Koros45 doesn't own Getter Robo, Mazinkaiser, or Neon Genesis Evangelion

Stage 37: [Burn the Run]

'I wanted to see Yui – one more time. Unit 01 roaring before me is the last image I see before the Invader possessing me tries to escape. For the briefest moment, I have control of my body.

I should've died before Instrumentality. Yet the Invaders ended up using me at the height of my hubris. I suppose that's ironic. At least Yui or Fuyutsuki would say so. I used everyone around me and thus the Invaders using me the same way is my punishment.

Inside of Unit 01, Shinji stands before me, with the other EVA pilots. I cannot refer to him as 'Third Child' any longer. Though it is a responsibility I neglected for most of our lives together, I am his father. At this moment I am glad that he is the one to end this false life the Invaders gave me. Part of me wanted what the Invaders promised – to merge with Unit 01 myself and be one with Yui forever. Yet – Unit 01 is not Yui Ikari. Rather, she is not the Yui Ikari I always pictured in my head since the day she vanished.

Yui Ikari is Evangelion Unit 01. In front of me I see the fangs of a beast. Eyes that do not reflect Yui's love or admiration. Unit 01 has become something I never could control despite my best efforts. Not that I could ever control Yui. In hindsight the goal the Invader gave me after it possessed me seems hollow. The thought of her rejecting me after a forced attempt at fusion gnaws at me. If I killed Shinji, she would never forgive me. And I know I would hate myself for it. I doubt merging with Unit 01 would fix me in any way. Especially if Yui really does harbor anger towards me due to neglecting our Son.'

/

'Gendo Ikari is a man of contradictions. Even at the moment of his second death, he still cannot come to terms with the great love he feels. Not just for Yui Ikari, but for Shinji as well. It is sad that he could not connect meaningfully with Shinji but at least now – at this instance in time – he has a moment of clarity. I suppose among the Lilin even he is human.

In my own case, I hope that Shinji can forgive me for dying before him a second time. This time by the hand of all three EVA pilots rather than just his own. I am glad to accept this death. The Invader inside of me wants nothing but power. Shinji Ikari does not matter to it. Tabris hates it. I am the Angel of Free Will and yet – I do not have free will any longer. Though I am a fragment of Adam, and Ayanami, Lilith, we are now just Invader Tools.

After The Human Instrumentality Project ended, the true Adam and Lilith left this universe. Ayanami and I are just left over scrap the Invaders reused. The dummy plugs for the MP EVAs were the Invaders' basis for me. As such all my memories are more or less intact. Due to my strange existence I doubt the Kaworu Nagisa in the next cycle will have any recollection of this. In any case I am glad to face death once again. The hope Shinji can survive and move forwards is a strong one. I hope you have the same ability to move forward.'

/

'Go is fighting against Stinger and Cohen. I can feel his presence as he commands Shin Dragon to attack. As I was 'born' in that Getter, its' new allegiance with humanity makes me feel – happy. The Invader inside of me twists and tries to break free. Yet my AT Field keeps it trapped. For so long it has used this body and now I experience an unfamiliar emotion as it cannot force me to do anything. Now it knows the feeling of being powerless. Now it will die. And it hates that. I do not understand the fear.

I wanted to die. And now I have that wish granted again. The EVA pilots facing me are determined and I see a spark in my replacement's eye. It was the same spark that I felt when Shinji held my hand and gave me a smile. And the same spark in Asuka's heart every time she embraces combat in Unit 02 – and the rare time she offered me friendship. I speak and tell the other Ayanami that she should live, as I will die. The Invader is just like Commander Ikari, although the latter had some form of affection for me.

The parasite views this body as little more than a husk. I realize I am – satisfied – to feel the Invader realize that it is finally at my mercy. Its' fear and need to survive make it shout in my head to Open Get and escape in the Bear component. I remind it that we are trapped and its fear and anger lash out at me. I find a humorous response. It is the first time I have laughed out loud and it is at the very end.'

'That's right',

I think to it.

