving Shinji unharmed.
"What!" Asuka screamed, "How is this possible?"
"The answer is yes," Shinji said, "I have also tapped into my true powers."
Asuka squinted and saw a large spherical forcefield protecting Shinji. The power it took to have stopped that attack would have been astronomical, and yet somehow he had done it. Asuka went into a rage and charged again. Shinji lowered his shield but didn't counterattack. He merely dodged every swing or blow, moving far faster than Asuka.
After her last attack Asuka was starting to get frustrated. Shinji wasn't going to give in willingly so she needed to take him down in one blast. The two stood there, each waiting for the other to make their move.
"You're good," Asuka said, "A lot stronger than I could ever have imagined."
"I'll take that as a compliment. But that does not mean you will win."
"On the contrary. I will win this no matter what."
"Even if it means killing me?"
Asuka faltered at that statement.
"What?"
"As long as I live, you will never win. But if you live, I can still win."
"I see. Though I am not sure I believe you. But then again, let's finish this, shall we?"
The power Asuka was gathering into her hands started burning the very air around her. The ground was suddenly set ablaze and was burning through even the dirt. Her eyes shone with redness and her hair started flowing all over the place. The very ground she stood upon cracked open and disintegrated.
Shinji knew what was coming and he had to stop it. He began running towards Asuka, putting as much energy as possible into the lance. Light and fire flared as both drew on all of their reserves for this final finish. The lance hummed with power as it continued to receive more. For a while it looked as if the weapon would explode.
Asuka was finally ready and launched her attack. It struck Shinji right in the face and burnt out his eyes completely. He screamed out in pain as the lance continued to go forth. Shinji kept running and ran Asuka through. There was a sickening crack as the weapon smashed her spinal cord. The power in it burned off most of the nerves and Asuka lost feeling to her legs.
The momentum continued to carry Shinji forward and he crashed into the ground, rolling for a while before finally coming to a stop. He laid there, the lance shattered and broken into tiny pieces. Asuka fell to her knees and then onto her chest. The sword was broken in two, it's blade even now turning into dust. And all was quiet.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The entire world seemed to be on fire as light blazed through it. The black egg was glazed over and erupted in several places. It started shattering and cracks appeared all over. Slowly the souls of billions of people poured out, free from Third Impact. None were aware of what had caused this but then again none were aware of what was happening.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The waters swept across the sand on the beach. The tide making swishing as it flowed across. Two figures lay there, immobile. One was a young woman with striking red hair, the other a young man with short brown hair. Both had their eyes shut as if they were asleep. Both did not stir and simply laid there.
End of Chapter 7
Yes this is shorter than the other chapters, but the entire chapter was supposed to revolve around the situation immediately before the battle and the battle itself. I'm sure there are authors that could have stretched it out but I'll be damned if I try that right now. If you're puzzled about the ending, just think about the title.
Question. What is Toji's sister's name?
Just a side note. I feel no obligation to not kill off characters.
Z98
Recrudesce of Evangelion
Chapter 7: End of Scenario
It was strange. The month preceding the final battle had seemed to fly by and yet Shinji felt ready. All the training with Eve and Asuka had helped him increase his strengths and lessen his weaknesses. However, one still remained. The will to fight was lacking because Shinji was still searching for a reason to fight. Was he fighting for Asuka, or for himself? Or was he fighting for the rest of humanity? Shinji found no answer inside his heart. Maybe that answer was held by someone else.
Asuka was on the roof again, looking at the evening sky. Tomorrow the battle would begin at the strike of midnight and she was sure victory was hers. Her reason for wanting to win was solid. Shinji had helped her before when she was weak, but now that she was strong she would return the favor. It was quite obvious Shinji wanted Third Impact to be reversed and Asuka was going to do just that. With the powers that flowed inside of her, it would be a small task. She wouldn't even kill Shinji. She'd make him dependant on her and show him what he'd missed because of his attitude before. That would be the sweetest thing of all.
"Asuka."
The young woman didn't bother turning around. She knew fully well who it was behind her.
"What do you want Shinji?"
"Tonight, could we not fight?"
"What do you mean? We've never fought since this month began."
"We were close to it a week ago. Remember?"
