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Episode 9: The Battle for Humanity! Seele vs. The Patriots, Conclusion

Snafu's Notes: Try not to misunderstand. The story will not be complete until I post the Epilogue. The chapter was just too damn long (30 pages!), so I split it in two. Fixed the typo with Gendou and some minor details.

Terminal Dogma.

Gendou Ikari and a nude Rei Ayanami stood before the massive form of Lilith, crucified, the Lance of Longinus impaled in her body. Above him, in Central Dogma and the fortress city of Tokyo-3, the battle for humanity continues to rage on. Upon hearing that Shinji was fighting Asuka, he realized that the Section 2 agent had failed in her task.

'No matter,' Gendou thought as he removed his glove, revealing the grafted embryo of ADAM. 'I have waited ten years to be reunited with Yui. Nothing can stop me.'

He looked at Rei. "It's time. I am one with ADAM. This is the only way to meet with my dear Yui once again. The forbidden union of ADAM and Lilith..."

At that moment, Rei's left arm fell, as if it had been severed above the elbow, bone exposed. What was surprising was that there was no blood.

"Your AT-field can no longer maintain its shape," Gendou continued. "Open your AT-field, Rei...open the barrier of your heart. He raised his hand with the grafted Angel. "Leave your useless body, my little doll, and release your soul. Merge all the souls into one, and take me to Yui's side."

Gendou was expecting to sink his hand into Rei's body, thus triggering his version of Third Impact. What he did not expect was the blue hexagonal field that erupted between himself and Rei, effectively putting a stop to his plans.

An AT-field.

As Gendou watched, the arm had dissolved into LCL, while Rei used her newly awakened S² organ to regenerate her lost arm.

"I...am not your doll," Rei rebuked, using the force of the AT-field to knock Gendou on his ass. "As you can see, I can maintain my form just fine. Everyone has their destiny," Rei said as she stood over Gendou flexing her regenerated hand. "My path lies not with you, but with your son."

"You..." Gendou sputtered. This was something he was not expecting. "You dare choose him over me?!"

"I will not help you initiate Third Impact," Rei said. "Your hands are already stained with the blood of the people you killed in Second Impact."

"I...I made you to serve my purpose!" Gendou snarled as he rose to his feet, now completely mad. "My purpose! I don't care if I have to kill every last person on this base, let alone this planet! I will be reunited with Yui!"

"That is not love," Rei rebuked. "That is obsession."

"You can't love! You will serve your purpose to me, and deliver me to my wife!"

With a burst of speed, Gendou charged at Rei, preparing to thrust his hand containing the progenitor of the Angels into her body, thus initiating the forbidden union of ADAM and Lilith, but more importantly, triggering Third Impact, and more importantly, instrumentality.

Before Rei could raise her AT-field to defend herself from Gendou, she heard the unmistakable sound of live steel being drawn, which was followed by...

SLASH!
*]
[*THUMP.

Gendou's hand and arm fell to the floor, severed at the elbow.

Time had stopped for both the deposed commander and his former doll. Rei turned to her savior while Gendou was looking at the bloodied stump, shock overriding the pain.

Raiden turned around, high frequency blade in his hand, stained with Gendou's blood. Turning to Ritsuko and Misato, who and rushed in after Raiden's crude amputation of Gendou's arm, he said, "Orders from the old man. You two clean up here. I'm needed topside," right before leaving through the same passageway that Gendou had entered from.

Gendou looked at the stump, then at his severed arm, still in complete shock as to what had happened. "Wh-what?" Then the pain kicked in, as the bloodied stump began to spray out blood. "MY HAND!"

As Gendou screamed in agony, the bottle blonde scientist and the lavender-haired major rushed over to Rei. "Rei! Are you all right?" Misato asked, while Ritsuko handed Rei her lab coat.

"I am fine," Rei replied as she slipped the lab coat over her naked body. "What is happening?"

"Seele has invaded the Geofront and the city," Ritsuko explained. "Shinji is fighting Asuka in Tokyo-3 and we need you to pilot Unit Zero and help the JSSDF inside the Geofront."

"Understood," Rei acknowledged.

"TRAITORS!"

Gendou's scream had the desired effect. The two most powerful women in Nerv spun on their former commander, who had his gun out with his remaining hand.

BLAM!

Gendou looked at the hole in his chest, then at Misato, who already had her gun out. The H&K P8's barrel was smoking, following Misato firing it at Gendou. With a yell, Gendou raised his gun again.

BLAM!

This time, the bullet struck Gendou in the lung. He looked at Ritsuko, the older woman having retrieved her own gun, the same make as Misato's, the barrel still smoking, the spent round falling to the floor.

Gendou screamed again as he tried to raise his gun once more. But he would not get the chance to fire, since both Misato and Ritsuko opened fire on the one-armed man. This was more than just an execution. To them, it was personal. Through Gendou's machinations, Ritusko's mother was driven to suicide and Misato's father died while saving her life. Those who had died in the maelstrom of Second Impact had demanded justice, and it was Misato and Ritsuko had delivered, acting as Gendou's executioners. One of the bullets fired from Misato had punctured his back, destroying his spine, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

Gendou fell to the floor, blood seeping from his bullet-riddled body. In the face of his own death, he realized that he had failed. He would not see Yui again.

The dying man looked at Rei, who in his mind's eye, shifted into Yui. With his wife's name on his lips, Misato fired one final bullet into Gendou's head, while Ritsuko emptied her last few bullets into ADAM. ADAM's corpse dissolved into LCL, where it seeped through the metal catwalk and into the LCL lake.

With the death of Gendou Rokubungi Ikari and the final destruction of ADAM, Third Impact was successfully averted. Humanity would survive.

Ritsuko and Misato turned from the grisly sight. Rei had watched the execution with her usual stoic expression. "If you are finished here, we must hurry to the EVA Cages. I take it that Unit Zero is ready for sortie?"

Misato nodded. "We should go." She gestured to the bullet-riddled corpse of what was Gendou Ikari. "He's not going anywhere."

Ritsuko nodded. The two adults and the teen left Terminal Dogma.
---
Above ground, in Tokyo-3...

(We see the following caption in English and Japanese: Tokyo-3: Downtown. The Encounter [Boss Theme] Theme from MGS1 is playing.)

