A/N: I'm back and ready to get back to work with my next two chapters of "Neon Genesis Striker". I've kept you guys waiting long enough so I won't spend too much time blabbing and get to writing. In this chapter the sixteenth Angel arrives and the truth about Sanya is revealed.
Thanks to my pre-reader makuhari-fan01
Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion or Strike Witches
Inside the Sakamoto/Miyafuji/Marseilles residence the original tenant and major of NERV was currently in her bedroom. She was listening to the same message she'd listen to for several days now.
("Hello Sakamoto it's me. Since you're not home then I'll have taken my leave by the time you hear this. Sorry for all the trouble I've caused you and tell Perrine that I'm sorry for her too. I just wanted wanted to say thanks for the great times together. I wanted to say my crap can go to whoever wants it but I want you to have my car. It was one of the things I held closest to me and I want you to have it. The truth is, I know I never really acted mature adult at times and I'm sorry for that. I was just a kid who never really grew up as much as I could have. I spent my time at NERV hunting for the truth and I was able to spend time with you which was amazing. But Sakamoto, the truth is with you. Don't hold onto the past and don't hesitate. Move forward. I'll see you again someday.")
"Another phone that will never ring again." sighed Sakamoto sadly.
"She's just locked herself away." said Yoshika to nobody as she and Pen-Pen stood outside her door, "I can't help her. I'm too young. I haven't seen Hanna is days either."
As darkness overtook Tokyo-3 the Barkhorn residence was in it's usual regiment for the time being. The three sisters were at home with Elsa getting Chris ready for bed. Normally, Trude would do this so Elsa could study for her classes but, for the past few days the Barkhorn home had a guest: Hanna who was playing "Call of Duty" on X-box 360 while she downed Pepsi and chips.
"She hasn't been to school or her home in days. All she does is play these games." said Barkhorn quietly, a worried look on her face as she watched Hanna.
"Trude, can I stay here tonight?" asked Hanna sheepishly.
"Of course." answered Barkhorn and Hanna kept playing for a little while longer before the girls got ready for bed.
"I'm sorry for being such a burden." said Hanna as she laid with her back facing Barkhorn.
"You're not a burden Hanna. You know you're welcome here anytime you want." replied Barkhorn sympathetically.
"When I lost my last battle I lost the only thing that gave my life any value. I hate NERV, I hate Striker and most importantly I hate myself." said Hanna.
"You did your best and that's all anyone could ask for." said Barkhorn trying to cheer her up, but Hanna merely began to sob until she had cried herself to sleep.
In there dark office, SEELE was currently in conference and the mood was very sour. The topic on discussion at the moment was the questionable loyalty of Minna.
"The handling of the last Angel attack was an outrage." fumed monolith-05.
"Not to mention the loss of the Spear of Longinus." added monolith-10.
"These actions should be enough to remove her." said monolith-07.
"We must send Minna a strong warning." advised monolith-04.
"if we remove Minna we'd need a replacement who knows the truth." said Chairman Maloney through monolith-01.
In her NERV office, Perrine was in the middle of a phone call. Her grandmother had called from Gallia to inform her that one of her cats was dead.
"I'm so sorry to hear that grandmother." said Perrine.
("All life comes to an end eventually. Still it's quite sad when it happens.") said her grandmother, "By the way, are you ever coming to visit?")
"Work is too hectic right now. Sorry." answered Perrine.
("I understand, but I hope you've been visiting your mother's grave.") replied her grandmother.
"I just don't have the time." replied Perrine.
("You should hon. I have to get going now.") said her grandmother.
"I'll try grandmother. Goodbye and I love you." replied Perrine who hung up the phone, "So she's dead now. I'm not surprised."
In their dark meeting room the next day SEELE was again in meeting, but this time they weren't alone as a hologram of Minna sat at her desk in the middle of the circle of monoliths.
