Warning: Lime content present

Written By: Jon L

This Chapter follows the events of Chapter Eleven

"speaking"--'thinking'--<phone>--=dream=

And so, the final events are about to begin, events that will shape the future of Mankind. Instrumentality, it is the one thing that is unclear as to its purpose. Some have said it is a return to the beginning, some state that it is a return to nothingness. My personal view on it is Instrumentality is that which merges all states of mind into one. Happiness, sadness, despair, joy...all become one. No one has the ability to feel anymore, unless that one person is the one that has gained control of everything in the end. This is what some have been hoping to gain in the end. But what about those that have no wish to have the control? They are unaware of what to do, they see everything the way they want to see it.

But, what happens if everything happens in a different way, outside forces altering the direction of everything. This is where the answer becomes skewed beyond comprehension, the answer is not known. It is a subject no angel has explored before, since only one angel can survive in the end. But, not everything is understood about the nature of Kei, the final angel, Tabris, the Evas, or the pilots as of late. Because of all of these factors, the final battle is a hard one to decide on, will Gendo win? Will Seele get their wish? Will the pilots die? Only time will tell.

****************

Misato looks up and sees a shocking sight, "SHINJI?!"

<What, Misato?> asks Shinji.

"But...it can't be..." To Misato's surprise, the last angel looks like a perfect copy of Shinji.

<Misato, what is going on?>

"Shinji, don't you see it?"

"Asuka, are you seeing the angel?"

<Yes...>

"Maya, can you fix the viewer for the Eva?"

"Yes, Major."

After many moments everyone hears two gasps come from the pilots of Eva-01.

<Misato, it's...it's...Shinji...>

"Yes, Rei. I guess the angel is Shinji...or a physical copy of him..."

Misato looks off to the side as a second figure enters the view, "PEN-PEN!"

<Misato?!>

"I see him Shinji. What the hell is going on?"

Before anyone is able to say anything, the second Shinji attacks Eva-01.

"AT'-Field having no affect on this angel!!!" shouts Makoto.

Maya does her best to restore the field that the angel has managed to pass through without success, "Angel's ATF is in sync with Eva-01's AT-Field. I am unable to prevent it from attacking."

"Do something!" yells Makoto.

"Sub-Commander?!" Maya replies.

"Ibuki, have both Eva's retreat so we can go over the limited data we have on this angel!"

****************

After the pilots have left the Eva cage, they are asked to head to Meeting Room 2 for a quick situation update. As they walk down the hallway, they find that the most recent events have given them a sense of dread they never thought they would feel with an angel. Shinji is feeling this dread the most since it is he who the angel looks like.

"Rei, why me? Why does the angel look like me?"

"This is something that I can't answer for you."

"But..."

"Baka, if you have learned anything as of late, then it should be that angels are unfair, they want to win so they will do anything to do that!"

"Asuka, that isn't exactly true in this case."

The three pilots hear Misato's voice behind them and turn to see they have arrived already.

"This angel doesn't want to win, it only exists because we messed up on something."

"What?"

"Asuka, you read the info concerning this angel that I did, this angel is to finish what we, the 18th angel, left unfinished."

"You mean, that thing out there is what we have to attack even though we have no defense?"

"Correct. The briefing concerning you pilots is about to start, please find a place to sit."

They walk into the room and see that Fuyutsuki, Maya, Makoto, and Shigeru have arrived as well and await the start of the meeting. The pilots sit on the side that is empty while Misato finds a spot on the side where the techs currently sit.

"Let us begin this meeting."

The Sub-Commander looks around the table once before continuing.

"As you know, this is the final angel. The angel has been call 'The Angel of Instrumentality' since the purpose of it is to trigger Third Impact. Up until this point we have kept you in the dark about it since the nature of this angel is not fully known."

"Sir, if I may ask, how do you plan on defeating this angel since it has the ability to pass through an AT-Field?"

"Major, that is one thing we will be discussing after we have covered the topic of the pilots. Ayanami, Ikari, and Soryu, given the situation we are under I feel that all your training concerning how the fight will do you no good this time. I am hoping that we can have a plan developed on how to at least prevent the angel from entering NERV for now. But this may require new tactics in combat. I will have Katsuragi and Ibuki work with you on that, but I will tell you now that our chances of defeating an angel that has the ability to pass through an ATF without losing an Eva are not good ones."

"Understood, Sir." reply the pilots.

"Good, in the mean time I want you to get something to eat until you are needed again.

****************

After the pilots have left, the meeting continues between the five remaining personnel in the room.

"What is the status of Unit-01?"

"Sir, Unit-01 suffered slight damage to the armor on the lower portion of the right leg, repairs to it will be done within the hour."

"Understood, Ibuki. Major, what is the status of external sources becoming a problem?"

"I see no threats what-so-ever from external sources, so I am requesting that I be moved off that area and have tactical control again in this situation. That is my job, Sir, what I have been trained for, and this situation still requires one."

"I do not doubt your ability to do your job, Major."

"Then why have me sit at a terminal? Am I somehow a threat to this operation?"

"No, the situation concerning this angel is out of your range..."

"Sir, why don't you just tell me the truth? The Commander thinks I will interfere with his plans for triggering Third Impact!"

"Major..."

"Kozo!! If you were in charge of the lives of everyone below you, what would you do? Would you tell your tactical officer that they can't do their job right even if they have dealt with the same situation before, or would you let them do what they do best?"

Everyone stays quiet for a few moments before Misato continues.

"You know that Gendo Ikari just wants me out of the way. I belong on the high tower to decide what tactics would be best, if you care about what happens you will at least go against his orders."

"Major, stop!"

"No, for once I think it is time for YOU to decide instead of have someone that doesn't care make the choices for you! Or are you apart of his plan involving Kei?"

"Sir, what is Misato getting at?"

"Oh yeah, not everyone here knows yet."

"Major, this will mean being demoted!"

"Who cares, right now our chances of living are zero, either way we all die, why not at least tell them what is really going on?!"

"Misato?.."

"Maya, Commander Ikari got Rei pregnant months ago, just so he could have control of Third Impact. This angel is the one that doesn't want defeated."

"Major, stop. You have said enough."

"Are you going to tell them the truth? They deserve to know why their fate has been decided, I think you owe everyone that."

"Agreed, this has gone on for long enough, but you still work for NERV..."

"Sir, what is your answer to my original question?"

"I would put you in your normal position."

"Then I think before we form a plan, we need to know EVERYTHING."

Fuyutsuki thinks about this for a minute before replying, "Granted, but I don't know that must about it."

"Then, let us hear what you have to say."

"First, the Major is right, Ikari plans for us to lose, be in the end we will not die, we will return to our original states. Kei was created to carry out the job Rei was meant for, but Ikari wasn't sure if she would agree with his plans, so he made a new Rei that was more likely to carry them out. He wants control of Instrumentality, Kei is going to give him that control. The Eva's are going to be disabled in the end so the last angel may enter NERV, the plan was to have the pilots be killed in battle. If there is a way to defeat this angel then it is not known to exist, the nature of it is not known as well."

"So, we have all been aiding in our deaths, even during the attack by the JSSDF..."

"Yes Ibuki, Eva was created to defeat the angels in order to trigger Third Impact."

"Sir, tell them about Second Impact too."

"I was getting to that part, Major. A meteor did not cause Second Impact at all, it happened when we awoke Adam, and before he was able to fully awaken he was shrunk back into an embryo, Lilith was discovered later on. Adam was grafted onto Ikari's hand originally for the purpose of merging with Lilith. Lilith's soul was buried inside of Rei in the beginning, Rei is not aware of it though, but now Ikari has changed the plan. Kei was created the defeat this angel so Ikari can see Yui Ikari again, his wife."

"So, we have been aiding in that plan?"

"Yes."

"What about Seele?"

"Seele is the group that also wanted to trigger Third Impact, but they did it to be released from their punishment of eternal life, they wish to merge humanity so that they may be freed."

"Sir, I hate to interrupt, but we still have a plan to form here, we might as well go out fighting if we are to not exist anymore."

"I agree, but as of now, we can do nothing to alter the end result."

****************

Away from the meeting, Asuka has lead the pilots to the same room she has been using to set up a link for an external source. She sees that the connection has been established and makes a call to the other end.

<Asuka?>

"Stooge, I see up have begun the transfer already."

<Yes, but I can't decode some of the files, they are encoded with a complex set of variables inside of them.>

"Don't worry, I set you a decoder for you. It will be sent soon."

"Kensuke?"

<Shinji? Is that you?>

"Hai..."

"Ahem...I hate to break up your little reunion here but we still have an angel to fight. Kensuke, good luck, I will contact you if I can after the battle."

<Understood.>

Asuka hangs up the phone before Shinji has the chance to object.

"Asuka!"

"Shinji, he is part of my plan, as bad as the situation is..."

"What plan?!"

"To tell everyone about all the stuff NERV has hidden from the public eye. But that is none of your concern, we still have to defeat that thing up on the surface, or at least try."

"Asuka, what do you mean by try?"

"Shinji, your father plans on killing us so that the angel can win against the Evas, Kei is to be used to give him control of Third Impact."

"BASTARD!"

Asuka and Shinji turn in Rei's direction after hearing her outburst.

"Rei?"

"He never did care about me, he used me just so he can have his way, and now is using my daughter to do his bidding!"

"What are you going to do about it? Ikari has total control of the situation, he will kill us no matter what, you are powerless right now to do anything but pilot!"

"Shinji..."

"Rei, I don't know if we can fight him yet..."

"But that is our daughter."

"I know, and he will pay if we live. Right now we still have a job to do."

"Shinji's right, if we all live, then he will pay."

"So what are we to do now?"

"Wait until we are called on, but while we do, I am a bit curious about something. How is it this angel can look like Shinji?"

"Asuka?"

"Think about it, what is this angel, and how did it know how...the quake, you passing out..."

"What are you getting at?"

"You, the last angel chose you!"

Wha?.."

"Rei, remember when Shinji passed out when you both ran?"

"Yes."

"What happened when he hit the ground?"

"A bright light was...the light!"

"So, this thing is based off of him."

"Wait a moment, what are you both talking about!"

"Baka, you have been chosen for something big."

"In what way?"

"The angel looks like you for some reason, right before you passed out you gripped your head in pain, that means it chose you, for some reason it wanted to be you!"

"I don't get it..."

They stop when they hear the intercom come to life.

Asuka looks at the two persons in front of her, "I guess this is it..."

****************

Misato and Maya await the arrival of the pilots in Room 1504, otherwise known as Ritsuko's old office.

"Maya, you are the only one that knows the Eva's computer systems right now that will be in Control, is their anything we should know about before we develop a plan?"

"Not really, all the systems in the Evas are controlled by a pilot interface, but in the event that something goes wrong the controls can be overridden, but once we do that then that system shuts down until the interface is reconnected to it. The exception is the life support systems, they are monitored by the MAGI."

