The Revelation of Sacrifice

Chapter 4 – Blossoms / Defiance

Based on characters and ideas created by and copyright GAINAX

Reviews/Comments always appreciated

Anything else? Requests? Questions? Contact me at: [email protected]

Guide:

"..." = Speech

'...' = thoughts

(...) = audible sound like a sigh or moan or click

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Neon Genesis Evangelion

(Caption) Blossoms

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=== Katsuragi Apartment ===

" 'Sync ratio at 37%, that's worse than Shinji's first battle Asuka!' " Asuka said mimicking Ritsuko's voice, "(growl) It's all your fault Shinji!" was all the red haired girl said as she slammed the door to her room.

"W…" Shinji paused, confused, "W-What are you talking about? How is this all my fault Asuka!?" Shinji went to his own room and shut the door forcefully, but nowhere near as hard as Asuka had.

Andrew and Misato turned their heads to face each other and collectively sighed.

"I'll take Shinji, you take Asuka?" Andrew said questioningly.

"No, you take Asuka, I'll get Shinji…you didn't exactly get off on a good foot with Asuka, but I really don't think she hates you, and I haven't been spending as much time with Shinji as I should." Misato explained. Andrew scratched his chin while thinking.

"Ingenious, simply ingenious Major," Andrew said smiling to her.

(WHACK)

"Ooowwww!" Andrew howled mockingly, "What was that for?" Andrew said looking hurt to Misato and rubbing the shoulder that she just jabbed at.

"It's Misato dummy," she said giving him a goofy smile, "and don't you forget it!"

"Hmmm, now I see why Kaji was the only one who could handle you," Andrew whispered quietly to himself while massaging the forming bruise on his arm.

"What was that?" Misato said, turning to him with a slight tic in her left eyebrow and preparing to roll up her sleeves for an attack.

"I…uh…" Andrew stuttered for a moment, "umm nothing, Nothing at all," he finished with a giant, 'don't you believe me? / please don't hurt me!' smile.

"Uh-huh, that's what I thought!" Misato said sternly, but she quickly faded back to her sunshine attitude. As they had a beer each and then decided that they had let the initial angers settle down a little for both Asuka and Shinji. They could not have been any farther off the mark.

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=== Asuka's Room ===

(knocking)

"Go away…" Asuka said with a dangerous edge.

Andrew sighed and paused. Then he looked down at the silver cross hanging from the chain around his neck. He crossed himself and then opened the door to the young girl's room.

"I said…" Asuka's voice trailed as she saw the look on Andrew's face. It was one of true sorrow and pity. "You…" Asuka growled out. She got up from her position of laying on the bed. Asuka stalked over to him and he shut the door behind him. She wound up and let her fist fly into his face, he made no move to counteract the attack. Did she ever feel satisfied when the hit connected…but it quickly went away when she saw that his face was unchanged, he hadn't flinched, not even a tiny ripple of he hit had had an effect on him. This only made her angrier. She wound up again and aimed for his gut, connecting, and yet again causing no damage to him. No reaction, no change in position, not even his eyes moved. The fire was fueled. She unleashed another swing, then another, then another, and so on and so forth. But now, every time she hit him, a piece of her rage slipped away, as if his rock hard body had absorbed it. Her hits grew weaker until she was only slightly pounding away at his chest, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Had enough?" Andrew smiled down to her, not a cocky smile, but one of genuine affection. Asuka responded with a choked up 'yes'. Andrew wrapped her up with his arms in a tight embrace.

'Mmmmm, this is nice,' Asuka thought as she was felt the sudden warmth emanating from his body. 'So warm…' then she came to her senses, 'wait a second! I hate this guy! Why am I hugging him? All he's done is make fun of me, in fact, they're probably all outside waiting to see me crying like a big baby! Damn him!' and with that last thought, she pushed away from him, trying to wipe away the streaks on her cheeks left by the tears.

"That's ok…" Andrew said slowly, then paused searching for the right words, "…want to talk?" he put it simply.

