Disclaimer: You guys know already, right?

AN: I kind of rushed this one, so I'm sorry for any disappointments you may encounter

Chap. 19

Two weeks later...

After Asuka's revival, she spent the following week in therapy. Though the doctors reported that she was stable, in truth, they saw the minor deficiency that seemed to grow within her. However, none of them wanted to deliver bad news to a certain commander of Nerv and so far, she was stable enough to continue working. But other around her knew better. Especially Shinji, who was disturbed over the darkness he was feeling from her. But like everyone else, he felt that she needed some time to relax and recover. He hoped that her Jedi training, though minor, would help her through this.

Misato seemed to disappear more into her office at NERV. She wanted to find out as much as possible about the Evas, something that she may have overlooked. She hadn't done much of anything since Asuka's battle as she became more diligent in finding what she was looking for. The problem was, she didn't know what she was looking for. So far, all the info she uncovered was relatively basic. She couldn't access anything further due to the fact that those were restricted files, even to her. She stopped for a moment to catch a breather. She really needed a beer, just to loosen her mind a bit. Perhaps she'll go home today. Leaving Shinji with Rei and Asuka alone was probably driving him up the wall. Or probably not. Misato was well aware of the strange calm that surfaced from her young charge. It faded when he fought the 03, but now it had returned stronger. But yet, Shinji was still the same meek, shy boy from before. Only now, the inner strength within him seemed to have risen to the point where he wasn't a pushover. And that strange power of his? He said he had learned it from Qui-Gon and that Rei and Asuka possessed the same abilities. She didn't understand any of it and was beginning to become too tired to care. She would have to ask him about it more when there was time. Right now, she was going to head home, get a drink and then some sleep. After that, she'll start over. Perhaps then, she can handle whatever comes.

Or so she hoped...

*************

Katsuragi Residence

"Hello?"

Shinji returned home after his day of school. Asuka had stayed home as she said she wasn't feeling too good. He sensed a strange amount of emotion, but it was too random to pinpoint. He decided to check in on Asuka and quietly tapped on her door.

"Asuka? Are you in?"

No response. Shinji could still feel something, but was still unsure. Something seemed to be clouding his use of the Force. Slowly, he opened the door only to find a war-zone that used to be Asuka's room. Clothes and furniture were scattered all over the place. Even the walls looked battered in. But Shinji's focus was on the figure in the center of it all. Asuka sat curled in a ball on the floor, with her head resting on her knees. Slowly, Shinji sensed a huge amount of sadness and...fear?

"Asuka? Are you...alright?"

The girl slowly raised her head, revealing a messy look on her face. It was as though she hadn't gotten any sleep. She gazed lazily at him.

"Oh, so you care now?" she spat out at him.

Shinji ignored the remark, even though a part of him was hurt by it. He began to kneel down in front of her. Pain was also becoming evident, but that was no surprise. Shinji felt the pain she experienced by the Angel attack. It had almost torn her apart. But these things he was feeling were becoming...overwhelming. Pushing pass it, Shinji lent out his hand. Asuka looked at it briefly and suddenly began to giggle.

"That's quite the act. Okay, I'll play along."

Asuka suddenly moved toward him and grabbed his head. Shinji yelped in surprise as Asuka forcefully kissed him. Under normal circumstances, this may have been even remotely pleasing. But Shinji was disturbed as he was beginning to sense another emotion rising within her.

Hatred...

He pulled away and began to scramble to his feet. Asuka simply laughed again.

"Was it good for you?"

At this point, Shinji was really worried about her. She was becoming more erratic. And given her abilities, she may...

"I hate you."

Before he knew it, Asuka had reached the side of her door and grabbed...a sword? 'When did she get that?' thought Shinji as she unsheathed it. Unlike his, it was a standard katana, with the cutting edge right were it usually was. Asuka lunged at him with the weapon and Shinji rolled out of the room. Asuka simply strode out, blade still in hand.

"I hate you!"

Shinji blinked. He felt it. The growing darkness within her was like a void. A void he recognized all too well. The Dark Side of the Force. Shinji lifted his hand.

"Asuka, please. You have to calm down. You're..."

"Shut up!"

