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- I apologize for lack of updates, life got in the way -

Chapter 17 - end

The titan screamed as the assault battered its face. Explosions and gunfire slammed into it, all pinpointed on one vulnerable spot. Black smoke and fire obstructed the target, but still everyone and everything fired until it got to the point were no one even saw what they were shooting at anymore. Misato relayed the order to cease-fire when she realized there was no point at shooting at a black cloud.

"Something's not right." Maya said next to her as they both stared up through the obstructed view. "It's still standing."

It moved finally, its right arm rising to waft away the smoke cloud around it. Its face came into view, the metallic armor was now shredded and burned a few places dented and broken. One of its eyes was now darkened but the titan in general was still standing.

"We missed?" Misato murmured to herself in disbelief.

The Eva appeared injured, a step up from all the punishment they threw at it earlier but it was nowhere near dead. During the onslaught the mouth had closed just enough to shield itself from harm, inside however Ritsuko was barely hanging on. A few shots and explosions had penetrated into the giant maw, but doing more harm to her then the beast itself. Now, her strength was all but spent, with just enough to keep the jaws from crushing down completely.

"What do you mean we missed!" Toji shouted angrily at Misato as he ran up next to her. "They had the biggest target in the world! How could these idiots miss?"

"I can't hear sempai anymore." Maya added while trying to get through on her communicator, but no matter what she did everything was silent on the other end. "Look its hurt, maybe we can do it again, weaken it some more!"

Misato shook her head. "No, won't do any good. It may look impressive but I'm pretty sure all that damage is superficial." She glared at the titan trying to see if perhaps she could be wrong. "Besides, with what we unloaded just now, I doubt these guys have much left to spare and I doubt their old boss up there is going to let them go re-arm."

Toji was becoming furious. things were going from bad to worse and no one was doing anything about it. "So we're just going to sit here and do nothing? I'm not letting Akagi-san die like this!" He looked around franticly, something gleaming catching his eye. "I'll do it myself if I have to!"

He then darted past Misato, knocking over others in the process as he made his way to one of the vehicles nearby. Jumping up onto the back he opened up a weapons cache, before anyone realized what he was doing he had grabbed and armed an RPG. He did so more easily then a teenage boy should have been able to, but then videogames could be blamed for that one.

With weapon in hand Toji ran out in front, ignoring the screams of warning from Misato and the hands of the older men trying to pull him back. He scaled around until he was dead set in front of the monster and looked straight up at it. The Eva could paid no attention to him, its gaze was still occupied on something invisible. From his spot Toji could see Ritsuko now, from his view he had a perfect angle and could see her struggling in the maw of the giant beast. She was blackened from the previous attempt at destroying the thing, but still her eyes shone brightly in defiance.

Those green eyes opened one more and locked with Toji's own. She saw what was in his hands and for a second that seemed more like an hour, the two simply stared. Ritsuko broke that gaze, blinking back to reality and began to shout. Toji saw her mouth speaking words and although he could not hear her, he knew what she was asking.

"Do it."

With arms shaking madly, he raised his weapon and took aim.

"Do it!"

His aim was too shaky, the monster was moving too erratically. "I can't do this!" he said to himself, his finger ready to fire but his heart and confidence holding him back. "There's no way I can do this…"

Yes you can. His breath stopped at the voices in his head

Let us help you.

He knew those voices, they were familiar and calming and now all around him. He turned his head to the right and saw Shinji standing there looking like he always did. His ghostly friend put a hand on his shoulder and Toji felt his body relax, the trembling arms became steady and the pounding in his heart slowed.

He smiled to his ghost like friend and took up aim again, but as he looked forward he saw Asuka this time, holding the long barrel of his weapon taking some- if not all – of the weight so the boy could steady himself even more.

Look

Asuka pointed up to the FalseEva, guiding Toji's eyes up the monstrous nightmare. A violet mist began to take shape before his eyes, his breath lost as unit 01 materialized above and around him. But that wasn't all, there was something behind the FalseEva as well, something larger then the titan itself, something he had seen before.

Unknown to the smaller beast whose gaze was still fixed on the purple haze before it, a giant red ghost stood behind the NaokoEva. Toji couldn't believe his eyes, he looked around at everyone else but no one seemed to notice the ghostly forms of Evangelions 01 and 02. Nor did they seem to notice as the FakeEva struggled in its grasp.

02's hands shot forward, wrapping around from behind and gripping the titan's top and bottom jaw. The NaokoEva tried in vain to grab at the arms that clawed at its face, only to have its own hands pass through the ethereal form harmlessly. It shrieked in a loud high pitched mechanical tone that could only be taken for terror, as the massive ghost-like hands pried open its jaws wider than physically possible.

