Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX.

Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM.

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI

Four weeks ago.

Closing over his journal, Gouken sat back, and let out a deep sigh, before grabbing the book and sliding it into a small drawer underneath the table.

The call from NERV had brought uncertainty and silence into what had been a warm, lively home, and had left Gouken with no small measure of apprehension, both for himself and his children.

I don't even know what they want them for…and I doubt they would even tell me if I asked.

The door to the main room slid open slowly, and he glanced up – Asuka, dressed in her gi, peeked through, before moving in, her steps tentative.

"Gouken-sensei…" She murmured, her manner a far cry from the vigorous, vibrant girl of norm.

"Asuka…where's Shinji?"

"I think he's packing – or trying to, at least. He doesn't know what to take with him…" The redhead gave a small, weak chuckle, one that died quickly. "Then again, I don't either."

Nodding, Gouken stared down at the table in front of him, and then began to rise to his feet.

"Walk with me, Asuka."

Master and student found themselves following a familiar path through the woods, narrow and twisting. Asuka had been silent for the most part – occasionally, she would look over to Gouken, and open her mouth – but the words would die in her throat, and she instead would look at the road ahead.

"You've come a long way, Asuka." Gouken mused, breaking the silence.

"Hm?" The redhead glanced at her sensei, before nodding in understanding. "Yeah, I guess I have…I was a nightmare when I first came here…"

"You certainly were…" Gouken said, wholeheartedly, and Asuka blanched slightly. "I spent endless days wondering what horrors awaited Shinji in his next training session, how you would blow up next."

Asuka avoided Gouken's gaze, and wondered if this was some kind of twisted motivational speech.

"But…" He continued, looking over to her with a warm smile, "I worry no longer. You've grown into a stronger, more balanced person."

The redhead looked back towards him, before rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "I guess so…" She murmured. "But I couldn't have done it if you hadn't put up with me."

"True. It wasn't easy – but it was worth it." Gouken stopped, and turned to face the girl across from him. "And to see you, and Shinji, grow into strong, honourable warriors under me – I couldn't be more proud."

Asuka seemed bashful now, cheeks red and gaze fleeting. "You're laying it on pretty thick, sensei."

"Only because you deserve more praise than I could ever hope to offer…" He replied, smiling, before he looked towards the path leading back to the dojo. He paused, a small sigh escaping him, before he moved forward and placed his hands on Asuka's shoulders.

"Asuka."

The redhead met his gaze, and Gouken spoke, voice quiet and firm.

"Whatever happens out there…I want you to look out for Shinji. Even if he's suffering, if he's afraid, he won't reach out. You know how he is…"

Asuka nodded. "Yeah, of course."

"Good…and look out for yourself, as well. Don't do anything stupid." Gouken warned, before squeezing her shoulders gently, and moving back. "Now… " He began, tone lighter than before, "I think it's time you had a proper goodbye."

"Gouken-sensei?"

The master moved past the girl, before turning to face her. "It's past time we sparred." He mused, moving slowly into a formal, rigid stance. Asuka smirked slightly, and moved into her own, beginning to bounce on her toes gently.

"Prepare yourself…" The man warned, and the redhead's smirk morphed into a wide grin.

"Let's go, old man!" She called, and dashed forward.

Now.

"Releasing primary lock bolts." A voice came, over the communications system. Inside EVA Unit Two's entry plug, Asuka responded.

"Release confirmed."

"Roger." The reply was sharp, formal.

As Unit Two was released from confinement in the Cages, the redhead glanced to her left – to a catwalk only slightly above the cyborg's head.

Both Rei and Shinji looked down at her, wearing their plugsuits. Shinji's face seemed tight – perhaps with fear, whilst Rei's was simply blank.

"Relax, baka." Asuka muttered, her voice echoing over the EVA's speakers. "I'll be fine. Besides, it's way past time I bagged my first Angel." She watched as Shinji's expression eased somewhat, a small smile emerging. "Besides, if you can manage it, it's gonna be a breeze for me…" She teased, and chuckled quietly as he rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

Above Tokyo-3, a strange vision approached – a crystalline octahedron, vividly blue with a dark strip across its middle, hovered over the cityscape, and filled the air around it with an unearthly chorus, a strange, reverberating noise that could be likened to some kind of choir's song.

The EVA lurched forward somewhat as the pad underneath it began to slide towards the ejectors, and Asuka rolled her neck, and cracked her knuckles in anticipation.

This Angel isn't even gonna know what hit it.

Unit Two locked in place, and above it, blast doors slid open up the length of the transit tube, one after the other.

I've come too far to let some alien freaks take me out – and there's no chance in hell I'd let them hurt Shinji, or anyone else.

"EVA Unit Two is ready for launch!" Another voice said, and Asuka settled herself into her seat, gripping the control yokes tightly.

If there's anything I learned under Gouken-sensei, it's that I can overcome anything, if I have the will – the spirit necessary to triumph.

"Launch!" Misato barked over the communications.

Let's do this.

The EVA was suddenly blasted up at incredible speeds, and Asuka grit her teeth, refusing to let gravity press her any further into the seat.

The Angel halted in its advance, and its middle seam seemed to shimmer with raw energy.

Aoba's eyes widened as new data flashed across his monitor.

"We're detecting a high-energy reaction inside the target!" He called, and behind him, Misato jerked, her tone shocked.

"What?"

"It's accelerating!" He spluttered, fingers stabbing his keyboard. "Massing upon itself!"

