From: "JOYCE K WAKABAYASHI" Subject: [Eva/Xover][FanFic] The Unbroken Thread This one is kinda of a bizarre one. It mixes Evangelion with X-files, Silent Mobius & Parasite Eve, an RPG game that I've never played but I really enjoyed the whole concept. I'd really like your input on how this compares with my other stories in the Eva files arc. As whether or not there will be more, it's hard to say except that I will write a concluding story once Silent Mobius ends. Whether or not Shinji and co. have any further adventures before the conclusion (pre or post Last Photograph) depends on my inspiration level and if people want it to continue (hint, hint). I will keep you abreast of any developments in this arc. Intro: There's a Japanese legend that says that an invisible red thread binds two people together. The thread comes from their index fingers, but it cannot be felt. No matter how far apart they are; the thread doesn't break or get tangled. Only the people involved can destroy that thread. The Unbroken Thread "Asuka, you're bleeding. . ." Shinji went over to her desk with a handkerchief. "You're not hurt, are you?" "No, I just blew my nose too hard." She wiped the small trickle of blood away. "Relax, Shinji." "You're my partner. I'm supposed to care." "Baka, neh." "You should see a doctor." He put one of his hands on one of hers. "Just humor me." "All right, all right. What's the next exciting adventure of this amazing duo?" grumbled Asuka. Shinji perked right up. "We're going to San Francisco." "Really? What's there?" "Nothing but restaurants, sightseeing and hiking. It's a vacation." "Huh?" "You seemed tired lately so I planned a week long trip. I've already got permission and did all the reservations." He paused, then said, "I know I should've asked you, but I wanted it to be a surprise." "No, I'm just stunned you're taking a vacation. So no monster on this trip?" "None." She leaned over and kissed him. But the taste disturbed him; it reminded him of blood. *** As they dumped their luggage inthe hotel room, Shinji said, "I have another surprise for you. . ." "What?" "I've got reservations at Hawthorne Lane and the San Francisco Opera, front row seats." "Oh, my God. Those must've been expensive." "Well, I figure anything less than the best, you'll complain." "Chi!! What a show off." but she said it with a smile. Shinji got dressed up in a tux while she put on a red dress on and put up her hair. "Don't I look good?" "Yeah." Somethings never change, he thought. Always worried about how she looks. Shinji barely touched his dinner. I have another surprise, he thought, but I want to wait until the right time. "Shinji, you're not eating. What's wrong?" "Nothing, I'm just having more fun looking at you." She smiled, then looked at her watch. "Oh, we'll be late for the opera." "That's right." *** The fire destroyed the entire five rows. When the smoke cleared, the only people left were Shinji and Asuka. Shinji looked furious at the only person standing on stage, the main singer Melissa Pierce. But now she was no longer human. She now had huge oversized hands with claws, pale skin and a weird looking tail where there had once been legs. He stood up and pulled out the graviton he always took with him. It smiled at him and said, "I am Eve." He pulled the trigger. He wiped his brow and turned to Asuka, only to see her passed out with her nose bleeding again. "Asuka!" He picked her up and ran towards the exit. *** He waited in the waiting room. Asuka, he thought, I. . . He took out the box from his jacket. He flipped it open to show a gorgeous ruby ring. He closed the box, then put it back in his jacket. Then he saw the doctor walk up to him. "How's Asuka? Can I talk to her?" "Yes, she says she wants to tell you herself." "What? Which room is she in?" "Rm. 999." He ran to the hospital room where she was. He saw her lying still on the bed, pale with an IV in her arm. The hair that had been put up was now loose. Her eyes were clsoed. He sat down near her bed. She opened her eyes. "Shinji." "Asuka." "I have to tell you something. Something you're not going to like." He put her cold hands between his. "What?" "I have cancer." *** Flashback to 3 months previously: A counselor asks Asuka. "The doctor has just told you that you have an inoperable brain tumor. I'm here to help you cope with it." "I'll be fine." "I'm also here for family members you may ve to tell. If you happen to be involved with someone." "Is everything I tell you confidential." "Of course." "Good, keep it that way." "What about your