"Commander Minna, you have been summoned to explain your recent actions to this committee." said Chairman Maloney through monolith-01.
"Exactly what do you wish for me to explain?" asked Minna nonchalantly.
"You're handling of the last battles has been counterproductive, and worse of all the Spear of Longinus was used without our permission." answered monolith-6 angrily.
"Not to mention the fact the Spear cannot be retrieved." added monolith-03 with similar anger.
"The Angels must be defeated at all costs and since that is my assignment, not guarding the Spear of Longinus, combined with the fact NERV has prevented Third Impact I would say I've followed my role to the letter." replied Minna as just then her phone rang and she answered it.
"Ferrara, I'm meeting with the committee." said Minna to her subordinate over the phone.
"How dare you answer the phone in the middle of our meeting!" snapped monolith-08 angrily but, Minna simply ignored her finishing her phone call.
"If you excuse me gentlemen there is another Angel approaching so I'm afraid we will have to finish another time." said Minna before ending her hologram.
"Minna, are you going to betray us?" asked Maloney feeling uneasy about leaving her in command.
Sakamoto was busy barreling down the road to NERV. She was at home when she was informed of the new Angel. Thus gunning it was she raced to NERV to beat the Sixteenth Angel, Armisael, which was approaching from another direction.
"Yeah Amaki I see it. At this rate it should be at NERV shortly." said Sakamoto as she watched the large luminescent halo moving across the sky.
("What are you orders ma'am?") asked Amaki.
"Send out Unit-00. Hanna is in no mental condition to battle and I don't have the authority to remove the freeze on Unit-01, so Sanya is the only witch we've got." answered Sakamoto not pleased by the situation as she reached NERV and raced to the new base.
"You're late." noted Perrine as Sakamoto arrived.
"I'm sorry. No excuses." replied Sakamoto before quickly returning to the situation at hand, "Status report."
"Ma'am, the objects pattern is fluctuating between orange and blue." reported Nishiki.
"What does that mean?" asked Sakamoto nervously.
"We're not sure but, at this moment we can't definitely classify the object as an Angel." answered Lynne.
("Sanya, for now you're to observe and keep distance.") ordered Sakamoto over the intercom.
"Understood." replied the pale girl.
A tense waiting began and the Angel still hadn't moved. Everyone at NERV was getting restless.
"Ma'am, the Magi have confirmed it's an Angel." reported Lynne.
"At least we confirmed it." replied Sakamoto was preparing a new strategy when the Angel broke it's halo form now taking on the form of a single strand that charged at Sanya.
"Deploying shield." noted Sanya but, when the Angel easily broke through her shield and grabbed ahold of Unit-00.
"The Angel has penetrated her shield!" cried out Amaki.
"Send Unit-02 to backup Sanya." ordered Minna.
"But, ma'am-" began Sakamoto ready to protest but, she knew she couldn't disobey her superior.
"Am I even synched into this thing?" asked Hanna depressed as she climbed into her Striker.
("Okay Hanna, I want you to get out there and draw the Angel away from Sanya.") ordered Sakamoto over the intercom, but Unit-02 wouldn't budge form the hanger.
"It's no good ma'am. Hanna's synch ratio is just too low." said Lynne.
"Abort then." said Sakamoto not ready to give up by a long shot.
Outside things were bad for Sanya. The Angel had attached it's self to Unit-00 and was quickly penetrating the Striker.
"Ma'am, Sanya can't take much more of this! Her ego barrier is becoming unstable!" reported Lynne.
"Damn, we need to get her out of there." replied Sakamoto.
"Launch Unit-01." ordered Minna.
"Yes ma'am." replied Sakamoto who jumped on the radio, ("Miyafuji, you're up!")
"Roger." replied Yoshika who quickly jumped in Unit-01 and took off.
"Why didn't the commander send her out when it was me I peril?" asked Hanna sinking further into depression.
