AN: Chapter 11 coming at ya!

Not much to say again. Just been excited to drop this so it came out earlier than usual.

Let's get on with the show!

XXX

Deviations ~ Grace, Glory, Legion

Gendo, Fuyutsuki, Kyoko, Ritsuko, and Misato sat in the commander's office once more. The only difference being the addition of Kaji. It was a day after the sync tests and Ritsuko's evaluation of Shinji. According to the blonde, she had news. Big news.

"The floor is yours, Dr. Akagi." Nodding, Ritsuko cleated her throat and addressed the room.

"Shinji's evaluation went well," she began, "however, not in the sense that his near 400% sync ratio left him unaffected. No. It was very… informative." Misato wanted to tell Ritsuko to move things along already, and as if she could sense the Lieutenant Colonel's thoughts, Ritsuko did just that.

"I'm going to cut to the chase. It's my belief that Shinji is seeing someone that we don't know about."

"What do you mean, exactly?" Misato inquired.

"Throughout our session yesterday, his eyes kept seeking something out on a particular side of the room. Every time I asked a question intended to rile him and force some sort of slip, he would begin to do just that before suddenly calming. Then, near the end I caught him staring at the door. When I asked if he'd seen anything, he specifically said he hadn't 'seen anyone.'"

"Why's that odd?" Kaji questioned with a small contemplative frown, "It's a hallway. It wouldn't be weird if he saw a person."

"I know. But we move equipment around here often enough that it wouldn't be odd if he saw some 'thing' and not 'someone.' The fact his response leaned more towards something living is a red flag. Especially when all the other evidence is considered. His high sync ratio, his apparent memory loss about Misato's marriage, the A.T. Field abilities he's been displaying… whether or not Shinji is human or not is something I am unsure about, but something happened to him on his first sortie. And I think I know what." Ritsuko took a breathe before she continued, her eyes steely and narrowed.

"Ikari Shinji came into contact with an Angel and has remained so since then. More troubling is that I believe it must be a Seraph."

"That…"

"That sounds like reaching, Ritsuko," Misato scowled, interrupting Kyoko before she could voice her own opinion, one that coincided with Misato's.

"Does it?" Akagi questioned as she sat back in her chair and crossed her legs confidently, "we have no explanation for the abilities he displays in his Eva. An Angel assisting him would make sense and seeing as how we have so little information on Seraphs it's the only explanation I came to that may explain how we haven't sensed this Angel beforehand. We don't know the full extent of their abilities as Seraphs after all."

"But then why has it not simply caused Third Impact?" Dr. Soryu questioned, "Clearly it's been in Nerv. And honestly, if this is true I doubt that would have been the first time. So is Shinji somehow keeping it in check? But if so how? And would that make him dangerous? Or still in line with our cause?"

"I can't say," sighed Ritsuko, "but I don't think I'm wrong. This hypothesis of mine is crazy enough to make sense."

Gendo sat at his desk, his finger firmly bridged before him.

"We will observe for a bit longer. Pilot Ikari will remain on standby for any future missions until this is sorted. You've done well, Dr. Aakagi… now, you may all leave."

They knew a dismissal when they heard one and began to file out of the office.

=X=

Leliel floated across the surface of the moon, passing by the grey scenery as she neared her target. Once she was in front of it, she touched her forehead to its own, just beneath the two black horns protruding from the center of its head, the taller horn directly behind the shorter of the two. She could feel great rage and hatred from the depths of its soul, but also vague familiarity. Pulling away, she floated backwards until she could get another full views of the deadly looking black Evangelion.

"I'm sorry."

Leliel shot towards the unit before phasing right through its body. A terrible scream escaped the machine before it abruptly went silent as Leliel appeared from its back. A single tear rolled down her cheek as the Dirac opened beneath the Evangelion unit and pulled the two of them in. She hadn't wanted to do what she'd just done, to expel someone's soul from an Evangelion with nowhere else for it to go.

But it was necessary.

The time of the Black Beast was fast approaching.

=X=

Shinji let a small sigh escape through his nose, wondering why he'd suggested this as he carried Rei's shopping bags. He'd been positive that she wouldn't be too interested in shopping, but apparently this Rei had a bit more to her than the one from his dimension. They'd been in the mall for the last four hours as she perused various stores for clothes. The only bright side to all this was that they'd gotten to spend some quality brother sister time together.

