Nothingness VIII: Hyle
[X] Try to convince Rei to lower the weapon (write-in).
- [X] Tell Rei you won't let NERV kill her. You came down here to protect her and nothing Ritsuko has said has changed that. Also, you know she is angry about how she and her friends have been hurt, but shooting Ritsuko won't change anything. What would Shinji think if he could see her now? He worked so hard to stop her attack so she could be saved. Don't turn your back on everyone, you can trust me, I can help you.
- [X] Tell Ritsuko to shut up and not do anything stupid. Look, you clearly don't want to do this and there is only us three in the room here, tell me honestly why you are going along with something that you know deep down is wrong? Why does Nerv even need Rei? Who benefits from forcing her back to life over and over again? Why are you doing this?
-- [X] In your own words, each time this is done more of Rei's soul is lost and the more she becomes like the Dummy Plugs that failed spectacularly, do you really think this is the right thing to do? Or is someone else pressuring you into a situation you don't want to be in?

Your words have an effect on Rei. She doesn't lower the weapon completely, but she loosens her white-knuckle grip on it and pulls the weapon closer to her chest. She knits her eyebrows together with a conflicted expression. She says she doesn't think anybody can help her. She's trapped here. Trapped being Rei Ayanami. For a moment, she felt whole again. She saw the memories of her past selves. They asked her to carry their memories inside her. Dr. Akagi wants to take that away from her. The only way to help Rei is to remove the obstacles in her way.

You see Ritsuko move her arm towards her jacket. You tell her not to do anything stupid. Rei has a gun. You demand Ritsuko disarm herself. Ritsuko asks if you're insane. You tell her that if she doesn't, there's a very high chance Rei will kill everyone in this room. Rei stares deep into Ritsuko's eyes as if challenging her to try. Ritsuko grits her teeth and places her service weapon on the floor. Rei tells you to pick it up. You don't move. Rei frowns.

You level with Ritsuko. You've worked out that she's clearly not comfortable with killing Rei, regardless of whatever nonsense she's been babbling at you to convince herself that Rei is an object, not a person. You ask her why she's doing something you know she hates doing. Ritsuko says you wouldn't understand. You ask her to try to explain.

Ritsuko says this has to be done. Rei is dangerous like this. How are you not seeing this? She's pointing a loaded weapon at her physician. Ritsuko is literally responsible for keeping Rei's body alive. What do you think is going to happen if Rei kills her? Rei knows this, too. She's acting completely irrationally. She's psychotic. This is not a treatment that Ritsuko enjoys. The process is slow, difficult, and disgusting. But if Ritsuko does not put Rei's soul in a healthy body that doesn't have mental contamination, Rei will hurt others. She'll hurt Ritsuko, she'll hurt NERV, she'll hurt the Commander, she'll hurt the other pilots, she'll hurt you. Her actions could lead to the extinction of mankind.

You turn to Rei for her response. She chooses her words carefully. Rei says she wouldn't hurt you. Unless you got in her way. But she trusts that you won't. That's…not encouraging. Still, you think murdering Rei is a little extreme. She's just one girl. You tell Rei that you don't think she'd get very far in…some kind of coup? Is that what she wants?

Rei says no. She merely wants to keep her self intact. And she would like some justice for her…self? Her…parents…? Her sisters…? Rei seems confused on how to refer to her previous iterations. Dr. Akagi is in the way. Rei is not a doll Dr. Akagi can play with, create, and destroy at will. Dr. Akagi is not a god. She's a means to an end. Just like Rei is.

Ritsuko's eyebrow twitches with annoyance. Something Rei said got under her skin. You ask what the point of even doing this to someone is. Why clone Rei over and over again? Are there clones of the other three you should know about in some other room? Ritsuko says that it's good to know you'll always have at least one pilot if one of them dies on the battlefield, isn't it? Even one that's a failure like Rei. It's better than having to retrain one from scratch, isn't it?

You see Rei's own mouth twitch in annoyance at Ritsuko's words, but to her credit, she remains calm. You really hope that Ritsuko isn't going to antagonize the person holding her at gunpoint, but you figure the hatred runs pretty deep. And to answer your question, Major, no, Rei's the only one NERV keeps backups of. Rei's soul is special. It wouldn't work with anyone else. You ask why. Ritsuko says it's too complicated to explain. You don't really believe that. Before you can press Ritsuko to explain further, Rei says yes, it is very complicated in a way that tells you she doesn't want you to pursue this line of inquiry. Which only makes you more curious.

