Reality Redux
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy

Wolfie: Shouldn't you be doing the disclaimer?
DC: We're on important Kari's Angels business*Playing Super Smash Bros with AAUK*
Wolfie: This is important?
AAUK: Darn' tootin'.
Wolfie: Oh, but I don't want to do it... TA! GET OVER HERE!
TA: What?
Wolfie: Can you do the disclaimer?
TA: MY MOMENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT! AAUK and DC do not own Digimon, or Neon Genesis Evangelion, or-
AAUK: NOOO!!!!!
DC: Eat my dust!
TA: I give up

Chapter 25 - Neon Genesis Redux

FLOWER CANNON!

ANGELIC SCYTHE!

POSITRON RIFLE! Shouted Shinji, who was really getting into the spirit of things now.

Good griefHe'll start calling it Unit Onemon in a minute. Lamented Asuka.

No he won't. Trust me. Said a voice behind her. Asuka twisted around in her seat to stare directly at a boy with dark brown hair and blue green eyes. The boy, in fact, that she had seen in the park and was now outside trying to fight the Angel. Perhaps a few years older, but undeniably the same person. Aside from the fact that he hadn't been there when she had activated the unit, and how he could be here when he was there, there were a few odd things about him. One was the fact that he wasn't causing noise in the Nervous system, two was that he wasn't showing up on any of the monitors, three was that, despite the plug being filled with LCL, he was bone dry, and number four was that he was see-through. Asuka could quite plainly see the wall behind him. He waved at her.

he said, grinning. I won't come all the way through because it would mess up the synch ratio – Foreign bodies and all that, but as long as I stay half way through the tear, I can still talk to you and stuff. Now, listen closely, because I'm going to tell you how to defeat this Angel. You can't see' the Angel because it's bending the light around it's body. The body you can see is a refraction caused by it's AT field.

But we're neutralising it's –

I know. The Angel has a secondary AT field, a few millimetres away from it's body. The primary field has a larger radius, and that combined with the AT fields of the EVA's themselves means that HQ can't detect the secondary field. The physical body of the Angel is about 50 metres North of the image, and it's spewing the gas forward into the decoy. It's physical body is very weak, so you need to circle around until you detect the AT field, then stab it with your Prog knife.

how do you know all this?

Because you're going to tell me after the battle.

But how can you even be here if you're there?

I promise that you'll find out in the fullness of time. Now go kick some ass.

Silence reigned in the building where the Digidestined waited. Sora was fighting off a compulsion to sleep when Jun stood up and announced loudly
I'm going home. Sora blinked sleepily. Jun had been uncharacteristically quiet recently, but as she looked at her, her eye began to take in the small details. The way she swayed slightly when she stood. The look of fatigue in her eyes.

I'm going home. There's nothing I can do.

Davis started to say, but Jun cut him off with a wave of her hand.

Hear me out. I was just sitting at home, and all of a sudden I've been dragged into a new world, and I went along with you all because you looked like you knew what you were doing, and now it turns out you're meant to be doing world saving stuff, and we've been nearly killed more times than I care to remember, and what have I done? Nothing! I'm not a Digidestined, or anything special! I'm no help! Even Wolfie is useful! I can't go on anymoreI justI just She collapsed against the wall, tears rolling openly down her face, hugging her knees to her chest. There was a silence of the variety known as awkward. Yolei gestured frantically at Matt.

Me?' mouthed Matt silently.

You.' Mouthed the others in chorus. Matt sighed, thumped his head against the wall theatrically, and awkwardly put his arm around her. There, there he began, less than comfortably.

Don't cry, Jun Motamiya. Said a familiar voice softly from the doorway. Sora looked up sharply.

Mother? What are you doing here? Jasmine smiled. With her long hair down, her mother looked very western, Sora noticed.

Alzari goes where Alzari is needed, Sora. Sora blinked. She had heard that word before

"You are the gatekeeper, a chosen one, the one prophesied to end the Unification with the last of the Takenouchi-Alzari line." That was what Gennai had said before Angelus took up his sword. But the last of the Takenouchi-Alzari line? How could Ben be the last if she was his sister? And mother made it sound more like a title than anything else

Jasmine turned to Jun. Do not despair, Jun. You will have played your part by the end. And if we are successful she bent down and whispered in the girls ear. Jun's eyes widened.

Confirmed Jasmine, an amused smile running across her face. She stood up. And now I must depart. To thwart the Unification, we must all play our parts. And then she left.

What did she say? Asked Matt curiously. Jun grinned, and wiped her eyes dry.

That would be telling. She teased. And I don't want anything to ruin the surprise for you. Matt had a bad feeling about this.

Well done, Asuka! We'd never have realised that until it was too late, if we'd realised it at all. How did you figure it out? Asked Misato.

Oh, it was obvious when I thought about it. Boasted Asuka with a flick of her hair. A thought occurred to her. If she did tell Idiot Boy from the park, he might let it slip that she hadn't come up with the plan. Why not just keep it quiet, her own secret?