Two massive behemoths squared off in the deserted streets of Tokyo-3. One was a black and red-trimmed Evangelion - an advanced prototype - cloned from ADAM's DNA, its pilot a disgraced Evangelion pilot, while the other was a mostly purple Evangelion - the test type - cloned from the DNA of Lilith, its pilot the son of the late Gendou Rokubungi Ikari.

Unit Five charged at its opponent, who stood its ground, armed only with a Progressive Halberd. Lighter, but lacking the range and power of the Heavy Lance.

Dodging Unit Five's wild swings with the Lance, the two EVAs ended up locking weapons, Samurai Shodown-style. After a moment, Unit Five knocked Unit One away, its only saving grace was that it tripped over one of the split halves of RAY 3, falling on its back, just as Unit Five made an attempt to decapitate Unit One.

Asuka cursed as Shinji's Unit fell. Oh well. She wanted to make him suffer, anyway. Maybe chopping the EVA's limbs off piece by piece would suffice, right before chopping off its head. Oh, was Shinji going to suffer for making her look like a complete amateur. Unit Five leapt into the air, preparing to impale the downed EVA in its shoulder.

Unit One rolled out of the way, narrowly missing being ran through by the Heavy Lance. However, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as Asuka had miscalculated the force used in her strike, the Heavy Lance being impaled into the pavement.

The test-type Evangelion got back to its feet, grabbing the Halberd. Holding it like a Louisville Slugger, Unit One cocked it back and swung with all its might. The flat side of the Halberd's blade connected with Unit Five's head, knocking it away from its Lance, which Asuka had been trying to retrieve, with little success. Unit Five tore out huge chunks of pavement as it slid down the street.

Inside the cockpit, Shinji had switched over to sound only. Right now, he was hearing Asuka screaming choice curse words in Japanese and German as she got to her feet.

"Damn you, Ikari!" Asuka shouted. "I'll see you dead!"

Shinji knew that Asuka was playing for keeps. Had he been the same now as he had been during the battle with Bardiel, he would have more than likely let Asuka kill him. Too bad for Asuka. The old Shinji Ikari was gone.

Shinji saw that the Halberd's blade was destroyed, thus rendering the weapon useless. He dropped the weapon, the handle falling next to two abandoned big rigs, each with a tanker trailer.

Both tanker trailers were was at the moment, full of gasoline.

Shinji had a moment in inspiration. If gasoline was flammable, what would happen if it a tanker filled with the stuff came into contact with an AT-Field?

Unit One picked up the first tanker.

Unit Five charged at Unit One, who quickly tossed the impromptu grenade at the former. By reflex, Asuka had brought up her AT-Field.

BOOM!

The tanker detonated on impact, the flash temporary blinding Asuka, who was once again, screaming in Japanese and German.

As Shinji reached down and picked up the second tanker, a weapons locker rose from the ground. Inside, was a Mag-Rifle. Shinji quickly retrieved it. Looking bak at Asuka, who was still blinded from the first blast, her Unit Five holding the 'eyes' with one hand, while trying to reach out with her other hand.

Unit One tossed the second tanker at Unit Five. Then, as it neared Unit Five, Shinji took aim and fired.

BAM!BAM!BAM!
*]
[*BOOM!

The rounds found their mark, the tanker detonating like a bomb.

Inside Unit Five, Asuka screamed as she felt the pain on her right arm. It was as if her arm and hand were on fire. Tearing off the sleeve of her plug suit, she saw that her forearm and hand were covered in first and second-degree burns, a side effect of her high synch ratio, now in the lower 200s.

At least the LCL inside the Entry Plug helped ease the pain...somewhat.

Shinji wasn't finished yet. He unloaded the Mag-Rifle as he charged, but Asuka's AT-field spared her from further damage. Shinji's AT-field canceled out Asuka's own field, allowing Unit One to shoulder ram the advanced prototype, knocking her to the ground.
---
Inside the command center...

Big Boss' continued to monitor and direct the JSSDF and UN forces inside the Geofront. Earlier on, the two forces had fought to a standstill. Now, the news looked even more promising.

The Haven Shock Troops were taking on massive losses inside Central Dogma, the tight corridors being their major disadvantage, as they were used to be even more mobile. It looked even more grim for them outside in the Geofront. The combined forces consisting of the U.N. crack troops, the JSSDF and the Beauty and Beasts Corps were hammering the forces back.

Naomi was on the phone with Misato. "That's good to hear. I'm glad she's okay. And what about Ikari?"

"Dead. I executed the bastard myself. Ritsuko took care of ADAM. We're inside the EVA Cages. Ritsuko and I will remain in the cages until the heat dies down. Terminal Dogma is locked down."

"Smart move," Naomi replied. "Haven forces have been taking on heavy losses. We're pushing them back. We can hold out until the more soldiers from the U.N. arrive, but it's going to be close."

"That's great news!" Misato rejoiced. "Rei should be finishing up getting into her Plug Suit, so she can help the good guys out in the Geofront. How's Shinji?"

Naomi looked at the screen. The fight between Shinji's Unit One and Asuka's Unit Five continued to rage in the streets of Tokyo-3.

"He's holding his own at the moment," Naomi reported. "Big Boss taught him well. I'll let the old man know where we stand with Ikari."

Ending the call, she walked over to Big Boss, who was standing with Snake and Meryl. "Good news from Terminal Dogma, Boss. Rei is safe. She is being prepped in Unit Zero as we speak."

"And Gendou Ikari?" Big Boss asked.

"Dead. Misato killed him herself. Akagi destroyed ADAM. Third Impact is no longer possible. Ritsuko and Misato will stay at the EVA Cages until that area is secured."

Big Boss nodded. "Good. Very good. The U.N. just notified me that extra troops will be arriving in Tokyo-3 shortly. All we got to do is..."

He was cut off as one of the JSSDF soldiers yelled out "Contact! Bottom Level!"

Big Boss pulled Naomi to the floor as gunfire erupted, the bridge bunnies and the two Patriots operatives following suit. Snake pulled Meryl to the ground as bullets whizzed by them The Haven Troops had made their way to the command center, although it was the bottom half, the same level Hyuuga showed up in warning about Matrarel's attack during the power outage. The JSSDF troopers on the bottom level returned fire, but the Haven troopers had brought in riot shields, allowing their teammates to return fire.