Asuka looked back to Toji, who was in a state of both shock and amazement at the sight before him. She smiled.

Do what you must. We will guide you.

Toji silently thanked them, and pulled the trigger.

Like an angry demon the weapons projectile streamed into the sky passing through the image of Unit 01 in the process. The image vanished into smoke, and through that mist came forth the rocket and more. The speeding projectile was surrounded by the violet mist, the smoke taking the shape of a massive armored fist clenched tightly as it cut through the air powering the projectile even further, changing it.

From inside the maw of the beast Ritsuko watched in total awe as the fist drew closer. "Thank you, Shinji." She said quietly, and closed her eyes. The False Evangelion stood no chance as Toji's rocket hit home.

Fire spewed from the Eva's mouth as the RPG detonated. The colossal beast falling to its knees, a deep mournful sound coming from it as it burned from the inside out. Then, as if something internal caught aflame the giant MAGI orbs began to flare and explode one by one. Melchior, Balthasar, and finally Casper burst apart as the false Eva cried out, its arms reaching towards the heavens before its entire head exploded in a massive ball of flame.

There were cheers down below as the giant thing fell to the earth dead. Cheers from all except for three individuals, who could only stare in shock.

The beast may be dead, but there was no way anything inside could have survived that. Their friend was gone.

They searched. It was all they could do really. The men around them now looked completely lost. With nothing ordering them, nothing bribing them with food and shelter they had nothing to do. They started to go their own way, some went back down inside what was left of the rebuilt Nerv facility, and others simply dropped their weapons and began walking towards the city.

Misato, Toji, and Maya however couldn't leave just yet. They had to make sure.

For hours on end they searched the charred wreckage blasted to the point that metal was reduced to burnt pieces of slag, while flesh and bone were reduced to nothing but black chunks of coal. No one questioned how one small projectile was able to do so much damage, but then after everything that's happened, who would want to?

The three of them stayed in the vicinity of the head, working together to move the larger remains knowing there was little chance what they were looking for would have been anywhere near the larger mass of the body that remained.

This was the fifth pass, and still, through tired bloody hands and hot tears they trifled through, hoping to find some trace of life or even a sign that their friend had even existed in the first place.

The outlook was grim; they knew that fact and ignored it. It was Maya however that ended the search, falling to her knees with a sharp cry, her hands clutching something close to her as she sobbed in exhaustion.

Toji and Misato ran to her side afraid perhaps she had hurt herself or had indeed found their friend. Misato had to hug the smaller woman tightly to her in order to stop the sobs, and was finally able to see what she held so close to her.

In her hands were the remains of a silver necklace, the chain all but burned away leaving behind the burnished profile of a running panther.

Six months later.

The humidity for the day was high, higher then normal, but the cool breeze that softly ruffled the woman's dark violet hair made it bearable.

Misato sat on the sand looking out at the vast sea of orange. The subtle waves intertwining with motion of the clear water that was becoming visible again. People had returned, lots of them of all ages, and as a result the sea of LCL, at least the one here in Tokyo-3, was finally beginning to recede.

The population was nowhere what it used to be; yet still problems quickly began to rise. Looting, gangs, fighting over food and clothing. It was by luck Lieutenant Red had come back early. The same whose name was tagged on the gear Misato had borrowed. With his help there was soon a … well… she wouldn't call it a police force but they did use the gear and the stations. Toji quickly got involved with that, and with his experience so far he was now a valued member of police militia. Misato didn't doubt he would be chief of police sometime in the near future.

Maya on the other hand volunteered to help the injured, along with those men who were having difficulty de-toxing off the drugs that the Naoko Akagi program had brainwashed them with. When she wasn't needed she would be helping to restore the power grid to the populated areas of the city. Her technological and programming skills came in handy there, and the surviving people were grateful when the lights came back on. What Maya did look forward too was spending her time helping Fututsuki and PenPen back home at the bar. The owner has yet to return, and they secretly hope he never will.

Misato let out a long sigh. She didn't have to be here. In fact she was probably needed back at the makeshift military base they constructed just on the outskirts of the demolished NERV facility, where temporary General Katsuragi kept all those men and their big toys in line. She doesn't have a clue as to why they insisted she command them. Maybe she made a good impression during the battle with the false Eva, maybe they just like her for her looks. Either way it kept her busy.

