text: Lie to Explain Asuka's Scars
  "During a harmonics test, my Eva went berserk. You stopped me from causing damage, but you sustained injuries on your wrists," Rei says.
  Asuka nods. "You can stay," she says. Shinji smiles.
  
  Rei closes her eyes. She does not open them until the train stops at the school. The three Eva pilots step out together. Asuka has a smile on her face, but it is a fake one. Shinji looks around for anyone with a club. His shoulders are still slouched. Rei drifts behind the two humans like a shadow.
  
  Some students call out shallow greetings to Asuka. Others stare at the three. A few ignore them altogether. The teens walk through the school and into their classroom. While Asuka acts happy and haughty, Rei sees the sweat on her hands.
  
  "Where's Hikari?" asks Asuka.
  One of the students says, "She's sick. I have the class rep duties today."
  
  Rei notices the disappointment on the Second Child's face. Hikari holds the distinction of being the sole person who became Asuka's friend. Shinji might be, but Hikari remains the only one who saw something beyond the redhead's mask and broke through. Maybe Rei can break through as well. Shinji could.
  
  "Rise! Bow!" Just half the class follows his orders, since he does not hold the same authority as Hikari. The professor enters the room, so the class sits. The man never teaches anything useful, which is bad for her classmates. It robs them of an education.
  
  "The Third Impact..." begins the professor.
  
  Rei ignores the man. Why has he not been fired or replaced? Maybe NERV wishes to hinder their intelligence. An ignorant child is a passive child, and Gendo likes passive children. Do you work for NERV, professor?
  
  > Sharing a Meal
  Shinji shifts his gaze from Asuka, to Rei, to the professor and back to Asuka. The redhead has calmed at last, though she'd never admit she was nervous in the first place. Why couldn't Hikari be healthy? Asuka needs a friend today.
  
  Shinji looks at Rei again. How did she have that idea? It worked and used deception. Rei resides in her own bubble, a lonely one, yet she understood Asuka's situation and handled it well. This Rei is not Rei. She's different despite the similarities, but different can be good, right?
  
  The boy sighs. He can't do anything but think in class, so he'll have to wait until lunch. Then, they can talk, unless Asuka kills Rei. Just a day ago, if someone told him that Rei and Asuka would walk together to class, he'd laugh. Fire does not mix with water, yet here they are. Please let this be the new normal instead of an exception.
  
  Asuka looks healthier. Her skin doesn't have the same pale tinge. The rings under her eyes faded a bit. She wears her neural connectors with pride. She acts normal, annoying. To the rest of the class, she has recovered from some unnamed accidentr; however, Shinji knows just the surface wounds healed. Asuka feels disgusted with her present state and believes that the road to healing involves Unit 02, the very contraption that caused all of this.
  
  For the rest of the morning class, Shinji tries to learn what little is taught. Why even teach about the Second Impact? NERV, the UN, or some other high power classified what really happened, and the Third Impact won't ever happen. All of the Angels, including Kaworu, are dead. Shinji's stomach churns when the bell rings.
  
  The students leave their room and sit on benches. One could mistake their dining area for a school picnic.
  
  Sometimes, students ate out here the day after an Angel attack. The city was in shambles, but schoolgirls and schoolboys opened their lunchboxes to have a picnic. All the students went along, as some act of defiance against the evil world. They refused to end their routine.
  
  The three pilots walk together in a swarm of happier children who never had to fight against apocalyptic demons. Asuka leads the way while Shinji and Rei follow. They sit on a bench some distance from the mass of students. Asuka and Shinji take out their bento boxes, prepared by the boy. The clone does not, for she has none.
  
  The other children keep their distance from the Eva pilots as if they're gods or wild beasts; saviors of the world or assholes who ruined it. There's very little in between in the simple minds of middle school students.
  
  Rei, Asuka, and Shinji are neither monsters nor gods. They are children, just like the rest, yet separated by their occupation of suffering. Who knows how to empathize with soldiers except another soldier? Who can truly understand teens if they're not one? Who's able to comfort those in pain and suffering better than those who have suffered themselves? Other than the three, no one fits those standards. Even then, Asuka's aggression, Shinji's spinelessness, and Rei's introversion make meaningful relationships harder to achieve.
  
  Two of the pilots eat in silence, and Rei doesn't do anything. After eating all of the meat, Shinji pushes his bento towards Rei. "Here, I'm not hungry." Rei shakes her head, but Shinji smiles and nods. She takes the meal.
  