What they did not expect was Big Boss himself on the command bridge.

Brandishing his Patriot, Big Boss joined in the fray, as did the rest of FOXHOUND and Kaji, while Otacon and Mei Long continued to keep low and monitor the battle, Naomi was tending to Maya, who was starting to hyperventilate. Deciding that Maya was a threat to herself, Naomi produced a syringe, containing the knockout serum used on Ritsuko and jammed the item into her neck.

Maya was out like a light.

Armed with a carbine with a grenade launcher attachment - a memento from the Big Shell Incident of 2009 - Snake returned fire, provoking the FROGS to hide behind their shields. Then he fired off a grenade from the underhand attachment. The ensuing explosion sent the first wave flying.

Before the defenders could get a breather, a second wave of FROGS came storming in through the open doors. This time, Hyuuga was hit in the arm from the second barrage of gunfire. As Naomi treated the bespectacled male bridge bunny's injury, Kaji scored a headshot on one of the FROGS who had peeked from behind the shields.

Four of the FROGS leapt up onto the same tier as were the Patriots from their place below. One of the leveled her PN-90 at Big Boss...

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

...only to have Meryl make the save. Three rounds from the redhead's Desert Eagle had sent the first FROG flying off the upper level, and back onto the bottom level below.

Two of them went after Solid Snake. Brandishing machetes, they closed in on the son of Big Boss. Snake parried the first machete swing, and fired off a burst into the first FROG, the armor-piercing rounds going through the FROG's heart, killing her instantly.

The third FROG kicked the carbine out of Snake's hand, forcing the FOXHOUND commander to pull out his CQC Knife. Snake parried several of his opponent's machete swings, right before jamming the knife into her throat. He then pulled his knife out and kicked the woman off the tier, sending her body down to the bottom ramparts below.

Big Boss, in the meantime, tossed the Patriot at Kaji, and went after the remaining FROG. Within seconds, the FROG fell dead, her neck snapped by the surprisingly strong old man.

More FROGS appeared on the bottom tier, forcing the defenders to take cover from the intense hail of gunfire. Just as it appeared that the command center would be overrun, the good guys got some good news.

"Big Boss! I got movement!" Mei Ling shouted a she looked at her laptop. Her face then lit up as to what was coming. "It's Unit Zero!"

CRASH!

Just as Zeruel had done when he invaded the Geofront, Unit Zero had crashed through the walls of the command center. The single eye of the Prototype-model Evangelion looking down on both the Patriots and the FROGS.

Inside the Entry Plug, Rei Ayanami – in her Plug Suit – quickly amassed the situation, as the FROGS opened fire on her. The bullets did nothing against Unit Zero, as it slammed its hand onto the tier, knocking several of the FROGS over, right before sweeping its hand left to right, killing the remaining invaders. One punch to the bottom tier's doors had effectively sealed off the bottom half of the center from further attack.

"All right, Rei!" Kaji shouted.

Unit Zero gave a small salute to the cheering defenders before leaving to assist the JSSDF and UN troops outside the Headquarters.
---
Above ground...

Asuka Sohryuu was not very happy.

Despite having the better EVA, she had clearly underestimated Shinji's resolve. Things had went downhill quick. Despite being armed with the duplicate Lance of Longinus, as well as having trained in the EVA for most of her life, Shinji Ikari has once again, proved that he was better than her.

"It's over, Asuka," Shinji deadpanned. "I've gotten word that your Haven buddies are getting their asses kicked in the city and inside the Geofront. You're finished."

"NO! YOU'RE FINISHED, IKARI!" Asuka screamed as she grabbed the embedded lance and literally yanked it out of the ground. She then cocked her arm back and heaved the Lance blade-first towards Shinji. "DIE!" she screamed.

Shinji's reaction was instant. His AT-field had appeared, stopping the weapon in mid-air.

Then the weapon changed. From a heavy-looking lance to its true form. A spear-like weapon, the end facing Shinji morphing into massive twin tines.

Shinji dropped his AT-field and dodged the lance, the lower tine nicking his arm as it sailed past, impaling a nearby weapons locker. As he dodged, Shinji activated his second Prog Knife and hurled it blade-first at Asuka.

Asuka saw the knife coming, but she was a split second too late in raising her AT-field. The knife found its mark, impaling the left eye of EVA Unit Five. Unfortunately, for Asuka, given her high sync ratio, it had severely damaged her own eye, the feedback rupturing the eye. The EVA mimicked Asuka's movements as both the EVA and Asuka screamed in pain.

After a moment of this, Asuka yanked the knife out of her EVA's eye. "I'll kill you...I'll kill you...I'll kill you...I'll kill you...I'll kill you...I'll kill you...I'll kill you all," she chanted as she reached behind her flipped open a hatch. Unlike the Japanese kanji she had a problem with, this was in a language she could easily understand – German.

Translated it read, D-DRIVE.

Asuka had planned to use the self-destruct sequence to destroy herself, Shinji, and all of Tokyo-3.

Shinji had a video feed into Asuka's plug and saw what she had intended to do. He looked to his left, and saw that he had rolled near a second weapons locker, having been raised from the ground. Among the items inside, was a Progressive Naginata, a prototype weapon that Ritsuko and R&D were developing shortly before Zeruel. Shinji yanked it out of the weapons locker, took aim, and threw it.

Shinji's throw was true. EVA Unit Five was impaled through, the core pierced completely, thus neutralizing the self-destruct sequence. However, it wasn't over just yet. As a result of Shinji throwing the naginata, Unit Five had automatically ejected its Entry Plug in order to save its pilot's life.

Unit Five fell to the ground, the lance still sticking out of its midsection, the core destroyed.
---
Back inside the command bridge, the JSSDF had moved in, securing the area. Rei - in her Unit Zero - had drove the remaining FROGS to surrender. Being the pilot of a humanoid fighting machine armed with a 100-round Gatling Gun sure did worked wonders. During this time, Misato and Ritsuko had returned to the command center once the area was secured.

The battle in the Geofront and in the city above was indeed brutal. The Haven Shock troops were not expecting the full brunt of the JSSDF bearing down on them, nor the backup from the U.N. crack troops or from the Beauty and Beasts Unit. The Haven forces had suffered devastating losses.