partner?" "I'll tell him later. I. . . don't want to worry him until I have to. It's not like he can do anything about this anyway." *** "Asuka, you should've told me earlier." "I know I've handled this poorly." Tears were streaming down Shinji's face. "Do you know what caused it?" "The doctors said that they'd seen a lot of these types of cases among people whose mother's were exposed to LCL while pregnant." "Damn it!" said Shinji. He would've said more, but then the cell phone rang. He glances at his jacket pocket, but turns back to Asuka. "Pick it up, Shinji." He picks it up. "Agent Ikari, here." "It's Rally Cheyenne. I just heard about that Lucifer Hawk in the San Francisco Opera Hosue. I'll be flying by private jet to San Francisco right away. Can you meet me there?" "I'm already in San Francisco. I was the one who destroyed it." "Is Asuka with you?" "Yes, she is, but she's in the hospital." "She's not badly hurt, I hope." "No, she's not hurt from the attack," he said, looking at Asuka. "I'll tell you what happened when you arrive." "I understand. See you at the airport." Then there was a click. Shinji clicked off his cell phone. Asuka looked at Shinji and said, "Go back to the hotel room and get some sleep." "I want to watch over you." "Baka-Shinji, why don't you listen to a word I say?" "Because I'm baka." "The doctors'll kick you out anyway. Besides, you have to meet Rally at the airport. Now stop crying. You're making me tear up too." He kissed her, then said, "I'll be back with your bathrobe and stuff." Asuka went back to sleep and he crept out. While he was driving back to his hotel room, he thought, What did that Lucifer Hawk say? Eve, what did it mean, Eve? Were we two the intended targets? Asuka, I hate leaving you alone there, but I can't fight it if I don't know what I'm fighting. Rally, I hope you know something I don't. He went back to his room. Nothing seemed out of place. He took a bath and packed up some clothes and toiletries for Asuka. He sat down on the bed, but even though he was tired from jet lag and stress, he couldn't sleep. How could he sleep? He decided to just go to the airport right away. He met a grim-looking Rally at the airport. She tried to put on a smile, but it was obvious something was bothering her. "Good to see you, Shinji." "Same here. How are things at AMP?" She shook her head. "I'll tell you when we're in a secure location." They got into Shinji's car. "You said Asuka was attacked." He nodded, but said, "But that's not why she's in the hospital She has a brain tumor." He quietly told her the few details he knew. "I wonder if it has any connection with LCL." Rally wondered. "That's what the doctors were thinking. Do you know any magic that can help Asuka?" "Shinji, most of the magic I know is centered on destroying LH. I don't have any healing spells. I'm sorry." "How about Katsumi Liquer?" "That's one of AMP's problems. She's disappeared. Our greatest magician kidnapped by Lucifer Hawks." "Why are Lucifer Hawk doing here in San Francisco?" "I don't know. I didn't think they'd gone beyond the boundaries of Tokyo. There must be something very important for them to come this far." "If they wanted to kill Asuka and me, why didn't they try to get us in Washington?" "The Pentagon." Shinji frowned. "The Pentagon is in the shape of a Pentagram. The magic surrounding it is so powerful, it protects the entire North-Western Hemisphere, much like the six-pointed star underneath Tokyo acts as a seal against LH from much of Asia. Even though it's much like it, I still have a hard time believing it's an LH." "So, the US govt. is involved in magic as well." "Yes." "The monster I saw. It was a singer, then she. . . I don't know why we weren't engulfed in flames. Before I blasted it, it said it was Eve." "What could be behind all this?" said Rally. "I had better get Lebia to look into it. I just don't think this is a typical LH case." "Oh, I should get Kensuke and the others to try and download some stuff, too." I don't know why I didn't think of it before." "You're in shock. I know the feeling, but the only thing to do is to keep going. Especially since the stakes are so high." "That's right." "I'll be staying in the same hotel as yours." Then she frowned. "I can sense something big. Luckily, Nami gave me a few paper talismans to hang around your room that should ward off any attacks." Once, they got to the hotel, she put the paper wards on each side of Shinji's room and swept for bugs. She opened her briefcase and flipped open her laptop computer. Shinji