Disclaimer: Check the Prologue.
---
AN: First, I would like to present my apologies. I was heading towards an epic finale with little or no battle, but… I've changed my mind! No, we won't see JSSDF or the MP EVAs make an appearance… My apologies are also directed towards the lack of preparations I didn't place in The Seventh Rule, with Shinji rallying his men and stuff, in order to (try to) create some suspense. However, I don't think it was for the best now… Sigh Oh well, you be the judge, dear reader…
Finally, this is a tad bit bigger than the previous chapters, so it might be a good idea to assure yourselves that you have enough time for it… Just for the record, in MS Word, it's 11 pages (12 with the AN), text in size 12 and justified.
To nicknack: Yes, I made another mistake for not describing the whys. My bad, so, in the dire hope for forgiveness, this chapter is starting with it.
To blazork: Well, I respectively noted the movie, because I STILL haven't read the book (though it's on my list)…
---
This is narrative.
"This is a dialogue."
"THIS IS SHOUTING."
'This is a quote/EMPHASIS made either during a dialogue or narrative.'
These are thoughts.
These are mouthed and facial expressions before, during, and after, a dialogue.
This tells where and when the following happens.
(These will be Author Notes)
---
---
"If this is your first night at Fight Club you have to fight."
-Tyler Durden
Four Days After The Previous Chapter
18:58
Katsuragi/Ikari/Sohryu ResidenceThe mellow sound of the cello kept bouncing against every wall in the living room, always departing from Shinji, but, ultimately, always returning to him, thanks to him, and Section-2, by keeping the house locked and closed… However, if one would peek his inner-self, one would discover that, in whole, the only effort Shinji had in his playing, were the fingers following a random rhythm, for his brain was busy. Busy with stopping NERV and SEELE's egotistical and maniacal attempt to elevate Humankind to a higher level. At the beginning, he wouldn't oppose. Who knows, it might present everyone the unique chance for complete understanding of the entire world. However, if one would read the exceedingly minute letters at the bottom-end of the contract of evolution, one would read 'All personal and intimate desires, as well as emotions, will be removed!' … Yes, indeed such would be. The ultimate problem with the absolute perfection is boredom! And Third Impact, and its dire consequences, would be no different. There would be no more individuality, no more separate minds. All would be one, billions of humans would, simply, cease to exist, and all would form one, and only one, being, one omniscient, omnipresent conscience, upon the planet, which would be littered with ruins of the civilization Mankind had formed, perfected, and kept, at all times… Littered with the haunting ghosts from before, from when an individual could feel some sort of an emotion… From when an individual could still feel alive, ever close to Death's grasp, and ever fighting it, just to breathe one last time… From when an individual could smile or cry, could feel lucky or honoured for sharing intimate moments with his partner or loved one, or for feeling unworthy or devastated when hearing the phone call, or reading the letter, telling him that they were no longer a couple…
No, NERV and SEELE had to be stopped. Defending Mankind from the utter annihilation by the Angels was one thing, but this… This was far too much to even be categorized.
TWAANGG Snapping his head up, he blinked rapidly, and looked at his cello, where he saw that his line of thinking had made him break a cord. Laughing, he rested the cello on the floor, and rose. Stretching his limbs and torso, he went to his bedroom, where, rifling through his closet, he took out a small carton package, and removed a new cord. Holding it, he returned to the chair in the living room, where he sits down, picks up his cello, and replaces the broken cord.
Attuning the cello by ear, he spends a few moments enthralled by the tunes. Suddenly, he hears the apartment door opening itself. He then hears several familiar voices, further prompting his attention. He sees Asuka enter, with Hikari siding her, both followed by Kensuke and Touji. Kensuke, diverting his attention to him, says
"Hey Shinji, everything's all right with you?" which was followed by a barbed remark from Touji, though it pointed to another theme.
"Oy Shinji, I understand you don't want to get out of here, thanks to Misato, but living with a red-headed demon like OUCH – now with Hikari holding his right ear, he said, on a more subdued tone- Come on, Class Rep., we're no longer in class!"
