Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
Broken Wings [NGE]
- Thread starter Teen Spirit
- Start date
Chapter 20 Part 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Author's Note: Omake still gonna happen
/
Chapter 20:The War Without, The War Within
Mari couldn't help but find it weird being in the same room as Koda Suzuhara. Not because of the Angel thing, but because she how she was acting.
Koda, truth be told, was something of an annoying jerk to deal with. So was Kodama, though she was mostly just angry at everything and everyone these days. But Koda's behavior reminded Mari of how Kodama acted before this all started, when it had just been Ria, Kodama, and Okito hanging out together, with Mari trying to figure out how to fit in. When interacting with Koda, one could almost forget there was a war going on.
"So, you're marrying an Angel. That's pretty bold," Koda commented.
Of course, that illusion didn't tend to last long.
"Uhh, yeah," Mari replied as she sat down for dinner. The break room was largely empty save for them and Kyoko, who was sitting by the window, watching the world as she ate. Her mother was busying working.
"You seem to be taking it in stride. Most people would think twice before agreeing to marry a discount version of Godzilla," Koda said.
"Well, I didn't." Mari stated "Or rather, I thought about it, and decided she was just who I wanted. Why are you weirded out by that?"
"Honestly," Koda's voice took on a serious tone. "I'm not used to people accepting us so quickly when they didn't have to. My own brother took months to come around, same with my Ria. I mean she was there for us, don't get me wrong. But it was a while but she actually looked comfortable being in the room with me. So your attitude is a bit...new to me."
"Well, I am sorry you had to deal with that," Mari said sympathetically.
"So, you hit that yet?" Koda asked bluntly.
Mari nearly choked on a shrimp.
"Some of us are trying to eat here," Kyoko spoke up, looking annoyed.
"What?!" Mari exclaimed.
"Have you started Third Impact with Ria yet?" Koda said suggestively. "Penetrated her Terminal Dogma? Inserted your entry plug? Run some 'close encounter simulations'? Have you tapped that yet?"
Mana had to respect her innuendo game if nothing else. Still... she found herself too embarrassed to even consider answering.
"I mean I would be hitting that if you weren't around. Pretty sure two Angels isn't incest. I mean, our Lilim sides definitely aren't related," Koda said.
"But you're straight," Mari said, surprised. "Or at least the other Kodama is."
"I prefer men," Koda clarified. "'Prefer' being the key word there. I'm sure my counterpart is the same way. Though I admit the Ria in my timeline is slightly more my speed. Actually has real muscles for starters."
"Are you and the Ria of your world dating?" Mari asked, trying to read between the lines.
"No!" The response came perhaps a bit too quickly. "I mean, I've thought about asking a few times but-"
"She's a big giant chicken," Kyoko called out.
Koda shot her a withering glare as Kyoko made mocking clucking noises.
"Err... anyways," she said, trying to pretend that didn't just happen, "don't worry. I'm not trying to move in on what you and Ria have. ...Unless you guys want that."
Mari stared at Koda blankly, not really sure how to respond to that.
"Oh, thank god," Kyoko blurted out as she looked at her phone, "Ria's back."
/
"So the government's made peace with nearly half of our enemies, lovely," Hyuga said, his frustration shared by many in the meeting.
Asuka had gathered everyone of importance within WILLE to the conference room. Ria sat at one end of the long table. Her red, glowing eyes unnerved most of those gathered to some degree.
She didn't know what to make of what Ria had told them. She didn't like the idea of making peace with the Angels, but an actual peace would be just as good as killing them, provided they actually held to treaty. Plus, they could get Misato and Ritsuko back alive.
"I don't like this either," Ria admittedly wearily, "but unless we want to start a second war with the government, we have to play along until we can prove they or the Prime Minister are doing something."
"You know we had to talk Misato down from suspecting the Empress of treason not to long ago, we shouldn't be going down that same road with the Prime Minister."
"I don't know, Prime Minister's behavior is rather suspect," Asuka said, rubbing her chin. She agreed with Ria's judgement, the Prime Minister's behavior was incredibly suspect, but not enough to condemn him just yet.