'Feel the same terror you put so many others through. Squirm and hate the fact that you are nothing without a host body to inhabit. Parasite - in the end you will die - just like everything else in the universe you claim to be above'.

/

'The AT Field is crushing our Getter now and the Invader in me is trying to escape. It is synchronizing with the others, trying to be a coherent hive mind. That is impossible. It is too deeply rooted in my consciousness to merge with the others fully. As the three of us see death as an escape from their possession, they feel conflicted. From their desire to survive and from our desire for them all to die.

I'm still surprised Shinji continues to pilot EVA Unit 01. I had believed – erroneously I can see now – that he would only pilot Unit 01 if I demanded it as his father – or if it was to keep Rei safe. Now he knows the truth. That Unit 01 is Yui Ikari. I feel a pang of jealously. Regrets wash over me and I want to change things. Had I been the pilot of Unit 01 – had I been able to speak to Yui as Shinji can now – how different would things have gone? I know Shinji must hate me. I have done nothing but bring despair and pressure into his life. Had things gone differently, would he still fear and hate me?

Kaworu says I am a man of contradictions. We have hijacked the Invader's hive mind amidst Getter Zureul. He is not laughing at me yet his tone and thought patterns suggest he is amused at my plight. Rei is feeling vindicated. Both from the Invaders' futile struggle to escape and from my own predicament. It makes sense. Myself and the Invaders are both creatures that used others until the very end. Despite their former ranks below me in NERV I feel – equal to Rei and Nagisa. They – allow me to think of us as a group.'

/

'Commander Ikari is feeling quite reflective. That is the word to describe it. I find these emotions are also humorous. He never felt a part of a group despite being the Commander of NERV. And despite having a variety of connection he took for granted. He had my complete loyalty. He had Doctor Akagi's infatuation – and that of her mother's as well. He even had Shinji – though now I feel him regret losing that connection more than ever.'

'Had things been different' I hear him think. The eternal 'what if' that so many humans ponder on a daily basis. That is something I cannot relate to. My life has been short. For the majority of it I have simply followed orders and carried out assigned missions. Now that I have what Nagisa and Tabris define as 'free will' I bask in the enormous freedom of not having to do anything at all.

I hope in the end, Commander Ikari can find peace. We are running out of time, after all. That is something I know is certain. Looking to my reflection out in the orange EVA Unit 00 I feel a pang of envy, and also a pang of relief. She CAN live her life. And it will be her own. My fingers work the keys on Bear's controls and I send her a message. It is brief and likely will not make sense to anyone except for her.

Her love is manifest in her part of the AT Field, desperately expanding to join with both Shinji's and Asuka's. Like Shinji's hand the day he held mine. Or even Commander Ikari's when he pulled me from the entry plug. Yes, it is the same love in the end. Be it familiar, platonic, or otherwise.

Kaworu smiles and extends his hand to the screen, spreading out his fingers. I do the same and in this way, our fingers touch. He will die as well, but he will return in another place, another time. I suppose in this instance I will as well. The other Rei will be able to claim her own future if humanity is victorious.'

/

'Surely Commander Ikari can appreciate the irony in this. He wanted to use Adam to reach out to Lilith, after all. I am happy to see Ayanami has the wisp of a smile on her face. Now the light of the three AT Fields is expanding and I can feel it affecting Getter Zureul at last. The poor Angel does not quite feel the same fear as we do, but it does not want to die.

As I am one with Tabris I do my best to reassure it. I find it feeling – gratitude – as I give it the knowledge that I was once Adam, and Ayanami once Lilith. In that sense – by merging with us – it has accomplished its' 'mission'. Its' cry is one that radiates warmth and – a childlike sense of happiness. Now I feel tears in my eyes as Ayanami looks much the same as she feels the Angel's accomplishment as well.

And the Getter component of this beast we ride is silent. Just like Dragon was the day I sat inside of it. Patient. And content to lose to humanity. I suppose that makes sense. It was made after all, to progress humanity to the next stage of evolution.

Gendo Ikari reaches out his hand towards his screen as to join ours.'