Asuka remembered it fully. Shinji had expressed his feelings but Asuka had thrown them right back. It had hurt both of them and Asuka knew it. What bothered her was why they had hurt her. That shouldn't have happened. The pain wasn't just physical either. It had gone far deeper, striking something deep in her psyche.
"Of course. Are you going to try to make up, or pick up where you left off?"
"Knowing you, you wouldn't want either. But then again, this isn't exactly about what you want, right?"
"You were always kind no matter what. You never tried to insult me. I find that odd. I had believed you were simply being arrogant."
"Me? You didn't know me very well back than. But after what we've been through, I would hope that has changed."
"It has. Now I see you as someone that won't share the burden you carry with others."
"And neither will you. We're mirror images of each other, complete opposite and yet still the same."
Asuka smiled cruelly. She so enjoyed toying with him, now was no different.
"Are you making an approach," she asked.
"Yes, though you seem to consider it a form of entertainment. One would think you had not matured by your behavior."
That statement angered Asuka. How dare he think I'm not mature! How dare he even assume that!
"You had better be careful passing judgment," Asuka replied, "You are not god."
"No I'm not, and I don't want to be. I want to be human."
This drew a frown. Human? Humanity was weak. Being a god meant holding true power. That was far better than being in this fragile husk of a body. Being a god meant people truly respected and feared you. That was the reward for being a god.
"There is always a price to pay," Shinji continued, "I don't think you'll be willing to pay it when the time comes."
"And you will?" Asuka snapped, starting to lose her temper.
"No. But then again, I've always been reluctant to take anything for free. That's why I feel this is actually worth the effort. For you."
That's it. Asuka spun around and slapped Shinji hard on the face. His head didn't jerk back like she expected. It didn't move at all. However, there was still a red mark on his face.
"You say you won't pay the price? Well don't think I won't cause I will."
"I won't pay the price," Shinji replied, "I already have."
The red hand mark on his face disappeared completely, showing no trace of ever being there. Asuka frowned and looked at Shinji closely. There was a difference but it was subtle. So subtle that she hadn't noticed it before.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"Walk with me?"
Shinji disappeared much to Asuka's annoyance. But as she was curious to find out what she meant she followed. Asuka rematerialized in a valley standing next to Shinji.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"This is one of the valleys outside the city. You never had the chance to see the beauty of the land before."
"What does it matter about the land? It is nothing except a resource to be used."
"And yet it can also reflect the beauty and creativity of humanity. But I'm sure you already know that."
Surprisingly, Asuka found that she did know this little fact. But why did she know it? And more importantly, how?
"You're also human, Asuka. Are you willing to accept that?"
"No. I'm better than human. I'm the Antichrist, remember?"
"All too well. As I said, you may not be willing to pay the price."
"And what exactly is this price?" Asuka demanded.
"Your pride."
Asuka winced as if Shinji had hit her. She had never expected something like this and she knew it was going to be almost impossible for her to accept something like this.
"You know nothing," Asuka said stubbornly.
"Then let me help you," said Shinji, "You want to pay the price? That's the first step."
"And how would I know?"
"Because I paid it already."
Asuka frowned but saw truth in his words. What he had done to pay for it she did not know but she wasn't about to be outdone again.
"Fine."
Everything around them disappeared. The trees, the grass, the lake and the mountains were gone. The already dark sky turned into nothingness and what was left of the sun was blotted out. Then everything was reset but the sky was light.
"What is this?" Asuka demanded.
"Consider this an illusion. This present situation is a reflection of your mood. Surprisingly, you are at peace."
Needless to say, this caused Asuka's temper to flare. As it did, the sky darkened and she heard thunder far off.
"This means nothing," she insisted.
"To you, perhaps it is nothing. But to me, it is a way to gauge how well I'm doing in my efforts to help you."
"And how are you doing so far?" Asuka said sarcastically.
"I am doing well. It is you who is not."
"Don't give me that crap. Just tell me what you have to do and I'll do it."
"Are you going to do it because you don't want to, or are you going to do it to satisfy your pride and prove yourself? There is a difference."
"What? What the hell does that mean!"
"Think calmly. Do you really think you can trick anyone, most of all yourself? You'll prove nothing to yourself or me if you do it just for that purpose."