Talking of Rei's soul, didn't Ritsuko say that moving Rei to a new body damages her soul? Wouldn't that make her less stable in the long run? Maybe even like one of these Dummies? Which were catastrophically violent. Ritsuko says in a manner of speaking, yes. Each successive iteration of Rei is more brittle than the last. More susceptible to failure. But it would take dozens, possibly hundreds of iterations before Rei's soul was so diminished as to be unusable. Ritsuko compares it to getting rid of a totaled car and buying a slightly worse model. It's a worse start than the previous one, but it's an improvement over complete non-function. You say you thought she said she didn't know how much of Rei's soul could be lost before it ceased functioning.

No, Ritsuko says impatiently, she said that wasn't sure how much of Rei's soul could be lost before it was no longer identifiable as Rei Ayanami. She was being rhetorical. There's experimental data on how much a soul can be split before it does such severe psychic damage to the host that they're unable to function. The donor of Unit-02 tried to do a partial donation, despite the many, many warnings she was given. It did not go well. Foolish, stubborn woman. They also did some experiments with Rei 9 to stabilize Rei. It had the opposite effect. So no, moving to Rei 12 wouldn't be a downgrade from the one pointing a gun at her. Why are you coming to the defense of the person pointing a loaded firearm at her? The weapon she stole from you? What's the matter with you?

Rei quietly asks that you pick up Ritsuko's discarded weapon.

[ ] Pick up the weapon
[ ] Do not

You're not satisfied with the answers either of these two are giving you.

[ ] (write-in)
 
You're not satisfied with the answers either of these two are giving you.
At least the de-escalation is working, and getting actual engagement?

[] Ask Rei to put down the weapon first so you can collect them both at the same time

Rei says no. She merely wants to keep her self intact. And she would like some justice for her…self? Her…parents…? Her sisters…?
To Rei: Wrong Person to target here anyway? She's not the one that did it, and Ritsuko here is the one keeping you alive as she rightly pointed out

Why are you coming to the defense of the person pointing a loaded firearm at her?
To Ritsuko: Said defense is the reason why she hasn't shot you yet, though?

No idea about further questions on our part for now, so...

She says she doesn't think anybody can help her. She's trapped here. Trapped being Rei Ayanami. For a moment, she felt whole again. She saw the memories of her past selves. They asked her to carry their memories inside her.
Hm....... I get the feeling what Rei is concerned about isn't actually the cloning here?
Though I suspect Ritsuko and Rei severely disagree on what "mental contamination" is, and that we need to bridge this gap to get a true resolution to this matter.



[X] Do not
-[X] Rei, just like you, Ritsuko also deserves to feel safe which she cannot while you point a loaded gun at her - put down the gun first and then I will do so and collect both.

[X] It seems that what Ritsuko calls mental contamination is what Rei calls being whole, and so we need to resolve this if we want to get anywhere?
-[X] Rei, you need to convince Ritsuko that you won't do this again or hurt others before she will be more willing not to do this procedure and to leave you like this.
-[X] Ritsuko, surely this is paradoxically a chance to improve her mental stability if we let this pass with Rei's cooperation and further monitoring?
 
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For a moment, she felt whole again.
So, she does not remember details anymore?
Ritsuko grits her teeth and places her service weapon on the floor.
One problem less, I guess.
Ritsuko says you wouldn't understand.
Rits, are you talking about metabiology stuff, or about your fixation on a guy who treats you as a replacement goldfish (at best), or useful fleshlight (at worst)?
What do you think is going to happen if Rei kills her?
Maybe a better question would be what made Rei so desperate, that she is willing to risk death in the near future, only to live a bit longer in this iteration?
Her actions could lead to the extinction of mankind.
We have it covered with Gendo already (too bad Misato does not know it)
Rei says she wouldn't hurt you. Unless you got in her way.
We need to ask Rei about this directly.
She's a means to an end. Just like Rei is.
Damn, this is a sick burn. If the situation was not so dire, I would applaud you.
But it would take dozens, possibly hundreds of iterations before Rei's soul was so diminished as to be unusable.
You are showing real empathy here, Rits...
The donor of Unit-02 tried to do a partial donation, despite the many, many warnings she was given.
I wonder if this is only "technical truth by Ritsuko", or actual deviation from canon.
It did not go well. Foolish, stubborn woman.
Like mother, like daughter I guess...