"This is a joke right?" Asuka said, her sarcastic attitude coming back, "You're just making fun of me, so get out."

"Asuka…listen, I know exactly what you are feeling like right now, so ju-"

"Oh shove it!" Asuka cut him off spitefully, "You have no clue what in the hell I'm-"

"Do you ever listen to yourself?" Andrew said, cutting her off forcefully, "God, you really are stupid for someone who has graduated college," Andrew shot back. "It's so pathetic, I'd almost pity you," he said pausing for an effect, "but then what would you think of me? I'll tell you, you'd hate me even more than you do now! So no matter what, I hit a brick wall. You hate those weaker than you because they can't stand against you, like Shinji. You hate those who are equal to you, and compete for everything with them, like Rei…" Andrew paused, gaining a glint of a smile, "and you despise those superior to you, because you believe yourself to be the best at everything." Andrew was satisfied with the assault that had just broken Asuka down to something much easier to deal with. "Now what do you have to say?"

Asuka scowled at him.

"Whatever," he said, then a devilishly interesting thought came into his head. 'That WOULD be interesting, wouldn't it?'…"Asuka, Shinji is in love with you." he stated quite matter-of-factly.

Asuka's reaction was, simply put, priceless. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers, her mouth cracked open to the slightest, almost undetectable smile, and a single tear rolled down from her right eye, which she quickly wiped away, trying to hide its appearance from his watchful eye.

"Th-That jerk! How could he even think th-that he could fall in love with me!"

It had worked, a simple reassurance, was slowly bringing the Asuka of old back to the living world.

"But I can't really blame him," Asuka said, flipping her hair over her right shoulder, "I mean, I AM Asuka Langley Sohryu, how could anyone possibly resist my charms…" Andrew could barely hide a massive bolt of laughter caused by that last part. "Don't you even dare THINK about it, mister," Asuka said with a death edge to her voice.

"About what?" Andrew pleaded innocently, throwing his hands out, mockingly pretending not knowing a thing about what she was talking about.

"B-But are you sure he's in love with me?" Asuka asked without he usual cockiness, and scolded herself for stuttering.

"Oh I dunno, maybe fifty-fifty with Rei," Andrew grinned wryly to her as he said it.

"WWWHHHAAAATTT!?!!?!?" Asuka practically screamed out loud, "with WONDERGIRL!!?! That stupid little spineless piece of worthless…" she trailed off into unintelligible words and grunts.

"…Gotcha…" Andrew said, his grin widening. With that, Asuka stopped cold and just stared at him. He just chuckled as he walked off with a 'my work here is done' attitude and smile.

"Don't you dare go telling him he means a damn single thing to me!!!" Asuka yelled half-heartedly to Andrew as he opened the door, "Cuz, cuz he doesn't!!!"

"Of course, I wouldn't want to incur the wrath of the almighty Asuka Langley Sohryu, now would I?" he said, giving her a smile and a mocking two finger boy scout salute.

"Damn straight," Asuka said, gaining her superior resolve once again.

Andrew just chuckled a little as he closed the door behind him and let out a small sigh of relief.

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=== Shinji's Room ===

Misato waited carefully to gather her thoughts before coming into the room. She decided to just skip knocking, knowing he would just pretend to have fallen asleep.

"Shinji," Misato said softly, "I'm coming in…"

"No…please go away, Misato…" Shinji said with pain in his voice.

"I won't Shinji," Misato said, confirming to herself that she needed to be forceful with him for once. "We need to talk, you can't just run away from everything."

"I know Misato…but…" Shinji said trying to find an excuse.

"But what? But it hurts? But it isn't easy? Both are true Shinji," she said, showing the more profound side of herself. "And that means that it will be even harder for you to face things, because you've only run away…but you have to Shinji, you can't keep running anymore, too many of us want you to stay."

"Yeah right, no one really cares about me…you all just like me because I can pilot Eva…and Asuka only hates me more for it…"

"Stop it Shinji!" Misato yelled at him, losing control of herself, "You know how hard it is to try and be there for a teenage boy and girl who aren't even you're real kids? Well, I've tried-"

"You're aren't my mother…" Shinji retorted with a small amount of disgust in his voice.

