Chapter One ' How it began '

Chairman Keel sat listening to Vivaldi, and checking the time on a fifty year old Rolex watch.

' At long last, the final round begins Ikari. Yet one more time we will play the game out, and I've opened Pandora's box itself to ensure the correct outcome.'

The clock stuck twelve, and his face took on a rare smile.

' The fate of destruction is the joy of rebirth. Welcome home my dear, and good bye my Judas. '

**

In a NERV deep freeze, an unearthly sound echoed through the air. All around the towering red form of Evangelion Unit Two, technicians began to panic, as it pulled at its restraints. Inside the entry plug the pilot's EEG went flat after 23 seconds of feedback her plug suit failed to filter out.

' This shouldn't be HAPPENING! '

' Doctor, we need options, and a living pilot! Snap out of it! '

Misato tried to bring her old friend back to reality, as failsafe after failsafe, stopped functioning.

' This isn't possible! We cut the power, and battery ran down two minutes ago! The A-10 nerve is transmitting in reverse! The EVA is in control, and there's not a damn thing we can do! '

Misato took a deep breath, and spoke calmly.

' Ritsuko, listen to me. You need to stop that thing. If you don't, I'll have to order it to the launch pad, and send out Shinji, and Rei to stop it. '

The Doctor's ice cold resolve continued to break down, as Commander Ikari entered the room.

' Status report, Doctor. '

Misato spoke up.

' We need to get the pilot out, while there is still no AT field. Let me sent in Unit One with a prog-knife, and . . '

Gendo broke in coldly.

' Doctor, what is your report! '

' Nothings working. . . '

' Prepare Unit One to terminate the problem.'

Thirty seconds later, the EVA went silent.

**

Light came first, then a long forgotten feeling, of warmth. Opening her eyes, she saw a standard Gehirn hospital room. The layout so familiar, she could remember designing it over cold coffee some ungodly hour of the night.

Putting her feet on the cold ground, she could feel the weakness in her legs as she stood. Her eyes fixed on the bathroom door, to her estimation twenty two steps away. Putting one foot in front of the other, she began her journey. She lasted five steps, before the floor reached up and dragged her down, hard.

> Damn it! <

She felt a warm arm reach around her and lift her up.

> Take you god damn hands off me, you bastard! Don't you know, who the hell I am! <

' Asuka, I'm trying to help. '

>What the hell are you talking about Ikari? Did you forget I loath your ass? <

Sitting her back onto the bed, she could see his face clearly. He looked skinnier, and his glasses were absent.

' You're talking in German Asuka, I don't understand. I'm going to get the nurse OK? '

Asuka, I remember that name. . .

Her mind drifted back in time to another of these rooms, and an other feeling of near total exhaustion.

She could picture it perfectly in her mind, holding her new born baby in her arms.

>Asuka. . . <

' Well son, at least she remembers her own name. '

' I think, she was saying she wanted to go to the bathroom. '

**

Internal cybernetics protested, as Chairman Keel removed his visor, without using the normal shutdown procedure. Right away his splitting headache began to fade, as a voice called out in the dark.

' Sir, it's time the official report has just come in. '

' Right on time. Summon Ikari to the chamber.'

' Should I get your wheel chair?'

' I'll meet them on my feet, or not at all. '

' Yes, Sir. '

He replaced the visor, and began his long walk to the small room that would connect him via hologram to Gendo Ikari.

' Promises to keep, and mile's to go, before I sleep. '

As he walked, his blood pressure went up by half a point as he realized every step was uniform in length, and took the same amount of time.

This is unfitting for a man in my station. Damn engineers never understand, except her. She understood greatness, and its cost. Even the first time I met her.

**

Many years ago, outside a seedy New Jersey strip club, half past two o'clock in the morning. A red haired woman, not yet twenty makes her way to a bus stop four blocks away. Reaching it, an elderly man sat on the bench, in an expensive business suit. Parked ten feet from a black BMW, that cost more then the bus that was to stop their shortly.

' You don't take a hint do you? '

' I try to, but only if I'm sure me message is received. '

' Most people would think; trying to pass a stripper a thousand dollar bill, is an indecent proposal. '

He smiled, as he spoke.

' Anyone that would think that, would be fool enough to think a young women, walking alone at night would be unprotected. '

' If you are that brat's father, you did a poor job teaching him manners! I'm pressing charges. '

' No, I'm afraid I've never found the time for a family. My name is Keel Lorenz, and I'm interested in your academic career. Your professors at Princeton speak well of your work, if not your way of speaking to them.'

Turning her head only enough to see his out of the corner of her eye, she responded.

' Keel Lorenz, is a billionaire that gives enough money to Princeton to have the Dean forward my class schedule. '

' Yes, but I wanted to see you for myself. I wondered if an orphan from Tokyo could actually hold two jobs, and afford a Princeton education. You must want to better your station in life, quite a lot. '

' One would think, a man smart enough to learn my life story, would be smart enough to not bring it up in a place like this. Some one that would think that, might end up like a certain rich boy with wondering hands.'

' If, my dear, you would open your mail, you'd realize I've invited you to my office before. Did you think it was one of the loan companies wanting a late payment?'

She stood and turned to him.

' I'm tired, and my ride is here. If you are Keel Lorenz, I'll meet you at your branch office in New York, the day after tomorrow. If not, I see you again and you'll regret it. '

She boarded the bus, and the old man smiled.

' Bloody wonderfull. '

Entering the hologram chamber Keel broke his train of thought.

Ikari's mind knows only obsession! He understands nothing of holding yourself to a higher standard, and his son is proof enough of that.

' Tell me Ikari, what is this I hear of trouble with Unit Two? '

**

Awaking again, the first thing she felt was the soft comfort that you just couldn't get on a hospital mattress. The blanket was too soft, and the futons elevation too low. Sitting up, Kyoko looked around the room.

Decent sized, a bit messy, and a faint hint of cooking food in the air. The confusion in her mind was forgotten, as she literally could not remember the last time she ate.

Standing, she became aware of another odd feeling, soft cotton on her skin.

It shouldn't feel alien, should it?

Walking to the door, she froze at the sight of a mirror. Something was wrong, her waist was too thin, her breasts too small, and her hair hadn't been THAT long in years.

What the hell?

The knock at the door made her mind go blank. As it slide open she laid eyes on a tall violet haired women, dresseds like trampy college girl.

' Oh you're up! Good! Shinji made a late breakfast for us, if you're feeling up to it. '

She turned and walked away.

Was that a Japanese prostitute?

Realizing that she was wearing a lose fitting T shirt two sizes to large and ratty shorts, she decided not to complain.

Walking to what seemed to be the kitchen, it still felt like walking in a dream. Nothing seemed ' real ', as she sat and began eating with out a word.

' So, how are you feeling? '

Looking up at the woman again, she struggled to understand her words.

> Asuka, are you OK? <

Hearing the familiar sound of German, she tried to remember Japanese.

' Your accent; sucks. '

' I see you're feeling better. '

Returning to her food, she didn't notice Shinji joining them.

Finishing her plate, she turned to look at him with a bit of rice stuck to her face.

' Ikari? '

' I know, when the EVA went crazy on me, I wasn't right for a few days. I'm glad your doing OK. '

She stood without a word, and walked back into her room. Shinji turned to Misato, looking a bit more uneasy then normal.

' Was I like that, when it happed to me? '

' The first day, yea, but I didn't know you too well, back then. Is there anything you didn't mention?'

' I didn't remember anything . . then that first night it all came rushing back. '

' I'll sleep out here tonight, Shinji. So I can peek in on her and keep an eye on her. '

Shinji smiled just a bit.

' That's nice of you. '

Misato walked to the kitchen to get another beer, stopping for a second as she passed Shinji.

' You've got school, you should get some sleep. I know your worried, don't be. Asuka's tough she'll get through this just fine. '

She lay on the bed, staring at herself in the mirror.

' Not right, just not right. . . '

Images of a toddler filed her half awake mind.

' Asuka, is that you, baby? '

The girl in the mirror refused to answer, as sleep crept over her only half-aware mind.

Kyoko exited the elevator and walked into an office about the same size as the lobby she entered it from. Two men dressed in black flanked the exit, but made no move to stop her.

' Gentlemen. '

Moving to the center of the office, she met the old man from the bus stop, sitting at simple desk with a smile on his face.

' Greeting my dear. '

' Mister Keel, I presume. '

She took a seat as he continued to speak.

' My dear if I may ask. Why are you working so hard to go to a school that cost so much? You turned down scholarships to lesser institutions. '

' Princeton is the only university in America that teaches Meta-physical biology. I wanted to learn, so I did what I needed to do. '

' I see, and why not go in Japan? '

' There, I am a half breed, here I'm an exotic red haired Asian girl. Certain doors open when people think of you one way, and certain doors close when they think another. '

' I see. Now why pin your hopes on a new science with an uncertain future? '

' Their is nothing uncertain about Meta-biology. It means biological machines the likes of which were impossible before. Government's will want that technology, and they will need people to create it. Think of it like getting into physics in 1941. '

' Do you want to be Oppenheimer? '

' In a matter of speaking. I want a place in history, like Einstein. '

' You know Oppenheimer was removed from his post after the bomb was built? He was a communist in his younger years, and even thought he'd long changed his views the American government removed him once he was no longer needed. '

' I'm aware of the story, Sir. '

' Then why not put your talents to work else ware? '

' Because I'm damn good that Meta-Biology, Sir. Also it is the most difficult subject I've found, and I can do it well. I'd like to make my mark there.'

' Have something to prove? '

' No, I want greatness. To be a respected figure, in a cutting edge field. That would mean something. '

' To your parents? '

' No, to an ugly orphan gaijin no one cared about. '

' You don't need anyone's approval but your own, I like that. I also like that you feel the need to push yourself. I have one more question for you . . . '

She cut in.

' If you ask me for a hummer, I'll break your jaw before your goons get over here. '

The old man broke out in a rare moment of laughter.

' My dear, I was referring to circle's you'll need to walk in to reach your goal. Are you willing to walk with serpents, knowing full well what that entails?'

' I'm willing to do anything to get what I want Sir, but I do have my limits. I'll be damned if I sell my soul for a damn thing. No one could afford it. '

' My dear, I like your character, as well. Their are few people left in the world willing to take the long hard path to greatness. Some times one must deal with the Devil, but few have the will to do so on their own terms knowing full well they will be burned.

' Do you have you an offer to make Sir? '

' That I do. I'll see to your debts, and give you thirty thousand for future costs. In exchange to you work for me for five years, and consider a government appointment arranged by me at the end. '

' You want a mole, or an agent in a government lab don't you? Some one to ensure your company is ready to supply what ever they need, and rake in billions in contracts.'

' The Military-Industrial Complex, makes the world go round, my dear. '

' I'm in. '

Next: Ice Cold Words

Chapter Two: Ice Cold Words.

Misato reluctantly opened her eyes, and tried to remember why she slept on the lumpy couch. The smell of breakfast prevented her from just going back to sleep.

“ I need another beer, to clear my head. ”

“ Glad to know you're into clean living. ”

Seeing Asuka at the stove, Misato made double take.

“ There's nothing but eggs, cheese, rice, and some crap that looked like squid. I hope you like scrambled eggs.”

“ I didn't know you could even cook? ”

“ I learned in college, because dorm food is crap. ”

“ How did you sleep? ”

She was silent for a minute, as she finished cooking and brought a big bowl of eggs to the table with three plates.

“ About four hours. ”

“ Think you need to see Ritsuko? ”

“ I'm fine. You want some coffee, or a raw egg? ”

Misato squinted, and turned her head to the left just a bit.

“ How do you know a hangover cure ?”

“ I went to University in Germany, sweetheart. ”

“ Kaji, never mentioned he let you drink. ”

The girl looked up from her plate of eggs, and smiled.

“ He didn't mention he left me alone a lot. It used to make me so mad when he'd tell me he was working, then he'd come home smelling of perfume and booze. ”

Nice work Kaji! Tomcatting around and she's getting drunk, sheesh.

“ Well, I'm going to lay down a while. Get Ikari out here before his eggs get cold. “

Walking back into her room, as Misato put on a pot of coffee, she closed the door and looked in the mirror again.

“ Thank you baby, I had to read your diary to fit in. I'm sorry, but I'll figured things out, and everything will be OK. ”

She sat at her daughters desk, and opened the book she found under her pillow.

Scanning the page about Kaji again, her blood boiled just a bit at how her daughter was being taken care of.

Looking down at the book she continued to read.

I caught that Baka pervert staring at me twice today! Misato just laughs

at me when I tell her about it. Like I enjoy having that boy undress me with

his eyes!

It's not fair! I lived with Misato before, and when I get here there's Shinji. If I

got to live with Mr. Kaji like I wanted I wouldn't care, but this is too much.

Baka Shinji is so house broken! He cooks and cleans apologizes for everything! It's

not like the boy can't pilot, but take him out of the Eva and he's just a wimp.

I can't stop thinking about that pervert and what he's probably doing to our

clothes while he washing them!

Great I either have a kid trying to hump me in my sleep, or my kids got a thing for Ikari's demon spawn.

I was so afraid to . . .if that pig touched her I'd have killed him. This Misato seems to be a whore. How the hell, did she get operational command of the Evangelion? Think Kyoko! Your girls fourteen, and probably had a crush on that guy. This Misato could be a fine officer, that according to the page I'm reading flirts with Ikari's son.

