Well, hope you're liking it so far, I must admit, it's take a quick turn from the mediocrity of the first three chapters or so…

But mind you, unlike Shinji's Stronghold and NGE: Madness, I don't have a huge plot layout ready for this, which might seem evident…

Madness is going to be sixty chapters (Almost halfway! Whoo!)

Stronghold will probably be like fifteen chapters…

But this fanfic? I have no bloody idea…ehehe…

Well, let's start the show.

Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion or its characters. Gainax does, and they rock. Who else could create both Evangelion and FLCL!

Zankoku na tenshi no you ni
Shonen yo, shinwa ni nare...

Aoi kaze ga ima mune no doa wo tataitemo,
Watashi dake wo tada mitsumete
Hohoenderu Anata
Sotto Fureru mono
Motomeru koto ni muchuu de,
Unmei sae mada shiranai itaikena hitom

Dakedo itsuka kizuku deshou
Sono senaka ni wa
Haruka mirai mezasu tame no
Hane ga aru koto...

Zankoku na tenshi no te-ze
Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu
Hotobashiru atsui patosu de
Omoide wo uragiru nara
O-zora wo daite kagayaku
Shonen yo, shinwa ni nare

Zutto nemutteru watashi no ai no yurikago
Anata dake ga yume no shisha ni
Yobareru asa ga kuru
Hosoi kubisuji wo tsukiakari ga utsushiteru
Sekai-ju- no toki wo tomete
Tojikometai kedo...

Moshi mo futari aeta koto ni imi ga aru nara,
Watashi wa, sou, jiyu- wo shiru
Tame no Baiburu

Zankoku na tenshi no te-ze
Kanashimi ga soshite hajimaru
Dakishimeta inochi no katachi
Sono yume ni mezameta toki
Dare yori mo hikari wo hanatsu
Shonen yo, shinwa ni nare

Hito wa ai wo tsumugi nagara rekishi wo tsukuru
Megami nante narenai mama
Watashi wa ikiru...

Zankoku na tenshi no te-ze
Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu
Hotobashiru atsui patosu de
Omoide wo uragiru nara
O-zora wo daite kagayaku
Shonen yo, shinwa ni nare

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Episode 31

The Return of the Native

Tokyo 3, Japan

Unknown Location

The man stood there, rubbing his ponytail, peering at the street signs around him while his ponytail swayed silently.

"Hmmm…I left too many memories behind when I left, broke too many hearts, left so much unfinished..."

He checked if his pistol was loaded and then continued walking, heading down a familiar Tokyo 3 street, towards where he knew she must be.

I was so foolish back then, rooting about and trying to find the "answer"? Well, now I know the answer, and I realize what both of them are doing…I'll work for one of them to eliminate the other, but I've got to take both madmen out with one bullet, figuratively of course.

Tokyo 3, Japan

Misato Katsuragi's Apartment

Naota Kiriyama peered at the apartment that had served him as a place of rest and relaxation for all this time, giving it a passing glance as he stood by the door.

Well, not exactly rest and relaxation, with Sohryu charging everywhere, Katsuragi always drunk, and Shinji going in and out of disaster…But it's the closest thing to a home I had.

He gripped the handle of the small black briefcase he had in his left hand, checked if his pistol was holstered, and then turned towards the open door.

Suddenly a dreaded, familiar voice.

"Running away, Sixth Child?"

Naota stiffened, shaking his head slightly.

How could I've been so damn careless, now there's a witness, a witness I don't think I can eliminate…

"Huh? I thought you were a coward, Kiriyama."

Naota turned, eying the Second Child.

"Running away? No, of course not. We'll meet again soon. Why, don't tell me you're going to miss me?"

Naota made a fake pout, primarily on the path to driving Asuka into a fit of rage.

"I know you can't live without me, little Asuka dear."

And of course she took the bait, her hand swinging towards Naota's cheek.

She still thinks I'm some pushover like the Third Child?

Ducking under the slap, Naota lunged forward with a smirk, firmly pinning Asuka's hands to her sides with a strength she had evidently not expected of him.