"I know that, but-"

"Then stop trying to act like it," Shinji said indignantly, turning on his bed to face more away from Misato.

That one hurt, Misato wouldn't deny it. It had cut to the bone…no, beyond that. It went to her heart. She loved Shinji and Asuka just as much as any mother could. She knew she tried, but she relinquished to the fact that she was not nearly around enough to constitute a mother figure for them, and she wasn't exactly a great example for a parent either.

"I know that Shinji," Misato said, her voice cracking with the formation of tears in her eyes, "but I…I…I love you Shinji," she finally squeaked out, "and Asuka too…I don't want anything to happen to you two, or Rei either, or Touji, or Kensuke, or anyone! But most of all, Shinji, I don't want anything to happen to you…you were the first REAL friend I've had in life since…well since a long time ago…"

Shinji looked over to Misato who knelt down next to his bed. She was on the verge of crying and was giving a massive effort to not do so in front of him.

"I just want everything to be alright, I don't want you two to fight and hate each other…" Misato cracked out.

"…Misato…" Shinji said, "I…I'm sorry…it's all my fault, if I wouldn't have tried to do anything with Asuka back at NERV, I wouldn't have made her mad…then she got so mad at Rei helping me, then she had the lowest sync ratio except for Touji, and, and-" Shinji was now on the verge of crying himself.

"Look at us, huh?" Misato said, smiling as she wiped a tear away from Shinji's eyes, "A couple of crybabies who are supposed to protect the whole world!" she added with a laugh, which caused even Shinji to break from his seriousness.

"…I'm sorry Misato…" he said, getting serious again, "you're my guardian, so you have to act like my mother sometimes…I had…I had no right to snap at you…I'm sorry…"

"Hmmmm," Misato raised a curious and annoyed eyebrow at him, which caused him to darken and become even more ashamed of what he had said, but she couldn't last and exploded into the usual bunch of giggles one could expect from Misato. Shinji couldn't understand at first and had a blank expression on his face, but then she tickled him and he started to laugh with her.

"You were getting way too serious there Shinji," Misato said playfully, "Sorry, but I had to break that right up! Katruragi personal code! No serious stuff for too long in this house!" she said making mock gestures of commands. Silence fell over them for a few moments.

"Misato?" Shinji asked.

"Yes. Shinji?" Misato asked back.

"Th-Thank you," Shinji said blushing.

"Hmmm?" Misato raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"You…just…help a lot, I guess…I dunno how to say it…" Shinji said blushing and turning away from her. Misato walked over to Shinji and wrapped herself around him, giving him a nice warm embrace.

"You're welcome Shinji," she said happily before backing away to the door and was about to exit, but turned back, winking and giving a playful warning sign with her fingers, "Just keep your pants on, you little Casanova," she said while giggling.

"Wha…What's that supposed to mean!?" Shinji asked, reverting to his normal voice, "Hey! Misato!"

She just smiled wryly and walked out, closing the door softly behind her. Shinji laid back and let his head sink into the pillow.

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=== Kitchen ===

Misato walked into the kitchen and found Andrew quietly having a beer and noticed an unopened can next to his on the table.

"So how's Asuka?" Misato said as she opened one of the cans.

"She's ok, I think she just had a lot of junk pent up in her…she just needed to blow some of it off, and unfortunately she chose to do so on Shinji…" Andrew said as he stretched out his arms and leaned back in the seat.

"I think Shinji was just caught off guard by it all, and tried to help," Misato said, looking down at her can, "but he didn't know that him doing it right then would only make it worse."

"What an amazing family," Andrew said after a long silence.

"Aren't you glad you're part of it now, 'Uncle Andrew' ?" Misato teased and patted him on the back as she got up to get some more Beers.

"Delighted," Andrew said sarcastically, but jokingly, "but I won't lie, it'll sure be interesting watching those two."

"Want one?" Misato offered as she pulled a can from the shelf of the fridge dedicated to alcohol.