Son of a bitch! Where is my fucking HUSBAND!

Breathe, . . .think. You need answers.

Last thing you remember you were in the prototype plug suite and trying to salvage the program after Yui . . . shit! That boy in the next room, he's that brat of hers, that she was always bringing to the damn lab.

Opening Asuka's wallet, she noted its contents.

Loose change, a rail card, a NERV ID that pointed her age at thirteen and a half.

Looking in her back pack she noticed a cell phone with three numbers in it. Misato, Hikari, and Baka.

“ Fuck. ”

Dressing in of all things a school girls out fit, she grabbed the wallet, and headed out of the room.

“ Hi, Asuka! Thanks for breakfast. ”

The brown haired boy smiled at her.

“ Ikari, I need to go meet Hikari, I'll be back later. No going though my underpants while I'm out ! ”

“ Umm, OK. . . ”

After watching her leave, Shinji walked to Misato's room and knocked on the door.

“ Come in. ”

Entering, he saw Misato sitting on her futon with a laptop.

“ You have a computer? ”

“ Paperwork. ”

“ Umm I think something wrong with Asuka. ”

“ What was the first clue? ”

**

Walking down to the street corner, she felt a strange feeling come over her.

I saw this place on the drawing board. They really built this fly trap of a city, just the way Ikari wanted.

At least Asuka keeps herself in good shape. I don't feel tired at all. Also, hardly any makeup in her room. Confidence in how you look is good for a girl . . .her age. . . Oh, hell. Baby, you did grow up while I was in that monster. Damn! I want to talk to you! Do you even know were I whent? Why the hell are you living with that frat girl, and Ikari's bastard spawn? Did you lose you Father too?

Turning a corner and spotting a train station ahead she continued walking.

**

Misato walked into Ritsuko's office, and looked around.

Her desk was mess with a month's paperwork, falling onto the floor. The ashtray was overflowing mocking a no-smoking sign on the wall.

“ She calls me a slob, this place is a dump. ”

“ Sempai? ”

Turning around she saw Maya entering behind her.

“ Nope, just me. Seen the good Doctor lately?”

“ Oh, Hello Ma'am. No, I was supposed to meet her in the EVA tank twenty minutes ago. ”

“ Please, call me Misato. Thats odd, Ritsuko's never late. Hey that wouldn't be Unit Two you were looking at would it?”

“Umm, yes, Ma'am”

The technician seemed on edge.

Why does she get like this, whenever Ritsuko isn't around?

“ She wanted me to give her an update on Asuka's condition. Can you just fill her in later? ”

Looking a bit unsure and, she stuttered as she spoke.

“ S-sure I'll l-let her know. ”

“ Thanks! She didn't seem to remember anything about what happened until last night. Does that mean anything? ”

“ Umm, I don't think so. Its a lot of feedback on her brain. Anything else? ”

“ I'd say forgetting how to speak Japanese, but she does that whenever she's annoyed at Shinji. ”

The tension bled out of the younger women, as she laughed, and Misato knew she had her opening.

“ Hahaha! Living with those two must be interesting. ”

“ The physical scans check for signs of hanky-panky right? ”

Maya blushed at the mention of sex.

“ You really think we need to look? ”

“ Hard to tell. They're still afraid to touch each other. Once they realize they might like touching, I'll need a MAGI terminal in my house. ”

“ You should just get a place in the Geo-font like Sempai. They can run a secure terminal in easy. . .Oh I wasn't supposed to mention that. ”

I though she lived by the river? What the hell did I just stumble onto?

“ Its fine Maya. I'm the Operations Manager, I needed to do the security on the place. Remember level two clearance and up for things like that. ”

“ I will Ma'am, I mean Misato. ”

“ She's not acting like herself in general. Using different words than she normally does. Not picking on Shinji, like always. Is she just out of it? I don't mean to bug you with this, its just that Shinji slept one day away, and then he was fine.”

“ None of the tests we ran after it happened turned up anything. If I had to guess I'd say that she can connect with the Eva better then Shinji, so she took more feedback. Giver her a few days and if she's not back to normal, bring her in. ”

“ Thanks, Maya. I just worry about them, being so young and all. Oh, one more thing. Asuka, how long till she's ready for another synch test? ”

“ Oh, she's got time. We need to run a full battery of tests on the Two. Rei and Shinji are the only ones on active duty right now. ”

“ OK, then. Tell Ritsuko I stopped by. ”

I came down here to find out anything Ritsuko might be hiding about Unit Two, and I find another mystery. Asuka's more important than this, but I'll look into it later.

She picked up her cell phone and dialed a number from memory.

“ I need a location on the second child. ... What do you mean you don't know?”

**

Kyoko sat on the train listening to her heart beat.

Could be worse I guess. I'm not a grandmother.

Over the sound of the train and her own thoughts she heard raised voices from the next car.

“ What do you mean you don't have any money!?”

Looking over her shoulder, she could see a school girl lying on floor,with a teenage boy standing over her.

“ Oh, this is just fuck-tastic! ”

Getting up and walking to the other car, with an annoyed look on her face.

Damn maternal instinct!

The thug bent down over the girl, and spoke.

“ You need to learn to pay! ”

Noticing his legs were spread just enough as he bent over, she took position right behind him. One well placed kick to the testicles, sent the man to ground with a goan.

“ Aaaaaaa. . . . ”

She took a minute to kick him in the head, just to keep him where he was long enough for the train to stop.

“ Be have yourself. ”

Picking the blue haired girl off the floor and hurrying off the train before he had a chance to recover.

“ You shouldn't ride in a car alone if you can . . .help . . . it. ”

Her blue eyes met Rei's unnatural red eyes, and a cold chill down her spine. Her face was worse.

Yui? No, it couldn't be . . . crap.

For a long minute they stared at each other, until Rei turn to walk away.

“ Thank . . .you. ”

“ What the hell are you? ”

“ I am the pilot of Evangelion Unit Zero. ”

Hearing the girl talk in a distant cold tone made her stomach turn. She began to walk back to the station, as her mind drifted back yet again.

**

“ What do you mean by failed salvage? ”

“ My dear, they failed to extract her from the Eva. Though Ikari has other ideas for . . ”

Kyoko cut Keel off.”

“ Why the hell did they have Akagi running things? I'm the number two, on the project. I'm the one, pitching a method of coring these monsters, that involved a women dissolving herself into a damn Eva core, and coming out again! What where they thinking, using Akagi? ”

“ What did I tell you about Ikari? ”

She took a second to think, before responding.

“ He's using her, because he knows he can control her? ”

“ More than likely, yes. Though I'd have thought his affection for his wife would override his arrogants. ”

“ Is Seele as on edge about Yui getting her husband the top job? ”

The chairman removed a hand rolled Cuban cigar from a hundred year old box, and lit it.

“ My dear, the man is a linguist. He translated the scrolls, yes. Though giving him any real authority is a stretch. Think of it, a husband and wife team, controlling man kinds fate. If one wanted to shape the future to his or her will, what better conspirator could they ask for?”

“ Why isn't he running the construction of the German base again? ”

“ I know you're angry, Kyoko, but please control yourself. The situation has changed. Yui is gone, and not coming back. Her supporters in Seele will be on her husbands side for the time being. He will have direct control of Lilith, and the Evangelion R&D unless we can show others have better ideas, that work. ”

She stared through the smoke, looking annoyed.

“ I wasn't going to allow, a coring method that was inhuman anyway. We build these things to run on dead mothers, and mothers will start to die. Yui never understood that. ”

Taking another puff of the cigar, he spoke calmly as though he had it all planned out.

“ Make certain the test goes well. Then we can deal with Ikari. I'm certain that naive women put herself in that monster, of her own free will. ”

“ What if I'm wrong, and the only way to form an AT field is with a core based on a dead womans connection with her child? ”

“ Then, we go into battle the only way we can. ”

**

He made a damn freak out of what he scraped from the plug when she didn't come back didn't he? The bastard probably calls it Rei. She wouldn't shut up about what they wanted to call the next kid.

Turning around, and looking at the neighborhood she was standing in, Kyoko decided getting back on the train was a good idea. After slotting her card and buying her ticket she sat on a nearby bench and waited.

Why am I even alive again?

“ Is the seat taken, my dear? ”

Looking behind her, she saw Keel Lorenze.

Next: Why

Chapter three: Why

Kyoko stood there for a full three minutes, trying to make herself believe it wasn't real.

If he's here, then this has to be real. Where am I, and how did I get here?

" My dear, I realize you've been through a great deal. Do you know who you are? "

" Your visor light is red, it shouldn't be. You're red-green color blind, and the input will confuse your brain. Must give you a hell of a headache . "

The old man grinned just a bit.

“ Welcome home, Kyoko. ”

She found herself looking at the ground as she spoke, unable to look up.

" You're more than half machine now, aren't you? "

" I got lung cancer, and it spread. There is little of me left, it seems."

She sat on the bench and continued looking at the ground.

" A poor choice of words on my part. Do you know why? "

She kicked a rock across the terminal, and spoke.

" I know that's a stupid question. If you believe in god or not, its all the same. You're here to live, and when people really ask that they just want to know how to live. "

" Same old Kyoko, despite the circumstances. "

She turned her head to the old man, and her face did not look happy.

" My daughter, where is she? "

" A complicated question. Do you remember the incident? "

" I know my stomach just turned, because you called it an incident, and not an accident. That bastard killed me, didn't he? "

" But of course. You dared imply the goddess called Yui was incorrect, and there was another way to core the Evangelion. "

" This conversation is . . . disturbing. I didn't die. It's like I blinked and I missed a decade."

“True, in a manner of speaking, but it's beside the point. You have three more days, five at most."

" Before what? "

" They learned how to chain a soul from what they did to you. Part of you managed to escape, but I fear it was too little, too late. Your original body is long gone, along with a large amount of yourself. Seeing as there were only ever two of you that understood soul physics, you can understand it took me time to figure out just what did happen. The part of you that escaped the core, could not function alone. It ended its life, and to my everlasting shame your daughter is the one that found it. "

Kyoko's face turned red, not unlike a angry schoolgirl.

" Mind your god damn tongue! You're talking about . . fuck . . . no other word for it is there? "

" No. I watched you daughter, as she grew. Your husband deserted his obligations to her in favor of a blond tart, closer to her age than yours. I offered her a scholarship at eight, to at least get her out of that environment. You'll be happy to know she's an accomplished girl, though a bit hunted. "

Kyoko cried a single tear, as she spoke.

" She had a diary, I know the basics. Tell me how you got me out, and why. "

Keel became intimately aware that his tear ducts no longer functioned and continued.

" My company makes replacement parts for the EVA you built. I waited until the right parts were either damaged in battle, or worn out. It took me a while, but I managed to weaken the bindings on the core, after it saw combat. "

" They really did come back, then? "

" Your daughter is the only real person to go thought the pilot program. Ikari sent his son out there with no training, and you've meet the doll he made in her image. That thing has no real will to live."

" Why didn't you . . .? If my husband . . . ? "

" I thought about taking her in, truly. Every financial quarter I take note that more than ten percent of my wealth is spent just on keeping me alive. Also there is at least one attempt on my life in that time frame. My life is not one I felt you'd have approved of as hers. I did watch her as best I could. "

" Get to it old man! I'm already dead, so that means I needed to borrow part of my kid just to be here! "

" I realized that would infuriate you. Though you must understand, she is disposable to Ikari. I have found myself the Pompei Magnus to his Caesar. He would end humanity, for but a moment with Yui with again. Your anger was expected, but it is in Asuka's best interests you return, for a time. Do you know the word Instrumentality? "

" Just from the dictionary. "

He removed a bright red school issue laptop from his jacket, and handed it to her.

" The detail are here. Remember to dispose of the original Asuka has in her room. "

" Why let me out to do this? “

“ NERV security ignores the children for the most part, and your skills let you take advantage of that. I wanted to give you a better end then that, Kyoko. This isn't what you want or deserve, but it's the best I could do. For that I am sorry.”

She was quite for a long while. Keel gave her time to absorb what she'd been told, and waited until she broke the silence.

“ You could just throw money at the problem until it goes away. Enough money on Ikari's head and he's out of your hair."

" But the greater heresy of Instrumentality remains. Your death removed the only voice Seele would hear over Ikari's. One of his reasons for removing you was he knew I would learn of Instrumentality before long, and I could have you reveal it for the fool's gold it is. Pandora's box has been opened, and it's taken a decade to get my hand on the lid once more. I would have you be our hope for a brighter future. "

" Why didn't you buy into this Instrumentality? "

" For all I've done to make my mark in life, for all I've accomplished in just a few generations my name will be forgotten. Not even the greatest of us can contend with time, and death. I know now that scraping for immortality was a fools errand. I want to put things right before I die, and I wanted to talk with you again before the end. "

" What about my daughter? "

" You are borrowing enough of her soul to function. As I understand it, if you two hadn't been cut from the same cloth so to speak, this would have never been possible. If you return to the core in the time frame I mentioned she will be fine. "

" She lives with a whore, and pervert. "

" The Major, despite her appearances, is not unlike your daughter. As for Shinji Ikari, all I can say is I see his father in him. The good and the bad, the best and the worst. Time will tell if he's the coward's son more than Yui's. "

After a long moment of silence a train pulled into the station.