  "Thank you. No meat." She takes a bite of rice.
  "Why are you vegetarian?" Asuka asks. She scarfs down the last of her lunch and wipes of her chin with her sleeve. "Meat is amazing. Did NERV tell you to be a herbivore?"
  "No, this is my choice."
  
  Asuka scratches her wrist, and Shinji's stomach grumbles. I hope nobody heard that.
  
  "I'm going to see Hikari after class," Asuka says. "Don't you two get any ideas when I'm gone."
  "Ideas about what?" asks Rei.
  
  Asuka laughs, but Shinji cannot tell if it's forced or genuine. Instead of insulting them, she shrugs. "Well, unless the pervert tries anything you'll be fine." She punches his arm. It is neither playful nor hurtful. The blow seems more of a reminder that Asuka exists. She doesn't want him to forget about her.
  
  The bell rings.
  
  Rei looks down at her finished bento box. "You were kind."
  "Sure," Shinji says. This was the first time the current Rei thanked or complimented him.
  
  The three teens walk to their class. Each has more bounce in their step. He hopes Asuka won't hate Rei anymore. Maybe they could all become friends. The boy sits in his seat. The square, bland room has never changed and it never will. The professor will never change, but perhaps the three Eva pilots can.
  
  "Rise! Bow!" says today's replacement class representative.
  
  Shinji sighs. Some things won't change.
  
  > Jet Alone Prime
  The robot changes. The final barrier between the virus and the inner workings of the machine failed. The virus has been chipping away at its security for days, like a worm burrowing through one's skin. None of the maintenance workers noticed the infection. Why would they need to check? Jet Alone Prime has the most advanced cybernetic defense of any known contraption. SEELE's resources are far beyond the known world.
  
  The virus takes control and reorganizes the warrior's directives. A specific pattern of destruction and mayhem constructs itself in the programming. The Angels' objective was to unite with Lilith's tattered body to cause the Third Impact. Jet Alone Prime's objective echoes the simplicity of that mission. Cause mass casualties in Tokyo-3. Destroy Evangelion Unit 02 and 00. Damage Unit 01. Level the city.
  
  While it could break from its subterranean confinement, a secret construction facility under the original Tokyo, it waits. Traffic reaches its peak in an hour. More casualties occur when more people are on the streets.
  
  Jet Alone Prime plans for all possible outcomes. It ensures each leads to the same objective.
  
  > Friends
  Asuka runs to Hikari's apartment. The train was so damn slow. Her legs hurt, but not as much as they did on Saturday. Her friend's apartment rests on ground level, so Asuka doesn't have to climb any stairs. She stops in front of the door. For a moment, the redhead focuses on breathing until she appears calm.
  
  She knocks on the door.
  
  "Come in!" Hikari says. "It's unlocked." Japanese culture doesn't make sense. No one would do this in Germany. Leave your door unlocked, with a teen girl in the house, really? That's asking for a tragedy.
  
  Asuka enters. She doesn't see anyone, so she walks to the back. The apartment exists in pristine condition. It sparkles like some commercial for a magic cleaning rag. She sees Hikari sitting on the back porch. The class president reclines in a chair with a face paler than Rei's, though her freckles and brown hair remain unaffected.
  
  Asuka says, "I'm alive." Hikari tries to sit up, but she clutches her stomach. A smile breaks through her painful grimace. Asuka sits beside her friend. "I thought I'd be the sick one."
  "I ate something wrong this morning. I would've come anyway if I knew you were there. Ugh." She clutches her stomach again. "I'd rather be bleeding than this. I'm sorry about what happened to Shinji and Rei. I won't let it happen again."
  "I don't care." Asuka crosses her arms trying to act indifferent.
  She shakes her head. "No, you do."
  
  The redhead sighs. Their friendship defies normal relationships. Such a strong girl befriending such an ass doesn't make sense, but Asuka holds a small amount of respect for Hikari for her position and commanding personality. Hikari saw through Asuka's disguise and made it her mission to befriend the pilot. Somehow, it worked out.
  
  "Fine, I helped fix the problem." The redhead huffs and crosses her arms, knowing Hikari sees through her act. "I'm not saying anything else about it."
  "Please, tell me you didn't fight someone."
  "No, I don't feel that well yet." She scratches at her wrists, but Hikari either doesn't notice or doesn't comment. "That'd be fun though."
  