"Sure, thanks 'Mommy' " Andrew added, repaying Misato's family joke and having to use his fastest reflexes as a rocket propelled beer can barreled toward him. Andrew was about to make another joke when he noticed that Misato had darkened a little as she walked back over. "Misato, I didn't mean-"

"No," she cut him off, "it's not you…it's just that…well, Shinji said something that……he said I'm not his mother, so I shouldn't try to act like it…I mean, I'm just trying my best, and they're at a tough age…and I'm trying to balance them with work and the Angels and all of this, it's just so much…and I want to be there for them. I just want to be there when they need some help, or want to talk…but more and more, I see them lonely or hurt and they don't come to me like they would go to a parent…"

"Misato," Andrew said in a serious tone, "I'm not exactly supposed to tell you this…but what the hell, it'll help us a lot more," Andrew readjusted himself in his chair and looked down to his can, "I know everything…about their pasts I mean…and about yours…"

Misato sat, shocked as the can she held in her hand slowly slipped downward, barely being caught in Andrew's reaching grasp before it would have hit the ground.

"Just listen, and I'll explain…"

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Neon Genesis Evangelion

(Caption) Defiance

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=== A week After the sync tests, Katsuragi apartment ===

"So," Shinji began, "I guess you'll be gone for a while, right?"

"Yeah, four days or so I think, for Touji's activation tests…" Misato responded, "but don't worry, Andrew and Kaji will both be here for the whole time.

"Okay, well I'm ready to go then…hey, where's Asuka?" Shinji questioned.

"She took off already," Misato said reluctantly.

"Why?"

"Teenage girls can be hard to understand sometimes, Shinji," Misato answered, "but don't worry, I don't think she's TOO mad at you anymore," she added with a wink and a smile.

"R-Really?" Shinji said with a glimmer of hope.

"Yup," Misato said, ruffling his hair a little, "Now you go and get to school before you're late," Misato said with a parental laugh, then she thought of something. "And be sure to apologize to her…lover boy!"

"Misato!" Shinji yelled back at her, but Misato retreated to the bathroom in a fit of giggles. 'Ughh…it's useless to even fight it…' Shinji thought with a sigh.

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=== Shinji's Classroom ===

(Ding…Ding…Ding)

"Hey, where's Asuka?" Shinji asked over to Hikari.

"I don't know Shinji," Hikari responded, "she normally walks to school with you, right?"

"Yeah, but she…uh…left early today, so I…uh…thought she might have gone with you…" Shinji said, his worry apparent in his voice.

"Worried about the Demon?" Kensuke ribbed Shinji, "eh, Shinji?"

"Gah…I-I am not!" Shinji almost yelled, "If there's anyone who could defend herself, it's Asuka!"

"Ha! And we can trust Shinji here," Touji chimed in, "he knows from personal experience!" he said with a slap to Shinji's back.

'Ughh…it's useless to even fight it…' Shinji thought with a sigh. Then Asuka walked in, she bowed and apologized to the Sensei for being late. 'Hmmm, I wonder where she was?' Shinji thought, stealing a glance at Asuka, 'Oh well, probably some girl stuff or something.'

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=== Lunchtime ===

Asuka and Hikari walked over to where Shinji and Kensuke were eating.

"Hey idiot," Asuka said, "mind if we sit down here to eat?"

"Uhhh…sure go ahead…" Shinji said slowly, baffled by why the two most beautiful girls in school would sit down next to him.

"The classroom is being used for a teacher's conference, so we had to come out to the peasantry's eating area," Asuka explained with an aristocratic tone.

"Whatever," Shinji waved it off. He got a 'hmph' from Asuka.

"Hey, where's Touji?" Hikari questioned.

"I don't know, he said he had to go somewhere for a minute," Kensuke explained.

"He probably wants to be alone for a little," Shinji said, "Well, at least that's what I would want to do right now if I were him…"

"Oh yeah, his activation test is at Matsushiro tomorrow, right?" Asuka asked.

"Uh-huh…" Shinji took a bite of something from his bento.

