"Ah! Have to eat fast because you might be dead tomorrow!" Misato shouted happily.
"...She might give herself a heart attack from eating that fast," Asuka commented below her breath.
Shinji nodded lazily. "...I know."
The phone rang and Misato leaned back to pick it up. "Hello," she asked with raised eyebrows and a light tone. Her face fell serious, and she focused on the two pilots. "Another Angel," she said, her tone dark.
The three of them shot up from the table and scurried to get their clothes on. In five minutes, they were out the door and Misato was driving toward NERV.
The entrance to the command-center shot open as Major Katsuragi ran in, her red jacket rippling around her arms. Looking up at the screen, almost not noticing her entrance, were Ritsuko, Cirus, and Rei. A heart-beat later Asuka and Shinji came in behind Misato, immediately following the collection of eyes up to the diamond-cell screen.
"Status?" Misato asked as she walked up more calmly.
Dr. Akagi answered her, still looking up at the main screen. "So far it's just walking toward us. It will take an hour to reach Tokyo-3�s border."
The dark purple-haired Major looked up at the screen to get a look at the Angel, logged as Camael. It was strangely reticent of Sachiel, the third Angel, with the same hunched appearance, the head in the center of the torso, but there were many differences. Camael was a dull gray color for the majority, but was brown in parts near joints and along its torso. Waving about limply as if they had no form beneath them, the Angel's arms were slender, whereas the legs were thick and looked powerful. At last, its face was somewhat disturbing, appearing to be an old-style Japanese mask, smiling at them perpetually, as if the behemoth presented no threat.
"Curious looking thing, isn't it?" Cirus asked dryly.
Maya Ibuki looked up from her console seriously, eyeing the Angel for herself. "Its AT field is inactive, and we can't get a clear reading of its form aside from the blood pattern," she reported in addition.
Commander Ikari, seated at his usual station above and behind the command triage, narrowed his eyes at the target thoughtfully. "I find the face troubling," he commented.
"What's wrong? You don't want it to be happy?" Cirus asked calmly, but with a sarcastic edge. He knew what Ikari meant.
Gendo ignored the attempted humor and answered, "It is showing, or at least mimicking, emotion. All the Angel's so far have been primarily emotionless beings."
"So then the question is..." Misato led off.
"What happens when it gets mad," Ritsuko finished simply.
"Major Katsuragi, prepare to launch all Eva units," Ikari ordered calmly.
Misato nodded and looked to the pilots behind her. They rushed out of the command center and headed for the cages. "Prepare for launch!" she ordered, looking back to the screen.
"Roger!" Hyuga replied, quickly setting up the four routes to the surface the Evas would need.
Two hundred seconds later the pilots reported in, ready for launch.
"Launch!" Misato ordered.
Each pilot checked in as they complied and the four Evas shot up toward the surface. Unit 01, Unit 00, Unit 14, and Unit 02 each arrived above the ground, and then set off toward the Angel.
"Evas within point five kilometers of target," Ayobi reported as the Evas surrounded Camael.
With a blank, lazy motion, the Angel looked at each of them in turn. Seeming to find interest in Unit 02, it stopped, facing her directly. Asuka's expression tightened when the mask that was Camael's face changed, becoming a frown with sorrowful eyes, and tilted to the side, as if eyeing the red Eva.
Major Katsuragi would give it no more time. "Unit 02, destroy the target," she ordered sharply.
Asuka nodded and pulled her progressive blade. Unit 02 charged the Angel, and stabbed it right through the eye with the blade. Pulling the blade free, she looked down at Camael, which was leaning back slightly, making it shorter than the armored goliath.
An instant later, the face turned fierce; its eyes slanted upward at the sides while the mouth part opened wide, razor-sharp teeth glistening in the open maw.
"Asuka!" Shinji shouted.
Camael suddenly slammed its face into Unit 02's head, sending the Eva tumbling backward. Asuka's grunt could be heard over the comm as the Eva finally slammed to a halt on its back.