"Thank you for accompanying me to the mall today, Shinji."

"It's fine. I did offer, after all. I'll admit that I'm a bit surprised about how interested you are in clothes. I didn't peg you to be too interested, honestly." Rei smiled at Shinji's response and moved a strand of hair behind her ear as they continued on to another store; this one sold jewelry.

"I did not always care. Asuka, Mari, and Mayumi have been inviting me out more often after the festival. I have discovered that trying on new clothes and increasing my wardrobe is… pleasant."

"I'm glad then. To be honest, I was a bit afraid you wouldn't really be making any friends. You are a tad hard to approach at times," Shinji replied, even more pleased to know she and Asuka were getting along again. He knew the fiery German had been quite upset with Rei from that incident shortly before the festival.

"Yes, Mayumi has informed me that I can be. I am trying to change that. Friends are… nice." Rei's response brought a soft smile to Shinji's lips as they looked around the jewelry store. They chatted about trivial things until Rei stopped, something catching her eye. She was gazing down at a manly looking bracelet, a musical note pendant set at the center of it.

"Shinji, I am getting this for you."

"Wha? Oh, Rei. You don't need to do that," Shinji replied in a sputter, blinking away his surprise.

"I am aware. I wish to do so regardless. You are my brother and I would like for you to have something from me." Rei's response left him momentarily speechless as he took in how much she was changing. He could have never imagined the Rei he'd once known doing anything like this.

"Fine," Shinji responded after a moment, conceding to her wish, "but only if you let me get you something as well." Rei stared at him before nodding.

"That is agreeable." Smiling slightly, Rei picked up the bracelet and the two of them looked around for a gift Shinji found suitable for her.

=X=

Leliel appeared next to her flaming kin, a frown on her lips as she watched them burn down a building.

"Are yee finished for the day, sister?" The Flaming One shrugged at Leliel's question as she turned away from the fire, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a hand.

"It's the last location I was told about, so I suppose so. What do you need?"

"Nothing. Merely letting yee know Seraphiel and I will be coming here should things get dicey." The Flaming One frowned at the news as the two of them walked along the ruined city street.

"I'd prefer you didn't."

"It is not a matter of choice. No where else is safe."

"Here isn't safe either. We'll kill each other, most likely."

"Surely yee speak in jest," came Leliel's reply, a small frown set on her features. Silence followed her words and rubble continued to fall at their backs. The Flaming One still said nothing, the crunch of her searing boots upon the gravel and asphalt filled the silence between them.

"Who knows…."

"Sister."

"What? What do you want me to say? It's true. I don't see how us meeting each other could possibly end well." Leliel stared at her Flaming kin for a moment as they neared a car that hadn't been too far off from the Flaming One's objective.

"That's not a fair assumption," Leliel sighed out.

"Life isn't fair," was her sister's scoffed reply, "You can do what you wish, but I've already commented on what I think will happen." The scowl given to her by Leliel eventually saw the Flaming One looking away from her kin. After another few minutes of silence, Leliel spoke once more as she began to fade.

"I suppose we shall see…"

=X=

Asuka sat in her entry plug, allowing her mind to wander as she conducted her sync test. Three weeks has already gone by since she and the other pilots had discovered what could happen if they had a sync rate that was too high and her head had been a jumbled mess since. It was a direct contradiction to what her goal had been for years now; a goal which she couldn't bring herself to pursue anymore if she were being honest.

Asuka no longer wanted to have the highest sync ratio. After her mother had explained everything to them following Shinji's apparently deadly sync test, Asuka had talked to her that night and gotten confirmation of what she'd suspected since the initial conversation. The reason her mother never praised her ever rising sync rate was because she didn't want anything to happen to her. And while she couldn't do anything about Asuka piloting, as she'd not exactly had a choice in that matter, she at least didn't want to encourage her to keep chasing after potential death.

Asuka had been skeptical at the start, first asking why she praised Shinji and then asking why she hadn't just told her the truth in first place. Kyoko had answers for both questions. She could put her scientific curiosity and wonder aside for her daughter; Asuka was her daughter after all. The same didn't hold true for Shinji. Son of Yui or not, the boy had the potential to answer questions she had by watching his experiences.

