I turned my head to the side when I heard the footsteps approaching. It was her.
Asuka Langley Soryu appeared, crossing her arms, standing right in front of me with that half-closed look typical of hers, mixing judgment and curiosity like no one else could do. The night wind gently swayed the red strands tied in her ponytail, and the soft lighting of the courtyard left her silhouette against the metallic background of the NERV base.
"Why do you have that expression on your face, huh?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
I swallowed hard, a little taken aback. I had spent so much time mulling over everything that was happening in this loop, I didn't expect to deal with... this.
I lowered my eyes for a moment, trying to think of a quick answer. But the truth was that, in that loop, Asuka and I hadn't reconciled. There wasn't the moment when she embraced her pain. And as much as I wanted to get that back, I couldn't simply force the same path.
"Oh, nothing much... I'm just tired." she said with a forced smile.
"Tired?" she repeated, in disbelief. "You're always tired, Barusu."
I smiled slightly when I heard that nickname again. Regardless of the loop, she would still use that nickname... so maybe not all was lost. "Sorry. I didn't sleep well, that's all."
She didn't answer right away. She just stood there, looking at me with that look that seemed to analyze my every little move, as if she was looking for some hole in the story. As if she wanted to say more, but didn't know how.
"If you're hiding something, just don't throw it all on others later." she said, turning her back. "Try to deal with it properly, at least once."
I felt my stomach tighten at those words. She had no idea how many times I tried to deal with everything alone. How many times I failed trying to protect everyone. But even so... she was right, I couldn't do it alone.
I nodded, even though she wasn't looking at me anymore. And for a moment, I said nothing.
It was better this way, for now. Not to force the subject. Not in this loop.
But deep down... I knew. I would need to find a new moment to reach her. Even if it was the thousandth time.
"By the way..." Asuka said, already turning around to face me again. She had walked to the exit of the courtyard, but seemed to have remembered something important. "I came to tell you that Kaji is going to send a team to the Wilhelmshaven base."
I immediately looked up, focusing on her expression. Wilhelmshaven... so it was true. His suspicions were starting to be confirmed.
"They're going to investigate what's going on there. It seems like something big is coming. And it's not one of those pseudo-Angels, according to the sensors." she continued, crossing her arms again. The tone of her voice became more tense.
I was silent for a moment. I knew that this could be directly linked to Sirius. And perhaps, more profoundly, to the origins of the Sin Bishops themselves.
Asuka frowned. Her gaze dropped for a moment, then returned to me with more intensity.
"That woman..." she said, more quietly, as if biting each word with restrained anger. "Whatever that bandaged woman is, Kaji told me about her... if she touched my sister..."
There was a heavy silence between us.
"...I swear I'll finish her off."
I'd never heard Asuka talk about Anneliese like that. There was more to it than just pride or arrogance. It was personal. It was pain. It was fear disguised as fury. I recognized that kind of reaction well. I did it all the time myself.
"Asuka..." I started to say, but she held up her hand, cutting off any attempt at comfort.
"Don't even try. Don't give me that 'it's going to be okay' thing. You don't know what it's like." She clenched her fists. "We don't talk much. There's no such thing as big sister and little sister walking hand in hand. But she's my sister. And if anyone hurts her... I'll finish them off."
I took a deep breath. I understood perfectly. This wasn't the time to try to console. Or to rationalize.
This was the time to act. As she promised, even if she would never know.
And deep down... I felt a certain relief. Because despite everything that was about to happen, one thing was certain:
Asuka would also fight for Anneliese.
The sharp sound of the security alarm cut through the silence of the base like a blade. A red light flashed rhythmically through the corridors, accompanied by the automatic voice of the control center: "Security alert level 3. All agents on standby. This is not a training."
I immediately turned to Asuka, my heart racing. "It's her, right? It must be Sirius."
Asuka frowned, but didn't answer right away. Her gaze was already scanning the hallway ahead, as if she expected someone to turn the corner at any moment. "Kaji is handling the operation in Wilhelmshaven. If something happened here… then yes, it could be her."
I swallowed hard. Every cell in my body screamed at me to run, to plan, to do something, anything, before the inevitable happened again. I looked around, trying to identify any clearer sign of where the threat was coming from.
"Asuka..." I asked more quietly. "Where's Anneliese?"