Outside Yoshika charged right at the Angel but, before she could make her attack, the Angel struke first. Yoshika threw up her shield, but the Angel easily penetrated it.
("Watch out Miyafuji!") cried Sakamoto and luckily Yoshika just dodged the Angel.
"I'm okay!" replied Yoshika who then fired at the Angel which let out a pained cry that sounded too much like Sanya and worse yet faces, all resembling Sanya, appeared on the Angel.
"It hurts." moaned the faces.
"My God." said Yoshika horrified at the scene in front of her.
("Miyafuji, get out of there!") called Sakamoto over the radio.
"I can't leave Sanya!" replied Yoshika as one of the ends of the Angel took on the form of Sanya and approached Unit-01.
"This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening." said Yoshika frightened as she fired at the object which fell back.
"Miyafuji." said Sanya weakly before she passed out.
Sanya opened her eyes she found herself standing in a void alone. In front of her stood a sea of LCL and in the center with LCL up to her waist was none other than herself.
"Who are you?" asked Sanya.
"I am you and I am also the form that you call Angel." answered Armisael.
"Why are you here and where are we?" asked Sanya.
"You came here on your own and I merely followed you." answered the Angel, "I feel you emotions."
"So you know how I feel." replied Sanya.
"Yes, but I simply cannot identify one of these feelings. It's a feeling of emptiness and longing." explained the Angel.
"I think that would be loneliness." said Sanya.
"I am not fond of this emotion." noted the Angel.
"Most people are not from what I understand." replied Sanya.
"Are you?" asked the Angel, "This feeling of loneliness is yours."
"I guess that I am. The only person I have had constant contact with is Commander Minna but, I long for interactions with others." answered Sanya.
"Do you like being alone?" asked Armisael.
"I do not." answered Sanya sadly.
"There must be a person you wish to spend time with." said Sanya.
"There is one." said Sanya, "The person I wish to see happier more than any other is Miyafuji."
"What if she were to reject you?" asked the Angel.
"I just wish to see her happy no matter the outcome." answered Sanya then regained conscientiousness only to feel something rolling down her cheeks, "Tears. These are my tears. Why am I crying?"
"Sanya has regained conscientiousness." reported Amaki.
Outside a change was beginning. After a moment a massive tower erupted from Unit-00 barring an amalgamation of all the Angel NERV had battled since Yoshika first arrived in Tokyo-3 months earlier.
"Holy crap!" cried out Nishiki at the sight.
"Ma'am, we've picked up a signal from Sanya!" reported Lynne as the Tower of Angels began to collapse.
("Sanya, you need to fall back. You're in no condition to fight.") ordered Sakamoto.
"I have to protect Yoshika." said Sanya determined as she charged at the Angel firing.
"My God, it's a kamikaze attack!" cried Sakamoto.
"Sanya stop!" cried out Minna clearly worried.
"I look up to the sky, and off my wish to the day star that Miyafuji finds happiness." sang Sanya as she reached the Angel.
When Sanya reached the Angel she managed to expose it's core with her last several bullets. Sanya then gave one final push and smashed into the core with her body. When she did this, the Angel was glowing as it taking the form of a giant Sanya of light complete with a halo. After a minute it exploded destroying half the of Tokyo-3 in the process. Yoshika managed to get far away and use her shield so she was okay.
"Sanya!" cried the Fuso girl.
"The target..is gone." said Nishiki as she and everyone else was horrified by what they just saw.
"Send out a rescue team." ordered Perrine.
The rescue team soon departed NERV is hazmat suits led by Perrine. They reached ground zero of the of the impact and began searching for any signs of Sanya or Unit-00. After a few minutes the grizzly discover was made.
"Ma'am, I found the First Girl!" called out of the men on the team.
"Oh God." said Perrine seeing the chard and mutilated remains, "Quarantine this area off. As of this this officially top secret."