"That hurt," she reported and Unit 02 stood up.
Units 01 and 00 opened fire on the target from its forward right, causing Camael to turn a bit and face them as their fire struck. Its AT field flared to life, the hail of ammunition exploding against the formidable barrier without a hint of success.
Maya looked at her screen. "Its AT field is unique. From these energy frequencies, the Angel is only using a fraction of the field's actual size."
"How big can it make it?" Ritsuko asked.
"Two kilometers in diameter," Maya answered.
Misato narrowed her eyes. "Then let's kill it before it can use that. We need to get in close. Cirus, use your Eva's close-range abilities!" she ordered.
"Confirmed," Cirus replied and Unit 14 released its blades.
He charged the Angel as Asuka had, but then leapt up and spun around, slashing at the Camael's face. An AT field suddenly blocked his slash, and the Angel grabbed his Eva by the face with the force of a powerful punch.
Cirus' head slammed into the back of the pilot's seat, the pilot only giving a sharp groan. He slashed at the Angel with his other arm, but its AT field blocked his blade.
"Unit 14, expand your AT field to-" Misato was cut off.
"The Angel's AT field is building upon itself!" Ayobi shouted.
Switching priorities, the Major shouted, "All units, help Cirus!"
Units 01, 00, and 02 ran toward Unit 14 and Camael as the air around the Angel started to distort. Unit 14 suddenly leapt up and kicked the Angel in the approximate chest area, forcing the Angel to let go despite its AT field, and shoved off, sending himself flying away. However, Camael's AT field abruptly rushed out in all directions, like a dome of dull-pink energy.
Hitting Unit 01 first, the expanding wall of energy threw him back with ferocious power, slamming his Eva into and then through the ground for almost half a mile. Unit 00 was struck and launched into the air, sending it down into a tumble before rolling to a stop. Unit 02 was hit powerfully, wind and power bursting around its frame as it braced, but was finally overwhelmed and tossed onto its back.
The AT field had engulfed Unit 14 and passed around him, leaving him and Camael alone within its massive AT field.
"All units, report!" Misato ordered urgently.
"Ugh... here," Shinji came back as Unit 01 pulled itself out of the ground.
"Active," Rei's voice came back, though it was noticeably weak.
"Somewhat damaged, but still able to fight," Asuka came back.
"Rei, are you alright?" Misato asked.
"Unit 00's right arm and head are damaged. Vision is down to thirty percent and right arm won�t function properly," Rei reported calmly.
"Unit 01, help Unit 00 back to its launch pad and then report back to the battle," Misato ordered.
Unit 01 wordlessly complied, bringing Unit 00 over to its launch pad and hurrying back to the battle. Unit 02 was trying to break through the AT field with its own.
"It won't weaken!" Asuka reported as she slammed her Eva's fists into the phase barrier.
"The AT field's pattern keeps shifting, none of our AT fields can get through it," Hyuga reported.
Misato's jaw clenched at the situation, but then her eyes slackened. "Wait, Cirus where are you?" she asked, suddenly realizing he hadn't reported in.
Maya looked in dismay down at her screen, obviously just discovering the information herself. "His power cord was cut by the AT field! He's still in it!"
Just as Maya spoke Unit 14 was standing up inside the AT field, visible to everyone.
"Cirus, report," Misato ordered.
"No use, comm can�t get through," Ayobi reported.
Just then Rei walked into the command center, still in her Eva suit. The young girl's presence reminded Misato. "How soon until Unit 00 is repaired?"
"Ten to twenty minutes," Hyuga answered.
"Well, let's hope Cirus can destroy the target," Misato commented.
Cirus knew that the comm couldn't get through the AT field arena the Angel had set up, so he activated his Eva's forearm blades and faced off against it. He charged and leapt up with a spin again, landing and slicing Camael in half with one slash. The Angel fell apart loosely and crashed to the ground.
