The Re-Take series (raw and translated) can be found at: http/www.deadfrog.us/index.php and do a search there for STUDIO KIMIGABUCHI. I thank you, Spore for translating this story. Now if I knew your e-mail address...

Neon Genesis Evangelion: RE-TAKE 2

About a week after Ayanami II committed suicide, Asuka and I were STILL going at it like there was no tomorrow in my room. While we were resting, our cell phones rang. We had a good idea of what it was about, so only Asuka picked up. We were to report to NERV immediately- the 15th Angel finally showed up...

While waiting to be deployed, by thoughts went back to what happened to Ayanami. 'I must stop thinking about it. No matter how much I try to avoid it, the fact is that my words killed her. I had no right to think of -maybe- or -perhaps-... because I chose Asuka.' Mistato-san's voice over the comm roused me from my meditation. She said exactly what I did NOT want to hear. "Unit-02 leads... do you copy?"

"Misato-san! Why am I not leading?"

"Eh? Commanders orders. Why?"

'Dammit. That bastard strikes again.'

Misato-san elaborated on why. "The target's abilities are unknown, so keeping Unit-01 behind and having Unit-02 attack to test the target's strength is a sound strategy." While that made sense, I knew what'd happen if Asuka did attack- her positron cannon would not be able to quite reach the Angel, and it would rape her mind, causing damage that would take quite a while to heal. "But-" I started.

"Shinji, what're you doing? Can't believe in my skills, huh? Well, just you watch. Take a rest on the sidelines, today, Shinji."

I resolved myself to what I knew I had to do. "I'm sorry, Asuka. I'm afraid I can't do that. Eva 01, Shinji Ikari, HASHIN!"

Misato-san tried to protest, but 'father' allowed it. And then he had the sub-commander awake the third Ayanami... So what took so long? When I was almost to the surface, the Angel had focused it's attack right where I was going to come out. But when I reached the surface, I immediately raised my AT field to such a degree that the Angel couldn't touch me and then I concentrated it into a suitable form to throw it all the way up and pierce its AT field. At least this time, we still have the Lance of Longinus. Maybe I'll get to use it when those nine white Evas show up...

After the battle, Asuka came to see me in the locker room. At that point, I was feeling pretty confident of my power. Arrogant, even. Pretty convenient, as I had already removed my plugsuit. So, I took her, right then and there against the lockers. Odd thing though- why are there so many lockers if there are are only Asuka, Ayanami and I as pilots?. There won't be any more Chosen Ones- Touji has no Eva anymore, Unit-04 self-destructed in Nevada and took the facility and much of the surrounding area with it, Kaworu is the Fifth, (but he'll use 02, not that he's gonna live long enough this time to use it.) and Units 05 and up are piloted by Dummy Plugs. The rest of the staff have their own changing rooms. Meanwhile, Asuka tried to tell me that Ayanami had come in and that she'd see. Not that I really cared.

After we were finished, that other Asuka appeared again.

"The First... she noticed."

"Heh. So she did..."

"Despite that, you sure came a lot. You were exited because someone else was watching, am I right? The great genius Shinji-sama was really a huge perv."

"Not that it matters. She's the third one, anyway."

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A while later, I had to check in with Dr. Akagi. She wanted to know how I was doing.

"Piloting an Evangelion is a job which is highly taxing on you. It would not surprise me at all if something was wrong with you. So I'd appreciate it if you answered my questions truthfully. When you are alone, do you see things that should not be there?"

Trying not to make it sound like I really did, I answered, "... Nope. Nothing. I don't see anyone." 'Even if I did tell her, she wouldn't believe me.'

"Okay. That's all. You may leave now."

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Later that night, Asuka and I were watching TV in the living room, deciding what to have tomorrow for dinner, when she said, "Shinji... Marry me." since I was not really listening too closely, I just replied, "Okay." But then she went on to say, " Good. Let's decide on where to hold it."

Oh, crap. "Eeeeh!"

"What, you don't wanna?"

"Bb-b-b... but we're still minors! In Japan, you can't marry until-"

She cut me off. "I know. You think I'm stupid? It'll be alright if we only have the ceremony."

"Still... normally wouldn't we wait a bit longer before-"

"YOU IDIOT! Do you really think of yourself as 'normal'? Do you really think we'll grow up to be normal adults? We're different from Aida or Hikari! We have no promised future like they do! We don't even know if there IS a tomorrow! All we have is the now! You and I... we're not kids anymore. We have no choice. In eight months that is..."

Oh, NO. "Eh? Asuka, are you..."