Her mother's response and disregard for Shinji's wellbeing had irked Asuka more than she'd ever admit.

What bothered Asuka most though, was the fact that Kyoko had been forbidden to say a word to Asuka. As it stood, her various bosses weren't pleased with her, but deemed her too invaluable at the time to get rid of. Kyoko didn't say whether or not things would remain that way in the future though. Asuka, though mature for her age, had thought that such manipulations wouldn't have a place at Nerv – not really anyway. The Angels had been too much of a threat in her mind for people to be causing issues for one another when humanity as a whole had such a powerful enemy to face. Asuka was realizing she was wrong and that maybe there was more to Nerv than just killing the Angels.

Asuka really didn't think that was a good thing.

Sighing, Asuka's thoughts moved onto the other person on her mind – Ikari Shinji. She fiddled with the flame shaped necklace around her neck, smiling faintly as she remembered receiving it. It had been earlier this very morning. Shinji had dropped by shortly before school to visit her, something she'd honestly never expected. When she'd met him at the door, he seemed quite bashful and it didn't take her long to find out why when he'd given her the necklace.

Asuka's breath had hitched when she'd gotten it, almost missing him explain that he'd been shopping with Rei, looking for a pair of earrings for her when he'd seen the necklace. Apparently it had reminded him of her and so he'd bought it. Asuka hadn't had any words for five minutes, completely rendered speechless as she fought with herself over how she was supposed to react to the gift. Eventually, Shinji had smiled at her and said he would see her later before he left. She still hadn't said a word to him all day, nor had she said much to anyone.

She didn't want to answer questions on where she'd gotten the necklace, not that she needed to. When Rei walked into school sporting two teardrop shaped earrings, she'd told Mayumi and the rest of their friends that Shinji had bought it for her as a gift after she'd bought him his new bracelet. Mari and Hikari had made jokes about Shinji getting Asuka's necklace too, until Rei confirmed just that. The blushes that had reddened Shinji's and Asuka's cheeks at that bit of information being revealed had been priceless in Mari's words.

Now that Asuka actually had time to consider what had happened with no lingering shock or embarrassment, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do. She liked Shinji, she could admit that now, but dating him? She wasn't sure. Her mind immediately went to reasons in favor of why she shouldn't… except, she didn't really have any.

My sync ratio was what really stopped me, Asuka thought with a sigh, I thought momma had liked him more than me. I couldn't stand it, the fact that he always seemed one step ahead. There was always a gap I couldn't hope to close, but now… what does it matter now?

Asuka let a more content sigh slip out through her nose. She'd made her choice.

=X=

"It is time. Go forth." Zeruel's voice boomed through the expanse of white, Leliel, far away from her kin, felt worry spread throughout her soul. It was time indeed. Fading from the sacred place, she appeared in Shinji's room.

"Wake up, Seraphiel. The time has come." Leliel shook Shinji awake. It was the early morning, the sun not having even risen yet. Shinji was groggy for all of two seconds before his eyes focused on who was waking him. Leliel would have no reason to be waking him this early unless an Angel was on its way.

Across Tokyo-3, the smallest, microscopic, bits of red began to coalesce, becoming two blood red cores.

We hear yee, Zeruel. Humanity shall fall this day.

The twin cores beat once, an alarm went off at Nerv, and minutes later the ground began to shake. The next thirty minutes were of chaos and panic as the city shifted and transformed in preparation for battle. The pilots were rushed to Nerv and were waiting to sortie in their Eva's when their enemy finally spoke.

"Yee mere Lilin thought us dead, defeated. Yee thought the cousins, incomplete and lacking in the blessings of the father could best us." The Nerv personnel got eyes on the threat and what they saw terrified them. On the horizon marched a horde at least 200 strong. They all looked eerily similar to Israfel, and each synchronized step they took quaked the earth.

"Yee thought wrong – and now yee pay for thine arrogance." Misato was spitting out orders and calling for the pilots to launch. One by one they did just that, their Eva's rising to the surface, all except for one – Shinji.