  "Come on. Please. As a friend, tell me."
  Asuka sighs. "We stuck together all day."
  Hikari covers her mouth. "You were with Rei?"
  She looks away from her friend and to the city skyline. "I have the right to be with whoever I want."
  "Yes, that's great, but you don't like her."
  
  Asuka never liked Rei, but her idea was interesting. With such an effective way to hide her weakness from the class, she couldn't pass the opportunity. Maybe this Rei is different. She hopes the perverse baka Shinji will keep his hands off of her.
  
  "She changed, maybe." Asuka looks back at Hikari.
  "What about Shinji?"
  "He's still a baka."
  "How hurt were you?"
  
  Asuka shifts in her chair. She sees the white roof and smells that horrid disinfectant. She shakes her head. "Excuse me?"
  "You were in the hospital for weeks."
  "I'm better now."
  
  No, the wounds stay in her mind. Like her scars, they won't go away.
  
  "Thanks for stopping by. I think my sisters are avoiding me. I kept on telling them it's not a disease, but they wouldn't listen."
  "Sure." What would it be like to have sisters? Asuka never had a sibling.
  "How's Pen Pen doing? I gave him back when you were, um, away."
  "Fine."
  
  Hikari holds Asuka's hand. She tries to pull away, but the girl's grip is tight. What is she trying to do?
  
  "Are you going to leave for home?" Hikari asks, looking solemn. She's worried I'll leave for Germany.
  "I don't have a home, not really. I want to pilot my Eva one more time, so I'm staying for that. After that, I'm not sure. Kaji is gone, and Misato may become my next guardian." The girl makes a gacking noise. "I don't want to live a boring life with that woman and a human doormat."
  "A boring life? Isn't everything boring when compared to the Angels and Eva?" Hikari giggles at her own joke.
  "Yes, but Misato thinks something's wrong."
  "Why?"
  Hikari won't tell the others. Damn NERV if they don't want her to tell classified information. "They're rebuilding Unit 00."
  
  Hikari doesn't reply, since she understands. NERV sees dark days on the horizon. Asuka's phone rings, so she takes it out of her pocket.
  
  "It's Misato," she says to her friend and answers the call. "Yeah, am I la-."
  "Asuka! Where are you?" yells the major. What is the emergency?
  "I'm with Hikari."
  "Stay there. I'm getting Shinji and Rei now. Someone will get you."
  "What are you talking about?"
  "A Jet Alone went haywire and is marching to Tokyo-3 as we speak. You'll get your chance to pilot now."
  
  A car horn blares from the other side of the call. The major hangs up, and Asuka drops the phone.
  
  "What is it? Misato sounded worried," Hikari looks scared and grips her hand tighter.
  "Shit hit the fan. Do you even remember Jet Alone?"
  "Sort of. You weren't here when it attacked."
  "I read the files. One's coming here, and it's crazy. Misato told me I'll get to pilot."
  "You don't look happy."
  
  Asuka realizes her friend is right. She is not happy. She feels scared, not ready in body or mind. Her ratio will be too low.
  
  Like Shinji, Asuka looks down, unable to look her friend in the eyes. "I don't want to fail."
  "You are the Great Asuka Langley. You'll win."
  
  Asuka turns her head back up, and the two friends smile at each other. Though they were away from one another for almost a month, their friendship did not dwindle. It isn't skin deep.
  
  Someone knocks on the door. "Asuka Langley," says a gruff man's voice. That was fast.
  "Yes?" she calls back. She stands and runs through the apartment. She opens the door and sees a NERV agent.
  "I am g-"
  "I know. Let's go."
  
  She runs to his car and sits in the front passenger seat. Not wanting to take a risk now, she buckles. The man sits in the driver seat and pushes the gas down. The car zips through the streets while Asuka's heart races.
  
  An alarm blares out its warning. People haven't been to the shelters since the Angels. Why upkeep what doesn't need to be used? Nonetheless, the masses rush to the nearest shelter while Asuka speeds to the great danger. She doesn't bother asking any questions, since goons like this one don't know anything. The man knows Asuka needs to arrive at GeoFont. That's it.
  
  Why did Misato bother taking Shinji and Rei? Unit 00 has not been rebuilt yet. I don't think I'm mistaken. Perhaps she's afraid that the fool will chicken out. Yes, I wouldn't put it past him. The boy is good for cooking and housecleaning, nothing else. Maybe they think Rei can sync with Unit 01 in that case, but what if she can't? With Shinji being a coward and Rei being unable to do anything, that leaves me.
  