Aoba turned to his console. His expression then lit up. "Commander Fuyutsuki! I got U.N. troops advancing through the Goura perimeter!"

Hyuuga's face mirrored that of her male counterpart. At least the painkillers Naomi had were working. "I got two more JSSDF and U.N. combat units approaching from Gotemba! They're pushing their way through the FROGS' defense perimeter!"

Maya – who had just returned to consciousness moments earlier – turned to Fuyutsuki. "The FROGS have been pushed out of Nerv Headquarters. They are surrendering to the JSSDF and U.N. forces!"

Fuyutsuki smiled broadly, watching as the others cheered, reveling in their victory. Ed and Johnathan butted heads, while several of the JSSDF soldiers who had survived the assault fired their guns into the air. Even Snake and Meryl got into the celebration. Meryl grabbing Snake by his flak jacket and kissing him full on the lips.

"So how does it feel to be a hero, Dave?" Meryl asked.

Snake smiled. "I'll get back to you on that."

Kaji, in the meantime, had removed his flak jacket. He had caught a round from the FROGS' assault Thankfully, the jacket did its job and stopped the bullet.

The ponytailed man the felt someone grab his shoulders and forcibly spin him around. Before he could say anything, Kaji was caught in a liplock with Misato Katsuragi.

"Er...does this mean we're back together?" Kaji asked.

"Shut up and kiss me, you jerk," Misato ordered.

Kaji smiled. "I love it when you're pushy."

As the Patriots spy and the Tactical Operations Director kissed yet again, Big Boss approached Snake and Meryl. The old man had a smile on his face as he approached the pair.

"Son," Big Boss said.

"Dad," Snake replied.

The two shared a handshake. Big Boss turned to Meryl. "Major Campbell. Your father would be proud of you. I know I am."

Meryl beamed from the praise. "Thank you, Big Boss."

Meanwhile, Kouzou Fuyutsuki let out another sigh of relief as he sunk deeper into the chair. "It's over."

Ritsuko shared his sentiment. "Thank God."

"Not yet," Big Boss replied as he turned from Snake and Meryl. "Sohryuu is still on the loose."

"We got a signal from her Entry Plug," Ritsuko said. "Shinji is on his way to it now."
---
(Once again, the following appears in English and Japanese: Tokyo-3: Lake Ashinoko.)

Since every Entry Plug was equipped with a homing beacon for other Evangelion pilots in the event that they were forced to eject from their Evangelions, it was easy to track down Asuka's entry plug. It had came to a stop on the beach of Lake Ashinoko.

It was also empty, as Shinji had noticed upon further inspection, upon ejecting his own Plug and exiting from his EVA. The only sign of life was that of an open first-aid kit, obviously LCL-proof.

'The hell?' Shinji thought. 'Where the hell is Asuka?'

His unspoken question was answered when Asuka grabbed him from behind, slammed him into the side of the Plug, right before throwing him to the ground. She then followed with a swift kick to the torso, knocking Shinji on his back.

Asuka was on top of Shinji, her hands on his throat, choking the life out of him. Shinji had saw that his Progressive Knife to the left eye had pretty much ruptured Asuka's left eye, the end result of having such a high synch ratio. Her damaged eye was heavily bandaged (as it was in End of Evangelion), as was her right hand.

"You and I...got a score to settle, Ikari," Asuka sneered. Her grip increased on Shinji's throat. "You took everything from me! Everything! I was the best pilot! Number one synch ratio! I am superior! This is it for you!"

In desperation, Shinji slammed his palms on Asuka's head, causing her ears to ring painfully, which gave Shinji the opportunity needed to get her off of him. He kicked her off and rolled backwards, giving himself some room from the half-German sociopath, taking in deep breaths of air.

The two pilots faced off, the bleeding from Asuka's eye slowed down, while Shinji shook off the effects of Asuka's sneak attack.

Then, much to Shinji's surprise, Asuka shifted into a CQC stance. "So you want to do things the hard way, then?" she taunted. "Fine. I won't need an EVA to beat you!"

Shinji stood up and went into his own stance.

The final battle between the two had begun.

Shinji lunged in with a punch, only to have Asuka grab him and slam him to the ground. He got back up, and measured Asuka again. Once again, he found himself on the ground, Asuka having slammed him yet again when he tried to kick her, Shinji rolling away when she tried to kick him in the nuts.

This time, Asuka tried to attack Shinji with a straight punch to the face, only this time, Shinji slammed her to the ground. They both locked up, wrestling-style, with Asuka gaining the advantage by flipping Shinji over, landing in the surf. Shinji countered with a Krav Maga-style take-down on Asuka.

The battle between the disgraced Second Child and the Third Child continued.
---
Nerv Headquarters, the Geofront.

From a UAV drone, Big Boss and the others saw the battle between Ikari and Sohryuu. 'So...Sohryuu's been training with the Haven Shock Troops,' he thought.

For the past several weeks, as Asuka was training inside her EVA, she was also trained in advanced close-quarters-combat. Fortunately, so was Shinji prior to Big Boss' departure to Haruna, so Shinji was holding his own. The real question was for how long.

"I got a lock on their location!" Maya shouted. "It's Lake Ashinoko!"

Big Boss turned to Kaji and Misato. "The both of you, go. I will alert a squad of U.N. soldiers and tell them to meet you there."
---
The final battle between Shinji Ikari and Asuka Sohryuu continued. And it was indeed brutal.

The waters had washed away the LCL, leaving both fighters soaked to the bone as they fought in the surf.

Shinji, playing it smart, had moved away from the waters, lest Asuka would try and drown him there when she had the chance. Another countered punch had his arm twisted behind him in an arm bar. Shinji then elbowed Asuka in the face, forcing her to let go. As she staggered back, Shinji waded into her, Asuka blocking his kicks to her torso and head with her free hand as she held her injured eye with the other.

Shinji feinted a kick to the head, and went low, gut-punching Asuka. She responded by grabbing him and slamming him face first into the side of her Entry Plug. After nailing Shinji in the ribs and lower back, she spun him around, only to have Shinji counter by reversing their positions, Shinji bashing her head into the side of the Plug, before throwing her to the ground.

As he went in for the kill, Asuka scooped a handful of sand and threw it into Shinji's eyes, blinding him.