" You need to go, our cover ends with this train. I may not be able to contact you again. Is there anything you'll need? "

Just say a dead husband. If he did what he was supposed to everything would be different for Asuka, at least.

They both stood, and she turned to him.

" When this war is over, have me deleted. "

" It's good you're not arrogant enough to try and live forever. "

She leaned in and hugged the old man, before getting on the train.

**

Ritsuko sat on the train, pain throbbing through her body the entire time. Around her, most people looked right through her, not wanting to see.

He was right, I can't afford to panic like that. I have a responsibility to the greater goal, and there is no one but me to blame for what happened.

The train slowed to a stop, and she walked past a red haired girl, out onto her street.

Moving in the direction of her apartment, the pain ever present as she went.

He's hard on me so I'll remember next time. Too much at stake for that kind of weakness. He wants us to make it through this. He loves me.

Ritsuko limped into her apartment. The clock on the wall read a quarter past two as she dropped her jacket on the floor along with her sunglasses. Wearing them at night in a country stuck in summer was a matter of need.

She entered the the bathroom, and turned on the light. Her left eye was black and blue. Blood was matted into her blond hair, and the pain in her leg was about right for a sprained knee.

" I need to remember a bottle of hair dye, next time I'm out. My roots are showing again. "

She made a poor attempt to smile to check her teeth. None were broken, this time.

" Stupid girl . . . "

**

Misato drove her car onto the surface roads from the train car that carried her from the Geo-front.

I need to get promoted again. Then when the head of Section Two tells me, that his multi-billion dollar operation, can't find one of the three underage children I need to run MY multi-billion dollar operation, I can scream at his ass and tell him to find the kid or ELSE!

Now, I need to find her myself. If she's hurt I'll kill her! OK, maybe I'll just take her David Hasselhoff CD's.

She turned her car onto her own street, and saw the girl walking empty handed in the direction of home.

Misato drove the block and a half to the apartment building she shared with the two children in her life.

Getting out of the car she walked to the entrance Asuka would have to use coming from that direction.

Slowly the red haired girl get closer, and Misato leaned against the wall to take the weight off her feet. As Asuka passed by Misato spoke.

" Where were you? "

" Out. "

" Young lady, you will need to do better then that. A lot better, actually. "

The girl stopped, and looked her guardian in the eyes.

" Listen, all I want is a cold shower. "

Something isn't right here, she not acting like herself.

" You left with out talking to me, and lied to Shinji about where you were going. What if something happened to you?"

" I just needed to think, thats all. I didn't mean to worry anyone. "

So you're all big eyed and sorry now? You should be ripping to me for treating you like a kid.

" Asuka listen, you are too important. Do you understand? "

The girl spoke softly.

" Yes ma'am. "

" Then why did just go off like that? "

" I . . just needed to think. I almost died Ma'am, I needed to think. "

Oh yea, something's wrong here.

Misato spoke in a calm soft voice.

" Upstairs, now. "

**

Maya woke up when she heard the water running. Sitting up in bed she looked at the clock and saw the time.

" OH, my. . . "

Standing up the first thing she felt was the sweat clinging to her body. The woman remembered just how much she wanted to take a shower when she got home.

I would have loved to even go for a quick swim in the river. I needed to be able to hear when Sempai got home.

Walking out of her own apartment, and walking next door. On reflex she removed the spare set of key she kept to her mentors apartment, for nights just like this. Entering she noticed the clothing on the floor, and her heart sank.

She walked into the bathroom, trembling all the way. Maya pulled back the shower curtain, and gasped.

" OH, MAYA ! Don't look. . . "

She looked like last time, and the time before. In the second it took Ritsuko to cover herself with the curtain she burned the details into her mind. The black and blue marks standing out against the paleness of her skin. The swollen knee, and the blood running down her face mixing with her tears.

" Ritsuko, why do you keep letting him do this? "

She leaned forward into the water flow and put her arms around her, as she spoke.

" Its all my fault. "

Next: The Sword Of Damocles

Chapter Four: The Sword Of Damocles

Kyoko put the last of the screws into the laptop, and booted it up.

A hard drive fits into your pocket better then the whole laptop, better to keep anyone from noticing.

She sat silently watching the machine boot, and feeling the water drip down her back from her wet hair.

It's starting to sink in now. I haven't felt anything in a long time have I? I think it was cold in there, and none too pleasant. Asuka baby, Momma's coming to get you out. As fast as she can, OK? I just need to put things right first.

Once the OS loaded, her hands danced across the keyboard out of reflex.

It took ten minutes to make it all clear to her. Ikari sacrificed her life like a chess piece, moving himself closer to Instrumentality. A unified mass of AT fields where human minds overlap, and form a sort of collective dream state. Lucid dreaming on a grand scale. Ikari could uses his Nephilim, to take collective control of that dream.

He killed me for this?Oh, I get it, Yui went into the core willingly like I did. Thing is, she didn't want to leave and he couldn't force her out. He has to win the war, so there will be nothing with an AT field big enough to affect dream land in the slightest. All of that, so he can be with his wife again, and I was a threat to that.

I'm sure he never once thought about what Yui wanted him to do. She may never have thought I could get the alternative core to work, but she wanted me to keep trying. Yui Ikari, would have thought that was insane. Is he that far gone, he doesn't realize that?

Her speed-reading skills came back like riding a bicycle, as she skimmed Ritsuko's medical records. Kyoko made mental notes as she went. She didn't even notice the door opening behind her.

“ Asuka, I think we need to talk. ”

Her blood turned to ice as she turned around. She saw her daughter's guardian in her normal state of undress.

This woman, takes care of MY daughter?

“ Yes, Misato? ”

“ We need to talk. You're not acting like yourself, and I think it's best we take you in for more tests.”

“ I'm fine. ”

The violet haired women sounded sincere, but Kyoko couldn't get the first image of her out of her mind.

You had to pick TODAY to be sober, didn't you?

“ Asuka, you might have contamination syndrome. I'm worried about you, and we need to make sure you're OK.”

Kyoko couldn't help but feel she was talking to a drunk, going through the motions of parenthood.

“ I almost died in that plug, OK! You don't know what its like in there! I'm entitled to take a damn walk to get over it ! ”

She watched a subtle but dramatic transformation in Misato, as her eyes narrowed and she leaned in close. She spoke firmly.

“ You damn well know, I'm aware of what it's like in that damn plug young lady! I've lived with contamination since I was your age, and you know what? If I need to drag your ass down the the Geo-front to keep your ovaries from getting scarred, and your blood from getting tainted, I will. Do not go off on your 'I don't want to have kids' rant either. We leave in an hour, pilot. Be dressed or not - we go either way.”

She left the room, and Kyoko turned back her plans.

So, that's the girl that saw the world end.

**

Maya watched the sun come up, as the train took her into the Geo-front. It was supposed to be her day off, but she was going into work. Ritsuko wouldn't be in today, the beating was too bad this time. The Commander was out of town, so she could cover.

If I'm lucky, he'll be away for a few days, and I can let her knee heal.

On the outside, she's so beautiful, so smart, so in control. Now, she almost looks like a broken statue, perfect, but broken.

Stepping from the train, and into the Gero-front mass transit entrance. Maya couldn't get what she'd seen from her mind.

Why does she let this keep happening? I know he's the commander of NERV, and he could probably do away with all of us. She doesn't have to apologies for him, and . . . doesn't have to . . .love him. Someone like her, is too good for this.

She walked into her mentor's office, and found Misato smoking by the 'No Smoking' sign.

“ Hay Maya, I thought you were off today. ”

“ Ritsuko has been working a lot. I'm letting her get some sleep. ”

The Major looked troubled as she finished her cigarette.

“ I have Asuka in the waiting room, and I need you to take a look at her. ”

“ Ma'am? ”

“ Maya I know you don't think anything is wrong, but . . .she's just not herself. ”

The younger woman's normal bright face seemed more depressed then normal, as she spoke.

“ Misato, are you sure it isn't anything else? I could go in there and poke and prod that girl all day if you want. Before I do please tell me you looked for anything else? Her file said she hasn't started her menstrual cycle yet. Have you talked to her? ”

Misato was taken aback by the normally quiet technicians words.

“ Everything was fine before the test, Maya. What else could have happened to make he act this way?”

Maya took on a rare sarcastic tone in her voice.

“ Teenager, remember. ”

Misato cringed, just a bit.

Now, I do miss Ritsuko. She knows how I spent my teens.

“ Misato, please, before I take the MAGI off important things like analyzing what happened to Unit Two, can you tell me you know it's not PMS? ”

“ Umm, no. ”

**

Kyoko sat in a cold white hospital room, trying to figure a way out of being probed too deeply. After about an hour of just sitting, the door opened and a young female technician entered.

“ Hello Asuka, do you know who I am? ”

“ No, I've seen you around, but . . . you know. ”

“ My name is Maya, and the Major asked me to see if you're alright. Is there anything you want to talk about? ”

Kyoko played the only card she could think of, and looked at the ground. She tried to sound upset as she spoke.

“ Not really. ”

“ Asuka, you know your mental state affects your ability to pilot, don't you? ”

“ Fine, she drinks, OK. ”

“ What? ”

“ My guardian, drinks like a fish. The first thing she does in the morning, is get a beer. First thing she does every morning is get a beer. I woke up after my accident, and I had to cook breakfast. Sorry if I'm causing trouble, but it pissed me off. I went for a walk to cool off, OK?”

Maya raised an eyebrow.

“ Does she really drink that much? ”

**

In the pitch black nowhere of cyberspace, Seele meets to discuss the fate of humanity, and one man in particular.

“ Gendo Ikari would be god. ”

The other members of Seele looked at Keel with skeptical eyes. A man with a British accent spoke up.

“ We all admit he's a jackal, but Ikari has little to gain and everything to lose. ”

A gruff voice with a Russian accent spoke.

“ Ikari has a Nephilim. Is the god-head really that far from his grasp?”

A French accent filled the room, as yet another voice made itself heard.

“ The scrolls tell us nothing of a betrayal. We should take this as . . . ”

Keels booming digitized voice broke in.

“ A wise man reads the scrolls and sees information to be used, a fool would think them the word of God. ”

Several of the voices echoed in the digital darkness. Their words were different, but the meaning was the same.

“ You don't believe ? ”

Keel replied in a flat even voice, that could have been describing the weather.

“ The Scrolls say the Angels will come, and they came. They said only a thing made in their image could stand in their path. The Evangelion did not grow from the earth at the command of God. We built them, through genius, through murder, through the strength of man alone. ”

Again the Frenchmen spoke.

“ You doubt the divinity of the Evangelion? Then why do what we do, Keel? ”

“ For the only thing that truly matters, the future. The barbarians are truly at the gates, and we stand on the walls. To think more than this, is obsession. The builders of the Evangelion were mortal. If you call their works divine then were Kyoko and Yui gods?”

“ . . . ”

“ Ikari has had a strangle hold on NERV for a decade now, and look what he's built. A half breed that can only serve him, the only mind left that can advance the EVA series in his grasp, and not a voice that dare speak against him. We are Seele. We brought mankind through the horror of Impact. We are men, and forgetting that makes us fools.”

The British voice speaks up.

“ Then why endorse Instrumentality for a decade Keel?”

An eerie electronic laughter filled the void and Seele collectively shuddered.

“ Why did you wait until I was sedated from surgery to vote on taking up arms against God? ”

“ . . . ”

Keels bionic hand pressed a switch on his chair and he thought to himself.

The die is cast.

A hologram of Unit Two in an early stage of construction joined them in the darkness.

“ Take notice of highlighted area; they indicate alterations to the beast. Alterations that doomed the alternative core program, and the last subordinate he could not control. ”

Before they could speak the hologram morphed and there was a gasp of disgust. The image was one of a barren apartment, and a man standing over a bloodied women. The audio kicked in, and Keel was grateful he had a stomach that could not turn.

Ikari stood over Ritsuko, with blood on his gloves. His voice was filled with rage.

“ I can not afford weakness! I can not afford incompetence! My instrumentality is at stake, and you will play your role! ”

Seele sat in silence as Ikari incriminated himself, while the beating continued. Keel spoke after fifteen minutes of disgust.

“ In case you need it pointed out, the one on the floor, bleeding, is the head of the E project. Do I need to remind anyone that we know he pushed her mother off the command deck, and called it a suicide? ”

“ . . . ”

“ Do I need to show you the rest, or can I be assured you'll all open your e-mails tonight? ”

“ . . . ”

“ Gentlemen if you left God behind long ago like myself, then stop trying to become Him. If you believe, then you know what happens to the proud when they take up the Throne. Either way talk of this endeavor as anything other then a work of men stops now. Unless anyone here wishes to try at removing me from my seat? ”

“ . . . ”

Next Rude Awakenings

Chapter Five: Rude Awakenings

Shinji carried a basket of laundry through the silent apartment, to his room.

I don't like this. Misato doesn't drink that much, and Asuka never really cared. The worst part was, Misato the way she sounded when she told me. It was like she felt betrayed, or something.

Shinji hated the way he could hear his own footsteps as he left his room, and walked to Misato's. He knocked on the door, and the sound echoed through the apartment.

After a minute with no answer, he slid the door open just enough to step inside.

" Misato, I'm sorry to disturb you, but is everything OK? "

He could see her kneeling on her futon, over her laptop. Misato's hair was still worn long, and she was still in the black dress she wore to take Asuka to the doctor. Her red bomber jacket was folded almost neatly next to her.

