HEED THE CALL OF THE DIVINE ONE

Kyoko looked up as her blue sky above her suddenly turned dark as a flash of white lightning came down striking a tree opposite setting it alight with red flames. "I don't believe Nerv, there trying to use that piece of shit again to break through here to find you." Asuka looked around in confusion feeling her body suddenly go ice cold it was like someone had walked over her grave it was an awful sensation.

Kyoko breathed in deeply. "I will send you home when I chose to but I need more time!" She raised her hand her teeth gritting together as her anger started to burn. "This is my fucking world you hold no sway here Ritsuko!" Asuka watched as red light flew from her mothers hand as it hit the white lightning that was coming towards her as her other hand clutched her tighter refusing to let go. It was so welcoming, as the other sensation was outright awful and she starting to have difficultly standing due to overwhelming feeling of dizziness.

Kyoko breathed in closing her eyes she hated to ask favours of the others but she needed it right now she wanted the time with her daughter because she didn't know that they'd ever get this opportunity ever again and she wanted Asuka to remember their time together more than anything as they could visit their children in the entry plugs in visions as many times as they pleased but bringing them into the cores was so risky but it was that one and only chance to see them in the flesh and hug them.

She listened as the closest voice spoke up which was Lydia's. "You want my help?" Kyoko breathed in deeply as she spoke in her mind knowing the other woman could hear her. "Yes." Lydia's gentle voice came again. "As you wish Kyoko let us call this even then between us." Kyoko looked up at the sky seeing the lightning as it started to come down harder as she had to fight harder to stop it. "Yes in the spirit of friendship." Lydia spoke again. "I'll call up on your former lover I'm closer to her than you are."

She paused before speaking again. "Though this will wake up Yui and you know she won't be happy, she hates it when you act out against her wishes." Kyoko narrowed her gaze. "I'll find a way around that I did not have my daughter create those two tails for the reasons that Bardiel used them for only one is a weapon to disrupt the AT field but not the other it has a greater purpose. You and Kiko both created a similar thing on each tail end. They are so we can plug into each other's units and see and speak to each other directly for the first time and even touch each other and hopeful they will also allow our children to share their thoughts and feelings free from others hearing them in a mental plain separate from ours."

She looked up as the sky above as it started to turn red. "Shinji and Kaworu could benefit greatly from this as will Rei and Asuka and Yui will see what I'm getting at and finally help Shinji change his unit fully like we did, she hesitated last time for fear of hurting him but the children can take it, we've proven it."

She breathed in deeply. "Our awakening and accessions will help the other two who are still fighting that vile AI they will see that they have strength and power and that this world with the core is their own!"

Lydia spoke again. "Yui was right you are crazy, though I mean that in the best way possible, now I get why Kiko likes you." Her voice came again but quieter. "Maybe when you finally plug in you should tell her how you really feel and stop with all your bullshit beating around the bush because you're afraid of your feelings like your daughter was, you've had five years to sort your shit out Kyoko so sort it out already your ascended now, no ones going to judge you not even your daughter." She breathed in deeply. "Even I can feel your feelings from here."

Kyoko narrowed her gaze. "Can we please talk about this another time? Now is not the best time for you to be giving a lecture on my fucking love life, do something useful with that long tail already since you're the one who is closest to me!" Lydia laughed. "You never change still stubborn as ever and to think I once hated you, I got it all so wrong since we were both puppets in our husband's game Mari and Asuka were in his eyes the failed byproducts."

Kyoko breathed in painfully as she carried on fighting the lighting. "My child and your child are not things to be thrown away or treated like shit. You told me he was murdered some years after you split up but that also led to your murder because they were trying to kill anyone with ties to him and his greater plans."

Lydia voice came back coldly. "Believe me if the other half of you that puppet without a soul had not committed suicide she'd have died to. The only reason Asuka and Mari did not die was because they were in the Evangelion program and untouchable by the time the killers found them his two older children from his first failed marriage have vanished from sight and have never been found to this day but they'll show up again soon mark my words."

