AS THE WALLS BEGIN TO COLLIDE

Mari grabbed the controls as she sang keeping 04 on its hind legs "It's time to face the day, time to make it snappy but you know first you gotta make it outta bed. Hello Mr Sunshine, today you're gonna be mine, make him pinky swear there's only sunny skies ahead. Take on the day with a one-two punch!"

She looked at unit 02 which was stalking her on all fours opposite they were both on the training ground while the others were watching close by "Oh come on Asuka sing along!" Asuka eyed Mari image. "I don't sing!" Mari watched her younger sisters unit closely. "Don't lie you were singing the other day." Asuka shifted her unit reading it. "Yeah I was high so it doesn't count!"

Mari eyed her image. "I looked up what you were singing little sister it's called, Nearness of the Beloved and since it's more of a love poem I don't think you were singing it to me directly even when you're high you're overly romantic." Asuka's face turned to annoyance. "Shut up!" Mari laughed. "Hey Rei did she miss out on sex with you last night is that why she's so fucking cranky this morning?"

She watched as the other woman's face appeared on her screen it was unreadable as she spoke quietly. "I'm not answering that." Mari felt a coy smile form. "You know you two should just move in together I mean you practically live with Asuka anyway." Shinji's face suddenly appeared on her screen. "She has a point Rei." Mari turned her unit as she smirked at Asuka. "Come on Asuka just give her the spare keys already?"

Her next words were cut of unit 02 suddenly came flying at her mouth wide open as it roared like a tiger. "Oh shit." She felt the force as it collided with her sending her crashing into the floor Asuka face suddenly appeared again on her screen. "She already has my spare set of keys I gave them to her ages ago four eyes!" Mari smirked. "Good for you princess…."

She looked up as her units whiplash tail came up grabbing 02 around the neck as she sent it flying backwards watching as it hit the ground hard on its back. "You see we all thought you were holding back because you might be nervous." Asuka's image came up again as she flipped 02 on to its hind legs. "Why are you suddenly giving me romantic advice? You don't even have a girlfriend!"

Mari eyed her image. "Its called being your big sister, get used to it." She raised her hand. "Seriously though what is wrong with you today I mean you're so tense?" Asuka breathed in moving her hands away from the control raising them. "I just didn't sleep very well okay." She eased out her arm higher. "It was really annoying." She stopped realizing that suddenly all of there images were appearing on her screen as everyone stared at her in shock. "What, why are you all looking at me like that?!"

Misato's voice suddenly came over the com. "Asuka could you please move your fingers one at a time, that's on your real hand not on your Evangelion one." Asuka eyed her in confusion as she did so. "What's going on?" Misato's voice came again. "Raise both of your hands to your face and look at your screen." Asuka slowly eased up her hands watching as the clawed ones appeared mimicking her every move. "What the hell since when does that happen isn't that only meant to happen if your in beast mode?" Misato voice came again. "Normally yes, but since you created beast mode it's not out of the realm of possibly that when you upgraded your unit you could do it without."

Asuka looked up feeling her self fidget uncomfortably. "No ever since the transformation it's always been through controls, that's when it feels most comfortable this doesn't feel comfortable at all." She watched her units clawed fingers move again as she moved her own. "Don't tell me this has anything to do with meeting my full potential either because I know this isn't linked to it." She eyed her hand. "This feels more like Bardiel." Maya breathed in eyeing Asuka sync. "She's right this isn't normal look at her sync? It's really climbed and its not some random skip she's much higher than is normally healthy."

She eyed her holographic screen. "She very close to the crossing over danger zone where all the pain becomes real and wounds can become real." Kaji eyed his hologram screen. "Hang on didn't she cross that threshold when Bardiel took over the UN Alpha test unit, I mean that's how her lower intestine got yanked out to start with and her left eye was blinded?" Maya began typing watching as two results came up side by side on screen. "That is absolutely correct and both syncs are a near perfect match they're only three bar between this one and the Alpha test unit." Misato eyed Asuka who had gone very quite. "You said you didn't sleep well Asuka would I be right to say that, that is unusual?"

Rei's face suddenly came up. "Yes because she's been sleeping much better since Obrax there have been no nightmares it's always a deep and restful sleep." Maya blinked in surprise. "Really is that true Asuka?" Asuka nodded as she switched to a private channel keeping only Rei in the loop. "Yes." Maya looked up slightly. "So what happened last night?" Asuka breathed in slowly and deeply. "Kept having this dream, it was like flashing pictures really disjointed couldn't make any sense off it." She tensed uncomfortably. "There was something really familiar about it yet at the same time so unfamiliar."

She looked up slightly. "No wait there was one image I remember really clearly, I was looking at myself directly but that Asuka was not me but she was my age and it made no verfickte sense." Kaji looked up. "Was she you before the accident?" Asuka eased up her patch. "She had my older red plug suit yes but her left eye wasn't blind she had no eye at all." She looked at the patch in her hand. "It was an empty socket."