She answered without hesitation: "She's safe."
Her tone was firm, but there was a slight tremor in the back of her voice. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't complete relief either. "On one of the lower floors of the base. Locked in one of the security chambers. I took her there myself."
I nodded. That explained why Sirius hadn't attacked directly yet. Maybe she was getting closer... probing... waiting for the right moment.
I clenched my fists. Maybe Wilhelmshaven was just a distraction. "So... it's just the two of us here now."
Asuka looked at me with a forced half smile. "Yeah, idiot. Just the two of us. Let's see if we can handle it."
The lights kept flashing red. In the distance, footsteps echoed. Someone was approaching.
As the footsteps echoed closer and closer, I tried to understand what was wrong, why my Authority didn't work like it used to? I clenched my fist tightly, as if I expected the invisible hand to simply appear, but nothing happened.
Then, as if a light bulb went off in my mind, I remembered. "I could only use it... when I was inside the Eva..."
The memory was clear: the flow of Authority reacted inside that colossal machine, as if the Eva were a receptacle or catalyst. Maybe it was the connection between the subconscious and the Unit's internal nervous systems. Or maybe...
I turned to Asuka, my eyes shining with urgency. "Asuka. Listen to me. We need to go to your Eva. It's the only chance we have of defeating this thing!"
She arched an eyebrow. "My Eva? Have you gone crazy?"
"Trust me! I'm not talking about piloting... I just need to be inside."
Asuka hesitated. It was the first time she had seen me so serious, so determined, without joking around, without the usual clueless smile. She took a deep breath. "Then we'll go. But we need to change our clothes first. You're not going to enter a plug wearing that cookie-stained jacket, Barusu."
I let out a short, nervous laugh. "Yeah, of course... plug suit, right?"
We both ran towards the pilots' locker room. The alarm was still ringing, but the priority now was different. Time seemed to slip through my fingers, and even with the urgency, I knew that every second spent was crucial either to escape Sirius... or to finally face it.
Arriving at the locker room, I fumbled a little with the tight uniform, while Asuka, faster, finished getting dressed. "Let's go, idiot! The world won't wait for you to decide where the front of that suit is!"
With the zipper finally closed, we ran after her through the NERV corridors, now even more empty and silent. Sirius's approach seemed to have made everyone retreat. It was as if something ancient and lethal was about to touch that ground.
And I knew: I needed to be inside that Eva before that happened.
I was still squirming discreetly inside the tight plug-suit, clearly not made for someone with my body. The red and black uniform, identical to Asuka's, left it completely exposed and uncomfortable, especially with the occasional glances she gave me, containing a mocking smile. "Don't complain, Barusu. It's the only spare I had. If it fits you, you deal with it."
"It fits... too well..." I murmured, pulling at the fabric that stuck to my skin. "I don't think I'll ever be able to look at thermal underwear with the same eyes again..."
But there was no time for uncomfortable jokes or embarrassment. The emergency alarm was still ringing, like an incessant reminder that the world was not safe. Sirius could appear at any moment, and I knew what that meant. I looked at Asuka, who was clenching her fists tightly, already mentally preparing myself to climb into her Eva.
"Asuka..."
She turned her face away, still slightly flushed from the rush and the strange atmosphere, but she heard. "I'm not getting into this Eva to be a hero. I'm getting into it to be the support. You're the pilot, you're the one who's going to fight. I'm going to try to use what I have... And if it works, we can protect everyone. Especially your sister."
Her eyes changed. They became serious. Intense. "Then just stay out of the way. And if things go wrong..."
"I trust you to save me."
She snorted. "Idiot..."
Together, we approached the insertion room. The Entry Plug doors opened, revealing the dark interior of Eva-02. Asuka entered first, taking her position in the control seat. I followed her and positioned myself right behind her, almost huddled, trying to make as little physical contact as possible, which was difficult given the tight space.
The capsule closed.
The LCL began to fill the cabin, covering their bodies in a suffocating, humid sensation. I held my breath for the first moment, until the fluid invaded my lungs and my consciousness adjusted.
One of the NERV agents, with a communicator stuck in his ear and a tense expression, ran across the metal walkway of the command center, pointing to the monitors. "We've detected movement in the activation bay! Eva-02 has become active!"