Unit 14 turned around and started to walk away from the Angel when Cirus noticed that the AT field wasn't going down. He turned around and saw the two halves start to stand up, but now each half was a new Camael. They charged him and he reacted. He sliced the first Angel's arm off and then cleaved the second's neck, the head flying into the air.
Cirus' face went flat when he saw the head grow a new body, the body grow a new head, the other body grow a new arm, and the arm grow a new body. Four Camaels stood up.
"My G'd..." Ayobi commented as he watched.
Misato saw Unit 14 retract its blades and brace itself. The four Angels rushed it again. He took out the first with a kick to the face, knocking it to the ground. He hit the next twice, rapidly, in the torso and in the head, knocking it down. The next threw its arm out at him and he grabbed it, swinging it around and into the other Angel by the arm. The Angel he attacked last however, split in half from the attack and two more Angels stood up.
"Every attack he uses spawns another Angel," Ritsuko said.
Unit 01 and Unit 02 desperation to phase-out the AT field piqued. Unit 01 was firing at it with its rifle, and Unit 02 was using twin missile launchers, but their weapons had no effect.
Cirus looked up at the five Angels he was facing and Unit 14's arms dropped to its sides. He was only making it harder for the others as he fought.
"What is he doing?!" Misato shouted.
"He can't fight or he'll make the problem worse," Ritsuko explained.
Rei heard this and her brow creased, but she looked up at the screen calmly.
The five Angels charged Unit 14 suddenly. Unit 14 dodged the first, but the second got him in the mid-section with a knee. It smashed him in the back of the head with its claw as the next three hit him powerfully in the chest and arms. Unit 14 reared up and flung its left arm out at the last Angel, but it whirled around and caught Unit 14's arm. Twisting it powerfully, the Angel made Unit 14 contort in a silent scream of pain. Another Angel came up behind the Eva, and slammed both of its claws into the back of the his head.
Cirus' glasses were knocked off in the cockpit as he grunted in pain from the blow. The Angels surrounded Unit 14 and started to beat on it unrelentingly. One kicked it in the back of the shoulder, sending it flying forward awkwardly into the next Camael's waiting fist. Unit 14 leapt up with a right kick to one Angel's chest, but the Angel grabbed it and twisted the foot around completely with a sickening snap, finally letting the Eva drop.
Cirus gasped from the pain in his arm and leg and tried to get up again, but his Eva couldn't. One Angel reached down and picked him up by the head as another Angel stood in front of him. It kneed Unit 14 in the face so powerfully that the Eva flew backward through the air until it crashed limply into a hill side, its arm and leg flailing about unnaturally and its head lolling down to its chest.
"Cirus!?" Misato shouted.
"No!" Asuka shouted, Unit 02 slamming its fists against the AT field.
Shinji saw and closed his eyes, unable to watch as the Angels moved in again.
All five Angels started to beat Unit 14 farther into the hill, each delivering shattering blows to the Eva's chest armor. Again and again their arms flew down with rushing crashes before pulling back up and preparing for more.
Rei gasped and looked away from the screen as blood came away from one of the Angel�s attacks. She looked back up with tears in her eyes. Cirus...
"I've found a frequency that can pass through the AT field!" Hyuga reported.
Misato slammed on the comm. "Cirus, report!"
"...Any...ideas..Major?" Cirus asked back, his voice hoarse. The visual window that opened up showed everyone how badly hurt he really was. His glasses were gone and he had averted his eyes from the screen, but he was bleeding from somewhere under his hair, his nose was bleeding and looking at the stats could show that he was feeling the full synch-pain of two broken limbs.
"...N...no... I'm sorry," Misato replied.
As one of the Angel's attacks hit they could see Cirus bare his teeth and groan against the pain. Rei flinched and looked down at the ground, tears coming down her face.
"Then I'll buy you as much time as I can," Cirus replied coldly and cut the comm.