"Do you have any way of handing over the life support systems to the pilot and disabling the MAGI's link?"

"Not really, in the event that the system is cut off everything goes into a default mode that will provide for the pilot's needs until power runs out. It cannot be modified."

"So, if Ikari wants to kill them by using the life support system we can't stop it..."

They look towards the door when they hear it open and see the pilots enter and take a seat across from them.

"Rei, Shinji, Asuka. You all know what the current situation is, so I won't review it. Our problem is we can't prevent this angel from attacking the Evas, and we are limited on equipment available. We have one N2 Mine available to us but don't want to use it unless we are sure it will work."

"Misato..." asks Shinji, "...What about Pen-pen?"

"I am still trying to figure that part out. How it is he got involved in this attack. I think for the moment we are going to see what happens if we attack him, meaning one Eva will be sent to the surface with a pallet rifle and will attack him, if we get a reaction then we can plan out the next step. Unit-02 will remain down here while Unit-01 carries out the current plan. Once the attack ends Unit-01 is to retreat to a safe distance until a new plan can be formed."

****************

After a brief delay, Rei and Shinji head to the Entry Plug and climb in. After they have been secured inside the Eva they are sent to a catapult then rushed up to the surface. Shinji has been given the job of being the Gunner this time.

"Misato, rifle is secured, ready for next set of instructions."

<Shinji, standby for your instructions. Rei, you are going to have to do your best to defend the Eva if Shinji's copy attacks again. If you see that your efforts are failing then pull back and try again until you are ordered to retreat. Shinji, you are to fire three rounds at the target, and monitor a reaction afterwards for both parts of the angel and await further instructions if needed.>

Both pilots nod as they find their targets and approach with caution. When Rei has brought the Eva to a stop Shinji targets Pen-pen, but before he is able to fire his copy attacks the Eva. Rei pulls back and sees the copy back away. After a few moments pass she approaches again and stops the second she sees another attack coming on. Shinji sees it as well and hurries up in targeting again, "Rei, don't move this time!" After everything lines up he fires off three rounds and watches Pen-pen fly backwards into a wall, at the same time the copy halts its attack and falls to the ground in pain.

"Misato, Pen-pen is the way the slow down my copy."

<Understood, hold your position while we collect data on the condition of the angel.>

****************

Misato has taken her position again at the center of the tower.

"Maya, what is the current status of that angel?"

"It has been knocked out, but it appears to be regenerating, it seems to have a link between its two parts similar to the seventh angel's."

"So, we are dealing with something that is the same as the seventh?"

"Not exactly, this one isn't able to join as one body. Also, we were able to attack the smaller part and get a favorable reaction."

"So, we can defeat it by just killing the smaller part?"

"I don't know yet, if this thing is able to upgrade its defense like the third angel then we have a problem. This angel is still not fully understood by us."

"Have Asuka bring Unit-02 up to the surface in case something goes wrong. I want the pilots to be ready for anything."

****************

In the city of Tokyo-2, Kensuke sits at his computer terminal while info continues to stream in from NERV. He has been told by Asuka to send the info to all the media centers of Japan as well as the governments of the world.

"Wow, NERV is full of stuff I never even thought existed..."

As the information continues to stream in he listens to the reports of strange activity occurring in the area of Tokyo-3 from the TV.

<...The Japanese Government is unable to supply any details as to what is going on, all communications with NERV have gone dead as of seven days ago. Planes are unable to get around the thick smoke that has formed in the mountainous area around the city and land vehicles are unable to get by on roads that have fallen inward after a minor earthquake struck the island around the same time the smoke appeared. It is still not known as to what caused the earthquake seven days ago as scientists still go over the data collected from that period. What they do know is that it was an abnormal type that caused buildings to collapse as far as New Kobe. Reports out of the Osaka are saying that 23 deaths along with 39 injuries occurred after a school collapsed during night classes...>

"Odd...I am still able to contact NERV, yet everyone else has lost all contact..."

He stares at the screen for the few moments before he attempts to get a situation report on the MAGI. After finding one he prints it out and reads it off.

[Current status of NERV is Condition Red]

[Angel attack]

[]

[Lockdown is in progress for all exterior entrances and communications lines]

[Eva Units One and Two have been launched]

[Current status of angel is regenerating]

[]

[25% of MAGI systems are currently at 100% operational status]

[20% of MAGI systems are currently at 50% operational status]

[55% of MAGI systems are currently at 0% operational status]

After he finishes reading the report he opens up a message window and types up a message to be sent to all parties listed to be ready to receive the info being downloaded.

[To: Japanese Government and Media Centers]

[From: NERV Operations]

[]

[Unable to contact outside through normal means, situation is Condition Red, angel attacking, unable to send more data, further communications to outside will be sent as needed.]

He clicks on the send button and goes back to the waiting.

****************

Back at NERV, Gendo remains in the basement of NERV in the same room that Kei currently resides in. To his side he watches the data from Control scroll by as he waits for the time to come for the positioning of Kei.

"Yui, the time we have talked about has come, all I must do now is await the arrival of the Lance so I may prepare the component for its purpose. Seele has lost their chance at control of the project, they were ignorant as to what I had planned, but, they will still be freed in the end, it will be enough for them. I have missed you greatly over the years, ever since you were absorbed by Eva I have longed to see your face again."

He pulls out a small controller and enters a few commands that light up the clone tanks in the room.

"Rei, your purpose has ended, these clones, your sisters, are of no use to me anymore, so I shall destroy them."

He enters one keystroke before the text turns red on the screen and the sound of laughing is heard throughout the room.

****************

Rei sits in the Eva where she and Shinji await new orders concerning the angel. She begins to think about her sisters during this time of waiting since she hasn't been able to spend her free time looking at them like she did when she was the Second Rei. After a few moments she senses a slight chill run down her spine before she feels intense pain inside her head as she begins to feel their destruction occur.

"Rei?!"

"NOOOOO!!!!!"

Rei topples forward as she feels their bodies fall apart piece by piece.

"Rei, what is wrong?!"

<Shinji, I am reading activity of some kind concerning Rei's sisters.>

"Asuka, what is going on?"

"Shinji, he destroyed them, the Commander destroyed my sisters!"

"Why?"

"I don't know..." She continues to feel the pain from her sisters as they continue to fall apart. After many moments the pain fades as she manages to block it out from her mind.

<Shinji, what is going on? We are reading fluctuations in Rei's life signs.>

"He killed them..."

<What?>

"My father just killed Rei's sisters and she felt the pain!"

They hear no reply from Misato as the pilots in Unit-01 continue to wait for new orders.

<Rei...I am sorry, sorry for the fact that we can't do anything to stop him from killing others. Gendo Ikari has all this power and he has decided to use all of it for his bidding. This has gone too far yet we can't do anything to stop it...>

"He has made it so I am the last...he never did care!"

"Rei, remember, he will pay."

****************

Back in Tokyo-2, Kensuke continues to wait for the info to finish downloading as he listens to the TV reports just coming in.

<...We have just received info direct from NERV Headquarters in Tokyo-3, they are reporting that an angel is attacking right now. No further info has been sent to us in the past fifteen minutes since receiving this info. We will relay any new developments as we hear them...>

"Well, that should keep the public alert for now until the time comes to transmit the secret info throughout the world. I hope Shinji is doing okay though, he has always hated fighting angels. Asuka seems to have changed a bit as well...I wonder why?.."

****************

Far away from Japan, let alone the world, is an object on the surface of the moon, the very object that is required to start Third Impact. For many months it has been waiting for this time to arrive, the time when it is brought back to earth again. But its use is now unclear, Eva-01 is not its intended use anymore, instead it is to be used to trigger Impact by being used by the final angel to summon Lilith once she has a soul again. But until then, the Lance of Longinus waits on the surface of the Moon, awaiting its call.

****************

Hours after attacking the angel, Rei and Shinji see activity again as Shinji's copy stands up before Pen-pen crawls out of the wall he was thrown into.

<Shinji, be ready to fire again.>

"Hai, Misato."

After he takes aim for Pen-pen again, he fires a round at the penguin and watches it hit a barrier of some kind that deflects the round in another direction.

"Misato, I can't fire upon Pen-pen anymore!"

<Shinji, fire upon your copy this time, then standby.>

He does as instructed and sees the same thing happen. As the copy closes in Rei gets ready to try something new instead as she raises the Eva's leg back, after a few moments she rushes it in the direction of the approaching figure and manages to send the figure flying two kilometers backwards into a wall.

"Misato, it looks like right now we can still attack the angel in hand to hand combat."

<Shinji, Rei was only able to stun it, be ready for incoming!>

The moment Misato utters the warning he sees something strike the Eva's head armor, making a small dent near the eye.

"Misato?"

Suddenly Shinji understands why they are pulling back as he sees a bright glow come from the building where his copy has entered, he watches as the building explodes before Rei rushes the Eva to the catapult.

****************

<Asuka, do your best to stall that angel until Rei and Shinji have cleared the catapult so we can bring you down afterwards.>

'How am I going to stall that?..'

<Asuka?>

"Understood..."

She watches as the now glowing copy of Shinji grows in size until it reaches her Eva's height.

"Umm...any ideas?"

<None, just do your best...>

Asuka stares into the eyes of the copy as it walks closer to her until it stops in front of her. They begin a staring contest as Asuka thinks about what to do until she hears Shinji's voice.

\\'Asuka?..'

"Shinji?"

\\'Yes, it is me, you are to one I truly love...'

<Asuka?>

Before she has a chance to reply, Asuka feels an intense pain in her head similar to the one she felt during the attack by the fifteenth angel, "NOOOOOO, Don't do this to me again!"

<Asuka?!>

"Get out of my mind! Stay away! GO! LEAVE! HELP ME!!!"

****************

Misato listens to Asuka over the intercom as she talks to the angel in front of her.

"Asuka, what the hell is going on?!"

She looks at the large viewer in front of her and watches the Eva begin to spasm.

"Maya, what the hell is happening?!"

"Asuka's brainwaves are off the ch...Asuka is crashing!!"

"Start revival procedures! Shigeru, give me a report on the systems?!"

"Not good! Nerve connections are frozen!"

"Force the connections to close!"

"No good, all transmissions are blocked!"

<Misato!!! Shinji!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!>

"DAMNIT, CUT THE POWER TO THE EVA!"

"No good, signal still blocked!"

"What the hell?! Maya, condition?!"

"She is still conscious, but the Eva is responding to the invasion, Asuka is the Eva!"

"How can that happen?!"

"Her sync rate is off the chart, 500%! That ratio isn't even possible!"

"What about her mind?"

"She has no control, Asuka is losing her sanity right in front of our eyes..."

