Neon Genesis
EVANGELION
Finding Paradise

Chapter 9: One final dance / Asuka's Fall...


"How much longer..." Kaji's voice seems distant as he looks over at Command Center of NERV. He just came back from Hawaii. Aoba and some other technicians fill in the battle staff as they type away at their consuls. The only one to answer is Aoba who shakes his head in fear of the results.

"Pilots life support gave out eight hours ago...." Aoba looks back at his screen that shows a digital outline of the Shuttle and Unit Three. "The Plug is frozen in its slot..."

Seeing that Aoba is hesitant to continue, Kaji gives him a verbal push. "And..."

"They only have a half hour left..."

"What's the status of the Plug..." Kaji becomes slightly agitated at the Lieutenant.

"They only have ten percent out..." Aoba looks away as he speaks, knowing that the mission is failing.

In the cold dark space, the four members EVA team work frantically to open the entry plug before the Eva starts its reentry. Hyuga and Maya are seen strapping cables on the top of the Entry Plug and running them around the shuttle to assist the hand crank where each take turns spinning the wheel.

"Let's move!" Misato yells at Maya as she returns from the other side of the shuttle and hands her the cable that is rapped around a poll.

Misato takes it and pulls with all her strength. On the crank the EVA specialist is getting tired but Misato drives him to keep going. She also doesn't allow any one to stop moving as she yells at Hyuga. "Hyuga, start to detach the Ejection Rocket Assembly!"

On board the Shuttle the pilots keeps a close eye on the clock gauges and the EVA team as they come ever closer to destruction.

"Twenty minutes!" The pilot yells out.

Misato looks to see only twenty percent of the plug removed. "We aren't leaving!"

The pilot looks over at his copilot and sees that there is no turning back, he un-straps himself and grabs his space suit. "I'm going out there!"

"NERV, this is Endeavor, sending a fifth man out!"

"Roger..."

Away from the drama of what is happening in space is Tokyo 3, it's early morning in the city and Asuka stands patiently, waiting for her new friend to leave his apartment. Her thoughts are torn about what to say to him. The fate of Shinji and Hikari is only a secondary thought to Asuka who can only think of Kaworu.

"This is stupid Asuka..." She says to herself as she paces back and forth. "I'm acting like a pathetic school girl..."

"Why hello..." The tender young voice once more fills Asuka's ears as she sees Kaworu, standing in his doorway.

"Hey..." Asuka losses her train of thought as her face becomes red and her heart beats faster. "Umm... I was just... Umm..."

"Wanted to show me where the school is..."

Allowing Kaworu to fill in the spaces Asuka shakes her head. "Yea, and to you know..."

"Pay me back..."

"Yea something like that..." Asuka mutters as she darts her eyes up and down Kaworu's body.

"Then I accept Asuka Langley Souyu..."

Rei cannot sleep as her thoughts on Hikari have taken up all of her time. She awaits any word from NERV about the success of the Mission any yet no word comes. As she waits for word she refuses to go to school. Rei wanders the halls of her new home and she reaches Kadoma's room she looks in through the open doorway and she sees Kadoma on her knees praying. Rei walks up behind her, trying not to disturb her, only to study what she is doing.

"Can you pray with me?"

Kadoma's whispers startle Rei, yet the question confuses her even more. "I don't know how..."

Kadoma turns and takes Rei's hand, forcing her to her knees. "Clear your mind... and just pray to what ever you think is out there to help our sister..."

Rei looks down at the candles then at Kadoma who continues praying. She sighs as she mimics Kadoma's hands in prayer and tries to think about what to do. She has never prayed before so Rei cannot understand how. Gods grace comes to Rei in a flash of warmth in her body she closes her eyes to see herself standing in front of herself. The clone, speaks yet no sound comes, Rei tries to decipher it and when she does, happiness floods throughout her body.

"They're going to be all right... An Angel will protect them."

"We are out of time!" The copilot yells out over his COM. He franticly holds on to the control stick as Caution and Warning lights go off. "It's dragging us towards Earth!"

