Reign of the Tabri
Disclaimer: I don't own Gainax. Plain and simple.
"If the Final Messenger is defeated by the neglected son it shall come to pass that the children rule all."- Dead Sea Scrolls, Chapter 17
Chapter 6: Four Horsemen as One
Michel sat alone in his office. What was once Gendo Ikari's was now his. Taking things from mere mortals was enjoyable to Michel. It was like taking candy from a baby. A part of you knows its wrong, yet its still fun.
Michel sat alone in his office reading reports. Open at the moment was a report from the conclave's emissary to the UN. Wineriol had been the perfect choice for that mission. She reported that the UN had given into their demands and wouldn't attack. Food would be provided by the UN for the citizens of Tokyo-3. The UN would help in the search for the missing children. All Evangelions would be moved to Tokyo-3 with assistance from the UN. The UN would almost certainly try to liberate the city by force. Everything was as he had expected. 'Strange that Wineriol never tried politics in the conclave,' thought Michel, 'She could have done very well.'
Michel closed the manila folder and placed if off to the side. Michel opened another folder and began to leaf through it. It reported that Tabri had been spread out over Asia and North and South America. If any of the children entered one of the three continents they'd be noticed. Also, all boats records were being searched for aliases of the missing NERV survivors. They wouldn't make it far.
The last part of the second manila folder was the most interesting. Michel's eyebrows rose as he read about an intercepted radio transmisssion. In it one group was identified as group one and the other three. Apparently the escapees had split up. A strike team was already attacking group three. Group one would be attacked soon. The report speculated that the third child may be in the third group. Michel turned to the computer. He was well versed in its use; he had embraced the Lilim's most interesting creation. His hands flew across the keyboard and quickly located the strike team's names. Good. The Tabri of Anger, Arrogance, and Pride had been dispatched. They'd be sure to do it right or else Michel would have their hides.
The doors burst open and Michel's eyes flew up. He'd told the guards he was not to be disturbed, this had better be important for their sake. Standing in the doorway was Yomial. He hobbled in and sat down. The guards closed the doors behind him. They looked more then a little scared for their lives.
Yomial faced Michel from across the table. Yomial was one of the few Tabri Michel let look him in the eye. He knew Yomial would never do anything, Tabri of Servitude that he was. He'd also only interrupt Michel for something important. "What is it?" Michel demanded.
Yomial shifted uncomfortably, "You remember back a little while? When you asked me to find your…predecessor?" to speak the name in front of Michel was to face hours of torture. Yomial was not that stupid.
Michel's face darkened for a moment. Then it brightened. "You've found him?" he asked.
"Yes High Speaker." Yomial's face showed great amounts of relief at this response.
"Well, where is he?" Michel looked downright eager now.
"…"
Michel's face darkened once more, "What's wrong? Where is he!"
"High Speaker, you have been informed of the strike team set to attack one of the NERV survivors groups?"
"Yes, I just read about it when you walked in."
"Sir, one member is already dead and the other two fighting for their lives. Ira contacted us when it began. I don't think they'll last long."
Michel collapsed into his chair. He had never expected this one to react so violently. Much less defend the person who had killed his own father. 'Once a traitor, always a traitor." Michel thought. Michel reached for the phone. He was disappointed that he wouldn't get to do it himself but it needed to be done fast, before the third child could escape.
"…" was the answer from the other end.
"You are to be dispatched to destroy… your former master. Capture anyone else with him. You already have the coordinates, go now.
A deep grunt was the only reply from the other end. Then the phone was hung up. Michel looked back to Yomial. Yomial looked anxious.
"What?" spat Michel.
"Well, it's no place of mine to make decisions like this but… isn't using Death a little extreme?" asked Yomial.
"Not for this one. Nothing is too extreme for this one."
Logani pulled Asuka deeper into the forest. They'd managed to get a few miles from the scene of the last battle. Logani's back ached; he hadn't been able to completely heal it. Also, cannibalizing his wings for energy was starting to have an effect; he was running out of energy.