"Like I said, wait until we have proof," Ria replied calmly. "Our priority right now is dealing with the raids on Ramiel's hideouts. They're going to hit both bases in about thirty hours. We need to have people on both sections of the raids, make sure Israfel and the others don't do anything suspicious at least."
Not a lot of time, but the longer they waited the more risk they had of them moving Misato and Akagi.
"So how is this going to work out?" Kyoko asked. "You travel with one group while Koda and I handle the other?"
Ria sighed slightly, looking introspective for a moment. "Actually I think I should stay here for this. Someone needs to protect WILLE."
Asuka could tell her conversation with Kaworu was weighing heavily on Ria's mind. Regardless of whatever that ghost had said, it did make sense to have one of them protecting WILLE.
Koda and Kyoko looked surprised.
"You sure?" Koda asked, "I mean, I could stay here. Figured you would want a shot at Ramiel."
"No... no. I'm sure," Ria said wearily. "I need some time to rest and think over some things."
Koda shrugged "Okay, more than happy to storm the castle for you, princess."
"And I'm all for getting Misato back, any Misato," Kyoko added.
"I don't suppose we have a plan that doesn't involve us depending on, no offense, teenagers with no actual stake in this?" Ibuki asked.
"Not unless you want to throw Security into a possible meat grinder," Ria replied warningly.
"They've given us no reason to doubt them," Asuka replied. "I trust them."
Kyoko smiled slightly. The room muttered in annoyance but accepted Asuka's judgement. None of them liked depending on Angels like this, but they all realized they were their best option.
"So. All goes well, we find Misato and Dr.Akagi. What do we do with Gendo Ikari if we find him as well?" Koda asked.
The room grew more dour at the mere mention of the former Supreme Commander of NERV. Those who had served under him at NERV had nothing but contempt for the man. And even those who never dealt with him knew enough to utterly despise him. Asuka personally had hoped Ramiel would do something decent for once and just rid them of the man, but she doubted he would.
"Grab him if you can but don't take any unneeded risks. He's escaped justice too long and, if we're lucky he might actually have useful information." Asuka ordered. "But I'm not going to shed even one tear if he doesn't come out alive."
Koda nodded.
Asuka turned her attention to whole room. "Alright. This is a boon, albeit a complicated one. If all goes right, Misato will be back here in less than two days and we'll have Ramiel on the run. You don't like working with Iruel, I don't like it. But we have to make the most of it. We have thirty hours to prepare. We don't know how Ramiel is going to react to this so we have to assume the worse. I want the Evas ready to launch at a moments notice and all defensive measures enacted or prepared. Dismissed."
/
Shinji found Kyoko not far outside her room.
"Hey." He said awkwardly "How are you doing?"
She wasn't exactly his daughter, he knew, and the Shinji she knew was a different man, but he still found himself worrying for her. Until Kyoko Ikari could get back home, he was the closest thing she had to a father and he had to act accordingly.
Plus, he couldn't stop feeling vaguely guilty and wondering if he'd somehow wiped out her existence in this universe by running away and not making things work out with Asuka when they were together the first time. He couldn't even say that had been impossible. Kyoko's mere existence testified there was at least one world where they'd been stronger, and made it work...
'Of course, I invent entire new ways to feel like a guilty screw-up. I'm Shinji Ikari, and I'm the world's greatest neurotic...'
"I'm fine," Kyoko said quietly.
"You know you don't have to join in this assault," Shinji pointed out. "I mean, the government is sending soldiers, they have it pretty well covered."
"I want to be a part of it," Kyoko insisted. "I'm not going to just sit by and do nothing…"
Kyoko choked on her words, her eyes fixated on one spot on the floor ahead.
"Are you okay?" Shinji asked, a bit worried.
"It was right there," Kyoko said quietly, her arm outstretched, pointing. "Right there where we found it..."
"Found?" Shinji looked to see she was pointing at a random stretch of hallway near Maya Ibuki's office.
"We... never found anything of Misato's body after the first attack," Kyoko explained. "Barely found anyone. Most of WILLE was in ruins. But after two days of looking through the rubble, we found her... her cross, right around there. Burned, half melted, but it was still clearly…"
She trailed off. Silence hung in the air. Shinji stood awkwardly, unsure of what to say.