/

'In the end I want a connection. Shinji. I am so sorry. Feeling the emotions that Rei and Kaworu do now I wish I'd not been so blind. I was selfish and almost sacrificed the world to achieve my own goals. My own son was right there and I rejected him. I could not bear to see the parts of Yui that he embodied.

I have left him with a terrible legacy.

Love? Rei and Kaworu both reassure me that he has love despite this. In a way – my absence let to him finding it from other sources. The Getter Team. The Photon Labs. And the First and Second Child. I also feel Kaworu's own love for Shinji and I halt, stunned by this revelation. He had this much love the entire time, I realize. Major Katsuragi. The Fourth Pilot. And of course

Yui.

Kaworu and Rei have already said their goodbyes now. Leaving me the only one silent.

I lock eyes with Shinji and I speak.

"Let me see Yui. I never told her - "

"Tell her yourself." Shinji responds.

My copilots show me that he will not fall the same way that I did – even had he been in worse circumstances. He would find a way to persevere because it is what his situation would require.'

"Yui . . . Shinji . . . goodbye."

/

The Getter Hybrid was crushed, the condensed AT fields leaving nothing behind once it was over.

The three EVA Units stood on the moon's surface, Unit 00 and 02 crouching as they were low on power.

"Then . . . it's done. Father. . . the other Rei . . . and even Kaworu." Shinji was able to say, breathing and shaking from the truth that they were all gone.

"Of course we won!" Asuka said, feeling tired rather than her usual victorious self. "Mama's almost out of energy, but we won!"

"I advise we leave the area. No doubt the others need our help. Great Mazinger is still fighting Baron Ashura. And Stinger and Cohen are still at large." Rei said, her EVA looking up to the battle in space.

"Tetsuya can handle himself!" Asuka decided. "Let's go help out Shin Dragon!"

Unit 01's wings ignited and Shinji nodded as his EVA reached out to the other units. "Then grab on. I'll get us back into space."

/

Shin Getter 2's body was still damaged from the earlier battle. As was its' main pilot. Hayato Jin had suffered a cut from some of his own cockpit's plating coming undone when the false Getter had impaled it. It wasn't nearly as bad of a wound as Getter had taken, but it was still serious enough for him to bind and put plenty of pressure on.

The Getter itself was still functional, but Hayato was only now coming out of his daze. He remembered Shinji had been there to pull out the shards embedded in his Getter's body – but now the boy was gone.

In his place, Mazinkaiser approached, Kaiser Blade held firmly in its' hand as the super robot flanked Shin Getter.

"Getter Team, are you guys alright?!"

"Kouji! We're managing to hold together. I see you survived as well." Ryoma said.

"Yeah, I did. Now we've got to move! Shin Getter's still got enough power to get back to Shin Dragon! It's time we beat down the Invaders together!" Kouji said.

"Take us there and distract Stinger and Cohen. Then you handle Ashura."

"Isn't that a bit overconfident? Can you really fight in that state?" Kouji asked.

"Hmph. We'll manage once we get some repairs. Once Shin Getter launches, that's your cue. Make sure Ashura is at these coordinates and keep them there. You'll understand why soon. We've got a surprise for the Invaders." Hayato directed. As such, Kouji flanked the Getter as Hayato followed him at half-speed.

One of Shin Getter 2's thrusters had been damaged so its' regular element of speed was now less that optimal. Luckily they were able to keep up with Mazinkaiser.

Hayato saw the merged form of Stinger and Cohen and he chuckled.

"Finally – the bastards show us what they really look like. Kouji, give it hell while we go for some emergency repairs. We'll show it Getter's true power once this is all said and done."

/

Then they went into Shin Dragon. Boss, Sayaka, and what remained of NERV and the Photon Labs' crews all helped them out of Shin Getter as Professor Yumi took over the operation, ordering each Getter component fixed as soon as possible.

Hayato could only look outside the window as Mazinkaiser joined up with Venus A to bombard Stinger and Cohen in a volley of Chest and Gigant Missiles.