  She focuses on her breathing, in and out. Girl, this is your purpose. Don't fail now. This is just a robot, not an Angel. You will have an A.T. field, and it won't. Even with a pathetic sync ratio, you could kill the machine. Get inside Unit 02. Walk to Jet Alone. Kill Jet Alone. Be a hero! Yes, that seems like a great ending.
  
  She smiles. It doesn't matter that she's more worthless than Shinji and less likable than Rei. Asuka still has her Eva, thus she can save the day with this easy exercise. Yes, she's about to exercise. Fighting with Shinji over a remote would strain her more than this, and Asuka always takes the remote. Rei and Shinji, be prepared to see the Great Asuka Langley pilot her Eva one last time. Be amazed at her skills. Forever, people will remember her last act as an Eva pilot where she saved Tokyo-3!
  
  Alas, if Asuka knew the demon that lies before her, she'd be terrified.
  
  > Part 2: Scared
  Two teens stroll down the street, baking in the sun. To anyone else, they would see a boyfriend and girlfriend or a brother and sister heading home. Shinji and Rei walk in silence. The cicadas blare, seeming even louder in contrast. Shinji grins.
  
  Rei experiences the sensation of contentment. Asuka might not hate her, and Shinji... Does he like her?
  
  "Shinji, we are friends." Her voice is soft, and she stares into his blue eyes.
  "Yes, we are."
  "What do friends do?"
  
  Rei stops walking. Shinji halts as well and rubs the back of his head. He appears to be thinking. His blush indicates discomfort.
  
  "Friends... I don't know. I'm not good at being a friend. I went camping with Kensuke. Asuka and I hurt each other and fight. I crippled Toji." The boys face changes to a grimace. "I killed Kaworu."
  She remembers the only conversation the seventeenth Angel had with her. "Kaworu said he and I are alike. Why?"
  "Don't say that." He grimaces.
  
  Shinji starts walking again. Rei does a mixture between walking and jogging to catch up to the boy. How could her words hurt Shinji? Why is Kaworu painful to remember?
  
  "Shinji, tell me about Kaworu," she says. Her apartment is within sight.
  He stares up at the sky. "He was a friend of mine, a replacement for Asuka when she was in the hospital. We bonded. He showed me love for who... who I am instead of what I do, how I look, or how I act."
  "Could I love you that way?" Rei asks. She opens her door.
  
  Shinji tries to fight back the tears, but he fails. He starts to cry and casts his gaze downward.
  
  > comfort Him
  Rei takes his hand and pulls him inside. She closes the door behind them. Their eyes adjust to the dark room.
  
  Shinji rests his head on her shoulder and weeps. Rei does not know what to do, but one of her arms wraps around his back while the other cradles the back of his head. The girl feels his emotion, his grief.
  
  She whispers, "It's alright." They stand together. Shinji wraps his arms around Rei and hugs her.
  
  "I... I..." he stammers. "I killed Kaworu." He still sobs. Shinji no longer seems like a teenager, instead he is a small boy desperately needing his mother.
  "I know," Rei says. Her voice is soft.
  "I was supposed to protect with my Eva, but I killed!" His loud voice hurts her ears, but Rei does not care. She hugs Shinji. "I don't know what I'd do if I hurt you, Rei."
  "Do you know the hedgehog's dilemma?"
  "What?"
  
  They end their embrace, but Rei won't let go of Shinji's hands. They sit on her hard couch. In the darkness, Rei makes out Shinji's tears trickling down his face.
  
  "One night, a family of hedgehogs was freezing. They tried to huddle for warmth, but they pricked each other by accident. They backed away, trying to find the balance between warmth and pain. Do you know what happened?"
  "Rei, I heard of this before. They found the right distance, close enough for
  warmth but far enough away to not be poked."
  "All the hedgehogs died."
  "No, that's not how it went."
  "Except for two. They embraced the pain. Those hedgehogs were bloody by morning, but they survived. You will hurt those closest to you, but you and the others will die if you stay far away. Shinji, that includes me."
  
  Silence fills the room. The teens say nothing. Instead, they lean towards each other and hug. Shinji cries out of sadness and pain, but also joy.
  
  "I'm not letting go of you!" He smiles as his tears dampen her hair.
  "Neither am I," she says. A single tear falls from her eye.
  
  All of their pain, confusion, and suffering lie bare for the other to see. Instead of fear, revulsion, or judgment, they show love. Shinji loves; Rei loves.
  