"Yeah. I'm okay with it though. If you don't want to, I can take care of the baby myself."

I couldn't let that happen. Not to my child. After all, Asuka never knew who her father was, since her mother went to a (exclusive) sperm bank. And MY father was too involved in planning Instrumentality, building the Evas, and setting up NERV to take care of me after Mom was assimilated into 01 to be concerned with raising me. So I stepped forward, hugged her, and said, "Let's get married, Asuka. I'll... Always be with you. Forever."

She tightly hugged me back and began to cry. "O...okay." After that, we had a lot of invitations printed up and gave them out to almost everyone. After I gave invitations to Aoba and Hyuga when I saw them in the hallway, father came up behind me and demanded what I was doing. "You should be awaiting orders."

Trying to make this as smooth as possible, I said, "Father... Asuka and I are getting married. Please... attend the ceremony."

"Hmph. How foolish. That kind of game-"

I interrupted him before he could finish that remark. "It is a game. But- the heart does not lie."

"Do as you will. I'm leaving for Matsushiro early that day. I will be unable to attend, barring a sudden change of plans. So, I'll send Fuyutsuki instead."

Now THAT surprised me. As he turned and started to leave, I stammered, "Ah- Err... Father! Your invitation!" But he just raised his hand and showed me that he already had one. Asuka must have given it to him. So I called after him, "Th- Thank you, Father!"

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I later encountered Ayanami in the hall, and I brought her out to the little garden where she had told me how she'd wanted to hold my hand again. "I thought we had to have a talk..."

"What must I talk with you about, Ikari-kun?"

"I never... said anything useless. I was just able to discover that I always avoided you, Ayanami. I couldn't help it. You frightened me. You were... too close to me. Because I liked you, Ayanami. I've decided to live with Asuka for the rest of my life. But you... I thought that your very existence would threaten that. THAT is what frightened me... I hurt you and pushed you away... Then pretended I did not notice."

"...It is no use apologizing to me."

"You know that... You saw it all, didn't you?"

"...Yes."

" But it matters not. To me, you are simply you. An important person to me... who I want to protect."

"No. I cannot forgive you... for no inviting me to the wedding tomorrow..."

"Eh... Th... Thank you! Here's you invitation!"

"..." Ayanami looked a little puzzled.

"You wouldn't happen to have one already, would you?"

"No... From whom would I have received one?"

"Ah... It's nothing. It's going to be held in the third cafeteria at 6 PM.

"Ikari-kun. Could I ask you something?"

"Sure, Ayamani. What is it?"

"What is a wedding?"

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When I finally got back home, I saw Asuka sitting at the living room kotatsu, looking a little depressed.

"Hmm. You've been busy, haven't you? I'm not good enough anymore. They told me to step down from piloting 02."

"WHAT?"

"Well, it's no surprise. Being a pilot with a sucky sync rate like mine is impossible. But don't get too worked up about it. I was expecting it, so I'm not really disappointed. Kind of... anticlimatic, actually."

"Really? Then what's with the tears?" I went over, bent down and hugged her for support. Then she started to break down.

"It- it's gone... My... shelter has vanished. Where am I? Shinji?"

"... You're here, Asuka. From now on... You can stay here."

"... Can I really stay here? I'm so relieved..."

"...Asuka?" Well. She fell asleep. Better put her to bed.

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After I placed her on her (or is it our?) bed and walked away, she grabbed my shirt in her sleep. Then the OTHER Asuka just had to show up.

"Don't get too comfortable."

"You again? What do you want?"

"What's with the cold shoulder? I just wanted to give you some advice."

"Go away before I get angry..."

"It's still not too late. Get ahold of yourself. You don't have what it takes to be a father. You DID leave me to die, after all."

"I'm sorry, Asuka. I don't know whether or not if I do have the right stuff, but I WILL 'become' a father. So... I can't be yours."

"What...are you talking about? Have you forgotten what you did to me? You think you have the right to say things like that to me!"

"My heart is my own."

"NO! You're mine! All of you! NOBODY ELSES!"

Still kneeling next to Asuka, I placed my hand over her womb. "Sorry, but my life is this child's. I know now. I will fight to protect this moment... to protect 'now'. I will raise this child. That's the reason why I'm here."

"... You'll regret it."

"No, I won't. No matter how hard every struggle is, I won't run away. I'll endure until the end."

"That's not what I'm talking about. ...You really are an idiot."

Before the bandaged Asuka could continue, the citywide Angel alarm went off. "We'll have to continue this conversation later. I gotta go and kill the 16th Angel." Then I woke MY Asuka up and we went to NERV.