With a feral yell, she tackled him to the surf and rained down blows upon his face, until she was certain that he was unconscious.

"You're nothing compared to me! I'm gonna kill you, Shinji," Asuka snarled as she slugged him yet again for good measure. She then leaned forward, so that she could whisper softly to him.

That turned out to be a huge mistake on Asuka's part. Shinji was playing possum.

"I'm going to kill you, Shinji, and I am so going to enjoy i-YEEEARRGH!"

'A true soldier does not rely on just brute force alone. War is always and will ever be based on deception.'

Too bad Asuka did not read The Art of War.

As Asuka whispered to him, Shinji reached out and dug his thumb into Asuka's injured eye, causing the girl to scream from the pain, as fresh blood to spill out, which was followed by a punch to said injured eye, forcing Asuka off of him, and giving him some breathing room. He splashed his eyes with the lake water, rinsing the sand from them. His lip was busted, and he was bleeding from a cut to the side of his head. On top of that, he was sore all over.

Shinji went back into his CQC stance.

'Shinji, remember the basics of CQC.'

Big Boss' words came to him again as he watched Asuka warily. He shifted his stance, lowering his arms slightly, and waited for the attack.

Asuka tore off the makeshift bandage. Her eye was now closed, blood seeping out of the ruptured socket, as if she was crying tears of blood.

'I'm not gonna run away,' Shinji chanted in his mind. 'I can't run away. I WON'T RUN AWAY!'

Now Shinji was on the offensive. Asuka screamed at him and charged, preparing to grapple him into submission. That plan was derailed as Shinji kicked her in the gut, knocking the air out of her torso, followed by a punch to the face, knocking Asuka back, blood flying from her mouth, landing onto the sand.

Shinji was in the zone. Adrenaline pumping throughout his body, dulling the pain, he continued to fight as Big Boss' words came back to him.

'If the opponent blocks high, hit low. If they block low, hit high.'

Shinji did just as that. Asuka blocked her face, he nailed her in the torso. She tried to block her mid-section, only to have Shinji strike her in her face repeatedly.

Left cross. Right uppercut. Roundhouse kick. Asuka fell to the surf in a heap. When she tried to get back up, Shinji drove his elbow into her back, causing her to cry out in pain. Asuka rolled out of the way and managed to sweep Shinji off his feet, knocking him on his back.

Shinji rolled out of the way as Asuka tried to stomp his head in. He quickly scrambled to his feet, and sent Asuka spinning to the sand with a roundhouse kick to the head.

Asuka tried once again to throw sand in Shinji's eyes, but Shinji turned his head away, the sand impacting the back of his hair. She then tackled Shinji to the ground, only to have Shinji kick her off of him after blocking several of her blows with his forearms.

Asuka blocked several of his punches and countered with her own combination. Shinji blocked those as well, before punching Asuka square in the face yet again, followed by a kick to her torso, knocking the breath out of her body. Asuka's legs buckled from under her, and she fell to her knees.

Her body felt like it was restrained by weights. But she shakily got back to her feet. Shinji did the same, his body feeling the same as Asuka's.

CRACK!

Both Shinji and Asuka's fists impacted on the other's jaws, knocking them down to one knee. The fight was slowly winding down to see who could last the longest.

They stumbled back to their feet.

Asuka struck Shinji. Shinji struck Asuka. Shinji struck her again, causing her to stumble. She fell forward, spitting out blood. She looked at Shinji with her good remaining eye, the damaged one still seeping out blood. "Why...WHY CAN'T YOU LET ME WIN?" she screamed.

She got to her feet. Shinji balled his hand into a fist, ready to deliver the knockout blow. Asuka did the same.

Asuka charged. Shinji held his ground.

Asuka swung...and missed. Shinji had simply ducked under her wild swing.

With a yell, Shinji swung his own fist...

WHAM!

...and connected.

Asuka stumbled back several steps. Then she keeled over. Looking at the noon sky, the last thing she thought before slipping into unconsciousness was, 'How disgusting.'

The battle was finally over. Asuka Langley Sohryuu, the pride of Nerv Germany, former prodigy of Unit Two, was defeated.

Shinji turned from the defeated half-German. His whole body was hurting all over, and he could have swore that one of his fingers was broken.

"...inji...Shinji!"

Shinji collapsed to his knees. He would have fell over, but Misato and Kaji were there, the former catching her ward in her arms. Meanwhile the squad of troops had surrounded Asuka. Both parties had arrived in time to see Shinji land the knockout blow on Asuka.

Shinji looked at Misato. The pain was finally starting to get to him. "Did we win?" he asked.

Misato nodded.

"Good. I'm gonna...lie down for...a while."

With those words, Shinji Ikari passed out in Misato's arms.
---
It has been three hours since U.N.'s military wing has moved into Tokyo-3 and the Geofront. The people had emerged from the shelters, taking in the carnage that surrounded them. Those that had lost their homes in the war would be reimbursed by the Japanese government. Tokyo-3 will rebuild. Out of the five combat units, only less than two hundred soldiers of the Haven Shock Troops had survived the battles. They would be shipped off to the World Court in The Hague.

Shinji was rushed back to Nerv Headquarters, as was Asuka, under heavy guard. She would be treated for her injuries before being taken to Nerv's detention cells, where she would wait until she was shipped off to Tokyo-2 to face her crimes. Shinji, on the other hand, was in a mini-coma of sorts, but his condition was stabilized. Rei remained at his side.

Gendou's body was recovered from Terminal Dogma. He would be cremated, the ashes disposed of. Not even an unmarked grave would suffice, not after the truth behind Second Impact was revealed during the battle, thanks to Otacon and Mei Ling.

The Patriots had also lost one of their own. Whilst leading the defense of the Geofront, Ocelot was injured, having been shot several times. He was immediately evacuated to Nerv's medical wing. Despite Naomi and Ritsuko's best efforts, there was no hope for Ocelot.

Big Boss rushed to his friend's side once the news was known. He found Ocelot in a guarded room, lying on a cot, looking the worse for the wear.

Big Boss grasped Ocelot's hand tightly. "Ocelot."

"Did we win?" Ocelot asked.

Big Boss nodded. "Yes. We won, old friend. Third Impact will never come to pass. You have done your duty well."

Ocelot smiled weakly. "Thanks, Boss." He was fading fast. "It...it was a honor...to have died by your side..."

