(A/N Oh great, it's another installment to EtLomS. So anyway, I'm 18 now, so as part of my celebration, I decided to bring you this new chapter. So you see, now everybody wins. And in return, you'll give me your opinion. (Except for you darknemo2000, I think you gave me enough advise to suffice for 3 chapters, lol) Also, continued thanks to those of you readers who don't care for the clicheity of 'All Cross-overs suck' and decide to keep on following this tale of Eva and the sort. Also, thanks to darknemo, I bring you the...I think it's third...chapter without a Spartan's POV. So, lets get on with the story!)

Disclaimer: I still don't own Eva, Ace Combat, or Halo! Those coorporation monsters Gainax, Nintendo, and Bungie own all the good stuff. They should at least share with me...

(A/A/N I don't own The Journey Home, that's Ace Combat canon.)

Chapter 14

The Journey Home

(POV Asuka Langely Sohryu)

'Oh, the stupidity of it! Why is Misato doing this to us?'

Misato's newly recovered blue Renault Alpine once again see-saws across the forest and mountains. Its destination: NERV, Tokyo 3, and all other subsequent facilities, binding us further into our cages. The bowl the whole city sits in is nothing but a prison and we are its inmates, forced into the center and allowed anywhere within but nowhere outside. The whole post-third impact ordeal had been my first time outside of Tokyo-3 in almost a year.

The sky, covered in an overcast of gray and giving off an air of boredom, remains gloomy and hidden, out of my reach yet so close to my perspective. Misato remains ever focused, excited to get her car back, lying in her false sense of security and lulled into euphoria. Shinji, he who can not or will not listen, remains to himself, shutting himself off from the truth, hidden behind a veil of sound and ignorant of the inevitable, that he is a wimp who will simply not stand his ground.

It was stupid of me to think that I could talk some sense into him, he simply won't listen. Why should he pilot again if he couldn't even fight the thirteenth angel? Is it stubbornness or just plain stupidity? The only way this will end is with his or someone else's death, someone else's suffering just because he chooses to face away from that which has already been proven. He has failed to change on so many occasions that I decided to stop counting! He should just lie down and die, save us all the trouble!

The car is veering off onto another path. The road switches from a nice smooth asphalt surface to a rougher and much more audible gravel path. The wheel crushes and moves tiny rocks and pebbles as they roll steadily uphill, and away from our intended path of travel.

"Misato! What the hell are you doing? We don't have time to be making pit-stops. The moving truck will arrive at the apartment first if you keep doing this." Why stall that which is going to happen? Besides, I'd like to see my mother at least one more time…before I die.

"Sorry, but we need to make one little stop first. I have something I need to pick up from a friend and besides; it just wouldn't be home without it." Her voice remains jubilant, upbeat, and positive, such a Hippocratic gesture from one who drinks herself to depression. How did I ever get stuck back here? I try to act nice, but what did that ever do? Their fake smiles and petty gestures at friendship are the worst I have ever seen, but I know them for what they really are, especially the man…or rather, BOY, who left me to die in the talons of an unbeatable enemy. The most disgusting sight to behold, if there ever was one.

"Asuka, are you coming or are you just going to sit and sulk in the car the whole time?" The car has already stopped, placed before a mountainside house complete with deck overlooking the valley on the other side and a second story with a white paintjob to boot…oh joy.

"Nah, I'll just stay here and sulk as you put it."

"You sure? There's someone inside you might like to see." Another one of her pathetic attempts at bringing my spirits up, just how stupid does she take me to be?

"I said I'm fine here in the car, or can you not hear me through that drunken slur of yours?"

"Fine be that way! Shinji and I will go in and you can keep your attitude problem out here."

The doors shut, locking me away and separating me from the rest of the group, bringing me solitude and an open area to think in. My thinking space has vastly opened up and I can breathe freely once more, the bounds on my mind are released without the frustration of having to deal with Shinji and Misato. I can feel the flustering dissipate into the air, leaving me relaxed enough to sigh and relieve the tension…but I know its only temporary, they'll soon return and bring these things back with them.

The two finally drag their way up to the door and Misato taps it with her fist. A few moments pass into the breeze before the door is answered by a young girl, a teenager about my age with brown hair tied into two ponytails. The three seem to converse for a minute or so before the girl walks back into the house, once again leaving room for that much more time to slip by. She returns to the door with something in her hands, but it wasn't an object like Misato had said it to be, it was alive and it hopped right out of the girl's hands.