"…I hope everything goes alright…" Hikari whispered to herself quietly, but apparently not quiet enough, as both Shinji and Asuka gave her a cockeyed look. Then noticing that the other was looking at Hikari, Asuka gave Shinji a 'we need to talk' look.

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=== School Roof ===

"Mr. Suzuhara?" Rei asked quietly.

"Oh, it's you Ayanami…" Touji sighed out.

"You are having…second thoughts…about your becoming a pilot?" she inquired, still emotionless.

"Heh, you read my mind…" then Touji thought for a second, "You know it's pretty rare, for you to be concerned about someone else."

"Is it?"

"Yeah…except for Shinji that is…you have a thing for him though."

"Do I? I'm not sure I understand…perhaps…it is…true…"

"You do, trust me," Touji gave her a smile before walking down to the lower levels of the school.

"Good luck…Pilot Suzuhara" Rei said as Touji neared the steps. Touji looked bewildered for a moment, then chuckled.

"Thanks Ayanami."

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=== Asuka and Hikari, walking home from school ===

"Sorry, Asuka," Hikari said, looking downward to the pavement, "You usually walk home with Shinji."

"I only walk home with Shinji because we live together," Asuka responded, " not because of anything else." Hikari giggled a little at hearing her friend's defense. Asuka gave a digusted, 'oh whatever' look and continued on. "You wanted to talk about Touji?" Asuka grinned at her friend's furious blush.

"Is it that obvious?" Hikari managed.

"Mmm-hmm," Asuka nodded, "the Stooges are the only ones who can't see it…but I think Shinji might actually be getting the picture."

"Shinji…" Hikari trailed off for a moment, "he seems nice in a kind of sensitive way?" Hikari said looking for input from Asuka.

"Shinji's a big fat dork! And he's denser that lead too! He wouldn't know how to relate to another person if you gave him a manual!" Asuka retorted very quickly. This caused Hikari's eyes to narrow on her friend and a smile to grow on her face. "What?" asked Asuka, dumbfounded by her friend's look.

"Oh, nothing…(deep sigh)"

"What is it now?"

"Asuka, I think Touji might be interested in Rei…they were talking together at lunch…"

"Wondergirl!?!" Asuka almost fell down laughing, "Ha, don't worry Hikari it'll never happen. If Shinji is denser than lead, than Rei Ayanami is off the atomic scale!"

"Really?" Hikari could barely keep down her glee…but then a plan formulated in her mind. She wasn't a scheming girl, and by no reason a mean spirited girl…but this was an opportunity she could not simply pass up. "I don't know…she seems pretty friendly with Shinji, and Shinji doesn't seem to mind too much," Hikari said with a thoughtful tone. Hikari looked for her friend's response, but saw not her friend, but a steaming with anger, stark raving mad psycho.

"Ooohhhh, so everyone thinks they're just so perfect together," Asuka said in a purely venomous death tone, "even you…they're just the greatest couple of losers to find each other's (grrrrr)!!!!!" Hikari could feel the heat that Asuka was emanating from her body. Then she poked Asuka in the arm, unable to control her laughs.

"(laughing) I knew it!" Hikari said, giggling between sentences, "You LIKE Shinji!" Hikari teased, prodding at Asuka more and more.

"I…I…I do not!" Asuka said in her defense, her mind gone blank.

"That proves it! (giggle)" Asuka decided Hikari was having way too much fun with this…

"I-It doesn't prove anything!" Asuka said, trying to make some sort of defense for herself, "I could never like that idiot!" Hikari wouldn't push any further, but she had gotten enough out of her friend to last a long time. Asuka was completely flustered, no where near her usual arrogance and confidence. Her eyes stayed slightly widened the entire way home, and her face was bright red.

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=== Later, at the Katsuragi apartment ===

Shinji sat at the table, wondering why Asuka was late again. Kaji was here with Shinji, as per Misato's orders. Andrew wasn't around or at his apartment next door, so that meant he was somewhere watching over Asuka. That reassured Shinji in the light that nothing was seriously wrong and Asuka wouldn't be in danger. Then his train of thought was broken as the door to the apartment opened and a familiar red head walked through. Shinji decided to not show worry and just play things normally.