On Unit Three's back, the Plug only sits half released from the body of the Evangelion. Misato scrambles as best she can on the crank. The Shuttle Pilot and specialist are pulling on the make shift crane as Maya and Hyuga smash the ice away from the entry plug.

Back inside the Shuttle, the copilot begins to debate on what to do. By his best guess the Shuttle will be trapped in the gravitational pull in under a minute, everyone but him is outside. His thoughts now drift to his family as he looks at the docking arm release switch. Slowly he reaches for it knowing that each astronaut is tethered to the Shuttle and would be safe if he released the Eva.

He looks as the pitch of the Shuttle slowly noses down towards the Earth. With a little hesitation, he finally grabs the docking arm release handle but stops just short of pulling it.

Even in NERV Headquarters the battle staff, around Kaji and Fuyutsuki look down in sorrow even Gendo seems to look disappointed.

"Less then thirty seconds..."

Just as the copilot goes to pull the handle a strong vibration shakes the shuttle, he quickly lets go of the handle as the gravity shifts. Suddenly the anti collision alarm goes off. Everyone on Unit Three looks in shock as a winged beast swoops out of the skies of Earth. The creature rolls to show its Evangelion like wings fully spread as it passes under them gabbing hold of Unit Three and throwing it up into the stars once more. The Eva size creature majestically holds the Eva, shielding it and the Shuttle from reentry.

The Copilot turns to his data responder to see a message sent from an unknown source.

'I will always watch over my brother, he shall never die by the hands of fate, nor shall the ones he loves'

As he reads it out loud a tear of joy in his voice crawls down his face. Everyone on Unit Three jump for joy as they begin to save the pilots once more. It only takes the EVA team ten minutes to free the rest of the Entry Plug. Hyuga quickly begins to remove the Ejections rockets from the back. Then the command is given to release the docking arm from the Eva and attach to the Entry Plug for loading. As the Copilot follows his orders, he reads a final message from their guardian angel.

'I will protect the soldier of mankind, so it my fight another day, good luck and Gods speed.'

As soon as the arm takes hold of the Entry Plug Unit Three and their mysterious savior descend into earth. As the friction takes place, the Angelic monster wraps its wings around it and Unit Three before they leave sight.

After another twenty minutes of maneuvering the Entry Plug into the cargo bay, Misato shouts to shut the bay doors as soon as the Plug clears them. As the Cargo doors close, Misato turns to the pilot.

"I want the hottest fucking air you can pump into here!"

The Pilot salutes Misato before going over to the environmental controls warming them up to activate. With one final moan the door closes and hot air begins to fill the cargo bay.

Misato Rips off her helmet and runs to the main canopy release handle pulling it as hard as she can. The Canopy cracks open before jamming.

"Shinji!" Misato yells as she grabs hold of the canopy trying to force it open. "Shinji we are coming!"

Next to join her is Hyuga as he takes the other side, pulling with all his might. As Maya sets up her medical equipment the EVA specialist and the Shuttle Pilot join in and take hold of the canopy.

"All at once!" Misato yells to get a combined pull. "Ready! And Push!"

Without warning the gears brake off on the canopy and it flies open, knocking everyone into the air. Misato floats over to see a layer of crystallized LCL. She punches and pulls, breaking it free only to encounter more. She digs through the Plug finding it a mix of LCL in liquid and crystal form.

"Shinji! Misato yells once more. "Hikari!"

Everyone begins to clean out the plug, most hope for the best but fear the worst. Misato herself nears the seat of the plug when she looks at the bottom of the plug and sees a dim light.

"Shinji, Hikari!"

She quickly smashes through the LCL and she makes a small hole. Misato finally reaches down into the hold feeling for any signs of life.

Everyone floats around heads down, with tears in their eyes, as Misato continues to call out their names and receives no response.

"Please... Answer me!" Misato reaches into her hole again after making it a little bigger.

At Hikari's House both Rei and Kadoma kneel in front of a makeshift memorial, both have tears in their eyes. Slowly walking in are Kensuke, Touji, and Mari, both are upset as they look at them praying for Hikari and Shinji. Rei barely notices as Mari runs into her arms, crying, Touji kneels beside Rei placing his arm on her shoulder as he begins to pray. Rei has set up an encrypted radio receive so they can listen into the communication between NERV and the Shuttle.