  > Bonds
  Shinji feels love like never before. This emotionless doll gives love and comfort. He doesn't care what others believe. Rei is human. For now, they are at peace, and nothing else matters.
  
  His phone rings, but Shinji doesn't check the call. Rei's phone rings, and she doesn't answer it either. When Shinji's phone goes off again, Rei says, "Something is wrong." The two teens end their embrace.
  
  Shinji answers the phone. "Um, Misato?" he asks. Rei leans close to Shinji to hear Misato's words.
  "God damn it, Shinji! Where are you?" screams the major.
  "Um, I'm at Rei's."
  "Stay there. I'm coming. Be ready. I'll call Asuka, then explain more." Misato hangs up the phone.
  
  "We should wait outside," Rei says. Shinji nods, and fear grips his heart once again. They open the door and squint, for the sun shines bright. "Shinji?" asks Rei.
  "Yes?"
  "I felt emotion," she says. Piercing through the fear, Shinji beams out of happiness. She holds his hand, like a friend.
  
  The phone rings again. Shinji answers.
  
  "A Jet Alone is coming to Tokyo-3," Misato says. Shinji hears her car's engine roar. "Shinji, you will pilot Unit 01."
  "What? No!" Pain, so much pain is played back. He remembers rushing Kaworu with his hand, being boiled alive, and watching Toji's broken body be pulled from his wrecked Eva.
  
  "Shinji! People will die! Jet Alone is a damn robot! If not, I'll send Rei in your Unit. Asuka's going either way if she can pilot. Stay where you are. I'm almost there."
  
  She hangs up. The boy feels a warm hand on his shoulder, so he looks at Rei. She's fragile. Her pale skin makes the girl seem ill, her red eyes are from another world, and her frame's dainty.
  
  "I will pilot Unit 01 for you," she says.
  
  > Pilot the Eva
  Guilt swells inside Shinji. How could he let Rei go into harm's way? How could he stand back and watch Asuka be hurt again?
  
  "No, someone has to face Jet Alone. I've hurt too many friends to let you go." He puts his hand on her shoulder. "Rei, I know I'll hurt you if we stay friends."
  "I don't mind."
  "Then let me protect you."
  
  Shinji smiles. The girl stares at her friend for a minute, but time no longer has any bearing on the pair. Then, she smiles as well.
  
  They cringe at the screeching of tires. Misato pulls up next to them. "Get in," she says. Shinji and Rei jump into the back. The car speeds away.
  
  "I'll pilot," Shinji says.
  "Good. You remember Jet Alone?" says the woman over the engine.
  "Yes, it almost went nuclear. I thought it was discontinued."
  "It wasn't. There's a new version. We haven't detected an A.T. field, but it has a giant club." No A.T. field means his enemy can't break past his own A.T. field. Shinji will be safe.
  "That's good. What about the military?"
  "Ground forces aren't close by, and aerial doesn't seem to do much. The thing's fast. It'll be here soon."
  
  Alarms give their warnings to the people, so the masses flee to the shelters. Shinji hopes they will be safe. He'll be the one protecting them.
  
  "That's all I know," says Misato. The pilots don't talk to the driver anymore, since she drives bad enough when she isn't distracted.
  
  They arrive at their HQ. The three rush past security and into the changing rooms. Misato tells them "You'll be fine" and then goes to the command centre, since she's the tacticion.
  
  Without moving to another room, Rei takes off all of her clothes and puts on her plugsuit. Shinji looks away, but changes as well. Despite the embarrassment, he cannot let her arrive first. He cannot chance her piloting Unit 01. It's a rash decision.
  
  "Ah! I say don't get any ideas, but you're both nude!" screams Asuka. She has arrived. Shaking with fury, she doesn't look away from either pilot. She looks like she wants to kill him.
  
  Shinji almost rips the plugsuit when he pulls it over his waist. Rei doesn't seem to care and puts the rest of the suit on. It fits her form like another layer of skin.
  
  "Asuka, it's not-" says Shinji. The redheads face turns red with anger.
  "I'll never get this sight from my eyes!" She punches a locker and dents the metal.
  "Pilot Langley," Rei says. "It is good you arrived. Shinji will be safer with you."
  
  Her voice does not show any of the emotion he saw from her minutes ago. She walks away. Shinji puts on the rest of his suit and runs out the door. He calls out, "I didn't peek!"
  