"No, Cirus!" Misato shouted, but the comm was dead.
Unit 14's arm and leg healed somewhat thanks to its S2 organ, and it stood up. The first Camael rushed him, and Unit 14 sent its fist through the target's body, lifting it up and then throwing it against its own AT field powerfully, the hill-side being close to the edge of the 'arena'. The next Angel grabbed his arm again, the bad one, and wrenched it. Cirus shouted in pain, but pulled the Angel to him by the badly mangled limb, and slammed his fist through its face. Yanking it out, he sent the Angel to the ground.
The next one, however, jumped at Unit 14 and slammed him back into the cliff side. Unit 14 gripped the Angel's hands in its own and started to lift it off, but the Angel pressed down powerfully. The Eva's arms began to quiver from exertion.
Misato's grip on the control center in front of her became so powerful that the metal started to creak. "Isn't there something we can do..." she bit out the words tensely.
"Unit 00 repairs complete," Maya reported quietly.
"I'm sorry, Misato," Ritsuko replied, looking down at the ground herself.
"His synch is dropping," Ayobi reported.
"Because he knows he's going to die," Misato replied.
"I can reopen the comm line now..." Hyuga reported.
Before Misato could respond she heard a voice behind her.
"...Misato...please?" Rei asked softly, stepping forward.
Misato looked up at Hyuga and nodded, then stepped aside for Rei to walk up to the smaller comm visual screen near her station. Rei walked up, tears coming down her face as Cirus' face appeared on the screen.
"Cirus?" she asked softly.
"...Rei?" Cirus' voice came back tight, but his pain, emotional pain, was evident. Cirus closed his eyes against the tears that started to come up even as he strained against the Angel. He looked straight at the comm screen with his bare eyes, knowing everyone could see them, but not caring.
Misato stepped back slightly when she saw his eyes, but didn�t say anything. She noticed that everyone was looking at them in fascination.
"I'm s-sorry, Rei," Cirus said over the comm, his Eva starting to fail under his control.
Rei flinched as Unit 14's hands were crushed by the Angel's grip. Cirus gasped slightly, but clenched his jaw and his brow creased against the pain. Rei slipped down against the console in which the screen was contained, running her fingers over where his face was as she sank to the ground, her breath coming in quivering gasps as tears continued to run down her face quietly. "Cirus," she repeated his name in a desperately pleading tone, "...please...don't leave me alone again..." she begged sorrowfully.
Cirus' eyes widened in shock as he looked down at Rei on the comm screen. She was afraid to lose him, afraid to be alone. Despite his pain, his mouth opened slightly as if to say something to comfort her, but he realized no words would help.
Cirus' face became calm and he glanced up at the Angel. His hands were in excruciating synch pain, but it was ignorable.
He looked back down into Rei's tear-filled eyes, his face turning deeply sorrowful for her. He reached out with his hand and touched the screen gently where her face was. He could not let this happen to her, he could not let an Angel do this to her. Not after all the pain she had already been through. He didn't feel he deserved such concern from her, but he would not let this happen. "...Don't worry, Rei... I'll never do that to you," he replied softly, despite his pain.
Rei smiled down at the screen though her tears and caressed it again, nodding her deep, quiet gratitude.
Cirus smiled at her again soothingly and bowed his head. "Hold on, Rei," he said and looked back up at the Angel.
Ikari was watching from his desk as Rei stood back up slowly, looking at the main screen again. Her face was calm once again as her tears were slowly quieted. She took a deep breath to steady her body and watched.
Maya stared down in disbelief at Cirus' synch ratio. "It's climbing back up!"
Misato looked at her with a new hope glowing in her eyes. "How fast?"
Ritsuko looked down and her own eyes widened. "My G'd... one thirty... one forty... one fifty..."
Maya put the synch rate on the main screen as everyone watched it scale up and hit two hundred.