Cohen's counter was met as at AT Field deflected the flames, Unit 01 blocking the attack as Unit 02 covered him with fire from a Pallet Rifle.

Unit 00 landed on the hull of Shin Dragon and one of the weapons rack deployed, an umbilical cable plugging in directly to the EVA in question.

"Looks like the next generation's holding their own fairly well. Kouji's making up for getting trapped by covering us." Benkei smiled. "I can also see the EVA pilots managed to beat that hybrid "

Ryoma said nothing to this and Hayato grinned.

"The Photon Labs' crew is working as hard as they can to get Shin Getter operable and - "

"CHANGE! SHIN! DRAGON!" Go's voice boomed through the comms.

Suddenly the ship shifted, the hanger dropping as Boss' Borot and several crew members fell over as the Getter finished transforming in a matter of seconds. After that, the repairs began. The Getter was separated into the individual Get Machines once the debris and smaller shards were removed. Boss worked with abandon, applying alloy supplied by Shin Dragon itself to the three vehicles. All while the sounds of combat continued to be heard from outside.

Then a few minutes later Go ran into the rearranged room, looking frantic.

"We need Shin Getter to win! I'm going to directly merge it with Shin Dragon and try to get you up to speed as fast as possible!" The man in red said.

"Go – that's great and all but – who's piloting Shin Dragon now?" Benkei asked.

Go smiled. "Sho can use the full strength of Shin Dragon. She's got Kei and Gai backing her up after all. They still have the power of a complete Getter Team."

As if to answer his question, they could hear the far off pilot yell "Getter Tomahawk! - Getter Beam!" As a glow of green illuminated the space around them.

"Now – let me operate! Ryoma – I got your idea - Shin Getter's how we're going to win this! I'll need to hurry to meet Captain Katsuragi's expectations. " Go said with certainty in his eyes.

/

"I see you continue to face us, Getter." Cohen said as Mazinkaiser and Venus flew back to flank each of Shin Dragon's sides.

"Doubt us at your own peril." Sho said coldly as Shin Dragon's Tomahawk Boomerang returned, it catching the double-sided axe and readying it for another strike.

To this, Stinger's head sprouted from Cohen's own, acting as a crown of sorts. Both the Invaders' eyes looked at Shin Dragon and Stinger's mouth opened.

"Of course, of course." Stinger interjected. "Yet – hear our plan for the universe. At this point nothing you do matters. You're out of time – so listen, and join us." The Invader began.

/

Misato listened to the speech and found she wasn't impressed. Stinger and Cohen had explained their reasoning behind their actions. It was too much like SEELE. They were using some theory on the origin of life to justify their actions. Frankly the idea that Getter Rays were the origin of all life didn't matter to Captain Katsuragi. It was just as unknowable as the majority of life's mysteries.

"We get the message. Are they done yet?" Misato asked under her breath.

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow, turning to Misato.

"Captain, why are they telling us this?"

Misato crossed her arms, frowning. "Once again they're stalling for time. Long enough so they can finish their experiment."

She looked at the miniature Sun and narrowed her eyes.

"Then – you've already got a plan, don't you?" Ritsuko asked with a tired smile.

Misato grinned. "It was Ryoma's idea – and we just need about another minute to pull it off." The woman said.

"Kouji! Go finish off Ashura between you and Tetsuya! EVA Team and Jun! Resume your attacks! Keep that thing distracted! We'll go back on the offense once Shin Getter is repaired." Misato commanded.

/

The Invaders' reasons certainly didn't matter to Jun. The pilot fired Venus' eye beams and got her target' attention. Cohen and Stinger's merged form turned their heads to follow where she was going. Perfect.

Jun boosted to the right and fired Venus' chest missiles, the pair striking the merged Invader. It was about all she could do to be a distraction until Misato's plan came into fruition. The woman was glad Kouji had arrived to flank her as Mazinkaiser's sword slashed one of Cohen's eyes, the Invader roaring and countering with a blast of magma from his mouth.