Her eyes drifted over the odd colored sea, her mind wondering if perhaps anyone would come back today, perhaps even someone she knew. Not Shinji- that she was certain of. Even if he had not made an appearance since that day of nightmare Misato knew he was off somewhere better, happier. Shinji didn't need to come back, and somehow she was positive that he was watching over them all.

Kaji perhaps? She doubted it. He had died well before third impact occurred. But still, she would wait just in case.

There was one other she was waiting for, but… Misato knew Ritsuko wouldn't be crawling out of the LCL. Misato actually hoped that her friend, that giant green-eyed creature would come and find her instead.

If she lived.

As devastating as that explosion was, there was no evidence of Ritsuko's death, no remains, nothing. Misato had kept her hopes to herself, seeing as how the others believed she had indeed perished on that dreadful day. Maya and Toji had finally started to move on, she didn't want to set them back now.

A deep growl came from behind her, and without even turning her head Misato raised her hand behind her to gently stroke the chin of a wolfwere. It reciprocated by shoving its nose into her neck, nuzzling her playfully.

"Cut it out Cujo." She chuckled at the thing, all her previous hatred for these creatures melted away as the large mutant greeted its mistress. "You're supposed to be digging for crabs, I'll play with you later."

The armored wolf mewled unhappily; not wanting to dig in the sand again yet still obeyed its master. Misato didn't turn to make sure 'Cujo' went to do his job instead of hide under a bush and nap in the shade like he usually does, she didn't really care honestly.

There weren't many crab sightings these days, without anything controlling them the Crabdogs were simply too stupid to do anything else but hide in the sand and wait to ambush newcomers. Obviously Misato wouldn't stand around and let them, and now everyday there was a small group of people combing the beaches and open grasslands, armed to the teeth, and ready to destroy whatever creepy crawly they found.

For a time they were doing the same to the wolfweres as well, until someone realized they were just like dogs and could tame quite easily. Without the MAGI controlling them, they soon started looking to people for food and shelter. Some adopted them as guard dogs, most went to the military and police groups used in eradicating the more annoying crabs.

Misato had at first, unwillingly, bonded with a young one when she stumbled upon it shortly after the False-Eva incident. She didn't have the heart(or rather the ammo) to kill it and instead nudged it into the tall grass and left it to its own fate. She soon found it had followed her home and no matter what she did, couldn't get it to leave. Toji then convinced her somehow to keep it.

Misato let out another long sigh as the sun went down. No one came back today. No one came back from the LCL, no one came back from the dead.

She felt the large presence behind her again, more deep growls directed into her right ear. Misato rolled her eyes, Cujo may have looked like a beast but he acted like a spoiled puppy more often then not.

She raised her hand again to acknowledge him. "Cujo, I said I'd play with you la-" Her hand did not connect with fur or shell this time, instead her hand came in contact with something flat and hard.

"I bet Penpen doesn't approve of your new pet. I always knew you were a dog person deep down Misato."

Misato turned immediately at the voice, kicking up sand beneath her as she twisted herself around. Her hand was still in the same spot, afraid that is she moved it the image before her would disappear. She just sat there, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

The green-eyed figure kneeling before her raised an eyebrow, then looked down to the palm that was planted firmly on her abdomen. "You know, if you wanted to feel my abs you just had to ask nicely." Ritsuko joked, more amused by the shocked expression on her old friend's face.

"Thank goodness…" Misato said unmoving from her spot, she couldn't bring herself to move just to make sure the feeling under her hands wasn't an illusion. "Thank goodness!" she said again before throwing her arms around her friend in a long overdue hug.

Misato then abruptly let go, and punched her friend square in the jaw. "You stupid bitch where have you been!"

Ritsuko blinked, the strike barely enough to bother her still took her by surprise. "Well you know," A large hand rose to rub at her jaw. "I was sort of caught in a giant explosion that ended up destroying a mini Eva."

"Why… why didn't you at least leave a sign! Anything to tell us you were still alive!" As much as she was delighted to see her friend again Misato was fuming.

"Because, I didn't know if I was." Ritsuko's eyes darkened as she looked down to the sand beneath her memories of pain and confusion coming back to her. "I was surviving on instincts, hiding from everything and hunting whatever I could find out there. I can't even tell you how I lived through the explosion, I have no memory of getting away."

Misato suddenly felt guilt wash over her, she acted too quick and now regretted hitting her friend like that. "Rits I'm sorry, I…"

She looked her friend over, becoming aware of the faint scars and burns crisscrossing Ritsuko's arms. She raised a hand to trace painful looking markings that ran down from her friend's neck and disappear under the shirt she wore. There was no way Misato could ever imagine what Rits had gone through. "These still look painful."

