Disclaimer: See previous chapters

Chap. 38

Terminal Dogma

Shinji leapt down from the purple Evangelion and landed before Commander Ikari. Before he even touched the floor, he felt a strange but powerful aura coming from his father. Taking the briefest glance, he took in the scene before him. Rei was on the ground beside him, seemingly unconscious but alive. He also saw Qui-Gon on the floor behind Gendo, also alive but wounded in various places. The battle with the Sith must have taken a great deal from him, but at least he is still alive. 'But how could my father have taken him down like this?' His attention back on Gendo, he tried to place the energy he was sensing from him. It was familiar, but from where he couldn't say at the moment.

Stretch out with your feelings...

Shinji let his thoughts and feelings expand, delving into his memories until the answer hit him like a flash. 'An Angel.' His father was being controlled by an angel. The weird veins that were reaching up his hand and over the sleeve as well as the red eyes were clear proof of it. In some ways, Shinji thought, it was quite ironic. His father was usually the one controlling people, in order to kill the angels. Now the very thing he had been destroying has control over him.

"Third Child..."

"Adam."

Adam tipped his head off to the side in slight amusement"So you can tell." He looked over at Qui-Gon briefly"He has taught you well."

"Why do you want to hurt us"

"Why do you lillim want to hurt yourselves" the angel retorted. "You can not be trusted to guide your own steps. I am only doing what is fated to occur."

Shinji frowned lightly, "I don't believe you."

"The belief of an individual is meaningless. Third Impact will happen, regardless of what you may try to do."

Lifting his distorted hand, Adam summoned forth his AT field once again. At the same time, Shinji unbuckled his lightsaber from his plugsuit, hoping that the LCL had dried off enough for it to work. The violet blade of light hummed out, much to Shinji's thanks and he held it forward in anticipation of attack. The AT field continued to shimmer around Adam and then centered in on his hand, forming a crimson blade of pure energy. Shinji felt anxiety creep over him, but he allowed himself to relax and hold his ground. Ignoring the usual method, Shinji attacked first, swinging his saber high. In a simple move, Adam lifted his blade and deflected the strike. He then followed up by twisting his wrist back and hitting the saber on the opposite end, causing the violet blade to go downward. He then moved back again in a finishing move, but as he swung upward, Shinji ducked and rotated around him. The young Jedi swung back in an upward slash to his back, but Adam flipped his hand around, blocking the strike and pushing back by rising his arms forward as before. Shinji backed away and it was now Adam's turn to be on the offensive as he came at the youth with a high slash downward. Shinji came at the same time and the two sabers met with a hiss. Shinji struggled with the lock and slipped his saber out, but not before Adam came at him with another powerful strike, this one being low and coming upward. Shinji had to move fast to defend against it, otherwise he would have been rendered into two. The clash came hard, causing Shinji to wince in pain, something that was expected upon by the angel who quickly locked his blade with Shinji's again and spun it around. This resulted in Shinji loosing his handling and the lightsaber to fly out of his hands. The weapon clattered on the ground and Adam lunged with a forward slash. Shinji sidestepped the blow and jumped high into the air as Adam swung in a backlash blow. As Shinji soared, he reached his hand out and his fallen lightsaber flew up from the ground toward its master. At the same time, Adam jumped up as well and as Shinji landed on the foot of the Eva 01, Adam came diving in on him. Their weapons locked once again and Shinji was once again forced down by the strength of the attack.

"Stop fighting me, Third Child. Your use is over."

The last words hit a cord in Shinji and he blinked in shock. Seeing this, Adam lunged again with a sideswipe, nearly pushing Shinji off the Eva's foot. Shinji quickly regained his balance, but Adam came with a swift stab. Guided by the Force, Shinji somersaulted over Adam and felt a tremor in the Force as he did. Qui-Gon... Automatically, Shinji's hand reached out again and it grasped hold of something. It was Qui-Gon's lightsaber. Looking down, he saw the Jedi master looking up at him from the ground. In a flash, Shinji ignited the lightsaber and the emerald blade hissed into form. Adam wheeled around with a spinning slash, only to be surprised by the appearance of the green blade. Shinji pushed away and struck back with his violet saber, forcing the angel to defend. Shinji then came again and again it was blocked. But this time, Adam felt the strength of the boy grow in his strike. Shinji came relentlessly with three more attacks, moving gracefully with the two blades. In the last strike, Adam jumped off the Eva and back on the ground. But it was Shinji that followed him, continuing his assault with those words echoing in his mind.