Maya looked up as she started to take digital notes. "Did she talk to you?" Asuka shook her head sadly. "No she just stared at me, I even asked in the dream what she wanted but she just didn't answer, she just looked at me real strangely like she was annoyed with me." She clicked her finger. "No wait there was something else we were looking at each in the red sea I was below and she was above like a mirror reflection but not the same person in the reflection." Misato eyed her. "Do you and Rei want to call it quits on training today I mean if your feeling uncomfortable it might be for the better?"

Asuka moved her hand watching as her unit moved its clawed fingers. "Yeah this is making me nervous?" Rei breathed in deeply. "I was done for today anyway." Kaji tapped his holographic screen so the others could hear them. "Okay Rei and Asuka are leaving you can all take your turns against Mari." Mari's image shot up. "Oh what Asuka's leaving that's not fair I didn't get to kick her ass?" Kaji eyed her. "Your sister's not comfortable right now and we need to have Maya run some test's on her."

Maya looked up. "Yeah Mari I need to check her out it's very important." She pressed her hologram screen going to a private channel. "Asuka's sync is far higher than normal it's peaking very close to the danger zone. When this happened last time it caused her wounds to become real during the UN Alpha test unit accident, we need to find out what Bardiel is up to." Mari blinked. "Then I should be there she's my little sister, I have first rights since we are family!" She looked at the other units. "Plus you can stop these training tests on me as I'll happily just do it another day."

Misato breathed in deeply watching as Kaji gave her a smile she shook her head pressing the holographic screens desk button so they could all hear her. "Okay you can all call it quits today we'll pick up again tomorrow morning." She eyed the press helicopters which were going to be very disappointed today as they'd probably been looking forward to seeing these fights since 04 was now fully refitted with new plating to fit its new body type.

She eyed Kaji. "Are all the pieces in place for this afternoon's event?" Kaji breathed in putting his feet on his desk. "Yes, I assume all of yours are as well?" Misato folded her arms. "Yes they are and I made sure that Makoto's is running errands today hence why he's not here, it's nothing out of the ordinary so he won't question it." Kaji put his feet on the desk as a sly smile formed on his lips. "Then let the games begin."

8

Makoto walked the long corridor which led to the pilots wreck room watching as a dark haired woman his age appeared close by she eyed him in disgust as she spoke coldly. "You're late." Makoto eyed her as he raised a device which caused the cameras around them to shut down. He could overlay the feed later with static older feed so no one would notice the gap along with the feed in the pilots wreck room and no one ever checked the back up buffer anyway it was far to time consuming.

Yuki had only been caught because the moron had not had the ability like he had to overlay the gaps granted he didn't like the guy but he had used him to further his plans as he had told him the truth regarding Mari's true sexuality. Because he'd wanted to watch him loose his temper and beat her with lightning rods.

He folded his arms eyeing her. "It's not my fault that the lifts were out between levels forty and sixty Ryoko!" Ryoko raised her hand. "Did you get the Zircon?" Makoto slowly pulled the pills out of his pocket. "Yes and your orders are simple, Asuka needs to be dosed with nine and Mari seven, we do not want Maya's therapy on either of them to work we want it to fail."

Ryoko grabbed the bag from his hand. "Why did you go and put those stupid drugs in there LCL? What was with that bullshit, we want them to kill each other inside work not in front of the world or better yet go mad and kill themselves!" Makoto adjusted his glasses. "I have nothing to do with that shit!" Ryoko eyed him in confusion. "That's impossible I thought that it was you."

Makoto eyed her. "Yeah well I thought it was you and our true employer was breathing down my fucking neck over this. I had to explain that it wasn't us because we would never do something that's so outright stupid and that would expose what we're doing to everyone publicly." Ryoko folded her arms. "Yeah well I had to do the same, you know I've been doing this shit for ages and it pisses me off that Asuka didn't shoot herself like she was supposed to, plus her becoming Rei's fuck buddy was not part of the plan." Makoto felt a sneer form on his lips. "I have no control over who she takes to bed and believe me no one saw this coming our employer said Asuka had had no sex life for almost three years after Hikari."

Ryoko eyed him in disgust. "Hikari ignored the original fucking plan, she was meant to become her girlfriend and play out that she loved her and then she was supposed to slowly poison her and kill her but she bailed out at the very start." Makoto looked up. "She doesn't do women and that's not my problem plus her idea worked better long term, she ruined Asuka emotionally and tarnished her name."

Ryoko eyed him. "Yeah but that doesn't mean shit anymore because she confessed which allowed them to clear Asuka's name. If she had gone with the set out plan Asuka would be dead now, because that's what our employer wants, to see her dead. Not just to ruin Nerv's reputation but because they know that if she ever fixes her emotional problems she might just become a huge problem and the Evangelion's are all starting to do what they said they would, they're all starting to transcend and take stronger forms which gives them new and better abilities."