Hikari, smirking, replied
"That doesn't stop me from defending a friend, does it?" By her last two words, though, her tone had gained strength, therefore stating her dominance, much to Touji's chagrin.
Shinji, smiling, said
"Strange, Touji, I thought you didn't mind when she would do that."
Hikari, confused, asked him what he meant, though, by Touji's panicked look, one could foretell Shinji's answer.
"You know what I mean. – Shinji was making a circular motion with his index finger, along with a gradual raise from his eyebrows – Seriously, all things considered; I never thought he would mind you tou-" Shinji, however, was not able to end his statement, due to Touji tackling him to the ground, cello and chair included.
Touji, on top of Shinji, used both hands to cover his mouth, and whispered at Shinji's ear
"One word and you'll regret it!" He then, slowly, raised his hands from his mouth, which allowed Touji to see that Shinji was smiling, with his dark blue eyes full of glee. Now a bit confused about it, he was going to ask, but was impeded by a swift smack on the back of his head, by Hikari, of course.
"Enough, Touji. Have you no shame doing this to a friend?"
Touji, rubbing the area hit with his left hand, raised his gaze to Hikari, whom was very 'VERY' close to him. Needless to say, that both Touji and Hikari remained in their position, gazing into each other's eyes, with a grinning audience.
Hikari, hearing someone clears her throat quite loudly, blinks, and notices what she was doing. Straightening herself, she looks down, at her own shoes, and looks to Asuka, whom was grinning like the Cheshire cat. Actually, Asuka, Shinji, and Kensuke, were adorning such facial expressions…
Taking a few steps back, with a heavy blush covering her cheeks, she watches Touji get off from Shinji, whom was also blushing quite strongly. Shinji, rubbing his sore stomach, picks up the chair and cello and puts them in an appropriate position. Asuka, shaking her head, while grinning, grabs Hikari's right hand, and drags her to her bedroom, thus leaving the Three Stooges in the living room. Shinji goes to the kitchen, while pointing to the balcony of the apartment. Kensuke nods and goes to it, Touji following him, still with a blush in his face.
Shinji opens the refrigerator, and takes three soda cans, and heads to the balcony. He opens the glass door, and steps outside, joining his two friends, Touji leaning against the wall, and Kensuke sit on a fake-wood chair. Giving a soda to each, he leans against the parapet. Touji, lightly scowling, said
"Damn, Shinji, I don't need to be humiliated in front of her…"
Shinji, with a fake-innocent smile, replied
"Look at the good side, at least she'll know that you reciprocate her feelings for you!"
Touji, looking at the floor, nods slowly, while drinking from his can, before halting, can still in his lips, and looks forward rapidly, spitting the juice he had been drinking, thus causing him to choke. Touji, now bent over, asks Shinji, along with furious coughing
"What COUGH, COUGH what do you mean, 'reciprocate'?" COUGH
Kensuke, smiling condescendingly while shaking his head, answers
"Even I have figured out that Hikari likes you! Will you just open your eyes, and ask her out on a date?"
Touji, coughing subsided, walks to the parapet, and spends a few moments gazing in silence at the scenery, before turning to Shinji, with an inquisitive look, to which Shinji replied with a serene smile and a confident nod. Touji licks his lips, and asks, while looking at the sky
"Alright, does anyone know a good restaurant for a date?" which elicited a pair of triumphant smiles from his buddies. Shinji, smiling, said
"I'll ask Misato, she must know some…"
Kensuke, now with a conniving grin, asked Shinji
"Yes, from what we've heard, Shinji, you'll be wanting to do that. Actually, Touji, you might even form-up a double date: you with Hikari, and Shinji with Rei!"
Shinji displayed a look of confusion, while Touji was now bearing a wolfish grin.
"What do you mean, Kensuke? I and Rei are not dating each other!"
"Are you sure, Shinji? From what the Demon told us and the rest of the class, you and Rei are getting along together quite well…"
Shinji, with an arched eyebrow, asked
"She told you about the, so-called, 'incident' Rei and me 'provoked' at NERV?" to which the two Stooges answered with a grinning nod.