"Who authorized the launch? In the middle of an invasion?" asked a scientist with tied hair, adjusting her glasses quickly.
"Asuka Langley and... that foreign boy, Subaru Natsuki, are inside. They're preparing to leave."
"Damn it. Eva-02 still hasn't fully calibrated since the last synchronization! The unit can't maintain maximum operation for more than five minutes without risking collapse in the external nervous system!"
Inside the Entry Plug, Asuka grumbled, listening to the alerts from the control center through the internal speakers. "These idiots are grossly underestimating what I can do... We're going to get this thing out of here!"
Outside, the NERV agents were mobilizing. One of them turned to the section commander: "Should we stop them?"
The superior crossed his arms, watching the image of Eva-02 slowly rising from the launch pad. "No. If we're being invaded, we'll use what we have. We'll provide remote coverage and send rescue units for auxiliary positioning. Prepare emergency containment for evacuation in case the system fails."
Another agent looked at the screen showing Subaru's vital data. "Synchronization rate sufficient."
The scientist answered without taking her eyes off the graphs. "Come on, turn this thing on!"
Inside the Entry Plug, Subaru felt the pulse of the LCL; it seemed warmer, more receptive. The Eva, even unfinished, echoed with his presence.
I took a deep breath and muttered to myself, "Let's see if the impossible happens once more..."
The green light on the controls came on.
Eva-02: Forced activation successful.
The battlefield awaited.
The impact of Sirius' chains clanking against the floor echoed through NERV's external hangar. The bandaged woman walked with awkward, strangely light steps, as if she were dancing. Her eyes, behind the bandages, seemed to sparkle with hysterical devotion as they caught sight of the activated Eva-02 before her.
She stretched out her arms as if greeting an old friend.
"Ah... you've come back to me, Petelgeuse?" Her voice was sweet, like that of a nun enchanted upon reuniting with a lost faithful. "Even so, inside that metallic monstrosity... you still hide..."
Inside the Entry Plug, the LCL enveloped it like a second womb, and yet I could feel the maddening presence of Sirius outside. But my concern at the moment was not only with the impending battle, but with the absolutely embarrassing situation he found himself in.
Asuka, with her face pressed against his chest, was trying to keep cool, but her half-lidded eyes showed that she was deeply uncomfortable as well.
"Tsk... this is ridiculous." she muttered, rolling her eyes. "You're not enjoying this, are you?"
"ME?! Of course not!" I replied, embarrassed, trying not to move my hands to any compromising places.
"This should have two seats... seriously, next time I'm going to make that idiot install a second one!"
"Uh-huh... please, do this..." I said, trying to keep my eyes straight on the screen and pretend that there wasn't a knee pressed against her thigh, and a hot breath hitting the side of his neck.
Sirius, outside, raised her hands to the sky, shouting to the heavens as chains swirled around her: "This is the sign! Even the false god has returned with a form of war, an empty shell driven by pain and twisted faith!"
She then extended her arm, pointing straight at the Eva. "But I will prove that love overcomes even these machines made of coagulated blood!"
The chains began to move in a spiral, like snakes wanting to devour the colossus. I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the nervousness that only the Evangelion pilots knew: the awareness that any mistake would be fatal.
I opened my eye and glanced sideways at Asuka. "Hey..."
"What?" she said, impatiently.
"Thanks for not letting me fall that time... even if this is kind of... weird."
Asuka looked away, her face turning a little red. "Shut up and drive properly."
The engines of the elevator that would take Eva-02 to the surface were still activating, the process taking precious seconds, time I knew they didn't have. Sirius walked closer and closer to the edge of the platform, his chains dragging like hungry snakes behind the Evangelion's carcass.
Inside the Entry Plug, i closed my eyes, trying to ignore the warmth of Asuka's body pressed against his. I sank deep into myself, into that twisted feeling that always accompanied moments of despair, the same presence that always seemed to watch him from the shadows of time.
And then, as if he had summoned an old demon, an invisible hand appeared in the air.
It materialized with a grotesque ripping sound, as if space itself were being torn apart. The spectral "hand," translucent and pulsing like spiritual flesh, appeared behind Sirius and grabbed her without warning, squeezing her tightly by the ribs.
"HAAAHHH!" she cried, surprised and, for a moment, laughing. "Petelgeuse...? You... finally accepted me again?"