She breathed in sharply. "Because none of their awakened souls want to ascend or cause impacts they are instead pushing out their godly powers and allowing their pilots to change the units and if either Rei or Shinji go through this we are outright fucked."

She leaned against the wall. "Asuka doesn't even realize how fucking powerful she actuality is right now, she thinks 01 is more powerful than her but 01 will not become as powerful as her unless it goes through its own new evolution and from what I've been told its in the half way stage already. Also Mari has gone and done the same thing now but we aren't sure if she's equal to Asuka I just don't have enough information at present and Maya always keeps her records locked up tight. The press and media all think that Asuka went into a some kind of new type of permanent enhanced beast mode form and got stuck there but it's not, it's actuality in its primal form and it's a permanent berserker and she can control it because she can control her rage just like Shinji but right now his berserker is limited. The only thing we still can't work out is how 00 keeps on standing up to 02 its not evolved it's never even been in beast mode yet it can fight 02 off and it wasn't knocked out by the energy wave like the others it makes no sense. They told us Asuka's feelings for Rei have no bearing on its attacks so I think its something to do with the souls inside the cores I think at one point something was going on with them when they were alive."

Makoto rolled his eyes. "You're not seriously suggesting that Kyoko and Kiko were sleeping together are you because neither of them were gay?" Ryoko felt a sneer form. "You know this is why you have no luck with women you just have no understanding of the female gender whatsoever. They could have slept together in university for all you know and if I remember correctly Kyoko was a transfer student and she did spent some years in Japan studying before going back to Germany. No maybe they weren't gay but maybe they tested the water but remained friends and a had a life long friendship that stuck either way 02 goes out of its way to avoid conflict with 00."

She paused only to feel something solid hit her neck as a cold voice hit the air. "As interesting as your little conversation has been I think now its time we shut you both up!" Makoto turned only to feel the pain as a gun hilt was smashed into his face sending him crashing to the floor, he turned as Ryoko was punched sending her crashing to her knees. He looked up eyeing Kyo who was standing over them while two men and two women who had there guns pointed at them. "How, that's not fucking possible?" Kyo eyed him feeling a smile form. "You've been hunted down little man."

He kneeled down grabbing his face. "Misato's was right you're a bitter, twisted little bastard." He paused watching as Ryoko was pulled to her feet as one of the men pulled the drugs out of her Nerv jacket pocket as a woman hand cuffed her. "So you've been putting drugs in the pilot's drinking bottles as well as giving out high end security cards to outsiders so they can just walk in here."

His cold smile widened. "I do believe they call that treason and Seele really doesn't like treason." He stood up slowly watching as another man pulled Makoto to his feet restraining him and putting on hand cuffs. "Neither does Nerv so I see you two are about to have a really bad day." He eyed Makoto as he moved a step closer to him so he was towering over him. "For such a smart man I'm surprised that you didn't find it odd how your route today was hard, I mean two life shafts routes out that's not normal but Kaji did say you and your little friend here had probably become arrogant and complacent because you'd gotten away with this for so long."

Makoto eyed him as he spat in his direction. "Kaji is a fucking asshole why should he get Misato and not me? I know that bastard is sleeping with her!" He felt a sneer form. "Why would she want that bastard when she can have someone like me? I make more money than Kaji my position is higher and what we had was really good!" Kyo shook his head this was so pathetic. "Misato never did tell you the real reason she spilt up with you did she?

He breathed in deeply knowing that some people really hated hearing the truth and this idiot was going to be one of those people. "It's because you played out your nice guy stereotype for a while then you started to become controlling and emotionally abusive and you wanted to know things above your station that were of no concern to you. You made her deeply uncomfortable because when you couldn't get the information you wanted or she wouldn't tell you for security reasons you got angry and demanded it. She never liked aggressive, violent or controlling men lets just say her father was like that and I know because I worked with him once upon a time and he was awful towards his family and you started to remind her of him and she kicked you to the curb as quickly as possible."

He grabbed him by the hair. "You didn't get what you wanted because you played the nice guy mantra when you're just not that nice guy it's that simple really." He paused gripping his hair tighter. "Oh and on the other subject of Asuka." He didn't think as he slammed his fist into his stomach ignoring his cry of pain as he let go of his hair. "Let's just say hearing what you originally had planned for her disgusted me."

He eased out a recording device from his pocket. "I got that all recorded by the way." He felt a sneer form. "It's the lowest of human beings who pick on others when they can't defend themselves. It's a shame that I'm not allowed to torture you because believe me I'd like to break the both of you in the old world manner over a wheel." He folded his arms. "But I'll just have to settle for seeing others do it for me."

8

Rei watched as Asuka lay back on the table as the medical scanner started working its way up her body slowly towards her head, she turned just in time to see Mari burst through the door followed by Shinji the annoyance in her voice as she spoke. "Next time you don't keep me out of fucking private channels when it concerns your sync ratio Asuka!" Asuka eyed her she should have known this was going to happen. "Oh come on, it wasn't personal I didn't think you'd really enjoy hearing about my messed up dreams!"