Shinji, still leaning against the parapet, took several deep breaths, before he replied, with a somewhat-exhausted voice
"Look, in another scenario, I wouldn't mind a bit, becoming Rei's boyfriend, but… But she doesn't need one, yet! No, right now, what she needs most is a best friend, someone to trust, not a lover… I'm leaving any intimate relations with her to the possible future…"
Kensuke, with a tone carrying either intrigue or concern, asked him
"Why? What's wrong with her, right now?"
Shinji replied with a negative shake of his head, followed by his right index finger leaning against his pressed-lips…
---
22:04
Katsuragi/Ikari/Sohryu Residence"Misato, I'm taking the garbage outside!" Shinji exits the apartment, carrying a medium-sized brown plastic bag. He heads to the elevator, which he calls, and spends a minute, facing the doors, humming. The doors open, he enters, and presses the button for the ground level. He leans against the wall, opposite of the doors, and watches the numbers of the floors receding, descending. Almost another minute passes, before the elevator doors open again, he exits the elevator, and walks through the entry door of the building, waves to several posts of Section-2, and goes to the back of the building, therefore reaching the garbage-disposal location, where he lowers his bag, in the small vacant space for Misato's apartment. He was turning to head back to the apartment, when he saw an envelope attached to one of the walls of this space. Crouching, he grabs it, and retrieves a small letter inside. Positioning himself so that he didn't cast shadows to the letter, he reads its text to himself, which conveyed
"Shinji, everything's ready! Everybody agrees that NERV and SEELE must be stopped! Your plan is being carried out as you read this: I've managed to get trustworthy personnel to sabotage the Phi (1) Objective, in all SEELE's locations. The end is the same; however the means will depend to each, due to impossibility to acquire the weapons you deemed best. As for ours, the Triad has been prepared. Also, Psi and Omega's (1) Objectives have been found. Psi will be waiting for you, in your Cage. Omega is stationed in Terminal Dogma. Ayanami knows it; she's already been there before. As for our means to carry it out, I and a couple of others have created a program to protect you and give you and Ayanami some time to act. Just twenty to thirty seconds, but it should be enough, considering the Goals of this operation. The program will initiate in a time-set, but it should be no problem for Dr. Akagi to terminate it. Upon such, I will activate our Phi Objective myself, don't worry for its backups; I have placed several explosive devices, linked to the others, in their safeguard location. This reminds me, in three days from now, at 16:00, 'training' in a virtual-scenario will take place. We believe this is the most appropriate time to set the Plan in motion. All our other members have been notified, and they will act at the same time as us. As one, NERV and SEELE will lose its head! Before I forget, two men will be in place, in Terminal Dogma, waiting for either you or Ayanami, or both, for you to proceed with the Omega Objective. During the stage, they'll help you reach a safe location before completion of the same. Finally, as for the Chi (1) Objective, we have managed to get Ibuki to complete it for us. She doesn't know what she'll be doing, and by the time she does; it will already be too late to stop it. Hopefully, all four concluded objectives will prevent NERV and SEELE from initiating a Third Impact. I'll see you in three days from now. Until then… P.S.: Ayanami has already been briefed, like you, on the timetable! P.S.S.: Needless to tell you that you have to destroy this letter!"
Shinji, openly grinning, laughed for a moment, and then swallowed the letter, hoping that the ink wouldn't give him any intestinal problems…
---
Three days laterFemale lockers, NERV HQ, Geofront
I can't let that baka-hentai score's surpass mine… Never… With a committed look on her face, Asuka took off her clothes, preparing herself for the training in a staged-scenario to be occurred shortly. She then heard Rei's inquisitive voice
"Pilot Sohryu, can I ask you something?"
Asuka, raising only an eyebrow, hummed to her, giving her own allowance.
"If something… un-natural, unlawful, occurs, will you follow orders from the Commander, no matter what?"
Asuka, with a confused-and-bored expression, said
"What? Why? Are you and Shinji making an open rebellion, or something? – Now her voice was manlier, with her right fist high in the air – We demand freedom and right of speech! Laugh Please, as if that baka would ever stand 'THAT' much against his father…"
"You have not answered my question. Would you follow their orders, even if they contained something that it would hurt you intimately?"