"We are the indomitable army of the heavens." Shinji freaked out, wondering why he hadn't been sortied with the others. His father's only response? Because he was on standby. Fear and panic clouded Shinji's mind. Before the third child could try to argue the Israfel horde began to part, revealing two very distinct Angels. One was all red, seemingly garbed in a flowing dress that Shinji was positive was skin, a substance glowing of power and heat flowed from its head, reminiscent of hair. It had a shield for a right hand that went a good ways up its arm and a core at the center of its feminine chest.

Next to it stood it's counterpart, all blue and seemingly rippling with toned muscle. A horned helmet, something Shinji was sure was also merely skin, adorned its head. Starting at the elbow, it had a javelin for a left arm and a core at the center of its chest as well. Misato really didn't like the look of what she was seeing and ordered the pilots to attack. Kensuke, whose camo green Eva was outfitted with the most artillery, let loose a barrage of missiles, grenades, and bullets, prompting the feminine angel to step forward and raise its shield. In total sync with the red one, the Israfel horde met the barrage with their collective A.T. Fields, suppressing Kensuke's assault entirely.

"When we march, the grace of the father follows us, granting us protection and ensuring our victory!" Maya screamed about a high energy buildup as the all blue angel lifted its Javelin, pink light shining at its tip. The eyes of the many Israfel at the blue one's back began to shine along with it. Misato barked for the pilots to raise their fields and they did so right as the horde and the blue one fired. The ensuing explosion rocked the city and gouged a deep trench into the ground, kicking up dust.

"When we strike, we bring glory to the name of the father, decimating all within our path!" Shinji was screaming at his father to let him launch, yet Gendo remained silent even as the dust cleared to reveal his fellow pilots upon the ground, dazed and in pain.

"We are one, yet many – the legion that stands above all others. Our footfalls mark the end of days! Yee humans dared raise thine hands against the father and now we shall smite thee! Before yee marches the Grace and Glory of the father, the army of God! We are the Seraph of the Swarm – We are Israfel!"

The legion of Seraphs marched forward as the pilots managed to get their feet back under them. Misato looked to the commander, noting that he still seemed unperturbed in the face of such overwhelming odds.

"And now thine filthy kind shall bear witness to the might of a Seraph."

"Father! Let me launch!" shouted Shinji through the comms as he heard Misato order the pilots to fight. The five of them split off into predetermined groups as Misato ordered Asuka's to engage the red and blue angels, which Ritsuko had designated Israfel Grace and Israfel Glory respectively. While they did that, Kensuke, Mari, and Rei would do battle with the horde.

"You are on standby, pilot." Shinji opened his mouth after Gendo's words, but no words escaped. He was too shocked; his father fully intended for him to sit this out.

They will die, brother. Grace and Glory will undoubtedly crush them. We must act.

Shinji observed the battle through his Eva's monitor and grit his teeth. On the surface, Kensuke dug his Evangelion into the earth, it's feet latching into the ground to provide stability as it hefted a very powerful rifle up and fired as compartments on its bulky shoulders opened up to let loose a barrage of missiles. Only ten of the horde fell to his assault, a majority of them having guarded with their A.T. Fields. As the fields dropped, twenty of them split off to flank Kensuke only to be dispatched by a pink blur amongst the ocean of darker colors that was the Israfel horde.

Mari's unit twisted and twirled above the Israfel as her clawed fingers tore through her enemies. She dropped between ten of them, crouched and ready to pounce like a feline predator before she back flipped over a pink beam that ended up taking out one of the Israfel in front of her. Twisting around, she thrust her right hand through one of the Israfel's heads before pulling it out and lunging towards another target. Just as she landed on another one, a spray of bullets from Rei's pallet rifle flew over her head and brought down two Israfel that had tried to ambush her.

"Thanks, Rei." Her only response was a nod as Rei called out a few enemies on Kensuke's left. A smaller arm drop from around the shoulder blade of Kensuke's Eva, a grenade launcher clutched in its hand. The launcher fired and seconds later the approaching angels were flung into the air, piece of their bodies scattering across the city and the horde.