Mari raised her hand. "Oh man you still do this don't you? You did this when we were kids it was like you fell out of tree and it was no big deal even though you were bleeding and in agony." Asuka folded her arms. "Oh you just had to bring that up didn't you? If I remember right you verfickte dared me to climb it in the first place!" Mari gave her a cold look. "Yeah and you boasted that you could."

Asuka eyed her. "No I didn't!" Mari walked up to her bed stopping next to it. "My point is I didn't like seeing you in pain after the fall." She adjusted her glasses. "So I would really appreciate not being left out of the personal loop Asuka yeah I get it I've given you over a year of stick but believe me that's over now." She leaned over tussling her red hair as the scanner finished on Asuka's head pulling back as it started to run through the data so Maya could view it as a hologram in her office. "Plus it's not like we are both on Zircon anymore."

Asuka took in a deep breath trying to calm herself down. "No your brain is clear mine has an angel sitting in the cavity." Mari turned to Rei and Shinji who had seated themselves opposite. "Is she always this pleasant when it comes to getting brain and body scans?" Shinji smiled. "She just doesn't like being in the hospital wing." Mari laughed eyeing Asuka as she spoke in a calmer voice. "Well that explains why you broke your last room to bits." Asuka eyed her. "I'm not proud of that." Mari gave a wide smile as she adjusted her black jeans. "Yeah but it was really awesome all the same."

She slowly sat down crossing her legs leaning back. "Like I didn't know bed side wardrobes could fly that far." She turned to Rei raising her hands. "I never did give credit where credit was due though you walking in there when she was that pissed that was fucking brave I mean Misato and Kaji were just loosing it when you walked in." She laughed again watching as Shinji smiled. "I mean I think they thought that Asuka was going to kill you."

Rei looked at her. "And what did you think at the time?" Mari eyed Asuka who was listening quietly. "I think I'd cottoned on by that point that she loved you and you loved her so I didn't see that happening but I just played along with most of you that I was surprised."

She breathed in deeply. "Speaking of which, I have something that's yours." She eased out two red data cards. "I wasn't quite myself that day granted I still have issues with drinking I need to fix but I was also told that Zircon and alcohol really don't mix and it makes people even more aggressive and warps how you think." She looked down slightly. "Nothing was right to me that day Asuka was the enemy and my head was really messed up." She eyed the cards. "I also acted like a massive egotistic prick so I think it's only fair I return these to you now."

Rei looked at her. "That's nice but you can keep them and we'll call it even since I know the truth now of who you really are and I get that your aggression was not all your fault but the drugs talking for you. Plus software and coding are not my thing which is what those high end data cards are for." Mari eyed her as she put them away. "Okay but you don't get off that easy Rei, what is your thing other than riding Asuka in bed till she screams your name?" She ignored Shinji who nearly choked on his drink while Rei just took in a deep slow breath shaking her head.

Asuka eyed her in annoyance. "Do you have a filter at all?" Mari eyed her. "No it's something I learnt from you as a child, remember? Always say what you feel." She turned giving Rei a wide smile. "So what do you like other than books, pottery and computers games?" Rei looked up adjusting her short sleeved shirt. "I like to go and see museum exhibits the ones showing the old world before second impact." Asuka breathed in mentality kicking her self why was Mari asking this and not her?

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

All she'd ever done was take her out to lunch, she'd never even taken one of those real date nights where you go somewhere fun and have drinks afterwards. "I can take you to one of those" Mari eyed her. "Asuka be quite." She ignored her younger sister's death glare. "Really I had no idea you were into that." She raised her hand. "Well how's about this when this crap with Bardiel blows over and Asuka finally gets rid off him I'll get you both some tickets to Tokyo Three museum."

She looked at Asuka. "It has ancient history along with mythology as well so there's something for the both of you." Asuka turned sharply. "How would you know that I like mythology?" Mari smirked. "When Anneberg freed Cheshire that night he came back and chatted with him while I was trying to fix my computer apparently he's kind of lonely and wanted a friend to talk to."

She leaned back. "But he didn't want you to know because he thought you might get mad but they shared thoughts and he told Cheshire you like mythology, I'm hoping they can chat again sometime though more with our guidance if you're up for that." Asuka breathed in deeply. "Yeah I can do that." Rei looked up at Mari. "I like your idea, we will go with that." Mari smiled. "It's settled then."

Asuka felt a sneer form as she fidgeted on the bed knowing that she couldn't sit up until Maya was done. "Why is this stupid scan taking so long?" She watched as Maya came in through the other door the concern in her face she felt her heart sinking as she spoke. "Its really bad isn't it?" Maya looked at her. "Yes." She paused looking at the three dimensional image on her tablet. "It appears that Bardiel has separated his central mass he's opened up kind of like a spider web he's in every part of your right brain but not the left and he's shifted his whole other section into your spinal cord and nervous system and he's opened his whole mass there." Asuka felt the fear take over as she sat up. "Is this going to kill me?"