"That's it? Well, even with that stupid rule I won't fail."
The scenery changed and was a ballroom. Shinji saw dozens of people waltzing in the hall but she couldn't make out any of their faces. Why was that?
"Care to dance?" Shinji asked, extending his hand.
Asuka saw Shinji wearing a formal suit with a white shirt, black tie, and black pants. When she looked down she realized she was also in a formal gown. It was utterly beautiful. The dark red dress was just short of touching the ground and had beautiful stitching decorating it along the bottom. She wouldn't have had anything going over her shoulders except for a piece of fabric that helped hold up the dress and added as decoration. It was a lighter shade of red and rang along the top of the dress on front and back, looping around Asuka's arms as well.
Raising an eyebrow, Asuka took his hand and drew closer. Shinji wrapped an arm around Asuka and they fell into step with the dance. They swung about, the image of a content couple in perfect harmony.
"And what's the point of this?" Asuka asked.
"To see if you can stand my company. Here everyone considers us to be married."
"But we're only fourteen!"
A brief smile appeared on Shinji's face before it completely changed. Asuka's eyes went wide as she saw a more mature and handsome Shinji standing before her.
"S-Shinji?"
"At the age of twenty-five. And you, twenty-four."
"What the hell is this!" Asuka demanded.
"As you said, we were too young."
"Well Mrs. Ikari, you certainly are lucky."
The two separated, Asuka almost jumping away. She spun around and saw another woman with short brown hair and pale green eyes standing before them. She was dressed in a white dress and smiled at the couple.
"What? Who are you?"
"What? I'm hurt. But then again, you probably never wanted to remember me."
"Asuka, this is Mana. Remember?"
Her eyes narrowing, Asuka recalled knowing a girl named Mana. She had been interested in Shinji and Asuka had felt rather jealous at their relationship. Wait, jealous? Asuka shook her head, driving that thought out. Mana interpreted that a different way.
"So you actually did forget me. Well, can't say I blame you."
"No I remember," Asuka managed to say civilly, "I was just thinking about something else."
"Oh. Well, I hope the two of you are happy."
That snapped Asuka back to reality. When she looked around, she saw that the mood in the ballroom was cheerful. No one seemed to have any worries here. Why was that? Then Asuka asked herself that question. Why the happiness? It didn't seem right for some reason. But then she felt Shinji's arms around her. They felt right. It was comforting to have him hold her. She could remember him hugging her only once before. Was that it?
"Well, I hope the two of you will be happy. Bye."
Mana backed away and disappeared into the crowd. Asuka couldn't help but feel relieved that she was gone. It felt more comfortable being with Shinji while no one else watched.
"Do you know what I mean now?" Shinji asked.
"Yes. Yes, I think I do. This is more than just a simple test of my psyche, pride, or strength. This is a test of love as well. The love that you knew I had for you. Very clever, Messiah. No, it's Shinji pulling the strings, isn't it?"
"Of course."
Asuka smiled and leaned back against Shinji.
"The Messiah always loved humanity as a whole too much. He never could concentrate on a single human. Unlike you."
"There is truth in that. My compassion is my weakness. My kindness is not focused, and thus neither am I. What about you?"
"What about me? I am vain, cruel, and evil. What is there to me?"
"You are capable of kindness, deserving of happiness, and willing to sacrifice to achieve a goal. Admirable qualities, don't you think?"
"You seem to forget the other aspects of me," said Asuka, "I am the Antichrist."
"And I am the Messiah. But remember, these mean nothing unless we want them to."
Asuka frowned and pulled away. She turned around and faced Shinji, their eyes meeting.
"You want to run away, don't you?"
"I want you to not fight," Shinji replied, "I want you to see what I have to offer you."
"A generous offer, but I like mine better," said Asuka, "There will be a final battle no matter what."
"As you say, Asuka."
The scenery changed once more to the valley. This time, everything was peaceful. Life was plentiful and lush, flowers and trees covering the land.
"What?"
"You are at peace. Do not deny it. You enjoyed the time with me."
Asuka smiled. "Of course I enjoyed my time with you. But all good things must end."
"Only if you end it. The choice is yours."
"No. The choice is ours. What we choose will determine the end. The end justifies the means, Shinji."