As the three of them continued to thin the horde, Asuka brought up her prog knife on her right side, sparks dancing across her vision as she just barely redirected Glory's Javelin with her knife. Grunting in exertion, Asuka moved Unit-02 forward and made a jab at Glory that the Angel back stepped away from, giving the red head time to grab the pallet rifle strapped over her shoulder. She fired and Glory jumped over the bullets before using it's A.T. Field as a spring board to send it rocketing towards Unit-02. Asuka rose her A.T. Field and dodged back as far she she could as Glory crashed, javelin first, in front of her. The force alone made her lose her footing and Glory pulled his Javelin from the ground with a mighty tug before moving in once more.

Not far from them, Toji guides his Eva in a dash towards Grace as his unit balled its heavily armored fists. He stopped abruptly in front of the red Seraph and threw a punch before maneuvering to Grace's left side and throwing another. Each attempted attack was blocked with a simple raise of Grace's shield before the mighty Seraph lunged forward, bashing her shield into Toji's Eva and disorienting him. She threw a punch of her own now, landing the attack upon the Eva's jaw and sending it to the ground.

With a groan, Toji scrambled to his feet to avoid the incoming heel of Grace. Standing once more, he threw another punch and as Grace rose her shield, Toji's fist opened up, grabbed her shield, and flung it out of the way of his incoming punch. It landed in Grace's gut, sending her skidding back a couple of feet. Below them a car alarm went off and whined to a quick stop as it was crushed beneath the Seraph's foot.

"Yee shall pay for that, Lilin." Grace dashed in once more before dropping low and sweeping Toji off his feet, jumping to her own she brought her shield down upon his Eva, cratering the ground with its form. She lifted her foot and dropped it. Toji grunted painfully as the limb crashed into his Eva's head before the weight on his head was suddenly gone and he was being lifted by his throat. Coughing, Toji tried to throw a punch, but was thrown instead. He flew through the air until he crashed into Unit 02, toppling Asuka over. The two Serapis approached sedately, seemingly unconcerned about any retaliation. At the same time, the defeated Israfel of the horde began reforming and multiplying, startling the other pilots.

"They can fucking regenerate and multiply!?" Yelled Kensuke, trying his damnedest to avoid being flanked entirely. He received no reply from his fellow pilots, but he didn't need one. He could guess they were rather unsettled themselves. Back in Unit 01, Shinji bowed his head as his hands tightened threateningly around his controls.

Mother.

That was all Shinji needed to say.

Unit 01 broke free of the few restraints on it as Shinji glared fiercely beneath his hair. He ignored any words from his father to return as Unit 01 ascended up the shaft by no work of his own. No. He wasn't currently piloting, instead using his time to focus his anger and listen to Leliel.

They shall provide us with no quarter once we reach the surface. The first thing we shall have to do is save Asuka and Toji from their clutches so they can provide support to those doing battle with the Israfel legion.

Unit 01 forced open the closing shaft doors above it as its maw opened. Vaguely, Shinji could hear Maya shouting about his sync ratio entering the three hundreds. Unit 01 continued upward as Shinji replied to his kin.

This situation… I won't be able to hold back at all, will I?

No, Leliel replied with a sigh, yee shall not. This is going to be that trial by fire we spoke of. I'm sure Yui will do what she can to hide the fact that the power yee wield over sound is of thine field, but I am not sure how much good it shall do. Grace and Glory will be coming at yee with all they have.

Shinji let a small sigh escape his lips.

So this is it then? Where I get "turned" into an Angel in front of everyone? I wonder if father will attempt to kill me after this all ends.

He shall not succeed, Seraphiel.

Indeed he won't, Shinji's mother chimed in, backing up Leliel. A small smile spread across his lips as they reached the surface, creating the oddest or expressions on his face when combined with his glare.

Thank you. Now let's end them.

"So thine champion finally appears!" Bellowed Glory. At his side, Grace dropped Unit 02 as she turned to Shinji.

"We were wondering when yee would show up… Brother." Shinji's head snapped up, eyes wide as he stared at Grace in horror. Everything in central dogma went silent. The other pilots did as well as they stopped fighting. The Israfel legion made no move to attack either.

This was a trap…

Leliel's words rang true. If Grace and Glory exposed him, then regardless of their potential defeat his future would more than likely be grim.

