IMPORTANT: This fanfic is connected with RahXephon's fanfic Master of Corruption. To properly enjoy this fanfic, you should read my partner's fic too. Check out my favorites in my profile to access it. Thanks!

Mistress of Tyranny

Mistress' Decision

By Sesshy's Girl 00 and RahXephon

I snarled in rage and charged while the massive MP Eva's encircled me. I slashed fearlessly in all directions, ripping through anything and everything that got in my way. One of them caught my arm and I went down hard. Before I could move, the Eva's surrounded me with amazing speed and I was trapped in the middle. I gritted my teeth as I staggered to my feet. Blood pored down over me, making me feel wet and sticky.

I aimed my Prog knife at them and prepared to fight. 'These bastards were going down.' My eyes wandered over the circle of MP Evas. As quickly as possible, I began calculating the best way to defeat them all. There was no doubt that I would have to move fast. I had lost a massive amount of blood and my body was becoming weak. That was okay by me since short and sweet was the way I liked it.

I lunged at the MP Eva in front of me. As I came down upon him, his fist came flying in from the side. His punch connected with the center of my chest. I felt myself flying through the air. I reached for something, anything, to stop myself, before I crashed but nothing fell within my grasp. Abruptly, I hit something soft and pliable which brought me to a complete stop. A pair of arms wrapped around me as I came to a rest. The hands laid me on the ground and I found myself looking up, into the face of my mother. "Asuka, please. You have done enough my daughter…"

"Rest, Pilot Sohryu." Insisted Wondergirl's voice.

The power of their voices lulled me slightly, taking the edge off the anger. I frowned up at them, trying to resist becoming completely relaxed. I would fight the MP Evas, to regain my lost honor from the last battle. My mother gently stroked the sides of my face, wiping away the blood and sweat from my skin. She cooed softy, in tender German. "Mein kind, mein tochter, schlaf; bitte. (My child, my daughter, rest; please)"

"Nein, Ich lehne ab. (No, I refuse.)"

"Asuka, bitte…Ich liebe dich. (Asuka, please...I love you.)"

I hardened myself against my mother's pleadings. I refused to listen to her words ever again. She did not truly love me, no matter what she said or did to convince me otherwise. I meant nothing to her and we both knew it. She should go back to her stupid little doll. It was clearly SOOOO much better than me. I pulled myself away from my mother and attempted to sit up but she held me down.

Wondergirl appeared mysteriously behind my mother, shaking her head sadly at me. I glared back at her as I fought the urge to flick her off. Her body looked no better than when I'd last seen her and her face contained a pained expression. I felt only a slight amount of sympathy for the pain she was in but I wanted her gone. I tightened my fists and pulled myself free from my mother. I staggered to my feet and turned to face Wondergirl. "Go back to the baka. I will handle this." I declared loudly.

I wrapped my hand around the hilt of my Prog knife and let a savage grin cross my face. Then, I turned my attention to the MP Evas before me. Three down, six to go. 'I can do this,' I told myself. I picked up the body of the closest MP Eva and raised it high over my head. I gritted my teeth as I struggled to handle the immense weight. I licked my lips hungrily and bared my teeth. Leaning over, I sank my teeth deep into the flesh of his shoulder.

Warm, fresh, LCL flowed into my mouth and down my front. I dug down impatiently into the skin, until a portion of it came free in my mouth. I lifted my eyes and glared at the other MP Evas. I smirked at all of them, eager to see their reaction to my next move. I chewed savagely, until raw meat and LCL became a thick, delicious mash in my mouth. I swallowed it down in great gulps, enjoying the feel of strength returning to my wounded body.

I heard loud gasps of horror from those behind me but I ignored them. They were nothing; this was everything. I licked the LCL from my lips and lowered my head for another bite. This I one I devoured as eagerly as the first. It was amazing how revitalized I felt, after only two bites. For the first time, since I awaken here, I felt like I was alive once more.

I took the third bite with even more vigor, than the first two. After consuming this one, I turned once more to face my enemies. I knew I could do it. I felt the holes in my body swiftly knitting back together. These suckers didn't know what they were in for. I was a demon from hell, spawned to bring pain and destruction. Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!

I flicked out the blade of my Prog knife and aimed it at the six remaining MP Evas. I licked my mouth and smiled at the taste of LCL on my lips. I bent my knees and leapt into the air. I held my Prog knife below me, as I came down on the heads of the MP Evas. I screamed loudly as I cut through skin and metal. I latched onto the first MP Eva I could. I brought him down with my renewed strength. I growled menacingly in his face while he squirmed beneath me.