Damn, I hate Misato without a weapon, but...

[X] Do not
-[X] Tell Rei that you will not do this until she lowers her weapon
-[X] Move between Ritsuko and Rei.
-[X] Ask Rei if she is really ready to kill Misato only to get Ritsuko? What about killing Shinji? Hikari? Asuka?
-[X] Remind Rei about your promise. Remind her that she has friends. What they would say if they saw her killing somebody?
 
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[X] Do not
-[X] Kick the gun away into a far corner of the room.

[X] Write-in:
-[X] Tell Rei that you, too, are intimately familiar with the feeling of wanting justice for dead predecessors - your father's demise was the very reason you took up arms and joined NERV. Killing the Angels was your way of attaining it. But look where that has gotten you - you are an alcohol addict who marches children into battle, landed two of them in hospital and nearly got killed at the start of the last Angel attack. From someone who walks that path, you can attest to Rei that if she wants to live and keep the memories of her predecessors alive with her, starting down that road of revenge by pulling the trigger will not be conducive to a happy ending.
-[X] Remind Ritsuko that part of the reason Rei is pointing a gun at her now is as much for revenge as it is out of fear. If Ritsuko were to kill the current Rei, what would stop the next incarnation from eventually developing the same feelings about her predecessors' fates? Ritsuko would have to kill that one too, to stop her from taking revenge. And the next, when it happens again. And the next. You wonder if that wasn't the reason a number of the earlier Rei clones were killed to begin with.
--[X] You don't believe that Ritsuko truly wants to do that.
-[X] There's a chance to break that cycle now - but only if both parties agree to lay down their arms and make peace. If Rei can do what you could not and walk away from her revenge, if Ritsuko can accept that as proof that Rei is more in control of herself than Misato and is less deserving of death than you are.
 
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I'm not sure we get write-ins for the first two, so I'm going to work with the last one. This is going to take a few iterations to get right, so as per usual edits and feedback are welcome.

[X] Write-in:
-[X] If Rei shoots, that means she dies. That means Misato dies. That likely means Shinji, Asuka, Hikari, Toji and the whole of humanity dies. You're not going to tell her to let go of her hatred - what NERV has done to her is beyond criminal - but she has to weigh up her courses of action. Is blind vengeance worth that? Is it worth failing to keep the memories of the other Reis Ayanami alive?
--[X] Rei hasn't crossed that line yet - you and her can figure out how to move forwards from here.
-[X] You're defending a child who has been murdered over and over from someone who's trying to kill her, Ritsuko. Try and be actually objective for once - examine her behaviour here. She's trying to argue why she should be allowed to murder a child while that child is asking not to be murdered. What the fuck is wrong with her? Does she hate Rei that much?
 
Asuka was saying about her being an angel?
I don't think we heard that statement IC, it was all interrupted, and if we heard that statement from Rei now I'm not sure there wont be a roll to not let Ritsuko do whatever she wants?

While the Rei segment wasn't what I'd have written, it looks good enough and I think it will land at least partially.
Could you try and modify it so that it addresses Rei's desire to be whole (maybe talk to Ritsuko later to figure out an alternative solution together)?

On Ritsuko's end, we also need to address her concern of not doing so being dangerous about for everyone around her, we won't get anywhere until that happens.

Furthermore, I think conceding some minor points to her and being careful in phrasing will make it much easier to get through to her given her current defensiveness/fear for her safety? For now...

[X] Do not
-[X] Tell Rei that you will not do this until she lowers her weapon
-[X] Move between Ritsuko and Rei.
 
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While the Rei segment wasn't what I'd have written, it looks good enough and I think it will land at least partially.
Could you try and modify it so that it addresses Rei's desire to be whole (maybe talk to Ritsuko later to figure out an alternative solution together)?

On Ritsuko's end, we also need to address her concern of not doing so being dangerous about for everyone around her, we won't get anywhere until that happens.