"NERV calling Shuttle Endeavor, please give status on the pilots..." Aoba's voice asks in a muted tone.

"This is NERV calling Shu..."

"This is Shuttle Endeavor... we are still checking for survivors."

Everyone in around the radio begin to hold hands and pray. All have tears in their eyes.

At the School Asuka stands on the roof staring off into the heavens, hoping for her friend's safe return. Standing next to her is Kaworu and their entire class of 2-A, all stand as Asuka holds the same style radio as Rei's.

Kaworu begins to comfort Asuka as she looks down and cries.

"This is all my fault..."

Not going to let her take the blame Kaworu hugs her. "It's not your fault, this is the fate Lilim and angel's share... I can help you make your pains disappear... if you let me."

All Asuka can do is cry on his shoulders as another call is made on the radio.

"This is NERV Mission control calling Shuttle Endeavor..."

"This is Shuttle Endeavor please standby..."

In the Command Center Aoba shakes his head at Kaji as he shuts off his communications with the shuttle. Everyone looks down hopelessly.

Fuyutsuki is first to make the call. "Lieutenant, ask them if this has turned into a recovery operation."

Kaji shakes his head as Aoba turns to his communication device once more.

Inside The Shuttle Misato reaches for dear life into the plug, screaming and banging on it.

"Hikari... Shinji!"

She turns to Hyuga to help her out as she uses him for leverage to reach deeper into her hole, breaking away the crystallized LCL to make it larger.

"Please... don't be gone..." Even Misato's voice losses hope till...

A hand lunges forward and grabs Misato; she nearly falls into Shock feeling the ice touch from within.

"One's Alive!" Suddenly a second hand garbs her and she motions for them to be pulled out. Quickly, everyone grabs her and pulls her out. With her comes Shinji Ikari holding Hikari, both quickly begin to choke and spit out LCL and blood once they are in the open air of the cargo bay. Maya floats over to them, wrapping them in think heated blankets.

The pilot pushes himself off and crashes near the communications box.

"THEIR ALIVE, Mission successful! Their ALIVE!"

In the Command Center, Everyone shouts and jumps for joy with the good news at hand.

"Roger that, Mission successful!"

At the Horaki Residence, all that can be heard is screams and cries of sheer joy with the news at hand. Kadoma hugs Rei with all of her strength, kissing her on the forehead, she then hugs Touji. Kensuke picks up Mari and spins her as she celebrates. Touji takes hold of Rei and hugs her with all of his heart, before he kisses her on the lips. This action is short-lived as Mari slaps him on the head.

"Get a room you two."

Everyone laughs, even Rei who does not get the joke. However, the simple joke, the joy of their friend's safety would make anything funny.

On the school's Roof, everyone celebrates as Asuka takes hold of Kaworu hugging him. He returns the gesture with a hug of his own. Before whispering in her ear so softly that Asuka can barely make them out.

"Let me show you, happiness, my Asuka..."

The two prowl off away from the celebration, down the stairs and into an empty room. Once in there Kaworu takes hold of Asuka and kisses her deeply. She puts up no resistance as her heart has wanted this day for almost eight, long years. As the two make out with total disregarded for morals and age Asuka demands more from him as he fills her empty life with love.

Overlooking both Shinji and Hikari who lay in incubator type chambers, Misato sleeps in between them; a tap on her shoulder disturbs her.

"Major..." The EVA Specialist whispers as he floats in his orange space suit. "Major..."

Misato slowly awakes to the voice. "Tom... what's up..."

"We are ready for reentry... it's been nearly three hours..."

Misato chuckles as she looks over the children. "I haven't slept in nearly three days..."

The middle aged American smiles as he holds out his hand. "If I may say so ma'am, I don't care what anyone says about NERV, because you're a great astronaut and one hell of a leader."

She smiles at the gesture before taking his hand and going to the bridge of the shuttle where everyone is reads for reentry.