opened his up as well to contact Kensuke. "Kensuke." A bleary-eyed Kensuke appeared on the screen. His pajamas were camoflauge in color. "Do you know what time it is?" "It's important. I need everything you know about any government project named Eve, not Eva. I don't have any information other than that." "Hmmm, give me a minute. What happened? I thought you were on vacation." "We were, but something happened." Something always happened, he thought bitterly. Kensuke yawned, then said, "I'll see what I can do. I'll do some work by myself and call the others only if I have to." "It's really important. Thanks." "Sure." Kensuke clicked off, still looking sleepy. Shinji shut off the computer. Rally had finished talking to Lebia as well. She stood up and said, "We should contact the local police." *** Asuka was asleep, whimpering. "Mama," she whispered. Someone was calling her, extending a warm hand. Who's calling me, she thought, Mama? Shadows began gathering around the city. *** They had managed to convince the local police to get the FBI crime labs involved. They read the autopsy reports and saw the horribly mutated bodies that were also burned. "What happened to them?" "Looks like their DNA and mitochondria has changed." "Mitochrondria?" "That's the powerhouse of the cells. LH have been known to absorb and take people over, but this is different. I just have a feeling that it's not a typical one." "Unfortunately, Asuka is the one who's better at biochemistry and genetics." "We should ask her what she thinks." "But. . ." "It'll keep her mind off her illness, at least for a little while," said Rally. "I wish we could do an autopsy on an LH, but they refuse to be captured. All we get are bits and pieces, literally." "I've downloaded all the information to Kensuke. Hopefully, he can find something." Rally frowned, "I sense something." Then she pushed Shinji Ikari to the ground. The room that held all the victims' bodies exploded and an alarm went off throughout the station. Rally and Shinji looked up and just caught a glance of something with wings and claws. "What the. . ." Shinji said. Rally was deep in thought. "That Eve you saw, while you shot down the main branch, it must've hidden inside those dead bodies, then combined itself back into one body." she said. "Even if it's not an LH, it has a lot of its properties. I should've known." "What can we do?" "Hmm, I wish I could bring some firepower from AMP, but AMP is stretched to the limit as it is. We're going to have to use what we have here. I'll call Mana and see if we can use Lebia to get the satellite to scan San Francisco for it." Then Shinji gasped. "It might be going right for Asuka." "We better hurry then." Shinji drove as quickly as he could. But just when they were outside the hospital, he saw her hospital room explode and something he couldn't make out fly off. "Asuka!" he screamed. *** Asuka opened her eyes. She saw a bright light. She saw her mother open her arms to her. "Mama, you're there? Mama!" Her mother said nothing, but picked her up with as if she were merely an infant. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. . . The monster changed its form completely to that of a gigantic woman with huge blue claws and pale skin, horns and a tail. It smiled, then completely surrounded Asuka in a sphere of flesh. It blew out the wall of the hospital room and flew away, looking down at a man screaming "Asuka!" *** Shinji looked at the ruins of the hospital room. "Is she dead?" "She's not dead. It wouldn't go to this much trouble simply to kill her." "But why?" "Hard to say. Lebia is doing a satellite scan of San Francisco as we speak. Running around won't get us anywhere unless we know where we're going." Shinji's cell phone went off again. "Shinji! This is Kensuke. I downloaded the data from the autopsy and all the file materials you sent me. How's Asuka?" "She's disappeared." "Oh, crap!" "Quick, give me the information." "That creature you saw up there was originally a biologically engineered human. The project was called Parasite Eve." "Any connection to Eva?" "Not that I can see. However, the work was done on the mitochondria, which is only passed down from the mother. The project is named after a hypothesis made several years ago that there is a common maternal ancestor named Eve due to the similarity of everyone's mitochondria. That's why they call it the project that." "Hmmm," said Rally. "The basis of the project was that the defense department was trying to create intelligent mitochondria, so people could have