****************

Inside of the mind belonging to the Second Child, all hell has broken loose. Asuka remembers the last attack on her mind but never felt this helpless then. The angel has managed to use her to control the Eva's functions while at the same time eating away at the one thing she can't do without, her stable mind.

"Why are you doing this?!"

\\"Because, you are a threat to me, and I must destroy that which opposes me. You remember this pain well, the same kind the one you call the fifteenth inflicted upon you."

"GO AWAY!"

\\"NO!"

Asuka falls to the ground as the pain suddenly increases.

\\"You shall be a fine example of how fragile the mind really is."

Instantly, images flash before Asuka's eyes that seem to spell out all she has hidden from others in the past.

PAIN

SUFFERING

ANGER

DENIAL

HATRED

SADNESS

DISPAIR

"NO!! Stop!"

ISOLATION

LONLINESS

WEAKNESS

TEARS

MOTHER

FATHER

DOLL

"NO!"

USELESS

UNLOVED

DEATH

SICKNESS

ABANDONED

FAILURE

DEPRESSION

"Please, stop it!.."

\\"My dear girl, that is only the beginning."

Suddenly, the pain disappears as Asuka notices a change in the environment around her.

<...Five...four...three...two...one...initiating connections to nerve pulses.>

She notices her location is an entry plug, but the view she has is different then normal.

<Rei, beginning first stage.>

'Ritsuko?'

After the first and second stages are completed they move onto the third stage, <Third stage commencing on Eva-00.>

After a few seconds pass, she begins to feel something probe her mind that isn't part of the startup process and quickly discovers what it is as she feels a stabbing pain emitting from the Eva.

'No, stop the test!'

Her cries go unanswered as the screens turn red and her vision blurs, "What the hell?!"

Instantly the screens fail as the connections are lost.

\\"Asuka, now is your time for your destruction,"

"Why?"

\\"Humanity had its chance but waited too long, now I am here to finish what was started. You and the other pilots are in my way, so you must be destroyed."

At the snap of a finger Asuka's pain returns at a few more image flash through her head.

RAPE

MIND

BODY

SOUL

WARP

DEFILE

DESTROY

"Please, stop it!!"

\\"No, my child, I cannot. This is apart of my purpose."

Seconds later, Asuka sees a familiar place, one that had haunted her in the past.

****************

"Maya, report?!"

"Asuka's mind is totally chaotic! Nerve connections A1-A7 are unreadable, A8-A10 are scrambled, she can't handle this..."

"What is it trying to do?"

"I think return her to the coma."

"Shigeru, status of the angel?!"

"I can't get a reliable reading, it has some kind of energy field distorting the scans."

****************

"No, I don't want to see this!"

\\"But it is a part of yourself that you still try to block, so you must confront it."

This is a place Asuka remembers quite well, from when she was selected as an Eva pilot in the beginning.

"But I told Shinji ab..."

\\"Incorrect, Shinji does not know."

They hear the sound of small footsteps in the distance as a small girl rounds the corner in the corridor, "Mama, they chose me to pilot. They chose me! They said not to tell anyone so I will only tell you. Everyone is being nice to me, even though father isn't here. Mama, look at me!"

"No, don't open that door!"

Asuka's warning goes unheeded as the younger Asuka continues running towards the room her mother is in and reaches for the door handle once she reaches it. Asuka tries to grab the young girl but finds it is of no use as her hands go through her. As soon as the young Asuka has pushed the door open, she looks into the room and sees a sight that was burned into her mind at that exact moment. About ten seconds pass by before a nurse passes by and happens to see the sight of Asuka's mother hanging from the ceiling and hurries the young Asuka away.

\\"You almost looked happy there."

"How could you?!"

\\"Because I can. This serves as an example of how flawed humanity is. You cause yourself pain by closing off your own mind. But this is one memory that you will always leave buried, so allow me to give you a different view of this situation."

A moment passes before Asuka preparing to hang herself from the ceiling in her room at Misato's apartment.

\\"You have always wanted to see what it was like for your mother, so now here is your chance."

"No, I don't wa..."

She is cutoff as the item under her feet slips away, allowing the rope to snap her neck a second later as she reaches the end of it.

\\"It is done, Second Child."

****************

"REPORT MAYA?!"

"Asuka's life-signs have ceased! She is dead!!!"

"Shigeru, status of angel?!"

"Angel has not moved."

"Have Unit-01 retrieve Unit-02 immediately!"

"Hai, Major."

****************

A short while later, Eva-02 has been secured inside its cage but Asuka's lifeless body remains trapped inside the entry plug that is refusing to eject. Shinji and Rei were able to defeat the angel for now and have retreated back to NERV for a briefing on the situation concerning it and Asuka. When the two still active pilots have reached the briefing room they quickly sit down as Misato stands up.

"Rei, Shinji, thank you for being prompt. As it stands right now, the Angel has suffered injuries by Unit-01 and is currently regenerating itself on the surface after attacking the Second Child's mind in a way similar to the fifteenth angel. The end result has resulted in Asuka being forced into a coma again inside of Unit-02. Ibuki has reported that she is still alive but has suffered a severe trauma of some kind. This has resulted in us being down one Eva, so it is up to the pilots of Eva-01 at this point. The data concerning the latest attacks gives us a better indication as to what this angel is capable of doing. According to the info this angel is a combination of the first 15 angels we have fought, meaning that it has the ability to destroy NERV if it calls upon those abilities together. We must be careful for if it enters HQ we wont be able to stop it anymore."

Shinji raises his hand moments before Misato calls on him, "Misato, if it has these abilities why doesn't it just come in?"

"I was wondering that too, until I remembered about the Lance Of Longinus, so I did a bit of research into its origins. I discovered that in order for Impact to occur it must be present. The Lance is still out of our reach, but for how long I am not sure."

****************

In the chambers of Seele, the members have finished the first steps of bringing on Third Impact, in the center of the room now sits Keel Lorenzo in place of the first black monolith.

"Brothers, the time has come for the Lance to return to us, may we all enjoy our freedom."

****************

"Misato, what will we do next?"

Shinji stares at the data Misato has brought in while trying to form a plan.

"Shinji, the next step is to figure out how to prevent the angel from entering NERV itself, I doubt we will get another chance to use hand to hand combat like you did again so now all we can do is wait for it to finish regenerating. For now you are free to try and rest someplace quiet until we know more. I will be sure to keep you updated on the situation concerning Asuka."

****************

The pilots have decided to head off in the direction of the temporary lunchroom to get something to eat while they continue to discuss the latest happening.

"Rei, I am worried about Asuka..."

"Why?"

"Well, what if she dies?"

"Then she will have died doing something she enjoyed."

"But, Eva has caused her pain! How can she enjoy that pain?!"

"That is something I cannot tell you. If she lives, you will have to ask her."

****************

On the surface of Tokyo-3, the angel begins to stir as Pen-pen waits off to the side. When Shinji's copy awakens it shrinks back to normal size again and stands up, "What am I to do now?"

"You must choose a new shape in order to gain strength. The Second Child appears to be your best choice right now."

After a few moments, the copy loses its appearance for a few moments before regaining a new one.

"Good, we must wear them down until the lance arrives."

****************

Inside of Eva-02, the Second Child remains in a coma, one that had almost been her end months ago, only this time her chances are slim of surviving.

"I am alone again..."

Inside what is left of her mind, she stares at her own self hanging from the ceiling.

"And, I am faced with my wishes..."

"Do you wish to be free of them?"

She quickly turns around the moment she hears a new voice behind her, "What?"

"I asked, do you wish to be free of them?"

"Who are you?"

"I think you already know. I have been with you every single time you use Eva."

"Mama?"

"Yes, my dear Asuka."

"Mama, why didn't you help me?"

"You still refuse me. I cannot help if I am refused."

"What are you talking about?"

"My dear Asuka, I have helped keep you safe this whole time. Every time you have been in danger, I was there. When you lost your head, I took the blow. I am your mother..."

"My mother died though!"

The figure shakes her head moments before the surroundings change to a familiar scene that Asuka has tried to get away from many times.

="Asuka dear, momma has to go now. Please be a good girl."=

="Yes momma, I will stay right here and watch you."=

="Good, I will be back soon, your father will be here shortly."=

="Papa is coming to watch too?"=

="He wanted to see momma do good today."=

=<Doctor Soryu, we are waiting.>=

="Momma has to go now, be good."=

="I will."=

=(The doctor stands up again and walks out the door leading to the big room with the giant red thing in it.)=

="I will be a good girl."=

=(The young Asuka sees her mother walk up to the round shiny thing and climb in, then sees it close up and fall in to the giant. She can hear stuff being said over the loudspeaker in the room but is unable to understand it. After a few minutes have passed she feels the room vibrate as the test starts up. When the test is about to proceed to the next phase, Asuka hears the door open behind her and turns to see her father enter.)=

="Papa."=

="Hello, Asuka dear."=

=(The girl runs up to hug her father just as the test enters the next phase. Suddenly the girl hears a lot of loud noises coming from the loudspeaker as she is picked up and rushed out of the room by her father.)=

"NO, I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER THIS!"

****************

Shinji waits for Misato to finish going over the data in front of her before she turns and signals for him to follow her into the hallway and to another room nearby. When they have both arrived she inserts a disk into the terminal in the room and turns the screen, "Shinji, this is how the angel currently looks. It has taken on Asuka's form for some reason and now has gained strength, before it was only able to do minor damage to the Evas, but since its strength has increased, we need to figure out a better way to attack it."

"What am I going to do?"

"I want you to draw its attacks in your direction while I have Asuka attack Pen-pen. I am hoping that by removing the smaller part that we will be able to weaken the larger part, do you understand?"

"Yes, but what will Rei do?"

"I have a feeling that since Asuka's mind was attacked by your copy that Rei will be next, so I am hoping that by having her as a dummy in this case will give us the ability to strike hard."

"I get it, Rei will be the decoy, but what happens if she takes control of the Eva due to a mind attack?"

"Maya will be able to sever her ability to control the Eva if that happens."

****************

"Asuka, you must in order to see what happened to me, your mother."

"What are you talking about?"

"Come, my dear child."

Asuka's mother walks out of the room with Asuka in tow, as they walk along that catwalk of the frozen dream her mother continues, "It all started here. This is where I changed in your opinion, during the first test of your Eva. I was the designated pilot for the test."

As they near the red Eva, Asuka begins to question what is happening, "How is it that you were not able to talk to me before?"

"You were not in need of me talking before."

"And how is it I am able to remember this part if I never saw it?"

"It is reflected from my mind."

When they arrive at the Eva, her mother ejects the Entry Plug and opens the hatch. What Asuka sees is LCL pour out of the plug but no body inside.

"Shinji?.."

"Yes, the same thing that happened to Shinji happened to me and his mother."

"Then...you have been here...protecting me this whole time?"