"...That's impossible," Ritsuko said distantly as Maya switched the large screen back to the battle.
The Angel shoved down harder on the still badly damaged Unit 14 as the other Camaels surrounded them both. Suddenly Unit 14's eyes flashed a bright white and it looked straight up at the Angel. Then its leg snapped back into its right place, its arm became strong again, and it started to force the Angel up by the hands. The Angel shoved down with redoubled effort, but Unit 14's eyes flashed brighter and it shoved the Angel up into the air and stood up.
"Unit 14 is activating his AT field!" Ayobi reported.
"Let's see if you were right, Maya," Misato commented as they watched. So this is his last trick?
As Unit 14's AT field appeared, the Eva itself started to disappear from sight, as if its body were melting away with the wind. First its legs, then its waist line, and then its upper body simply vanished.
"There's nothing on the scanners. I can't find him anywhere!" Hyuga reported.
Ritsuko looked down at the screen Maya was using. "No energy, no vibration, nothing. It's as if he's no longer there."
Misato looked up--Rei doing the same--intently at the screen.
Suddenly, the Angel that had been holding Unit 14 down started to spray blood from its neck area before blood exploded out of its waistline and it fell apart. Two streaks of its blood seemed to stay in the air and then moved unnaturally around without falling. When two white dots flashed in thin air everyone knew what had happened.
"Of course, with his AT field he's stopping their healing..." Misato commented, relief coming into her voice at last.
The two bloody streaks, which were Unit 14's blades, ran through the air and then sliced the next Angel up the torso diagonally before the Angel fell down in two places. The other three Angels charged at once toward the bloody streaks, although now some of the body was also visible. Unit 14 spun into the air and kicked the first through the head while slicing the second down the body. As those two fell away limply, Unit 14 landed and then shoved off the ground with one arm and one leg, sending it spinning into the air and slashing the last Angel twice deeply before landing again.
With the Angels destroyed the Eva ran over to the large AT field wall that had cut it off in the first place. Cirus lowered his AT field except for around his blades and then focused it into the visual spectrum again as he tried to slash it apart.
"The Angel's AT field is not going down," Hyuga reported.
"Then it's not dead," Misato replied.
Apparently Cirus had realized the same and Unit 14 had turned around, facing the slaughtered Angels. Suddenly, all the blood from the five Angel bodies rushed toward one point, at the center of the AT field covered area. An arm reached out of the pool and slammed into the ground, then pulled the rest of a body out of it. When the new Angel stood up Cirus narrowed his eyes. It had black skin, was humanoid, but this time the head was above the shoulders and appeared like a wolf's.
"It looks like..." Misato trailed off.
"Unit 14 without restraints..." Ritsuko finished distantly.
"There's an energy reversion! The Angel is raising another AT field within its original," Ayobi reported.
Ritsuko shook her head. "That's impossible, a being can only have one AT field."
"But this has just become a new being," Ikari stated calmly.
Unit 14 suddenly charged the new Camael, hands out to the sides. The Angel narrowed its eyes at the advancing Eva before ducking under its arm and slamming it in the back with a powerful kick. Unit 14 tumbled forward, but regained its footing and whirled around. Cirus let out a powerful kick of his own, but the Angel dodged it and grabbed him by the ankle before spinning around and slamming him into the ground. Before the Angel could leap back though, Unit 14 reached up and grabbed it by the back of the neck and threw it into the larger AT field wall as he stood up.
The Angel pulled away from the AT field and lunged out with its arm, grabbing Unit 14's arm and then swinging him into the wall again. It kneed him in the mid-section, doubling him over, and then axe-kicked him to the ground with a shattering crash. Unit 14 unsheathed one forearm blade and lunged up at the Angel, lodging the blade in its midsection and then using it to lift the Angel up and slam it into the AT field. Then Cirus grabbed the Angel by the neck, yanked his blade out, and tossed the Angel over his head. It crashed to the ground in an explosion of dirt and rock.