Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion. All characters and other related materials are the property of Gainax.
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Sorry for the delay everybody, I know I left yah hanging. You can blame trigonometry and final fantasy 11 for that. Anyway I'm sorry to say it, but we are getting down to the end here. Expect about 2, maybe 3 chapters more. It's been great writing for everyone, and I cannot believe that I managed to pass 200 reviews. Thank you to everybody who reads, and even more to everyone who reviews. Anyway enough of me talking, here we go:
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"The people are getting nervous."
Gideon nodded.
"Death is a scary thing."
Idan Yakir smiled slightly.
"You talk as if you've been there my friend."
Gideon smiled.
"If I had, I think I would have stayed."
Yakir nodded.
"Yes, sometimes it seems like a wonderful thing I will admit. But if we do not live our lives now, it will be meaningless then."
"Perhaps."
Gideon yawned as a man dressed in a soldier's uniform entered the room carrying a piece of paper.
"Captain."
Gideon looked over at Yakir and spoke.
"You didn't tell me you were a captain."
"You didn't ask," he responded with a smile as he reached out and took the piece of paper the soldier was offering him. His demeanor became quiet and thoughtful as he read it.
"What does it say," Gideon said.
"Unit-02 has arrived from Japan."
He glanced at his watch.
"Better go and greet the pilot formally," he decided.
"Mind if I come along?" Gideon asked.
"Sure. I could use company on the walk over anyway."
Then, with the matter decided, the two men stood and began to make their way to a Hummer vehicle parked outside of the residence and begin the somewhat lengthy drive to the launch base. After about 20 minutes in the car they reached the base, which, like NERV, the majority of was underground, and proceeded into the elevator and down the shaft. After several more moments they came to a stop and emerged into a cavernous room, at the back of which was housed a gigantic red as fire Evangelion.
"Wow."
Yakir laughed.
"Quite amazing aren't they. That red unit there is one of the finest ever built."
The Japanese boy could feel something stirring inside of him, some unknown feeling struggling to escape into his thoughts. He couldn't place it, but there was something about the Eva that frightened him; something about it that both terrified him and excited him at the same time.
"Do you mind if I get a closer look?"
"I don't see why not," Idan said, "Just ask one of the technicians to take you down to the lower bay."
Gideon nodded, and proceeded to the nearest man in a lab coat. From there he was allowed down farther, close enough to touch the red armor.
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Idan Yakir watched the Asian boy for several moments to make sure that he made his way down to the eva safely before turning back to the business that was currently at hand.
"Ahh, Miss Soryu!" he said as the German pilot emerged from the lounge door located to his right.
"Hello Captain…Yakir was it?"
"Yes," he said with a nod, "that is correct."
"Well here I am, and sir, I want you to know that I would happily die in battle defending your country.
Idan found himself somewhat taken aback by that statement, which he felt came out of relatively no where. Why does she want to throw her life away?
"Well…I am glad to hear that, though I hope very deeply that you will not have too.
The red head smiled horribly, as if she knew that they were lying to each other.
"I have been briefed commander, and I honestly don't think this battle will have much of a different outcome."
Idan said nothing. He knew it was true. Things did not look good at the moment, not at all. The German woman caught his gaze, snapped a quick salute, and then retreated back into the lounge area from whence she had come.
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Shinji Ikari found his way back up to the storage bridge area, and located Idan.
"Can I meet the pilot?"
Yakir pondered this question for a moment. He had already brought the man into a government base so he couldn't really think of a good reason why not. He had decided at once that it was best if Gideon stayed by his side as a precaution. NERV Japan had hinted that something like this might take place and he was no fool.
"Sure. She's in the lounge."
With
his confirmation received Gideon turned and walked to the lounge door.
His body felt heavy and he suddenly felt unsure of himself as he opened the
latch. He slowly pushed the door open, and as he did so he felt stunned by
images; feelings and thoughts that he could not attach to memories. The woman
from his dreams, he could see her. She was everywhere, flooded in black and
white.
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"No. That's impossible."
But nevertheless there he was, alive and wonderful. Shinji Ikari seemed to look right through her vacant, and lost. There was something different. His eyes were red and powerful; they were lust and poetry and hate and pain and love.
"Shinji?"
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Shinji
Shinji? Shinji Ikari. I am he. We are the same. Cain. He is me as well. He must be destroyed. I am God. I have returned to this place to save you. This world is mine, and I am corrupt. It must be destroyed. I must destroy this world. I must relinquish heaven and power. I must overcome. I cannot stop. Once it has begun. It will not stop. This is the beginning of the end. I will save them. [I must save her].
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Shinji Ikari began to scream, and then found himself on the cold ground. He became aware that he was bleeding. His eyes felt like they were burning and his skin seemed to desert him. [Grasp. Her grasp].
"Asuka."
Things were becoming clear now. He was not injured, no, he was alive…he remembered.
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"It is ready then?"
"Yes."
"Is it strong enough?"
"Strong enough to annihilate every living thing on this planet."
"Does anyone else know?"
"The president believes it is only half as strong."
"Is that why he authorized this?"
"Yes. Though it would have occurred regardless."
Cain nodded.
"We must wait until Ikari returns to Japan. He would not sacrifice the lives of his friends. We will need a distraction if all 9 children as well as the I I I are to be in the same place at the same time."
Keel smiled slightly.
"The invasion will begin shortly."
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"They are within 12 hours of our borders sir."