"Your use is over."

Geofront

Misato and Kaji rushed back through the corridors with the soldiers mere footsteps away from them. Misato had to move fast. She had managed to evade them due to her knowledge of the structure (Thanks to Ritsuko's constant drilling and taunting) and the corners, but that wouldn't keep up and they both knew it. Worse yet, Kaji's shoulder wound was practically leaking, blood dripping down his jacket and onto the floor.

"We better split up." Kaji suggested in mid-gasp. We have a better chance of loosing them that way.

Misato turned to him with a look of incredulity"Are you serious? You'll pass out before you can take five steps."

Kaji strained and forced himself up away from her"I can ballpark it."

However, his stand was wobbly and he was forced to lean on the wall. Misato shook her head and retook his arm on her shoulder. "Yeah right."

Kaji weakly resisted"Stop being stubborn, Katsuragi."

"No, you stop it." Misato argued. Funny that after everything that is going on, they can still wind up arguing. "I'll not going to leave you."

Kaji snorted and Misato dragged him onward. They nearly turned a corner, but paused when they saw a patrol just leaving into another area. Misato peeked out both way and then continued on.

"Funny." Kaji retorted. "And before you did everything you could to aviod me. Now you want me close to you."

Misato scowled quietly"Don't push it, Kaji." The pair quickly sped down another corner. "I just don't want to owe you later on."

She expected Kaji to return with another comment, but he became silent. Misato continued to carry him on through one of the longer corridors. It was a risk, she knew, as they would be sighted there more easily. But they didn't have too many options now. As they reach the lower end, Kaji muttered to her.

"Misato...we should stop..."

"Not yet. Those guys are still behind us." She turned her head to check and true enough, the lights were coming into view on the walls adjacent to them. It wouldn't take them long to find them now.

"I don't mean that." Kaji replied. He panted a few times and continued speaking, "This pretense between us..."

"Kaji, this really isn't the time..." They reached the other end where a gate elevator was awaiting them. Leaning Kaji against the side wall, Misato pushed the button and the whirl of the machinery came up. She continued to press the button in a vain effort to make it go faster, but was stopped when Kaji took a hold of her hand

"I know, but we may not get another chance." Misato turned her eyes to him and saw that they were locked on to hers. He seemed calm, but his eyes told of the worries he had, the fear he felt deep down. Not of dying, but not letting her know out loud. Misato held her gaze. He had come for her, risked his cover and his life for her. She already knew what was coming and despite everything that was going on now, this made her the most nervous.

"Misato..."

But the words never came. Light flashes soon came down from down the hall and rounds of gunfire soon followed. Misato ducked beside the opposite side of the elevator and the bullets flew past her just barely.

"Damn! These guys just don't quit." Raising her gun, she waited for the gunfire to stop before sending out a round of her own. The soldiers on the opposite side ducked away from the sound, giving them a few seconds of breathing time. The elevator finally reached them and Misato pulled the door open. Moving over to Kaji, she shoved him in.

"Get in."

Kaji hit the back of the elevator hard, eliciting a low moan from the spy. More bullets flew out and Misato ducked back again. She then reached in, pressed one of the buttons and pulled the gate door from the outside. At this, Kaji nearly jumped.

"Misato, what are you doing!"

"Throwing them off of you." She turned around to let out another round of fire, "You should be able to make it out through the emergency chute by jamming it between floors."

"Katsuragi, don't do this!"

But there was nothing he could do. The elevator had already begun to descend and he watched as Misato's form began to lift away from him. But before she disappeared from view, he called up to her.