Maya looked at her sadly as she put down the tablet. "His being there won't kill you no but if he chooses he could stop your brain reserving signals he can literally shut you down if he wants and in turn kill you." Maya breathed in painful. "I have no idea why he's doing this and why so suddenly but you were right your hands moving unit 02 that had to be his doing not yours."

She put her hands in her lab coat pockets. "I think he's trying to take over you Asuka and he clearly wants to control 02 through you." Asuka eyed her. "But he took over me before he knows he could just do it again." Maya looked at her. "I think the problem is maybe now you have enough will power to really fight back and he wants to ensure there is no resistance whatsoever."

Asuka looked at her seeing Rei move to stand next to her putting a hand on her arm. "Verfickter bullying scumbag should have known he'd never play fair not after I tore his shoulder apart that day!" She took in a deep painful breath. "It's not fair, I finally sort out my life on some level and he just wants to take it away from me." Rei moved her hand stroking her hair gently. "Please don't talk like this Asuka, I don't believe he wants to kill you, killing you would kill him."

Mari moved closer seeing Shinji move up front. "She's right Asuka he's preparing you for something." Shinji looked up. "I totally agree with them, he always had an end game, also why is the right side of your brain so important? He could swamp the whole of your brain yet he's remained in part there." Asuka stood up moving away from them. "It doesn't change the fact that I'm now a ticking time bomb!" She felt her eyes dart. "He could take over me right now if he wants, he could have me kill all of you." She looked at her hands. "I know he's going to act very soon I can feel it, he's just moving his final pieces into place."

She turned to Maya. "You have to lock me up you have to keep me away from everyone." Maya shook her head. "I'm not doing that Asuka, I'm not Ritsuko." Asuka felt a sneer form. "You're my friend and I'm begging you to do this now, if not for me then for the others you know Misato would agree with me on this!"

Maya folded her arms. "We are not having this conversation Asuka!" Asuka eyed her feeling her left eye ignite. "I don't get it why are you not doing this now when it really matters!?" Maya looked up sharply. "Because I have faith that you can win against him!" Asuka looked at her for a long moment. "You have faith, that's insane you can't seriously say that and hope that I'll win, I couldn't even surface last time when he took over me." Maya took in a deep breath. "Last time you were deeply depressed your feelings now are very different and I know locking you up won't work, you yourself said he can open and close certain locks so he will just unlock the cell you're in."

Mari folded her arms. "Personally I agree with Maya I think you can win." Asuka felt her teeth grind together. "Shut up Mari you're not helping!" Mari put a hand on her chest. "I get it little sister you're angry but see since locking you up won't pan out and you know it but we all know now you just might win." Asuka raised an eyebrow not caring as she spoke in a bitter sarcastic tone. "Oh and how do you figure that four eyes?" Mari didn't think as she pointed to Rei. "Because you'll crawl fifty miles on broken glass if it means getting back to Rei and don't you dare lie and say that's not true, we all know you better princess!"

She put a hand on her hip. "You took an N2 missile for her, which makes me think you'll kill Bardiel this time because she's what you'll fight for." Shinji looked up. "You even said you'd kill him, you said you'd tear him apart and eat him we believed every word of it Asuka, because you never bluff." He raised his hand. "You want him dead you want him out of you now you'll get to finally do it."

Asuka eyed Shinji. "You know I expect this from Mari, not from you, you always told me there were ways around things beyond violence!" Mari felt a smile form as she looked at Shinji. "I think even Shinji gets that your anger is the only thing that will win this fight Asuka." She put her hand on her chest. "I think the problem is you're not used to hearing that, Toji told me that your anger has never been viewed as a positive up until recently." She looked down. "I think you're afraid now of letting go and what it will mean, because it's only that blinding insane rage that will win this fight." She looked up. "You don't like that side of yourself anymore, you associate it with who you used to be, because you can now control your anger." She turned to Rei who had been very quite throughout. "Would I be right?"

Rei looked up. "Yes." Asuka raised her hands. "Please don't agree with her!" Rei looked up. "She's right though Asuka I know you hate that side of yourself because you associate it with who you used to be but that side of you can win this fight. I know that you fear that you'll loose yourself in that place the way you used to but I don't think you will I think you'll be able to pull it back now."

She slowly met Asuka's anxious gaze. " Shinji and I remember Shamshel all too well they believe you attacked the hospital staff because you were still dealing with the after effects of the beast mode. Which makes people extremely violent first time around but I don't think that will happen this time because you are the master of your own rage and it completes you." Asuka looked at her narrowing her gaze. "What if you're wrong Rei? What if I somehow expel him, kill him in 02 and then I start on you."