She seemed to snarl and growl, her warm breath hitting Naota's chin, startling him.

It was then that Naota Kiriyama realized that he had never really loved anyone, never really kissed a girl, it was then Naota noticed Asuka's ravishing beauty.

He slowly moved his head closer, until he could feel her breath against his lips, indeed feel the warmth of her skin itself emanating onto his.

And it was shortly after, as Asuka struggled in his grasp, that he dashed all these foolish thoughts away and finally released her, the Second Child stumbling back, her eyes and face red, her expression a look of confusion.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Naota moved away, eyes wild as he realized that he had wasted enough time with the Second Child, wasted enough time in this apartment, he had to get out before they-

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps weaving into Naota's ear, footsteps clapping against the stairs leading up to Misato's apartment, and he jerked to the side, ignoring Asuka, peering down at the silhouette of a man that was making it's way up.

Naota leaned closer, his eyes wide, his arms loose.

The silhouette rose higher and higher, becoming a pony-tailed man in a dark suit and dark sunglasses.

Section II? They're here already? Dammit! And Asuka saw me, they'll ask her, she'll tell them I'm running off…I can't let the securities of a spoiled little girl stand in the way of the plan!

Asuka took a step back as Naota suddenly whirled around, staring at her determinedly with an almost unreadable expression. His eyes seemed piercing and determined, as if he was steeling himself to do something unmentionable.

Asuka blushed lightly.

Like try to kiss me again! Stupid pervert! Both of the little boys in this house are perverts, having weird dreams about me every night, I b-

Suddenly Asuka's inner-monologue was cut off as she noticed Naota raise his left hand, which held a small black pistol.

"I'm sorry, Asuka Langley Sohryu."

"Wha -"

And then he pulled the trigger.

Asuka Langley Sohryu moaned, swaying in the darkness, a growing, aching dull pain in her head and chest.

She stumbled about the darkness, feeling a growing grayness and stumbled about, numbly feeling tears running down her eyes.

Asuka Langley Sohryu was crying.

"Crying! No…no…I don't want to die…I don't want to cry…I don't want to die.."

She held her head tight in her hands, almost ripping her hair out, crouched down and swaying, her eyes closed tight.

Suddenly an eerily familiar voice.

"Come die with me, Asuka…It's much more peaceful over here."

Asuka let out a scream, but found she could not open her eyes or indeed move to face the specter.

All she could do was let out her disconnected screams in the growing grayness.

She needed someone, anyone to rescue her from the nothingness, the grayness, it hurt her deep into the core, the peace and calm burned her very soul.

"Kaji? Save me!"

"Kaji is dead, you know that."

Asuka finally found she could open her eyes, revealing a familiar little girl, with pretty red hair and creamy white skin.

"D-Don't…Don't say that! Shinji! Shinji, save me!"

"You always wait for him to save you, don't you? Well he won't save you anymore. All you give him back is ingratitude."

"No…That's not true! Don't say that! It's not true!"

"You never treated him well, you never treated any-"

Asuka found she could maneuver quite well presently, sending a blinding slap against the little girl's cheek and then instantly regretting it as little Asuka careened to the floor and shimmered away.

In her place rose a tall, dark shadow of a man with a familiar face and swaying ponytail.

Asuka stared at him, swaying and stumbling around as he ran towards her, shouting.

"Asuka! Asuka? Are you alright?"

Asuka smiled, descending into the grayness, falling to her knees.

"So this…is what it's like."

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Episode 30

Extraction

Ryouji Kaji's eyes widened as he worked to cut the noose tied around Asuka's neck, lifting her up to stop any added pressure to the apparently unconscious girl's neck.

This can't be Asuka…She'd never try to kill herself…Could they have changed so much since I left? What's happened to Misato then? And Shinji?

He sighed in relief as the rope gave way and lay Asuka down onto her bed, leaning in and hearing the sound of breathing.