"I love you."

"I know." where the last words he heard from her.

Qui-Gon watched the fight between the angel and his Padawan as their lightsaber battle moved them away from the area and briefly into the backdrop of the Terminal Dogma. He could feel Shinji's strength growing through the fight, something that he hadn't exhibited early. Not even against the other angels. Qui-Gon would have liked to think that Shinji's training with him had allowed the boy to delve deeper into the Force, but he couldn't. Because what he was feeling was a growing aggression in his fighting, forming from a darkness that seemed to be brewing within him. Qui-Gon was afraid of this. Ever since Shinji had first come, the Jedi had feared what a head-on confrontation with his 'father' would mean. A lot of negative emotions must have been whirling through Shinji's mind right now and it seemed that his anger was beginning to surface.

'Shinji, no.'

But Qui-Gon said nothing aloud. He wasn't able to aid Shinji now and Shinji was their only hope now. Long before they arrived back in Tokyo-3, Qui-Gon was aware that there was a possibility that this would happen. It would be Shinji's test and as such, Qui-Gon would have to allow Shinji to make his own choice, without him. But the stakes were so high now and humanity's future was in the balance, that choice might have great consequences on everyone.

'No...'

Qui-Gon shook it away. He had to trust Shinji to do the right thing. And he had to do whatever he could as well. With that in mind, Qui-Gon struggled upright and crawled over to Rei, who was beginning to stir. He pushed himself right next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her over. The azure-haired girl seemed to be holding herself in pain and she was rolled upright.

"Ayanami. Wake up."

Rei's closed eyes were etched in a deep frown"Shin...ji...Soh...ryu...Pai...n..."

Fsszzzzzhhhhh!

Another MP Eva fell apart from 02's lightsaber as Asuka steadily regained her foothold on the battlefield. There were only two MP Evas left now, one of who was holding the Lance of Longinus. However, they now seemed hesitant to attack her as she had brought down the last Eva so cleanly and quickly. Soon, one of them lunged forward and the second one followed directly behind. Asuka slowly etched the lightsaber back, quiet in the seat but ready for the attack. The first MP Eva came in close and suddenly leapt up high over 02's head. But Asuka didn't seem concerned and rather, focused on the second one behind it who was moving in with a stabbing blow. Moving gently, Asuka caused her Eva to just sidestep the attack, causing it to fly past the side of the Eva. Then with a twist, she moved the lightsaber in a spin downward, slicing the pale Eva's blade arm. Then with a spin, 02 rolled around and sliced downward, taking its head off as well. Asuka then posed to finish it when she paused.

'Rei...?'

The hesitation was brief, but it allowed the second Eva to move in and punch her in the head. At the same time, the first Eva, which was still sliced up, shot its hand back and caused her to fall back in the water. With her falling down, the second pounced with the lance pointing downward. But Asuka managed to roll through the water and flip back on her feet just as the MP Eva stabbed down and hit the water. Now in position, Asuka swung in a downward wide arc, severing its head and both arms. The lance splashed down and 02 wheeled the blade upward, bringing it down on the Eva and sliced it down the middle, finishing it. Asuka kept still as the bio-machine fell apart and sighed after it exploded.

"Finally."

She then turned her Eva around. She had felt distress from the First Child and it seemed connected with Shinji. 'Figures.' She began to maneuver her Eva when her senses finally snapped. 'Oh crap!' She had forgotten about the last Eva that although sliced, was still active and crouching in the water where its 'kin' was destroyed. Asuka turned back to see the Eva had regenerated half its head and most of it arm and hand, which had molded into a blade. Asuka decided to finish this one off quickly. She still felt Rei's distress call and she didn't know how long she could hold her control on her Eva. Moving the butterfly control tentatively, the Eva raised its lightsaber and rushed at the recovering Eva. The water practically exploded as she made her charge and her lightsaber soon bore down on the Eva. However, it didn't get any deeper than its partially formed head as it stopped midway. Asuka had been impatient and it now cost her, for the Eva had stabbed her in the midsection with the weapon it was holding in the other arm.