She writhed, but did not fight against the force. She seemed to revel in the suffering.
Asuka's eyes widened inside the plug, feeling the Evangelion vibrate unusually with the invocation of that power. "What... Is that?! Are you using... AT Field? No... that's not NERV technology..."
I kept my breathing under control. My head was throbbing, as if a thousand needles were piercing my temple from the inside. Using the Authority was always a burden, but there, in that moment, I felt in control. I felt like I could prevent the catastrophe.
"This is... complicated..." I murmured, still holding Sirius with that ethereal strength. "Just... don't tell anyone, okay?"
Asuka looked at him sideways, her expression more confused than ever. "You're full of secrets, Barusu..."
"I promise to explain everything later. If we get out of here alive."
Sirius, now suspended in the air by the invisible hand, laughed through his tears. "Yes... yes... that's what I wanted! To be touched by true love... even if it hurts... even if it's a punishment...!"
The system finally emitted a "clunk!", signaling that Eva-02 was ready for ejection. The ground beneath us began to shake.
"Now!" I screamed.
And the elevator shot off, taking them straight to the surface with Sirius's madness behind them, at least for now.
The elevator roared with speed as it carried Eva-02 to the surface. Inside the Entry Plug, the air seemed denser, more charged, as if Sirius's presence, now suspended in the air by that invisible hand, was distorting the surrounding environment. Still, I kept my focus. The spiritual hand trembled, resisting the chaos of holding someone like her.
"Asuka! Eastward! To the sea!" I screamed.
"Are you crazy?! Throwing her into the water?! This isn't washing dirty laundry, Barusu!"
"She can't use her power in open spaces, without people around! The sea is the only place where she won't be able to manipulate anyone!"
Asuka gritted her teeth. Despite everything, she trusted me, even if it was with great reluctance. With a tug on the controls, she redirected the Eva's feet and began to run. The buildings blurred around her, the sound of structures breaking under the weight of the metal colossus being swallowed by the night.
Sirius, still held by the invisible hand, swayed in the air, laughing in almost hysterical spasms. "This is a date, isn't it, Petelgeuse...? You took me out of the crowd just to be alone with me... how romantic!"
I ignored it. The hand I summoned trembled as if resisting collapse, it was as if Sirius was burning spiritually, each second harder to contain it. But I had to hold on. Just a little longer.
"A-Asuka, are we close to the coast?"
"Two more minutes, if this thing can hold on!"
Suddenly, an approaching alarm.
"Something is trying to hack the Eva's synchronization signal!" Asuka said, worried. "It's her! She's trying to hack into the unit's system… but how?!?"
"She's trying to connect with what's left of Petelgeuse's mind…!"
I forced myself to concentrate harder, the invisible hand squeezing tightly, interrupting the connection she was trying to establish. Sirius screamed loudly, not in pain but in ecstasy.
"AAAAH! That hurts so good!!"
The coastline appeared on the horizon. Black waves crashed against the artificial seawall.
"This is it, Asuka!" I screamed.
With a final push, the Eva leapt and threw Sirius hard toward the sea. The invisible hand released her at the highest point, and she flew spinning like a misshapen shooting star, until she fell hard into the icy waters of the North Sea.
The impact generated a faint flash of purple energy. And then… silence.
I was breathing hard. I closed my eyes and let my body relax for a moment.
"Did it work?" Asuka asked, still looking through the external viewfinder.
I didn't answer right away. But deep down, I knew:
This… wasn't over yet. But it was a step. "For now."
The clock in the Entry Plug's cabin read 2 minutes and 46 seconds.
Asuka was sweating coldly.
"Subaru…" her voice wavered, and it wasn't out of fear, but pure survival instinct. "Is that… still her?"
I stared through the main camera, the image shaking as the sea water bubbled, evaporating violently. A deafening scream cut through the air, it wasn't just sound, it was as if hatred itself had found a voice. From the middle of the waves, a colossal figure, enveloped in living flames, emerged. It was Sirius... or something that was left of it. His fiery body pulsed like a distorted heart, and his face a melted mask of despair and desire stared at them.
"PE-TE-LGEUUUUSE!!!" she roared, as if the name tore her insides apart. "Why did you choose her?! That girl! That... impostor...!"