"Yes, and I have kept you alive. When you lost your head, NERV was too late, I took the blow for you. You are still my child, and I am still your mother."

****************

After a quick review of the plan, the Eva is released to the surface where it waits for the signal to begin.

<Unit-01, are you ready for the distraction?>

"Ready."

<Good, then lets see what you can do, fire three rounds at Asuka's copy.>

Shinji raises the rifle and fires a few rounds at the angel, only to see them bounce off before he sees the copy raise its arm and extend a beam of light out from it. Shinji sees this and fires another round at his target, causing it to use the beam of solid light to strike the Eva as the round bounces off again.

<Shinji, you have to do better then that!>

He recovers from the blow and strikes the angel with his fist and watches it fly back a few meters before it retaliates again by striking the Eva harder then before, making a large dent in the chest plates.

"Why can't this angel just have a red core!.."

Shinji prepares for one last blow before the copy of Asuka is able to attack him again. Once the blow hits its target Shinji turns in the opposite direction and hurries away before the solid light can strike again.

****************

Misato watches as Asuka's copy hurries after Shinji in Eva-01.

"Damnit, we need Asuka!"

Maya "Major, update on Asuka's condition."

"Good or bad?"

"Unsure...the computer is reading a second presence in the plug with Asuka, but a faint one..."

"Can we get the entry plug out yet?"

"No, Unit-02 is refusing the command."

****************

After a brief retreat, Shinji and Rei await the next set of instructions. Since Rei is possibly the next target, Shinji checks on her first before looking at the window to control, "Misato, what now?"

<Shinji, I will be sending up a pistol to you, fire at Asuka and see what happens?>

After a few moments, a pistol is sent to the surface throw the only working weapons shaft and Shinji grabs for it.

<Shinji, be ready to fire at the angel, we will monitor the results.>

He waits as the angel's eyes focus on the Eva's eyes until he begins to feel a slight dizziness pass over him, 'What the heck is happening?'

"Shinji?"

"Rei, wha..."

\\'Shinji...'

"Asuka?"

"Shinji, what is going on?"

"Rei, I hear Asuka..."

"NOO!!!!"

But Rei's actions come too late as he slips into darkness.

****************

<NOO!!!!>

"Rei, what is going on?!"

Misato hears Rei's cry over the intercom as Shinji's brainwaves being to fluctuate.

"What?!"

"Major, she is correct, we were wrong about the target."

"Maya, can you disconnect Shinji's interface?!"

"No, the commands are being blocked from the Plug side!"

"Rei, attack now!"

<Hai.>

Misato watches the screen as Rei runs up to Asuka and attempts to drop-kick it but meets a barrier first before she even is able to get within 100 meters.

<Misato, I can't get close enough!>

"Attack Pen-pen if you can!"

Rei turns and attempts to do the same to Pen-pen but finds that it has no effect as she meets a barrier again.

"No! Why is it attacking Shinji's mind instead?!"

Misato turns around and looks at the Sub-Commander.

"You know what is going on!"

"Major, the nature of this angel involves attacking the mind of the person it can effect the most in its present state."

"Meaning?"

"Shinji may have been a better target if the angel has become a copy of Pilot Soryu. They were at one time housemates after all."

"Why didn't I see that as a possibility?"

"Major, your theory was only one of many, but the most likely one if logical reasoning was involved."

"But what about Rei?.."

<Misato, I believe if I am attacked by myself that it would serve to cause more damage in the end then if I were attacked by Asuka's copy.>

"What do you mean?"

"You mean, if you are attacked by you...that it would be a bad thing?"

<Correct.>

"Rei, attack Pen-pen full force this time, reverse your ATF if you have to!"

<Misato?>

"I want to get you out of the Eva as quick as possible..."

Rei nods and does everything she can to attack Pen-pen, after many tries she succeeds and manages to cause both Asuka's copy and the penguin to go flying into the air.

"Rei, retreat to the catapult before the angel recovers!"

****************

"Asuka?"

After the dizziness passes over, Shinji finds himself looking into Asuka's eyes, or so he thinks.

"What do you want?"

"Why didn't you save me?"

"Asuka, I..."

"Why didn't you save me like you wanted to when the fifteenth angel attacked?"

"But..."

"Shinji, you let me be hurt."

"I didn't have a choice!"

"But, you did."

"What?"

"You and Rei could have stopped the angel."

"Asuka, we..."

"I cared for you?"

"Asuka, I care too!"

"Yet, you let me come close to dying."

"I-I guess that is true..."

"So you don't really care!.."

He is taken aback as her tone suddenly changes.

"You didn't really care about me, all you wanted to do was use me BAKA!"

"I DO CARE!!!"

"Then why didn't you stop it?!"

"Because I still had to follow orders, and if I had you would have yelled at me!"

"Because you are a BOY. Boys are wimps."

"AND YOU ARE A SCARED LITTLE GIRL! You never open up to me like you should when you want help, instead you just expect people to help you blindly! I told you that I loved you even..."

"Shi..."

The figure of Asuka suddenly goes flying backwards as an unseen force slams into it.

"Asuka?"

The figure does not reply as it fades away from his sight.

"What is going on?"

****************

After rushing Shinji to the Medical Ward, Misato has joined Rei in the lunchroom while they wait for him to awaken.

"Rei, I am sure he will be fine, I checked with Maya on his condition before I left and she said that Shinji is just sleeping right now. It doesn't look like the angel was able to do any damage to his mind, but since we do not know what was going on in his head, we can't be sure..."

"What about Asuka?"

"The Eva still refuses to release her. You are our only Pilot right now, and at the same time you are next for the mind attack. This situation is looking grim..."

****************

"Hello?"

Shinji continues to search for anyone that may still be present as he walks around.

"Hello, is anyone still here?"

//"Father, you are stuck in this place at the moment with no one present, you must release yourself by admitting how you feel about Auntie Asuka, your true feelingse."

"What do you mean?"

He turns around to see if Kei is behind him, but sees nothing there.

"How am I to admit how I feel?"

No replies come from the silence.

"I...I don't understand any of this!.."

Silence.

"I...I like Asuka...she is the kind of person that has problems like me. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY!!!"

Silence.

"She...she is a nice person deep down...one that I my have loved at times...but I have told her that I love her as a sister..."

"Is it true?"

He turns around again and sees a younger version of himself.

****************

<Major, what is the status of the Third Child?>

Misato is currently on the phone talking to Fuyutsuki.

"Sir, I still have not received any word of a change from Ibuki."

"But we have no backup in case she IS next."

"Understood."

****************

"Is it true?"

"Yes, it's true."

"Are you sure?"

"YES!!"

"Are you sure?"

"No..."

"How do you feel about Asuka?"

"I love her, as I said, but as a sister."

"How do you feel?"

"Asuka makes herself look like she doesn't need anyone else...but I know that is just a mask..."

"How do you feel?"

"I feel like she is in need of someone to love her back...She tries to hide her true self, or used to."

"How do you feel?"

"I...I love her as more then a sister, but I have Rei as well, I can't let them both be hurt by me because I didn't choose one!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I love them both the same way, they are nice people that are in need of someone...someone they can trust and love..."

"Do you love her?"

"Yes, I love Asuka, but I love Rei as well...they both are people I care for deeply and would die for if needed."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes...this is how I feel, I do love Asuka."

After a brief wave of dizziness, Shinji finds himself in a hospital bed.

****************

On the surface of the moon, a large object has begun to vibrate slightly. The Lance has been summoned finally and all that remains is for it to come loose. The moment it enters the atmosphere it begins the final steps to the end, steps that are part of its true purpose. Its reason for being in this location is to destroy an angel that was a threat. But now, Seele has called for it, and that call is about to be answered. Moments later the Lance frees itself from the Moon and begins the high-speed journey to its home, the Earth.

****************

<...An object has been sighted in the sky over the U.S. as of a few minutes ago, military personnel are unable to determine what it is but are advising the U.N. that it does not pose a threat as of yet...>

Kensuke has finished up the download and has now started the process of decoding the encrypted files.

"Wow, that is a lot of info. Why hide all of this from the public?"

****************

Misato has received a call from the Medical Ward alerting her to Shinji's awakening. After hanging up she leads the other pilot there so they may visit him until the time comes to pilot Eva again.

"Rei, his condition is normal again, but now that he has been attacked we are going to have to put you down here until you have been cleared of all risks of the attack on your mind."

"Misato, I will be fine, It will be the same as when the 16th angel attacked my Eva."

"Rei, maybe you forgot that you blew up your Eva in order to destroy the angel."

"But I will not have that problem this time, Shinji will be present."

"Rei, the risk is too great!"

"And what if I attack NERV from the inside?"

"What do you mean?"

"If I am overtaken, then the angel may be able to get inside and attack...Misato, it is happening now."

****************

On the surface, the angel has managed to transform again. Rei's image is the current one it holds.

"Your final target must be that person who you have taken on."

"I am ready for her."

****************

After a brief nap, Rei has awoken in a bed.

"Why am I here?"

"Easy, it was on the way, and the floor is hard."

Rei turns her head and sees Misato sitting nearby.

"How are you feeling?"

"Still a bit dizzy, but better."

"Well, you will be fine."

"Has the angel changed?"

"Yes, I will be sending you up at the Sub-Commander's request."

"I see..."

"Well, if you are feeling better, you still have a job to do."

****************

Ten minutes later, the Eva has ended up back on the surface again to face the foe.

"Rei, are you ready for this?"

"Yes, I will cope with the images."

<Shinji, you will need to attack, I want this...>

Before Misato has a chance to finish, an object slams into the ground at the edge of the city.

Indeed, the Lance has arrived finally to the location it is required in, causing the ground to shake violently for many moments as the shock waves begin to travel across the land.

<Report!>

"Eva-01 is still functioning, pilot one is fine..." Shinji looks at Rei, "Pilot two is unconscious!"

"Hai."

****************

In Tokyo-2, the shock wave has arrived and begun to bring chaos to the streets as buildings collapse.

"What was that?!"

Kensuke picks himself up off the floor and rights his laptop again. The screen has started to display new information from the connection that he still has to the MAGI systems.

"Wow, this is totally beyond my skill level..."

As soon as the info finishes downloading he prepares to send the data but finds that he is unable to do so yet with the NERV connection.

"Oh crap, they found me!"

****************

Down in the bowels of NERV, Gendo has felt the shock as well from the surface.

"Now is the time for you to be released."

He drains the tube of LCL and opens it up so he can carry the child inside to the correct location down the hall.

"Lilith will soon gain her soul back, all that remains is for the Eva's to be taken care of first."

****************

Deep inside of Rei's mind, she feels the Lance's presence again close by, but has managed to block it out for now while she faces her copy.

"Who are you?"

"I am you."

"I am me."

"But I can be you as well."

"I don't understand?"

"You are a clone, a copy of another, so you can exist as a multiple object."