"I can't bring back my world's Misato," Kyoko said, shaking her head. "But I can't let something happen to her in this world either. I stayed out before because I didn't want to harm anyone. But this... I can't stand by anymore."
Shinji nodded. "I get it. Being involved sucks, but standing on the sideline sometimes is even worse."
Something he knew all too well.
Kyoko gave him a weak smile, and nodded.
/
Mari entered Ria's room to find her fiancée sitting on her bed, eyes closed. The soft snoring made it clear she was fast asleep. She had been so tired she passed out sitting up, still in her armor.
Carefully, Mari sat next to her, doing her best to not disturb her.
"Ria?" she said softly.
Ria about jumped, ending up falling face forward onto the ground with audible thud.
"Ow..." Ria groaned.
Mari winced. "Sorry!"
Ria picked herself up awkwardly and sat back down, the bed groaning in protest slightly under the weight of the armor.
Mari looked at her. Ria's bright red eyes shone back at her. She couldn't deny seeing her like this was a bit exciting, even if Ria looked so exhausted she might just pass out again at any moment.
"You okay?" she asked with worry.
"Longest day of my life," Ria said wearily as she pulled off her armor. Pulling it up and over her head, revealing…
"Oh." Mari said appreciatively. Ria had considerable more muscle mass, particularly around the arms. To see her go from looking so normal just a few hours ago to... this, was rather shocking, even after everything Mari had seen.
Ria smirked as she caught Mari looking her over, before lying down with an exhausted sigh, her head smashing into the pillow.
"How... how long have you been like that?" Mari asked, slowly regaining her focus.
"A few hours. Longest I've ever been like this. I feel fine, just too tired to change back right now." Ria explained. "Didn't even do much physically, but I'm just utterly exhausted right now."
"Well, you did have a busy day," Mari pointed out as she laid down next to her. Ria draped one arm around her and made a happy sound.
How late was it anyways? 3 AM? 4? Mari wasn't sure anymore.
Ria let out a hollow laugh.
"Yeah, this has certainly been the worst and most interesting birthday I've ever had," Ria agreed, before growing serious. "Seen things today I never thought I would see. If Iruel isn't screwing us over...this could be the deciding fight of the war."
Mari looked up at Ria. The distinctly fearful look in her eyes was a little frightening.
"I'm scared," Ria admitted, answering Mari's unspoken question. "Suppose Iruel holds up his end of the bargain, which I don't believe for a moment he will, but suppose he does. Suppose he does and this attack manages to catch Ramiel completely off guard, maybe even kill him. What then?"
"...You've won?" Mari found herself confused by the question. Wasn't that good? Wasn't that what they wanted?
"Yeah, but at that the cost of leaving Iruel and his cohorts alive," Ria answered.
Ahh, now it made sense.
"Normally I would have just said find a way to kill them when it was safe but now…" Ria went on. "'If there is hope for you, there is hope for them all.' That's what Lilith told Okito earlier. She wants them to find redemption."
Ria had explained her encounter with Tabris and the actual Ayanami a while ago. Mari could barely even begin to wrap her brain around it. And for Ria, she's amazed she was able to just go on after that. Speaking with what was effectively her god, that would be enough in a day for most people.
"And you don't want Iruel and the others to be redeemed," Mari observed.
Ria tensed ever so slightly.
"He used me, toyed with me. Nearly conned Misato and I into killing each other. They don't deserve a pardon. But I can't just go against Lilith, even if I disagree with her," Ria explained.
"Why not?" Mari asked bluntly.
"Because I'm terrified of her," was all Ria would say.
She rolled, shifting until she was one side. She wrapped her other arm around Mari, holding her close as she drifted off into sleep.
Ria was warm, almost uncomfortably so. But Mari didn't dare move. Her fiancée needed all the comfort she could get right now.
/
Hikari left WILLE early the next morning. Not that anyone noticed. As far as anyone else was concerned, she was still sleeping in her room as Touji did his early morning patrol. Which indeed she was; her body never left her sleeping roll, but she was far more than she once was, her mind and will merged with a living infection, and infections spread.
Few paid much attention to a security officer leaving after their twenty hour shift. They were just one of a couple dozen leaving after all. Unknown to everyone save for Hikari, they had been infected hours ago, their mind and will suppressed and replaced.