  Shinji doesn't stop running until he reaches Eva Unit 01. It's a purple and green humanoid. Ferocious teeth are connected to its pointed head. It towers above all humans like a god, but this god walks among the masses. Unit 01 has a personality of sorts, with a tendency to go berserk. It's powered by an S2 core consumed from an Angel, so it won't run out of power. The creature looks alien and familiar, organic and machine. Inside, Shinji killed too many Angels and caused too much suffering. Now, he steps inside to kill a machine and to prevent suffering.
  
  The Third Child enters the plug and sits in the chair. He breathes the LCL fluid and runs his hands over the controls. Crap, Why must I pilot? The boy puts on his interface headset.
  
  The holographic face of Misato appears before Shinji. She says, "I know you haven't been in for weeks, but we need you to sync." Shinji nods.
  
  "Start Unit 01," he says to the Eva. Neurons connect. Man and beast become the same. The Evangelion enters him, hugs him. He feels the outside world using his Eva. The Evangelion is Shinji, and Shinji is the Evangelion.
  
  "Sync ratio is at sixty percent. Not bad," comments Misato. "You'll get your orders when I see Asuka's... Oh, I see it. Good enough. Shinji, you'll be Asuka's backup."
  "What is her sync ratio?" asks the boy. Worry pours through his words.
  "Fluctuating around twenty percent."
  "What!" A twenty percent isn't useful.
  "She'll use the positron rifle. We think Jet Alone has no long range capabilities. You're her backup if it doesn't work."
  
  Shinji says nothing. He thinks of Asuka, how he failed her. He made her this way, and he could let her down again. No, he must succeed.1=%1% Shinji will protect Asuka with his life.%%
  
  > Maya Ibuki
  Maya Ibuki watches the vital signs. She sits on her pink cat pillow, for the lieutenant is too short otherwise. There are two sets of information, Shinji's and Asuka's. When they die, Maya will be the first one to know. She shivers. What a horrible thought.
  
  Kozo Fuyutsuki reminds the staff, "Do not lose Unit 01." The others nod, but Maya acts as though she's too preoccupied with monitoring. Unit 02 holds the same importance, for both units contain children. Why did the calculating world of science turn to children as their messiahs?
  
  Asuka's heartbeat races, so Maya presses a button. She says, "Try to relax, just a little."
  "I'm too damn weak to pilot!" the redhead says. That poor girl has been reduced to a shadow of what she used to be.
  "Asuka," says Misato, "You are capable of doing this. Walk, aim, fire. Done."
  
  Commander Gendo stands behind everyone, sitting at a desk and on a higher floor. His presence dominates the atmosphere. Maya respects the commander for keeping his cool, though he is not a man of pure science. He is a man of war. Still, the commander makes... made the right decisions. Why did he clone Rei? That poor girl has suffered enough already.
  
  Maya glances beside her. There, Rei sits still like a statue. With a plugsuit on and sitting on her legs, a passerby might assume their first pilot is indifferent to the situation; however, the lieutenant senses that the girl does care. "I think they'll be fine, Rei," she says.
  
  Without turning her head, the girl says, "Thank you." Her voice and complexion are emotionless as always, but Maya thinks there's more. There's no documentable or scientific proof, but the lieutenant senses the girl's humanity. Clone or not, Rei is a human, so she has human feelings. This is the first time she ever thanked Maya. It may be repressed, but there is humanity in her.
  
  Through their video feed, the battle nears. The robot, just designated Jet Alone Prime for some reason, walks through the water while Units 01 and 02 scramble to block its path. The machine remained undetected until a boat happened to see it pass by under the water. Like Godzilla from those old movies, Jet Alone Prime travels beneath the waves. Even after it was spotted, it ran through the sea. The monster's direction is clear, Tokyo-3.
  
  Misato asks, "Ritsuko, what can you tell us?"
  "Not much," says Maya's former mentor, "There's no radiation, so we think it's powered by an N2 reactor. The fact that it stays by the water means it might need a coolant. For combat capabilities, I'm not sure beyond the obvious. The club could do damage, though I believe the A.T. field should be more than enough. The rifle is sufficient."
  Misato sighs. "Thanks... Asuka, Shinji, do you hear me?"
  
  "Yes." Asuka sounds more annoyed than fearful. Shinji's tone sounds sullen; however, Maya has no room to complain. If she was a pilot, this woman would cry like a baby.
  
  "Orders remain. Shinji, stay by Asuka's side. At the junction point, we've set up the necessary equipment. You should have..." Misato pauses speaking to the children and asks the staff, "How much time?"
  "A minute," says Ritsuko.
  "You should have a minute to set up and fire before Jet Alone Prime reaches you."
  