" Can I do anything for you? Hang up your coat maybe? "

Misato stood up, as she spoke.

"I don't think its a good idea to keep my jacket out there anymore, Shinji. I keep my gun in there after all. "

Misato walked close to him, puting her hand on his face, and spoke in a whisper.

" Shinji, I need you to do something for me, something very important. "

Her hand felt warm and her voice was soft. Shinji started shaking, as he spoke.

" . . . misato . . . "

The boy pulled back, and she responded.

" Please Shinji, it's for Asuka. "

The boy, forced himself to calm down, at the mention of her name.

" W-what do you need me to do? "

" Lie to her, please. "

**

Kyoko tried to focus on the task at hand, but she found herself looking in the mirror yet again.

It's not fair, that your diary is the closest thing I'll ever get to a conversation, with you. You need someone to take care of you, and I'll see to that before I go I swear.

Turning back to the computer, she forced herself to go over the plan again.

I need MAGI access, that will be my main weapon. A leek of information bad enough, will give Keel all he needs to gut NERV of Ikari's goons. The man himself . . . needs to die, no way around it, and the old Professor too. Misato seems to have a good record, but I know a drunk when I see one. I'm going to have to leave details of whose head to chop to the Chairman. I just don't have the time to kill people. If I did I'd give these things that pass for Evangelions, an overhaul. In a perfect world I'd never leave my baby again, but that can't happen.

The sound of her door opening made her close the laptop, and turn to see Shinji entering. Kyoko spoke in an angry voice.

" You know how to knock, asshole? "

" Asuka, why are you acting like this? "

Kyoko couldn't help but see his father standing there.

" Acting like what? Complaining about that drunken bitch? I hate to break it to you, but she's fucked up."

Shinji tried to sound angry, but his timid nature showed itself.

" R-really? She's better then the last guy my father had me live with. "

" That's sad. "

Shinji looked at the floor trying to think, as the red haired girl stood and walked right up to him.

" You in here for a reason, or do you mind getting the fuck out? "

Shinji looked at her, and saw almost everything he expected to see. She had soft pale skin, those crystal blue eyes, and that red hair every one kept staring at. Something was missing though he noticed as he spoke.

" Is this because I tried to kiss you, while you were sleeping? "

Anger seemed to fill her face, as she raised her left had and punched him in the stomach.

" Aaaa! "

" You made a large mistake, you bastard! "

Shinji's eyes narrowed, as he put the pieces together. He spoke in a troubled voice.

" Baka pervert. "

She grabbed him by the shirt and head-butted him in the face. Shinji dropped to the ground and continued to speak.

" You're not supposed to be left handed. . . "

She knelt down, and looked in his eyes as she responded.

" I'll give this to you straight, touching me is against the law to you. Imagine god sent another tablet down the mountain, just for you. It said ' Thou shalt not touch the German girl '. Understand me, pig? "

Shinji spoke meekly.

" You don't believe in god, either. "

Shinji cringed and put his hands up to defend his face, but another blow didn't come.

" Get it through your head, I'm off limits. "

She turned her back on Shinji, and went back to her laptop.

After a minute, Shinji got up and walked from the room, remembering to close the door behind him.

Without a word, he walked into Misato's room and knelt down beside her.

" Shinji, tell me everything. "

**

Maya sat at her mentors desk doing weeks of backed paperwork. Her mind kept drifting back to the Major.

It's not like it's hard to believe she drinks too much. Look at her, she can't even wear a uniform! Imagine an officer dressing like that.

Maya put the paperwork down, as her cellphone started to ring. Answering it she heard Ritsuko's voice.

" Maya, is everything OK? "

Just the sound of her voice, made the technician calm down.

" Yes, Sempai. Other then the Major complaining about Asuka's attitude every things been slow. Are you OK?"

" I-I'm fine Maya really. I'll be in in an hour. "

" Ma'am, please take the day at least. "

The dead silence on the line let Maya know she'd won.

" I'm just finishing up some paperwork, nothing big. "

" . . .Maya, what's . . wrong with Asuka? "

" Nothing as far as I could tell she was just upset over Misato being a drunk, that's all. "

Ritsuko sounded concerned.

" They lived together before for over a year. . . Misato brought her in for that?"

" Yes, and then she just complained about her being a drunk for a half an hour. Think I should file a report? "

" Maya, don't Misato's never been the type to let anyone down, and I don' think she'd cry wolf over Asuka. Just please check, Asuka's EEG's against her pre-accident test. "

" Are you sure? She is you know a loose woman. "

Ritsuko's voice sounded almost hurt, and Maya regretted her choice in words.

" Maya, she's my best friend, please run the check . . . for me . ."

" I will, if you promise to get some sleep."

" Please call me when you get them OK? "

" . . . Yes Ma'am. "

**

Keel walked through the halls of his mansion, pondering the future.

Un-to each age there are always trials to face. Ever the storm on the horizon, and the fate of all we know hanging in the balance.

If Kennedy, had blinked and pushed the button, would any of us be here?

This is such a time, and I fear a ghost and an old man are all the world has. Sure, in my prime I moved nations like play-things, and even well past it I built Seele. Seele rebuilt what was left of civilization after Second Impact. Now, I fear it has become a thing beyond my control.

Entering his study, and sat at his desk.

I cast the gauntlet last night, and Seele must respond. They will either challenge me for my seat or change their decade long plans for god-head. Perhaps I'll get off easy and only have to kill the Frenchman.

The Chairman stared into his computer terminal and began to access intelligence reports. Noticing his butlers face reflected in the monitor, he leaned forward as if squinting at the screen.

A loud bang rang out in the night, as a .45 caliber bullet pierced the back of the chair. The butler walked closer to ensure his kill. The old man wasn't breathing, and the guards weren't on him.

" Good by you old fool. I'm off to a beach, and full bank account. "

Turning to the door, a faint sound of wood sliding across carpet made the butler look over his shoulder to see Keel rising from his seat. He began walking across the room, as the mans face lost all sign of life.

Keel spoke.

" Who? "

The butler stood there, pondering if his gun might yet get him out of this. Keel stood visor to eye with his would be assassin, and spoke again.

" Who promised to pay you for my life? "

In an odd calm voice, the butler responded.

" The Russian, he offered me four million. "

" Did you get paid in advance? "

The man's face took on a puzzled look, like he'd been told a joke he didn't understand.

" Umm Half up front. "

" Good, two millions more then enough to live a nice life with. Go."

The man paused just a second, before turning running from the room.

" Damn fool will be dead by dawn. "

Keel took a moment to morn the loss of his favorite chair, before moving on to more important things.

" So, if it was that poor a job, and they let him know it was the Russian, it was anyone but. "

Internal diagnostics flashed across his field of vision, as he picked up the phone, and made a call with out even bothering to check if the line was tapped.

" Herr Keel, to what do I owe the honor? "

" Get him out of the tank, and put him on the phone. "

**

Kyoko looked around her daughter's room, one last time. She stopped that the door, and returned to the desk. She sat down, and picked up a hair brush. Looking in the mirror she began combing Asuka's long red hair.

She took twenty full minutes, before putting down the brush and walking out of the room.

Shinji was in the kitchen cooking something that smelled better then decent, and that weird penguin thing was waddling around in the sunlight.

It's a good day to be alive, shame I need to get this life back to the girl it belongs to.

Walking from the apartment she tried to burn every detail she could into her mind. The feeling of her feet in the tennis shoes she found in Asuka's closet, the smooth ride of the elevator, and regrettably the look of the red eyed albino boy that greeted her as she stepped onto the sidewalk.

" Hello, Kyoko-chan. My name is Kaworu Nagisa "

Next: Hard Truths

Chapter Six Hard Truths

She stood there looking at him, for five full minutes, the information from Keel playing back in her head, as she tried to figure out just what it was that was speaking to her.

“ Kyoko-chan, are you alright? It is most curious, that you just stand there when your mentor is in such trouble. ”

His words were calm, and almost happy. It was almost as if he was talking about the weather, or something else hardly important.

This thing had to be in the works before I went in the core. I don't like that I didn't know about this till today. Wait a sec . . .

“ If you have other things to do, I'll simply tell the Chairman you are preoccupied then. ”

She spoke in a bewildered tone of voice.

“ What now? ”

Kaworu's eye opened a bit more as she at last spoke.

“ I am glad you are awake Kyoko-chan. ”

The boy giggled, and Kyoko shuttered.

“ OK first off it's Asuka, remember it or everything's ruined. Next, whats wrong with the old man? ”

“ He is injured, and he has no one left he can trust with healing him. That is why I was awakened, he knew I could be trusted to retrieve you. ”

“ Yea, explain on the way, OK? ”

The pair began walking down the street.

“ It seems he was betrayed, and he is quite injured. ”

As a black unmarked car appeared on the street in front of them, Kyoko put her arm in his and pulled him close.

“ Don't say anything unless I tell you to, and keep walking to the old man. ”

As the car passed next to them, she spoke again.

“ So, where did you go to school? ”

She could feel his hand getting sweaty, and his pulse pick up.

“ I was tutored mostly, though I think I'll be going to school one day. It all depends on fate you know.”

“ That so? ”

**

Misato stood on the balcony, as she finished off her first cigarette in four days.

I picked the wrong week to quit.

Shinji joined her just she through butt over the side. Misato looked down at the boy, and the marks on his face from a few hours ago. She reached up with her right hand and touched his face. The bruise felt warmer then the rest of his face, and she frowned as Shinji pulled back.

“ She, didn't do this, Shinji. I'm going to go look for Asuka now. Please Shinji, stay home, and call me right away if she comes home. Understand, kiddo? ”

The boy spoke meekly, as usual.

“ Yes, . . . Misato. ”

He turned to watch her leave.

I . . I don't understand it. Misato, and Asuka, they're beautiful. They seem to want me close, but I get hurt when I'm close to them. Literally, in Asuka's case.

The boy's eyes narrowed, and he balled his fists as he spoke to the empty apartment.

“ That . . .is not . . . Asuka! ”

**

Misato shifted into fourth gear, and blasted through a yellow light at 144 KPH.

OK, Section Two's report put her with a teenage boy heading for Rei's neighborhood. If this is what I think it is. . .

Misato's phone rang, and she slowed to just slightly above the speed-limit, before answering it.

“ Hello. No, do not approach I'll take things from here. ”

Parking her car on what had once been a street corner, but now resembled a sidewalk with giant foot prints down the center, she left the car.

Man, Rei lives in a crummy neighborhood. Shame I don't have room for one more.

As she stepped over a drunk, Misato imagined what it would be like with all three pilots living under her roof.

I can just see Asuka getting all worked up over Rei. Like that girl even knows how to attract a boys attention.

Damn, this is why they call me the babysitter at work.

In the distance she heard a faint, voice just a touch louder than her own heartbeat.

“ You got yourself shot, and I have to fix you with this? Are you nuts? ”

She moved in closer and took her silver zippo lighter from her jacket. Giving it a quick shine with her shirt, Misato used it like a mirror to peek around the corner.

**

Keel knelt in the filthy alley with a trench coat neatly folded on the ground, and the plate that covered the inner workings of his back placed on top of it. The bullet seemed like it had only just penetrated.

Kyoko spoke in a angry whisper.

“ Hello! Are you listening? I took a laptop apart with only a bit less then this, and do we even know if my cover is blown?”

“ You just need to keep anything further from failing. All I need a bit of time to restore appearances, then I can move Seele onto a war mentality. ”

“ Keel, this is not my neck on the line here its my only child's. ”

“ Yet another reason I arranged a body guard of biblical stature for you. His senses are very sharp my dear, if anyone was close enough he'd know it. ”

Standing a few feet behind them Kaworu watched and waited. He almost felt the Majors AT field, but his mind was distracted by other matters.

When Kyoko-chan bends over, her shape is not unlike a heart it seems.

“ OK, now that my time-table is screwed, what's the plan for after I'm done playing MacGyver back here? If Seele's that bad, MAGI access will not do it. Not even you can fight them and Ikari alone, all at once. ”

Keel spoke in a tired tone of voice.

“ You're right, and given the time we have with Asuka, we need a plan fast. I'm not even sure who sent the killer. I do promise you we will not sacrifice your daughter.”

“ It's done. You're not leaking coolant anymore, and pulled what I needed out of you right lung to get the left one working. No smoking till you get this changed out. On top of that the short from the bullet killed the main controller for your kidneys. It looks like there's a backup, but I don't think it's intended as being fully redundant. More of a donut spare just good enough to last until you can get in for servicing. ”

Keel sounded almost amused as he spoke.

“ I should have quit smoking sooner it seems. ”

“ When did you quit, after you found out you had cancer? ”

“ No, today when I got shot. I was going for a cigar when it happened. ”

The girl laughed, just a little, as she reattached the plate to his back.

“ Ha-Ha. OK, for that I forgive you. I haven't laughed in a long time, so you get off easy. ”

The old man put his now dirty coat back on, and turned to her.

“ Thank you, my dear. In the mean time, I'll leave you in good hands. There is a hotel room, around the block, paid for a month. I trust that will do fine until I can have the Marduk draft our friend as the fourth child. Do you need anything, funds perhaps? ”

“ I do have a friend to feed. ”

“ That at least I can fix easy enough. Have him avoid meat, and I'll be in touch with in a day no later. ”

Keel handed her a bundle of cash, before walking out of the alley, with Misato following behind him unnoticed.