The surging beam pushed Kouji far back and the pilot grinned as his machine flexed and pushed against the stream as it died down. The pilot steeled himself as Mazinkaiser used the distance created to turn around and fly away towards Ashura's location.

Venus joined in with a second Photon Beam, striking Cohen's face. The large form of the Invader seemed to shrug it off, even as his eyes regenerated.

Then Cohen fired again. This time the blast of heat was enough to bathe the entire area in a crimson haze, all nearby pilots feeling the molten blaze.

"Surprise, Surprise – it's your demise!" Stinger gloated.

"If you will not join us – then die." Cohen seconded.

Despite the pain she felt, the Captain shrugged it off, giving the command she hoped would end it.

"Getter Team! NOW!" Misato ordered.

The three machines flew from Shin Dragon, quickly merging into Shin Getter-1 – the machine repaired enough to land on the dragon head of Shin Dragon, tubes connecting from the flag ship into the other machine.

"Everyone! Put all your energy into Shin Getter!" The various pilots heard Go yell from Dragon's pilot seat.

The energy surge that resulted was immense, Ryoma screaming with power as his Getter's joints groaned with him.

"This is some powerful stuff!" Benkei remarked.

Hayato chuckled. "The machine might not take any more of this."

Ryoma chuckled."At least we'll take them with us!"

Then he moved, and with that he screamed.

"GETTER - TOMAHAWK - !"

/

Shin Getter's next attack occurred, formed from one of the wide Getter Beams from Shin Getter's waist. The axe that formed was pure Getter energy, the blades of the tomahawk a neon green, like the rest of the weapon. Ryoma bore the axe down with all his strength, slicing through all of Jupiter's Moons in one swing before it was swung down at full force towards the Invaders.

/

Ashura went on the attack again with a tentacle and once again a Mazinger Blade blocked the attack. In Great's radar Tetsuya could see Mazinkaiser was approaching them a second time. A fact that was confirmed as Ashura backed up and boosted upwards to look down on the two Mazingers.

"Alright! Now that I'm done helping out the Getter Team, you've got my full attention, Ashura!" Kouji said, Mazinkaiser pointing at the Baron's machine.

"Baron, against both Great and Kaiser, you may as well be dead." Tetsuya said.

"Bold words! Now hear mine – in the unlikely event that you do kill me, you'll unleash them! An army of Mycenae soldiers ready to reclaim the earth!" Ashura said with a sneer.

"Them? What are you talking about?" Tetsuya asked as Kouji reacted and the Kaiser Knuckle began to spin, Turbo Smasher Punch ready to fire.

"My Mycenae Empire will rise again to claim the Earth! Upon my death you will doom humanity!" Ashura said with a laugh.

"That's a dead civilization!" Tetsuya countered, readying a Mazinger Blade. "You're bluffing. The Dinosaur Empire is already beaten!"

"Am I bluffing, Tetsuya Tsurugi? Then Ankoku Daishogun - My Great General of Darkness was a trick?" Ashura asked with a grin as Kouji balked. "You see – Dr. Hell put a fail safe in me to prevent this Empire from rising. And it was almost foolproof. Only Ankoku Daishogun could wake up due to this seal. If you kill me – the merged form of Mycenae's priests – the door will open again. An army mightier than you can image will overtake the Earth one day!"

"So we're damning the Earth - right as soon as you die?" Kouji asked.

"That's right! Why do you think Dr. Hell united half of Tristan with Isolde to create me? It was to seal them away. Meaning if you kill me – they will return!" Ashura said with a laugh.

"If that's the truth, it could lead to problems. Looks like we need to make a hard choice right now. You hear all that, Dr. Yumi?" Tetsuya asked.

The doctor's words were heard by both Mazinger pilots and Kouji responded.

"If that's true – it's our responsibility when it arises! We have to save the entire galaxy before we can worry about the Earth. The Angels – The Dinosaur Empire – Dr. Hell. Your Empire's just another scourge to stop! We'll deal with your Mycenae Empire or whatever else you say will appear when the time comes! For now – you're finished!" Kouji yelled, firing off Turbo Smasher Punch.