Asuka, just turning her head a bit to her, replied in an angered tone
"Yeah, I might not like it, but we're pilots under their command. Our concurrence isn't an issue for us. We follow their orders, and that's it!"
"I see…" Rei's tone now had a margin of sadness. Intrigued, she turned to her, managing to catch, just in time, two deep-magenta pools staring at her. That and a white clothe being raised to her mouth by Rei's right hand. Recognizing the scent of chloroform, she started to moan, in high-pitches, as well as try and force it away from her. However, a few heartbeats past, she felt her own eyelids grow quite heavy, and her consciousness fleeing from this material plane…
---
A few minutes afterThe corridor outside the Female Lockers Area
Exiting the Area, Rei spotted Shinji leaning against the wall, wearing his Plug Suit, gazing at her with an expectant look. Rei, with an affected expression, gave Shinji simply a nod. Shinji, hard-pressing his lips, moved away from the wall, approached, and grabbed her shoulders, comfortingly, while staring at her eyes. He then murmured
"Are you ready, Rei?"
Rei, giving him a small smile, grabbed his cheeks with her hands, lowered his head, and gave him a small kiss on his forehead. Then, raising his head at her eye-level, she, slowly, approached his right-side of his neck, and, still somewhat surprising him; gave a long deep inhale of air, with her nose touching his Adam's-apple. Shinji, after blinking rapidly, asked her why she did that. Rei, now openly smiling to him, while looking at his heaving chest, told him that she wanted to memorize his scent, free of the taint of blood…
---
Central DogmaPressing a button on the pad, the door swished open, revealing to the two pilots the bridge. Rei gave a few steps, and halted her movement, standing in the middle of the bridge, while Shinji went a bit further, nearing the bridge bunnies. Looking for a second at Aoba, two imperceptible nods were given, from each other, before Shinji went back to the door, along with Rei, heading to the Cages.
Aoba, taking a deep breath silently, turned to Ibuki and said, hopefully in an auspicious manner
"Hey Maya, isn't time for one of your tasks from Dr. Akagi?"
Maya, looking first at him, and then at her wristwatch, scowled lightly, and nodded absently. She rose from her chair, and headed to another door accessing the bridge. Aoba, licking his lips, turned back to his console, and checked the Agenda from NERV personnel, seeing that indeed his piracy had gone undetected, which had 'informed' Ritsuko that, today, her shift would start at 17:00, because of the tests-and-training that had been re-scheduled to five-thirty, instead of four o'clock in the afternoon. Of course, the pilots and the Commanders were the only ones who weren't notified of the 'change' in schedule… Having one last look at Maya's retreating form, he dunked his left hand in his left breeches-pocket, and held the remote control, which would trigger the timers on the devices.
Now looking at Hyuga, and seeing that he was busy with something, he accessed the communications menu, and sent a, previously written, message, untraceable, to several dozens of cell phones and Pads around the globe.
Smirking slightly, he hoped that Commander Ikari would be present when the balls started to roll…
---
Unit's CageShinji looked around, seeing the three units standing against the walls, limbs attached through securing devices. Gazing around the catwalks, he saw a technician with a medium-large metal case, resting at his right side. Needless to say that this man had a bruised eye. Returning his gaze back to Rei, he leaned to her, and murmured
"Best if you take care of Omega, I'll handle Psi, along with a distraction to provide you some cover!"
Rei gave him a quick hug, and departed to her unit, always silent, but with a determined resolve drawn all over her face.
Shinji, biting his lower lip, gave the man, whom was at a considerable distance from him, a gentle nod, and headed to his unit.
Reaching Unit-01, he looked at the nearest camera, knowing that Aoba would take care of providing them some cover with a program.
---
Central DogmaHyuga wasn't finding this funny. He was watching the Cages sec-vid (2), realizing that Shinji and Rei were already in position, waiting for the deployment of the Plugs. Turning to Aoba, he asked
"Hey, aren't the tests at 17:30?"