"Shinji." Asuka's voice came over the comms and Shinji actually flinched, "What is that Angel talking about…?" Shinji grit his teeth.

"Ah. But yee have told no one of thine true self have yee, Seraphiel?" Giggled Grace. The sound of it was wrong, it made Shinji's skin crawl and ignited further fury in his blood, "Yee have not told them of how you came to be here? Thine rebirth? They know not of whom they fight alongside, do they? Well, that is fine, dear brother. We shall do so for thee." Glory pointed at Unit 01 with his Javelin as Shinji wondered who could have possibly given the Angels this idea. They were ruthless, cruel, and brutal, yes. But this kind of cunning? This particular form of misdirection and trickery in order to achieve their goals? He'd never seen it before. Not from any Angels. Except…

Shinji's fury skyrocketed. He'd done this to himself. It was his inner angel. There was no other explanation.

"The one within the purple cousin is of our kind. He is Angel kin and has been so since the moment he was brought to this wretched city. He is Seraphiel, heaven's mute assassin. The Silence of God." Glory's words had Shinji seething. He shook uncontrollably in the plug, his teeth mashed together in an angry snarl. None of his fellow pilots or the Nerv personnel said a thing. After all, how do you refute Glory's words when Shinji was reacting to them so obviously?

Shinji spoke as his hair began to lighten and his eyes shifted to read. He heard a gasp over the comms, followed by a few curses, but paid such reactions no mind. No. He was too angry.

"Grace. Glory." He punctuated each name with a look at his targets. "I am going to murder you." It was all he had to say and the tension in the air thickened and shifted into something vile and dangerous.

"You can try." Grace's reply marked the beginning of battle once more as Glory rose his Javelin, pale pink light burning furiously at the tip as if begging to be released; to destroy. The horde did as their leader and their eyes began to glow.

"Leliel," Shinji scowled, "get them behind me." At his request, riffs of inky black opened up beneath all the other Evangelions, pulling them in and cutting their cables before the exit portals rose them up behind Shinji.

"What the fuck was that?" Toji groaned, nauseated. Shinji didn't answer, merely requesting they get some more cables attached to their Eva's as he rose Unit 01's A.T. Field and his own, Leliel threw hers up as well just as the Israfels fired. The beams crashed into the three fields, cracking and washing over them in a tide of light, heat, and power. The three fields held, and the snarl upon Shinji's lips reached its peak.

"You all fight the horde. Grace and Glory are mine." Shinji waited for no response and dashed forward as the fields dropped, Unit 01's roar mimicking his own. Grace and Glory vanished into the horde, taking up positions behind their greater numbers as the Israfel legion charged forward.

Do it Seraphiel. Leliel's words spurred him on and Shinji brought his A.T. Field to life, using it to bring about his power. He'd never intentionally tried using the full might of his distinction as an Angel, but right now he knew he could. He would. Shinji's rage bolstered his power and he could sense it within him. The sound, the silence. It rattled his bones, boiled in his blood, pounded in his head. Shinji could sense it all! He could feel it thrum in his fingers and see it vibrate the air, buzzing past his vision as a tidal wave of power and might.

And it was his.

Unit 01 let loose a silent roar.

And half the horde fell at its feet.

With steam pouring from Unit 01's maw, Shinji continued onward, his A.T. Field curved around his charging form as he bulldozed through any of the legion unwise enough to stand in his way. Clearing the last of the fodder, Shinji lifted an arm just in time to catch Glory's Javelin as he slammed his own fist into Grace's shield. Unit 01 bellowed mutely and Grace and Glory felt their fields shudder under the might of Shinji's power.

Grace broke the clash by pushing Unit 01 away and allowing Glory to go back on the attack. The all blue Seraph fired a beam from his Javelin that Unit 01 batted aside with its field and a hand as it rushed in again. Stopping just in front of Grace who'd come to stand between him and Glory, Shinji threw a fist forward. Grace rose her shield, but Shinji suddenly pulled back, his fist never making contact. Shinji's field crashed into her shield instead as he dropped and swept Grace off her feet. As she fell Glory was already thrusting his Javelin forward. Shinji rose, Unit 01's A.T. Field wrapping around its hands and fingers to create claws that Shinji used to meet Glory's Javelin.