I wouldn't do that. His voice said from behind her once more. This time, Asuka kept looking forward in the entry plug.

Why shouldn't I?

Because if you don't tell me now, I can't tell you then, and then you'd loose the battle.

Misato, where are those two with the Digimon?

We've put them into one of the holding cells until we decide what to do about them. Why?

Oh, no reason.

Well, so much for gratitude. Sighed Myotismon, leaning against one of the cell walls.

Agreed Ben. But you can't really blame them. He and Mimi were sitting side by side on the bunk' of the cell.

It must have been quite a suprise. Mimi acknowledged.

How long have we been in here? asked Palmon.

About five minutes. Said Mimi.

"I'd say that was long enough, wouldn't you? asked Mimi's mon.

Grinned Ben, sitting up.

Care to do the honours?

CRIMSON LIGHTNING! Red lightning spewed from the Ultimate's fingers towards the cell door.

He'll melt through in a second. Ben noted clinically.

Came a voice from the other side. We're opening the door, okay?

Took your time, didn't you?

Sora was once again on the brink of sleep. She fought the urge, because she wanted to be awake when Angelus arose, which could be any minute now couldn't it?
That was Kari's voice. Get some rest.

she murmured.

"Sora. Gatomon said sharply. She raised her head to look at the cat, and suddenly all she could see where Gatomon's eyes. Go to sleep, Sora. In the face of thatcompelling gaze, she could do very little else.

We truly live in strange times, Ikari. Fuyutski said amiably, as they watched the strangers being forcibly ejected out of NERV. All charges had been dropped on the condition that they Never do that again, ever. Please.'

Will this affect the schedule?

I see no reason why it should. I have no doubt that the old men at SEELE will inform me soon enough.

Are you sure we should just release them?

Section three will be watching them.

Sora raised her head sharply. Wherever she was, it wasn't the abandoned house. At least, she didn't think so. All she could see around her was a thick, cloying mist that obscured her vision. Butthere. Three shapes were forming ahead of her, becoming a bit clearer each minute

What now?

I vote we go back to the park, and get back. I feel fine, and we've still got the little matter of the Unification to deal with. Said Ben.

You can't go back. Said Ben's voice, which surprised Ben, as he hadn't said anything.

Behind you. I remember thinking the same thing. They turned around. Sitting on a bench behind Ben and Mimi was Ben. He waved at them.

This Ben was a couple of years older, and didn't look that different himself. But Mimi couldn't help noticing that Myotismon wasn't with him, and nor was the staff. What he did have with him was blue, and looked like a small dragon with a body roughly a foot and a half long, with it's long tail wrapped comfortably around his neck, and it's wings folded along it's back. It was perched happily on his shoulder, as if it had just eaten the parrot. He nodded amiably at her. He ignored Myotismon.

asked Ben.

Advice, me, or should I say you, dimensional tear, and because I remember me doing this to me then ,so I must do it to me now, to answer my questions. He answered, then rolled his eyes. Thank Gods I don't have to do this more than two or three times. Temporal linguistics are a real nuisance. Anyway, back to business. Can I have a word, Ben? In private?

I'm sure I know best. Said Ben, recovering from the initial shock. He didn't think anything would surprise him anymore. He lead himself off to one side.

You know, they say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness. Ben murmured to his elder self.

I remember that, but I've never found out who exactly they' are. Which is a bit surprising, really, given the places I'll go. I have gone to, you will go, I mean.

I know what I mean. Why am I here? I know that Temporal Displacement means this is strictly impossible, and – Wait a second, how did I know that?

Same mind, same soul. Things are bound to leak across from my thoughts to yours, and visa-versa. There was a brief silence.

That bastard! exploded Ben.

I'm going to kill him! Ben seethed.

His other self said. It was a statement rather than acceptance of his anger, but Ben was too angry to notice. I'm going to rip his head off and shove it up his arse! Ben ranted furiously. His other self walked back over to Mimi.

We'd better give me a minute. I remember I didn't calm down for a good while.

What just

I heard some news I didn't like.

Are you really Ben?

He laughed. No-one's called me Ben in a long, long time. It doesn't exactly command respect as a name. No-one knows Ben. But everyone knows Alzari.

Is that a Digimon? Palmon asked curiously. Alzari smiled, his features tinged with what may have been regret.

I don't trust many Digimon any more. No, this is a Fire Lizard. Say hello, Raine. The small Dragonet chirped a welcome at Mimi, still holding onto Alzari's shoulder with sharp foreclaws. The next instant, it gave off what sounded like a warning, looking intently at something not yet visible. Alzari seemed to listen carefully, then his features set grimly.

To Be Continued....

Sora: Where have I ended up? What did Ben find out? Did anyone understand those conversations? Where is Asuka? Two people know the answers

DC/ AAUK: *Clustered around the KA N64*
DC: BOMB! THROW A BOMB!
AAUK: I CAN'T! IT KEEPS CHASING ME!
DC: KEEP TRYING!

Kari's Angels - Where your sanity goes to die: http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/