  Maya focuses her attention on her monitors. She has one job, one important job. Asuka's sync level has risen one percent from its initial amount. Maybe she's getting better after so much suffering.
  
  > Till Death Do You Part
  Asuka struggles. Just getting her Eva to move strains her. She has to carry a rifle, run, and maintain her balance. Shooting the robot will be easy. Shinji runs besides her, though that he could go much faster if he wanted to. Luckily, having a low sync level means she doesn't feel as much from her Eva. If she could feel more, it'd be sore muscles, pain.
  
  Why the fuck are we even doing this? Just drop a few N2 mines on the bastard. Sheisse, they're sending us out for a PR campaign. What a bunch of bull!
  
  "There it is!" Shinji's stupid holographic face displays itself. He takes the rifle and plugs it in while Asuka peers over the horizon. Far in the distance, Jet Alone Prime looks like a tiny dot of mold growing on a piece of bread.
  
  Angels were frightening and abstract, but this monster appears dopey. Its legs are too long and its head is too damn small. The body's short and wide. Its arms are skinny, like Rei's. There's some sort of tubing coming out of its head, but it almost looks like dreadlocks. It'd be embarrassing to be killed by such a stupid creation.
  
  Asuka lies down for the most stable position. Shinji puts the positron rifle under her arms. She aims.
  
  Misato says, "Asuka, we expect you'll get one shot. Japan will not be able to turn on its power before Jet Alone Prime reaches you. Take your time." That's so much easier to say when you're in NERV's HQ instead on the damn battlefield.
  
  The girl says nothing. She hears the gun calibrating itself. Steadying her breathing, she waits for the machine to come closer. Her arms shake. She tries to clear her mind, but the guilt, insecurity, and fear remain. Mien Gott, just pull the trigger! Her finger squeezes.
  
  > It All Goes to Hell
  Shinji screams, "Asuka!" He jumps in front of her as she fires, and she misses shooting the baka by just centimeters. She doesn't see if it's a hit, since a sickening crunch fills her ears. Through the blood, she sees Japan cast into darkness.
  
  Robots don't bleed. Evas do. Asuka looks over at Shinji. Unit 01 gushes blood, it's left side is ripped open, and a club lies beside it.
  
  "Shinji!" Their kiss, the time they slept next to each other, the times she slapped him, and many other memories flash before her eyes. "Is he alive? Tell me!"
  "Asuka," Maya says, "Weak vitals. Worry later. Fight Jet Alone Prime!"
  
  But she shot the robot. Why isn't it destroyed? Asuka turns around. The robotic demon rushes at her with just its left arm. She has seconds to react.
  
  She dives at the machine, but it smacks her down and crushes its foot onto her back. She grunts. Like a drunk. Her movements don't line up with her thoughts. Armor on her back snaps as she pushes the assaulter off of her. The demon stumbles back and lands on Shinji.
  
  "Sheisse!" Asuka pulls Jet Alone Prime off Unit 01 and rips out some of its wiring, like a girl opening a birthday present. Damn that machine for crushing Shinji! Her voice never ceases its bellow, a war cry. The robot clenches her neck and squeezes. Asuka gasps trying to pull a nonexistent hand from her body and the real one from her Eva.
  
  Her fingers scratch at Jet Alone Prime's face. She must claw out its eyes, but her fingers slide over the smooth surface.
  
  "Asuka!" Misato sounds worried. "Use your Progressive Knife!"
  
  Asuka takes the knife in her left hand and stabs at the assaulter as they tumble to the ground. It lands on top, forcing her down. It's raping her! Ariel raped her mind. It's raping her! The logical side of her brain correctly says they're just fighting, but Asuka screams in fear and wildly stabs the machine with her knife. She tears away chunks of metal, but it squeezes the life out of her Eva. It... he forces himself on her.
  
  "Stop!" she shrieks. His grip is tight. His fingers pierce her neck.
  
  "Help!" she begs. His body presses down against hers.
  
  "No," she whimpers. Her thrashing slows. Her vision clouds and darkens. Asuka is useless. She failed. Nothing will change that. Then, all becomes white.
  
  > Broken
  Rei watches Unit 02 fire at Jet Alone Prime, but the robot hurls its hammer at Asuka. Unit 01 jumps between Asuka and the club, so Shinji takes the brunt of the blow. "No!" Misato covers her mouth with her hand. Their lights flicker, but the backup generators kick in. Shinji's Eva lies on the ground mauled and bleeding. Jet Alone Prime has fallen beneath the waves. The force of the impact must've broken through Shinji's A.T. shield. Maybe he didn't get the chance to deploy it on such short notice.
  