"But my soul is one."

"Your soul is more."

"What do you mean?"

"You hold the souls of two others."

"I do not understand?.."

"You hold a soul belonging to an angel, and one belonging to the thing that you were created from."

"I am my own self."

"Tabris, he saved you by joining with you in the end."

"He did it to give us a second chance."

"But what of Lilith? You were given her soul when you were created."

"What do you mean?"

"The one you know as Gendo Ikari had given you angelic qualities when he gave you a hidden soul for when the time came to rejoin with Lilith's body."

"But, he tried to kill me."

"Only because you were of no use to him anymore."

"But, if I hold Lilith's soul, then I would still be needed."

"No, when you die and are not replaced her soul returns to her again, your soul becomes nothing but a lost item in a void. The same way your other selves have now become when Ikari killed them."

Rei's vision blurs for a few moments before she senses the feeling of fluid around her, it isn't long before she figures out where she is.

"This is what your other selves felt after being destroyed by him."

Rei sees Gendo through the glass and the keypad he is holding.

Gendo "Rei, your purpose has ended, these clones, your sisters, are of no use to me anymore, so I shall destroy them."

She watches as he does something with the keypad before feeling intense pain as her body begins to fall apart.

****************

Misato watches the current situation unfold as the angel attacks Rei's mind.

"Maya, what is Rei's current situation?!"

"Her heart rate is sta...wait, she is crashing!"

"WHAT?!"

"The Lance seems to be amplifying the effects! Wait, receiving data from Eva-02, the plug has released!"

"Asuka's condition?"

"Stable. The presence in Unit-02 is gone as well..."

Maya, have a medical team do a quick check on Asuka then send her to the surface!"

"Major, are you sure?"

"Maya, Shinji can't help Rei and fight at the same time, do it!"

****************

<Shinji, standby for further information.>

He nods and fires a few rounds at Rei's copy and find that it was a mistake as a bright light from the angel is shot back at him, causing him to go flying.

"What the hell was that?!"

<Shinji, this thing is able to burn through your armor with that beam.>

"What is it?"

"Damn, it packs one hell of a punch..."

"How can I defeat this angel then, I can't even attack!"

"What happened to it?"

****************

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"This is who you are, a person that isn't cared for by him, just an object meant to be used and thrown away."

"But...what about Shinji, he is not like his father."

"Like father, like son. In the end he will just toss you away."

"No, I do not believe that is true."

"He loves another as well, when he tires of you he will go to that person."

"You can't be me, I know that he loves me."

"In the end you will just end up the same way you were before. Unloved, unwanted, unneeded."

"NOOOO!"

"Yes, you have no true purpose in life anymore, your creator has abandoned you for another object in the end. Join with me and have a new purpose."

"That will bring destruction to humanity."

"Humanity is flawed, its only true end is through destruction."

"They have proven themselves to be worthy of living."

"Yet they destroy each other."

"It is who they are. They deserve to live, Tabris even saw that."

"He was flawed as well."

****************

Asuka has just exited the entry plug and has just been informed of the current situation.

"Misato, what do you want me to do?"

<Asuka, we have no choice but to send you back up. That is an order.>

"Understood, but what can I do that would be successful?"

****************

Gendo has finally arrived in Control after making sure Kei is in place for the arrival of Angel 17-2.

"Status report on the Eva's."

"Sir, Eva-01 has suffered major damage to the head and chest armor, Eva-02 is being prepared for launch."

"Ibuki, you are to prepare the activation of the self destruct system and be ready to trigger it on my commands."

"Sir?"

"That is an order, lieutenant!"

"Yes, sir."

"Fuyutsuki, everything is in place."

"I presume you plan on waiting until Rei has recovered before you plan on blowing the Entry Plugs?"

"Correct, I want her to be aware of what is going on when she dies."

****************

"You have no use as an individual anymore, free yourself from pain by joining with me."

"No, I must not."

"But, you will die if you don't."

"If I join with you I have no individuality anymore."

"We all lose something by gaining something else."

"Then, I do not wish to lose what I gained on my own."

"But, you did not gain it on your own, you were led in the right directions every time."

"Untrue, I gained it by learning from others."

"You are flawed as well then, you speak of perfection when you have failed to reach it."

"It is only through gaining others experiences that we have the ability to perfect ourselves."

"Then, you have not learned from your experiences, only absorbed others."

"To gain perfection, you need to know how to reach it first."

"Then, you will always be flawed, just like me."

****************

Shinji continues to pound on the angel with no success so far. The Eva's fist armor has begun to fall apart from the pounding.

"Misato, I can't keep this up much longer, Rei will die unless we do something fast!"

<Shinji, I am aware of that! Asuka is on her way right now!>

"Asuka is?"

<Misato, I might be able to do something, but I am not sure if it will work...>

<Asuka, right now I am up for anything.>

"Asuka, hurry!"

****************

"Pain is all you really know."

"But pain is part of life."

"I can release you from that pain."

"I can live with the pain."

"Why do you choose pain?"

"Pain is apart of life."

"Pain also brings sadness, does it not?"

"Without pain, we have no life."

****************

Asuka prepares to attempt to break the hold Rei's copy has on Rei.

'Okay, what would be the best way to do this?..'

<Asuka, if you have a plan now is the time to do it.>

"Hold on, I need to fig..."

Asuka doesn't get the chance to attack as the angel blasts her with a bright light.

"NOOOO!!!!!! NOT AGAIN!.."

<Asuka!!>

Asuka lets go of the handles and grips her head in pain.

"NO, GET OUT, I DON'T WANT TO BE RAPED AGAIN!"

\\"You have little choice on the matter."

"Go away!"

\\"You are not in a healthy state of mind, you still hide stuff from others."

The world around Asuka fades away as the light continues to invade her mind.

="GO AWAY!"=

="No, you must relive your pain in order to become a better person."=

="Why are you doing this to me, I told them what they needed to know."=

="As long as you hide the truth, you are hurting yourself."=

="The truth is what I make of it!"=

="Incorrect."=

=(Asuka looks up from where she is and sees her father in front of her.)=

="YOU!!"=

="I am not really your father, but it is he who is able to bring you the most pain right now."=

="You are no better then my father!"=

="Are you sure?"=

="A father doesn't just run off and find someone new to be with when they have a child to take care of!"=

="But, could there be something else?=

="It doesn't matter, you are feeding off MY memories, MY past!! I hate my father for what he did to my mother!"=

="Did you ever think that he may have had a reason?"=

="What kind of a reason does a person need to abandon a person in a hospital bed?!"=

="But..."=

="My father might as well have killed her with his own hands..."=

=(Instead of hearing a reply come from the figure in front of her, Asuka is plunged into darkness again.)=

****************

"Asuka!"

Misato watches Asuka's brainwaves as they jump around on the monitor in front of her.

"MAYA, what is happening?!"

"Major, her mind is being attacked again, but this time it...it is...different?.."

"What?"

"Well, the last time her mind was attacked, Asuka's readings were all off the charts, but this time her A-7 connection is stable..."

"Meaning what?!"

"She has built up a defense against the angel! As long as she still has the stable connection she can fight!"

"Maya, do everything you can to keep it that way."

Misato looks back at the screen where Asuka's image now displays a lifeless body in the Eva, to the left is Eva-01's image that continues to display Rei unconscious and Shinji trying to hurt the angel.

"Major, I am reading an energy buildup inside of Unit-02."

She walks over to where Shigeru is manning his post and reads off the data at his terminal.

"I can't determine what it is, but it is coming from inside the Eva itself."

"Cut power to the Eva and see if it continues to operate with battery power or not."

He does as told and goes over the results, "The batteries have kicked in, but the reading has not disappeared."

"Reactivate main power and keep me updated."

"Yes, Major."

****************

"Why do you accept pain?"

"It is what I know."

"Why do you thrive on pain?"

"Pain is the one thing that keeps me aware of my life."

"So, you must be in pain to live?"

"Incorrect, I use my pain as a means of staying alive, it is not required for me to live."

"But if we are joined, then you will feel no pain. Why do you refuse this?"

"I do not wish to end Life yet, I still have the ability to learn."

****************

"Major, I am detecting the same reading coming from Unit-01?.."

"What?"

"The MAGI have determined both to be a new type of AT-Field."

"But how can that be?"

"I am reading a third reading from INSIDE OF NERV!"

"Where?!"

"The lowest level!"

"WHAT?!"

"The readings are showing the third field to be weaker but still present."

"In what area?"

"LCL Production Plant 1."

"Lilith!.."

"The first two fields are still growing! Another one has formed for Eva-01!!"

"But...KOWARU!"

****************

="You are destroying yourself by hiding stuff from others."=

="I hide what I don't want or NEED others to know!"=

="But, it is the thing that has lead to your current state of mind."=

="NO, YOU ARE THE ONE CREATING MY CURRENT STATE OF MIND!!!"=

****************

"DAMNIT, leave Rei alone!!"

Shinji continues to fight with the controls while Rei remains unconscious.

"DIE!!!"

What happens next is something he is totally unprepared for, Rei's copy in front of the Eva produces a beam of light similar to the 16th angel's body right before he feels it slam into the Eva itself. As the angel invades the Eva, Shinji feels it trying to invade his body at the same time.

"AAAAh!!! WHAT...ARE...YOU!.."

<Shinji?>

"Misato...HELP!.."

Suddenly, he feels a new presence inside his mind, one not unlike what he felt during what he thought were his final moments when inside the 12th angel. But the presence feels different...as if this person has been trying to reach out to him for a long time. An instant later he realizes what the presence is, or whose.

"Rei!.."

****************

Rei has felt the connection as well, as the angel reaches out with an arm and touches her body.

"Do you not wish for freedom from pain?"

"I wish only to live as needed."

"But if you become one with me, you may take him as well."

"I...would enjoy a life without pain."

"Then, become one with me."

Rei starts to slip away from a stable state of mind as the angel digs deeper into her mind and frees her from pain. She welcomes the ability to let go of all her pain as Shinji's mind starts to join with hers. The angel continues to burrow deeper as Rei drifts towards Shinji's presence, but the moment she makes contact she feels the pain he is feeling on the outside, the intense burning feeling as the angel works its way into the Eva. She remembers this pain from the first time she was attacked in this manner, she recalls how the angel probed her mind to search for her one desire. She moves away from his mind and virtually stops in her spot as she continues to merge with her copy. It only takes a few second for her to see that this isn't the way things should end for her, for Shinji, for Asuka, or for everyone else.

"NO!"

It is this one, single word that stops everything in its tracks, a word that carries a lot of power coming from this one Blue Haired Girl.

"I do not wish to merge with you."

The angel tries to pull back but finds it has become stuck to Rei.

"You only wish to defeat a foe by absorbing them so you can feed off their pain. I do not wish for this to happen, so I will destroy you!"