Asuka's hand trembled on the joystick. "Is she... talking about me?"
"Don't listen to her!" I said, sweating coldly, but trying to stay focused. "She's mixing everything up... memories, feelings. She thinks I'm the real Petelgeuse."
The fire monster advanced, making the sea boil around it. Each step she took raised columns of steam and embers, and the waves fled from her presence. The night sky began to turn red.
"She's jealous even when she becomes an entity of complete destruction, how great…" Asuka muttered ironically, trying to mask her fear. "Do you think she can reach the coast?"
"She will. She doesn't care about logic or safety. She's consumed. By hate, by obsession."
"Like you when you insist on trying to solve everything alone."
I ignored the comment.
I knew. If she reached the base, not even NERV's maximum security would be able to withstand the impact. "We have to stop her here. Within the 3 minutes. Before the Eva shuts down."
Asuka gritted her teeth. And then, with a shout: "FINE! BUT YOU OWE ME A NEW COUCH AND A NEW DOLL IF YOU DIE, YOU IDIOT!"
The clock read 1 minute and 55 seconds.
I squinted and concentrated. Asuka stabilized the Eva. And from the shadows inside the Entry Plug… two invisible hands emerged. Bigger. More solid.
They weren't just hers. "Asuka... this strength... it's ours. Use it on me."
She looked to the side. And nodded.
The battle was about to begin.
The Entry Plug's internal display glowed with static for a moment. A voice came over the communication channel, muffled at first, but soon clear enough to make Asuka's eyes widen. "Eva 02, can you hear me? This is Kaji."
"Kaji?!" Asuka spoke immediately, with a mix of relief and sincere joy. "Damn, you took a while! We almost got fried here!"
"I had to cross half a continent trying not to turn into angel sushi, give me a break." His voice was still light, but I could hear the tension behind his words. "Listen carefully. An angel was hiding in the depths of the North Sea. We don't know how, but he activated some kind of signal that attracted this… thing. The bandaged woman. Sirius."
I clenched my fists. "So she really was connected to the angels…"
"Worse." Kaji replied. "She was a conduit. A bridge. And now that the angel has escaped, she's freaking out. Literally. She wants to destroy everything and everyone she thinks took her 'love' away. And you're at the top of the list."
Asuka let out a nervous sigh. "Tsk, great. As if her screaming like a lunatic wasn't bad enough…"
Kaji continued, "Eva-02 isn't fully functional yet, but we have no choice. You're going to have to use all of its reserve power. NERV is going to redirect it all to its core. It's going to be dangerous. Its internal systems could fry. But it's either that or let this thing incinerate the entire planet with its cosmic tantrum."
I nodded into the plug. "Let's do this. Asuka, ready?"
"I was born ready, Barusu."
"Then burn it all."
"With pleasure."
The voice of the NERV operator broke through the comms: "Power transfer initiated. Containment system shut down. Eva-02 emergency power: 85%… 90%… 95%…"
Outside, Eva-02 began to emit a reddish light. Its chassis shook. Heat emanated from the joints as if the entire robot was about to burst into flames. The markings on the frontal armor began to glow brightly. The flames in the sea seemed to answer the call, growing in defiance.
"Power at 100%. Controlled overload initiated."
I looked ahead. Asuka smiled with her eyes.
Eva-02 advanced with all its might, breaking through the columns of steam and fire rising from the raging sea. Each step of the metallic titan made the ocean boil around its feet. The heat of the flaming entity distorted the air as if reality itself were melting. Even so, Asuka and I did not hesitate.
"Let's crush this hysterical lunatic!" Asuka shouted, her teeth clenched, as she maneuvered the controls together.
Even though I was trying to maintain concentration, I was beginning to feel the physical impact of the effort. The plug suit, already too tight from simultaneous use, was beginning to show visible flaws. Tears opened up on the sides and shoulders, the tattered fabric being pulled apart by the pressure and extreme energy. The same thing happened to Asuka's uniform, causing her to let out an irritated groan, "Damn it, not again!"
"We have bigger problems than a costume now!" I said, trying to keep my eyes on the visor and not on the "side details".
And then, the impact came.
Eva-02's clenched fist, powered to maximum charge, collided directly with the flaming head of Sirius's gigantic form. The blast of energy was so intense that the night sky lit up like noon. Flames spread in circles around it, shockwaves shattered the surface of the sea.