Baron Ashura laughed, the Mechanical Beast splitting in half to avoid the fists.

"Now, Tetsuya! Rust Tornado!" Kouji cried out.

"Great Typhoon!" He was joined as Tetsuya backed him up.

Both streams of wind caused the halves of Ashura to veer off course, struck yet again by Tetsuya's calculated Drill Pressure Punches. The attacks slammed both halves back together. Great Mazinger's fists returned as Mazinkaiser hit Ashura with its' freezing beam.

Ashura grimaced as they tried to work the controls of their machine. Then they looked up and screamed as a massive emerald tomahawk fell from above. They didn't have time to break apart as the gigantic Getter Tomahawk consumed them in its' path.

/

The attack didn't stop until Shin Getter followed through. The axe fell and sliced through Cohen and Stinger's combined form, completely bisecting the Invader fusion.

The Invaders screamed in pain, saying final, desperate threats.

"Don't you dare dream that this is over!"

"Our kind will live forever- "

Stinger's exclamation was they were consumed by the violent Getter Ray explosion created by the attack. Then the detonation spread, Shin Getter barely holding on as even Dragon was shaken from the blast.

Shin Getter was heavily damaged, both arms gone from the sheer power of the attack. The battle had certainly taken its' toll.

The miniature Sun collapsed as Shin Dragon moved away from it as fast as possible.

"We did it. We - won." Shinji breathed, leaning back in his seat and blinking as the fatigue of battle set in.

/

Misato exhaled as it was finally done. While she'd still be Captain until they returned to Earth, they could at least rest knowing the Invaders were now truly finished.

"Attention all pilots. Return to base for repairs immediately." Maya directed.

Misato looked beside her. Ritsuko was glad she could stop analyzing for a moment to relax as well.

Then she saw Ritsuko look up and squint ahead.

There was something in the distance and it didn't look natural.

/

From the pilot seat of Dragon, Go spoke to the other pilots.

"You were right, Ryoma. That final attack of Shin Getter's finished things in one blow. Ashura with it." Tetsuya said."

"We've got bigger problems. Look past The Invaders for a moment." Go said as he sent footage from Shin Dragon's feed to the Mazingers' own.

It was a red tear in space, a vertical fold hanging open like a wide eye. The spacial cut expanded, sucking in space at a slow rate.

"What the hell is that?!" Sayaka asked.

"It looks almost alive!" Gai added.

"See that? That's a spacequake. If we don't act now, it will keep consuming our space. We need to stop it right away or we'll have more to deal with than another ancient Empire rising again." Hayato said.

"Hayato's right." Ritsuko said. "The Stoner Sunshine's properties should be enough to seal it from here."

"Well that's just great. We can't fire the Stoner Sunshine without Shin Getter's arms." Ryoma said, looking out to the Spacequake.

"Wait Ryoma. If Shin Getter Dragon is the aggregate of all Getter Dragons . . . " Hayato began.

"Hold on! It's so obvious it's hysterical!" Ryoma said with a smirk.

"We can't do it. My reactor is maxed out." Go said, glancing over his controls.

"Good thing we have a spare right here!" Ryoma said as Shin Getter's rightmost chestplate disconnected, revealing the part in question.

"But . . . if you use that - " Go began.

"Dad, are you going to be okay?!" Kei asked.

"Kei, just shut up and listen, okay?" Benkei responded from within Shin Getter.

"Don't worry. Guys like us aren't easy to kill." Ryoma responded with his confident smile.

/

"What are they talking about?" Misato asked. Dr. Yumi walked in the room and looked serious.

"Getter Dragon's ultimate attack – the Shine Spark. They're going to use Shin Getter Robo's reactor to ram our ship right into the Spacequake. The energy from the attack should be enough to seal it shut."

"And risk everyone on board? After all this?" Misato asked, feeling her earlier tension return.

"Captain – if we don't close this it's going to eat everything in space." Ritsuko said, staring at the red mass. "It seems this was the Invaders' last trump card. And the longer we wait, the more of our space it will take up."

