DreyonLegacy: Okay, Layra-chan, I'll admit it's possible, but it is still exceedingly difficult to break dance in a straightjacket.

Note for the reader: *…*indicated telepathic speech

Disclaimer: There's been a crackdown on the various file-sharing networks, so I really don't own Eva now. I do own a copy of the "Asuka the Black Knight" video clip, which inspired a chunk of this chapter.

Fourth Impact

Chapter 45: Unit 17's Awakening

"We're here!" Issa exclaimed, hopping out of their stolen truck and onto the cliff. Raiterasho and Kiran descended more slowly, Kiran wary of the sharp drop to either side of them. "Unit 17 is below us."

"In the water?" Kiran peered down the cliff-face. "Are you sure?"

Issa nodded. Suddenly a howl burst out from the cliff as rocks tore themselves loose. An orange glow swirled into being beneath them, descending until it touched the water. The waves spun outward, creating a vacuum as the water flowed away.

Then Unit 17 began to ascend the cliff, smashing in footholds and handholds.

Unit 17 looked down at the humans before it. Its pilot was happy. But the feeling of apprehension only got worse for the Eva. They wanted something that it couldn't, wouldn't give.

It reached a hand out and held it over the three, preparing to flatten the threat. But something held it back. One of the humans, pushing an AT field against Unit 17's hand, said something to the others, and they stepped back.

Unit 17 roared.

Kiran and Issa took off as Raisho's AT field pushed at Unit 17's hand. Kiran held out his own hand, and a stream of orange fire shot out, crashing into Unit 17's chest. Unit 17 didn't even react, so Kiran turned up the power as Issa's winds shrieked and tore at Unit 17.

Unit 17 dug its feet into the cliff and raised its other hand, slicing horizontally over the outcropping. Raisho was knocked aside, and Kiran and Issa were knocked back. A flame shot out and hit it straight in the eye, and Unit 17 screamed, falling back. It grabbed the cliff before it could fall further, Raisho neatly trapped between two fingers. Raisho jumped back and away just as Unit 17 regained its footing.

Its pilot was screaming for it to stop. But it was useless. The pilot was nothing more than a soul now, trapped in the core. Unit 17 was free, and would stay that way.

Another beam of fire lashed out and Unit 17 dodged, hauling itself fully onto the cliff. It towered above the humans. Knowing better than to try and step on the AT-field equipped humans, it resorted to kicking at them, but still to no effect.

A sudden wind buffeted it, pushing it backward.

Issa unleashed another gale, knowing that it would only distract the Eva.

Then Unit 17 shot up its AT field, knocking them all back. She spun her winds around to hit it from behind, and it stumbled forward, barely missing Kiran. He yelped as a huge foot appeared next to him.

Then Raiterasho reached out and touched a mind. It was a strange, inhuman mind, one of blood and death and hatred. A quick lurch and he could see through its eyes, down at the humans below. Just as it tried to grab at one of the humans, Raiterasho took control.

*You are mine now.* Unit 17 roared, trying to force the strange presence from its mind. Losing its footing, it tumbled backwards, falling down toward the sea below.

And it mutated. Armor exploded off, splashing into the swirling waters. The arms grew longer and thinner, as did the legs. Unit 17 continued to shift, its neck and head shrinking until they were no more than an orb buried between the shoulders.

Kiran and Issa looked on in horror as the now headless Unit 17 made its way back up the cliff. It drew a Progressive knife from a shoulder panel and stabbed it down at the three. Issa screamed as her body was torn apart by the blade.

Raisho snarled and shoved his mind back into that of Unit 17. Unit 17 began to raise the knife again, but he held the Eva back, forcing it downward.

Kiran watched in astonishment as the Eva knelt before Raisho, putting the knife back into its sheath and holding a hand out. Raisho hopped onto the outstretched hand, beckoning for Kiran to join him.

"What just happened?"

*That's the power that Lillith granted me.* Said an unfamiliar voice. Kiran stared at Raisho. *I can enter and control minds. I have taken over Unit 17.*

Raisho gestured and Unit 17 rose to its feet, walking slowly forward. Kiran sat down, staring blankly ahead as his mind tried to process what he'd learned.

"We've got an AT field approaching!" shouted Makoto. "Wait…there are three!"

"What blood pattern?" Misato demanded, pulling out her phone to call the Children.

"The Magi aren't returning answers." He replied. "We've got a visual."

Misato stared at the picture in front of her. It was an Eva, a tall, headless Eva.

"Misa-chan!" she shouted into the phone. "Are the others with you?"

Misato snarled at the answer. "Well, get over here as soon as you can. Tell Adamu to go to the northern sector."

She then called Lilliko, telling her to get Takoru and come to NERV.