A sharp pain burst through my chest. My arms shuttered and threatened to give out under me. I looked down to see the points of a lance of Longinus protruding from the center of my chest, along with a stream of blood. I blinked in disbelief. A lance of Longinus? How had this happened?

I staggered to my feet, careful to keep my movements minimal. The pain produced by the lance was unimaginable. It took all of my will not to cry out from the sheer agony. I placed my hand over the wound in my chest and breathed deeply. I raised my arm over my shoulder and reached for the offending lance.

The next thing I knew, the world was consumed by darkness and agony. Voices screamed my name but I couldn't answer them since all of my strength evaporated like smoke.

I awoke abruptly to the sound of someone screaming at the top of his or her lungs. My eyes snapped open and nine years of piloting training kicked in instantaneously. I raised my head but was abruptly stopped by the appearance of a splitting headache. A soft moan escaped my lips, as my head returned to the floor. From nearby, I heard a wheezy cough and pained exhalation of air. Moments later, the sound of someone crawling towards me became audible.

Cautiously, I forced my eyes open to see what was going on. Strangely, the first thing I noticed was the smell. There was a distinct metallic tang of fresh blood in the air. It was a sickening scent I knew well, from my time inside Unit Two. To distract myself from the agonizing memories, I turned my attention back to what I was doing.

A young woman was making her way towards me across the floor. She was horribly pale and stained with blood from multiple injuries. I could tell immediately that she was an Asian- European mix, like myself. Unlike me, however, she retained more features of her Asian heritage. Her thick mass of short, shiny, black hair hung unrestrained around her face. Her eyes were almond shaped and contained two yellow-green irises. The rest of her face was a comfortable mix between Asian and European features. If she closed her eyes, she could probably pass as an Asian.

Her yukata was badly faded, frayed and patched brown. It was impossible to tell, if that was it's original color or if it had been stained over the years. There wasn't time to observe her more; the girl had reached my side. Her head was near my left ear, allowing me to hear her every gasp for air. After several uncertain moments, she gripped my arm tightly. "You must go, now." She hissed urgently.

Her voice wavered uneasily, making her hard to understand. I looked into her eyes and read the pure desperation there. I decided one thing in that instant. It was time to go. Wincing, I rolled myself onto my stomach. My right arm throbbed persistently at my side and I could feel warm blood soaking into the bandages. I wondered how long it would be, until I'd lost my arm all together. It couldn't take much by now.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on getting my legs under me. They responded sluggishly and it took all of my attention, to accomplish this small feat. I could hear raspy breaths issuing from my lungs but it seemed surreal. I pretended that I was not the one in pain and remove myself from this situation. Beside me, my companion silently urged me on.

After several moments, I was standing on both feet. I remained still, waiting for my head to stop spinning. My mind cleared, within a few seconds and I focused my gaze on the girl. She stared up at me, a look of fear and awe in her eyes. I snorted in amusement; she was a weakling to be afraid of me. With a shake of my head, I held out my hand to her. She hesitated, and then placed her right hand in mine. "What's your name?"

"Koto."

Tenderly, Koto placed her left arm and both feet under her. I could see the effort even these simple moves required of her and understood her reason, for remaining on the floor. From what I knew, I guessed she sustained multiple broken ribs and other internal injuries. Koto clenched her teeth together as she cautiously stood up. Despite the pain, she never cried out or shed a tear. The tightness in Koto's face and the occasional sharp intake of breath remained the only clues to how she felt.

I instantly felt a new respect and admiration for Koto. She might have been afraid and hurt, yet she worked through them. I understood the level of strength and fearlessness she possessed. My own indomitable will carried me through too many long days and nights, for me not to comprehend that. So, I decided, without a doubt, to take Koto with me.

I carefully placed Koto's right arm around my neck and let her lean against me. Her eyes relaxed in thanks at my effort to be kind. In those few moments, I think we formed a sort of a partnership or at least a pact. Koto and I were a team, fighting for freedom. There was nothing else to it.

Working together, we made our way out the door, with me in the lead. Once we arrived in the hallway; I questioned Koto on how to leave this place. Without wavering, she pointed to the right. I studied her face and the trace of fear I read there. It was only natural that I began to wonder what we were in for. The problem was, I couldn't answer that question.

We would wait and see.

I did not like this, not one bit.

