[Warhammer returns from the light.]

WH: No matter how strong or smart you may be, there is ALWAYS someone 
helping you. Whether it be on Earth, in Heaven, Valhalla, ANYWHERE, 
there's always someone out there routing for you.

Teknos Warhammer presents

Serahpim's Judgment:
Part 7:
Adam Bound

A Neon Genesis Evangelion and
Teknoman crossover

	Within one of the apartment buildings by the industrial areas of 
Tokyo-3, a figure sat on his bed, talking into the phone. The voice on 
the other line was all but audible, except for the person talking. 

	"Yes. So I've heard," a short pause for the other speaker, "Yes, I do 
agree that Ikari-san's gone too far as well. So, what are my 
instructions?" Once more, there was an answer that normal people would 
not have heard. "Just wait? Can do. Besides, I think that I won't have 
to wait that long. Considering how things are getting with the angels 
and all. Yes� thank you. See ya."

	He hung up the phone and laid back on his bed. See saw the faces of his 
adversaries. Then he saw the face of that same boy whom he bumped into. 
He reached up to try and touch the image he made with his mind, but 
found only empty air. 

	<Poor guy� Well, maybe if I can get close to him, maybe I can return. 
For some reason, I don't want to hurt him. You're getting soft, that's 
what's happening. SNAP OUT OF IT! You're using them, not the other way 
around.> 

	Kaworu Nagisa sighed and laid down to sleep. 

*************************************************

	It had only been the day before since Shinji had returned. Touji and 
Rei had made Shinji feel more than welcome in return. Surprisingly 
enough, Asuka also admitted that she missed him� a tiny bit. She needed 
someone to torment and Shinji was always the one. 

	"So, Shinji. What exactly happened when you were� absorbed?" Touji 
asked hopping onto the desk aside Shinji's. 

	Words were hard to come by, especially he didn't want to tell how he 
was inside the EVA. Asuka would probably smack him. So, after a minute 
of careful though, he smiled and replied.

	"I met my mother. I know it's a long story, but being there with her� I 
would rather die than forget being with her. Even if it felt just like a 
little while." 

	"Really? How long was it since you saw your mom, before this happened I 
mean?" Touji asked.

	Shinji sighed and recalled that whole ordeal where he and his father 
last met for quite a while. He whispered, "Ten years."

	Touji winced and realized that he never should have asked that. What 
neither boy knew was that Rei Ayanami was not staring outside the window 
like always. Instead, her attention was focused on the younger Ikari. 
Her eyes shifted to the doorway when Asuka stepped through. 

	"Baka Shinji. What were you doing all that time in the EVA? Doing 
something perverted I'll bet." She continued to rant, stepping up to 
Shinji's and Touji's desks. Just about when Touji was about to tell her 
off, someone grabbed Asuka's shoulder from behind, turned her around, 
and a resounding slap was heard throughout the whole classroom. The hand 
which slapped her belonged to Rei Ayanami and no one else.

	Everything and everyone stood still at the event that just transpired. 

 	Asuka was shocked at the sight of the sterile girl just slapping her, 
she would have slapped back had Rei not spoken. Yet, there was something 
in her voice that Asuka never would have thought she would have heard. 
Anger.

	"He does nothing to you, while you always torment him. Why?" She said 
quivering, using every once of her being to keep in control of herself. 
Her fists clenched, shivered at her sides, trying to resist the urge to 
hit Asuka. 

	Asuka found Rei's stare to be much more than what anyone else who was 
just seeing from the sidelines. Rei's glare silenced every word that 
Asuka would have said before they ever came from her throat. With 
Asuka's silence, Rei turned around and walked back to her desk. 
Surprisingly enough, the rest of the class went without incident.

*************************************************

	After school, the synchro tests for the children were to commence once 
more. After Touji and Asuka had left the change room, Shinji turned to 
see through the curtain to see Rei's shadow. Looking at him from what he 
could tell. He was about to put his other arm through the sleeve when he 
saw Rei step out. Completely dressed in her plug suit. Not wanting to 
prove Asuka right, he turned away from Rei.

	In the same near emotionless tone she whispered, "Ikari-kun�" he turned 
and stared at her straight in the eye. "May� may I ask you something?" 
He never remembered a time when she had ever asked for anything before, 
so he nodded. This time, he could tell she was starting to get 
apprehensive as she continued. 

	"Would� would you touch me?" 

	Shinji's eyes flew open. Not at all remembering the way and rather 
plain way that she usually spoke. Seeing her face redden a bit, he 
couldn't help but follow suit. So, after a semi-audible gulp, she 
reached forward and took his hand. Shinji closed his eyes, for what 
reason he couldn't tell.

	Instead of anything that Asuka or anyone else for that matter would 
have labeled perverted, he felt the curve of her cheek instead. He 
opened his eyes to see Rei holding his hand to the side of her face. Her 
eyes closed as if in meditation, gently caressing his hand with her 
cheek. From what he could tell, she was smiling as she opened her eyes 
and whispered gently,

	"Ikari-kun� your hand� it's so warm� and soft." 