Aoba turned to him, swivelling in his chair, and replied
"Those two must've gotten here earlier for some reason. Maya is doing some tasks. Maybe we should let them in, no?"
Hyuga, uncertain, gave him a nod, and turned back to his console, and informed the available personnel to deploy Unit-00 and 01's Plugs and prepare the EVAs for the trainings. It never occurred to him, however, that, not only Aoba wasn't displaying any real surprise, but he also seemed to know that it was just Shinji and Rei who were there, without Asuka…
---
Unit's CageShinji, securing himself in his seat at the Plug, and assuring that all the Unit's systems were online and ready, he grabbed the controls, opened a private COM channel to Rei, and told her to wait just a bit.
A minute and a half passed, before the Angel Alarms started to blare. Shinji, smirking, directed his attention to the catwalk, where the man with the metal case was, made a nod, causing his Unit to nod as well, and extended his left palm to the catwalk. The man, quickly, grabbed the case with both hands, and threw it, over the railing, to the Unit's hand.
Shinji, clenching his left hand, looked at Rei, and made an upward nod.
---
Central DogmaMisato quickly entered the bridge, and ran to the bridge bunnies. Assessing that Maya wasn't present; she looked at Hyuga and barked
"REPORT!"
Hyuga, hands and eyes covering all the buttons and screens at his console, replied
"All of our radar stations are picking up a Blue Pattern, but no identifiable or traceable source!"
Turning to Aoba, she said
"Quickly, inform Section-2 to bring the pilots as fast as possible!"
Aoba, turning his head to her, replied
"Ikari and Ayanami are already prepared! They're in their Plugs, waiting for full activation of their EVAs! Pilot Sohryu must still be at home."
"Good, then tell Section-2 to retrieve Asuka, and bring her here, immediately! – Now turned to Hyuga, she said – Quick, call Maya and Ritsuko here, and inform the staff to prep Unit-01 and 00 fully!" to which Hyuga copied with a nod and a, somewhat, admiring smile.
Aoba, seeing that his time had come, pressed again the activation button of the remote, signalling the triggers to activate themselves in three minutes.
---
Two and a half minutes laterUnit's Cage
Shinji, with a private COM channel to Rei, said
"Rei, get ready. Phi's about to go down the drain, as soon as that happens; we have to complete our missions as fast as possible. I'll provide you some cover, staying in Central Dogma getting their attention. You head down to Terminal Dogma and finish off Omega!"
"Understood, brother."
---
In twenty different locations, spread around the globe, serving as outposts and secrets bases for SEELE, there stood different versions of the Magi, all for a common purpose though. However, thanks to Aoba and other rebellious members of the Fight Club, they would be no more. As the timer went out, all twenty SEELE's Magi were terminated, all of them effectively being blown to smithereens, due to several high-packaged explosives placed within the Magi, in their core! And NERV would be no different…
Credits go to Aoba and two more technicians, whom placed three EMP-'bombs', one on each Magi, to cause a massive format of the system, therefore wiping everything on the memory, but not causing any physical damage to them.
And backups had to be terminated as well, which occurred as well, this time credits going to three other members from the Fight Club, whom placed a minor explosive attached to each, with a remote control and timer, these all linked to Aoba's.
So, as one, both NERV and SEELE came to find their Magi clean… But these were just the beginning…
---
Unit 01 Entry's PlugSeeing that he wasn't receiving any data feedback from the bridge, Shinji assumed that the Magi, Objective Phi, were disposed of. This was just a temporary solution, even with all the backups being terminated as well, because it was just a matter of time until NERV powering the Magi again. The real purpose for this, though, was simply the elimination of all data stored in it. Hopefully, this would slow NERV down a bit, along with SEELE whom had also lost their Magi…
Since that NERV, confused and deceived with a prominent Angel attack, their Units had been powered up before this, thus allowing them free movement with their EVAs. Which was what the two pilots did. Forcing themselves, pulling and pushing the safety-restraints on their Units, the two pilots set themselves free. Shinji, looking at his far-right wall, made a sprint against it, ramming the wall with his Unit, and passing to another area. In a few seconds, he would reach Terminal Dogma, where he would conclude the Psi Objective, contained in his left hand.