"Thank God…Thank God…Why do I always have to walk into situations like this? These goddamn kids…"

Tokyo 3, Japan

NERV Headquarters, Commander's Office

Gendo Ikari sat in his regular position behind his desk, hands folded in front of his face, hinting at no emotion as Kouzou stood next to him, continuing in his status report.

"Section II has sighted him in Tokyo 3, interacting with crewmembers and citizens…Out in the open."

"Ah, so he did survive that ordeal…It appears she failed the task she was given…"

"No, I don't think it was her…"

"The old men?"

"Yes, it must be."

Gendo paused, staring off into space for what seemed like hours, then finally he spoke, his voice clear, calm, and precise.

"They are planning something; we both know where it could lead. Keep him under heavy surveillance; have a sniper trained on him at every possible moment."

Tokyo 3, Japan

Unknown Location

Naota Kiriyama sat on a small wooden bench in the greenery of the park, his briefcase sitting next to him, his hands wrapped around his face, his back jerking at every breath.

He was not crying, but to any passing bystander it seemed like he was passionately sobbing.

He paused as he tied the noose around the unconscious girl's neck, realizing how pale and slender her neck was, feeling a tinge of regret at destroying something so beautiful.

But then he turned away, steeling his nerves, and kicked the chair away from beneath her limp feet, grabbing his briefcase and dashing out the door, briefly seeing the shadow of a man approaching from the stairs.

He leaned back against the bench, eyes gazing numbly at the sky, repeating a single phrase over and over under his breath, a prayer, a mantra if you will; as the VTOL hovered above him, waiting to land at his signal.

"I did what I had to do… I did what I had to do… I did what I had to do… I did what I had to do… I did what I had to do… I did what I had to do… I did what I had to do… I did what I had to do! I did what I had to do! I did what I had to do! I did what I had to do!"

He began repeating it faster and faster, and then finally stopped with a sigh and an intake of breath as he stood, raising a fist, the VTOL slowly making it's way down towards a clearing a dozen feet or so away from him.

He peered up at it as it descended and then finally turned his head away, his face grim as he looked in the general distance of Misato's apartment and NERV Headquarters.

I'll return for you all…and save you from the destruction he is planning…save what is left, at least.

Tokyo 3, Japan

Unknown Location

Shinji Ikari sighed as he stood at the familiar spot. He remembered it as the one he had come to with Misato after destroying the first Angel.

The sun still rose just as beautifully with the looming towers, except now it seemed all grave and irrelevant, as it rose mostly on a grim wasteland.

He turned away from the sun, staring gloomily at the growing gray shadows behind him and closed his eyes tight to ward away the nightmare.

I'm alone…I'm alone again…I can't speak to Asuka…or Rei…no…neither of them…I can't speak to them…I don't even know where Rei and Misato are…she's always gone to work…with Father…all of them leaving me…all of them…I'm…

Shinji Ikari turned back down the path he had come, head drooped down in what seemed like deep thought.

And all the while, in his chaotic head, he could hear that pale Angel, speaking in his mind, that same familiar calm voice that had betrayed them like all the others.

"After so much time, so little change for Shinji Ikari. You're alone, and you'll die alone. That is the tragic truth of the Lillum."

Fly me to the moon,
And let me play among the stars.
Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars.
In other words, hold my hand!
In other words, darling, kiss me.

Fill my heart with song,
And let me sing forever more.
You are all I long for, all I worship and adore.
In other words, please be true!
In other words, I love you!

Fly me to the moon,
And let me play among the stars.
Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars.
In other words, hold my hand!
In other words, darling, kiss me.

Fill my heart with song,
And let me sing forever more.
You are all I long for, all I worship and adore.
In other words, please be true!
In other words, I love you!

Well, Chapter Eight might have been a bit overdue…

Hope you didn't think it was lame…

Things are going to get a bit depressing and then a bit exciting as the fanfic goes around, and I honestly don't know how many chapters it's going to go until the ending (unlike my other fanfics, which are comparatively meticulously planned out.)

Well, see you next chapter