It was the Lance of Longinus...

The battle between Shinji and Adam continued. Shinji's renewed vigor from earlier seemed to be giving him the edge in this fight as the angel was repelled by the Jedi's attacks. But as Shinji fought, he felt a small emptiness within himself, like he was an empty vacuum. After an exchange of strikes, Adam backed away, leaving Shinji to ponder this. He was holding his own against the angel, but that didn't start happening until a few minutes earlier. As he wracked his memory, he suddenly remembered what had caused him to be driven so much.

"Your use is over."

It reminded him of when he first arrived in Tokyo-3 and Nerv; when he first encountered the Eva 01 and saw his father again. His father had no real desire to see him and was only interested in Shinji piloting the purple behemoth. He...had a use for him. Shinji couldn't believe it. He had always hoped... but it wasn't to be. His father had abandoned him fully, leaving him with a new life of pain and suffering as the Third Child, pilot of the Evangelion 01. There was nothing else for them beyond that. And when his father...when Adam said those words, it was as though he was truly being discarded...

But before Shinji could reflect on it any further, Adam came at him with a savage lunge. Shinji brought Qui-Gon's lighsaber up to defend and Adam allowed the clash, only to slip through and come in with a stab. Shinji stepped back and twirled, allowing his violet saber to connect with the incoming blade and deflect it. Adam continued the pressure, using the deflecting blow to whirl in close and come down with an overhead strike. Shinji jerked his forearm upright to catch the incoming blade, but Adam passed through it and came for the boy's body. In a quick reflex, Shinji brought the emerald lightsaber to bear, stopping the crimson saber from cutting across his body and holing it in place along with his own lightsaber. The three blades crackled loudly in the lock, but Adam didn't allow it and slipped his lightsaber downward, nicking Shinji's left arm.

"Guah"

His arm singed, Shinji was forced to drop his master's lightsaber as Adam wheeled in again. Still with his own lightsaber, Shinji shot his sole arm high and intercepted Adam's saber. Seeing the angel about to slip out again, Shinji swung his lightsaber around and pushed, causing Adam to lose his momentum and allowing Shinji a clean opening. But before he could do anything, the angel shimmered for a moment and a blast of energy hit Shinji and hurled him to the floor. Shinji groaned miserably and moved to get up, but Adam was already upon him. With a swipe, Adam disarmed Shinji once again and held the crimson blade to the youth's face.

"You are beaten." Adam sighed. "Now stay down."

"No." Shinji gasped, despite the weapon held before him. "I won't let you...hurt them..."

The angel tipped the blade closer to Shinji, causing him lurch back. "You just don't get it, do you? You don't have a choice." The angel's face soon lifted upward. Shinji wondered about it and looked up as well. Though tired, he was able to make out Asuka up above. But something...was off. Something was wrong. He felt...he couldn't explain it. But he knew something was really wrong.

"Hm. So they still oppose me." Adam spoke as he moved away, seeming to dismiss Shinji altogether. "But it will not be enough. It's time for the First Child...for Lillith, to complete her task."

Shinji soon realized he was talking about Rei and struggled to get off the ground"Leave...my sister...alone."

At this, Adam stopped walking and let out a short laugh"Sister? Pitiful lillim." He tilted his head to the side a bit"It is her destiny, one that you can not understand." Facing forward again, he continued his walk"All you can do is stay there and await oblivion like her and the rest of mankind."

That did it for Shinji. He was simply going to do what he wanted, knowing that Shinji would be powerless to stop him. It's just like before, when his Eva went out of his control and almost killed Touji. Controlled by his 'father', Commander Ikari. Shinji began to tremble. Now it was happening again. Now the Commander...this evil creature would hurt his only sister just to get his way and in doing so, destroy all of mankind. 'I won't allow this! I won't allow you! I won't run away!' In a flash, the violet lightsaber was back in Shinji's hand, fully ignited and with a cry, Shinji dove at Adam.

"I WON'T"