My general thinking here is in two parts; first, I want to de-escalate Rei before working on a plan to move forwards. This should also potentially convince Ritsuko (if successful) that we're not just going to let Rei shoot her immediately. I'm also not too concerned about Ritsuko at the minute, in terms of being a threat - if we want to move on with her, then yeah we'll need to talk her around, but I'm hoping to accomplish that with shock.
 
Rei knits her eyebrows together with a conflicted expression. She says she doesn't think anybody can help her. She's trapped here. Trapped being Rei Ayanami.
We all are. Well, not being Rei Ayanami. But we're all trapped being someone, whether they've had one body or a dozen.

Ritsuko says this has to be done. Rei is dangerous like this. How are you not seeing this? She's pointing a loaded weapon at her physician. Ritsuko is literally responsible for keeping Rei's body alive.
She says, while explaining why she has to—as the kids these days would say—un-alive Rei's body.

You tell Rei that you don't think she'd get very far in…some kind of coup? Is that what she wants?
It's not a matter of whether she wants a coup, but whether she can stop the thread.
Luckily, Rei will have support in that, from Misato and Sutekh and the thread's common sense.

Ritsuko says that it's good to know you'll always have at least one pilot if one of them dies on the battlefield, isn't it? Even one that's a failure like Rei.
Oh my god Ritsuko, she still has a gun, why are you continuing to talk like she's subhuman? Are you trying to prove that Rei's dangerous?
If Ritsuko is both alive and convinced that Rei's a danger tomorrow, we should see if we can find a transcript of this conversation and replay all the parts where Ritsuko provoked Rei without Rei shooting her. Of course, if a transcript of this conversation exists, Misato will probably have bigger problems...

The donor of Unit-02 tried to do a partial donation, despite the many, many warnings she was given. It did not go well. Foolish, stubborn woman.
Like mama, like daughter.

So no, moving to Rei 12 wouldn't be a downgrade from the one pointing a gun at her. Why are you coming to the defense of the person pointing a loaded firearm at her? The weapon she stole from you? What's the matter with you?
I believe in self-defense.


Hm....... I get the feeling what Rei is concerned about isn't actually the cloning here?
I think it's what comes before the cloning.
Rei says no. She merely wants to keep her self intact. And she would like some justice for her…self? Her…parents…? Her sisters…?
It sounds like Rei doesn't want Rei XI to be killed, and she wants justice vengeance for the deaths of Reis I-X.


Shouldn't we ask about what Asuka was saying about her being an angel?
Even if Misato knows about that, it's a lower priority than stopping Ritsuko and Rei from killing Rei and Ritsuko.


[X] Do not
-[X] Rei, just like you, Ritsuko also deserves to feel safe which she cannot while you point a loaded gun at her - put down the gun first and then I will do so and collect both.
De-escalation FTW

[X] Write-in:
-[X] If Rei shoots, that means she dies. That means Misato dies. That likely means Shinji, Asuka, Hikari, Toji and the whole of humanity dies. You're not going to tell her to let go of her hatred - what NERV has done to her is beyond criminal - but she has to weigh up her courses of action. Is blind vengeance worth that? Is it worth failing to keep the memories of the other Reis Ayanami alive?
--[X] Rei hasn't crossed that line yet - you and her can figure out how to move forwards from here.
-[X] You're defending a child who has been murdered over and over from someone who's trying to kill her, Ritsuko. Try and be actually objective for once - examine her behaviour here. She's trying to argue why she should be allowed to murder a child while that child is asking not to be murdered. What the fuck is wrong with her? Does she hate Rei that much?
I have little hope that Ritsuko will find this convincing, but hopefully it'll help her understand why Misato and Rei find her arguments unconvincing.
 
Has it ever worked well with Ritsuko though? Per my understanding that sort of thing always leads to her form of doubling down, which seems unproductive at best. (Please point it out if my character read is incorrect!)