"It can't be!" Ritsuko gasped, dashing forward to examine the monitor itself.

The last of the blast doors slid open, allowing Unit Two to ascend to street level. It stopped hard, lurching, and Asuka grimaced from the sudden halt.

"Asuka, get out of the way!" Misato screamed, and the redhead glanced ahead, narrowing her eyes.

"Wha –"

The energy collected inside the Angel, and gleamed – a star-shaped shine of power.

In front of Unit Two, a building simply melted, and a narrow, blindingly bright beam burst through. It It hit the behemoth dead centre, the armour plating of the torso beginning to melt and burst as the Angel's attack bored through.

Inside the Entry Plug, Asuka screamed, shrill as the LCL meant to cushion her and aid her connection to the EVA boiled around her, adding to the agony burning in her chest. She trashed wildly, pulling on the control yokes so hard the plastic began to crack from the pressure.

Horror played out across Shinji's face, as his friend's agonised screams were broadcasted through the cage's speakers. He trembled, gripping the railing in front of him for dear life, as Rei looked on behind him, implacable.

Lurching forward in her seat, Asuka's high, warbling screams began to break off as she clamped her jaw shut, her teeth grinding together even as more shrieks struggled to escape her throat. She looked dead ahead, and through the blinding light and flashing warning signs, she saw the Angel.

Face twisting with impossible pain and rage, the redhead let out a long, unbroken roar, almost deafening.

Around her hands, heat began to build, the material of the plugsuit beginning to char and glow.

"Unit Two's AT Field is shifting!" Maya yelled, and Misato looked forward, terrified bemusement plain on her face.

What now?

"I'm detecting an exothermic reaction inside the Entry Plug!" The technician called.

Flames burst from Asuka's hands, burning bright despite the LCL which should have doused them. Simultaneously, Unit Two's hands were engulfed with vivid, orange fire, but their brightness was easily eclipsed by the Angel's powerful attack.

"Just retrieve her! Hurry!" Misato barked.

Suddenly, the pad underneath Unit Two unlocked, beginning to lower it down into the street once more. The sudden shock of movement threw Asuka out of her furious fit, and she lurched forward, groaning as the flames at her hands, and Unit Two's, died. Above her, the Angel's beam tore through asphalt and metal as it attempted to follow its target, but quickly faded away into nothing.

The redhead slumped back in her seat, unconscious, blood streaming from her nose.

"Target silent!" Hyuga barked, and behind him, Misato leaned forward, a hand on her shoulder as she looked at the screen.

"What's Asuka's status?" She asked, her voice wavering.

"Alive, ma'am." He responded, and a voice from the Cages echoed over the communications.

"Unit Two retrieved! In transit towards Cage Seven!"

Misato stepped back, and then dashed over to the nearby elevator, fingers stabbing at the controls. She looked up at Ritsuko, voice tight.

"I'm heading down there. Take over for me…"

As Unit Two was locked back into place in the Cage, armour steaming, Shinji dashed along the catwalk, Rei staying close behind.

"Asuka!" The boy screamed, eyes moving between the damaged EVA and the catwalk in front of him.

As the Captain disappeared down below, Hyuga turned his gaze back to his monitor.

"The pilot's brainwaves are erratic – her pulse is dangerously weak!" He said.

"Activate the life support system!" Ritsuko called. "Give her a heart massage!"

Barely conscious, Asuka grunted and jerked in her seat as defibrillators in the torso of her plugsuit activated with an audible thump.

"Pulse stabilising!" Hyuga reported, and Ritsuko nodded, turning to look at Maya.

"Force-eject the Entry Plug!" She barked. "Begin Emergency LCL Discharge!"

As the Entry Plug was carefully plucked from the back of Unit Two's neck by precision cranes, jets of pressurised LCL spurted out from several nozzles around it. Once emptied, the top portion of the plug was removed, releasing gouts of steam out into the Cage, and revealing the unconscious form of its pilot.

"Asuka! Asuk –" Shinji's calls were abruptly halted as he collided with something, and landed ungracefully on the hard metal catwalk. Blinking, he pulled himself to his feet, and watched as Rei helped pull Misato up as well.

The woman glared at Shinji with a mixture of sympathy and frustration, and turned, watching as Asuka, along with her seat and controls, was carefully extracted from the plug. Beside her, Shinji stared, shoulders slumped and utterly helpless.

Looming above the concrete ground of the city, the Angel stopped. From the very tip of its lowest point, the crystalline form began to warp into a twisting sapphire spike, reaching down towards the ground. As it contacted the concrete, the makeshift drill began to turn, easily boring into the surface.

As Asuka's stretcher was wheeled down the corridor towards the operating theatre, Misato kept an eye on the two children behind her whilst she moved alongside it. Shinji's eyes were locked on his companion's unconscious form – his entire being seemed to radiate a sense of defeat and dread.

Moments later, the nurses wheeled the stretcher into the theatre, and the doors clamped shut in front of Misato and the children, shutting them out as the operating lights blinked on.

"Misato?"

Shinji's voice came, weak and broken. The captain didn't react, simply staring ahead at the door to the operating theatre.

"Misato, what do we do?" He asked, again, voice cracking.

"Now…" Misato breathed, and faced Shinji once more, expression icy, refusing to betray her own fear, "Now we wait. And pray."

Behind the both of them, Rei looked ahead, thoughts focused on the redhead that lay beyond the doors – and the plugsuit gloves that had been charred away.

And that's it for Episode Five. Next Episode - the secret comes out. Read and review!