At the Sakamoto/Miyafuji/Marseilles residence the last battle had left Yoshika incredibly upset and disturbed. Upon returning home and locking the door to her bedroom, she threw herself on her bed and lay there, unmoving. A few hours later, while listening to music on her S-DAT, she heard a knock came on her door.
"Miyafuji, I'm coming in." said Sakamoto who walked in and sat down on the bed near Yoshika.
"I know you must be upset by what happened earlier. I just wanted you to know I'm here for you." said Sakamoto putting her right hand on the right hand of Yoshika.
"Don't touch me!" cried the younger girl who quickly pulled her hand away from Sakamoto.
Sakamoto then got up and left without a word. She headed into the living room but, she couldn't get her mind off Yoshika.
"The poor girl. She's spent her whole life alone and she doesn't know how to open up to people." sighed Sakamoto to herself as she found Pen-Pen lying on the living room floor, "Come her Pen-Pen."
"Wark." replied the bird moving it's head to address her briefly.
"You too." said Sakamoto who then heard a knock at the door which she headed to answer.
"I'm looking for a Mio Sakamoto." said the delivery man.
"That would be me." replied the woman.
"I have a package here from the estate of a Charlotte Elizabeth Yeager." replied the delivery man holding a small package in her hand.
"I'll sign." said Sakamoto who signed and went to her room were she discovered the package contained a tape recorder.
"Wark!" cried out Pen-Pen as the phone began to ring from the living room.
"Major Sakamoto here." was her tired response after answering the phone.
("Hello ma'am.") replied one of the NERV medics on the other end, ("I'm just calling you to say Officer Litvyak is alive. That's all ma'am. Goodbye.")
"Miyafuji! Sanya is alive!" called the stunned Major who quickly headed to NERV were the two found Sanya in the medical wing bandaged but, otherwise fine.
"Sanya!" cried Miyafuji happily as she hugged Sanya, "This has to be a miracle!"
"I'm glad to see you're okay." added Sakamoto with a smile then headed to find a doctor leaving Sanya and Yoshika alone.
"Sanya, thank you for saving me earlier." said Yoshika as she stood next to the sitting Sanya.
"I saved you?" asked Sanya confused.
"Yeah. You dove head first at the Angel it was amazing!" answered Yoshika who couldn't believe Sanya had no recollection of the battle.
"I must be the third." replied Sanya.
Shortly there after Sakamoto found Yoshika and told her it was time to go home so with a goodbye the two departed. Sanya left a short time later and returned to her apartment just as the sun was setting. Once in her bedroom she removed the bandages before her eye was caught by the pair of glasses sitting on her desk. Walking over to the glasses and picked them up, she began to squeeze the glasses in an attempt to break them but, stopped short.
"These glasses are familiar to me. I have never seen them before yet they look familiar." said Sanya as tears began to roll down her cheeks, "These are my tears. Why am I crying?"
The next day things were returning to normal at NERV following the events of the last battle. Minna was in her office with Ferrara who was uneasy.
"We really need to be careful now. SEELE is convinced you'll betray them." warned Ferrara.
"Of course I'm going to betray them." replied Minna calmly.
"Yes, but you can't let them know that." said Ferrara.
"They're already on to me so there's really no point. Besides, the Dead Sea Scrolls say there is only one Angel left so once we eliminate that Angel we can move forward." said Minna, "Besides, I've given the old men something to distract them."
SEELE was holding a meeting in it's dark meeting room. The monoliths sat in a circle but, in the center of the monoliths stood Perrine completely naked and trying to cover herself as best as possible.
"Glad to see your keeping your self-respect." said Maloney sarcastically.
"I am from aristocracy, it comes second nature to me." replied Perrine with her right arm across her breasts and her left hand between her legs. Unfortunately, her exposed rear did embarrass her which she tried to hide.
"You know why you are here correct?" asked monolith-10.
"It has to do with the last battle I am certain." answered Perrine.