I bit my lip and focused on the job at hand. I squeezed Koto's hand and gave her an encouraging smile. Together, we began our slow, careful walk down the hall. Koto sighed painfully and gritted her teeth in concentration. The temptation to echo her sentiments was strong but I fought to resist it. We would need every ounce of strength we could muster to escape. It was painfully obvious; I needed to be that power.

I kept my ears open; listening for anything or anyone headed in our direction. I could hear movement in the corridors behind us. The sound reminded me of the way noise generated within NERV, when she mobilized for action. Thankfully, this was on a much smaller scale. Still, it meant one thing, trouble.

I tightened my hold on Koto and increased our speed. Every voice in my head screamed at me to get out of here, now! My muscles tensed and my eyes scanned my surroundings, taking in every detail. I ran through every scenario I could conceive, attempting to find methods for dealing with each. It was mentally exhausting but necessary work. There was no way I would not be prepared. This was a required exercise.

Koto panted silently with effort beside me but made no complaint of our speed. I believe she understood how precarious our present situation was. We might easily be captured or killed at any moment. It came down to fight or die. I would never loose, not to anyone, anywhere, anytime. I was Asuka Langley Sohryu, the eternal goddess.

I was almost there. My own protector thought I was an angel. Becoming a goddess wouldn't be that much of stretch. I bet it would be fun to be a goddess. No one would dare mess with me and if they did, I would smite them to hell. That would be fun; I would relish every minute of being worshiped. I could see it now. This could be fun….

I quickly shook my head and forced myself back into the present. 'First things first, Asuka.' Behind us, the sounds of footsteps were growing by the minute. My gut staid; things were about to get ugly. I always listened to my instincts. We needed to disappear, fast.

Up ahead, I spotted an open room. A wide smile broke across my face. This was exactly what I was looking for. We had our shelter now. Finding this room was the best news I had received all day. I pumped my fist in the air, as the last few feet disappeared behind us. We were going to be safe.

I pushed Koto in first and followed quickly inside behind her. We crouched near the door, listening to the sounds of our pursuers passing by. Koto remained focused, her head bowed in concentration. I let her keep a portion of her weight on me, because she was clearly suffering. I wanted Koto prepared when the time came. My greatest fear was a fight becoming a necessity. It was unlikely we would both escape.

From the next room, I suddenly noticed an odd scraping sound, like something was being dragged across the floor. At almost the same time, Koto heard it too. She froze, her entire body ridged with fear. With amazing force, she pushed my arm from her shoulder and rose to her feet. Her legs trembled under her but she remained standing. Koto rubbed the back of her hand into her injuries, smearing blood upon it.

Koto held her stained hand out, revealing an inscription upon it. She began to murmur a string of incoherent words over it. To my amazement, the mark began to glow. Koto frowned and narrowed her eyes in concentration, as she continued to speak the incantation. The brightness grew to amazing levels. I covered my eyes because the light became too bright.

At last, the brightness faded and I heard Koto whisper, "I'm sorry, my love. I need your strength."

I opened my eyes and looked around. To my horror, there was a giant black snake curled at Koto's feet. Koto smiled at he snake, then her knees gave way and she crumpled to the floor. I reached over and shook her shoulder but it was useless, Koto was out. I pulled her toward me and laid her head on my lap. The snake watched us with interest; it's tiny black eyes taking in our every movement. I felt odd being watched so closely by this black beast. I felt like there was something-someone intelligent in there and it could see right through me.

The snake hissed as it turned its attention to the other end of the room. I followed its eyes, with my own gaze. At first, there was nothing to see and only an increasing level of noise to prove anything was near. Suddenly, a bright crack appeared and a second snake entered. The new snake was even more massive then Koto's and marked exactly like a cobra. This was a literal man-eater.

Before I could make a move, Koto's snake began to slither across the floor. They launched into a brutal attack the instant they were in range. I shook Koto, desperate to wake her up. She stirred reluctantly back to consciousness. I laid her head against my shoulder, while I waited for her to reawaken. Koto blinked slowly, groaning softly in pain. "Come on. We must go." I insisted.

Koto shook her head, in acknowledgment of my words. I took a deep breath and wrapped my arm around her waist. Working together, Koto was helped to her feet. I made my way carefully to the door, as Koto clung to my side. She was breathing hard and shallowly with pain. I watched her closely, for signs she was about to give out. Koto looked completely drained from summoning the black snake.