"Ma'am as Mission Commander it is a tradition for the Commander to call Mission control for reentry conformation." The pilot smiles at Misato as she is handed a headset radio.

"NERV, Mission Control, this is Space Shuttle Endeavor, requesting conformation of reentry..." Misato smiles as everyone begins to give small hi-fives.

"Shuttle Endeavor this is NERV Mission Control, MAGI has confirmed your reentry and recovery at Yakima Space Test Center in Okinawa."

In NERV HQ Everyone stands exhausted at the stress of the rescue operation, they all relax as they await the Shuttles reentry. Kaji then unzips his dress shirt and look up to Fuyutsuki.

"It went as well as we hoped for..."

"Yes..." Fuyutsuki and Gendo stand to leave. "Gives us a full report when they land."

"You got it..."

Kaji sighs as he smiles at the accomplishment... Everything seems perfect until the Technician replacing Maya looks up with fear. "Um... Sir..."

Kaji rolls his eyes at the young lieutenant. "What do you have lieutenant..." Kaji looks at the technician as her face becomes blue. "What's wrong?"

"I have detected an AT Field ... code is osculating between orange and blue..."

Not wanting to believe the technician, Kaji runs to the operators station reading his instruments. "My god... It's an Angel..."

Aoba turns to Kaji in shock, just as the main hub lights-up with the ring of interwoven lights which hovers above Tokyo 3.

"Go to first stage alert..." Kaji whispers to Aoba, at first he receives silence but he snaps his fingers. "Aoba, go to first stage alert."

The cheer of celebration at the Horaki residence ends with the deafening tone of the alert siren. Rei is the first to run out to see the building begin to lower and the angel in the skies above Tokyo 3.

"Not again!" Touji grumbles as he runs next to Rei. "Why do they come..."

Rei looks over at Touji wanting to speak but she is not able to, all she can do is brush her hand across his cheek before kissing him on the cheek and running off to for fill her job as a Pilot.

Kadoma comes running out and yells at Rei.

"Be Careful! Please be safe!"

Kensuke is the last to leave with Mari on his shoulders.

"I can't believe it, what a tactical FUBAR... NERV only has two Eva's."

Touji looks to the ground as if something is amiss, he looks back at the Angel. "Something's not right..."

Not one to procrastinate in an important matter Kadoma yells at them. "Come on you guys, we need to go to the shelter!"

Asuka stands outside the school entrance with Kaworu tightly gripping her from behind, rubbing her calf with his hand. "Remember my Asuka, the Evangelion holds your protector and you can wield it like a sword or a tone." Kaworu kisses Asuka on the neck as she stares emotionlessly at the Angel in the skies above. "You know the Evangelion, I have shown you how to handle her..."

Asuka turns and buries her head into Kaworu. "When can I see you again..."

"My dear Asuka, I will always be with you, for love cannot be broken... Not by Lilim or by Angels"

Asuka receives one last kiss before she runs off for battle, Kaworu only smiles as he watches with pride as his crowning achievement runs to her destiny. As soon as Asuka is out of sight, Kaworu puts his hands in his pockets and sighs. Then something hits him in the head, hard, a rifle barrel slammed into Kaworu's head.

"Tabris..." A sarcastic female voice calls out.

At Kaworu's side stands a mysterious woman. She is dressed in black and holds a British Enfield Commando edition Assault rifle. Its stock is collapsed as the women holds it with one hand at Kaworu's temple.

"Angel of free will... You clever bastard."

The sound of the woman's voice gives Kaworu a small chuckle. "You have finally come to claim your prize."

His laughter is not shared, as all the woman does is press the weapon harder into his head. "Prize! Don't mock me Tabris, you are the reason that I'm here."

"Yet it is you who is on my side and as we speak, a foolish girl will freely join me."

Once more, his comments are unwelcome, this time the woman puts a little more pressure on the trigger. "Don't fuck with me Tabris, you're using her, just as you used Shinji, just as you used us all and killed him!"

"If revenge is what you want my dear, that weapon of the Lilim will do you no good. Kaworu quickly turns to the woman who shoots off a burst from her rifle only to have the rounds hit an AT Field and ricochet off, causing no harm. Kaworu raises his arms and swings it at the women. A small AT Field shock wave heads towards her. Before the strike hits her it strikes an AT Field, knocking her back.