"The end never justifies the means. You should know that already. If you destroy something you try to protect in order to save it, you still failed to protect it."
"What philosophical nonsense. I had expected better from you, Messiah."
"And I had expected more perception from you, Antichrist."
Asuka frowned. This was the first time Shinji had actually addressed her by that title. Did that mean something? No, of course not.
"Is this all?" Asuka asked.
"No. One last thing before we begin."
Again the valley disappeared. Asuka was starting to get annoyed at the scene changes. However, the moment she realized where they were a sense of horror gripped her.
"No. Anywhere but here. Please! Anywhere!"
"Momma!"
Asuka spun around to see a younger version of herself running down the hallway.
"I've been selected!"
"No! Don't go there! Don't open that door!"
Asuka broke off into a run and tried to stop the little girl. As she moved, she felt as if she was running through molasses. No matter what, the girl was always ahead of her. She was too late to stop the little Asuka. The door flung open and revealed Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu hanging from the ceiling.
"Momma?" the little Asuka said, stunned. She then saw the doll that had its head ripped off.
The real Asuka collapsed and starting sobbing.
"No. I don't want to see this again. No."
She heard footsteps and looked up, seeing Shinji standing next to her.
"This is what caused it all. You pushing me away, unable to accept kindness from anyone, always searching for praise and always trying to win at everything."
"Why are you showing me this? I thought you cared."
"If I didn't show you this, that would be a sign that I didn't care. If I tried to pamper you, you would never accept the pain and move on."
"I don't want to accept pain! I just want to be happy!"
"Moving on is the first step to happiness," said Shinji. He knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder. "That's what I want you to learn. Then you will be happy."
Asuka didn't know what came over her. She suddenly shot up into Shinji's arms, holding onto him tightly and crying on his shoulder.
"Why?"
"Because you are lonely. Just say it. You're lonely."
"I'm lonely."
It was as if a great burden had been lifted off her shoulders. Asuka felt lighthearted and even happy being held by someone that cared for her. She had never thought Shinji would look out for her until after Third Impact. Now, she just didn't want to lose him.
The two were suddenly torn apart and thrown back.
"What? What's going on!" Asuka demanded.
"Midnight."
It didn't take Asuka long to figure out what he meant. The final battle was at hand.
"I won't kill you Shinji, you'll still be alive and we'll still be together after this."
"Likewise, but I will win."
Both drew their weapons and assumed a combat stance. Asuka's Excalibur had a dark fiery aura surrounding it while Shinji's Lance of Longinus glowed brightly. The two charged and at the same instance dropped out of real- time. The world was frozen as the two swung their weapons, blades clashing and power building up from the opposite energies. A giant sphere of energy formed around them, black and white light swirling all around and continued to grow in size. Neither was willing to let the other gain an advantage so they kept on pushing. Finally the sphere exploded but the two were still there, pressing their blade against the other.
"You can't win," Asuka insisted.
"Neither can you."
Their weapons slipped off and both jumped back before charging again. Shinji attacked from the side and Asuka quickly blocked it. He then twirled his lance, pushing Asuka's sword to the side while at the same time bringing down the other blade on the other end. Asuka barely got her sword up in time to block the swipe. She pushed the lance away and launched her own offensive. Driving forward, Asuka flew towards Shinji and was nearly upon him when he disappeared.
Asuka slid to a stop and looked around. Where had he gone? Out of nowhere Shinji reappeared and kicked her in the back, sending her flying. She flipped back onto her feet and tried attacking again. Shinji expected her to try the same tactic again but Asuka had a little surprise for him. Instead of just diving in Asuka created a shockwave and sent it his way. This was totally unexpected and threw Shinji back several feet before he recovered.
"Neat trick," he commented, "Let's try something more advanced."
Shinji started thickening the air with static electricity. After he had built up enough of a charge he launched it at Asuka. The charge continued to build up from all the free static in the air and when it struck Asuka it had the strength of a lightning bolt. Asuka tried to use her sword to block it and it was surprisingly effective considering it was metal. However she couldn't stand her ground and got flung back. Shinji wasted no time in lunging for her. He suddenly ran into a wall of fire and was repelled. When he got back up, Asuka was looking at him defiantly.