a body that could better regulate itself. Better energy processing, longer life, even regeneration if a body part got lost. In order to do that, they tried to use LH material." "Those idiots!" cursed Rally. There was a knock on the hospital door. Shinji glanced at the door, then turned back to Kensuke, "Anything more?" "Not much. As of yet, I can't seem to hack into how exactly they got the materials." "Talk to you later." Shinji pulled out his gun and nodded. Rally opened the door. Cancer Man was standing in the doorway. "Cancer Man." said Shinji. The man with the glasses and the gloves smiled and says, "Why don't you call me something else?" "Ok, how about dickhead?" Cancer Man ignores his crude remarks and turns to Rally Cheyenne. "At last we meet. I've heard so much about you. You're as beautiful as I've heard." "Did you steal Asuka?" Shinji said. "Come in, I don't want people to overhear," says Rally. She closed the hospital room door behind them. Cancer Man walks in. "I have nothing to do with that misbegotten piece of trash." "But you know who did." "You won't be able to prove anything. It's US military defense complex experiment based on what little Seele showed. Even Seele needs a little help once in a while. But the US did a very bad job." "Why?" asked Rally. "Because they wanted an army that could defeat our common enemies in case we failed. But they have no idea what they're doing. Common US arrogance. Things like this have been done before. Unfortunately, the bio-engineered LH DNA multiplies and tries to immediately get the upper hand. Several test subjects had to be destroyed." "You mean victims." noted Shinji. Cancer Man ignored his remark. "Melissa was the only one that seemed to be stable, but something must've triggered a sudden burst of replication. It seems that LH DNA is abnormally sensitive to magic. I know that Asuka has a family background in magic. Perhaps it's trying to speed up its regeneration or perhaps it's. . ." "It's. . ." prompted Shinji. "Try to consume her. . ." Shinji threw Cancer Man against the wall and put a gun to his head. "Where is Asuka? I know you know more than what you're saying." "I really don't know. But I do know how to cure that brain tumor of hers." Shinji gasped. "How did you. . ." "Oh, please, you keep underestimating me. That little lethal tumor can only be cured by yours truly." The man smirks one too many times and Shinji knees him in the groin. "I want to kill you bastard!" "Shinji! For Asuka's sake!" Rally said. Shinji just barely keeps from going berserk and smearing the man's brains all over the wall. "Say what you want to say, then get out!" Cancer Man gets up, slowly as Shinji hadn't restrained himself at all. "I won't just give it to you for free. You'd have to join my organization." "What?" "Just think, you could be with Rei and save Asuka if only you help me." "Do what?" "Save the world." Things got very quiet. "Saving the world? How can I believe that?" Shinji said. "You could know everything once you join and have everything you ever wanted. Knowledge, power, family, everything." Shinji shook his head. "It's up to Asuka if she wants it. I'm not going to decide for her." "I see. When you want to see me again, I'll be back." With that, he left. "Chikusho!" screamed Shinji. *** Asuka was still asleep, dreaming that her mother was talking to her. "Mama? Where are we going?" She was small once again, and everything was right with the world. They were walking in a beautiful sunlit forest. "We're going to a place where you won't feel sad or frustrated or afraid anymore." "But. . . what about Shinji?" "What about Shinji?" It's strange, Asuka thought, Mama's glowing. "You know, the little boy who calls me Monkey because of my doll. Can't we invite Shinji, too." "That's what I plan to do, and then we can all go to a nice place." "What's that place called?" "Nemesis." *** "Lebia says she's spotted strange energy readings from Coit Tower." "Coit Tower?" "Yes, and very obvious ones too. We should evacuate the area immediately surrounding the Tower. Also, there will have to be a media blackout." "What kind of excuse shall we use?" "What else? A terrorist with biological weapons. We just don't have to mention that they're from another dimension. I'll have to instate joint FBI and AMP jurisdiction. It's going to be a mess, but it's better that they leave than have to worry about casualties. I'm going to have to coordinate this with the local mobile police." *** It had taken several hours to get the mayor and the local authorities to