Yakir nodded.
"What is it they want? Unconditional surrender?"
"Well I'm sure they had that in mind as well, but it seems as if they are demanding that we turn over a man named Shinji Ikari."
"Damnit. All right. Find Gideon, I have something I need to speak with him about."
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When Shinji Ikari woke he found himself in a darkened hotel room. As he slowly opened his eyes he found a second pair to be gazing into his own. Asuka Langley Soryu lay naked upon the comforter of the bed, her chin resting on Shinji's chest as she watched him wake. She crawled her body forward, her face level with that of the third child, supporting her weight on her outstretched arms. He reached his hands out to the sides of her face and began to kiss her; to embrace her fully.
"Shinji…"
Her voice rang clear to him. He had defied death for it, returned from a state of absolute bliss simply to hear it call to him again. And soon he became aware that he was alive again. [Pain]. Yes, the wonderful pain of existence had filled him again.
It was different this time; it always was with Asuka, more exciting and wonderful than it had ever been before. He reached his arms out, pulling her body down upon his own.
"I love you…" She said as she began kissing him again.
Her kisses were wet; she was crying.
"Please don't cry, Asuka."
"I…I just can't believe that you are with me again."
Shinji smiled.
"I guess someone up there must like you."
Asuka made an effort to wipe the tears from her eyes as Shinji allowed his hand to slide down her chest, continuing down farther over her breasts, navel, still farther. This was life, birth, and death. Existence in its purest. [This place has become defiled by my thoughts, by my taint upon its being. I will return it to true perfection; back to true existence.]
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"Please don't to this to me."
The sun was scorchingly hot.
"It will be alright in the end."
"Please…Oh…Oh God please no."
"I'm sorry Asuka. I can't be responsible for the blood of these people."
"Please don't leave me again."
"I love you."
"Don't say that to me. Don't do this."
The red metal glint of unit-02 cast itself ominously upon the desert sand.
"It will be alright. I will see you again, before the end."
"I kissed him. I kissed Cain."
"I know."
"Do you hate me? Is that why you are doing this?"
"No."
"I hate you."
"I know."
Asuka Langley Soryu found her words meaningless.
"I love him. I love Cain."
Shinji nodded.
"I know. That is why you are pure, Asuka. That is why we returned to each other after the third impact. Your love is pure, absolute, and eternal. Cain and I are one and the same. Your love for him only proves how much I really mean to you."
Asuka pulled Shinji into a tight embrace, her head resting against his chest.
"Shut up. You better come to back me. If you leave me alone again I don't know what I'll do. I just love you too goddamn much."
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"All right listen up Shinji. The exchange is to be made right out in the middle of the field. They say that if we give you over peacefully there won't have to be any fighting. This is your last chance. Are you sure that you want to do this?"
"I will not be responsible for the destruction of this country or its people."
Idan Yakir nodded, starting the ignition of the jeep. Shinji looked back from the passenger seat as they drove away, observing the small line of Evangelions behind them, the red unit-02 standing tall in the middle. 7 Evangelions against 20.
"I suppose I've had worse odds," Shinji mused.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
The shot came unexpectedly, throwing the jeep onto its side and launching sand into the air. Shinji felt himself make contact with the yellow earth, and then sound seemed to elude him as the Evangelions began to charge across the desert.
And then it was before him; A walking metal beast taller than a skyscraper, Man's defiance of God: The Evangelion. Shinji reached to his side and pulled the Wraith blade from its simple sheath. The Eva stepped, attempting to crush him under its sizable mass. Shinji Ikari was faster, rolling to the side of his death. Again it stepped; again he dodged. The Blade: He inserted it into the massive steel ankle, letting the angelic menace step through its own adversary. It buckled, its broken ankle pulling it down to the sand. Shinji glanced upwardly as it fell upon him, activating his AT field as its metallic carcass enveloped him. An Explosion: A Cross of white light emanating from the man, no, from the holy land from which it was born.
After the light faded a boy with white hair, red eyes, and a sword gleaming under the hot desert sun remained. There was a black mark upon his cheek, and the boy pulled his simple buttoned shirt from his body, revealing his other scars, if that is what one would call them. They appeared more as tattoos now, ornate and wonderful. The cross shaped one on his chest had grown. It twisted and spread upon his chest, joining with the other black cuts along his shoulders. The boy, no, the god made now movement as seven mighty Evangelions charged past him, hurling themselves into battle, the red one passing directly over his head.
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"Engage! Engage! For God's sake there are only 7 of them!"
"Roger that!"
The German soldier pulled his progressive knife and immediately went for the throat of his Israeli attacker. The German man was well trained, with a synch ratio of 71%, far above average for most Gamma pilots. His blade sunk easily through the neck armor of his opponent, spilling LCL onto the sands below. He pushed the blade in still deeper, vying to tear the jugular entirely. It was at this time that he noticed a man upon the Eva's shoulder. The man stepped from shoulder onto the razor steel of his prog knife, and proceeded to use it as a bridge onto his own Evangelion. The German man looked down upon the red eyed man on his shoulder; he watched as the he began to float upwards until they were eye level. He swatted at the nuisance with his massive robotic arm. Light: An orange flash. The German man began to scream as he felt his arm begin to melt from the side of his body. He observed in horror as the boy extended his arm in front of him. Then he felt a massive wave of force, as if two gigantic magnets were forced to oppose each other. Light and sound ceased, and then his existence faded to black.