"And it was an honor to have fought by yours. It's time to put the gun down and rest, Adamska. You have earned it."

Ocelot's grip increased as he fought for breath. Then he breathed his last, his grip going slack in Big Boss' hand. The old man reached over and closed Ocelot's eyes.

The war was finally over, but there was the matter of Seele, more importantly, Zero. There would be nowhere for Seele to hide, since Otacon and Mei Ling were in the process of blowing the lid off of Second Impact. By this time tomorrow, the whole world would know the truth, as well as what had happened in the city of Tokyo-3. The heroes would be remembered, the villains cursed and damned.

But Big Boss wasn't finished. There was still one loose end to tie up.

And thanks to Otacon and Mei Ling, he knew where Zero was hiding.
---
Location - ???

"Shinji...Shinji..."

All Shinji saw was blinding white. Then, his vision slowly came into focus. He was slumped up against a tree. Looking around, he saw that he was what appeared to be in a waterfront park. It took Shinji a moment, but he remembered this place from his memories.

The Lake Ahinoko Levy at Hakone.

It was shortly before the ill-fated 'Contact Experiment,' that his mother had brought him here when he was only four.

"Shinji..."

Shinji got to his feet and looked around. "Where am I? Am I dead?"

"Far from it, my son," the female voice said from behind him.

Shinji turned around. Standing before him was someone he had thought to have been dead for over a decade. A Japanese woman, in her late twenties, dark brown hair cut short in a mop, kind brown eyes. The white lab jacket partially concealed her pink blouse and black skirt.

"It's been a long time, Shinji," Yui Ikari said. "Far too long."

Shinji felt a lump in his throat. "M-Mom? Is it you?"

Yui nodded. "Yes. It's me."

That was all Shinji needed to hear. He rushed over and threw his arms around his mother.

"I've always been here," Yui said soothingly as she stroked her son's hair, hugging him back. "Always watching over you inside Unit One."

Shinji broke off the hug. "Unit One? But how?"

Yui smiled sadly. "I think I should start from the beginning," she said as she sat down in the shade of the tree. Patting to the space beside her, Shinji took a seat beside her. "Gendou never really talked about me as much, did he?"

Shinji shook his head. "Whenever I tried to ask him about you, he would refuse to answer. Most of the information I got about you was from Fuyutsuki."

Yui smiled. "The professor always had a soft spot for me. I was his best student, after all." Her smile faded. "I promised you an explanation, and I am a person of my word. Have you ever wondered why the Angels continued to attack Tokyo-3, or about the origins of the Evangelions?"

"Both."

Yui smiled. "You are definitely my son. It was in the years following Second Impact. Gendou and I worked for Nerv's predecessor, Gerhin. He was the commander of the Geofront, while I was the Chairwoman of Project E, the post that is currently being held by Ritsuko Akagi. The reason being as to why the Angels kept attacking Tokyo-3 is because there is an Angel hidden in the Geofront."

"An Angel?"

[Cut to a shot of Lilith, hanging on her cross, with the Lance impaled through her.]

YUI (voice-over): Not just any Angel, Shinji. Lilith, the Second Angel, and progenitor to the Lilim. In other words, she is the mother to humanity, whereas ADAM was the progenitor of the Angels.

SHINJI (voice-over): Are you telling me that humanity is descended from Lilith?

YUI (voice-over): Yes. In a matter of speaking, humanity, or Lilum, is the Eighteenth Angel.

SHINJI (voice-over): Ritsuko mentioned that humanity and the Angels had the same type of DNA.

[Shots of the Angels, from Sachiel to Tabris.]

YUI (voice-over) The Geofront itself is Lilith's Black Moon, having crashed here over four billion years ago. Lilith had arrived shortly after ADAM, and since two Seeds of Life could not coexist on the same planet, ADAM went into hibernation, and humanity was allowed to flourish.

SHINJI (voice-over): The Angels were attacking Tokyo-3 because they thought Lilith was ADAM. What about the Evangelions?

[Shots of Units Zero through Two in action.]

YUI (voice-over): You thought that the EVAs were just mere mecha as seen in anime? They are much more than that, Shinji. Evangelion is nothing more than a giant human being of near godlike power, cloned from ADAM and Lilith. Your Unit One and Ayanami's Unit Zero were cloned from Lilith, while Sohryuu's Unit Two was cloned from ADAM. The armor plating served as restraints to help control them. It was a trial-and-error process, but we managed to perfect the process of creating the Evangelions in order to combat the Angels.

SHINJI (voice-over): Unbelivable.

YUI (voice-over): The first three EVAs had a critical flaw. The cores were not Super Solenoid engines, and would not work under normal circumstances. Sadly, I was the first to figure out how the EVAs could function. Kyokou was the second.

[Clips end here.]

"Kyokou?" Shinji parroted.

"Kyokou Sohryuu, also a researcher in the Evangelion project, and Asuka's mother," Yui explained. "The EVAs could only function with the power of a human soul. It was also selfish of me, but my own life was in danger."

"By who?"

"Your father. It was after you had turned four that I had discovered Gendou's role in Second Impact. My father - who sat on the council of Seele - confirmed it." Off Shinji's shocked look, Yui continued. "Yes, son. Your grandfather, my father, was part of Seele. In fact, he was the only one who had voiced opposition in unleashing Second Impact. I think that was one of the reasons why Gendou was attracted to me."

"Because of your connections to Seele?"

Yui nodded. "Yes. Shinji...I owe you an apology. When I found out your father's role in Second Impact, I suspected that if he was able to sabotage an experiment with ADAM and cause the deaths of over three billion people, then he would not think twice in killing me, or harming you. That was when I found out about EVA's flaws with the core...and I volunteered with the Contact Experiment. There was something that Gendou did not know about Unit One. It would not accept female pilots, since Unit One was cloned from Lilith herself."

Shinji connected the dots. "You allowed yourself to be absorbed into the core in an attempt to keep yourself safe from Gendou."

Again, Yui nodded. "Yes, son. And ever since the Angel Wars, I've been there, protecting you in any way I could."

Shinji searched his memories. He remembered Unit One protecting him from falling debris during the battle with Sachiel, as well as the EVA going nuts on said Angel and Zeruel as well.