Asuka swung again with a deft blow, nearly taking Shinji's head off and causing him to tumble to the ground. Asuka again looked over at him, venom clear in her eyes. As Shinji arose, he winced. Looking at his chest, he could see a trickle of blood beginning to stain his shirt. But Shinji continued talking.

"Asuka. Don't let the dark side control you."

Asuka raised the blade again, but Shinji had used the short time to reach out with the Force and grab his own sword. The silver weapon slid into his hand and he blocked the blow. Asuka struck again, but Shinji managed to roll again, up on his feet this time.

"Asuka, stop this. I don't want to hurt you."

But Asuka waved the blade slightly, "Come on, Third Child. You've wanted to do this for ages now, haven't you?"

Before Shinji could respond, Asuka charged with a vertical slash. Shinji raised his own blade and deflected the move. But Asuka's reflexes were deadly and she spun around with a kick right into Shinji's chest, forcing the smaller boy to slam outside. Asuka jumped after him. Shinji cried with pain as he struggled to regain his bearings only to have Asuka pounce at him.

"What's wrong, baka? You're supposed to be the Invincible Baka-Shinji. The Slayer of Angels. Come on, slay me!"

Asuka attacked furiously, coming at Shinji with several slashes too quick to catch. But Shinji moved at the same rate, blocking and parrying her attacks, but never attacking himself. But Asuka was beginning to force him back further toward the railing. Shinji had to stop her now, before the void consumed her fully.

"Asuka, please stop this before it's too late!"

"Shut up, momma!"

Asuka gave a wild cry and charged once again with a vertical slash. But at the last second, Shinji dodged off to the side, causing her blade to become stuck in the railing. Then with on swift move, he brought his own blade down on hers, shattering it in two. Asuka simply looked in shock at what had happened and bent down.

"...Again...First the Eva...and now this. Even Wondergirl beat me...I hate you! I HATE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!"

Before Shinji could react, Asuka grabbed the shattered blade in her hand and ran away. Shinji started after her, but the fatigue and his injury caught up with him and he slumped to the ground. He would have to treat his wound before he could do anything. But that would take time.

Time he didn't have...

************

Some distance nearby, a shadowy figure had watched the battle with interest. And a little anger. He felt the power the German girl gave off in her use of the Dark Side and was slightly pleased. With the right training, she would make an excellent Sith. But despite that, the boy defeated her. Damn his insolence. But the way the boy fought was also...familiar. It was a style he had never seen before, but at the same time he had. From a battle from long ago. Dispelling the thought, he refocused on the Second Child, who was madly running away. The boy was of no consequence at this time. He would watch her and see what develops. Perhaps she would provide an edge for his masters. With merely a whisper, the figure disappeared into the shadows and followed...

*********

"So that's that."

Kaji had finished speaking with Qui-Gon about his mission from SEELE and his true intentions. Qui-Gon was shocked by the implications of what Kaji had discovered, but kept his face even.

"So this group, SEELE, wants to remake humanity in its own image by using Third Impact?"

In his life, Qui-Gon had never heard of such a thing. Secret conspiracies and dark designs within the shadows was one thing. But this was something unheard of. The use of humankind to recreate the world using its destruction.

"But how is this possible?"

Kaji lit a cigarette as he answered, "Using the first angel, Adam, Third Impact can be started when it makes contact with another angel."

"And in that way, they can control Third Impact."

Kaji smiled, "You catch on fast."

"But how can they do that?" Qui-Gon questioned after a period of thought. 'They couldn't control the angels themselves, even if that was the case. Unless...' "The Evas."

Kaji blinked in surprise, "How did you guess?"

"When Shinji battled with one, I felt the Eva itself. It seemed to give off the same life-force that an angel does."

Kaji didn't understand fully what Qui-Gon was saying, but in any case he was right.

"The Eva 01 is nothing more than a man-made angel. And once the angels are all eliminated, they will use it to start Third Impact."

But something didn't add up. If that was the case, then why did they need Kaji to watch NERV. Surely, if Nerv was a subservient of SEELE, then they would have no need of watching. Unless Nerv itself wasn't following along fully with SEELE's plans. Which lead right to Commander Ikari.

"And what of Commander Ikari?"

"That is why I'm here." Kaji answered as he blew a puff, "See, the commander isn't following SEELE commands directly anymore so they wanted me close to determine what he was up too. But I haven't gotten that far yet."