Kyoko turned, and left in the other direction with Kaworu following behind.

After a half an hour, the pair found in a cheap ramen joint. Kyoko was dieing for a cheese burger, but they couldn't go to the diner up the street. They had meat in almost everything, and that would make Kaworu sick. Her meal had meat in it of course, but it wasn't a burger, and that was what she wanted.

Freak boy, just needs to be a freaking vegan or whatever. So I have to eat here, where they have vegetarian meals, and sit across from him staring at me. I wonder if Asuka has this problem all the time? She's pretty, and there're not a lot of natural red heads in Japan so attention must be something she's used to.

Kaworu spoke and broke her train of thought.

“ You look sad Kyoko-chan. What is wrong? ”

She twitched as anger came over her.

“ That is the fourth time in the last hour you've used my name. Take a hint and call me Asuka! ”

The boy seemed happy to be yelled at, or at least happy to receive some attention from his companion.

“ I am sorry, Asuka-chan. It is just I am not used to the environment out side of the lab, yes? Please, if you are what I believe you to be, you were once a thing not unlike myself. I am very eager of speak our shared nature.”

Kyoko spoke in a deadpan voice.

“ Can you grasp the concept of secret? ”

“ I assure you we are very safe, and that no one is listening. ”

Kyoko finished her third coke, and wished for the third time it had rum in it before answering.

“ I entered the core willingly, but I was betrayed and locked in side. Other then a memory of cold, I don't remember a damn thing. The Evangelion are something we need to survive, but the way they are now is just wrong. ”

She imagined eating dinner with a clown that just couldn't stop smiling, as he spoke.

“ Do you find it beautiful, the grand destiny we have been charged with bringing to fruition? Even if it is ironic that I, who could live forever, must allow myself to die, for the future to begin.”

Kyoko ordered another coke, and some dumplings off the appetizer menu, before responding.

Sad, he doesn't even know he's cannon fodder. Let see whats behind those eyes, shall we?.

“ All I want is what's best for my daughter, truth be told. Say what was your mother like?”

“ . . .I . . am afraid I do not . . . even know her name. ”

“ Oh, thats sad. Must have been rough, such a big destiny, and no emotional backing. ”

“ Oh, I have much backing of the heart! God and his love are with me always. The great prophets of Seele have heard the word of God, from the great scrolls. I have been sent to be their instrument, and it is by my hand that the door to the future will be opened. ”

“ You sound like you're reciting something from memory. ”

“ I am, dear Kyo- I mean Asuka. I have been trained for this since my first memory, for the time of the final judgment. ”

Rei's not a doll, this is a doll. I swear this thing, I'd feel bad if it wasn't one of them and driven to start an Impact like a lemming walking off a cliff that is.

“ I need to get me daughter back where she belongs, then the future can get back on track. It's late and I have a place to be. I'll stop by in a day, day and a half at most. Anymore than that, go back where you came from, and wait for orders. ”

She left the money on the table, and left. Kaworu sat watching her leave.

Perhaps there is more I could do with my time here. Things in life, like the music, that filled the lab. No, I must not think these things, I have a role to play, and nothing more.

He sat at the empty table until the diner closed, thinking of Kyoko the entire time.

**

Keel sat in his car and took a deep breath. All diagnostics were in the green, and all because of her.

I never should have let her go ahead with he contact experiment. It was so hard to find some one I knew to be loyal, and competent I had to use that unfortunate mistake.

He heard a slight taping on his window, and he turned to see another unfortunate mistake. The Operations manager of NERV taping on his passenger side window with a gun.

He pressed the unlock button, and she sat next to him.

“ Well, meeting young girls in a dark alley, I could shoot you for that. ”

“My dear, do you know who I am?”

“ Keel, Chairman of Seele, and one of the richest men in the world. You knew my father I think. ”

Keel spoke calmly, as if he was in total control. Slowly, he tried to understand just the kind of women he was speaking to.

“ Do you know just who it was, I was speaking with? ”

“ As impossible as it sounds, Asuka's mother, and you're responsible for her being here. ”

“ Please tell me, just how did you figure that out? ”

Next: Bad Thoughts

Chapter seven: Bad Thoughts

“ It was the laptop, that tipped me off. They're all wireless, and this city is covered in hot-spots. Free broad-band was actually a selling point for getting people to move here at the start. I was able to get in the same way teachers do, to keep an eye on who is doing what in class. I didn't believe it at first. Shinji, he told me everything I needed to know to confirm it. “

Keel sat back and listened to woman talk, and he thought to himself, before replying.

Ikari was my mistake, she might just be his. If I believed in God, I'd call this a miracle.

“I never claimed to be a saint, I know on a very real level, I'm using these children to get revenge for what I had to go through. That doesn't mean this war doesn't need to be fought. I'll help you kill the Commander, but I've got my price. ”

Keel spoke, as she fumbled for a cigarette, the gun still on him.

“ Is that why you do what you do, for revenge? Things are never that simple. Ikari thinks he's doing all of this for love you know, and that couldn't be further from the truth. The mans obsessed, and he's willing to burn the world over, of all things, his malfunctioning genitals. ”

She raised an eyebrow, and spoke.

“ Why the hell are you talking about. ”

“ Ikari's got a rare aliment, that left him with one partially functioning testicle. This, combined with his arrogant nature, made the man something about as lovable as one eyed dog. Until of course he needed a bit of funding for a project of his, and decided to use a pretty, smart, naive girl named Yui to get men like me to give him money. Did I mention she was also the type to take in every lost puppy and kitten she came across?”

The Major set her gun on her lap to fight with her lighter. She spoke in between failed attempts to strike a spark.

“ Umm If you have a point. . . ”

“ My point my dear, is that the boy you have taken in cost a quarter of a million American dollars to conceive. So when I tell you something like ' Ikari is a selfish toad, and has malfunctioning equipment ' you are meant to say something important like ' My friend Ritsuko who's been sharing a bed with that toad for a decade now had her tubes tied. Why did she do that if he needed to work that hard on a kid? '

Then wise old metal bastard that I am I chime in and say ' The same reason she puts up with getting beaten, getting belittled, and maybe even being rented out as entertainment to an American senator that keeps their Congress in line.' Make no mistake my dear, Gendo Ikari is the greatest living bastard of our age, and if you want to join me toppling him you'd best realize that. ”

She spoke in a puzzled tone of voice.

“ And just what makes you think I care that the man is a snake? ”

“ You haven't shot me in the head, and gotten promoted to Colonel. ”

**

Kyoko stopped outside the apartment door to catch her breath.

Why the hell did I take the stairs again? Did I really want to feel my own heart beating that bad?

Her face sank, as she opened the door, and when inside.

Doesn't matter, it's not MY heart.

The apartment was dark now, and quite as a tomb. She kicked off her shoes, and noticed only Shinji's were by the door.

Good, I don't need to watch her flirt with Yui's little bastard. I hope Asuka doesn't look up to that woman.

As she walked to her bedroom, she was surprised when Shinji stepped out of the dark.

“ Asuka, is that you? ”

“ Go back to your music and your box of tissues, Ikari. I'm not really in the mood right now. ”

In the dark the boy's face seemed twisted, as he spoke.

“ It's you, and not her. Where is Asuka? ”

Kyoko's eyes opened wide, as she heard the boy.

How the hell?

Shinji stepped closer, and looked her dead in the eye.

“ What did you do with her? ”

“ Back off, now! If you don't I beat your ass again, understand? ”

The boy took a step back, and Kyoko stepped into her room.

That kid . . . is just not right.

In his own room Shinji picked up his cell phone, and dialed Misato's number.

“ Asuka's home, can I start dinner? ”

The boy listened closely to her reply, before hanging up.

This isn't fair, I want to know whats going on! It's to quite in here, if only she was still here to call me a baka pervert, or fight with Pen-Pen over the remote.

He heard the floor creek behind him, and knew Pen-Pen was too light to make it do that. For once he stood up straight and didn't hunch over. Turning around fast he saw her there, looking like Asuka. That was getting on his nerves.

She was startled by the look in his eyes, and she broke away from him at a brisk walking pace. Shinji had no idea that the look in his eyes had scared her, or that the sound of his voice that made her think she'd never reach the front door.

“ You're not Asuka, why do you pretend to be? ”

She looked him in the eyes, and spoke angry words, but Shinji didn't hear them.

Look at her stand there, like she's Asuka, but she NOT! Why won't Misato tell me who she is and what she did to her!

She smacked him, bringing his attention back to her, and he smiled an angry smile. He raised his right hand and clasped her thoat.

“ Where is SHE! TELL ME WHAT YOU DID TO HER!”

He sat there watching her choke as she scratched at his arm. Shinji just ignored the pain.

His eyes glazed over as Shinji's door slid open and Misato's voice brought him back to reality. He was in his room clasping his cell phone, he was alone. For some reason he felt disappointed.

“ Shinji, I brought you some take-out, if you're hungry. ”

He looked up at Misato, and her face turned sad. She walked into the room and his heart skipped a beat.

**

Outside Kyoko began eating the take-out. She was already full, but the smell was getting to her.

Hell, not like get to many more . . .fuck. Don't think that way. . . . .

Misato sat at the table across from her, and she could feel the tension in the room rise as she spoke.

“ I took Shinji's into him, so its just us with the rest. ”

After a long minute of silence she tried to make conversation with her daughters guardian.

“ Have any spicy sauce to go with this? ”

“ Sure, I always get a little, normally I'm the only one that eats any of that stuff, Kyoko. ”

“ . . .What? ”

“ It's Kyoko, right? ”

She removed a small folded note from her pocket, and slid it across the table before she could protest.

“ This is from the Chairman. ”

Opening the note Kyoko's face turned red, and she balled her fist under the table trying to contain her anger.

This is your plan? Damn no time to do anything but run with it.

“ Well, it seem the old man thinks your trustworthy, or we just have to little time left to do any better. ”

Misato crossed her arms, and spoke.

“ Not a fan of mine? ”

Kyoko, looked her dead in the eye and spoke in a tone of voice that made Misato's blood run cold.

“ Depends. Do you fuck the boy in the next room? ”

Misato leaned across the table and spoke angrily.

“ What the hell are you talking about?! ”

Kyoko didn't blink.

“ You flirt with that kid every chance you get, and you're more touchy-feely than then I'm comfortable with. Are you fucking that kid? Before you get your back any further up, I do have a right to know how my daughter is living.”

Misato sat down as her and tried to control her own emotions. Kyoko smiled at the sight of her left eyebrow twitching.

“ I'll have you know, I'm not a damn pedophile. I care a lot about both Shinji and Asuka. ”

“ You show it by setting such a good example. ”

The tension drained out of Misato's face, and Kyoko felt uneasy as the violet haired women spoke.

“ Asuka's not in there at all, is she? If she was you'd know how she got that scar on her left elbow. The night I met her, I pulled her out of a frat party at her college. That was over a year ago, putting her at twelve and a half at the time. Hate to break it to you Rip van-Winkle, but I'm the best influence she's had in a while. ”

“ . . . . That's fucked up. ”

“ No, the fucked up part is the guy that replaced me in Germany after my transfer told me she spent the last year trying to get in his pants. Having Shinji around has really been a load off my mind. Some one her own age to flirt with for once. ”

Kyoko put the food down, as Misato continued.

“ You don't like how your daughter lives, I am truly sorry. Every day I worry then she's going to do something stupid trying to act grown up, but thats all beside the point. We need to murder a man, and put you back where you came from, so she can get her life back. Whats the plan for that? ”

Kyoko stood up and walked around the table, to get directly in Misato's face.

“ Dead woman or not, I will be fucking damned if I let anyone mistreat my daughter. Now, and remember I can make your life all manner of hell, shoot Ikari myself, and as long as I get back in the plug for five minutes get away clean. What are you doing to help my Asuka? Give me one good reason to trust you with her, or I go ahead on my own.”

Misato smiled, and Kyoko looked confused.

“ I'm glad you care about her so much, I was expecting something much worse after . . .what she told me. She's like you, a lot of spirit. Deep down, she's got a lot of self worth issues, because of her father I think, but over all she's done very well with her life so far. ”

Kyoko spoke in a softer tone of voice.

“ I know how to destroy Ikari. It'll take me an hour tops, and direct access to one of the MAGI. Just tell me more about my little girl before I have to go. ”

**

Ritsuko wrapped her knee with a bandage, as she spoke to Maya on the phone.

“ You're sure on the test results?”

“ Yes Ma'am. There is a forty percent variation, and I'm not sure why. Is Asuka going to be OK?”

Standing very gingerly on the leg, she deemed it good enough, and reached for her lab coat.

“ I'll call Misato, and let her know about the problem Maya. It's just a bit more feedback than we planned on. If Asuka gets enough sleep, her natural REM patters will take care of things. ”

She looked herself over in the mirror.

Good, nothing's showing this time. I hate lying to Maya, but its better if she doesn't know everything that goes on.

“ Are you sure, Ma'am? ”

“ Yes, Maya, this came up in the simulations before. Remember when Shinji was taken into the EVA? This would have saved him from that. Please just get the Unit Two work done, and let me deal with Misato, OK?”

“ OK, just promise me you'll take it easy today.”