Looking back at Rei, from the newly made hole in the wall, he saw that she had ripped open another wall, and passed through its hole, heading directly to the service elevators, which would take her to Terminal Dogma, where the Omega Objective was located…
---
Central DogmaThis was impossible! It couldn't be happening! Misato, still somewhat far from panicking, was looking around herself, seeing all the technicians reporting to her, that their screens were blank, and the system was not responding to anything.
Before this came to happen, she had heard a very low deep-bass sound, emanating from somewhere below, near the Magi. However, now on the railing, looking at the Cores, she didn't saw any damage to them. Suddenly, she heard a male-stoic voice from behind her.
"What is happening?" Turning to it, she saw the Commander approaching the bridge bunnies. Coming to him, she reported
"A few minutes ago, not even five, we received confirmation of a Blue Pattern detected somewhere, from all our radar outposts. We were trying to specify its location, when we lost all communication with the exterior, even among ourselves. Radio-links are functioning, but phones and messengers aren't. We aren't receiving any data-feedback from the Magi at the current time."
The Commander spent a moment looking at her, and then turned to the bunnies.
"Where is Dr. Akagi?" Hyuga was the one who answered him.
"She must be bound to the Geofront. Her shift will start at 17:00."
The Commander, somewhat frowning, replied
"Today her shift began at 8:00, not at 17:00!"
Misato, confused, said
"But… Wasn't she to come at 17:00 to monitor the pilot's virtual training?"
The Commander, eyebrows now lifted a bit, looking as if he was clarified, said
"There isn't any virtual training! – He looked around – And the Vice-Commander?"
Misato, now absolutely confused, was going to tell Hyuga to check with every section for the Vice-Commander, when she now heard a VERY loud sound, of metal being torn. Suddenly, looking at the right-side wall, she saw a purple behemoth stampeding through it, stopping itself in the middle of Central Dogma, turning to them.
Is it berserk? But, how, if he wasn't attacked or anything? Unless, the Angel has possessed it… Normally, she would order Maya to make a deep scan of the EVA, checking for any parasite form, especially one capable of forming an AT-Field. However, her thoughts were interrupted by Shinji's voice from the EVA's outside speaker.
"Father, you're here. Good. Now listen, and listen well! Do you see your precious Magi? Their memory has just been wiped clean, thanks to several of NERV's EMP-explosives. Your plans to create a Third Impact have just been erased, along with all data. And don't even think about retrieving the backups, they've been dealt with too!"
The Commander, clenching and unclenching his gloved right hand, grimaced and shouted to Shinji/Unit-01
"THAT WILL NOT BE—"However, Shinji interrupted his speech
"Enough? Oh, I know about SEELE too, the secret power behind NERV, plotting, scheming, and planning, for over two millennia now, to create a Third Impact, and take God's seat in Heaven! Don't worry; their Magi are out of commission as well!"
The Commander, openly surprised for a blink, before his face returned to his trademark set, replied
"AYANAMI TOLD YOU THIS, DIDN'T SHE?" Shinji, now clearly angered, said
"Oh yes, she told me everything! She told me how YOU created her, by mixing moms, Ikari Yui's DNA, with Lillith's DNA! - Gasps were heard all around the area – But, still, just taking out the Magi would never be enough, so do you know what I know? That we have, not only the Second Angel, crucified in Terminal Dogma, but also we have HIM! - And here, Shinji raised his left hand, opened it, and revealed to everyone that he was holding, in his palm, a medium-large metal case. The Commander, recognizing it, grimaced even more – The First Angel, father of all Angels, Adam! BUT NO MORE! - And now Shinji closed his hand completely, crushing to oblivion the case within. He then opened his hand, and let the very minute remains fall to the dark floor – The Angels always attack Tokyo-3 because of him and Lillith. But not anymore…"
The Commander suddenly turned to Misato, now with panic all over his face.