I forced Koto into the hallway and started running, with all of my might. Koto stumbled behind me, struggling to keep up. I kept my arm wrapped tightly around her, refusing to let her fall behind. Koto was getting out of here with me. I wanted – no- needed to know about the magic she worked and her support. There were few who would help me, in this strange world.

Koto and I flew through the hallways at amazing speed. I kept her close, for fear her body would give out. She was struggling to breathed and her steps becoming slow. I pushed her into a dark corner and blocked her with my body. My eyes tried to close but I forced them to remain open. I needed to keep an eye out for anyone who'd try to stop us. Koto was in no shape to do it.

"I…I can't…go on." Koto gasped.

I gritted my teeth. "Yes you can."

"I…I can't breathe." She protested weakly. "Go on…alone."

"Never. They do horrible stuff to women here, don't they?"

Koto nodded and closed her eyes. I looked around, my mind working furiously ahead. We needed to disappear and fast. I closed my eyes, to force myself to focus and clear my mind. To my amazement, I heard voices. Unlike before, these were female and lighthearted. Whoever this was, they did not know about us. Instantly, an idea flashed into my mind. "Koto do the women have rooms near here?"

"Hai, a few doors down."

I smiled and released a sigh of relief. This was doable. I gripped Koto around the waist and pulled her to her feet. We made our way slowly towards the source of the sound. Easily, I found an open door and pushed Koto inside. Then, I followed her, careful to close the door behind us. Beyond, we found a mass of young women rushing around trying to dress for the evening. Koto and I starred at them with a mix of horror and awe. "Come on."

Koto and I quickly melted into the crowd. I hurried her in the direction of the nearest open table; it was time to get to work. I dampened some rags in a bucket of water and used them to wipe the blood and grime from our faces. After we were clean, I began digging in a trunk for clothes. At last, I found two pairs of kimonos for us. One was a delicate sea-foam green and covered by beings from the ocean. The other one was midnight blue with a multicolored hem and stars splashed across it.

I handed the sky one to Koto and began removing my own soiled robes. I stripped down to nothing and lifted the pale green under piece from the box. I placed it over my athletic frame and tied the belt to my waist. Once that was in place I pulled the outer kimono on. Then, I painstakingly adjusted it into place.

The final step was to secure the obis in place. Koto and I took turns doing each other, to make sure we had everything correct. Dressed, I felt almost human again but Koto still needed some work. A large bruise darkened her cheek and multiple injuries remained visible. This called for make-up. The smaller chest resolved this dilemma nicely. It contained a fully supplied collection of women's cosmetics. I opened every jar and container, to see what was inside. Each one made me cringe in disgust. Women in ancient times applied the most awful stuff to their faces. It was unimaginable how they did it, not to mention sickening. Nonetheless, this was our way out. So, I pulled out the first one and dug right in.

Thirty minutes later, both Koto and I had completely white faces. I studied our new looks, trying to convince myself not to be revolted. Next, I applied the eyeliner and eye shadow. Lastly, I painted our lips red and cheeks pink. The final step in our transformation was the hair. This proved to be more problematic because I had no idea how to pull off the elaborate hairstyles Japanese women wore. Plus there weren't many hair supplies in the box. Thankfully, I felt creative. I pulled my own hair into a thick cinnamon bun held in place by two chopsticks and Koto's I tied in an artful half ponytail.

Koto was far too pale and her entire body was trembling. I kept both hands on her back to support her upright position. She was loosing consciousness with every passing moment. Tempted as I was to join her, I needed to remain awake. I intended to take control of this situation and secure our freedom. No one would stop me; no one could stop me because I was the undefeatable angel. It certainly would be amusing to watch them try tough.

Koto seemed to understand what I intended to do. I wrapped my arm around her waist and roughly pulled her into a standing position. Koto shuttered in pain and clung tightly to me for support. I could feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she struggled to breathe. She wasn't about to give up but every human body had its limitations. I was working against the clock and our endurance.

Flawlessly, we melded into the end of the mass of women headed to the next room. Koto appeared worried about my choice of direction but uttered no complaint. I felt I knew what I was doing; there was no way I'd be sucked into doing something like that. I intended to use our cover to slip through the back door. Koto stumbled along beside me, wheezing painfully. I kept my grip on her firm but gentle. I refused to release my hold on her. The room we entered was, for all intense and purposes, was the backroom of a brothel. The scent of musk and sex hung heavy in the air.