“ I will, and thanks Maya. ”

She hung up with her young friend and dialed a number.

“ Code Lazarus, confirm code Lazarus. Contact the Commander, and tighten security on the Second. ”

I'm sorry Maya, but I need to work today after all.

Next: War for souls

War for souls

A black limo with NERV diplomatic plates pulled onto Ritsuko’s street as the Doctor spoke to herself.

“He is going to be pissed. Just stay calm, and deal with the matter at hand ”

As the limo stopped and she entered. She tried not to tremble as she made eye contact with Gendo Ikari.

“ Explain. ”

His ice cold tone made her shutter just a bit.

“ Asuka’s EEG is forty percent off baseline. That, coupled with the Major’s report of abnormal behavior after the incident, makes it clear. The core of Unit Two has switched or over written the pilot. Data gathered during the repairs makes the former more likely than the latter. ”

The light reflected off his glasses as he leaned closer to her, and spoke again in his trademarked emotionless voice.

“ Why was this not detected sooner? ”

Her voice cracked, just a bit.

“ The p-pilots brainwaves are normally off after something like this. We could not have known any sooner. ”

He reached out and grabbed her right arm, dragging her from her seat. She looked up at him from the floor of the car, and noticed she was right between Gendo’s legs.

Right where he wants me, like always.

“ My assistant handled the repairs. ”

Gendo began to squeeze her arms, hard.

“ Don’t, please ! “

The slight hint of anger in his voice made Ritsuko even more afraid, as she spoke.

“ This matter will be fixed NOW, before it disrupts matters further. The damage will be contained, and if needed you will terminate the Major. Do you understand? ”

“Y-yes. ”

**

Kaworu sat pondering, the meaning of his life.

I am the hand of God Almighty, and I come to do his work. It is through me that final Revelations will begin.

Kaworu thought about his current situation in life.

Kyoko-chan is a Celestial not unlike myself. She has been cast down upon the earth, and I must help her regain her place on high, that we may both meet our destinies.

Kaworu sat on the train, watching a college girl being gang grouped.

My kind and the Lilim have one thing in common, that we are all creatures of fate. We all have a role to play, and we must accept that.

Four men has been pawing at her for almost ten minutes, and Angel found himself unable to look away. His eye were wide as sliver dollars as they followed one of their hands as it travelled up her leg and under her skirt.

I do not understand why she resists; one thing even the Bible and the Koran agree on is that men were placed above women by God.

As the train stopped and the men left the girl in tears he found himself standing and walking to her. Her quiet cries filled the empty train, as he sat next to her.

“ I am very sorry that you suffered just now. ”

She sobbed quietly, ignoring him, as he looked at her exposed breasts. She clutched her shirt closed, and spoke.

“ What do you want freak, your turn? Fuck off! ”

For the first time he could remember he frowned. With a thought he extended his AT field just barely, like he was trained to do with the Evangelion.

A weakened soul is a weakened soul.

The girl felt a wave of numbness come over her, as every sound but his voice faded out.

“ Kiss me. ”

**

Keel walked into the office building he had built just for holding Seele meetings. He knew the layout well enough to know he wouldn't be seen using this entrance, and since it doubled as an escape route in case of emergencies it wasn't likely it had been bugged. Keeping it secret was the key to keeping it effective.

Now to rein in the mob of ungrateful fools, before they endanger humanity through pure stupidity. Who will it be? The Russian's the easy choice, but he's not stupid enough to reveal himself to an assassin. The Englishman is arrogant enough to try to pin it on him, but smart enough to hire a killer that will get the job done.

Oh well, I'll just have to improvise.

Stopping at the final door before the meeting room Keel took a good look at himself.

The jacket hides the only sign of the damage, all my systems are stable, and my battery is holding at 58%. That's as good as it gets, it seems.

Sliding the door open he entered the meeting room, and saw the Frenchman sitting with his back to the door.

Not even close to brave enough to try and kill me, but he'll do just as fine.

Keel walked behind the man, grabbed the back of his neck in his cold steel hand and began slamming his head into the desk.

I never liked this guy anyway.

**

As Gendo's orders for increased observation of the Second Child went into effect, Section Two agents reported an apartment empty. An hour before the three people living there had scattered, taking care to move under the radar of anyone watching.

Shinji and Kyoko sat silent in a cab moving slowly to a bad part of town. Shinji hadn't taken his eyes off her the entire time.

“ You got something to say? ”

“ Are we going to get her now? ”

“ Oh, for crying out loud! How much did she tell you?”

The tone in his voice sent a chill down her spine.

“ Not a damn thing, just that we were doing what we needed to put things right. It's clear who you're not, so who are you? ”

Oh you bitch, you did not leave this to me!

“ Think you can pilot right now at top form? ”

The kid half smiled as he spoke.

“ I don't need to, I just get in the plug get beat half to death. The EVA will malfunction and kill whatever is out there. ”

I hope enough of me is left to step on that bitch once this is over.

Their was a long moment of silence as the cab pulled to the curb and Kyoko paid the driver.

She started walking up to the building as the boy spoke softly and cut her deeply doing it.

“ She calls out for you in her sleep some times. ”

She stopped cold and spoke without turning.

“ Just how would you know what she does in her sleep? ”

“ Synch training for an Eva fight. I spend days following her around. Bathroom was the only place I could get some peace. The night before the fight, she sleepwalked into my bed and I heard her call out while I was trying to steel a kiss. ”

Shinji could head the tension in her voice, as she replied.

“ And what happened next, Mr. Ikari? ”

“ I gave her the bed and slept on the floor. ”

“ . . . ”

The began climbing filthy squeaking staircase to the motels second floor, and Shinji continued.

“ Is my mother in the EVA too? ”

“ Yea. ”

“ Why? ”

The reached the landing, and she turned just enough to see him out of the corner of her eye.

“ I don't have a clue. There were other options kid, but your mother was stubborn some times. Maybe she just knew this was what would work, and that taking time to do it any other way... I'm not a good person to ask, though. We never got along, your mom and me. ”

The conversation stopped as Kyoko began knocking on one of the doors. After a minute she became impatient, and open the door herself. Stepping inside she heard the shower running, and saw Kaworu dressing beside the bed. Walking past the Angel like he wasn't even there she peeked in the bathroom. Seeing a young women kneeling on the floor of the shower letting the hot water rain down on her.

She turned back to Kaworu.

“ We are leaving. Get dressed. ”

Shinji was just walking into the room as Kyoko barged past him, with an odd looking boy in tow. .

“ Kaworu meet Shinji. We need to go to NERV now, and you need to keep us alive once things get bad OK?”

Shinji felt odd as Kaworu made eye contact, and spoke.

“ You are Shinji Ikari yes? The third child? ”

Kyoko cut in.

“ Just shut up, and walk for the train station. ”

**

The Frenchman's shattered body lay on the table blood running for the for head.

The other members of Seele sat motionless in their seats, as Keel marched around the table.

“ Now that we are clear that none among have the bravery to be Brutus, lets get back to the matter at hand. Tonight my agent in NERV will provide the opening I need to re take the organization. Have the JSSDF brought to bear within the next four hours, as a failsafe. In the meantime ”

The fat Russian saw the pooled blood begin to flow his way, and he tried to shift in his chair. The man froze as Keel walked close and looked him dead in the eye.

“ Something you want to say dear Vlad? ”

“ How do you know it was one of us and not Ikari? ”

“ Because I'm still alive, you vodka swilling fool,! Let me make this clear to you. Yui Ikari would never has approved of Instrumentality, we all know this. Yet her husband is willing to carry it out for her sake. The man is mad, and considering the dead Frenchman bleeding on your jacket right now, I am something less then sane myself for starting all of this to begin with. We are here for our own sakes yes, but over all humanity is better off with us than without us. Did we rebuild the world after the fury of Impact to burn it down now? I think not, and if anyone would like to object speak now.”

The Frenchman's body slid off the table onto the floor.

“ That's one against. Any one else? ”

“ . . . ”

“ As I hoped. Now on to the matter of NERV. ”

**

Misato tried to picture the security grid in her mind as she walked the halls of NERV.

Her footsteps echoed down that hall, and lasted just a second to long.

No way. This should not be this easy. My ID card should have been frozen or at least tagged so Section Two could move in on me. Either they don't know whats going on yet or I'm getting help. If what the old cyborg said holds, the Commander should be back in town by now, and he sure as hell would get what Ritsuko missed.

How the hell did SHE end up the Commander anyway? Ritsuko was always a bit shy around guys. Why take a risk and get in bed with a snake like Gendo Ikari? I guess can understand how father issues can make make you go after a certain kind of guy, but damn!

She stopped and spun on her heels, gun in hand. Maya stepped out of the dark, she spoke meekly.

“ No one knows were here, the MAGI is ignoring us. ”

“ How long. ”

“ Half an hour, unless Ritsuko checks it. She won't do that because, she'll be to afraid of him finding out she she showed me how. ”

“ Do you know about everything, is that why you're helping me? ”

The younger women frowned as she spoke.

“ I know they want to kill Asuka. ”

“ Do you know why they want to kill her? ”

“ What I know now keeps me up at night, I do not want to know anymore. ”

Misato took a step forward, getting closer than Maya was comfortable with.

“ If that's how you feel, you need to run, right now and do not look back whatever you do. ”

She looked on the edge of tears as she spoke in a whisper.

“ Can't I save her? Ritsuko I mean.”

“ If she's willing to let herself be whored out to an American Senator, just because he tells her to, Ritsuko might not want to be saved Maya. ”

Tears started to move their way down Maya's face, but her words had no emotion in them.

“ Why would you pick someone like that to love? I could never understand that. ”

Misato wiped the tears from her face, before speaking.

“ You can't tell someone who to love, Maya, but you can stop them from committing murder. I need to get into the MAGI. Can you help me? ”

“ Will you kill the Commander for me? ”

“ No, but I'll stop him from killing a little girl, if you help me. ”

Maya smiled just a little bit, and spoke.

“ OK. ”

Next: End Game

Chapter nine: End Game

Once upon a time I met an old man, that changed my life. His help came with a price, and I've walked in dark circles ever since then. Now to save my daughter, I need to walk in circles darker still. One of the children with me is a child, and acts . . . more or less like a child should. The other is a thing wearing human flesh, but, is far from human. I'll need his power to reach my goal, even if I know anything that doesn't fit into his his vision of divinity has no value to him.

Once upon a time I met an old man who told me only to make deals on MY terms, so I know what I need to do. I just wish he was here to help me do it.

The three unlikely companions walked in a long dark metal shaft moving closer the Geo front. Kyoko led the way as she continued to ponder a way out.

If the plans Keel gave me hold, this will get me to an elevator that will lead to an access shaft, and that leads into NERV itself. I need to get to that MAGI, then go back were I belong.

The three of them came to a large downward shaft.

“ It seems we are lacking an elevator Kyoko-chan. Am I to infer, I should be the one to provide transport? ”

“ Can you do it without setting off every alarm in the place? ”

“ Certainly.”

A bright colored octagonal AT field covered them and Shinji's eyes filled with fear.

“ This means you're . . . ”

“ Relax Shinji-kun. I am the Angel of Truth, the final messenger. The time has not yet come for for us to meet our fate, and perhaps we may be friends in the time before you must end my life. ”

Kyoko rolled her eyes as she spoke, in dry calm voice.

“ Shut up, Kaworu. ”

They floated into the dark in silence.

**

Misato held a flashlight in her teeth and she stabbed a clone brain MAGI node with three small needles linking it to the interface in her hand.

OK that's that. Now if the children eeerrr or Shinji, Kyoko, and that thing make it this far.

Resealing the node and crawling on her hands and knees through the MAGI, she couldn't get Shinji out of her mind.

Asuka if we are lucky will wake up and not know what happened. Shinji has to live with this nightmare. Like his everyday life wasn't bad enough. Please be strong enough Shinji, we'll have Asuka back soon.

Reaching the end of the tunnel, she began pulling herself out. Looking around she saw only a dark room.

Feeling the hair on the back of her neck stand up, she put her hand into her jacket, and onto her gun.

Maya's voice called out in the dark.

“ Misato, it's OK, it's only me. ”

The sound of her voice told her something different, and she drew her gun. As she turned around and she saw Maya being held by two men in back. The Commander and Ritsuko stood a few steps behind them. Gendo spoke with a hint of anger in his voice.

“ What have you done to my MAGI, Major? ”

Damn!

“ Looking for my uniform, I lost it some place. ”

Gendo almost cracked a smile, almost.

“ Where are my pilots Major? ”

“ I really don't have a clue. ”

“ Some how Major, I do not believe you. You know at least where one of them is. If I may offer a bit of advice. If you're going to steal information, it's best not to leave it on an unsecured laptop. ”

Well . . . fuck . . .

“ Easy mistake to make. ”

“ Major hand over your weapon, or the young women dies. ”

Misato looked over at her oldest friend, and the flat emotionless look on her face.

“ I think I'm fine like this. A nice Mexican standoff. ”

“ Really? ”

The lights came on, and a dozen Section Two agents appeared from the dark, guns drawn.

“ Damn. ”

She put down her gun.

**

Flies buzzed the dead Frenchman's corpse, as a nameless minion entered the room. The assembled members of Seele had frightened looks on their faces, except Keel.

“ Sir, the Tokyo Three MAGI's firewall is down. ”

The Chairman smiled, and spoke.