The security officer traveled a ways, taking various trains and even a few buses, doing their best to make sure no one followed them. They changed into civilian clothes in an abandoned alleyway. Eventually they traveled to a coffee shop and grabbed a nearby pay phone. They did their best to look casual as they dialed.
"Don't want to ruin the surprise, but they're planning on throwing you a party," they said, giving out the coded phrase.
A sigh came through the other end of the line.
"Okay," Ramiel said. "Best prepare, then. By this time tomorrow we'll have your son back."
/
/
Chapter 20:The War Without, The War Within
Mari couldn't help but find it weird being in the same room as Koda Suzuhara. Not because of the Angel thing, but because she how she was acting.
Koda, truth be told, was something of an annoying jerk to deal with. So was Kodama, though she was mostly just angry at everything and everyone these days. But Koda's behavior reminded Mari of how Kodama acted before this all started, when it had just been Ria, Kodama, and Okito hanging out together, with Mari trying to figure out how to fit in. When interacting with Koda, one could almost forget there was a war going on.
"So, you're marrying an Angel. That's pretty bold," Koda commented.
Of course, that illusion didn't tend to last long.
"Uhh, yeah," Mari replied as she sat down for dinner. The break room was largely empty save for them and Kyoko, who was sitting by the window, watching the world as she ate. Her mother was busying working.
"You seem to be taking it in stride. Most people would think twice before agreeing to marry a discount version of Godzilla," Koda said.
"Well, I didn't." Mari stated "Or rather, I thought about it, and decided she was just who I wanted. Why are you weirded out by that?"
"Honestly," Koda's voice took on a serious tone. "I'm not used to people accepting us so quickly when they didn't have to. My own brother took months to come around, same with my Ria. I mean she was there for us, don't get me wrong. But it was a while but she actually looked comfortable being in the room with me. So your attitude is a bit...new to me."
"Well, I am sorry you had to deal with that," Mari said sympathetically.
"So, you hit that yet?" Koda asked bluntly.
Mari nearly choked on a shrimp.
"Some of us are trying to eat here," Kyoko spoke up, looking annoyed.
"What?!" Mari exclaimed.
"Have you started Third Impact with Ria yet?" Koda said suggestively. "Penetrated her Terminal Dogma? Inserted your entry plug? Run some 'close encounter simulations'? Have you tapped that yet?"
Mana had to respect her innuendo game if nothing else. Still... she found herself too embarrassed to even consider answering.
"I mean I would be hitting that if you weren't around. Pretty sure two Angels isn't incest. I mean, our Lilim sides definitely aren't related," Koda said.
"But you're straight," Mari said, surprised. "Or at least the other Kodama is."
"I prefer men," Koda clarified. "'Prefer' being the key word there. I'm sure my counterpart is the same way. Though I admit the Ria in my timeline is slightly more my speed. Actually has real muscles for starters."
"Are you and the Ria of your world dating?" Mari asked, trying to read between the lines.
"No!" The response came perhaps a bit too quickly. "I mean, I've thought about asking a few times but-"
"She's a big giant chicken," Kyoko called out.
Koda shot her a withering glare as Kyoko made mocking clucking noises.
"Err... anyways," she said, trying to pretend that didn't just happen, "don't worry. I'm not trying to move in on what you and Ria have. ...Unless you guys want that."
Mari stared at Koda blankly, not really sure how to respond to that.
"Oh, thank god," Kyoko blurted out as she looked at her phone, "Ria's back."
/
"So the government's made peace with nearly half of our enemies, lovely," Hyuga said, his frustration shared by many in the meeting.
Asuka had gathered everyone of importance within WILLE to the conference room. Ria sat at one end of the long table. Her red, glowing eyes unnerved most of those gathered to some degree.
She didn't know what to make of what Ria had told them. She didn't like the idea of making peace with the Angels, but an actual peace would be just as good as killing them, provided they actually held to treaty. Plus, they could get Misato and Ritsuko back alive.
"I don't like this either," Ria admittedly wearily, "but unless we want to start a second war with the government, we have to play along until we can prove they or the Prime Minister are doing something."