agree to even a partial evacuation. Shinji could see Rally was really angry. "Old bastards," she said, "Do they want everyone to die?" "So, they've agreed to cordon it off?" "Yes, but they said that they won't take responsibility if anything goes wrong, that since I asked I should take the heat. I told them that it was all right with me." "But. . ." "I get this all the time from my higherups. I'm used to it. I don't like it, but that's how things are." With that, they began driving towards Coit Tower in a police spinner (a car that can fly). "Shinji. . ." "Yes. . ." "I have to tell you something." "Yes." "If we can't get Asuka free, we have to destroy that thing even if it still has her." "Rally. . ." "I don't like it, but I can't let it replicate. It killed fifty people in its first outing, I don't want it to do any more harm." Shinji wanted to argue, but knew better. Rally was not being callous, she was just willing to do what needed to be done. "I understand, but I'm going to do whatever it takes to free Asuka." They landed on top of the Coit tower. "I didn't want to risk going up from inside the building as regular high level LH can absorb and become part of the building. There's no telling what this mutant can do." Rally said. "Is there anything that they can't do?" Rally didn't say anything, which was a very, very bad sign. Both of them got out. The monster that had visited Asuka stood before them bigger than ever with a strange bulge where its stomach should be. It was smiling. Rally said, "You seem like LH, but you're not." "We've chosen to reach our full potential unlike you, it won't be long until we've finally absorb all the missing pieces it takes for me to be complete. Thank you for coming." It tried to reach up to them , but Rally blew apart the tentacles that reached out to them. "What is it that you want?" said Shinji. "I want to absorb your carcasses and go to Nemesis. I need the power locked inside your bodies to do so." Shinji pulled out the graviton, but then the beast said, "I wouldn't use that if I were you. Asuka is right where you're shooting at. Don't want to hurt the one you're looking for, eh?" Rally said, "How cowardly of you to use a hostage. You wouldn't have survived this long if you didn't have one. But I'm here to tell you that it won't do you any good." Then she stopped as she sensed the presence of magic, magic that didn't come from the monster. What? She turned around to see Shinji with his right hand outstretched before him. A thin red line seemed to go from his index finger to the surface of the monster's skin. "A line of kharma." breathed Rally. A Tree of Life formation began forming around where the line penetrated its body. Its flesh began to bubble as if the heat was causing it to blister. *** Asuka wakes up and realizes that she is not in her mother's arms or in the hospital room for that matter. She is floating inside a dark place, full of liquid, a place of fear. "I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die." she whispered. In her mind, she saw the doll with its head torn off, her mother hanging, the smile on her mother's face, a red, bloody womb with broken bits and shredded umbilical cord and screamed. But a flash of light swept away the redness. Someone was coming for her. Someone was loving her. Someone was. . . "Shinji?!" Asuka yelled. An explosion the shape of a cross erupted from the monster, ripping its body into shreds. Asuka walked towards Shinji as if she was being pulled by the thread; the line went directly into her own index finger. She walked up to him, slowly. He grabs her and pulls her into his arms. "Shinji?" she says. As the thread disappeared, she collapsed into Shinji's arms. Shinji yells, "Open, Heaven's door!!" A bright light surrounds the entire building in the shape of a double helix, crushing the beast within. The building collapses and amidst all the smoke, dust and heat, Rally is holding them both up, using her telekinesis. Shinji and Asuka are unconscious. Slowly, she lowers them to the roof of a nearby building. Shinji comes around. "What just happened?" "Magic, an amazing amount of magic. There's something about the way you two interact. I wonder if . . ." Since Shinji's mother was a carrier of the Lance, perhaps his mitochondria is different, she thought. I shall have to think hard about this. Shinji says, "Is Asuka all right?" Rally touches the Asuka's forehead. "I sense no presence of Lucifer Hawk inside of her. As for the rest. . ." She simply sighed. Shinji closes his eyes in pain. The End