I wrinkled my nose at the nauseating smell. This was not a place I wanted to be, ever. I pushed through the crowd, looking for the exit out of here. Koto stayed close to my side, attempting to disappear within the folds of my kimono. She was being foolish; our robes were completely different colors. It was amusing to watch her try, however. I didn't mind her staying close, her weakness concerned me and I wished to keep an eye on her.

Ten minutes later, we reached our goal. I frowned at the structure, which separated us from freedom. I envisioned striking it down and stepping out into the night. The only obstacle was a massive chain. There was only one option, this chain needed to come down, now. I seized it with both hands and yanked with all my might. The metal links strained under my grasp, unable withstand my strength pulling on it. I might be a little girl but I was tough and deadly. After several moments, the chain began to give way.

Koto leaned against a nearby section of wall, watching my efforts intently. I maintained an eye on her; afraid her body would not hold up for long. Her eyes drooped wearily as she fought to remain awake. I gave the chain one last jerk with all my might and approached Koto's side. She gave me an exhausted smile and forced herself to stand. I placed my arm around Koto's waist and allowed her to lean her weight against me.

"Let's go. I'm tired of this place." I stated.

I yanked at the chain with all my might and it gave way almost instantly. I kicked the door and it toppled to the ground. Behind us, I sensed something moving in our direction. Koto screamed and I turned to see the other snake approaching. I pushed Koto through the door and turned to face the beast. I could handle the angels and other Evas, so I could certainly take this thing. I raised my hands, prepared to do battle with all my might.

Unexpectedly, Koto's snake appeared. It flashed across the floor in a heartbeat and sunk its fangs into the other snake's throat. The man-eater hissed angrily in surprise and agony. It twisted attempting to find leverage against it's opponent. I didn't hesitate for an instant and I took Koto into my arms and half ran-half carried her into the night. Stumbling blindly, I fought my way through the dense under growth; in the direction I hoped safety lay. My own movements created too much noise for me to easily hear if we were being followed but I didn't care.

Twenty minutes later, the forest began to thin out around us. I slowed my pace to a walk, wary of every shadow and noise I heard. Nothing impeded our progress, however. We reached the edge of the woods and Koto collapsed onto a stump of wood. Below us spread the capital city of Echigo. Somehow I wasn't surprised I we were so near, I was beginning to believe nothing lived beyond this seaside town. I turned back to Koto and smiled broadly. "We're almost there, come on!"

Koto kept a large amount of weight on me and we descended the hill into the outskirts of the town. As we made our way over the dirt roads, Frieda recognized me. For several moments she looked amazed and weak. Then she snapped out of her daze and rushed to my side. "Mistress Sohryu, are you safe?" She inquired in German.

"Yes, I'm fine." I replied quickly.

A look of immense relief crossed Frieda's pale face and she nodded in understanding. "When I heard you'd been captured by the Namiki Gang, I was so worried." She murmured.

"Those baka's? They were nothing for me." I assured her.

"Kotoya has been looking everywhere for you. He, he wants the angel of Echigo back." Frieda explained.

I wondered what I would do about this situation. Kotoya, although he needed me to play my role, was far safer then the world out here. Even the idiot couriers, nobles and ministers didn't pose nearly the danger the peasants did. I was Echigo's angel, her shining star of hope. They wouldn't dare hurt me, except…they had. The bastards actually tried to kill me. For that, I'd teach them all a lesson they'd never forget.

I won't allow them to do that again, ever.

"What do you think Koto? You can work for the angel herself and live comfortably at the palace?" I asked her.

"Hai. Anything but going back to the Namiki Clan." She insisted emphatically.

That was all the encouragement I needed. It appeared I would play this game with everything I had. I hoped they were ready for me. I would not make this easy on them but it would be so much fun for me. Mwahahahahahahahah!

"Come Ladies! I believe there's someone who wants to see us."

Author's Notes:

Lady Sesshy speaks- I'm extremely sorry about the long delay in getting this chapter out. I can't believe how time has flown since the last time I posted. I refuse to give up on this story, writing from Asuka's POV is way to entertaining. Anyhow, you can expect me to soldier on and post more in the future.

Okay, people. I've done my part and you know what come next. go down and press on the little purple button at the bottom of the page. Leave me a review, please. I promise to treasure each and every one!

Teaser:

This wasn't possible. There was no way she could be here. She was dead; I knew she was. Could I be delusional or hallucinating? Maybe even dreaming? The figured turned around to reveal a pair of blood read eyes set in a pale porcelain face. I tried to scream but nothing came out of my mouth. All I could do was stand there and let her approach me.