"You know we had to talk Misato down from suspecting the Empress of treason not to long ago, we shouldn't be going down that same road with the Prime Minister."
"I don't know, Prime Minister's behavior is rather suspect," Asuka said, rubbing her chin. She agreed with Ria's judgement, the Prime Minister's behavior was incredibly suspect, but not enough to condemn him just yet.
"Like I said, wait until we have proof," Ria replied calmly. "Our priority right now is dealing with the raids on Ramiel's hideouts. They're going to hit both bases in about thirty hours. We need to have people on both sections of the raids, make sure Israfel and the others don't do anything suspicious at least."
Not a lot of time, but the longer they waited the more risk they had of them moving Misato and Akagi.
"So how is this going to work out?" Kyoko asked. "You travel with one group while Koda and I handle the other?"
Ria sighed slightly, looking introspective for a moment. "Actually I think I should stay here for this. Someone needs to protect WILLE."
Asuka could tell her conversation with Kaworu was weighing heavily on Ria's mind. Regardless of whatever that ghost had said, it did make sense to have one of them protecting WILLE.
Koda and Kyoko looked surprised.
"You sure?" Koda asked, "I mean, I could stay here. Figured you would want a shot at Ramiel."
"No... no. I'm sure," Ria said wearily. "I need some time to rest and think over some things."
Koda shrugged "Okay, more than happy to storm the castle for you, princess."
"And I'm all for getting Misato back, any Misato," Kyoko added.
"I don't suppose we have a plan that doesn't involve us depending on, no offense, teenagers with no actual stake in this?" Ibuki asked.
"Not unless you want to throw Security into a possible meat grinder," Ria replied warningly.
"They've given us no reason to doubt them," Asuka replied. "I trust them."
Kyoko smiled slightly. The room muttered in annoyance but accepted Asuka's judgement. None of them liked depending on Angels like this, but they all realized they were their best option.
"So. All goes well, we find Misato and Dr.Akagi. What do we do with Gendo Ikari if we find him as well?" Koda asked.
The room grew more dour at the mere mention of the former Supreme Commander of NERV. Those who had served under him at NERV had nothing but contempt for the man. And even those who never dealt with him knew enough to utterly despise him. Asuka personally had hoped Ramiel would do something decent for once and just rid them of the man, but she doubted he would.
"Grab him if you can but don't take any unneeded risks. He's escaped justice too long and, if we're lucky he might actually have useful information." Asuka ordered. "But I'm not going to shed even one tear if he doesn't come out alive."
Koda nodded.
Asuka turned her attention to whole room. "Alright. This is a boon, albeit a complicated one. If all goes right, Misato will be back here in less than two days and we'll have Ramiel on the run. You don't like working with Iruel, I don't like it. But we have to make the most of it. We have thirty hours to prepare. We don't know how Ramiel is going to react to this so we have to assume the worse. I want the Evas ready to launch at a moments notice and all defensive measures enacted or prepared. Dismissed."
/
Shinji found Kyoko not far outside her room.
"Hey." He said awkwardly "How are you doing?"
She wasn't exactly his daughter, he knew, and the Shinji she knew was a different man, but he still found himself worrying for her. Until Kyoko Ikari could get back home, he was the closest thing she had to a father and he had to act accordingly.
Plus, he couldn't stop feeling vaguely guilty and wondering if he'd somehow wiped out her existence in this universe by running away and not making things work out with Asuka when they were together the first time. He couldn't even say that had been impossible. Kyoko's mere existence testified there was at least one world where they'd been stronger, and made it work...
'Of course, I invent entire new ways to feel like a guilty screw-up. I'm Shinji Ikari, and I'm the world's greatest neurotic...'
"I'm fine," Kyoko said quietly.
"You know you don't have to join in this assault," Shinji pointed out. "I mean, the government is sending soldiers, they have it pretty well covered."
"I want to be a part of it," Kyoko insisted. "I'm not going to just sit by and do nothing…"
Kyoko choked on her words, her eyes fixated on one spot on the floor ahead.
"Are you okay?" Shinji asked, a bit worried.
"It was right there," Kyoko said quietly, her arm outstretched, pointing. "Right there where we found it..."
"Found?" Shinji looked to see she was pointing at a random stretch of hallway near Maya Ibuki's office.