The small creature was black and smooth and waddled its way around Misato and Shinji in pure ecstasy, flapping its short stubby wings and tugging at their clothes with jubilance. The whole group seems to laugh at the animal's excitement and continue to chat away beyond my range of hearing. I turn my head back to the seat in front of me, the total boredom in my mind rising to block my train of thought, so without a second thought, I turn on the radio.

'Maybe a little music will help me settle this upsetting obnoxiousness.'

"And that was a little taste of classical with October as performed by the Columbia State University band, and up next we'll slow down with a favorite across the nation, it's The Journey Home. Up next!" The DJ chimes in over the radio before fading out to the soft rhythm of a violin.

The violin plays a few chords in tune with a high pitched flute sound which soon gives in to the initial voice of a woman.

My Journey begins

Starts from within

Things that I need to know

My hand lies over the knob to change the radio station, the thought of classical music doesn't do much to resolve the tension I'm feeling, but after hearing these initial lyrics, I sit back and continue to listen.

The song of the bird, echoed in words, flying for the need to fly…

Thoughts endless in flight, day turns to night, questions you ask your soul

Which way do I go? How fast is too slow?

The journey has its time than man's.

If a man can fly over the ocean, and no mountains can get in his way…

Will he fly on forever, searching for something to believe?

From above I can see from the heavens…Down below I see the storm raging on!

And somewhere I hear the answer, marries a hope to carry on.

It pauses as the flute and violin stir up 10 seconds of chords before finally shattered once more by the woman's voice.

When I finally return, things that I learned, carry me back to home…

The thoughts that I feel, planting a seed, with time will begin to grow.

The more that I try, the more that I'll fly, the answer in itself…

…will be there…

The song fades away as the DJ returns to his mike. "And that was Mary Elizabeth McGlynn with The Journey Home, a beautiful song ladies and gentleman, now, up next we have…"

He doesn't have time to finish as I snap the radio off, annoyed as hell for listening to the lyrics. The doors click open just as I respond to the song with my own words.

"What a load of bullshit!"

(POV Ritsuko Akagi)

"They'll be ready for you in a few minutes, just wait here until you're called."

The office's secretary to the UN points me to a chair near the entry way, a small red leather chair which appears to give only slight comfort.

'I guess they don't want them too comfy, otherwise I'd fall asleep at these meetings.'

Yes, today is the weekly meeting with the newly reformed UN committee, the gathering of old men just to exchange information that we've already known about or remains relatively pointless. Such things feel quite medial when we can call up the information we need from whomever we need it from at any point in time. But, I guess these are the kind of people who hang on to the old ways of commingling.

I take my seat, taking extra caution in making sure as to not shift the contents under my right arm. These documents are important, containing information that is key and vital to NERV's future. Inside these documents contains one of the names discussed 3 weeks ago between Commander Fuyutsuki and myself, an identity which has caught the UN's interest and who they wish to use.

"They're ready for you ma'am." The female secretary smiles with her eyes shut as I pass by before whispering, "Good luck."

The door slides open revealing a dark and all too unfamiliar setting of gloom and desecration, the same feeling that SEELE had given off when I was called to them. The sudden sense of history repeating itself is apparent to every sense, but I push through to the empty chair closest to the entrance and take a seat for myself.

"Welcome Vice-Commander, we're glad you could make it this afternoon." The male voice rang indefinably across the table of faceless shadows and unknowns.

"Likewise." I lie, but just to set the mood and appear at least professionally.

"We know how important your time is at NERV, so we will keep this meeting brief. Understand that we will be the ones asking the questions and you will supply us with the answers. The better you cooperate, the sooner we can proceed, understand?"

"I understand."

"Alright, for starters, we understand that you have discovered, armed, and equipped four pilots of unknown and undisclosed origins. Would you happen to have documentation for these pilots for our registry?"

"Not at this time. The pilots have each refused to fill a statement at the request of their supposed commanding officer." Blaze has been a tough one to get around, but I'm hoping we can sneak some information past them. Names and other personal information will be vital in keeping them down in case of conflict in the chain of command.