It is with these words that the angel's arm shatters into many pieces.

****************

"Major, energy buildup in Eva-01!"

"What is going on?!"

"I am unsure, but the energy has become focused..."

Before Shigeru has the ability to finish everyone hears a high pitched scream as the angels glowing part tries to pull away while becoming distorted in shape before shattering into many pieces, causing the blood inside of it to splatter in all directions.

"Major, I am reading another buildup in Eva-02!"

****************

="What is it that you wish for the most?"=

="I wish that you would disappear!!!!"=

Not even moments after saying that, Asuka reawakens inside the plug and see the white light fade out as a white snake like thing shatters into many pieces.

"So, Shinji found a way to defeat you. Time for me to make sure you can't bother me again!"

Asuka concentrates her attack move carefully as she raises her weapon and aims at the angel.

"This will hurt you a lot more then me..."

She fires one round off but sees in reflect off the angel and slam into her Eva instead.

"SHIEST! THAT REALLY HURT!"

The crackle of a new field can be seen as the Eva's eyes begin to glow burning white.

"You have attacked my fellow pilots and me, yet you act as if it doesn't even affect you, so I believe now is the perfect time to show you what my Eva can do!"

She charges at Rei's copy as the second field begins to become more visible to anyone watching her. She slams a fist into the head of her opponent and sees a large dent form before she pins it to the ground.

"You don't look tough anymore!"

She starts pounding on the angel some more as it manages to free an arm from under the Eva's leg, then manages to free the other arm before grabbing onto Unit-02's neck.

<Asuka!>

<Shinji, don't...>

Her cry comes too late at Unit-01 is thrown backwards several kilometers.

"So, it is just you and I now, hey Asuka?"

"What, you can speak?"

"Yes, but you are the only one that can understand me right now."

"Shut up and kill me!"

"Well, I feel that you deserve to suffer first, and after you are dead I will go after that bitch and destroy her mind while the other one watches up close!"

"YOU...JERK!"

"Aww, run out of words to say?"

"You...ASS-HOLE!.."

Asuka begins to feel waves of dizziness pass over her as the angel squeezes harder.

"You Lilim were always the weaker angels. I still can't figure out how it is you survived this whole time."

"We...have...a will...to...LIVE..."

"Well, your wills are weak, especially yours. You think you are a great PILOT, yet it is you that is dying by my hands!"

"We...will...win..."

"I don't think so, but hey, it's fun hearing you hope so."

The angel squeezes harder and Asuka closes her eyes as she waits for the pain to end.

"A positive from this is you get to join your screwed up mother, I don't think it was Eva that made her that way either, but you and your weak attitude, you never really did try to love her after she changed, did you? You are a horrible person Asuka Langley Soryu."

That last comment is enough to piss off Asuka just enough for her to raise an arm up in the air and ball the hand into a fist.

"What, you think you can defeat me still?"

She doesn't answer as the fist begins to spark with energy as she rears it back.

"Why not?"

She rapidly brings the now glowing fist forward and slams it into the angel's chest at lightning speed just as the field around it reaches full strength. The end result ends up knocking her unconscious.

****************

Misato watches as the fist slams into the angel.

"Major, the new field has reached a power level that is unreadable!"

As soon as the angel reacts to the hit, its whole backside explodes in blood as what appears to be the red core detaches from the body in pieces before landing on the ground. The angel suddenly goes limp after releasing its hold on the Eva's neck then falls to the ground itself right before the Eva does.

"Asuka?"

But no reply is heard over the intercom as the Eva lies motionless.

****************

Kensuke has managed to hack into the Eva life support monitors and sees Asuka's readings go flat. This in turn makes him shed a tear as he realizes that she may have just died trying to save everyone else.

"That just isn't fair...she died just to save the rest of the world. She...she deserved a better death...even if she was a bitch at times..."

He wipes his eye as he looks at the other two life-signs above and below hers.

"Shinji and Rei were very lucky to have her as a friend..."

****************

"Major Katsuragi, please arm the self destruct system for the Eva's."

"Why?"

Gendo has been watching the whole battle play out before deciding the time is right for the pilot's to be terminated.

"Arm the self-destruct for the Entry Plugs and standby for my command to blow them."

"No Sir!"

"Major, that is an order!"

"Your orders mean nothing to me! You are trying to kill your own son, the mother of his child, and a friend of his, all so you can have your way!"

"Major, this..."

"Gendo Ikari, I am taking control of this situation as of now, you have destroyed our lives for too long! Who is with me?!"

They hear the sound of cheering from below as the techs support Misato's stand.

"I had anticipated this, so I have already armed the self-destruct systems."

"What?"

"I will blow the plugs myself from here."

To show that he is about to do it, Gendo digs out a controller and prepares to enter the final keystroke.

"Sorry, Yui..."

He pushes the keypad and awaits the snowy images.

****************

Asuka still remains unconscious until a slight spark appears between her neural interface bands, in turn causing her to spasm for a moment before opening her eyes to the view of her staring at the sky.

'I...did it...'

She rights herself in the cockpit and does her best to stand up again.

<Asuka! Respond!>

"Misato?"

<Asuka, you lived, the plug didn't blow?..>

"I guess the self destruct system was properly reprogrammed, though, I may have done it wrong..."

She raises her hand to her head and looks at the interface bands after removing them from her hair.

"That stung..."

"Misato, did I kill both parts?"

"What?"

"Remember, angel was in two pieces, I killed one of them..."

<Asuka!>

"I know, Pen-pen is gone."

****************

Located somewhere in the ventilation systems of NERV, a lone figure wanders to the next destination to carry out its role. The figure has slipped away during the final blow to its counterpart. The wrong side has won the battle it fought, but this part knows that it can still win the war with the Lance.

****************

"Commander, it looks like you have not succeeded in your plans, now is the best time to step down!"

"I refuse, you may have won this phase, but Eva isn't safe yet as long as the Lance is present."

"You know that Asuka will find the angel before it reaches Terminal Dogma!"

"But she is running on battery power only, so she will not succeed in stopping the events."

Misato double checks the power readings and finds that the power for the Eva's has been taken off-line, "What did you do?!"

"I made sure I had a backup plan."

Misato tries to re-enable the power systems but finds the system has been destroyed.

"Asuka, go..."

<Misato, I heard everything, give me a moment.>

"What are you doing?"

<Easy, repairing the displayed damage to my power supply by rerouting the connection to the third system.>

"Huh?"

Moments later, Misato watches a few lines form on the display from the remaining power supply to the current cable Asuka is using.

"What about Eva-01?"

<Can't have both on the same line.>

****************

After finding a good place to dig, Asuka begins to make her way down to Terminal Dogma. She knows Pen-pen has a good head start but she is counting on the fact that the armor plating has been cracked enough that she will be able to dig through it. She decided that since Gendo can still control the lifts that she would not risk it. But her plans fall short the moment the cable reaches the end that is attached to her back.

'DAMNIT!'

She detaches the cable and speeds up her digging so she can reach the cage and reconnect. She stops for a moment to activate the cable reel so that her connection will be ready by the time she reaches it. After making sure it does not get hung up she goes back to digging and finds that she has reached the Geofront ceiling.

"Misato, I have managed to reach the Geofront, but I dug in the wrong spot, I have stopped at the ceiling..."

<Asuka, about how much power do you still have?>

"3 minutes about."

****************

Misato turns to the image of Eva-01 and sees the pilots still have not recovered from the last attack to the Eva.

"Makoto, see if you can revive Shinji or Rei, Asuka may need help."

He does as he is told and sees the bodies jerk on the screen, but gets no response from the pilots, "It's no use, they are still alive but unable to respond."

"Put the Eva on standby power then, see if you can save the battery."

"Hai."

The image for the Eva goes blank as low power mode is activated.

"Shinji, Rei, you are on your own now..."

<Misato, I have reached the floor, proceeding down through access point 2.>

"Good luck."

****************

Asuka continues the decent until she reaches the cage and finds that the cable is stuck somewhere. She walks up to the shaft her line is going up and finds that she forgot about the catapult problem. She picks up the controller she installed days ago and begins searching for a way to reconnect to the power system. She finds none but does see the connector of Unit-00 is still present, she picks it up and tries to connect it to her back and finds that it fits properly, next she reconnects the power to it.

"Misato, I have reattached to the power system."

<Good, begin the decent to Terminal Dogma, get Kei out before the angel arrives, and do your best.>

"You know me, always doing my best."

She looks for a good spot to begin doing damage to the floor since she is not willing to get stuck in a shaft.

****************

"Major, I am still reading an energy buildup in Eva-01. But power is still on standby."

"Shigeru, what is going on here?"

"I just don't know, but the frequency seems to be about the same as the previous two..."

"When did the other two go away?"

"Before the angel got attacked the last two times by Eva-01 and Eva-02."

"You mean, that energy could be the second ATF?"

"Yes, I believe that one more field is present."

"Shinji and Rei must have had the field as well..."

"What?"

"Nothing. Asuka, how far down are you?"

"Asuka, do not enter Level 3. That level holds the deceased at is currently being maintained at a cryogenic temp."

"Maya, I want you to try and find out where the angel is right now and report it to Asuka."

"Right."

Maya keys in several commands and watches the MAGI search out for anything out of the ordinary. It is a few minutes before the first of the data comes in indicating breeches in the ventilation system for several levels near the surface, "Major, the MAGI has discovered damage in the ventilation systems for many levels, the first breech was on the surface."

"So, it is avoiding as many sensors as it can. Do we have any way of finding it by closing of the vents?"

"No, most of the controls have been cut off by the JSSDF attack."

"What is the last breech on?"

"Level 34, but that was ten minutes ago."

"See if you can trace the path taken with the old maps, an if you see a likely decent route tell me right away."

"Major, your efforts are futile."

"Ikari, if you don't SHUT UP I swear I will shoot you right now!"

****************

Kensuke has now managed to decode everything and now prepares the files for the press along with a few comments of his own.

[...NERV has been hiding all of this from you because their Commander wishes to end life for every living thing. They were responsible for Second Impact, and it is they that have been trying to start Third Impact. Gendo Ikari is at fault for all that has happened to NERV. The others were lied to as well. Someone on the inside passed this info onto a trusted person as they battle with a final angel. The brave pilots have been forced into this line of work, they have never even been paid for it. Please, take into account when this is broadcast that all the people at NERV have also saved us all, they are still heroes that have seen hell many times, many have died even just to protect humanity. I think those persons themselves deserve a special mentioning after all is said and done.]

"Now, all I need to do is wait for the signal..."

****************

Asuka has reached the bottom level now and awaits further orders from Misato.

"Misato, I don't have any sensors for down here, I need to know where to go next."

<Asuka, Kei is located several meters ahead of you, you will need to go to the production plant that has the large doors and await the release of the locks.>

"What about the angel?"