Hayden looked up in panic. "I've got a power overload starting in the coils!" Maya turned sharply. "What!" Hayden looked up as unit 02 suddenly started to shudder violently as all four of its eyes turned on as its teeth grated against the machine in its mouth. "The bastard's going to destroy the mouth piece!" He looked up as the huge mouth piece was pushed out causing it to fall downwards only to be kept from falling in to the bays red water by the massive cables. "You have to shut it down!"

Maya turned sharply. "No we have to hold it! I'm getting Asuka's sync code, I'm so close!" She was about to say more only for a sudden bone chilling screech to hit the air as 04 suddenly came alive its huge jaws opening fully as it started to fight against its restraint's much to the shock of everyone. Its huge long thin lash tail suddenly shot out of the bloody water, it came down with tremendous force slamming against one of 02's arm restraints trying to break it.

She turned as 00 suddenly come on letting out a bellowing lion like roar as it pointed weapon like tail end came out of the water only to smash down against the wall opposite as it started to struggle against its restraints which was followed by 01's eyes coming on but it didn't move or fight like the others. "What is going on, this is insane?!" She watched as 04's long tail came down this time hitting its mark as it sent one of the magnetic coils flying off sending it crashing into the bloody water bellow which caused the entry plug to fly back inside once more.

Maya turned sharply. "Power it down now!" Hayden didn't think as he slammed the emergency shut off which caused 02 to instantly shut down its eyes going dark he turned seeing 04 and 00 power down followed 01. "What is this fucking shit is the Judas restraint sending out a signal that's affecting the others or something?" Maya breathed in she knew what had just happened Kyoko had denied her yet again and this time she'd pulled in the other units to help her. "Get that magnetic coil!"

Hayden turned. "But…" Maya turned holding back none of her anger. "Get your team to retrieve that coil, we need to refit it!" She sat back in her chair eyeing 02 again as she saw the devastated looks on everyone's faces along with the confusion as she looked at her panel. "Great I'm going to be here all night just get that broken magnetic coil refitted!"

Misato moved over putting a hand on her shoulder. "Look I think you should stop now Maya you've been at this all night and all morning you need to take a break and get some sleep." Maya turned looking at unit 02. "I have to get Asuka out I cannot just leave her like this."

Kaji moved over forward. "Well it won't do you any good to be tired and hungry come on Maya lets just get lunch and then you need to get some sleep then you can start fresh." He eyed the others. "That goes for the rest of you too you need to rest and eat." Rei looked up sharply. "I'm not leaving." Kaji eyed Shinji and Mari who once again looked really concerned. "The rest of you come with us, we'll explain what just happened and you can bring Rei back something to eat."

Rei watched as they all walked away as Hayden came to greet them the confusion in his face as Maya tried to explain that it was a weird feed back from the Judas restraint. She could see that Shinji and Mari weren't convinced neither was she, that just seemed too real it was as if 02 had asked 04 and her unit for help to cause a huge distraction she'd even see her brothers unit turn on but it hadn't moved.

Nothing about this made any sense she'd read her fathers notes on the partial AI personalities they weren't meant to talk to each other and now all of a sudden Asuka's mother's video was popping back into her mind all over again. Along with the thoughts she'd had before that maybe the units had living souls in them though she had been so depressed last night that she had just put it out of her mind but right now she was starting to think differently.

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What if she had it all wrong and it was not the partial AI keeping Asuka trapped what if she was right now talking to her mother Kyoko whose soul was in there and she was keeping her in there so they could talk. She knew there was only one way to find out that and she'd have a very limited window, she'd have to wait until they had gotten the magnetic coil out of the red water and had gone to lunch only then could she confront 02 face to face alone and it would only be a thirty minute window.

She turned seeing that Hayden was coming towards her the concern in his face as the others left, the big burly man knelt down next to her he was practicality towering over her as he spoke gently. "They're going to get Asuka out I'm sure of it believe me, your girlfriend's just being stubborn I think she's just a little scared that we are all going to judge her over the fact that she ate Bardiel alive." He put his hand into his pocket easing out a chocolate bar. "You should eat something, I know it's really hard but you should." He paused eyeing the chocolate. "You can eat dairy right? I mean I heard you can eat ice cream."