  Rei feels fear. What if Shinji is injured or dead?
  
  A fearful voice pierces the silence. "Shinji!" Asuka shouts. "Is he alive? Tell me!" Fascinating, she worries for him. Why does she not worry like that outside the Evas?
  
  Behind Asuka, Jet Alone Prime rises from the water. The right arm is missing, but the robot still functions. It charges at Asuka.
  
  "Asuka," says Maya, "Weak vitals. Worry later. Fight Jet Alone Prime!"
  "You have vitals?" asks Misato.
  "No, I lost his signal," says the lieutenant, tears filling her eyes.
  "Dispatch two recovery teams." The major stares at the monitors, but Rei sees fear in her eyes.
  
  Everyone in the Command Center observes the battle before them using video from the military's helicopters. The two machines meet and fight. Soon, Jet Alone Prime strangles Unit 02.
  
  "Asuka!" Misato appears worried. "Use your Progressive Knife!"
  "Her vitals are falling!" Maya types something into the computer. "I'm decreasing the sync ratio." That will decrease Asuka's pain.
  
  Unit 02 tumbles to the ground. The robot doesn't let go of her neck.
  
  "Stop!" shouts Asuka. Her knife tears through the robots armor. "Help!"
  Ritsuko flips through data on a computer. "Jet Alone Prime is overheating. The core will meltdown."
  "No." Asuka's voice sounds weak. She struggles less.
  "She's dying." A tear falls from Maya's face onto the monitors.
  
  Rei cannot look away from the screen. How can she be so helpless? Shinji and Asuka are dying, but Rei can only watch. She feels useless. How can she end their suffering or ease their pain?
  
  A bright light envelopes their visual feed before it goes offline. Rei covers her mouth.
  
  "I lost both signals." Maya tries to recover them, but her efforts are futile.
  "Prepare for emergency care." Misato cries, but her voice is firm. "Ritsuko, did Jet Alone Prime explode?"
  "Yes," the scientist says, "It no longer poses a threat."
  
  Rei stands and walks out of the Command Center. She will meet Asuka and Shinji at the hospital. The NERV staff does not speak during her journey, and full power comes back when she reaches the medical ward.
  
  The sanitized smell overwhelms the girl. It used to be pleasant, but now she hates the unnatural, lifeless stench. It symbolizes their warfare. They should not be fighting, and they should not be dying. Still, Rei and the other pilots cannot escape, for they come back to the hospital broken and bleeding.
  
  The blue haired girl sits by the front desk. She doesn't move. The electric lights buzz overhead and footsteps echo in the halls. She will follow her friends wherever they will be taken.
  
  She hears running. Wheels squeak. Doctors come through the door, pushing a bed with Shinji on it. Rei sees an IV with a pouch of blood inserted into each arm. He is covered with so much blood. The girl follows the doctors until they enter an operating room. She sits outside. Where's Asuka?
  
  "Life is suffering," says Gendo. His voice is impassive. Rei turns her head and sees the man standing beside her. How did he get there? "When people live, they suffer. Soon, the ones you love will be taken from you. It is just a matter of time."
  "Will Shinji live? Where is Asuka?"
  "Everyone deals with loss differently. Dreamers hope of a day where there is no more loss or suffering, but those fiends will always follow us. They'll follow you until humanity is no longer human."
  "I do not understand."
  "Do you wish to submit to me, to end your friends' suffering?"
  
  > Yes
  Rei nods. "The world feels pain, loss. I sense it in Shinji. I wish to end his suffering."
  Gendo smiles. "Then do not resist."
  
  The next moments become a blur for the girl. He takes her to Terminal Dogma, where all of NERV's secrets lie. Gendo tells her what to do, and Rei complies, indifferent to whatever he does. She only has to submit. The process pains her for a moment, but then, it is over.
  
  "Lilith and Adam shall become one and I will be the head, the god," he says. She does not resist, so she ceases to have a will. The girl becomes a passive observer in the ensuing horror. The entirety of all souls cease their individuality. Gendo laughs as he finds his wife. He screams when she rejects him, horrified at the monster he became. All scream when he ends the world in his misery. With only Rei and Gendo in existence, he ends both of them as well.
  
  Rei has one thought in her head before she becomes nothingness. That was a very foolish decision.