"WHERE'S REI?" Hyuga was the one who answered him, once more with somewhat bad news.
"I-I just received three confirmations from there, but I hadn't said anything be-because of Shinji. Anyway, Unit-00 is descending rapidly the service corridor heading to Terminal Dogma. She should be reaching the last blast doors in… two minutes."
---
Unit-00 Entry Plug, Terminal DogmaRei was watching, in a morbid silence, the impressive figure of Lillith, mother of Mankind. Scowling lightly, she gave several more steps, until standing face-to-belly with the Angel. Carving her hands in the cross, she raised herself, planting her feet in the cross as well, ascending in the cross, halting only when staying face-to-face with her. Spending only a moment gazing at the mask, she mouthed, "I'm sorry for this, mother" before dunking her hands and feet in four holes, made by her ascendance, deeply, allowing the EVA to sustain itself, with no effort, in the cross, and embracing Lillith.
She rises from her seat, approaches the rear of it, and sets the timer of self-destruction for 5 minutes. She then, quickly, jumps to her seat again, and activates the ejection-module of the plug, thus causing the back of her EVA to 'open', and the plug being propelled by emergency rockets, away from the EVA.
Seeing the EVA in a tight hug with Lillith, for just a couple of seconds, she feels the Plug going gradually downward in altitude, and grabbing her seat predicting the imminent hit against the floor of the Area. Sooner than she had wanted, she hears and feels the rumble of the Plug, sliding on the floor. Probably because of her head hitting the seat, or the controls, she starts to lose consciousness…
---
Hearing her name being called repeatedly, she blinks, and opens her eyes slowly. All things blurred, she sees two brown figures, one of them leaning towards her, shaking her shoulder, both calling her name desperately. Rubbing her eyes, she sees two men, one of them with his face seriously bruised, before her mind remembered what she had done before losing consciousness.
Now in a frantic rhythm, she straightens, nods to the two men, who were now relieved, it seemed, and the three of them, in a run, got out of the Plug. She saw that she was on the shore of LCL and, quite the distance away, there was her EVA and Lillith together.
Suddenly, she feels someone pulling her left arm. Turning to the men, she saw that they were anxious to leave the area.
Taking one last rapid look at her half-mother, she sprints, along with the two men, to the nearest door, hoping that they could live to see another day…
---
Central DogmaThe Commander, turning again to Shinji, shouted
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH HER?" Whether he was referring to Rei or Lillith, it was unclear at this time.
"The same thing I did with Adam, father!" Until now, the word 'father' always carried disgust and hate, but, now, it carried mocking.
Several minutes passed in silence, with everybody expecting something, until a very loud explosion was heard, along with a long-and-heavy rumbling of the area. Misato, getting up from the floor, asked Shinji
"WHAT WAS THAT?"
"Lillith wasn't as early in self physical-evolution as Adam. She WAS about the size of an EVA."
Misato, confused, asked again
"But, then how did you get rid of her?"
Shinji, words still confident, replied
"She initiated self-destruct of Unit-00 and evacuated, before it blew up!"
Hyuga, confused, asked Misato
"I don't get it. For a Third Impact, don't they need Adam only?" However, it was Shinji whom answered him
"The Angels yes, they need to make contact with Adam. However, NERV and SEELE had the ultimate goal of initiating our own Third Impact with Lillith, our mother!"
The Commander let himself fall to the floor, sitting on it, with an utterly defeated face. Several moments passed, before Ibuki entered the bridge. She asked, very confused and somewhat panicked
"W-what it going on?" Misato, soberly and intrigued, told her everything that had happened so far. Ibuki, confused, asked
"But… - She then looked at the Commander, whom was still sitting on the floor, gazing at nothing – Then… then Shinji did a good thing… - Now with her spirit, apparently rising, she asked Shinji – THAT'S WHY YOU DIDN'T DESTROY COMPLETELY THE MAGI, ISN'T IT? SO THAT WE CAN STILL DEFEND OURSELVES AGAINST THE ANGELS?"