She felt her body tense painfully. "Because I'd rather die than break a single part of 00's plating." She stood over her as she spoke coldly. "But if I can't control it are you willing to kill me Rei? This time it won't be training this time it won't be fun it will be 02 trying to tear you half with its teeth and you will have to rip its head off it body, you'll have to forget its me, can you really do that?"

She eased up her hand putting it on her collar running her fingers along the edge. "I'll make it easy for you when you do it, don't imagine its me, imagine it's that brat coming on to you in the corridor, image it's the person who abused your brother and don't feel guilty when you make the killing blow and if you have to leave, leave. I would see no shame in Shinji going into controlled Berserk and tearing 02 limbs off." Shinji turned eyeing her. "Stop it Asuka!" Asuka eyed him. "Stop what? Telling the truth, you know unlike you I don't sugar coat anything."

Rei eyed her suddenly feeling angry start to burn. "Shut up Asuka!" Asuka turned sharply blinking in surprise it was more from hearing Rei's anger than anything else. Rei eyed her. "I get it you're afraid, I would be too but I'm sick of you being so flippant about your own life, like you're expendable!" Asuka eyed her as she felt her teeth start to change as she moved her hand away from Rei's collar. "I always was expendable that was why they put me on the program, 02 was always the back up for 00 and 01 the superior models!"

Rei eyed her as she folded her arms. "No that's just what Ritsuko's told you all of these years ago! Yeah don't think I don't know! I remember her sharp little comments about 02 when we were kids." She stepped closer seeing that Asuka didn't move the ignited left eye and the teeth didn't scare her she knew better. "Kiko helped build 02 with your mother which makes it just as important." She paused. "This is not really about being expendable though is it Asuka, that's just your excuse?!"

She narrowed her gaze gritting her teeth as she spoke. "It's that you don't really want to die but you're just doing what you always do, which is trying to make yourself into the villain because you just don't want to be the hero." She carried on staring into her eyes. "Because you've always been more comfortable with the villain the brat and the bully and she forever rules your life in some respects because you just can't seem to free yourself from her."

She watched as the hurt appeared in Asuka's good eye as her other eye started to dim. "You're afraid to be the hero because it would change how you perceive yourself, you'd finally have to admit that you're a good person who is loving and caring and you'd have to finally embrace admiration. You'd finally see yourself as being like Shinji and I and that terrifies you more than anything because it's the one place you don't think you belong and the one place you think you're just not cut out for. So instead you keep denying yourself that role and run away from it, you and Shinji are not that different. It's just he runs away but then he pulls himself back together and comes back ten times harder, where as you just keep on running!"

She watched as Asuka stepped back her teeth slowly turning to normal as the light faded in her left eye completely. "Misato's right you have so much potential yet you just constantly put up roadblocks so you just can't reach it." She took in a deep breath. "I've seen the real you, she's kind, noble and heroic and she gives unconditionally and asks for nothing in return and puts others before herself." She took in deep breath knowing her next words would hurt but Asuka really needed to hear them. "Why are you being such a coward Asuka and refusing to fully embrace her?"

Asuka looked down sadly she had nothing to say in return what was there to say? She knew Rei was right she just didn't want to hear it she took in a painful breath as she turned towards the door pulling out her patch from her pocket, she didn't want to be here anymore she just wanted to go home and be alone. Yes she was running away she was being a coward but she just felt like her soft side had just been ripped open. Rei turned sharply as Asuka opened the door. "Where are you going Asuka?" Asuka turned speaking the words quietly. "I'm going home I want to be alone tonight."

She pushed the door open not turning back as she walked down the long corridor. Maya watched as she vanished from sight she turned staring at Rei had anyone else said what she'd said they would have had anger directed towards them but Asuka had just given in and walked away. She moved towards Rei who now looked sad. "I'll sign you off ,you can go home early." Rei looked up slightly. "She doesn't want me there she said she wanted to be alone." Mari eyed her. "Yeah she used to say that shit when we were kids it means the total fucking opposite."

She turned to Rei. "It was normally when she wanted a hug the most." She looked down as a memory flashed though her mind. "I used to pick her up and put her in my lap and cuddle her, she was much smaller than me even then she was this cute little red haired bundle if you can imagine that." Rei eyed her feeling a sad smile form. "Actually I can." She paused meeting Mari's concerned gaze. "Your not mad at me for saying that to her?"

Mari shook her head. "No I think she needed to hear it and you're right she just doesn't want to be the hero." She breathed in deeply. "You see when we were kids she always wanted to be the hero." She smiled sadly. "One time we were playing in the yard with the boys next door, I was playing princess and the boys were playing knights they had little wooden swords." She eased up her hands. "The boys were real nice they gave her, her turn to play with the sword and be a knight but my father saw it and he ripped that sword from her hands and told her only boy's play knights and girls play princess."

She looked down sadly. "She was so devastated she even asked him, why couldn't the princess be like the knights and fight her way out and be heroic like in the cartoons. My father told her that, that was not her role in life, her role was to be pretty and marry a good looking guy and have children. Afterwards she did that thing that's very Asuka you know where she bends the rules. Next time we played together she instead played the dragon the villain of the story because then she could just play fight and always get the swords from the knights but she could never use them only stash them."