"Hey Asuka," Shinji greeted. Asuka just walked by without a word, and with a strange look on her face. Kaji saw this and decided to chime in.

"How's my favorite German today?" Kaji asked giving one of those ladykiller smiles. It bothered both him and Shinji greatly when Asuka gave a simple and unemotional 'ok' back to him and traveled on to her room.

"Ummm…Kaji?" Shinji asked.

"Hmmm, we'll ask Andrew when he gets here, he won't be too far behind," Kaji responded.

Ten minutes later, Andrew came slowly through the door. He appeared to be deep in thought, his right hand covering his mouth and chin, while his left cradled his right arm's elbow.

"She came in?" he asked unemotionally. Kaji and Shinji just nodded their heads.

"Hmmm…" Andrew wondered aloud, "Shinji, you like that vista lookout over the city right? Like for when you need to clear your head or something, right?"

"Yeah…why?" Shinji responded questioningly.

"Well, that's where Asuka went for a while…" Andrew said, lowering his hands to his sides, "she just stood there for a while. She was going over something in her head, sometimes she shook it, like when you try to get rid of a thought."

"That's not like Asuka…" Kaji added, then smiled, "maybe you're rubbing off on her a bit, eh Shinji?"

"…I wish…" Shinji muttered under his breath.

"I'm sure we all do," Andrew said, a slight bit louder than Shinji had. Shinji's head snapped up, surprised that Andrew had heard him.

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=== Asuka's Room ===

Asuka lay on her bed, still wondering about what Hikari had said.

'What the hell is wrong with me? I don't like that stupid idiot. I'm not all nervous when he comes around like Hikari and that dumb jock. Rrrrggghhh!!! That idiot! I'm gonna have to pound him for this! He's the only reason I have to go through this! Why am I even still thinking about him! I spent enough time doing that already…Hikari, you're going to pay, you're going to pay through the nose for this!'

Asuka rolled over on her side, back and forth, trying to force Shinji out of her thoughts, but to no avail.

'Well…what exactly IS he to me? If I don't like him, then I must hate him…but…I don't really hate that idiot. Mmm, and that cute little butt of his' Asuka thought seductively, but then slapped herself. 'Oh mein Gott! What am I thinking!? Well…it's not like I hadn't noticed that before but…mmm, it is a nice one…and in that plug suit of his…oh yeah, that's the stuff…'

Asuka couldn't believe the thoughts that were suddenly flowing through her head. She had never even considered some of them before this moment. That surprised her greatly, and she hit her head repeatedly against her pillow.

'Ahhh! Get your mind out of the gutter you idiot! Why! Why! Why is this happening to me! I don't want it! I don't need it! And why of all people on God's green earth!? Why him!? Cupid, if you're an Angel, I'm going to personally crush you into oblivion! But first…why? Why am I so tortured over this? All she was doing was joking around right? But why DO I always get so mad…when Rei and Shinji are together?……No…no…no no no no no no! I am NOT jealous of that stupid Wondergirl! I am definitely NOT getting jealous for that jerk, Shinji! He's mine anyway! It's not like Wondergirl could compete with my talent or beauty anyway! He's my-'

And there it was. Asuka caught herself.

"He…He's mine?" Asuka whispered, 'Why did I say that? I mean, I do tell him what to do…and he never really fights back…but that's why I hate him…isn't it? Sure, he may make my lunch, and clean up after me, and make dinner…and just do all those things that are nice for me…and just me…' Asuka sighed and rolled over onto her stomach. She hugged her pillow softly and rested her head on it.

"That idiot…" Asuka let herself have a small smile.

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=== Next day at school ===

Asuka was honestly upset. She thought that all of this was taken care of yesterday. She thought that through all that usage of her massive brainpower that she had resolved that…she didn't HATE Shinji, especially now that she realized that, well, compared to the other guys in their class, he was quite the looker…but that didn't mean she was falling in love with the guy or anything, just that she realized that she didn't hate him. That was all…ALL. Nothing more. And yet she found herself stealing quite a few glances at him.