"Of course. Commander Minna has show reckless regard for this committee and it's objectives." replied monolith-12 angrily.
"I'm sorry but, the plans of Commander Minna are her own. I am simply following orders." said Perrine.
"A Gallian using the Nuremberg Defense. What a site indeed." replied the Karlsland member of the committee through his monolith.
"Nuremberg Defense." replied Perrine to herself as she remembered when Sakamoto said the same thing when Yoshika was stuck in Unit-01.
"You don't care if a witch dies, since you can just find a new one to replace them. You're ducking responsibility for your part in this." said Sakamoto, her anger growing by the second.
"I'm just following orders." replied Perrine.
"I never thought you'd use the Nuremberg Defense." said Sakamoto.
"Oh God." though Perrine to herself feeling ill as she stood in front of the monoliths.
"In case you still feel loyalty to Commander Minna then I should tell you she sent you here instead of the First Girl." said the Gallian member of the committee through his monolith.
"What?" asked Perrine shaking.
"That is all. You dismissed doctor." said Maloney clearly pleased with her reaction.
"Understood." replied the bespectacled girl who grabbed her clothes and left.
"Are you sure letting her go was wise?" asked monolith-06.
"She's not like Ferrara." answered the Orussian member of the committee through his monolith.
"Doctor Clostermann can have her loyalty shaken." added the Liberion member through his monolith.
"Judgment day is fast approaching." said Maloney pleased.
At NERV, Perrine was riding down the escalator. He head was spinning from her meeting but, the emotion she most felt overcome her was anger and resentment at Minna for being used like a tool. When she got to her office she decided to make a phone call.
("Sakamoto, it's me. If you're listening to this then I'm six feet under. I'm sorry if I was a total pain in the ass before there must have been times you wanted to kill me. Bad choice of words there. I just wanted to tell you, the truth is with you. There's more in Terminal Dogma then we've seen but, I really don't feel like I'll be around long enough to see it myself or see how all of this turns out. I hope you do what's best and if things go bad then I guess I'll be seeing ya on the other side. Just know this, I've discovered a shocking secret about the Dummy Plug Plant that also has to do with Sanya. If you're hearing this then you need to know the truth. Luckily, I've changed the password so old four-eyes can't hid anything. The new password is one of my favorite things. You'll know exactly what it is. I'm sorry for everything. Goodbye.")
"Thank you Shirley. I can make it on my own." said Sakamoto as the loaded her gun as the tape recorder finished it's message.
"Major, the phone is ringing." called Yoshika as the living room phone did indeed begin ringing then.
"I'm busy Miyafuji. Please get it." replied Sakamoto.
"Alright." said Yoshika who grabbed the phone, "Hello, Sakamoto residence. Yoshika Miyafuji speaking.
"Miyafuji, it's Doctor Clostermann. In a few minutes you'll be free from Intelligence. I need you to come to NERV immediately and tell nobody." said Perrine on the other end softly.
Yoshika headed for NERV as instructed finding Perrine who led her to Terminal Dogma. Once they arrived Perrine tried the entry code, but it was rejected. Just then, Perrine felt the cold barrel of a gun press against the back of her head.
"So, this is your doing. Though I am certain Yeager had more to with changing the code." said Perrine, deflating as Sakamoto pressed the SIG P229 barrel against her head.
"I'm going to see what's behind these doors." said Sakamoto in fierce tone.
"Fine, but so is she." replied Perrine as Yoshika stepped out of the darkness.
"Okay." said Sakamoto knowing she had no alternative as she removed her gun from the head of Perrine and typed in the code.
"Double D size. That was work of the busty, degenerate sex fiend." thought Perrine to herself vulgarly as the trio entered and the doctor led them to their first stop: a half-light medical room with a stretcher and a tray. On the tray were used syringes attached to hypodermic needles, several empty vials and used surgical equipment.
"This looks just like the bedroom of Sanya." noted Yoshika.