She shook her head. "But I think that was not the role she enjoyed I think she always wanted to be the knight and hero. I liked playing princess because I liked the dresses I liked the pink colours it made me feel good still does hence why my plug suit is pink and so is my unit." She put her hands on Rei's shoulder. "Whenever I call her princess I'm never talking about a princess who needs rescuing I'm talking about the princess from our childhood who carried a wooden sword and who wanted to be a hero and who questioned my father when I was just too afraid to do so."

She paused before speaking. "You both came up on the train so how's about I drive you up to her house after work and you can both talk it over?" She breathed in deeply. "She doesn't want to be alone tonight but she will just need a couple of hours to cool off, once she cools down she'll realize she's been an idiot and want to call you." Rei eyed her feeling a smile form. "Thank you Mari, I'd like that." She turned to Shinji. "You should come up to."

Shinji looked at her. "No not tonight she's clearly going through a lot but I will talk to her first thing tomorrow, I think she needs you two far more than she needs me. Plus I need to talk to the others about what's happened they'll want to know the results of her scan as they're all really worried about her." Mari turned eyeing Maya. "Do you know where Asuka's house is? I don't have the directions and she's only just given Toji and myself her number and e-mail?" Maya picked up her phone. "I'll get that for you give me a second."

8

"Stop that man and woman!"

Hayden looked up sharply watching as a man and woman ran towards him they were being chased by the special ops he didn't think as he turned pressing the button on the gangway opposite 01. He smirked watching as it separated away from the other section falling flat sending both the man and woman crashing into the bloody red waters bellow.

He turned watching as the head of the team Aliya who was of Arabic decent blinked in surprise as she looked at him coming to a sudden stop lowering her gun. "What the hell, why did you do that?" Hayden smirked eyeing the water bellow watching as both people splashed around. "Its red water there's no oxygen down there, they can't swim I mean you try to swim under there without a breathing apparatus you'll fucking drown." He raised his hand counting down from five. "Oh and wait for it?"

He suddenly heard the screaming and panicking below. "Yeah a lot of people really hate the sensation it's not like being in the ocean, it's like being a vat of thick blood." He paused easing out a cigarette lighting it. "Though there's this very rare percentage of the population who can swim in it and even dive under it but they're like a one in a million or so I've heard."

He watched as two of his diving crew mates leapt in going after the two people below. "I even had a guy here once who could tolerate it, he used to impress us because he could go under and we used to ask him how he could stomach it." He felt a smile form. "He said it was like being in a warm cloak, weird shit right?" Aliya looked at him. "I seriously never knew that."

She eyed the gangway. "How come the gangway can lower like that?" Hayden eyed unit 01 which was soaked up to its shoulders. "This big brutal bastard here used to have habit of raising its arm upwards and wrecking the gangway so we installed a fall away point because it would only smash it off and we wouldn't have to rebuild the gangway over and over but in emergencies it can be pressed so it falls away." He shrugged watched as his divers dragged the people out watching as the special ops behind her put them in hand cuffs. "What'd these two do anyway?"

Aliya breathed in deeply. "Normally I wouldn't say but since you've been so forthcoming and helpful I'll say that they're traitors and are in so much trouble." Hayden took a long breath of his cigarette before breathing the black smoke out. "Fascinating I hope you hung, drawn and quarter them old world style." Aliya smirked. "Oh we intend to believe me." She turned to the dark haired woman who was eyeing her in disgust. "Isn't that right Kimi?" Kimi turned looking into her eyes. "I demand a phone call."

Aliya eyed her pushing her tailed wavy black hair back as her brown eyes fell up on her. "No you don't get one of those, I mean posing as the head of the visitors centre and then pulling this crap with your little friend here." She breathed in deeply. "Makoto must have been real desperate to hire you and him because you're both really fucking sloppy." Kimi struggled against the hand cuffs. "Please I don't work for that piece of shit!" Aliya eyed her putting her pistol under her chin forcing her head up by it. "Oh really so who is your handler then?" She slowly clicked off the safety. "Don't be shy now."

She paused meeting her ice cold blue eyes. "I mean when you posed as head of the visitor centre you have an opinion on everything including disabled people who had accidents and you make fun of them." She pushed the gun in harder. "My brother Leon is missing a leg but maybe you'd find that funny that he has a robotic one and has to take medication." She narrowed her gaze. "Come on whose paying you!"

Kimi breathed in deeply. "It's Shigeo!" Aliya eyed her in surprise as she pulled her pistol away. "You mean slimy creepy politician Shigeo the guy who's desperate to be Prime Minster?" Kimi nodded. "Yes! He paid us and gave us key cards he even asked that we put drugs in unit 02 and 04's entry plugs he wanted to Mari to kill Asuka because he wants control of the Evangelion program!"