A crack began to spiderweb across the A.T. Claws and Shinji clicked his tongue as he let himself be pushed back. Grace rose to her feet and Shinji glared them down, trying to keep his focus off the sounds of battle at his back.

I don't actually think I'll be able to take them both on at once.

Then yee shan't. Leliel's reply threw Shinji off for a moment. That isn't what he'd been expecting. Thine fellow Lilin already know yee are not like them. I might as well assist yee.

Before Shinji could reply, Leliel faded out of Unit-01 and appeared next to the purple giant on the battlefield.

"Who the hell… what the hell is that? Everyone be on guard." Misato called. Normally Shinji would think that was the right call, but the other pilots already had enough to worry over. They didn't need this distraction.

"No," he spoke, "Leliel is here to help. Just focus on the horde. We've got this."

"So yee show thine self, do yee, Leliel?" Leliel said nothing in response to Glory's words, instead her body began to grow, matching Unit-01's size as its coloring changed entirely to black and white in a predominately striped pattern. She had no legs in this form, only a flowing dress and Shinji notes a single red eye on the left side of her face. If she possessed another eye, he wasn't sure, as it was obscured by her dark locks.

"Yee plan to do battle against us, sister?" Grace questioned. Again, Leliel did not give any response, "meddlesome."

"As is my wont, dear sister," Leliel responded, drawing a snarl from her kin.

"So be it then. Die at our hands, Leliel!" The time for talk came to an end with Grace's roared retort. She and Glory moved in, faster than before and with all seriousness. Narrow by his eyes Shinji guided Unit-01 to meet his kin alongside Leliel. Their clash was fierce; Shinji blocked a thrust from Glory's Javelin with his field as he drove his clawed right hand towards the center of Glory's chest. The action was met by Glory grabbing the appendage mere inches from his core with a steadfast grip.

To their side, Grace tried to slam her shield into Leliel's face, instead she merely passed through her sister who turned and smacked her across the face with the back of her hand. Grace staggered back, but recovered in time to block a punch from Leliel with her shield. The force behind the blow forced her feet to dig into the concrete below before she managed to push Leliel away, only for the Seraph of Movement to vanish into a freshly made rift and reappear at Grace's back. The red Seraph spun around and rose her shield, though this time a rift opened just above its surface and Leliel's fist vanished into it, appearing from another rift beneath Grace's chin. Lifted off the ground, Grace was unprepared as Leliel's eye shined before a beam of energy exploded out of her free left palm.

Grace was sent flying, buildings falling around her until the red Seraph managed to get her feet beneath her. Leliel grimaced as a slightly singed Grace lowered her shield from before her. It seems as though her kin had managed to guard against her assault, if only in part.

A bit away from the warring sisters, the standoff between Glory and Shinji came to an end. Shinji guides the fingers of Unit 01's captured arm into a silent snap. The force of the sound waves that assaulted Glory sent the blue Seraph staggering back a few feet. Shinji scowled; he'd wanted the attack to be far stronger than that, but he supposed it was understandable. Glory's A.T. Field was powerful and he didn't have full control of his distinction yet.

Grunting, Glory moves back in, not allowing Shinji's assault to slow him down for long. The Seraph thrusted his Javelin towards the purple giant's chest, prompting Shinji to dodge out of the way before he brought his knee up, attempting to catch Glory in the gut with it. His strength enhanced by his field, Glory swatted the appendage down as he swept his Javelin towards Unit 01's head, attempt by to bludgeon the purple titan. Unit 01 ducked, barely avoiding the blow only to be caught by a knee to the face. Shinji and his Evangelion hit the dirt, quickly rolling to the side in order to avoid being impaled.

Scrambling to his feet, Shinji guided his Eva into head butting Glory, before throwing three quick jabs and an uppercut into the stunned Seraph's face. He was about to take another crack at destroying Glory's core, but before he could act on his thoughts, Shinji stumbled to his left and slid into a building. Disoriented, he glanced around to see Grace dropping her shield, Glory regaining his bearings, and Leliel rising up from a inky black rift at his side.

"Forgive me, Seraphiel. I was a step too slow in preventing Grace's shield bash."