Rei slowly took it from his hand. "Thank you, yes I can eat dairy." Hayden breathed in looking at her he knew he had to be on his best behaviour as she was the director's daughter. Granted Asuka could swear around her all she wanted but he knew he couldn't let any swear words out. "Between you and me I think these units are alive I don't think that was the Judas restraint."

He paused watching as she turned to look at him the surprise in her green eyes. He spoke very quietly seeing that the teams were now returning to unit 00 and 04 to check them over. "I mean seems to me like 02 asked 04 for a hand, I mean taking off the magnetic coil that looks more like a well thought out strategy to delay time along with coughing out the mouth piece."

He eyed unit 00 which the specialists were looking over desperately trying to check that the bottom jaws plating had held along with the other new fittings. "Almost feels like your unit was kicking up a storm as well." He breathed in deeply before speaking. "Your brother's turning on as well was really strange, wouldn't you say?" Rei turned to him. "Your head of all the teams aren't you?" Hayden nodded. "Yes I am but I'm also leader of 02's maintenance have been for nine years since it first came here from Germany."

He eyed the unit. "This one has always been the most badly behaved granted the crew tend to blame Asuka for that but I'm not sure anymore whatever it is the AI or something else. This unit wants to do its own thing kind like your brothers did in the beginning through now it's become very quite and calm." He rose his hand watching as Rei finished the chocolate bar. "This one wants to stand out you know kind of like it has an opinion."

He paused before speaking. "And it really likes your unit 00 for some reason we normally have to put it in between 00 and 01 because it tries to reach out for it." He looked up. "At first I thought it was Asuka's feelings for you but they told me both of your entry plugs were out and being checked by the specialist when this happened." He felt a smile form as he watched the shock spread across her face he knew he couldn't say the words openly but he got that she understood what he was getting at.

He watched as her green eyes darted as if she was putting something together in her mind. "You can order us to leave the bay if you'd like sometime with 02 alone, I can make it so." He breathed in eyeing 02. "You don't have to wait till lunch." He raised his hand. "Your brother's word and yours to me are the same as if it came from the director mouth itself."

Asuka looked up feeling the coldness fade as her mother turned to her kissing her head gently as she spoke. "I'm sorry if they hurt you, I needed to stop them doing that, it would have really hurt you, if they'd pulled you out that way the Judas restraint is a rubbish machine and it would have screwed with your mind." Asuka breathed in deeply. "Thank you, I don't want that, once was enough."

She paused before speaking as some thing crossed her mind. "It was you…you came to my rescue when they put me in Obrax…." Kyoko watched as she looked up. "Yes." Asuka felt her eyes dart. "Why I mean you exposed that you were living inside the unit, it was a huge risk for you?” Kyoko moved her hand through her long red hair. "Because I love you Asuka, you're my daughter and I'll always protect you."

She felt her daughter's arms wrap around her once more. "Never believe that I wouldn't love you, or forget you, I love it every time you step inside this unit, because you're close to me and I can feel you." She paused watching as the red sky faded as the tree opposite fire went out as it started to re-grow its leaves. "That thing in the hospital was never me Asuka I would never try to strangle you or cause you harm."

She breathed in deeply closing her eyes. "So please always remember that and never forget it now you know I'm here, I can still give visions and I can still help you inside the entry plug all you have to do is call out to me." She pulled away looking at her. "When I send you back, you will be disorientated and you won't remember everything right away but once you're rested though it might take a week or so you will start to remember everything we've spoken about."

She put her hands on her daughter's leather jacket. "I know you don't like the super human strength and though I could return you to how you were before the Alpha unit accident, I don't think deep down you really want that." She breathed in deeply. "You're also going to need that strength and that left eye more than ever and I believe you can control the teeth for the most part and the scars now matter to you."