The man next her spoke. "We don't know who he's working for he never said anything!" Aliya eyed him. "Who are you?" The blonde haired man looked up. "My name is Nathaniel!" She stepped over to him. "So you honestly don't know who Shigeo is working for?" Nathaniel eyed her. "No but I know he's really fucking unhappy about Rei's relationship with Asuka, because he was had been planning to throw a marriage proposal out to her once she hit twenty three next year, he's been calling and chatting to her for years trying to get her attention. He sends her gifts and shit like that anything to make her like him even though it never works and she just ignores him. He wants her because she looks like her mother who he was infatuated with but she rejected his advances at the start of the Evangelion program and went off to marry Gendo."

He breathed in deeply. "He wanted Asuka to fucking die those were his words because she was so undeserving of Rei, plus Rei's has not been at her house for weeks and she's not taking his phone calls and it's been driving him mental." He breathed in deeply. "He's even been ringing Shinji harassing him for Rei's model phone number recently and trying to find out where Asuka lives but he turns off the phone and ignores him." He looked up. "He said to me that only he should have rights to Rei's body not some bisexual bitch from Germany."

Hayden breathed out his cigarette smoke. "Wow your employer sounds like a piece of shit he sounds like one of those sad old world type bastards who doesn't get the meaning of the word no." Aliya turned eyeing him. "You took the words right out of my mouth, what do they call you?" Hayden gave her a smile. "Hayden and you are?" Aliya gave him a smile. "It's Aliya." She turned back to Nathaniel. "Wow Misato's going to have a fucking field day with the both of you I can't wait to see it ,it's going to be such fun."

She eyed Kimi. "You the most because you betrayed her trust well before this event by disobeying and I can't imagine how Rei's going to be when she finds out you both tried to kill Asuka, I heard when she gets mad which isn't often she is not to be toyed with." She smirked. "She's going to chew you both up and spit you both out." She eased up her hand. "Oh and Gendo is going to wail on Shigeo when he finds out, granted he's not that super loving dad but he doesn't like people screwing with his children or using them to try and take over the Evangelion program. I've heard people who do that end up in front of Seele's black guard and they don't live to talk about it."

She smirked. "You might even end up there yourself if you're lucky enough and if you do you won't survive the night, you see Seele's black guard are not like us. We have tortures we would never perform but they would oh you need not worry they don't do any form of sexual torture that's forbidden but they'll do some real medieval torture on you which involve flaying and gutting you alive and it'll be slow, long and really painful."

She felt a cold smile form. "And unlike us they don't do mercy, no amount of begging will set you free only death will, think about that." She moved her hand sharply. "Get rid of this trash!" Hayden smiled as they were both dragged away. "You're kind of scary, I like it." Aliya smiled putting the safety on her pistol as she put it away. "So are you, I mean you dumped them in red water knowing full well they'd freak out and panic."

Hayden shrugged slightly. "Guy needs a hobby it gets boring down here sometimes." Aliya turned eyeing all of Evangelion's which were in neat lines three on each side. "I don't know I think its cool that you get to spend time with these awesome titans." Hayden smiled raising his hand. "Well this sides the older titans 00, 01 and 02." He turned pointing. "On the opposite side we have the younger titans 03, 04 and newest edition 05."

Aliya eyed 02. "Yeah but I noticed though that all the rest are in numerical order but you have 02 is in between 00 and 01." Hayden looked up at the red unit. "Yeah that fucking beast is always misbehaving whenever we stick it behind 01 it tries to move its limbs or tails towards 00 and we have to put them back again when we get in, in the morning, so now we stick it in between so it doesn't misbehave and so far we've had a few days of it not behaving which is a new record." Aliya blinked in surprise. "They move? But I thought they couldn't do that."

Hayden smirked. "Oh I could tell you so many stories about that because I can tell you now that these three older ones they don't just twitch they do other really creepy things." Aliya folded her arms. "How's about you tell me them all over lunch up in the Arcade tonight after my shift is over?" Hayden eyed her. "With pleasure just give me your number and the restaurant you want to go to." He leaned forward. "Though you'll have to excuse the work overalls, I didn't bring spare set of nice clothes to dress in today."

Aliya raised her hands. "Hey I'm special ops I don't never have special dress clothes I spend my days teaching employees how to fight and my younger brother's been teaching them to shoot." She gave him a wide smile. "So we are in the same boat then." Hayden eyed her. "It would seem that way." Aliya pulled out her phone. "So want to share phone numbers?" Hayden smiled pulling out his phone. "Sure." He looked up slightly. "So what do you like Chinese, Japanese, English American what's your poison?" Aliya looked up. "I prefer comfort food."

Hayden felt a smile form. "I know a little place for that it's a bar on the twelfth floor of the Arcade and the guy in there has got a little white cat called Pippin." Aliya leaned against the rail. "I'll give it a go might be interesting."

End of part 55

Silvermoonlight