“ Bring every MAGI we control to bear against the Tokyo Three system. We move against Ikari, now! ”

The fat Russian spoke in a deadpan voice.

“ We don't have the time to invent a reason to mobilize the JSSDF. ”

An eerie quiet once again filled the room, as the others wondered if they were about to share the room with another corpse.

“ True, but we have espionage agents all over the city. Tell them to move against Section Two, and not to be subtle. Tell them to expect minimal resistance from conventional NERV personal. ”

Feeling emboldened, the Russian spoke again.

“ How do you know that? ”

“ Because conventional NERV security forces are under the command of the Operations Director, and she is with me rather then Ikari. Bring my limo around, I'm off to see the end of this.”

The Committee seemed relieved as Keel left the room. The British man spoke.

“ His master plan hinges with that whore? ”

The Russian removed a flask from his jacket and emptied it in one shot before speaking.

“ I think his plan hinges on the Devil. ”

**

Kyoko tapped her finger on the edge of the controls.

Now all I need is a plug suit and an entry plug.

Turning around, she saw Shinji sitting in the corner, shaking. Looking over at Kaworu with his faced pressed against the glass of the holding tank for spare Rei clones, she knew why.

“ Yea, I should have left him in a diner with some nice strangers, and maybe ice cream. ”

Walking over to the boy, and kneeling beside him, she spoke.

“ We just need to get to the EVA's now, then I can put Asuka back where she belongs. ”

The boy just sat there, and shook.

“ Listen, Asuka was four the last time I saw her so teenagers are kind of out of my area. ”

“ . . . ”

“ Oh get the fuck up! You want my daughter back in your life deal OK? Yea, there is an Angel over there dry humping a tube full of your mothers clones. I'm sure you've fwapped a few times to her with out knowing it, and I'm really sorry, but you DRIVE A GOD DAMN MECHA FOR A LIVING! ”

“ How can you not be freaked out by any of this? ARE YOU A FUCKING MACHINE LIKE HE IS?! ”

Kaworu didn't bother turning around. He was content to watch the smiling Rei's bob around in the LCL.

“ Nope, I'm just a dead woman trying to get back into my cold, cold grave before my daughter has to take my place. Now, seeing as I in fact have no tomorrow, I don't have to deal with any of this. I can just power on through. I suggest you put all of this out of your mind. Right now is all that matters, you can deal with things like this after its over. ”

“ Promise me, I get Asuka back after this. ”

“ Do you care about my daughter? “

“ Yea. ”

“ Then get the hell up, we are going to get her now. ”

“ Yes ma'am ”

**

Gendo smiled for the first time in weeks, as he watched his Operations Director be handcuffed to a chair.

“ You will tell me where the Second Child is. ”

“ I don't know. ”

He kicked the chair out from under her.

“ You will tell me where the Second Child is, and my son. ”

“ You don't have a son. You signed custody over to me, remember? ”

Gendo gave her a swift kick to her stomach.

“ You will tell me what I want to know, sooner or later. I don't care which, myself, but time is an issue. Now tell me, or I will bring that young woman in here, and have my men take her apart bit by bit until you do. “

Ritsuko entered the room, and looked down at her friend with troubled eyes.

“ Commander, the MAGI. . . the back up security froze her changes. The firewall is intact, Sir. ”

“ Good, now it seems we have some time, after all. My Rei can deal with any Angels that happen by, and the Doctor is needed elsewhere. That leaves me free, Major.”

Misato looked up at the Doctor, as she spoke.

“ What you need to do Ritsuko? That American Senator in town? ”

The Doctor turned her head out of shame, and walked out of the room.

“ You really did a number on her didn't you? ”

“ She's a tool, nothing more. I need many to do what I need to do, each plays its role. You have one more to play. Tell me what you know, and who told you. ”

“ I'm not telling you anything, so save your breath. ”

“Really?”

Gendo removed his right glove, and turned his palm to Misato's face.

“ You remember Adam, don't you? ”

**

Maya felt blood go down her wrists from the handcuffs, as she heard un-natural screaming come down the hallway for the second time in the last ten minutes. She smelled a hint of smoke from the hall way, and spoke.

“ Sempai, is that you? ”

Ritsuko stepped into the room.

“ He's using Adam on her. It's hungry, like an Eva, it wants a soul. Its assaulting her AT field. It'll never get through, because the implant wasn't meant for this. Rei, she can lower her . . ”

Maya broke in.

“ Let me out, we can stop him! ”

“ Maya, there is a guard at the door with a gun. He wins, like he always does. ”

She walked out of the door, and Maya continued to struggle with her cuffs.

**

Kyoko pressed the wrist cuff of her plug suit and felt it cling to her.

“ This is what my under aged daughter wears to work. Oh yea, I feel good about that, sure. ”

“ If what I have read of the Second Child it true, I am certain she not the type to allow unwanted attention, too go to far. ”

Realizing Kaworu was probably watching her change the entire time, she locked eyes with him, and moved in close.

“ You really are just out to get your rocks off, aren’t you? ”

The Angel’s trademarked expression didn’t change, as he spoke.

“ I am not long for this world, and there is nothing against my mission in enjoying the scenery. ”

“ Like the girl in your room? ”

“ If one lets their AT field become that weak, are they not asking for a stronger soul to take charge? ”

Kyoko’s face drained of all emotion, as she spoke in a deadpan voice.

“ Keep the fuck away from my kid when I’m gone. ”

“ Why, Kyoko-chan, that was just what I wished to speak with you about. ”

**

Shinji walked back to the locker rooms, and noticed Kaworu walking in his direction, with a large hand shaped red mark on his face.

“ If the mother is any indication of the daughter, you are fortunate to have her favor, Shinji. ”

“ What are you talking about? ”

Kyoko spoke up in an angry voice.

“Not a damn thing! Now, what did you see?”

“ Nothing, no ones around as far as I can see. Most of the doors are locking them selves, but the way to the cage is still open. ”

“ Good, at least that’s going according to plan. We go for the cage, I get in the plug, then you just get my girl out of here, understand? ”

“ Yea, what about him? ”

Kaworu spoke in a sing song voice.

“ I have a few weeks before you must kill me in an act of divine sacrifice. I think I’ll take in the town, till then. ”

Shinji, for the first time in his life, wished he was in the entry plug.

Stepping on this guy would really be a good thing.

**

Gendo adjusted his glasses, then spoke.

“ What is the situation, Doctor? ”

Ritsuko tried to hide her fear, but as always she was transparent to him.

“ The Major was just a distraction, she didn't even know what she was uploading. Some one got into an upper level system with priority access to all three MAGI. We are losing control, unless we can get physical access to the system and shut it down along with the override. ”

Gendo adjusted the glove on his right hand while speaking.

“ Just what system did they access again Doctor? ”

She trembled with fear while talking.

“ T-the Lazarus Chamber. ”

Gendo stepped forward, looking her right in the eyes, as he removed his glove.

“ No, Gendo PLEASE! I didn't know she could get into the MAGI! She'd need help to get through ten years of security changes! ”

The freakish creature touched her skin and she could feel her AT field start to weaken. Her knees buckled and she was on the ground in under a minute. He knelt over her, and slid his hand under her shirt just above her heart.

“ Gendo, please . . . . ”

She could feel her flesh melt like clay, she could feel her heart slow just a bit, and knew he had it in his hand.

“ Doctor we can not afford excuses at this stage. You will buy me the time I need, and you will not fail, understood? ”

“ Y-yes . . . ”

Gendo removed his hand, fast.

“ AAA! ”

She lay their in pain as he walked out of the room, and barked orders at the Section Two agent there.

“ Get everyone that can still move to the cage, and bring the Major. ”

**

Kyoko stood in the elevator wishing she didn't notice Kaworu looking at Shinji's ass as much as hers.

It all comes down to this, and I have a some pretty poor soldiers. One seems loyal at least, and the other one's got an AT field thats worth a lot. Shame Ikari's got the none-perverted version.

The truly sad part is I'm going to miss this bullshit. If this works, I won't be asleep in there this time. It'll just be me and the cold, until this is over. Keel you'd better delete my ass, after this war's over.

The doors slid open, and two goons pointed guns inside.

“ HANDS IN THE AIR NOW! ”

“ Kaworu. ”

With a though, the angel summoned his AT field and folded it into a blade not thicker then a hair and sent it at the men. Their bodies hit the ground in two wet thuds, as blood covered the floor.

Kyoko stepped out first.

“ Don't slip, you two. ”

Moving closer to the EVA, they came to Gendo standing next to Misato, gun in hand.

“ It's been some time, Kyoko. ”

“ Yep, hows your day going? ”

“ Give me the access code to keep that arcane old corpse of a man out of my MAGI. ”

“ He's not all bad, kind of huggable if you get to know him. ”

“ He cocked the gun and put it to Misato's head. “

The Major sat there, slumped over in the chair. Shinji's eyes fixed on her slow breathing.

Be OK, please. . .

Gendo spoke.

“ Rei is near the Evangelion, your Nephelim is useless. Give me the code, and I'll give you my word your daughter will be unharmed once your back in you're place.”

“ I really don't like how you run things, Gendo. Not a good influence on the children. ”

Gendo twitched with anger.

“ You little bitch! Do you know what I could do to you, and your little band of worthless fools? ”

Shinji spoke up trying to sound brave.

“ I won't pilot if you hurt Misato or Asuka! ”

“ Then I'll just have you thrown in plug where you can wet yourself, and let your mother win this battle like usual. Now this is the last time I'm asking the CODE!”

Kyoko spoke in a voice that sounded almost annoyed.

“ How about I let Yui out, and you get out. ”

Two bullets from Gendo's gun impacted on Kaworus AT field, as Rei floated down from above.

“ Kill them all Rei, and now! ”

The blue haired girl locked eyes with Shinji, and hesitated just a bit, as Kyoko spoke.

“ Gendo think for a second. What did I try to do for all those years with the program? Make an interchangeable core system where a woman dissolves into the core on a short term basis. The fact that I'm standing here proves I'm right. Just give me a blank, unformatted one of your lolicon girls and I'll download Yui. You get your wife back, and I can go back on ice knowing you're not in charge. ”

“ I should trust you with everything that matters to me, why? ”

“ Because by now Keel's in the building already, and he got a few of those nasty German mercs with him that made it through Second Impact by eating their neighbors. You are fucked anyway, and you know I'd just keep this Mexican standoff going if I wanted to screw you over more then I already have. ”

Gendo blinked, and then spoke.

“ You go to the console, the Doctor can bring the shell. Rei will keep your Nephelim in check, and I will have a gun to that whining brats head until your done. If I get my wife back I don't care what happens to anything else. Cross me, and I kill the boy, and the Major, while Rei has your freak pinning down. ”

“ Deal. Good thing the clones are underage, hu? You always did like fresh meat

. ”

“ NOW, BITCH, OR I JUsT SHOT YOU, AND DIE HAPPY! ”

Kyoko spoke in happy tone of voice.

“ OK ”

Sad, that even now I had to fuck with him before it was over. Oh well, time to say good bye.

Ten minutes Gendo held a gun to his own sons head, while the clone was brought up from deep inside NERV. Kaworu spoke in whispers to Rei, just out side everyone else's range of hearing. The girls face actually showed a look of disgust, while she waited for orders.

Ten minutes Kyoko tapped at the controls near Unit Two. She looked almost happy she worked in silence.

Ten minutes Shinji watched Misato breathing, and wondered if Rei would protect her from his father's bullet if he ran to her.

Once that time was over it all ended with a whisper and a cry.

Unit One's entry plug ejected and opened. A second Rei like face just barely poked out of the opening, as Gendo broke the standoff, running to the plug.

“ Yui, my love? ”

Her hand raised slowly to his face and Gendo actually smiled, until she spoke.

“ How . . .could . . .you ?”

“ What? ”

“ I saw it all. . . you monster. . . ”

Gendo's cries echoed through the cage, as Kyoko walked to Unit Two, stopping as she passes Shinji, for just a moment.

“ Did you really kiss my daughter that night? ”

Shinji spoke in a flat even tone.

“ No, I was to scared. ”

She waked past him to the plug looking sad as she went. Shinji followed her to the plug.

“ Wait, I did kiss her later on, or she kissed me . . said she was bored. ”

Kyoko seemed to smile despite the crying int the room.

“ Good, I didn't want to steal that. Freak boy wanted something for helping, and I'd feel guilty if . . Asuka will be out of it for a few days. Go get Misato up before Gendo does something stupid. ”

“ I will, and thanks. ”

On a landing high above the cage Keel watched her go back where he'd taken her out of, and was reminded again that his tear ducts no longer functioned.

Next: After the fire.

Chapter Ten: After the fire

The dull throbbing sensation in her side woke her just after noon. The feeling of old sweat clinging to her forced her to stand, and fumble out the door without bothering to remember if she was dressed.

Misato looked at her self in the bathroom mirror, and frowned.

Pull it the fuck together, to_fucking_day. Asuka's home, and Shinji probably was up with her half the night again.

Peeling her clothing off, she stopped for second to look at her scar. It was still moving, like it had since the commander touched her with Adam. The hot water hit her and the scar began to calm just a bit.

Just like last time, tissue in the scar reacting to my immune system. They'll probably want me to do monthly physical scans until this calms down. Other than giving Shinji a nose bleed that will be a pain.