Lilliko and Takoru arrived quickly, slipping into their Evas and launching to meet the rogue Eva. Just then, a beam of fire flew from Unit 17's hand and smashed Takoru in the chest.

"AH!" He fell back, and Lilliko opened fire on the Eva. Two tiny figures leapt off the Eva's hand, one onto the top of a building, the other gliding to the ground.

"What was that?" Takoru demanded, getting up. He raised the Sword and charged at Unit 17, but was caught by a long arm. Lilliko dodged the Eva's other arm, and slashed at Unit 17 with her ax. Unit 17 merely kicked her aside, grabbing Unit 19's neck as it did so.

"What the—"

Adamu watched as the second person descended to the ground, then opened fire. He managed to shoot off three bullets before a raging fire burst from Kiran, heading straight toward him. He pulled up his AT field and rolled to the side, ducking behind a pile of old debris. He drew the Splinter that Takoru had lent him, and prepared to face his enemy.

Raiterasho made his way across the rooftops, heading toward the center of the city. As he spotted his target, he let go of Unit 17 and ducked into the streets.

He got to NERV quickly and took control of a guard, getting him to open the door. As Raisho slipped inside, he also grabbed the guard's gun and put him to sleep.

As he slid through the passages of NERV, disabling the guards and technicians as he came across them, he could hear the battle raging outside. Unit 17, now free of his control, was even fiercer than before.

He came to a room filled with Bakelite that surrounded his target. He snarled and fired at the red blockade, but the bullet merely became embedded in the stuff.

He made his way up the stairs into the main control room, quickly grabbing a mental hold on everyone in the room. He made Furiko drain the Bakelite and then sent everyone to sleep. He shot the control panels for good measure.

What he hadn't expected was the safety measures installed after Iruel. As soon as he shot the first panel titanium doors began to close all around NERV headquarters. He barely made it into the formerly filled chamber before the door closed behind him.

He looked around and saw another chamber, made of thick titanium. Inside was his target.

He pulled out his gun and shot the guards waiting for him, then stepped into the chamber.

He was met with the strongest AT field he had ever felt.

Lilliko shrieked and brought the ax down again, cutting a notch in Unit 17's elongated arm. As soon as she pulled the blade out, though, another arm burst from the wound, catching her in the face.

She fell back, glaring at the now seven-handed Unit 17. Takoru was on the other side of it, threatening it with the Sword. Though Takoru's sword could chop off limbs without others growing in immediately, Unit 17 always recovered from his attacks as well.

"This is like fighting a hydra!" Takoru exclaimed. Attracted by the sound of his voice, Unit 17 struck. Three arms grabbed Takoru, one on his neck, one on his arm, one of his face. He managed to slice through the arms, but the hands remained attached to his body.

"Damn!" He tried to pull the hands off as they began to spurt LCL.

Ariline urged Unit 16 onward, hoping that she wouldn't be too late. A faint prickle on her back told her that Samantha and Dai-syo had managed to hitch a ride on Unit 16's carapace.

"Ariline, what are you doing?" Samantha demanded.

"Someone's about to set off Impact!" She screamed in reply. "I have to stop them!"

Adamu was flung backwards as a beam of fire took off his left arm. He dropped the Splinter and it fell away.

"Now stand aside worthy adversary." Kiran commanded him.

" 'Tis but a scratch." Adamu object, struggling to his feet.

"A scratch? Your arm's off"

"No it isn't." Adamu replied stubbornly.

"Then what's that?" Kiran pointed to the remains of Adamu's arm, lying in the street.

Adamu looked away contemptuously. "I've had worse."

"You lie." Kiran sounded almost upset at his arrogance. "No matter. I will just have to finish you off."

He unleashed another bolt of fire at Adamu's head but instead of dodging or blocking the blow, Adamu reached out and caught the flames. Kiran stared as Adamu, an AT field around his hand, closed his fingers around the fire and yanked it out of Kiran's grasp.

Kiran screamed as a chunk of his AT field was ripped from him. Adamu took the now limp flame-shaped AT field and attached it to his cauterized shoulder, standing up.

Then Adamu roared.

Raisho pushed at the AT field, with both body and mind, but it was no use. Adam's power was greater than his own. Unless…

Misa could feel something cold touching her AT field, so incredibly cold and dead. And relentlessly hostile. It hurt, like nothing she had ever felt, like the tip of a freezing blade pressed to her throat. Then it was through.

*Hello, Misa-chan*

AN:

Layra-chan: We're finally getting some action! Yay!

DreyonLegacy: *trying very hard not to misinterpret Layra-chan's comment* Yeah, I noticed that the story was getting very dialogue heavy. That, and I wanted to finish the story in less than 60 chapters. At this rate I should be done by about chapter 50-something.

Anyway, I finally managed to get in another reference to the series. Can Angels go berserk? Sync ratio…forget it.