"As we have stated in documentation almost a month ago that this situation has made the rest of the UN very nervous. We also received a reply stating that you would follow our plan in resolving this crisis of numbers. Have you found the terms suitable?"

"I've looked into the names and we are pleased to report that the first of your two candidates is acceptable, however we have yet to run tests on the second." Though she has instabilities, but this meeting is about what the UN wants to hear. Damn them and their lack of moral judgments in the name of 'peace'.

"Be sure you check thoroughly, we need not make mistakes and let people of…questionable interests into NERV and all connected organizations. But tell us, do you honestly believe that changing the numbers will ease up the situation."

"The matter may be less about how the new pilots will react, but rather, how our veterans will respond to the changes. We already worry about their mental conditions, which are barely holding as they are, but we still need to run tests on them to make sure they still have the ability." The equipment we set up is now ready for Shinji and Asuka; I only pray that they can still go for it. Otherwise we're going to have more problems on our hands than new pilots.

"When will you run these tests?"

"Tomorrow, as soon as they are set up in their former residence. The testing equipment is ready, we just need the pilots in order to finish."

"Now, that documentation you have with you. Just what is it anyway?"

"This is various information concerning your candidate and schematics of the four new Eva's. The schematics are very bland and offer any true information, but any information is better than none." Although the Spartans had been more than eager to hand this data over, it only told us what we needed to know and offered very little insight into its differences in design and function. Each of the new four is a black box of secrets just waiting to be opened, but just how will we crack them?

"Is it possible for you to transfer the data on the new Eva units to us later in the day? We would like to study it and maybe gain a better understanding of what we have on our hands."

"I'll send the files over before the evening is done." A betrayal of their trust…? Maybe! After all, Blaze had told me that the information was only for NERV personnel on a need to know basis and that I shouldn't go handing off this information to other people. But it's for our own survival if anything else. Doesn't that justify it?

"Great! That covers all that we needed to hear from you and NERV at this time. Before you go, we have a little more information of our candidate we'd like you to look at." From beyond the darkness slides a small manila folder, stuffed to the brim with documents and photographs. On the front cover of the folder, stamped in red, is the name of our prospective candidate for the new project.

I slowly pick it up and repeat it softly to myself, "Cassandra Winschell."

(POV Shinji Ikari)

"Welcome Home," Misato cheers as we step into the old apartment shortly after being unlocked.

Pen-Pen, who we just recovered from Hikari's house earlier today, jets off into his former dwelling. Asuka was pissed when we told her that it was Hikari's house we had gone to, and she got even more upset when Pen-Pen was forced to sit in the back with her. She has fallen kind of silent since than, but the thought of being home brings me some joy.

However, that initial feeling of happiness and familiarity is suddenly drained away, only to be replaced by dread and sorrow at the sight and condition of the living room. The place is an absolute mess, with paper and sawdust spread all across the floor along with assorted debris. The sorrow comes from the sad state of the apartment and the dread comes from the inevitability that I'm going to have to pick most of this up. Oh, woe is me I guess.

"Wow, looks like they forgot to clean up before we came," Misato calmly states, shrugging and sighing, "Oh well, guess we'll just have to pick this up once we've brought the boxes in. Alright kids, let's get to work."

The audible groan of my second roommate impacts the side of my head before she starts stalking off down the walkway towards the elevator with me following in close pursuit. The ride down is long, silent, and mostly awkward without so much as a passing glance between one another. The doors finally part, relieving us of the extended moment and allowing us to break for the moving truck.

The two hired drivers are unloading the boxes out onto the pavement of the parking lot, taking extra care so as not to break their contents. I guess they're the type of people to break the 'movers break the fragile contents of the boxes' stereotype. Anyway, the two large men greet us, to which neither of us gives any kind of reply, especially since I'm not in the mood to converse as of now. Each one hands us a box from the truck and we turn back for the elevator.

Back inside, I try to reach for the door close button, but if I take my hand off the box, it'll slip from my hands. Asuka seems to be having less difficulty, maybe she can reach it.

"Asuka, can you hit the button…I can't quite get it at the moment." She doesn't reply, but instead just keeps staring out the open door, red locks of her hair block the expression in her eyes.