"I'm not surprised considering Sanya was born here." mused Perrine.
"This isn't want I want to see." said Sakamoto.
"I know." replied Perrine who led the two Fuso girls to a large room with an massive cross-shaped creator in the ground.
"These are Strikers!" cried Yoshika.
"You are slightly correct. These are the failed prototypes models. These are all rejects and so they were dumped in this mass grave. Some of your parents earliest works are here Yoshika." replied Perrine coldly.
"Perrine." said Sakamoto giving a clear warning as she placed her left hand on her sidearm.
"Fine. Let's go then." replied the doctor.
"This place is scary." said Yoshika as she and Sakamoto followed Perrine to their final destination.
"This is the Dummy Plug Plant." said Perrine leading Sakamoto and Yoshika into a black room. It seemed mostly empty except for a large cylinder full of LCL sat in the center of the room.
"So this is it." said Sakamoto looking around the dark room, "What am I supposed to be looking for?"
"Can you turn on a light?" asked Yoshika, "It's kind of dark in here."
"Of course." replied Perrine who pulled a hand-held computer out of her pocket and with the press of a button revealed the secret long kept in hidden away.
"It's Sanya." said Yoshika as before her and the equally horrified Sakamoto sat a tank nearly spanning the length of the entire room filled with LCL and multiple Sanya.
"What the hell is this?" asked Sakamoto shaking at the sight.
"They're all vessels." answered Perrine.
"Vessels." replied Yoshika confused and still in shock.
"Indeed. You see, Sanya has quite different origins than the rest of us. This allowed us to clone her repeatedly and use these are the bases for the Dummy Plug. These clones are the form you knew as Sanya V. Litvyak: Sanya I appeared the day my mother and your father died Yoshika, Sanya II came next lasting until the last battle and the Sanya you saw in the hospital the other day is Sanya III." replied Perrine bitterly.
"Why?" asked Sakamoto.
"In 2000, man found a God in Antarctica named Adam and decided he wanted Adam's powers. So a secret group called SEELE formed a group the Sakamoto Expedition whose goal was to make contact with Adam but, they were never told the dangers of this and thus the experiment went horribly awry leading to Second Impact. But, man was still foolish enough to try and obtain these godlike powers resulting in what we call Striker." answered Perrine.
"So, the Strikers are made from Angels." said Yoshika.
"They are machine, but they have Angel cores within them." replied Perrine.
"Why did you get involved in this?" asked Sakamoto.
"I was weak. My mother was lonely after father left her and Ichiro Miyafuji used this to manipulate her into creating all of this. I saw mother kissing him and I was disgusted but, as much disdain as I had for her as a woman, I never stopped respecting her as a scientist or loving her as a mother. Because of this, I was devastated when she took her life and Minna followed in her father's footsteps manipulating me in a weak emotional state to continue were mother had left off." answered Perrine.
"I need to figure out what to do with these." said Sakamoto looking around the Sanya clones smiling back at the trio.
"These things are soulless abominations. They're very existence is a mistake." replied Perrine who pressed another button on her hand-held computer that destroyed the tank and and the clones.
"Stop right now, Perrine!" cried out Sakamoto as she aimed her gun at the Gallian.
"Go ahead and kill me I don't care." cried Perrine as she began sobbing.
"Perrine." said Yoshika shocked by this statement.
"I'm just a fool. I let myself be used and thrown aside just like my mother. Like mother, like daughter." cried Perrine falling to her hands and knees as tears began streaming down her cheeks, "Go ahead and kill me, I don't want to live anymore!"
"I can't." said Sakamoto putting her gun by her side as she took pity on Perrine who just kept sobbing.
A/N: Well there you go, chapter twenty-three all set and next comes the final chapter before the four-part finale begins. Next time, the Fifth Girl arrives, you have to know who it is by now, but she's also hiding an explosive secret that threatens NERV. Please review!