She looked at the leather jacket which she could now also see Rei wearing on the other side as she was standing directly facing 02's face looking up. "Transcendence effects every pilot others have also been changed as well I think for Mari it has enhanced her ability to code and her strength outside the entry plug is more but she's not aware of it yet, it is necessary and part of the transition because they need to be stronger both mentality and physically to use the enhanced primal unit."

She looked up. "Rei I think has, had the same strength wise though hers is not as extreme as yours or Mari's but its also made her much more confident in her desires and wants and for the first time in her life she's feeling and learning about her own anger and she will need help with that transition from you because it's going to be very new and scary for her. Kiko told me that she has always feared her own anger up until now."

She paused looking into her daughter's good eye. "Shinji, Kaworu and Toji will all soon follow and you will all have the ability to face your enemies in a way you never could before." Asuka looked up. "I'm ready for you to send me back to Rei now." Kyoko felt a sly smile form. "I'm about to I just want Rei to call me out personally, she's so close to the truth and I want to give it to her. This is what I've been waiting for this is one of the reasons I delayed your home coming as I wanted to help you both as Kiko went to great lengths to help you through Rei."

She paused looking up slightly. "Also when you return do not forget what I told you about your units tails and what they are really for, only one is a weapon but the other isn't its your window into others thoughts and feelings and Mari's unit has one and so does Rei's and you can plug into them to talk to each other and it will also allow me to see Yui and Kiko face to face because for us its been a very long time of only hearing each other voices in whispers and the other units will gain the ability to in time."

She looked up as Rei's voice suddenly came though as she spoke evenly. "I know you can hear me." There was a long pause. "I know what you really are." She closed her eyes waiting the moment she called her out by name and she would prove it to be true and then send Asuka back to her.

Rei looked up staring into 02's face looking down bellow where the workers had attached a walkway close to the entry plug so they could refit the coil when they all returned. Only herself and Hayden were here he had made all of the workers vanish and was now watching close by.

Clearly he knew the truth like her she had read between the lines and just like her, he wanted to see if he was right she looked at 02 again as she spoke. "I know you're not a partial AI personality because no AI personality would have done what you just did in the bay not long ago. I know Evangelion's don't talk to each other and you were all talking and causing some kind of distraction to buy yourself more time."

She paused for a long moment before speaking. "I've seen some of Asuka's videos and I didn't want to believe it but now I do." She moved even closer. "I know you can understand every word I'm saying. You even looked at me once using 02's eyes when it lost its face plate and the unit didn't have green eyes before but I've seen the videos and photos and your real eyes are green." She stepped even closer. "Isn't that right Kyoko?"

She paused seeing no response maybe this was really stupid maybe she was just talking to a partial AI and no one could hear her. She took in a deep breath about to walk away only to hear the sudden creaking she turned sharply watching in utter shock as the huge jaws slowly formed a smile as the huge tongue came out licking one of its huge upper canine teeth.

The next moment caught her completely off guard as the huge arms rose upwards smashing apart the lower brace as one of the huge clawed hands came up opposite her as the two huge tails rose out of the bloody water blasting out gold and silver lightning as the left tails inside functions started to change as they reconnected themselves in a different lay out before both tails sank back into the red water there lightning vanishing.

She looked up as 04's huge tail end came up doing the same thing followed by her unit whose huge slicing dagger shifted backwards up the tail revealing a connection point whose inner parts changed position before the weapon end went back up locking over it as it vanished back in to the bloody waters. She turned looking at the four glowing eyes as she moved her hand up putting it on one of the clawed fingers as she was hit with utter joy for the first time since this incident had happened.

"So you are Kyoko! Oh gods Anneberg was right all along." She watched as the huge clawed hand lowered as the face carried on smiling at her. "I know you want to keep Asuka there, I understand why, you're her mother but please I want her back now." The smile remained as the huge unit's shoulders ignited as silver and gold lightning started flying out as the slow creak of the entry plug rising was heard.

End of part 66

Silvermoonlight