"So that was you making my EVA going berserk?"

"That was me."

"So Kyokou lost her mind because Unit Two was cloned from ADAM, and Unit Two would only accept female pilots, right?"

"You catch on quick. You're definitely my son."

Shinji smiled. "So what happened after you were absorbed into the core?"

"Dad lost it," Yui replied sadly. "You only met him a couple of times, Shinji. You were still very young. But he liked you. When he thought I died, he committed suicide out of grief. I heard that Gendou was the one ordered to kill him." She looked out at the lake. "Here, I thought Gendou actually loved me. Now, thanks to you...I finally see the truth."

"Fuyutsuki told me about Gendou's plans," Shinji continued. "He told me shortly before Arael. That sounds a whole lot like obsession if you ask me. But I think that the old bastard wanted to become a god, to mold and shape the world as he saw fit."

"Perhaps..."

Shinji was silent for a moment. "So what happens now...? Can we get you back?"

Yui shook her head. "Sorry. You were a special case. Me...I can't get out of the core. I'm sorry, Shinji. But you do have friends that care for you on the outside."

"I know. I know that now. So what happens to the EVA?"

[Another fade out. This time, it's a clip from End of Evangelion. Unit One is out in space, with the Lance of Longinus.]

YUI (voice-over): Fuyutsuki once asked me as we developed the EVAs is it mankind's desire to become God? To create a being of nearly ominpotent power in order to obtain immortality?

SHINJI (voice-over): What did you tell him?

YUI (voice-over): I told Kouzou that humans can live on Earth, but the Evangelion can live forever...together with the human soul that lives within its core. Even when the Sun, the Earth, and the moon vanish into history, the Evangelion will exist even as a single person still lives. It will be lonely, yes, but as long as that person still lives, it will be the eternal proof that mankind ever existed.

[Clip ends here.]

Yui turned towards Shinji. "Shinji...what you have done here...by stopping Seele's ambitions for Human Instrumentality...you have shown that mankind is not beyond redemption. Mankind will survive, and continue to rebuild."

Shinji watched as she began to rise into the air. "Mom! Mom, wait!"

"I wish we had more time to spend together," Yui said as she rose out of reach, "but it's time for me to go." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a locket. Tossing it to Shinji, who caught it, she said, "Something to remember me by. Goodbye, Shinji Ikari...and good luck..."

As Yui floated away, Shinji opened the locket. Inside was a picture of Yui, along with a 4-year-old Shinji. A single tear ran down Shinji's cheek as he closed the pendant and held it close.

"Goodbye...Mother..."
---
January 1, 2016 – three days after the Battle of Tokyo-3.

Nerv Headquarters, the Geofront.

Shinji Ikari opened his eyes. 'Great. Another unknown ceiling,' he thought. Then his vision slowly came into focus. 'Wait a second...this is the medical facility inside the Geofront.'

The last thing Shinji remembered before passing out was beating Asuka to within an inch of her life, followed by Kaji and Misato running over to him as he lost consciousness.

"You're finally awake, Shinji."

It was at that moment that Shinji had noticed Rei in the chair next to his bed. Rather than her school uniform or even her plug suit, she was dressed in a simple workout suit, similar to what Touji would wear, save that hers was dark blue. Shinji also noticed that her hand was clasping his uninjured one.

"Rei," Shinji whispered. "How long was I out?"

"Three days," Rei replied. "Today is the New Year, 2016."

"So...we survived Third Impact?"

"Third Impact has been successfully averted. ADAM has been destroyed, and Terminal Dogma has been sealed." When Shinji tried to sit up, Rei stopped him. "No, Shinji. You must rest. You were injured following your fight with Sohryuu."

"How bad was I?"

"Four broken ribs, a fractured wrist, a fractured eye socket, three broken fingers, and a nasty concussion," Rei replied. She pointed to the IV in his arm. "Doctor Akagi had you placed on insulin in order to provide you with nutrients for your body."

"So...what happened?" Shinji asked.

"As of this moment, Nerv is under control of the Japanese Government. The Japanese Strategic Self-Defense Force has been occupying the Geofront as well as Nerv Headquarters. Commander Fuyutsuki, Doctor Akagi, and Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi are currently being debriefed by the Prime Minister, as well as the Secretary General of the U.N. The whole world knows about what Gendou and Seele were planning."

"What happened to Gendou?"

"Dead. Katsuragi and Akagi shot him during the battle. He died in Terminal Dogma. Prior to that, he was stripped of his duties as the Supreme Commander of Nerv."

It was then Shinji noticed that someone was missing. "Wait. Where's Big Boss?"

"He left shortly after the battle was over," the blue-haired pilot of Unit Zero replied. She smiled. "I'm glad that you are safe, Shinji." She then leaned in and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Get well soon."

The kiss sure as hell caught Shinji off guard. But it was more welcomed than a slap. And Rei hit as hard as Asuka. "Wow. A kiss from you, Wondergirl? First you slap me, now you kiss me."

Rei smiled shyly. "Let's just say that you are improving in my eyes." She then left the room.

Shinji watched her leave. He then noticed the object that was around his neck.

A locket, belonging to his mother.

Shinji opened it, and regarded the picture of himself and his mother for one long moment, holding it close to him, fresh tears running down his face.

Several hours later, the newly-appointed Commander Fuyutsuki and Colonel Katsuragi visited Shinji. He was being checked out by Naomi, who decided to stay behind to help tend the many wounded that were left following the battle. Ritsuko Akagi was down the hall, briefing the JSSDF medics and several doctors.

The old man and the ponytailed colonel gave further detail into what was going on. As it turned out, FOXHOUND had several UAV drones in both the Geofront and the city above, which had taped the entire battle, including the battle between him and Asuka.

As it had also turned out, Asuka's eye was damaged as a result of her high synchronization, and in the final battle between herself and Shinji, he had damaged it to the point that she could never see out of it again. After she had gotten her eye treated, she was shipped off to the World Court in The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity.

The Nerv bridge crew, the JSSDF and the U.N. crack troops that had participated in the battle were looking at several serious awards and recommendations. Since Shinji and Rei were both employed with Nerv, and by an extension, the United Nations, both were warrant officers – a little tidbit that Gendou had failed to mention, both were also being hailed as heroes for their role in preserving humanity.