"I see you have improved your skills, not that I can say much for your Rebirth."

The Women lets her guard down and lets the AT Field in front of her disappear. "Leave Rei out of this!"

"That's right, you raised her as your daughter..."

The woman raises her rifle to Kaworu once more as she yells at him. "As we raised you as our son! And this is how you repay us!"

Kaworu looks down and gives a small smile. "Yes, yes you did, but after fourteen years your should have learned that my destiny will remain the same... Asuka Langley Souyu!

In a burst of light Kaworu disappears, into thin air. The woman now identified as Asuka Langley Souyu age 30 stares at the Angel.

"Damn it, he's taught her how to wake mother!"

The Command Center is in full operation as Ritsuko walks in quickly. She goes to the Technician in front where Maya normally sits and looks over his monitors.

Ritsuko looks over the battle staff. "Where the hell did it come from?"

Quickly Aoba turns to her. "Mount Fuji observatory never detected it."

"Status of the target." Kaji demands from his staff.

"It's maintaining a stationary orbit about 666 feet above the surface. Its blood type is osculating between Orange and Blue." One of the Battle staff informs Kaji.

Confused about the last part Kaji turns to Ritsuko. "What does that mean?"

Ritsuko looks over at him. "It means that this isn't its true form, it's masking itself somehow."

Understanding the danger, Kaji turns to Aoba. "Scramble Unit's Two and Zero... Arm them for long-range combat."

The Eva's reach the catapults and launch to their battle stations. As the Eva's reach the surface, they find the weapon buildings open with their sniper rifles at the ready. Each Eva takes a rifle and marches to the edge of the city. There the target hovers and slowly rotates, it is as bright as a star as it strains to spin. Rei is the first to raise his rifle up to get ready to fire.

Asuka on the other hand stares at the Angel, her body soars and her mind is still fresh from the feeling of having the love of her life, a love she shared to the fullest.

"Ma'am..." The green technician in Maya's chair looks over to Ritsuko and then she looks over at Kaji. "I don't understand these reading from the Second Child..."

Ritsuko sighs as she wishes Maya was there and not some rookie. She goes over and looks at what the technician is confused about, only to be taken back by what she sees.

"That's not possible..."

Not needing that kind of talk in a shorthanded battle, Kaji looks over at Ritsuko. "What's wrong?"

"Asuka... her testosterones and hormones are off the scale, I don't get it... her body temp is nearly one hundred."

Taking Ritsuko's description the wrong way, Kaji rubs the scuffle on his face.

"Ritsuko dear, are you telling me that Asuka is in heat..."

Unfortunately, Ritsuko does not smile back as Rei screams out on the main hub. Everyone looks in shock to see Unit Zero on the ground, shot in the head by Unit Two.

"Asuka what the hell are you doing!" Kaji yells out only to receive silence. "Status on Unit Zero!"

Aoba goes over his data. "She's out, Unit Zero has taken massive trauma to the head, the pilot took a full hit."

Unit Two walks over and stands over Unit Zero as it squirms on the ground in pain. As Unit Two, raises its rifle to the Units head.

"Eject the Entry Plug to Unit Zero!"

The order was given out just in time as Asuka empties the clip into the body of Unit Zero.

"Shit!" Ritsuko yells. "She's gone mad."

Inside Unit Two Asuka stares at the Angel without a care in the world. She drops the rifle and slowly walks towards the Angel, daring it to attack. The intertwined strands of the Angel become one and separate, both flying towards Unit Two. Once more Asuka does nothing, allowing the Angel to strike right through her.

The pain is overwhelming as Unit Two falls to the ground. Inside Asuka whispers to herself.

"I don't want to die, I don't want to die... I don't want to die... I don't want to die... I don't want to die... I don't want to die... I don't want to die... I don't want to die..."

"1st level contamination in Unit Two!" A technician calls out.

"Is it trying to make first level contact with Unit Two?" Ritsuko ponders to everyone in vain as tumors start to infect Unit Two and Asuka.