	Shinji didn't know what to say. What surprised him even more was that 
she walked up to him, his hand still on her cheek, and embraced him. As 
if it had a mind of it's own, his other arm crawled around her waist and 
hugged her as well. 

	He suddenly stopped. He could feel something thumping against his 
chest, as well as something inside his own. Both his and her hearts were 
beating in unison. The words he wanted to say came out at a pace that he 
wished he could changed.

	"Rei� I don't what to� I mean�" he was interrupted as Rei whispered in 
his ear. 

	"I do not know what to say either. But� let's just have this moment to 
ourselves. Just for a moment." With that, she rested her head on his 
shoulder. He turned to her slightly and a small smile grew from his 
lips. She was right, just for this moment. With that, he wrapped both 
arms around her and felt as if he were a child once more. Enjoying the 
thought of not being alone. 

	What neither one noticed that Touji was peeking from beside the door. 
Seeing them both embrace, brought a smile to his face. He was ordered by 
Misato to see why they were taking so long, but after seeing that he 
didn't want to. It was too beautiful a moment. So, he returned to the 
testing site where he would tell Misato that they would be there 
momentarily. 

*************************************************

The testing had shown that Touji had gotten the same exact rate as 
Asuka, which was getting a bit higher, while Rei was a few points behind 
Shinji. Things couldn't be better for the pilots. That is, until the 
alarms sounded. 

	Shigeru turned to Gendou, "Sir! We have an angel closing on out 
position fast. From the looks of it, it's only millimeters thick!" 
Gendou saw the angel through the view screen and his eyes narrowed.

	"Scramble the EVAs. Have Shinji move up ahead, while Rei and Touji 
backup, and put Asuka in reserve."

	All four children received their orders and accepted them without 
qualm. Except for Asuka. She continued to rant about how she should be 
in front, but Gendou's was able to stare her down for the time being. 
Asuka would stand down, although reluctantly. 

*************************************************

	As the civilians were evacuating, among them, a single kimono clad 
woman ran the opposite way. She hid behind the side of a building and 
held her hand out, where a glowing crystal came from nowhere. The 
crystal was changing from sky blue to a pure white. 

	<Well, at least she gave me ample warning this time.> the woman, Nodoka 
Saotome, thought. Bringing the glow about her to as little power as 
possible, she flew up to the roof of the building she hid beside. In the 
distance, she saw the enemy that was going to be next to try and create 
a third impact. 

*************************************************

	From entry passages, four EVAs emerged. The large purple one, armed 
with a massive rifle stepped ahead of a ice blue EVA and a black colored 
one. While in the back, the one colored red could have been moving, but 
stood still. Hidden from where the angel would probably see it. 

	Among the commands and what not being sent to and from the EVAs, one 
would find an interesting conversation going on between the souls of the 
EVAs. 

	It was not easy for Koorichi and Sanshi to tune out the ear-piercing 
screams of Ninohi. In fact, the other two envied Yui, for she was the 
only one who was far enough so she couldn't hear the type 02 EVA. 
Suddenly, Ninohi, along with Asuka, broke through the bonds and tore 
through the city, snatching a rifle in the process.

	"Ninohi, what are you doing?" Sanshi cried. Ninohi simply ignored the 
other EVA and pushed Yui out of the way.

	"Now, I'll show you all who's the best!" with that, Asuka began to fire 
as many bullets as the rifle she had stolen would allow. Every bullet 
would have hit it's mark, except they all simply passed through the 
large glowing orange disc. 

	Asuka continued to fire, despite orders from Misato and requests from 
Shinji and Touji. That was when a beam erupted from the part of the disc 
closest to it's attacker. 

	Makoto reported the beam had no physical damage on the EVA itself, but 
was interrupted as Maia announced Asuka's synchro rates were breaking 
down. 

	"No! NO! STAY OUT OF MY HEAD! GET OUT!" Asuka screamed over the comm. 
The remaining three EVAs did their best to use their own weapons to stop 
the attacks  Sadly, nothing they could do would work. 

Touji found himself  squeezing the trigger on his console harder than 
what was necessary. True, he and Asuka were not exactly on the best of 
terms, but even she didn't deserve what was happening to her. 

	Then, another beam of light appeared out of nowhere and like before, 
rammed into the angel. Yet, unlike the last time, it simply wasn't able 
to push it away. Fortunately for Asuka, the connection between her and 
the angel was severed. Yet, she didn't escape unscathed. The Eva 
collapsed to the ground and stayed there.

	Within the red EVA, a soul was crying. Ninohi floated up behind Asuka 
to see her crying as well. They were both the victims of the angel's 
vicious power, and there was nothing they could do. The only thing 
Ninohi could do was wrap her arms around the pilot and do it's best to 
comfort her. Yet, neither one could stop crying. 

	Back on the outside, the angel was struggling to keep itself in one 
piece from the light that had interrupted it's duel. From the standpoint 
of the EVAs, they could do nothing but watch. From within the light, the 
armor covered angel of light was trying to cut through the surface of 
it's foe. Yet, it could not. This was clearly one of the most powerful 
angels. Also, the person within realized a dark truth. 
	