"He has his own agenda?"

Kaji nodded, "Most likely. It has something to do with Third Impact as well, although I don't know what."

Qui-Gon reviewed his meeting with the commander. Although his emotions and thoughts were clouded from Qui-Gon's initial search, there was evidence of a deep secret that he was holding. "It may be a good guess to say that he wants to control Third Impact for himself."

"That may be true, but I still have to find out why."

Kaji took the cigarette and rubbed it out in the nearby ashtray as Qui-Gon watched him. "So what will you do afterward?"

Kaji gave another smile, although the sadness within was apparent, "For guys like me, there is no afterward. Ikari is already on to me and will probably take care of me soon. And given his actions as of late, SEELE will send another agent who..." He grinned, "...won't be as charming."

"So why continue at all?"

"All my life, I've been searching for the truth. About this world, about my life, everything." He gazed away, "Do you remember how it was during Second Impact?"

"Yes." Qui-Gon was a child then, but he was very aware to the turbulent times after Second Impact and the destruction that resulted. It was around that time that he began to become aware of his true self.

"Since then, I've been searching for this. I simply wanted to discover the truth. I knew that there was a price to pay for uncovering such, but I am willing to pay it."

Qui-Gon examined his host once again. Kaji showed no signs of deception whatsoever. He appeared very passionate about his beliefs, but he wasn't a fool to go in without knowing what he was getting into.

"A seeker of truth. We are alike in that way."

"I thought so. That's probably why I'm telling you all of this in the first place. You seem like the type to help someone. Like some sort of knight."

If he only knew...

*********

Rei stood in the middle of her old apartment. Nothing had changed since she left and moved in with Misato and the others, aside from the dust that had accumulated. She didn't even know why she had returned here at all. She began to recall the things she had learned and was taught, from both the commander and from Shinji and Qui-Gon. There was so much more to life than she ever thought. So much that she didn't want to lose. But the commander... Rei walked over to the shelf to find his broken glasses still sitting there. She found herself disliking him now. It was strange. She was able to recall a time in her life when he was the only one she had. He had taught her how to survive. But why? Just so that he can sacrifice me for his own agenda? Rei clenched her hand lightly before loosening it. Anger wasn't the way. But she knew that she no longer wanted to...

Rei stopped in mid-thought as he felt a surge in the Force. Turning to the door, she saw it open just in time to see a miserable-looking Second Child, holding what appeared to be a shattered sword. Her eyes were full of hate as she began to stalk the First.

"Wondergirl..."

********

Misato barged into the place that was her home in search for Shinji. Her face was panic-stricken as she searched around and opened Shinji's room, only to find him not there.

"Misato."

Misato turned to see Shinji emerging from out of the bathroom. She quickly grabbed his shoulders to hug him, but stopped short when she realized that he wasn't wearing his shirt and his chest was covered in bandages.

He saw her look, "I'll be alright. But we have to find Asuka."

Misato stopped and looked down and Shinji was able to sense a great amount of sadness coming from her.

"Section 2 found Asuka in Rei's old apartment, with Rei. She...she had a sword with her and she stabbed Rei before slashing her own wrists. She's in critical condition now, but Shinji....Rei's..."

She didn't have to finish as Shinji understood. Misato watched as Shinji lowered his head and for a moment, he retreated to the depressed child he was before. Misato simply hugged him as Shinji let his tears fall, one by one.

Ayanami Rei was dead...

*******

Gendo Ikari watched the entire tape play out before him. Even though Rei had left he apartment, he still had the place monitored. Of course he knew she would return there eventually. As the event replayed before him, Gendo thought to himself. It was a mistake to let Rei live with the others, but it wasn't without it benefits. Gendo had suspected that Rei was beginning to defect from him and wanted to make sure. Now that he knew, her elimination suited just fine. Not the way he expected, but sometimes a surprise was a good thing. Now he could activate her replacement, one that would remain loyal to him up until his agenda was complete. But without the Second Child and 01 still in cyro-freeze, he would have to find a suitable replacement.

And SEELE will be the very fools to provide it, for Gendo was now looking at the transcripts for the newest pilot. The Fifth Child.

Kaoru Nagisa