The face of Sirius's flaming version distorted, as if it were screaming in agony and hatred at the same time. A guttural sound echoed through the sky, a sound that sounded more like a desperate wail from hell itself.
Asuka spat to the side in contempt: "You may burn, but you will never tear us apart!"
I swallowed hard. Sirius's aura was becoming more unstable, as if it were trying to merge with the flame itself, losing its form… or perhaps trying to become something greater.
"She's going to explode." He concluded in a low voice.
"Then we better finish this before she takes the planet with her."
Eva 02 raised its fist again, its core glowing like a heart about to collapse. Even with their suits slowly falling apart, the two pilots were in perfect sync.
It was all or nothing.
The final roar of the Sirius was like thunder mixed with the cry of a broken soul. Its flaming body, now unstable and in tatters, expanded chaotically, out of control. Incandescent lightning crackled from the sky, the sea boiled beneath Eva 02's feet. Asuka and I, even exhausted, did not retreat.
"Subaru! Let's finish this damn thing!" Asuka shouted, her voice firm, even though sweat was running down her forehead and the cabin alarms were going off nonstop.
"Understood!"
Eva-02, in its last seconds of energy, raised its arms, concentrating everything that was left in its core. The vision in the visors was almost white, with so much light, but we could see the distorted form of Sirius opening its arms in a theatrical and desperate gesture, as if it wanted to embrace all the pain and love in the world and destroy it.
That was when Asuka took control of the right arm.
She pulled back with surgical precision.
With the left stick, I locked the Eva's knees with an impact lock.
"Goodbye, crazy woman." Asuka muttered, her eyes narrowed with pure fury and pride.
Eva-02's right fist came down hard, piercing Sirius's fiery chest. A flash of light filled both of their visions.
A colossal explosion engulfed the sea.
Giant waves spread, smoke rose like a tower to the sky. Sirius let out a final scream, not of pain, but of loss, and disintegrated into incandescent fragments that looked like fireworks falling from the sky.
The silence that followed was almost deafening.
And he was panting. The Eva's visor was dark, and the power was slowly fading.
Asuka, leaning against my chest, was also breathing hard, her hair stuck to her face with sweat.
"It was..." she tried to say, but exhaustion interrupted her words.
It was in that moment of stillness that they both noticed a draft of cold air passing through the cabin.
I looked down at my body. "Asuka..."
"Huh?"
"W... your suit... ripped."
"...What?" Asuka blinked, still groggy, until she looked down at herself. "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
She writhed, trying to cover what she could, her cheeks red as embers. "Are you looking, YOU PERVERT??"
"I-I'm not looking! I'm stuck here with you on my lap!!" I replied in panic, also trying to cover myself with my arms.
They both began to argue awkwardly, their faces burning for reasons completely different from what they had just faced. The tension of the battle had turned into an almost absurd comedy, like a cruel reminder of how alive they were and how vulnerable they were.
Eva 02 finally gave its last signs of life. The cabin plunged into a muffled silence, surrounded only by the distant sounds of the choppy water and the systems shutting down with metallic clicks. The red lights inside went out completely, leaving the two of them in a soft shadow, with only the light of dusk filtering through a small gap in the damaged visor.
I was still panting, with my body pressed against the backrest and Asuka sitting uncomfortably on my legs. She tried to cover the torn parts of her plug suit with her hands and what was left of the fabric, huffing in anger and embarrassment.
"T-try not to move so much, Barusu..." she said softly, her voice a little shaky.
"I'm not the one moving... you're on top of me!" I grumbled, trying to adjust my position without seeming like I was taking advantage of the situation. "And... how long are we going to have to stay like this?"
"Until someone finds us... Which could take a few hours..."
"Oh, oh, what a pain..." I said ironically, leaning my head against the dashboard. "Stuck here. In the cold. With torn clothes. And with you sitting on top of me."
"If you mess around one more time, I'll break your nose." Asuka replied, crossing her arms, even though her cheeks were still red.
An uncomfortable silence hung in the air, but it wasn't exactly uncomfortable. Just strange.
The kind of silence that left room for thought.
I sighed, looking at the blurred visor in front of me. The North Sea was now calm, as if nothing had happened. Sirius had disappeared, at least for now.