Asuka was in worse shape. Expanding her AT-field for the first time since her mother died had left her near exhaustion. Yet, strangely she felt like she was gaining energy the farther away from the battle site she got. Now perhaps she could even walk. She just needed to be set down, "Stop. I think I can walk now."
Logani barely hesitated before setting her down. They needed to move faster and if she could walk they'd be able to do that. Besides, the effects of killing Fastosun should be kicking in by now.
Asuka stood unsteadily and then managed to start walking. It was brutally slow going in the swamp but it was much faster then when Logani had carried her. The only problem was that now she was getting wetter. Her shoes were totally ruined. "So what are we running from anyway?" she asked.
"I already told you, Death. Conserve your energy or else we're both dead." Logani returned in his usual quiet voice.
Asuka stopped and scowled at him. "You can tell me more then that can't you? I mean running from death? That's pathetic. I think you owe me an explanation at the very least."
'Dammit, why did she have to kill Pride?' thought Logani. He stopped and turned back to her. "Look. If you want to die stay here. Otherwise follow-." He cut off as his eyes undialated once more. When they re-dilated he grabbed Asuka's arm and pulled her to the nearest pool of murky water. It was covered in scum and who knew what grew in it.
"If you think I'm getting in there you're nuts," said Asuka.
Nevertheless Logani pulled her in. They were up to their waists immediately. Logani grabbed her face with his hands and looked directly into her eyes. She gasped slightly as a part of her felt like he was going to kissher. Her hand tightened to slap him if he tried. Instead, he asked, "Do you trust me?"
Asuka would've blinked if he hadn't been practically holding her eyes open. "What?' she asked, "I don't even know you! Why would I trust you?"
"Because I saved your life."
That hurt. Asuka hated being saved, in this just as much as when piloting. Still, something in his eyes told her to think about it. Finally she nodded. It was a little painful to do so with him still holding her head so tightly but she managed.
"Good. Now, something very strong is coming. I can't fight it and neither can you. They only real chance we have is to hide from it. It's within a mile now. When it comes we need to hide in this pool. All right?"
"Hide in this pool? Won't it see us?"
"No, the top is covered in sludge and we can dive down pretty deep. But this thing, it's going to be moving fast but it will notice everything. If a bubble breaks the surface of this water when it's within earshot we'll both die. We may have to stay under for as much as two minutes. Can you hold your breath that long?"
"I-I think so. I've never really tried."
"Take a few deep breaths and don't even think about it. The more you worry about it the more you'll need to breathe. We need to go down now though."
Asuka nodded and took several deep breaths. Her last thought before she went under was 'Why do I trust this guy? I don't even know his name!' She went down and searched for the rocky bottom. She found it and used it to hold herself down. 'Two minutes. No problem. Not for the Great Asuka Langley Soryu! Wait, when was the last time I thought that?Feels like its been years.'
Logani went down and did the same as Asuka. He couldn't use his AT-field to allow himself to breath. Death would definitely sense it. Heck, he couldn't use his AT-field within a couple miles of Death or else he'd be locked onto. Then it'd really be over.
Death followed the trail as it had always done. Nothing could block the trail of the essence. Not fire, not wind, not earth and most certainly not water.
It had never revealed to anyone how it hunted. Not even its long time master Logani. No one knew how death hunted. Therefore no one could avoid it.
It moved with grace across this swamp. It was home here. It would've only been more of Death's home if it had been night. Fortunately for its prey it was only mid-afternoon. Too bad it didn't matter, Death comes for all.
A shadow crossed over the pool Asuka and Logani were hiding in. It didn't leave. Logani knew something was wrong just from that. He'd seen tapes of Death completing its missions. It never stayed still unless it was going for the kill. 'Shit,' was his last coherent thought. Then he dove out of the pool and engaged Death hoping to somehow gain the upper hand.
Asuka noticed the shadow but didn't realize what it meant. All she understood was that Logani surfaced. Therefore, so could she. She reached the surface and breathed deeply. Another moment and she thought for sure she'd have been a goner. She looked around and found no sign of Logani and whatever had been pursuing them. No sign besides several crushed and fallen trees. She decided she might as well follow the destruction. 'Yeah, that'd be the right thing to do. Maybe I can get out of this swamp too.' she thought. She set out.