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All three of us were deployed for what I knew would be the last time that we'd work together as a team. Despite Asuka's condition (and ignoring the fact she was just taken off piloting duties), she had to pilot 02, and even had to lead off.

"Why is Asuka being sent out to attack? She's very..." I started to say to Misato-san over the plug's comm.

"I'm sorry, Shinji-kun. I know I don't have to right to say this, but, please- keep Asuka safe."

'No problem. My AT field is strong enough that I should be able to keep the Angel from invading anyone... No... I WILL defeat it!'

"Shinji. I really don't like sitting around waiting like I did last time." Asuka's voice came over the plug's speakers. "So I'm happy that we're going together this time. I'll bail you out if you get into trouble, alright Shinji?"

"Thanks, Asuka."

When the Angel fused it's double helix structure and moved to attack me, I raised my AT field to block and contain it. But for some reason, my AT field would not become strong enough to do it! While I was struggling to raise my AT field's strength, Asuka and Ayanami opened fire with their rifles. Of course, they didn't work. Come to think of it, there was only one Angel where they were much use- the one that looked like a big spider that showed up at the same time the power to the whole city went out.

"Why... WHY! Up until now, I had such a strong AT Field... So why now of all times is it not working!" My now weakened AT Field was insufficient to stop the Angel from penetrating. I prepared myself for the pain of being tentacle-raped right through my Eva's armor, but it never came- Asuka had stepped in front of me and grabbed it!

"Nobody touches Shinji without my permission! You... monster!" With newfound ability, she lifted it away from me, and it's far end split into multiple parts. I tried to warn her but Unit-02 was now being invaded by the Angel.

Over the radio, I heard Misato-san give the order to eject the plug, but Lt. Ibuki replied,

"It's not working! The signal is being refused! It's not transmitting!" That's something you never want to hear- not being able to eject. But what I heard next was something I wanted to hear even less. Big surprise, considering who it was that said it.

"As of this moment, Evangelion Unit-02 is classified as discarded. Transmit the self-destruct code." We tried to protest, but that never works against my 'father'.

"STOP, FATHER! DON'T DO IT! I'LL KILL YOU! I SWEAR I WILL! SOMEHOW, I WILL KILL YOU!"

"Ignore him. It's still not too late. If Unit-01 is infected as well, we are lost."

"MISATO-SAN! DON'T DO IT!"

She didn't really have to. Hyuga noticed something. "Wait! This is... This is Unit-02's self-destruct code. It has already been activated!" Asuka had input it herself. I started to run toward 02 and get Asuka out of there myself, but Ayanami tackled me, knowing how big of an explosion 02 would make.

"Let GO! LEMME GO, AYANAMI!"

Then my father gave the order to shut down 01 and had Rei drag me out of the way of the detonation.

That was it. I couldn't take it anymore. Asuka and our baby were being taken away from me."DAMN IT! FUCK! SHIT! GOD DAMN IT!" I exclaimed as I was yanking on the control handles.

"Rei, look after that idiot... for me..." Asuka weakly said as Ayanami was 'retrieving' me.

"...Roger."

"...Someone... Someone please save Asuka! SAVE HER! There is an unborn child inside her, damn it... So somebody please save her. Save her. Please..." I confessed. Everyone on the bridge that had a heart choked up at or secret. There was no going back now...

"Honestly- Shinji you idiot. I thought we were going to keep it a secret until after the wedding, and here you are, spilling the beans!"

"I wanted to surprise everyone... Asuka... and.. Stop crying, it's so unseemly. But... But..."

"Well, I guess it's no use. You're... such a crybaby. Ah... I... received something precious from you... that I'll never forget... Really. Even now at the very end... I... I'm sorry." And with that, Evangelion Unit-02 exploded, creating the Third Ashino Lake. ---------Ithink. Could be wrong..--------

"UUUUUUUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! ASUKAAAAAAA!"

"Raise the LCL pressure to maximum. Shut him up." Those were the last words I heard from 'father' before I blacked out from the pressure.

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Meanwhile, a lone figure stood outside the city and watched the detonation.

"Heh... It's totally different from what I heard. The scenario is getting out of hand. How should I put it... It seems that things are getting interesting..."

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Is Asuka really dead? How will Shinji deal with it? Will Kaworu be turned into a glass of fresh-squeezed Angel juice? And what will happen when SEELE attacks? All this and more, next time on Neon Genesis Evangelion: Re-Take. Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.