"It's okay." Ritsuko replied as Misato continued to find more and more scars.

"The fact you didn't come find help means you're sneaking around still." Misato deduced since most of the burns looked somewhat healed. "How come you decided to come back at all?"

"You heard my mother yourself, there's more MAGI out there. I couldn't just leave everything to you guys now could I?" Ritsuko tilted her head and smiled, those long canines behind those lips as frightening as ever. "But that's not important at the moment. I wasn't able find Toji this morning so I followed your scent instead. Is he… ok?"

It was Misato's turn to smile now. She didn't ask for Maya, or Fuyu, she asked for Toji. It was no longer one sided, she cared for him as well. "He and Maya went on a little trip to get away from things, I'll fill you in on them as we go."

Misato began to lead the way with Ritsuko following behind. There was one thing that had been bugging Misato since that day, but was too afraid to ask the others lest they think her crazy. "Hey, during the fight you saw them too right? The Evas, were they really there?"

"They were." Ritsuko replied. "Sort of. That's something I don't have an explanation for and frankly I don't want an explanation for it."

Misato felt the same way and was just glad to hear she hadn't gone completely nuts. "So... Shinji?"

"Is in a better place were he wont feel afraid anymore. He's happy now, that's all we need to know. "

Misato sighed, not really understanding but she trusted her friend's answer.

"I'm glad then, after everything he deserves a happy ending."

The woods were no longer quiet. Birds and insects had begun to return along with other forms of wildlife. The world was coming back alive again made proof by the singing and chirping of the creatures within.

Toji and Maya walked along slowly, their feet crunching in the fallen leaves and twigs below, enjoying the sights and sounds of nature without a care in the world. Their hike soon brought them to a clearing and a unnatural cliff ledge, one of many that had formed during all the fighting between angels and Evas. This particular one looked down on the near ruined city with a brilliant view.

Toji walked to the edge and sat down, his eyes scanning the buildings below and even further out. He could see the crater that used to be Nerv along with the black stain that was now the resting place of the psychotic Naoko Akagi program.

"I still can't believe we survived it all." Maya said as she sat down next to the young man and let her legs dangle over the edge. "I just wish Sempai could be here with us, she'd like this view."

"Yeah…" He replied lazily, his mind wandering elsewhere at the mention of that name.

Maya didn't like his mood today, ever since the day the nightmare was defeated Toji had become uncharacteristically quiet. She understood why, and no amount of talk or praise for what he had the courage to do that day would pull Toji from his pseudo depression.

She didn't feel like wasting this beautiful day however, and decided to at least attempt to cheer him up.

"Hey Toji, of all the things she was capable of. What was you're favorite?" She asked him out of the blue. The young man simply looked to her for a second trying to figure out exactly what Maya meant.

"You mean Akagi-san?" He asked, Maya nodded in response and he looked over the city as he thought about it. "I dunno, the roar I guess."

Maya tilted her head at him, a bit surprised. "Really? Not the jumping or being able to bench press a small car?"

Toji shrugged as he picked at the grass under him. "Well yeah, but the roar was loud and scary. With the roar she could frighten things away and not even have to bother with jumping or strength." He got to his feet then and stood at the edge of the cliff, being mindful not to get too close unless Maya yell at him.

"Her roar was a warning, keep messing with me and you'll regret it!" he took up a defensive stance then and took in a deep breath. He released it in his own roar, though it didn't sound nearly as loud or as frightening as his old hero's version.

"You call that a roar?" Maya laughed as she got up and decided to play along with him. It was rare to get Toji to do anything remotely fun, so she grabbed onto this chance while she still could. Her attempt wasn't much better however, sounding more like a dying cat than anything else.

"We're pitiful, Ritsuko-san would be laughing at us." Toji said with the briefest hint of a smile, such an elusive thing now-a-days. "Come on, lets try together."

Maya nodded, then moved closer so she was directly next to him. Counting to three they both inhaled deeply and then… a deep loud reverberating roar shook the air. Both of them froze completely as the sound washed over them, it was so deep they could feel it rumbling in their chests, so loud it caused their ears to ring.

The two of them just stood there frozen solid. Maya slowly looked to Toji and he to her, their eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights. When the echo of the roar died down they both worked up the courage to turn around.

There, standing in the grass a few feet away with the biggest smirk on her face, was the one they were just pretending to be.

"Sem…pai?" Maya whispered at the sight of her old mentor. "Is it really you?"

"Hey guys." Ritsuko said almost shyly, a little worried they would be angry at her for being gone for so long.