Its been three whole days since it happened, and last night was Asuka's first home. I need to shut the water off now, wring out my hair, and go buy some breakfast for everyone.

Slowly she turned off the water, and stepped out of the shower.

Wrapping her self in a towel. She left the bathroom to find Shinji popping his head out of Asuka's room. The bags under his eyes made her frown.

“ Hey, kiddo, looks like you had a night. ”

“ I really didn't sleep. When I tried Id see Asuka with scissors or a pencil or something. I had to . . . ”

Misato put a finger on his lips, and leaned in close.

“ Shinji, let me guess. She didn't calm down till you got in bed with her? ”

Shinji blushed as he spoke.

“ Yea. ”

“ Some times kiddo, we just want to be held. Understand? ”

“ Yea, I guess. ”

“ Good boy. I'm running out for food, so take care of things until I get back k?”

“ I will. ”

Taking a moment to dress, Misato headed for the door

She closed the apartment door behind her and walked to the elevator.

Poor Shinji, doesn’t even realize does he? Oh well, I was pretty clueless about things like that at his age. That is before I ended up in the rubber room.

Stepping into the elevator she couldn’t help but focus on Shinji as she went.

Everything Asuka’s been through I keep thinking Shinji Shinji Shinji. I guess he is my favorite, as messed up as that sounds. He just reminds me of myself at that age. I know how much I needed some one to . . be there. Asuka she’s a lot like me now I think. I can’t help my self half the time, how do I help her? Shinji’s one thing, but she’ll need me too, so I’d better figure it out I guess.

The door of the elevator opened, and she met a pair of red eyes. Taking a step back she noticed the hair was a shade of dye bottle brown, and for once the body had something on that wasn't a plug suit or a school uniform.

It was her and not Rei. For some reason the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She stepped out of the elevator, and spoke.

“ Doctor Ikari, right? ”

The woman in a girls body seemed nervous as she spoke.

“ Yes. I was hoping to meet you Major, and see Shinji if I could. ”

“ Shinji’s . . taking care of Asuka right now. I’m going to get breakfast, care for a walk? ”

It was bizarre watching Rei’s face smile just a little, as she spoke.

“ Sure. ”

A black, un marked Section Two car followed at a distance, as they walked. Yui broke the silence.

“ I wanted to say sorry for what you had to go through. Gendo . . wasn’t always like this. ”

“ I could argue that, but it’s the kids that are more important. First things first, you aren’t taking either of them. I told them they had a home with me, as long as they wanted. ”

“ I’m glad you care for them, and as much as I want my son back I know I don’t have the right to just step in after so long. Could you tell me about him? All I know comes from Rei. ”

Misato dug into her pockets and fished out one bent and probably stale cigarette Lighting it she responded.

“ What did Rei tell you? ”

“ She said he was kind to her, without asking for anything. I was glad to hear that. ”

The look of sadness in her face reassured Misato just a bit.

“ The Shinji I know is shy, scared a lot, and more then a little lost. He really beats himself up some times, but he always comes through. He’s braver then he knows. ”

“ His father was like that, when I met him. ”

Reaching the corner store, Misato threw the cigarette away.

“ I can’t imagine how Asuka must be feeling right now. Shinji spent the night in her room, trying to calm her down. “

“ You let them sleep together? ”

“ I didn’t say that now did I? Not that I’d mind them being together, just Asuka’s not her self right now”

Take the bait you little ghost. I need to see what your made of.

Those red eyes grew wide, and she spoke.

“ What ? They are just children! How can you just say that? ”

So far so good.

“ They're fourteen, and we ask them to fight a war. If that’s what they need to keep it together, after what we ask them to do, who am I to say anything? Hell, I’d probably sleep with either of them if they asked. ”

“ What kind of a person are you to just say that? ”

“ You don’t remember anything from inside the EVA do you? ”

“ I-I do. It needed to be done, for all of us. ”

“ Tell that to Shinji. First night I had him, after he got plucked from a train and stuffed into an EVA with no training, he woke up screaming. Every time we put those kids into those things, we cut of a part of them. You don’t like that, take it up with the person that built the damn things. ”

“ There wasn’t another way. I needed there to be a world for him to grow up in, that’s why I made them! ”

Misato stayed calm, and spoke.

“ Kyoko didn’t think so. Your husband disagreed ”

“ . . . ”

Checkmate, bitch! Now lets see what you're really like, Yui Ikari.

“ I didn’t want any of this. He was supposed to take care of him, and get him ready. I though if she was successful, I’d be the only one that would have had to die. ”

Stopping in front of the corner store, Misato spoke before entering.

“ It didn’t turn out that way did it? We still have a war to fight, and only murdered women, and broken children to fight it with. Deal with that. ”

**

Maya felt the sweat drip down her body and she walked the aisle looking for tampons.

I need to wear a sweater in this heat to top off this week. Figures it would be the only long sleeved shirt I own that’s not a uniform, and that I am not wearing. I could take it off and have everyone wonder why I have handcuff shaped marks on my wrists, but that I do not need. Hard enough finding a date as it is.

The night before wouldn’t leave her mind, as she shopped.

I finally confess to Ritsuko after all of this and what do I get? She transfers to Germany! Gee Maya thanks for all your hard work, and taking care of me! What’s that? You’re a dyke and you to be with me? Bye now! How could she just. . .all I wanted was . .

“ Hey Maya! ”

Looking over her shoulder, she saw Misato with a basket full of instant food.

“ Misato, you're OK! How are the children? ”

“ About as well as you can expect She’s out side, Shinji's Mom, I mean. Section Two following close.”

Maya felt her wrists on reflex, and got an annoyed look.

“ I think I’m out of NERV, after all of this. ”

“ I was hoping you'd hang around after Ritsuko bolted. Still a war to fight, and I could use some one I can trust around. ”

“ I can take a look at . . . well, you know, if you want me to. They won’t let any of us leave for a while at least. Until the Committee finishes restructuring NERV. ”

“ Thanks but its more the kids I’m worried about. I could use a new side kick though. ”

“ Maybe “

“ Any advice before I go out there with her? ”

“ Umm she’s got no AT field, so not really. What's the plan?”

“ I think she's not that bad. Like an idealist that just got her first taste of reality. ”

“ I'll be around a while so if you need help call me. ”

Misato winked, as she turned to leave.

“ Thanks, Maya. ”

Did she just? Naa I really need a date.

**

Shinji lay there, holding Asuka, and feeling to tired too sleep. A slight scratching at the door made him open his eyes.

Pen-Pen, I forgot to feed him last night.

Again slipping from under the covers, and out of the room, he picked up the bird as he went.

“ Sorry little guy. Just give me a minute, and I’ll put something together. ”

Setting the bird down on the couch, where it promptly picked up the remote and began channel surfing, Shinji walked to the kitchen. Looking around he noticed both fridges were empty, and nothing but instant rice in the cupboard.

“ Good thing Misato went shopping. ”

Hearing Asuka begin to stir, Shinji walked over to Pen-Pen.

“ You might want to hid out a while, she’s not in a good mood. ”

The bird looked up from its favorite TV show, and protested.

“ Wark! ”

“ Ok then, but if I’m in the bathroom or something, I’d hide out if I were you. ”

“ Wark. ”

Asuka lumbered out her bedroom wearing her bed shorts, bra, and haggard look on her face.

“ Baka Shinji, where did you go? ”

Turing his head to the side, Shinji spoke.

“ Asuka, you're half naked again. ”

She looked down at herself as if surprised

“Baka, you're supposed to want my clothes off. ”

Shinji retrieved a large blanket from the couch, and wrapped her in it.

“ Yea well . . ummm”

“ I’m awake now stupid, I know you're not going to bend me over. Just read it again, OK? ”

Shinji smiled, as she handed him her diary.

“ Sure. Dear Asuka. Part of me wants you to wake up and not even know I was here. Better that you could just move on with your life than have an old ghost show up out of the blue. I was never the betting kind, so let me take time to say, I’m sorry. Whatever part of me that made it out of the EVA wasn’t enough to survive on its own, and I know you’ll never forget what happened, but please forgive me. I should have been strong enough to get out then, and what you saw shouldn’t have happened. Since I’ve been back I’ve seen a lot of what you’ve done in life while I was gone, and I’m proud of you. Please don’t lose that pride you have in yourself, or listen when people like your father say things to belittle your accomplishments. You're special, and I love you, baby. Please don’t forget that.

The people you live with and I didn’t really get along, but I really didn’t give them a chance. I have to say this for them though, they could tell from the first minute I was here that I wasn’t you.

I need to go now baby. I have to comb your hair a while, then get some sleep before I give you your life back tomorrow

Please remember you need to live though this war, because life has a lot left for you. Don’t forget that.

One more time I love you.

Momma.”

Asuka sat their in silence until Pen-Pen flopped off the couch with a thud and waddled away.

“ Why did she have to write the fucking thing in Japanese? ”

Shinji handed her the book back, as he spoke.

“ I don’t know we really didn’t talk much. ”

“ Except when she kicked your ass? ”

“ Ha-Ha. ”

Pen-pen made it to the front door just as it opened, and he began to squeal.

“ WARK WARK WARK! ”

Misato walked in with a bag of food, as Pen-Pen nipped at her feet.

“ Down you, we have company. ”

The bird poked Yui's ankle with his flipper, and looked up at her.

“ Hello little one. ”

The bird ran between Misato's legs and squawked in protest.

“ WARK! ”

Yui frowned, as Misato spoke.

“ Sorry he knows Rei, and you probably confuse him. Shinji, your mother is here, would you like to talk to her?”

The boy looked at the ground, and mumbled

“ I Umm . . . Couldn't you have called or something?”

Yui took a step forward and spoke in a whisper.

“ Shinji, its Mother. I'm sorry its been so long, I didn't want it to be this way. ”

Shinji snapped back.

“ So you're sorry and its all over? I forget walking up in the middle of the night, and screaming in an empty house? The Winnebagors complained, and I get sent to live with tutors. ”

Yui spoke in a pleading voice.

“ Shinji . . .”

Seeing Shinji wind up for more, Asuka dropped the blanket and stepped between th two. She raised her right hand and slapped him across the face, before speaking.

“ If you want to hate her, go ahead, but don't forget you've only got the one Mother, Baka.”

Turning her attention to Yui, Asuka walked right up and looker her inthe eye.

“ You are a fucking fool to think you can just say sorry and get everything back the way it was. I'd fucking hit you too, but I hurt my hand on Shinji rock hard skull. Now, grow the fuck up, and accept you slept with a snake, and move on mm'kay? ”

Shinji opened his mouth to say something as dull humm of a cell phone rang in Yui's pocket. Closing her eyes with frustration she she answered.

“ Yes, Rei? He is doing it again? I'm trying to talk with Shinji, can you . . .Tell him I won't forgive him if he doesn't put the razor down. Alright. Alright. Tell him I'm coming home. ”

She hung up the phone and frowned as she spoke.

“ I need to go Shinji it's your Father, he's . . .upset. I think if you came with me, it might help ”

“ I'm sorry, but I don't care. ”

She turned to leave with out another word.

Asuka spoke up.

“ What the hell was that, Baka? ”

“ Asuka, my mother woke up one morning and took me into a room to watch her die. She wasn't sick, and she did it knowing it might not even need to happen. I'm sorry you lost your Mother again, but mine wasn't blameless. ”

She walked over to him and he braced for another hit. She instead leaned in and kissed him, on the cheek.

“ Thank you for last night, but I think I'll sleep alone tonight. ”

She left the room and Shinji turned to Misato.

“ What the hell just happened? ”

“ You did what you thought was right, and it didn't turn out the way you intended. You lost more than you thought you would, its easy, really. ”

Shinji just tilted his head, and spoke in frustration.

“ This . . . sucks. ”

“ Happens, its called life. Relax She'll calm down later, and you'll get another chance. ”

Misato left the room, and Shinji stood in silence.

**

Keel sat in the back seat of a NERV staff car,smoking a fine Cuban cigar. The guard was one of those that had been on shift the night he was shot, so making him inhale secondhand smoke for an hour and a half made Keel smile.

All things come around my friend.

The door opened disrupting the lovely cloud of smoke he'd word so hard on. Yui Ikari sat next to him, and the driver began the trip back to her residence

“ That woman . . . . ”

Keel interjected as she trailed off.

“ That woman has an IQ of 150, and an impressive military record. It would be a shame to lose her, and there is the issue of the children's ability to pilot in relation to emotional stress. ”

“ When this all started . . I didn't want any of this. ”

“ My Dear, our ambitions have a way of taking us places we do not expect. Take us both for example, we have both left or original bodies behind so long ago. I for one have forgotten the feel of mine ”

“ The only reason I'm even able to be here, is because he made that girl in my image. I know this body looks like me, it sounds like me, but it just feels wrong. It's too big, and I know it will never feel right. ”

The look of confusion and sadness looked alien on her face, after a decade of seeing the First Child.

This is the idol Ikari spent a decade worshiping? I've met college girls with more sense of the real world. One in particular as a matter of fact. Now that Ikari is a wreck contemplating suicide on the bathroom floor, the Major and I will have will trouble handling NERV till this is done with. My gamble with Pandora's box paid off. Now that the bastards are all dead, all the remains is a war. Then an old man can rest at last.

The car stopped and Yui got out, leaving Keel alone with the driver.

“ Once more around the block. ”

End