	It could not hold this stance against the fallen angel forever. It 
needed help, badly. Taking a moment to turn back to the ice colored EVA, 
it sent a mental message to it's pilot. It would have to be brief and 
right to the point. If it used up any more time, it would suffer defeat 
and everything that it fought for would have been for naught. It sent 
the message to Rei using only two words.

	<Lancea Longini.>

	Rei blinked a few times and suddenly comprehended what she was being 
told. Turning on the comm to Central Dogma, she said,

	"Commander, we need to use the Longini."

	Gendou blinked a few times, wondering if what the pilot of EVA 00 said 
was true. "Are you sure?" Rei nodded once. "Very well. Get back in here 
and retrieve it at once." 

	Misato took over, "Ok then, Shinji, Touji, see if you can help that 
light-whatever it is. Buy as much time as you can!" Both boys responded 
the affirmative in unison. 

	Touji drew out the Prog Sword and Shinji re-aimed his rifle at the 
angel and fired away. Touji ran around and sliced through the side of 
the giant disc-like monster. Both weapons continued to have no effect, 
yet continued, hoping that something would happen. 

	Minutes of failed attacks from both boys continued, until Rei came back 
out with a giant two-pronged spear in the EVA's hands. It ran beside 
Shinji's EVA and took careful aim at the foe. 

Yet, what Rei did not see was Asuka and her EVA got up, ran to her, and 
yanked the spear out of her hands. Everyone was about protest when she 
simply threw the spear straight up at the disc. The light that was 
holding back the angel moved out of the way fast enough and the spear 
broke through the angel like a steel rod through a glass window.

The fading spear took the attention from the light long enough so that 
it sped back to Tokyo-3. Where it vanished as soon as it appeared. 

	With that, the red EVA finally collapsed, no longer having any 
synchronization with it's pilot. Rei took a single last look at the 
fading spear as it seemed it would be thrown clear out into space. Maybe 
it was better that way.  

	A few hours later, the pilots had returned to NERV and went to the 
dressing room. Except for Asuka. When she was found, she was still 
crying inside the entry plug. She had to be helped from the plug to the 
dressing room. 

	Touji couldn't help but listen intently as he heard Asuka sob and 
seeing her quivering form through the curtain. She hadn't even bothered 
to change out of her plug suit it seemed. So, being brave, he stepped 
through the curtain to see her curled up on the bench. 

	The normally, self-centered, and loud-mouthed Asuka Sohryu Langley was 
not here. Instead, there was a crying girl, who's mind was forced upon 
by an enemy they didn't know. Shinji and Rei were still on their way 
back from the loading bay, and here he was, seeing a side of the most 
hot tempered raunch he ever knew. 

	He knelt in front of her and asked, "You feeling any better?" she 
looked up at him with a tear soaked face and shook her head. She 
whispered her reply. 

	"I saw here again. That thing was inside my mind. I saw my mother 
again. When she killed herself. The memories I didn't want to see 
anymore. I just wanted to die." With that, she started to sob again, she 
moved forward and wrapped her arms around Touji's shoulders for support. 
She sobbed on his shoulder and held him as hard as he could. Like he was 
the only anchor to reality she could hold on to. 

	Touji thought about what he could do. If he pushed her away, and 
treated her the same way he usually did, she just might as well kill 
herself. He would never want that on his conscience. So, he did the only 
thing he figured he could do. He sat down on the bench and let her cry 
on him. He leaned his head against the top of hers and tried his best to 
comfort her. Gradually, her sobs lessened, until it settled to a gentle 
breathing pace. 

	The last time he saw her that night was when he carried her to Misato's 
car. She was asleep and would probably stay that way for a while. Yet, 
he still wondered if she would be alright. 

	The next day, he met her in the hallway. She looked at him and said 
without the usual gusto. "I� I never thanked you for being there for me 
yesterday." She looked away, and whispered, "Doumo." Passing her, he 
replied,

	"Don't worry about it." If they couldn't be friends, at least they 
could be on good terms. 

	Yet, Touji didn't know the full extent of just how much Asuka was hurt. 
Over the next several days, her enthusiasm dropped and her syncro levels 
dropped like a lead ballon. This attack had taken everything 

*************************************************

	In the darkened room, several members of the heads of SEELE were more 
than happy of the report of Asuka'' loss of status as an EVA pilot. Now 
was the time to strike, place their agent in, and witness Ikari's  
treachery as it happened.

*************************************************

	Back at her apartment, Misato was talking on the phone. "Oh� I see. So, 
she won't pilot it anymore, right? That's sad. But what now? Another 
Child? You can't be serious? Alright� I see. He's already here? Ok ok 
ok, tomorrow then," she hung up the phone and went to her room for some 
much needed sleep. 

	One thing for sure, Asuka was definitely NOT going to be happy.

End of Chapter 7

(Author's notes come with the complete chapter.)

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com