Tears began to stream down Maya's face, and before she knew it she was running full charge at her Sempai. Ritsuko had to kneel to take the hug from the smaller woman who was giggling and crying at the same time, overwhelmed that her friend was alive.

"Hey Toji, I don't get a hug from you too?" Ritsuko asked when Toji didn't move. The whole time he had stayed were he was, simply staring at the woman in front of him.

Finally he blinked, and without another word ran straight into her arms. She caught him easily, and lifted him up to take his embrace. He squeezed so hard he would have crushed her if he were strong enough, as if he was trying to make sure she was the real thing. But then he did something else, his mind probably did not even register what he was doing until it was too late. He planted his lips to hers, and kissed her deeply.

Ritsuko's eyes shot open as she felt his lips crushing hers, not quite sure what to think of it. She did the next best thing – she didn't think of it at all.

Toji pulled away suddenly, as if he suddenly came to the realization of what he was doing. He was still held in her arms shaking at the sight before him as tears began to stream down his face. "I'm sorry, I'm just…" He began to break down then, all the emotion he held inside from that fateful day breaking free. "I thought I had killed you, I thought it was my fault you were gone I'm just glad you're back... I'm so sorry! "

"It's all right Toji." Her face completely red and her eyes set on him, she knew the other two were probably just as surprised but she couldn't dare look at them now. She hugged him tightly to her then and waited for him to relax. "You saved us all, everything is all right now."

After a few moments he loosened his grip enough that she could put him back down. she then looked to everyone around her knowing they would protest what she was about to say. "Listen I didn't come to stay, I just thought you would like some closure. I will leave shortly."

"What no!" Toji suddenly grabbed hold of her again, holding her tightly. "Aka… Ritsuko… You can't leave… not after everything we've been though."

She had anticipated this, but still was having trouble coming up with a way to explain. "Toji… I'm a monster. I've been one since birth, my mother made sure of that." She growled long and deep as images of her so-called mother came to her. "Besides, you've proven your not a weak little boy, you don't need me to protect you anymore."

"I know that... but… that's not why I want you to stay…"

Misato couldn't help but let a huge a grin slowly creep across her face from ear to ear as she realized what Toji meant. She looked over and saw that Maya was doing the same.

"Toji…" Blushing slightly, Ritsuko didn't exactly know what to say. "You don't want to be with a dirty old crazy cat woman like me. Not to mention… I'm not exactly human." She made her point by easily pulling him from her person and placed him on the ground in front of her.

"I don't care! I…" He never finished. Ritsuko silenced him by kneeling down and lightly pressing her lips to his. It wasn't meant to be intimate, but it was enough to calm the boy somewhat. He grabbed hold of her again, pulling her tightly around him until he looked almost lost against her larger frame.

As she pulled away Toji could do nothing but stare at her. She rested her heavy hands on his shoulders as she looked down at him, saddened by the tears in his eyes. "Toji, I have no future. I would never be accepted into society, not like this. You on the other hand have your whole life ahead of you with the opportunity to make something great of yourself. Live Toji, live for Shinji and Asuka. Live for Misato and Maya and even Kozo. Move on."

"But… I want you to stay…" he whimpered, suddenly unable to look her in the eye.

"I promise I will always be nearby. You will see me again." She nudged him in the shoulder playfully trying not to let his heartbreaking expression get to her. "Besides, there are other MAGI out there that need squishing. When you guys are ready I'll definitely be by your side."

The young boy nodded, understanding fully that this was for the best. He finally looked back up to her, a small smile breaking though his sadness as he watched her back away.

"Rits…" Misato added quietly. "You really don't have to hide…"

"I do Misato. I may look okay but I assure you I'm not so confident with what's going on up here." She placed a clawed finger to her temple. Ever since the first signs of her transformation began she had been struggling with her own mind. The scientist and the wild animal twisted within did not get along very well, and every now and then her wilder side would win out on the conflict. "Until I can settle that war I'm dangerous to everyone. This is for your safety." She walked to the cliffs edge, tearing her gaze painfully away from the three of them.

"I'll be around. Until then, Misato, take care of Penpen."

With a final nod to her friends, she jumped away.

A/N

Pfffffffffft, I still have no clue where this crazy thing came from, I must have binged on sugar or something I'm just glad a few of you enjoyed it. Thanks for sticking though on this odd ride, even though it became obvious I lost interest in this (due to life mostly) quite a few chapters ago. I'm still amazed I actually got around to finishing it.

Thank you to all that left reviews and feedback, and especially to those who urged me to continue on when I had pretty much given up. I appreciate every single word you have sent me. :3

I hope others enjoy this as well, and thank you for reading.