"...You did well." I said after a few seconds. "If it weren't for you, I think we would have turned into barbecue."
"Tsk... of course I did." Asuka replied, but without arrogance. Just tiredness. And maybe... pride.
After a while, she added, quietly: "You weren't so useless either..."
I gave a tired chuckle. "Coming from you, I think that's the biggest compliment I'll get today."
"Yeah. And it'll be the last one, so enjoy it."
We both fell silent once more, but now with smiles on our faces.
Outside, distant lights began to approach: they were rescue drones, with helicopters and NERV agents coming with hooks and support.
Asuka whispered, without looking directly at me: "Barusu... thanks for not leaving me alone."
I didn't answer right away. She just closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the relief and warmth of those words. "You too... thanks for reminding me that it's worth carrying on."
Help was finally coming. But for me, the moment of connection there inside the Eva, strange, embarrassing and true, had perhaps been more valuable than the victory itself.
With the rescue operation underway, the sea around Eva 02 was slowly lighting up, as the lights of the helicopters cut through the darkness of the sky and the waves crashed against the sides of the lifeless mecha. Mechanical arms and winches extended over the water, connecting to the Eva as operators shouted coordinated orders. It was organized chaos, the kind of emergency action that only NERV knew how to execute with precision.
Inside the capsule, Asuka and I still waited, exhausted. We both avoided looking at each other. The plug suits were still torn in strategic places, but after everything they had faced—a flaming figure of hatred, a possible collective possession, an angel hidden in the depths—the shame no longer weighed as heavily as it had before.
I broke the silence, my voice hoarse: "Hey... about before. I know we fought. It was my fault too."
Asuka turned her face away a little, mumbling something unintelligible. But she didn't seem really angry.
"You should think before you act. But... I think you did the right thing in the end. I just..." she sighed. "... You just have no idea how much you irritate me."
I gave a tired smile. "It's mutual, you know? But still... thanks."
Asuka frowned for a moment, as if she was about to retort, but then she lowered her gaze. "...For what, exactly?"
"For everything here. And... helping me when I needed it most."
Asuka made a soft noise in her throat, and crossed her arms defensively. "It was nothing big. Just... You were in such a pathetic situation that I had to act."
I let out a weak laugh. "Asuka being kind. It must be a side effect of diving in the sea."
"Tsk! You don't get used to it!" she said, blushing slightly, before giving me a light shove on the shoulder.
Unlike the other loop, at least Asuka and I were back to square one, which was saying something.
Outside, the hooks finally managed to successfully hoist Eva-02. The chains made the mecha slowly emerge, dripping liters of salt water and oil. The lights flickered as the cabin was separated and taken to the decontamination sector.
Inside the capsule, while they were being removed by a specialized unit, Asuka and I stood side by side, watching the sea slowly move away.
That flaming creature had disappeared. But the threat still loomed, somewhere deep down inside.
"Do you think the angel escaped?" Asuka asked, breaking the silence as they were being transported.
"Probably. I don't know." I answered thoughtfully. "But I don't think this is over."
"Yeah..." she replied, looking at the almost clear sky. "We're still going to have to face it again, right?"
I turned my face to her and smiled. "This time, together. Okay?"
Asuka looked out of the corner of her eye, snorted softly, and for a second, almost imperceptible, smiled back. "Okay. But if you die, I'll kill you first."
We both laughed as the sun began to rise over the horizon, turning the sea waters golden.
As soon as the capsule opened and natural light flooded the stuffy interior of the Entry Plug, Asuka and I stumbled out, our hair stuck to our foreheads, our legs shaking with exhaustion. We were both relieved to finally be back on the surface, but something was... off.
Kaji was there, leaning casually against a metal pillar, arms crossed, with that typical mocking smile on his face. Beside him, Anneliese watched them with a look somewhere between relief and embarrassment, holding a coat under her arms.
It was only when I set foot on the metal walkway that I noticed the biting cold on my body and Kaji's gaze slightly directed downwards.
"Well, well..." Kaji said, running his hand through his beard. "Are you two launching a new NERV fashion? Emergency uniform... minimalist?"
We didn't understand at first, but when we looked at each other, an idea came to our minds
We were wearing... very little clothing...
End of chapter 13