"You aren't the only one capable of tricks," she said proudly.
"Impressive. But you'll have to do better than that."
Shinji drew the moisture from the air and drenched the fire wall. It dissipated quickly. Asuka responded by throwing wind at Shinji. He sliced right through them with his lance and then created ice by drawing on more moisture and sucking their heat away. Asuka's feet were then frozen to the ground and she struggled to free them. Shinji then used the warmth he had gathered to create a firestorm and set it upon her.
"Think again!" Asuka shouted.
She raised one hand and all of the fire was drained into it. The ice melted and Asuka was once again ready to fight.
"Should have figured. Fire is your element."
Shinji summoned a tidal wave from out of thin air and tried to flood out Asuka. She merely evaporated the water with a flaming aura that now surrounded her.
"I've tapped into my true powers. Have you?" she asked.
Asuka slammed her sword into the ground and a pentagram of fire erupted beneath her. The fire started gathering and soon a massive dragon appeared, composed purely out of flames. She raised her sword and pointed at Shinji. The dragon took off and sped towards him. Smiling, Asuka knew this would be the end.
The dragon flew at full speed, roaring as it went. Shinji made no move to dodge but simply stood there. At the last moment white light flared and the dragon rammed into something. It completely dissipated, leaving Shinji unharmed.
"What!" Asuka screamed, "How is this possible?"
"The answer is yes," Shinji said, "I have also tapped into my true powers."
Asuka squinted and saw a large spherical forcefield protecting Shinji. The power it took to have stopped that attack would have been astronomical, and yet somehow he had done it. Asuka went into a rage and charged again. Shinji lowered his shield but didn't counterattack. He merely dodged every swing or blow, moving far faster than Asuka.
After her last attack Asuka was starting to get frustrated. Shinji wasn't going to give in willingly so she needed to take him down in one blast. The two stood there, each waiting for the other to make their move.
"You're good," Asuka said, "A lot stronger than I could ever have imagined."
"I'll take that as a compliment. But that does not mean you will win."
"On the contrary. I will win this no matter what."
"Even if it means killing me?"
Asuka faltered at that statement.
"What?"
"As long as I live, you will never win. But if you live, I can still win."
"I see. Though I am not sure I believe you. But then again, let's finish this, shall we?"
The power Asuka was gathering into her hands started burning the very air around her. The ground was suddenly set ablaze and was burning through even the dirt. Her eyes shone with redness and her hair started flowing all over the place. The very ground she stood upon cracked open and disintegrated.
Shinji knew what was coming and he had to stop it. He began running towards Asuka, putting as much energy as possible into the lance. Light and fire flared as both drew on all of their reserves for this final finish. The lance hummed with power as it continued to receive more. For a while it looked as if the weapon would explode.
Asuka was finally ready and launched her attack. It struck Shinji right in the face and burnt out his eyes completely. He screamed out in pain as the lance continued to go forth. Shinji kept running and ran Asuka through. There was a sickening crack as the weapon smashed her spinal cord. The power in it burned off most of the nerves and Asuka lost feeling to her legs.
The momentum continued to carry Shinji forward and he crashed into the ground, rolling for a while before finally coming to a stop. He laid there, the lance shattered and broken into tiny pieces. Asuka fell to her knees and then onto her chest. The sword was broken in two, it's blade even now turning into dust. And all was quiet.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The entire world seemed to be on fire as light blazed through it. The black egg was glazed over and erupted in several places. It started shattering and cracks appeared all over. Slowly the souls of billions of people poured out, free from Third Impact. None were aware of what had caused this but then again none were aware of what was happening.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The waters swept across the sand on the beach. The tide making swishing as it flowed across. Two figures lay there, immobile. One was a young woman with striking red hair, the other a young man with short brown hair. Both had their eyes shut as if they were asleep. Both did not stir and simply laid there.
End of Chapter 7
Yes this is shorter than the other chapters, but the entire chapter was supposed to revolve around the situation immediately before the battle and the battle itself. I'm sure there are authors that could have stretched it out but I'll be damned if I try that right now. If you're puzzled about the ending, just think about the title.
Question. What is Toji's sister's name?
Just a side note. I feel no obligation to not kill off characters.
Z98