"Your mother would be proud of you, Shinji," Fuyutsuki said, smiling. "I know I am."

"We all are," Misato added. "You did good, Shinji."

"Indeed," Naomi concurred. "Big Boss left shortly after the battle, said that he had some loose ends to tie up. But he did left you a message. He said that you did good, and that he is proud of you. As am I. But don't let it go to your head, Ikari."

"Trust me. I won't. Can you do e a favor, Commander?"

"Anything."

"Remove my mother's last name from Gendou's. I don't want her legacy tainted by that bastard."

Fuyutsuki nodded. "Done."

With his mother effectively separated from that bastard, there was something else that was nagging Shinji. "Fuyutsuki...what happened to Unit One?"

Misato and Fuyutsuki exchanged glances. Even Naomi went silent. After a moment, Fuyutsuki spoke. "It's gone, Shinji. Along with the Lance of Longinus. It happened shortly after the battle. The Japanese government had decided that the EVAs were too dangerous to keep around, and had ordered them to be destroyed. Unit Zero was the first, as was Unit Five. When it came for Unit One to follow suit, it activated on its own. The Lance of Longinus, which we kept down in Terminal Dogma, appeared and they both...disappeared."

"Nobody knows where Unit One is," Misato concluded.

Shinji smiled a little smile. He had a good clue as to the fate of his EVA, and more importantly, his mother. "'Even when the Sun, the Earth, and the moon vanish into history, the Evangelion will exist even as a single person still lives,'" he quoted.

Fuyutsuki nodded. "Your mother said that at Lake Ahinoko." He turned to Misato. "Call the Prime Minister and the Secretary General. Tell them that Unit One is no longer a threat."

Misato nodded. "Commander."

Once Misato was gone, Fuyutsuki gave Shinji a pat on his head before leaving. Shinji turned to Naomi. "When will Big Boss come back?"

"As soon as he ties up some loose ends," Naomi replied as she resumed her checkup on Shinji. "He has unfinished business to take care of."
---
The Rock of Gibraltar – January 5, 2016.

A week has passed since the climatic battle in Tokyo-3. Third Impact and Instrumentality had been successfully averted. Seele has forever lost their chance for immortality. Not that they had long to live for, anyway.

Thanks to The Patriots, the truth behind Second Impact, as well as Seele's intentions for Third Impact and Human Instrumentality had become known to the world. Forty-eight hours following the Battle of Tokyo-3, the world governments took action. Warrants were issued for the arrests of the surviving members of Seele and their supporters. Out of the seven surviving members of the mysterious cabal, three were lynched by the angry mobs, while the other three were held in protective custody.

Which leaves the leader of Seele, who was the mastermind behind Second Impact, as well as the scheme that would have all but finished what Second Impact had begun.

David Oh, alias Zero, alias Keel Lorenz.

Ever since returning from Old Tokyo following its destruction, Zero had not once left the safety of his mountain compound. With the rest of the world hunting him down, as well as arresting any and all Seele members and operatives, Zero remained safe inside his mountain home.

Until today.

Zero was inside his office, a mirror copy of the same one he had years earlier when he was in charge of The Patriots. Zero knew that Seele was finished, and that Big Boss would soon come for him.

KA-CHAK.

Zero showed no response or reaction upon hearing the sound of a certain modified machine gun being armed. The ancient man remained at his desk, hands clasped together.

"Modified Colt XM-16E1," Zero said. "I've been expecting you, Jack."

Big Boss stepped from the shadows, the aforementioned gun in his hand. His face was a grim line as he looked at the man he once considered his closest friend. "Zero," he growled.

Zero leaned back in his chair. "I underestimated you, Jack. You were never one to quit. The victory is yours."

"You seem pretty calm for someone who is about to die," Big Boss sniped.

Zero smirked. "Oh, I will not be the one who will die today," Zero said as he pressed a button on his desk.

Nothing happened.

Zero pressed the button several more times, and got the same result each time.

"Expecting your hired muscle to save your skin?" Big Boss asked, enjoying the shocked look on Zero's face. "Your hired muscle was the first thing my team and I had eliminated. Had to go through two silencers and four clips of ammo. But it was worth it. My son and his friends are laying waste to any stragglers. Gotta love stealth camo."

Zero knew that he was screwed.

Big Boss caught the expression on Zero's face. "What can I say? This fox is one step ahead of the hounds," he said, using Zero's words against him. "It time to face your crimes, Zero. You will not live to see The Hague."

As Big Boss raised The Patriot, Zero had asked, "So...you're my executioner. Does the condemned get one last wish?"

"No," Big Boss flatly replied, right before pulling the trigger, the faces of EVA, Revolver Ocelot, Roy Campbell, The Sorrow, and The Boss flashed into his mind. He didn't stop for one full minute.

By that time, Zero was dead, bullet holes in his head and chest, his body bleeding out, the armor-piercing rounds doing their job.

Big Boss lowered the gun and reached into his pocket. Retrieving a white phosphorous grenade, he pulled the pin and tossed it onto Zero's body. Seconds later, the grenade detonated, and the desk, along with Zero's body, was consumed in the flames.

Big Boss pulled out several more phosphorous grenades and tossed them across the room. He proceeded to do this in key area around Zero's hideaway.

By the time Big Boss had exited the mansion, it was completely engulfed in flames. Bodies of Zero's guards littered the walkway from the house to the helipad, where a Philanthropy chopper waited. In the pilot seat, was Otacon. Along for the ride, were Solid Snake, Meryl Campbell and Raiden. All three were armed, and had taken out any stragglers left behind in Big Boss' wake. Only two of Zero's men had the common sense to surrender, and thus, were spared.

The old man boarded the helicopter, and closed the door behind him.

Snake looked at his father. "Well?"

"It's finished," Big Boss replied as the chopper lifted into the air. "Zero is no more. Seele has been completely destroyed."

"So what happens now?" Meryl asked.

"As of this moment...the Patriots are now disbanded," Big Boss replied. "Saving humanity...that was my final mission. I think I'm overdue for a nice long retirement. As for the both of you...you're now free to make your destiny."

Big Boss said nothing else as Zero's hideout burned to the ground, the chopper flying away from the wreckage. He leaned back in his seat and closed his eye as sleep finally came to him.

His war was finally over. He was now free of his past.