"It's fine," Shinji spoke, "let's finish this." As one, Shinji and Leliel moved in, meeting a charging Grace and Glory halfway. Shinji batter aside Grace's attempted shield bash, paving the way for Leliel's A.T. Field enhanced punch that was blocked by the twin Seraph's combined fields. With his left, Shinji thrust the clawed hand of Unit 01 towards Glory's core, forcing the field around the Seraphs to shatter from the powerful dual assault from himself and Leliel. Grace's shield repelled his strike before it could land and Glory's Javelin darted forward, pink light shining at its tip.

Shinji tilted Unit 01's head, just barely avoiding the blow. What he heard next, however, set his blood ablaze. Asuka's scream flooded the comms. Shinji, holy not against the inevitable reality of what must have occurred, whipped around to see Unit 02 struggling to get back on its feet as the other pilots encircled the red behemoth as they fought a desperate and losing battle against the ever increasing number of Israfel. Incensed, Shinji turned once more towards his vile kin, just in time to catch Glory's incoming Javelin.

Shinji roared in fury and Unit 01 replies to that rage. Its eyes shone malevolently and in the next moment an explosion erupted between it and the Seraph's Grace and Glory were thrown back and Unit 01 was already moving in on them. Leliel hung back, a plan of her own forming in her mind. Enraged, Shinji leapt at Glory, bringing his hands down in a hammer blow upon the Seraph's head that sent him to the ground below, cratering the earth and shaking the city. Grace ran towards Shinji now, shield raised before her for an all out assault only for him to sink into the ground courtesy of Leliel and appear overhead. With a mighty looking silent roar, Grace was forced to the ground alongside her other half, cracks spiderwebbing across the concrete around herself and Glory as they few building around them were reduced to rubble as the sound waves washed over them.

The two Seraph's survived the assault and got to their feet as quickly as possible as Unit 01 dropped towards them, feet first. Glory Aimed his Javelin above, firing off the pink beam only for it to be swapped up by one of Leliel's rifts. Noticing a rift opening up on their right, Grace positioned herself before it, shield raised. As she'd expected, Glory's attack shot out of the inky darkness and hurtled towards them. She blocked the blow, but now Shinji had nothing to stop him from crashing into them, his A.T. Field forcing Glory's Javelin to the side. The purple giant's impact forced the two Seraph's apart, but Shinji didn't stop. He dashed towards Glory before the Seraph could reorient himself. Shinji kicked the blue Seraph to the ground and grabbed hold of his Javelin arm, pulling with all his might. Smiling in dark satisfaction as he heard muscle and bone break and tear, Shinji tugged upon the limb mightily, succeeding in ripping it from Glory's body, the Seraph's screams like music to his ears.

Typically, Shinji did not delight in such viciousness, but Glory had hurt Asuka. He could not forgive that. With his free right hand, Shinji lifted Glory up by the neck and three him into his approach other half. Grace caught Glory the best she could and he steadied himself as he began to regenerate his lost arm. Yet again though, Shinji would not wait. He would not allow these two any more breathing room. He was already running towards them, Clutching Glory's Javelin in his left hand. Grace stood before Glory and rose her shield at the ready.

Shinji thrust the Javelin forward and Grace held firm, denying any advance. Unfortunately for her, she had not noticed Shinji's clawed right hand thrusting forward shortly after the Javelin, vanishing into an inky rift, and appearing behind herself and Glory. The two of them were lined up perfectly; The clawed hand of Unit 01 rammed into Glory's back, penetrating his skin and tearing through his body before going through his core. It came out on the other side and continued on, repeating the process with Grace as Shinji growled out a single word with all the venom he could muster.

"Die."

Grace's shield dropped limply to her side as she and her other half went silent.

The Seraph of the Swarm had fallen.

XXX

So, that's the chapter! Israfel is defeated again, Nerv's suspicions are somewhat confirmed, and Shinji must now face the consequence of his inner angel's machinations. This chapter was pretty hard to write honestly, for a multitude of reasons. Next chapter will focus on the aftermath of all this mostly. That one definitely won't be out until I finish rounds on the other docs I have though. I just really wanted to finish this mega chapter.

There's more foreshadowing here of course. The Black Beast and a tiny bit more on the Flaming One.

Until next time.