Inside Unit Two Asuka is beginning to show signs of contamination. However, her screams do not sound like screams of pain but of lust.

"Who... Who is this..." Asuka says painfully.

Asuka's vision becomes blurry. "I feel someone else, here." Flashes of her memories appear in her head. "Who are you..." Asuka awakes to find she is floating above a pool of LCL. "What are you... are you an Angel..."

Standing in the water is a mirror image of Asuka with her head down. "Don't you want to become one with me?"

Asuka quickly responds to the question. "No! I want to be with my mom I want my mommy back."

"Hum..." The voice of the Angel seems to waver. "You will become one with me." The Angel looks up. "I will share my mind with you... Let me share with you these emotions..." Asuka begins to shake as an unfamiliar pain coerces through her veins. "This is pain."

"This pain..." Asuka looks back to the day she was struck by Rei, and when Hikari yelled at her. "This is loneliness."

"Yes, loneliness."

"No, I am not alone... I have Kaworu, and my mother." Asuka concludes without a problem.

"You don't want to be by yourself correct. We are many but you are alone."

Asuka's clenches her with anger. "No you're wrong, I have Kaworu and I have my mother!"

"An Angel is no different then yourself... and a dead mother that does not love you... you hate it don't you."

"You are wrong." Asuka utters in a hurt voice.

"But, it is what your mind says, it is what fills your soul, you are full of sorrow."

"No I am not... You are alone, you came to become one with me yet..." Asuka closes her eyes as she fights the pain. "You are that sorrow."

Quickly Asuka is pulled under the LCL as she sinks deep into the darkness, slowly, the LCL becomes water.

Away from the depths of the unconscious, Kaji scrambles for answers. "What the hell is going on!?"

"We have lost all contact with the Pilot of Unit Two, Bio contamination is holding at 77 percent." Ritsuko reads off from the technician's screens. "Unit Two can't hold back the molecular bonding!"

Alarms begin to go off at Ritsuko's station; she is quick to stare in shock at what she sees.

"Bio fusion of Unit Two is decreasing!"

Far in the mind of Asuka, she finds herself on a pillar curled into a ball uttering. "Please save me, Please save me, Please save me!

"You are alone!"

Asuka shakes his head. "Please anyone help me..."

"Do you wish to die?"

"No." Asuka whimpers to the unknown voice.

"Do you want life."

"Yes, anything but death!" Asuka cries out.

In the city of Tokyo 3 Unit Two lays inactive. Suddenly it receives a spark of power as its four eyes light up and begin to glow bright red. The Evangelion reaches for its waist and begins to slowly pull out the Angel, as it does the vein like infection that covers Unit Two begins to disappear. Everyone in the Command Center looks in shock as Unit Two slowly stands.

"This is... is impossible..." Ritsuko utters to everyone. "How can this be..."

"No that's not right..." She turns to Kaji. "Asuka's Sync is a one hundred percent!"

"Dear God!" Is all Kaji can utter.

Unit Two roars into the sky, blowing out glass from building windows and shaking the very ground they stand on. As Unit Two finally pulls out the stem on the Angel, its eyes grow small as it focuses on the end of its enemy. In one swooping motion the Evangelion opens its mouth and bites down on to the Angel. The bone crushing sound fills the air and rips through the Command Center as everyone stands in shock. The Angel itself begins to squirm and shake violently as Unit Two grabs the other end of the Angel. Now with two ends of the Angel, an evil grin spreads across its face and it bites down on the Angel. A shriek echoes in the air as the Angel tries to escape the wrath of Unit Two.

In the Command Center, everyone is watching the screen. One technician shows a little composure as she turns away from the main Hub when the camera displaying the atrocity is hit with a blood splatter from the Angel.

"What the hell is the Eva doing..." Kaji whispers to himself.

Aoba turns to him in fear. "It's devouring the Angel..."

"The S2 organ... it's taking it..." Ritsuko cannot finish as she looks away.

Inside Unit Two Asuka sits in her Evangelion completely reborn.

"Momma! You have always been here Mother!"