Misato looked around to her crew. "Then we need to act now. Ladies and Gentlemen. I'm asking you if you're willing to take this risk. We can always use escape pods if you want to sit this one out. It's a long way from Earth but there's no garuntee we'll return."

"I can't leave at this end of this. And who knows what's beyond that thing? I think we should shut it right now. Even if we do go, all of the Earth will be alright." Shigeru said.

"I agree. It would be irresponsible to turn our backs on this job now." Maya spoke up.

"We're all with you, Captain." Mikoto finished and Misato smiled.

"And what about the EVA team?" She asked, a visual of the three pilots standing on the catwalk now visible.

"The mission has not changed. We are ready." Rei said.

"Yeah. We've already stopped The Invaders. So this shouldn't be too bad." Shinji added.

"You really have to ask me! Let's go finish this!" Asuka finished.

"The Mazinger Brothers have your back too!" Kouji said from off screen.

Misato nodded and turned to Professor Yumi.

"Then – Dr. Yumi? What about your people?"

"The Photon Labs are putting all the power we can into Shin Dragon's operations. We're all willing to take this chance."

"You hear that, Getter Team? We're all behind you!" Misato yelled. "Now begin preparations for the Shine Spark!"

Benkei grinned and spoke up on the comm. "Alright everyone! Now concentrate. . . and leave everything to Go."

Go was silent, relaxing as he focused to bring all of Shin Dragon's dormant power to bear.

"LET'S GO! SHIIIINE!-" Go began.

"-SPAAAAAAAARK!" The rest of the Getter Team members roared after Go began the attack.

Shin Dragon surged with pure energy that flowed into Shin Getter, both Super Robots focusing as the space around them surged white-hot.

Then Shin Dragon flew towards the spacequake, breaking the red slit in space apart as it broke through.

/

Shin Dragon pierced through the Spacequake, the Getter joined by countless others. Getters of all types, and forms. Small fighters, more standard Getter and battleships that either flanked or dwarfed Shin Dragon in size.

"What is this?"

"Are those - Getter Robo?"

Kei asked.

"So . . . this is our fate?" Ryoma asked before he grinned.

Beyond them the countless force of Getters fought against the far away enemy, the sheer amount of Getter Beams overwhelming the new arrivals. The chief of which Ryoma recognized.

Then they heard a familiar voice. It sounded like Ryoma's, but different. Not human.

The voice of a Getter itself.

"We've been waiting for you, Getter Team."

With that, Shin Getter contacted Dragon.

"Then this is it. You guys go home. We'll keep fighting in the gap between space and infinity." Hayato said as Shin Getter Robo disconnected from Dragon, the Spacequake starting to collapse.

"No Hayato. It's just me this time. It's finally time for me to face my fear. It's time - to beat that Getter!" Ryoma said, using his main pilot control to gain complete control of Shin Getter's systems for a moment.

"So long, my buddies." Ryoma said to his co-pilots in Shin Getter as he pulled on a lever in Shin Eagle's cockpit, separating the red machine from the rest of Shin Getter's body.

"Ryoma, what are you doing?!" Benkei yelled.

"Like I said. Just me against that Getter. This is my fight. You guys stay back and look after the Earth once this is over!" Ryoma finished, his words fading out as Shin Eagle got further and further away from Shin Dragon.

Then he flew in front of the largest Getter.

Not just a Getter or a machine at all.

Hayato and Benkei knew just by looking at it. The thing that beheld them was a God.

And with one Getter Beam from its' mouth, Shin Eagle vanished.

/

/

/

/

/

A lot happened in this chapter and I hope despite that it was easy enough to follow.

Thanks are in order to the following reviewers

caedwards: Indeed, Gendo had a more noble death here. I'm glad you liked it. I figure if the Invaders got him, even Gendo would want to reach out to Shinji.

Nmorrow – That was a tricky fight to write. I didn't want to have the EVA team repeat a strategy from the anime move for move and had to imagine just how strong a fusion of a Getter and Zeruel would be. I am happy you enjoyed the fight I gave the EVA team.