Misato, intrigued, turned to Unit-01, which replied
"Yes. I don't know if destroying Adam and Lillith will be enough to halt their attacks. That's why Unit's 01 and 02 are still ready to roll."
Misato, now remembering about Asuka, said
"WHAT DID YOU DO WITH ASUKA?"
Shinji, chuckling, replied humoured
"Don't worry about her; she's taking a nap in the locker's zone."
She then saw the Commander rising, resolve and iron-determination were permeating his face.
"NONE OF THIS MATTERS. WE CAN STILL RECREATE LILLITH AND ADAM WITH ANY REMAINS FROM THEM!"
However, Shinji's reply was NOT what he was expecting
"I know, father, however, there's another operation which took place that I still haven't told you. Remember the Dummy Plug program? A digitalisation of Rei's thought patterns, in order to create a perfect machine with no feelings whatsoever? They're gone too, thanks to a little lie I told Lt. Ibuki. You see she was making a task that it wasn't Dr. Akagi whom order her, but me. She, quite simple, really, just pulled the plug from the memory banks of Rei. I placed several explosives there, all around the core and tanks, which Lt. Ibuki activated. It's almost effortless to inform you that all that's its left is a pile of rubble. And now, here you are, with only two EVAs with pilots. And if you, or SEELE, have me executed, then there will be no one to pilot it. So, whether you like it or not, you need ME to defend against the Angels! Asuka, alone, can't do it!"
Ibuki, surprise and horror around her, asked
"BUT WHY ME? WHY COULDN'T YOU DO THAT?"
"Because, Lt. Ibuki, that area is heavily fortified and with several meters of lead, blocking any pirate outside-transmission. I couldn't activate them from here, so I had to do what my father does all the time: lie in order to get what I want! No disrespect meant with this, Lt. Ibuki."
The Commander took off his glasses, and rubbed his face, with his right hand, as if he was exhausted at the end of a day in the office. He then said to Shinji, on a tired tone
"IT DOESN'T END HERE. YOU'VE JUST STALLED EVERYTHING FOR SEELE. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL THEY FIND A WAY TO FULFILL THEIR GOALS!"
"And here comes another surprise: I've released all information I had about SEELE, the Second Impact, and the truth behind the EVAs and NERV, to the whole world! As we speak, journals and media-networks are publishing all sorts of articles regarding this madmen's plot for Humanity!"
The Commander, looking at the horned-helm of Unit-01, said
"Then it's all over for us… Now we won't be able to create a Third Impact, not like this…" He then turned around, and headed to the doors. Misato, observing him, was feeling as if she was watching a General whom had surrendered to the enemy, felt… weird. In a way, she felt glad that Mankind had been saved, but she also felt angered that, maybe, she couldn't fulfil her vengeance against the Angels, for what they did to her. She felt happy, though, that Shinji had, in front of her, so to say, destroyed the responsible for her scar in the torso. In the end, she also felt intrigued if whether it had been her father whom had awoken Adam in the first place. Perhaps, she still had to discover the full truth about that too…
Taking one last look at Unit-01, she told the bridge bunnies to call the radar outposts and tell them to keep their vigilance for any Angel, then told Shinji to head back to the Cage, assuring that neither him nor Rei would receive any harm or arrest...
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TBC
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1 – Greek alphabet. 'Phi' is the fourth last letter. 'Chi' is the third last. 'Psi' is the second last, while 'Omega' is the final letter.
2 – Security-Video-Feedback – It's something I've seen in several games, though I don't know if it's really used or not, so…
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AN: There is, here, a very very very small hint in a possible leak and assistance for Shinji still untold to everyone. I've been building it, and I'm sort of surprised no one has yet ventured a guess or asked anything. But, no worries, since that will be done in the epilogue.
Well, just one more chapter, namely the epilogue and this fic will be over and done with. Afterwards, I might (emphasize the 'might', as in a possibility, not a certainty!) revise this and try to improve it a bit, here and there. But, apart such, I will finalize the Angel Wars in a sequel, respectively named, 'Ends up owning you!' (Publicity, publicity, publicity) Huge sweat-drop More info about it on the Epilogue…