Why did she keep doing this? She didn't quite know the answer to that. But she wouldn't have any longer to ponder her situation with the Third Child either.

(Sirens rise up slowly in the background, but quickly reach the school, and three cell phones ring simultaneously)

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=== Entry Plugs of the Children / NERV Command Center ===

"Unit 01 in position," Shinji said, "but Misato is at the activation tests, who's going to command?"

"I will," a cold voice belonging to one Gendo Ikari, shot out.

"Oh," was all Shinji could manage as a chill ran down his spine.

"Unit 02 here," Asuka announced, her Eva taking position next to Unit 01. "Do we have any information on the Angel?"

"No," Gendo said after a pause.

"Unit 00 is in position," Rei said calmly.

"Blue Pattern confirmed! The Angel is nearby!" Maya shouted.

"Spread out," Gendo ordered, "Unit 01 will stay in that area, Unit 02 will find cover and surprise the Angel with melee combat, Unit 00, find a good overwatch position and set up for sniping."

"Roger," all three responded.

"Belay that," a voice shouted from the bridge, "forma tight group, when the Angel comes, use overwhelming force and the element of surprise to counter and destroy it."

"Agent Langley, you would do wisely to not interfere with NERV combat operations," Gendo said coldly, "this is NOT your area of expertise."

"What in the hell are you thinking-"

"I would remind you of your rank COLONEL LANGLEY," Gendo cut him off and emphasized the rank.

"And I would remind you of your duty," Andrew retorted with disgust, "are you TRYING to kill your pilots?"

"Remove Agent Langley from the bridge," Gendo ordered without emotion.

Andrew grunted in disgust as two guards came up to him and grabbed his arms. He shrugged them off as he began walking away.

"I'll leave on my own accord, Ikari," he finished with a dangerous edge. He was beginning to see the basis of hate that Shinji felt for his father.

"What's going on? Father?" Shinji asked.

"Nothing," Gendo paused, "a small malfunction."

"A-Alright," Shinji said, although even he could tell it was a lie.

"The Angel is coming into view!" Maya shouted to attention.

"Mein Gott!" Asuka exclaimed.

"Th…Th-That's U-Unit 03!" Shinji said in shock, "Father! What's going on?!!"

"That is the target," he responded coolly, "Unit 03 is to be re-designated as the 13th Angel.

"My God," Maya said quietly in disbelief as a close up of Unit 03 came into view.

"BUT TOUJI'S IN THERE!" Shinji shouted, his voice full of pain.

"Irrelevant," Gendo said, still cool, "it is an enemy, the enemy must be destroyed."

"Irrelevant? IRRELEVANT?" Shinji's voice was choked with tears and yet, very firm, "Is Touji's life IRRELEVANT?! Father you-"

"AHHHH-!!!" Asuka's scream cut in, and everyone turned to see a lengthy black stream connecting to Unit 02's neck. The black stream being the Angel's arm, stretched to an unbelievable extent, and slowly, but surely, squeezing Unit 02's neck.

"My God," Maya cried out, "it's going to crush her neck!" she looked to Makoto, "Cut all nerve connections! NOW!"

Just as the final nerve connections were severed and all synchronization with Unit 02 cut, the final armor broke and Unit 02's neck collapsed beneath the pressure of the Angel's grasp. The Angel threw the Eva a couple hundred meters to the left, then it's arm retracted to a normal length, and its gaze came to rest upon Rei and Unit 00. Only Ikari could have maintained such a calm after such an easy defeat of their veteran Eva pilot.

"Eject Unit 02's entry plug, send a recovery team," Gendo ordered clearly, "Unit 00 engage the Angel at a distance and provide cover fire while Unit 01 sorties."

"U…Understood," Rei said slowly as she lowered her weapon to a level degree with the Angel. Although he displayed no hint toward it, Gendo was very unnerved at Rei's uncommon response.