"We... never found anything of Misato's body after the first attack," Kyoko explained. "Barely found anyone. Most of WILLE was in ruins. But after two days of looking through the rubble, we found her... her cross, right around there. Burned, half melted, but it was still clearly…"
She trailed off. Silence hung in the air. Shinji stood awkwardly, unsure of what to say.
"I can't bring back my world's Misato," Kyoko said, shaking her head. "But I can't let something happen to her in this world either. I stayed out before because I didn't want to harm anyone. But this... I can't stand by anymore."
Shinji nodded. "I get it. Being involved sucks, but standing on the sideline sometimes is even worse."
Something he knew all too well.
Kyoko gave him a weak smile, and nodded.
/
Mari entered Ria's room to find her fiancée sitting on her bed, eyes closed. The soft snoring made it clear she was fast asleep. She had been so tired she passed out sitting up, still in her armor.
Carefully, Mari sat next to her, doing her best to not disturb her.
"Ria?" she said softly.
Ria about jumped, ending up falling face forward onto the ground with audible thud.
"Ow..." Ria groaned.
Mari winced. "Sorry!"
Ria picked herself up awkwardly and sat back down, the bed groaning in protest slightly under the weight of the armor.
Mari looked at her. Ria's bright red eyes shone back at her. She couldn't deny seeing her like this was a bit exciting, even if Ria looked so exhausted she might just pass out again at any moment.
"You okay?" she asked with worry.
"Longest day of my life," Ria said wearily as she pulled off her armor. Pulling it up and over her head, revealing…
"Oh." Mari said appreciatively. Ria had considerable more muscle mass, particularly around the arms. To see her go from looking so normal just a few hours ago to... this, was rather shocking, even after everything Mari had seen.
Ria smirked as she caught Mari looking her over, before lying down with an exhausted sigh, her head smashing into the pillow.
"How... how long have you been like that?" Mari asked, slowly regaining her focus.
"A few hours. Longest I've ever been like this. I feel fine, just too tired to change back right now." Ria explained. "Didn't even do much physically, but I'm just utterly exhausted right now."
"Well, you did have a busy day," Mari pointed out as she laid down next to her. Ria draped one arm around her and made a happy sound.
How late was it anyways? 3 AM? 4? Mari wasn't sure anymore.
Ria let out a hollow laugh.
"Yeah, this has certainly been the worst and most interesting birthday I've ever had," Ria agreed, before growing serious. "Seen things today I never thought I would see. If Iruel isn't screwing us over...this could be the deciding fight of the war."
Mari looked up at Ria. The distinctly fearful look in her eyes was a little frightening.
"I'm scared," Ria admitted, answering Mari's unspoken question. "Suppose Iruel holds up his end of the bargain, which I don't believe for a moment he will, but suppose he does. Suppose he does and this attack manages to catch Ramiel completely off guard, maybe even kill him. What then?"
"...You've won?" Mari found herself confused by the question. Wasn't that good? Wasn't that what they wanted?
"Yeah, but at that the cost of leaving Iruel and his cohorts alive," Ria answered.
Ahh, now it made sense.
"Normally I would have just said find a way to kill them when it was safe but now…" Ria went on. "'If there is hope for you, there is hope for them all.' That's what Lilith told Okito earlier. She wants them to find redemption."
Ria had explained her encounter with Tabris and the actual Ayanami a while ago. Mari could barely even begin to wrap her brain around it. And for Ria, she's amazed she was able to just go on after that. Speaking with what was effectively her god, that would be enough in a day for most people.
"And you don't want Iruel and the others to be redeemed," Mari observed.
Ria tensed ever so slightly.
"He used me, toyed with me. Nearly conned Misato and I into killing each other. They don't deserve a pardon. But I can't just go against Lilith, even if I disagree with her," Ria explained.
"Why not?" Mari asked bluntly.
"Because I'm terrified of her," was all Ria would say.
She rolled, shifting until she was one side. She wrapped her other arm around Mari, holding her close as she drifted off into sleep.
Ria was warm, almost uncomfortably so. But Mari didn't dare move. Her fiancée needed all the comfort she could get right now.
