Stage 44 - Atonement

Cover: Eva-02 standing with a bazooka in one hand and a pallet gun in the other,
waiting for Zeruel to arrive

Scene: Asuka in Eva-02 cockpit
Asuka: Take this!!
(Eva-02 fires pallet gun at Zeruel, but to no effect -- pallet gun magazine runs out)
Asuka: Next! (reaches for spare pallet gun and bazooka -- starts firing, but again to
no effect)
Asuka: It's ATField should be neutralized... so why is it just standing there like
nothing!? (keeps firing)  Take that!!

Scene: Kaji and Shinji in shelter/warehouse -- Kaji speaking softly to a stunned/still
Shinji, the raging battle is only noticable as faint creaking sounds and slight dust
falling from the ceiling.
Kaji: I lived, at the price of my younger brother's and friends' lives... Of course I
was overcome with remorse/regret after that. I even thought about taking my own life.
But, I also thought... that had it not been for Second Impact, my brother might still
be alive. And that was what started me along the path to seek out the truth about
Second Impact.
(Image of Kaji's brother and friends with Seele Committee members as shadowy figures in
the background)
Kaji (continuing): The information released by the government about a giant meteorite
impact lacked credibility, and I felt that if there was some group in the shadows
pulling strings, then I could not possibly forgive them. I couldn't let them create
more victims like my brother and friends. (image of Second Impact) I felt that finding
out the truth about Second Impact would be my atonement to my brother. (Kaji pulls out
a cigarette)  Luckily, I was taken in by some distant relatives. They even put me
through university, and I studied various things.
Shinji: To become a spy...?
Kaji: Well, that too. (lights cigarette)  It was then that I met Katsuragi.
(Misato and Kaji in pub-type restaurant with a bunch of other university students --
Misato notices Kaji and flashes him a smile, which Kaji returns)
Kaji: We fell in love almost immediately. (Kaji and Misato embracing, clothed)  I was
happy, but... (Kaji and Misato embracing, unclothed)  I was drowning in too much
happiness, and one day I was stricken with fear -- a doubt as to whether it right for
me, who had killed my own brother, to be so happy?
Shinji (shocked): But that's... is that why you broke up?
Kaji: I became unable to fall any deeper in love than that.
Shinji: Poor Misato... I think Misato still likes you even now, Kaji.
Kaji: Well, even if you like each other sometimes you just can't do anything about it.
(takes a deep drag on cigarette)  We're the same, Katsuragi and I.
Shinji: Huh?
Kaji: She's the sole survivor of the survey team that was in Antarctica on the day of
Second Impact -- The only person alive to have seen Second Impact up close. (image of
Second Impact) Her father was directing the survey of the object known as "Adam" that
was discovered at the South Pole. A tremendous explosion occurred in the midst of the
survey. (image of Misato's father placing her in life capsule)  Her father died saving
her, and she survived. (shocked Shinji)  Of course it left a huge scar on both her body
and heart, and this is also probably a major factor in her joining Nerv. We're not
destined to be happy -- neither of us. And Shinji, you are the same, too. (shocked
Shinji again)

Scene: Eva-02 firing at an advancing Zeruel. The smoke clears to show Zeruel standing
unscathed, then its arms unfold
Asuka: !? What the-?
(Zeruel's arms lash out and slice off Eva-02's arms at the shoulders. Eva-02's arms
fall to the ground and blood spurts out. Asuka gasps in intense shock/pain, then
clutches her shoulders and screams)
Asuka: Aaaaaaaaahhh!!!
(Zeruel's arms fold back up -- Asuka groans in pain, then gets a determined look on her
face and charges Zeruel)
Asuka: Bastaaaard!!!
(Command Center -- Misato, Ritsuko and Maya look on in shock)
Misato (shouting): Asuka! Stop!! (turning)  Cut off all nerve connections! Quickly!!
(Zeruel's arms lash out and slice through Eva-02's neck)

Scene: Back to Kaji and Shinji
Shinji (shocked): What do you mean... I'm the same? Are you talking about Touji? That
wasn't my fault -- My father did it! (shouting)  It's my father's fault that Touji
died!!
Kaji (looks sideways at Shinji): And you just sat there and watched it.
(Shinji draws up in shock)
Kaji: You could have fought had you wanted to. If you had fought before control was
switched over to the dummy system, you might have beaten the Angel and saved Suzuhara.
But you didn't. Suzuhara died, and you lived. Just like me living at the price of my
brother's life, and Katsuragi living at the sacrifice of her father's life, Suzuhara's
life has become your flesh and blood, and has been taken into your own life. So, can
you just go on living like nothing happened?
(Shinji stands in shock, then tears well up in his eyes)
Shinji: What... what am I to do...?
(Kaji points down a corridor at a door)
Kaji: You can return to the Geofront using linear chuter R18 at the end of this
corridor. You are free to get on it or not. But like I said before, you mustn't turn
your eyes away from the truth. (image of Lilith on cross)  They say that if an Angel
contacts Adam sleeping deep below Nerv, it will cause Third Impact. And this time it
will probably take the lives of all humankind. The only thing that can stop this is
Evangelion, which has the same power as the Angels.

Scene: Eva-02's head falls crashing into trees in the Geofront. Inside the cockpit,
Asuka feels gingerly at her neck with a frightened expression.
Asuka: Still here... It's still attached...
(Command Center -- headless, arm-less Eva-02 on screen)
Operator(?): Eva-02 heavily damaged! Combat impossible!!
Misato: What about Asuka!?
Makoto: She's okay! She's alive!
Operator(?): The Angel has started to move!
Asuka (sweating, pained/angry (self-reproaching?) expression): Damn...
Misato: Eva-01 status!?
Maya: Dummy plug insertion complete! Probe needle inserted!
Ritsuko: Contact start!
Maya: Affirmative!
(Screen changes to ALERT displays and alarms sound)
Ritsuko: What!?
Maya: Pulse lost! It's rejecting the dummy! It's no good, Eva-01 won't activate!
(Misato, Ritsuko and Maya look in shock)
Ritsuko: No...

- End Stage 44