Asuka nods to Misato and starts walking in the direction of Lilith and Kei.

'So why is it that Kei was just left out? Seems kinda dumb to do that.'

As she reaches the doors she sees that the locks are still engaged.

"Misato I am at the doors, but they are locked."

After a brief delay, the card reader turns green and the doors begin to open. Since Asuka really hasn't been in this room yet, she is unprepared for the giant white object on the cross.

"Misato, what the hell is that?!"

"What?!"

"You and I need to have a long talk about this later!"

Asuka walks into the room and sees Kei near the pool of blood.

"Kei, can you hear me?"

//"Asuka, I am glad you are still alive, I was beginning to worry."

"Kei, your father and mother are on the surface still, I don't think they will get here in time."

//"It will not matter, Father is the last key to what needs to happen, I am sure he will make it."

"I need to get you out of here before Pen-pen gets here."

//"No, I will need to stay here, otherwise everyone will parish when the angel makes contact with Lilith."

"But..."

//"It is okay, this is the way things are going to happen."

****************

"Major, I found a possible route!"

"Let's see it Maya."

Maya redirects the info to the main screen where two maps now are displayed.

"If the angel passes through Section E-455, it will proceed down Shaft 2, otherwise if it passes by D-021 then it will go into Evac. Elevator Shaft 13."

"Maya, how soon will we know?"

She doesn't get to answer as a new error is displayed.

"MAGI has detected a breech in Section E-455!"

"How soon till it gets to Asuka?"

"Six minutes at the least."

"Asuka you are being shut in now, the angel will be coming soon!"

****************

Rei has just awoken Shinji in the Entry plug.

"Shinji..."

"Rei, where are we?.."

"The Eva, power is in standby mode."

"So we lived..."

"Yes, but I am unable to restore power."

Shinji reaches for his butterfly handles and pulls, but gets no reply.

"Rei try yours at the same time."

As soon as Rei is ready they both pull on the handles and watch the systems come online for the Eva.

"Misato, this is Shinji, can you hear me?"

<Shi)%j5, are you $&*_#)) ok#y?>

"Misato you're breaking up too much."

Moments later, the static disappears from the image and Misato tries again.

"Yes, but I am not sure the Eva is able to move. I am detecting damage in the interface systems..."

"What about the Commander?"

****************

<Hai.>

"Major, the energy reading inside of Eva-01 has increased slightly."

"Shigeru, alert me if it poses a problem."

"Understood."

"What is the situation with Eva-01's systems?"

Makoto changes the main viewer to the Eva's interface and neural systems.

"The last blow to the Eva did some damage to the nerve tissue along the back. By the looks of it, the Eva has a broken back."

"So, it will be useless..."

"I am afraid so..."

"Asuka, you are on your own, Eva-01 is unable to move."

"By the looks of it, the Eva has a broken back."

<So, it can't...>

"No, but the pilots are fine."

"Major, the angel has reached Heaven's Door!"

"Makoto, do what you can to stall it. Asuka, be ready!"

<Misato, have Maya enter in command 1001.>

"What is that?"

"Maya, you heard her..."

Maya nods and enters the command.

****************

Kensuke hears a beep from his computer and sees the signal he was waiting for.

[Kensuke, send the stuff!]

"Asuka, I hope this is the right thing to do..."

He enters the send command and watches as the computer sends out 100 different messages to the listed recipients.

"This is it.."

After a slight delay, he hears the announcement come from the TV.

"It has begun."

****************

Asuka watches as the door for the room explodes.

"Misato, it's here!"

She nods as she charges at the angel full speed.

"I won't let you destroy us!"

\\"Stop."

The Eva suddenly halts as the angel puts raises an AT-Field.

\\"You Lilim are no match for me, Adam is no match for me either."

Asuka doesn't give up as she starts to pound on the ATF.

"I won't let you win!"

\\"I thought you had learned of our power...but I guess you need to be refreshed..."

The angel wastes no time in using the AT-Field to push Asuka into the LCL pool.

\\"If you wish you be alive for the end, I suggest you stay down!"

"I am the Second Child, I don't give up that easily!"

She rushes at the angel again and manages to kick it back a several meters into the wall. This in turn makes the matter worse as it begins to form razor sharp blades out of its fins.

\\"Big mistake!"

The next thing Asuka feels is something enter into her left arm before it is cut off.

"You ASS-HOLE!!"

****************

Misato hears Asuka's cries over the intercom as she attacks the angel.

"Asuka, remember what happened the time you fought the 14th angel, we won't be able to save you this time!"

<Misato, I have to sto...AAAAAAAAH, you little bitch! You cut off my whole arm!!!!>

"Asuka!"

<Misato, I have no fucking weapons!>

"Then, just be careful..."

"Major, the energy buildup is increasing now!"

"Shinji, what is going on?"

"Shigeru, keep watching it."

<AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!>

"Unit-02's right arm and leg are gone!"

"Asuka, stop!"

<Misato, I ca...>

"Unit-02's neck has been sliced open!"

"ASUKA!!!!"

****************

<ASUKA!!!!>

Shinji listens to Misato's scream over the intercom.

"Misato, what is wrong?"

It is several moments before he gets a reply.

<Shinji...Asuka is...gone...>

"But..."

Dread fills Shinji's face as the fact that Asuka may have just been killed hits him.

"Asuka..."

"Shinji?.."

"Asuka..."

"Shinji what is going on?"

"Asuka!.."

<Shinji, what are you doing?>

"Asuka!.."

"Shinji?"

<Rei, what is happening?>

"ASUKA, NOOOO!!!!!!!!"

Instantly, the Plug begins to display several errors and the energy buildup starts to reach a dangerous level.

****************

"Major, readings are off the scale!"

Before Misato has a chance to reply the whole complex is shaken by an unseen force.

"What the hell was that?!"

"Breeches on all levels! Eva-01 is the origin!"

"What?!"

"Maya, bring up the current map!"

Maya hurries in entering the commands and stares at the line that indicates a path from the surface to Terminal Dogma.

"A hole no larger then an Entry Plug has been made in every floor!"

"Shi..."

Misato falls to the floor before she is even able to finish.

"MAJOR!"

****************

Asuka sits very still in the plug as she bleeds from her neck where the blade had entered the Eva's neck.

"So, this is how it will end for me..."

//"Asuka, you still have a chance to live, but it is now up to Mother and Father to decide what happens."

Asuka sees a bright light in front of her right before she begins to drift off to unconsciousness.

//"Come, Auntie Asuka, for you will not die yet, I will not allow it."

****************

Outside of the Eva, Kei stands up as the angel walks closer to her.

"Kei Ikari, so, you are my final victim?"

"No, I am the one that will be the deciding force, allow us to join for the final step. I have the connection to the person that I will give control to."

"Then, I see no reason to delay this anymore."

It is with a few steps that Pen-pen reaches out to Kei and allows his fin to slide into Kei's chest.

****************

"Asuka..."

Shinji is now crying in the plug as he realizes that they may have lost, until he feels something latch onto him, something very familiar.

"Mother?"

"Yes, Shinji. The time has come for you to choose the fate of mankind."

Everything goes black around him as his soul is pulled out of his body along with Rei's and a few others.

****************

Far away from the world known as reality, the final step is forming as Rei, Shinji, Asuka, Misato, Kei, Pen-pen, Kaworu, and Yui all materialize for the choice that is to be made.

Shinji "What is this place."

Yui "This place is what all of your minds has formed as the common ground, it is here that the choice for humanity's fate must be made by you and Rei. The others are basically the support factor in this choice, they will assist you with your choices that will lead to the final one."

Shinji: I see, but why Rei and I?"

Kei "Because I chose both of you over the Commander and Seele. I believed that you both were the better choice for deciding what is right."

Kaworu "Shinji, it was also your wish to have your friends present when the end comes."

Asuka "But what about Toji, Hikari, and Kensuke?"

Kaworu "They are not directly involved like you and Misato are."

Misato "So, what has happened to the rest of the world?"

Yui "Time has slowed down for this process, so they are unaware of anything happening at this point."

Pen-pen "We must begin now before the window closes."

Yui "Right, let us start."

Everything begins to become twisty as the world reshapes itself to what is needed, the only two present are Shinji and Rei in a lit area. Yui is the first to begin the process.

"Shinji, what is it that you wish?"

"Mother?"

"What is it that you want?"

"I...am not sure."

"What do you desire?"

"Well, I guess I desire less pain in life..."

Kei "Why is that?"

"Because I see no reason for it."

"But without pain, how would you live?"

"I don't understand?"

Kaworu "Without pain, how do you know you are not dreaming?"

"I guess I don't..."

"Rei has felt the most pain, yet she does not wish for it to go away."

"Why is that Rei?"

Asuka "Rei, what is that one thing I know about you?"

"I have always been in pain. Without pain I do not feel whole."

"But, pain is a bad thing..."

"No Shinji, pain is also the item that lets us know we are not dreaming."

"Then, pain is a part of life."

Misato "Yes Shinji, We all feel pain in our lives, some more than others, but we all need pain to stay alive."

"I see."

Yui "Shinji, you have cared for Rei ever since you first met her, but you also care for Asuka the same way, why is that?"

Asuka "Yeah baka, why is it you love us both the same way?!"

Misato "Asuka!"

"I...don't know, I have known you both for a while and you both share the same need for someone to care as I do, I guess I just wanted to make sure you never felt left out at first, but over time I found that you both were more..."

Yui "Rei, how does this make you feel?"

"I am unsure, I feel...jealousy I guess...but I also feel that Shinji is just trying to care for the people closest to him, and that makes me think he is a kind person."

Kaworu "Rei, you are also like me, yet, I am not loved by Shinji the same way you both are."

"But, you are still considered a good friend by him, even after you attacked NERV."

"I know, it was for that reason I made the choice I did."

Shinji "Kaworu, it was you that made it possible for Rei to continue living to have Kei. That is something that I consider as something a good friend would do..."

Yui "But, the fact that you attacked him had him question your ability to care in the beginning, isn't that right, Shinji?"

"It was true, because I couldn't figure out why you had to do it, but, I think I know now. It was what you were created to do, but since you were given the freedom of choice..."

"...I chose to save Humanity instead."

Yui "It is for that reason this is possible today, but what are you still fearing, Rei?"

"I...don't know..."

"What is it that makes you fear interaction?"

"The fear of being used."

"Why?"

"Because it had brought unwanted pain to me. Rejection, isolation, pain that I did not deserve to have forced upon me."

"Yet you accepted the pain?.."

"I felt I had no choice. Shinji showed me otherwise by caring for me."

Misato "Did you welcome his love?"

"Yes, I learned that being loved had a nice advantage. I felt needed again in a whole new way."

"But what about when you became pregnant?"

"I felt as if I would be able to love back something that would be apart of me."

Kei "So you were willing to risk rejection again?"