I think it's possible either way; hopefully this coming from Misato is different to it coming from someone else, and the last bit might get some self-reflection going. The other part is... Ritsuko's view that Rei harms people around her is simultaneously irrational and self-fulfilling. It's hard to talk her down from that rationally, especially while she's still being held at gunpoint. I can work on it a little, maybe:

[] Write-in:
-[] If Rei shoots, that means she dies. That means Misato dies. That likely means Shinji, Asuka, Hikari, Toji and the whole of humanity dies. You're not going to tell her to let go of her hatred - what NERV has done to her is beyond criminal - but she has to weigh up her courses of action. Is blind vengeance worth that? Is it worth failing to keep the memories of the other Reis Ayanami alive?
--[] Rei hasn't crossed that line yet - you and her can figure out how to move forwards from here.
-[] You're defending a child who has been murdered over and over from someone who's trying to kill her, Ritsuko. She should try and be actually objective for once - examine her own behaviour here. She's trying to argue why she should be allowed to murder a child while that child is asking not to be murdered. What the fuck is wrong with her? Does she hate Rei that much?
--[] You'd like everyone to walk away from this alive, if not friends. If you thought otherwise for a moment, you'd have told Rei - who hesitated - to shoot her.

Build on that a bit?
 
Hopefully striking a more hopeful tone with the way it is now (it means much the same thing).

Took me way too long to understand - was reading it the pessimistic way here. "If not even friends" or something to emphasise the optimistic outcome maybe?

Hm, I was thinking for the Ritsuko segment we try a less aggressive tone, perhaps something like this?
1) Point out that we understand her concerns from her POV, even if we disagree with them just like you disagree with our current position.
2) As I'm pretty sure you well know, if my bias was that thorough I'd have started a screaming match with you if not done nothing here so far - what I'm doing is also to protect you? [???, play up the contrast to emphasise Misato taking things seriously]
3) Look, none of us are getting out of here until we reach a satisfactory compromise, so what will convince you that not doing this is fine?
4) Rei, for the sake of convincing Ritsuko, mind elaborating on what you felt in the Suit back then that motivated you to take this action, and how can we address this so it'll never happen again even with an impaired mental state?

===

Like, Misato is inclined to treat Ritsuko's actions incredibly negatively. I won't talk about whether it is objectively justified or not,
but I will point out that our advantage over her is that we can spend effort to drop the lens and think from Ritsuko's perspective to convince her in good faith?
 
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Ah, Rei is scared and wants revenge.

That is understandable. Misato can commiserate.

I wanna milk that for all it is worth.

[X] Do not

[X] Write-in
-[X] Tell Rei that you, too, are intimately familiar with the feeling of wanting justice for dead predecessors - your father's demise was the very reason you took up arms and joined NERV. Killing the Angels was your way of attaining it. But look where that has gotten you - you are an alcohol addict who marches children into battle, landed two of them in hospital and nearly got killed at the start of the last Angel attack. From someone who walks that path, you can attest to Rei that if she wants to live and keep the memories of her predecessors alive with her, starting down that road of revenge by pulling the trigger will not be conducive to a happy ending.
-[X] Remind Ritsuko that part of the reason Rei is pointing a gun at her now is as much for revenge as it is out of fear. If Ritsuko were to kill the current Rei, what would stop the next incarnation from eventually developing the same feelings about her predecessors' fates? Ritsuko would have to kill that one too, to stop her from taking revenge. And the next, when it happens again. And the next. You wonder if that wasn't the reason a number of the earlier Rei clones were killed to begin with.
--[X] You don't believe that Ritsuko truly wants to do that.
-[X] There's a chance to break that cycle now - but only if both parties agree to lay down their arms and make peace. If Rei can do what you could not and walk away from her revenge, if Ritsuko can accept that as proof that Rei is more in control of herself than Misato and is less deserving of death than you are.
 
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You know, this is at least the second time where allowing a seemingly harmless act of intimacy involving our pilots ended in an unexpectedly dark way, the first I can think of involved Asuka stealing Rei's hair to do a DNA analysis after brushing it, and Rei stealing our gun while hugging her. Is Shinji, Hikari, or Toji (he was on the list) going to betray someone's trust like that?

And who knows what other, similar things have happened?
 
Mind adding a segment to counter her saying that's our job, by pointing to our overloading and how the other pilots are not unobservant?
Not much point, as that is exactly what we currently are already doing - Misato is, right here and now, trying to stop Rei and teach her to turn away from revenge.

If Misato's best efforts don't work on this Rei, it probably won't work on the next one either. Since the only lesson Misato can really offer about revenge is to use herself as an example of why not to pursue it.

She herself never was able to learn that lesson properly, after all.
 
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