With the S2 organ ingested Asuka lets her Eva stand up and it lets out a roar into the air. She stops to see a Vid screen come up.

"Asuka, return to base now!"

All the Command Center receives is a laugh from Asuka's vid screen. "I don't follow you any more!" Asuka looks to her side to see Kaworu flying next to her Eva. His smile brings her joy and fulfillment.

"My love!"

Kaji turns to Aoba. "Eject the entry plug!"

"We can't it's not accepting the signal!"

Everyone watches in horror as Unit Two begins to walk, away deserting her post. Above in the Command Deck, Gendo stands up frustrated at the act of insubordination.

"Activate Unit Two's self-destruct system."

With a little hesitation, Kaji nods to Aoba to do so, but it does not work. "Negative we can't communicate with the Eva at all!

At Yakima Space Test Center in Okinawa, the fatigued Shuttle crew landed with no word from NERV. The Shuttle landing is perfect as it glides to a safe stop and dozens of emergency crews pulling along side it. The Main door opens and the first to look out is Misato, the floodlights that cover the area around them is blinding but Misato lets the air ramp inflate before jumping down. She is met by fire crews and paramedics that take her to an ambulance. However, she waits until both Shinji and Hikari are off loaded and taken to a medical truck where doctors rapidly tend to them. Misato and the rest of the Shuttle crew go with the pilot instead of their normal rides. However, Misato is handed a satellite phone by a member of NERV.

"What!" Misato yells alarming everyone. "An Angel Attacked, no one died I hope!"

"You're kidding me!" Everyone looks at Misato as her smile is wiped off her face. "I don't believe it... She's what... I understand... we will return immediately!"

"What's wrong?" Hyuga asks concernedly.

Misato is still trying to comprehend everything told to her over the phone. "The 16th Angel attacked..."

"Did anyone get hurt..."

Before Maya can finish, they watch as Misato cries. "Asuka insurrected in the middle of combat and took out Unit Zero, she then destroyed the Angel by taking its organ into her self..."

"What!"

"Asuka then deserted us..." Misato looks at her hands. "What did I do wrong... I thought I was a good guardian... What did I do wrong..."

Everyone begins to comfort Misato as she cries into her arms.

Ever so slowly, the light in Shinji's eyes grows less painful. Unable to determine up from down, Shinji feels around him and finds out that he is on a bed. He tries once again to open his eyes, this time he accomplishes his goal. Still painful Shinji looks around with his blurry vision. He notices that he's on some kind of Hospital airplane from the sound of the engines in the background. He looks to his right to See Hikari sleeping next to him.

He reaches out and tightly grips her hand. At first she whimpers in pain before opening her eyes. After taking some time to orientate herself, she looks over at Shinji. The two can only stare at each other in total bliss. Their last thoughts were about their impending death yet there they are, alive and being taken care of. Hikari tightens her grip on Shinji's hand as she weaves their fingers together. Words are not needed to show their gratitude and respect for each other. Yet Shinji feels he need to speak, the word do not come easy yet Shinji knows them to be true.

Only a man could truly say these words with the same care and thoughtfulness that Shinji graces these words with. It is that of love, something he can now truly say he has.

"Hikari..."

Shinji politely awaits any kind of gesture from Hikari to react to his raspy whisper. He obtains his answer with the beauty of Hikari's smile.

"I love you..."

Hikari blushes slightly and her smile widens. Her heart cannot feel warmer as she stares into Shinji's eyes. She only sees the truth, the true Shinji that was hidden from the world with silence and apologies and this new light gave her life once more.

"I love you too..."

Both can only stare at each others as their true feelings are laid naked to each other so that both can see the truth for the first time. Yet their journey has just begun, for the beginning of the end starts now. Only two angels remain, until the end of all things. Can love truly make a difference in saving the entire human race from death?

"Their paths are set, their sides are chosen..."

Rei's voice seems to echo around the shrine in the hill. Just below her sits the adult Asuka, visibly upset because she knows what has to be done, and it means that the battle that she never thought would come is about to take place.

"It is now set into their fates, the two lovers of the futures past must battle for the love for the presents future."

To be continued....