"Asuka, please, can you reach it? I can't quite get it at the moment." She finally grunts, or some noise along that line, but instead of reaching for the button, she first stacks her box on top of mine, sinking me lower to my knees from the sudden shift in weight.

She punches the button and steps back, but doesn't take her box back from me. She just crosses her arms and watches the doors close. The doors stop as an arm wrenches its way in and causes them to open again, and a figure steps in and pushes the button which closes the door.

"Hello Asuka, is Misato up there? I need to deliver this to her." The voice is female, but I can't see her from behind the high pile of boxes. The heavy obstruction is very annoying, and any attempt to look around it almost causes me to lose my balance.

"Yeah Miss Nagase, she's up there alright." Asuka speaks softly, almost absently as if only half of her is really in there.

"I see. And who's your friend here, he almost looks like he's going to…" That's it, I can't hold this weight anymore, it's starting to pull off the skin on my hands and it's really burning my palms.

The boxes tumble to the ground and I fall tiredly on top of them. Tired and panting, I let the relief swell over my freed hands and arms.

"Oh, so you're the legendary Mister Ikari." The 'Miss Nagase' bends over looking at me straight in the eye, a smile plastered on her face.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not legendary like you say," I reply to her…exaggerated comment.

I get up off the boxes and wipe the dust off my clothes before turning to look at her. Miss Nagase is extremely tall, especially for a female, she towers right over me. But her face gives off a similar appearance to…Rei…and my mother. The cut of her hair is almost exactly the same, only brown in color instead of blue.

"Well, I guess that's in your own opinion, but I've heard some remarkable tales. You'll have to forgive me for trying to learn about each of you." She glances between Asuka and me, affirming our images into her own mind.

The doors finally swing open, alerting us of our arrival at the right floor. As I prepare to heave both boxes, Miss Nagase hands a small envelope to Asuka.

"Here, give this to Misato next time you see her. And Mister Ikari, let me give you a hand here." She takes one of the boxes and hoists it onto her shoulder, carrying it out of the elevator with ease. I take the other box and follow the other two out onto the walkway.

At the door, Asuka opens it and lets herself in, leaving it open so that Miss Nagase and I can pass through. We set our boxes down in the living room area and Miss Nagase glances around at the mess.

"Wow, what happened to this place? I kinda feel sorry you guys got forced into this dump."

"Yeah, well it may be a dump, but it's still our home!" Misato's voice interjects Nagase's as she spins around quickly to find its source, which lies at the entryway into the room.

"I'm sorry, I meant no disrespect! But still…" Miss Nagase quickly covers her mouth after realizing her blunder.

"I know what you mean…it's a shame that this happened. But we'll pick it up and start over from the beginning." Misato uncrosses her arms and walks into the room, moving her head and scouting it. "I see you've recovered from your injury Miss…"

"Nagase. And yeah, I'm glad to be out of that cast, but this uniform is a little tight." Miss Nagase pulls at the collar of her bleach white uniform to add to the point.

"Is there any reason you came to our humble little home, or are you here just to look in on us?" Misato's little comment hit home as Miss Nagase suddenly starts checking her pockets before cursing to herself, than bolts back out of the room…and straight into Asuka's lair.

"Now why did she go off and do that?" Misato quietly asks herself.

Miss Nagase soon bursts back into the room and hands Misato the envelope she had originally handed Asuka, which Misato immediately tears open and begins scanning. A minute passes before Misato lowers the letter below her eyes and looks straight back at Nagase.

"Are you serious?" Misato asks with apparent shock.

"Yes, you're expected in the testing center at 1100 tomorrow morning. And don't be late!" Miss Nagase than proceeds to walk back out the door before pausing and turning around at the entryway.

"Mr. Ikari, I would just like to ask before leaving. Why do you pilot the Eva?" I would like to say, 'I ask myself that question everyday', but what kind of answer is that?

"I…I don't know…"

"I see…than I'll be on my way." Miss Nagase sounds saddened, but she turns around and walks away just the same.

"What a strange woman," Finishes Misato…

(A/N Hey, you're finished again? You should savor the moment...Go read it again! Oh fine, the next chapter will see less of this and a sudden shift in characters. The next chapter will bring the combination of these two story arcs and will finally collide them into one grand tale. But before they can work together, each must come to terms with the rest, and one person will not act to well to this sudden change. Chapter 15 shortly...)