'Can I?' Rei thought, 'can I take the life of another? Is it even truly necessary? Is it possible…that…the Commander…is in…error?' Rei was unable to finish that thought as the Angel lifted itself into the Air and pounced upon Rei's Eva, knocking it to the ground and the rifle out of its hands. The Angel pinned Unit 00 down to the ground, and it opened its mouth and a thick, soupy acid seeped from its mouth and into the arm of Unit 00, causing veins of infection to appear and slowly snake up the arm.

"The Angel is attempting first level nerve contamination!" Maya announced, "54 seconds to complete contamination of the left arm!"

"Sever the arm." Gendo ordered.

"But-" Maya tried.

"NOW," Gendo shouted.

Unit 00's left arm was violently ripped from its body as Maya forced herself to enter the command codes, despite the fact that Rei was still fully connected to her Eva. Rei let out a small scream of pain and she immediately grabbed at her left shoulder with her right hand and held it tightly, holding back the urge to cry freely.

"Pilot has sustained some nerve damage…it…looks like it can be repaired, but Unit 00 and Rei cannot continue to battle…" Shigeru reported.

"Eject Unit 00's entry plug," Gendo ordered, then paused, "Unit 01, you will now engage the target."

"Father! I can't! I can't kill another human being! Much less…my best friend…"

"That is irrelevant!" the Commander shouted in a rare outburst, "You will attack the Angel and destroy it, that is your purpose!"

"NO!" Shinji shouted, "I CAN'T!"

"Damnit!" Gendo shouted. His teeth were clenched and his fists in balls on the command deck, "Alright! Cut off all of Unit 01's nerve connections and engage the Dummy System!"

"Sir, I don't think-" Maya started.

"Do it now," Gendo said icily, "or I will find someone else who can."

"Y-yes, s-sir," she responded meekly, then tapped some commands into the system. "Dummy system…coming online now, sir."

Gendo eased back into his chair and let an evil grin slip onto his face as the dummy system whirred within Shinji's entry plug.

The red lights within the plug were odd to Shinji, as it made the LCL look like the blood its taste resembled. Then the click. And the whirr of a spinning drive. He looked back and red the letters on a small case under his chair as the massive arms of the Angel took advantage of the quiet Eva and wrapped its hands around his Eva's neck, attempting to break it like Unit 02's.

"FATHER!? WHAT IS THIS!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Shinji screamed pleadingly. He only received silence that made Shinji feel even more uneasy…then the lights of the viewscreen came back on. Unit 01's eyes now glowed red and its jaws separated and a growl was loosed from them. Unit 01's arms came up slowly and gained their own grip on the Angel's neck and began to fight back under the control of the ruthless dummy system.

There was silence in the control room in awe of the two giants doing battle. Then the klaxons began blaring.

"Oh my God! Not now!" Hyuga yelled.

"What is the situation?" Gendo asked calmly.

"We have a hacker attempting to break into the MAGI!" Shigeru answered. "My God! My God! My God!"

"This isn't possible!" Hyuga screamed, "Too fast! Too fast!"

"We have multiple break-ins!" Maya yelled.

"What!? Oh my God! There's 4 hackers!" Hyuga looked down at his screen in disbelief, "NO! THIS ISN'T POSSIBLE! The hackers are going faster than all three of the MAGI! It's the same pattern as the 11th ANGEL!"

"Running trace…" Shigeru's screen went blank, "They've shut me out of the I/O system!" Similarly, the screens of Central Dogma began to shut down. "They're shutting us all out! There's nothing we can do!"

As the din of noise died in the Command Center, all that could be heard were Shinji's unanswered screams of protest as the neck of the 13th Angel was beginning to snap under Unit 01's grip.

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To be continued...

Next Episode: Deliverance / Betrayal

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Author's Notes: I'll be pretty busy over the next week, but I'll try to finish Chapter 5 before Thanksgiving and post it before or on the holiday so all you lucky kids who are off (damn work!) can read it. Laterz.

Love n' Pizza

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