Logani threw an uppercut at were Death's face would've been. He connected with the chin but Death was barely hurt. Death literally couldn't be stopped. Or killed.
Death had Logani in a bear hug and was spinning around while moving. One result was Logani being smashed into nearly every tree they passed. The other result was a path of fallen trees.
Logani was now bleeding from multiple wounds. He didn't even think about raising his AT-field. Death's field was the strongest. It was probable because Death had no secrets to keep. No personality to protect. In there lay Death's weakness.
Death was stronger then Logani. Death was faster then Logani. Death had a stronger AT-field then Logani. Death was more versed in combat then Logani. Logani had a better personality then Death. Strangely not comforting given his situation.
Death finally stopped the spinning and released Logani from the bear hug. Death grabbed Logani's arms and began spinning again. Then Death released Logani. Logani flew through more trees before finally slamming into a large rock. He collapsed into a heap. The large rock Logani had hit broke apart and covered Logani. Deep under the rocks, where Death could not see, Logani's eyes undialated.
Asuka finally reached the end of the smashed trees. What she found didn't make her happy. Death released Logani, who went flying through the air. It became painfully obvious what had created the broken tree path Asuka had followed. Asuka gasped lightly when Logani hit the large rock.
The small gasp Asuka made was more then enough for Death to be alerted to her presence. In only a few steps Death was upon her. Death had no face, bulging muscles, no hair, and Asuka couldn't honestly tell if it was supposed to be male or female. Asuka, who had never backed down from fighting an Angel, very nearly wet herself. Instead she fixed her face and kicked Death in the groin. Death didn't even flinch. 'I guess it's a girl,' thought Asuka.
Death grabbed her by the hair and began dragging her to where Logani lay buried. After half the distance Asuka quit struggling and just went along. There was no way she would escape that grip with her hair and she wasn't going to be walking around bald.
When they were ten feet away from the pile Death stopped. It released Asuka and cocked its head to the side as if listening to something. Then Death materialized its AT-field. Death showed no emotion despite the fact that it should've been invulnerable. With all the messengers gone Death was the strongest individual on the planet.
Suddenly another set of orange hexagons materialized in front of Death's. They began to neutralize Death's AT-field. If Death had a mouth it would've frowned. Instead it took a whole step back.
The pile of rocks exploded outwards in all directions. Standing at the focal point of the explosion was Logani. Wrapped around him snuggly was his own AT-field. In a voice much louder then his usual one he boomed, "You should've done your research Death. Now for once, you'll get beat."
Death lowered itself, readying to charge. Logani just stood with his hands at his side smiling.
Within Logani's head Ireul was speaking to him. This one sees using a person's essence. Change your essence and he will be unable to follow you.
'I can't change my essence,' thought Logani. They expected intrusion had finally come. Ireul was reading his thoughts.
And that is why you have me.
Death began its charge when its target suddenly disappeared. Death skidded to a halt and began looking frantically for its target. No one could move that fast. Logani couldn't have gotten that much faster as of recently. No…he must've figured out how to-
Death was assaulted by blows. They hit him in the back, in the side, in the front. They were painful, yes. However, they couldn't stop him no matter how hard they were. Death was eternal; it couldn't be stopped.
Logani stopped attacking. It was clear to him that Death was not going to die from his assault. He couldn't beat Death even if he was invisible to it. Still, he could escape now. He wrapped his AT-field around Asuka and Ireul managed to shield her as well.
Asuka was bewildered. This unstoppable juggernaut had suddenly just stopped and seemingly allowed Logani to beat the living tar out of it. Then Logani had stopped attacking. He walked over to her. "We need to go now." he said. Asuka nodded dumbly. "Don't worry about Death. It won't attack us anymore." Logani led Asuka away with a comforting hand.
Death got up and looked around. Its prey had fled and for once Death could not follow it. The High Speaker would not be pleased. If Death had eyes it would've cried. It had made its first failure ever.
Done with Chapter 6 in only five days. Thanks once more to Animefan64 for proofreading. Once more a great improvement. Look for Chapter 7 next weekend. r&R