"Yes, if it was required, even if it would have hurt me."

Kaworu "Shinji, how do you feel about your father?"

"I HATE HIM! He had tried to kill me, Rei, Asuka, friends...even most of NERV has died for him, just so he could see my mother again!"

Yui "But, do you understand his reasons?"

"What reason does a person need to ruin other people's lives?!"

Misato "Hey, that is a good question?"

"He had others killed just so he could see you again!"

Yui "But, do you know why?"

"No, and I don't know if I want to."

"But how can you love if you don't understand?"

"What?"

"Your father loved me, your mother."

"You mean, he did this for love?"

"Love can be a powerful emotion, one that can drive another insane."

"But why is it I don't feel that way?!"

"But you do, when he has tried to kill me."

"Rei?"

"You wanted to crush him."

"But..."

"Because you loved me."

Asuka "And because you cared about me."

"I..."

Misato "How you act depends on how much you love a person."

"I see. So my father did this for love?.."

Yui "Yes, he did, though I will agree that this was going overboard."

The final question is asked by Shinji, "Mother, what is the reason for all of this?"

"It is to help you choose what will happen, as well as Rei. Your child chose you because she thought you were the right ones for the job."

Kei "It was from observation that I found you both to be the right persons for the job."

Asuka "Shinji, you have been given the world here, what you do with it is up to both of you."

Misato "Rei, this is something you will have to consider carefully between yourselves..."

"What?"

Kaworu "We will leave you both in peace for a while."

After many moments, Shinji and Rei look at each other and begin to think about this choice.

"Rei, what is the right thing to do?"

"I am just not sure, the world has many problems with suffering."

"So, maybe just starting over is the best choice..."

"But, what about Kei, us, and everyone we know?.."

"True, if we start over they and us may not ever exist..."

"And...what if this happens again?.."

"What is there to say this choice will even make a difference. Wow, the world needs us this time and we have no idea what to do..."

"I feel this choice is best left up to you, I will support what you decide."

Shinji sighs as he sits down and begins a long process of thought. The final choice he has been told about is up to him in the end. After what seems like hours he stands up again and decides he is ready.

"I am ready."

Pen-pen "What do you wish?"

"Life to continue on the path it is now."

"Rei, do you agree?"

"I do."

"Then, I will seal the fate of those that have longed for this choice and grant you the choice you have made."

****************

Seele begins to fade out one by one as the fate they have been granted is given to them. Keel is the only one that now remains.

"I have longed for this day to come for centuries, and I am now being granted it."

A figure in the middle of the room walks up to Keel Lorenz and takes his hand.

"You have been forgiven for the injustices done by you, your punishment lifted, Keel Lorenz, you are free."

"I welcome this freedom."

And in his last few moments, he sees the one thing he has wanted come to him, death.

****************

Gendo Ikari looks at the screen in front of him as it shows images of the surface and Terminal Dogma. He watches as the Lance shatters into thousands of pieces and as Lilith and Pen-pen explode in a shower of blood.

"NO!!!!"

Soon after, every alarm starts sounding as the MAGI begins to overload from a severe feedback loop from the Eva's before self-destructing its three cores, and bringing everything it was controlling to a stop.

"Ikari, I believe the choice was made."

"I believe you are correct, sensai..."

Misato begins to stir as she wakes up. Makoto notices and runs up to her, "Major, are you okay?"

"Yes, what is the current situation?.."

"Lilith, the Lance, and the angel have been destroyed. But we are unsure about anything else..."

"What do you mean?"

"The MAGI has self destructed."

"What about the Eva's?"

"They are presumed to be useless."

"Major..."

Misato looks up at Gendo as he looks over the railing in front of his desk.

"You and I are needed in Terminal Dogma."

****************

Rei, Shinji, Kei, and Asuka have awoken near a now empty pool where the blood of Lilith used to be held. They see the figure on the cross has fallen apart as well.

Shinji is the first to get up, "So this is the end result..."

"Shinji, are you disappointed?"

"No Rei, I feel that this was the right thing to do, but I still am a bit sad about it..."

"Baka, you were given a once in a lifetime chance, and...I am proud that you chose this...it means that you do care about all of us."

"Yes, but in the end, not everyone was able to be saved."

The children look in the direction of the cross and see Kaworu walking towards them.

"What do you mean, Kaworu?" asks Shinji.

"Pen-pen as been lost as well in the end as a result of the merge, he was not meant to be an angel in the beginning so he has died, but his soul will be taken special care of."

They hear Misato run into the room.

"PEN-PEN!"

She runs up to the bloody penguin she considered as part of her family and cries.

"Misato Katsuragi, do not worry, his life was saved by you, and because of that, he was grateful. He did not die in pain either, and has been granted a special place in everyone's heart that knew him..."

Gendo walks into the room as well and approaches the group.

"Gendo Ikari, you still hold Adam within you, but he must be given his freedom as well."

"I understand."

After a brief flash of light, Gendo grips his hand and winches in pain for a few moments.

"I am sorry all, my time here is short, but I wish you all a happy life."

And with that, Kaworu walks in the direction he came from and fades away.

"So, you were given the choice I was to make, for that Shinji, your daughter, the thing I had created, must suffer for this betrayal."

"NO!"

Everyone present looks at Rei who has balled up her fist in anger after hearing these words.

"You created me, but you did NOT create my daughter, you do not have the right to decide her fate."

"It was I that gave you the ability to have a child."

Rei raises her head and looks at him with burning red eyes for a few moments before charging at him and slamming her fist into his jaw at mach speed.

"You have controlled me for long enough, I am not your doll to control, I am myself!"

Gendo is sent flying several meters backward under the hard blow, knocking him out easily.

"Rei.. you...you just attacked him..."

"Shinji, it was needed, he had threatened my child's life."

"I didn't say it was a bad thing, only that I didn't expect it..."

****************

A few days later after Gendo has been dragged out of Terminal Dogma, the JSSDF have shown up to take over NERV peacefully this time.

"Kozo, Fuyutsuki, as agreed, the Japanese government has come to gain control of the MAGI computer." says the UN rep.

"Sir, I would be glad to hand over what is left of it, but I am sure you will not be happy. The data is still intact for it, but the operating system has been destroyed by a surge."

"Can you explain better?"

"See for yourself, right now every door needed has been left open for us, but the decent will involve some climbing since the elevator is stuck. The security controls are down as well right now, and only one phone is working, we have yet to find it."

"So right now you have no working systems?"

"That is correct, I have four people working on restoring what they can for critical systems, but I am sure that this complex is done for by now, so the MAGI is being taken part as well and prepared for delivery to your tech division. I am sure they will be able to make use of it."

"What about the Evas?"

"We have confirmed that they are useless now, Lilith is gone as well."

"We received a lot of info about Gendo Ikari and wish to arrest him as soon as possible."

"I understand, he has a broken jaw right now and has been treated for it, but he is currently locked up as a prisoner, the current Commander is Misato Katsuragi, I am just dealing with the stuff she is unable to take care of."

"I understand, when will we be able to speak with her?"

"Right now she is attending a special meeting on the surface, she has asked that she not be disturbed until it is over."

****************

On the surface, Misato, Asuka, Maya, Rei, Kei, Shinji, Shigeru, and Makoto have gathered for a special meeting involving the people that lost their lives doing a job they paid for in the end. The current person they are visiting is Doctor Ritsuko Akagi, the person that was deeply involved in the secrets NERV held from the public.

"Ritsu, this day has been delayed for a bit due to many problems, but here we are finally, laying you to rest here outside of the city. You were a very good friend to all of us during the time we knew you, you helped us out when we needed it most. Rei and Shinji owe you a lot for what you did for them, you gave them the chance to be parents, for that they will never forget you, even Kei, the child's name, is sad to see you being buried before even being able to thank you. Maya Ibuki, your student in a sense, a person that looked up to you, misses you already, you taught her everything she needed to know about the Supercomputers your mother developed. She wishes you could have lived longer, but knows that it could not be, she will always remember you until it is her time to leave this world. You accepted Makoto and Shigeru as head techs for the MAGI's, for that they are glad to have met you and worked with you while they had the chance. Fuyutsuki will miss you as well, for he saw your mother and you as heroes in a way, he wishes he could have been here, but felt that it was best if he allowed me to be here instead. As for me, I can still remember the first time we met, I had never really talked much up until that point. We met at the local bar on campus for a quick talk at we ended up living with each other in the end, you were a good friend to me and Kaji when he was alive. Now comes the that point where we must say our goodbye's, we know that you are happier now where you are and hope you stay that way."

Misato bows her head for a few moments of silence before following the rest of the group away from the gravesite. She had buried Pen-pen a few days prior and still feels the pain of losing him, but knows that her time for grieving isn't here until she has been relieved of her final duties at NERV.

"Misato?"

"Yes...Asuka?.."

"I...I am sorry about the way I had acted when I first met you, I was jealous of the fact that Kaji liked you more, but I see now that I was mistaken to be that way. You did love him even though you acted like you didn't."

"Asuka, it's okay, I know you had a crush, but you are right, I did still love him..."

"Well, I still have one thing bothering me..."

"What's that?"

"Whose idea was it to not tell me I have been breathing blood this whole time?"

****************

After a long afternoon of questions by the UN, Misato, Shinji, Kei, Asuka, and Rei have headed out of NERV finally in the direction of the place they will call home for a short while longer. They know that their job has basically come to an end, NERV has been set to be disbanded and granted special conditions for the remaining staff until things have been fully worked out over the next year, they don't seem bothered much by it though. Shinji has heard that Toji is said to be released in a few days, and Kensuke will be contacting Hikari to see if she can come to Tokyo-2 for a week to visit when Asuka, Shinji, and Rei bring Kei along to find new housing for the parents. Misato will be remaining for a while longer and has granted Asuka permission to move into Rei and Shinji's place until the time comes to move away again.

"Misato...I...I am glad things have worked out this way to a point. I was apart of something special here in Tokyo-3, and even though I didn't think it would work in the beginning, I have found that I did the right thing by staying."

"Shinji, I am glad you feel that way, and the fact you did stay made this ending possible for us, your father made your life hell when he left...and I think that his end result was the correct one. Asuka, what is this I hear about you leaking info to a remote computer twice?"

"Well, I had contacted Kensuke for the first one so the public would finally learn the truth. The second time, I decided to save our files in case something went wrong, I wanted to be sure that we wouldn't have lost the past 15 years of our lives, I will be giving you the password tonight so you may decide what should be done with the info..."

"I am sure most will want to forget but I will leave the files in the hands to the person's they involve."

"So, what's for dinner?"

"Well, I believe it is my turn to cook tonight, so I will make something from scratch that I learned from college. This is a special time for all of us, so the dinner should reflect that."

Everyone nods as Misato pulls into the parking garage for the place they all live in.

To Be Concluded…