/
Hikari left WILLE early the next morning. Not that anyone noticed. As far as anyone else was concerned, she was still sleeping in her room as Touji did his early morning patrol. Which indeed she was; her body never left her sleeping roll, but she was far more than she once was, her mind and will merged with a living infection, and infections spread.
Few paid much attention to a security officer leaving after their twenty hour shift. They were just one of a couple dozen leaving after all. Unknown to everyone save for Hikari, they had been infected hours ago, their mind and will suppressed and replaced.
The security officer traveled a ways, taking various trains and even a few buses, doing their best to make sure no one followed them. They changed into civilian clothes in an abandoned alleyway. Eventually they traveled to a coffee shop and grabbed a nearby pay phone. They did their best to look casual as they dialed.
"Don't want to ruin the surprise, but they're planning on throwing you a party," they said, giving out the coded phrase.
A sigh came through the other end of the line.
"Okay," Ramiel said. "Best prepare, then. By this time tomorrow we'll have your son back."
/
Last edited:
Raiseth
I Find Your Lack of Memes Disturbing
- Location
- Russia
No one expects the Communist Inquisition!
Well, they should.
Ah, Kooky!Koda. Never change.
Good to be back. My plan, code name Skip A Few Updates To Read Them All At Once, seems to be working swimmingly.
Did Bardiel just leave Hikari, or has it(they?) begun budding and running multiple bodies simultaneously?
The latter. Its got multiple bodies. Apparently including every guard on duty around Hikari.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Keep in mind, when Hikari and Bardiel merged, something went....weird. Hikarieal considers herself far more Hikari than Bardiel.
- Location
- Altamonte Springs, FL
Last edited:
When, why, and how did this happen, exactly? I don't recall that being clear at the time. Was it deliberate? I don't fully understand. Where exactly was this mentioned previously?
Also, really eager for an update with Misato.
Hikariel: I told you, I never forget my first....
Like I said...
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I won't go into the full details yet, but Hikariel is the result of things going a bit screwy when Bardiel attacked Hikari.
- Location
- Altamonte Springs, FL
Last edited:
Raiseth
I Find Your Lack of Memes Disturbing
- Location
- Russia
Thus, the most ferocious Yandere ( since Yuno Gasai and Homura Akemi ) was born.
Nah, I think Hikari had always been secretly a Zeroth Angel who devoured Bardiel like a delicious candy when they tried to invade her mind.
And then added their power to her own.
- Location
- Altamonte Springs, FL
Thus, the most ferocious Yandere ( since Yuno Gasai and Homura Akemi ) was born.
Nah, I think Hikari had always been secretly a Zeroth Angel who devoured Bardiel like a delicious candy when they tried to invade her mind.
And then added their power to her own.
To quote from X-Men Evolution Rogue: "Yer powers are mahn! Yer memories are mahn!"
Raiseth
I Find Your Lack of Memes Disturbing
- Location
- Russia
To quote Yuno: all your futures are belongs to us!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Hikari with a Bayou accent is an interesting mental image.
- Location
- National Capital Region, USA
Extra points if she manages to make Mari snort a shrimp out her nose! Haha. And Kyoko's super-awkward annoyance is great.
"Save me from this awkward!"
And wow, is Koda thirsty for some Ria...
You've got a power, Shinji, a really shitty superpower...
Ouch... I'm amazed they haven't freaked out even more at Misato being a hostage.
Well, shit... And how many bodies is Hikariel running now? That explains the security guards that kidnapped Misato...
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Yep. And to make it worse the kidnapping of Misato gave Hikariel a day inside of WILLE with no one really suspicious of her.
- Location
- National Capital Region, USA
More than a day, since no one is suspicious still, I think.
Chapter 20 Part 2
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Ria, Koda, and Kyoko sat around a table covered in empty plates, bowls, and cups. Between the three of them they had put away more food in a few hours than a family of four would eat in a week. They wouldn't be running out of energy anytime soon, at least. Ria still had glowing eyes and a rather muscled body, but it wasn't taking any serious toll on her and it didn't mess with her mind, so she didn't see any harm in keeping at the ready. Particularly after what Lilith and Adam had said.
"So…" Koda said awkwardly. "You saw Kaworu? How's he doing?"
Ria stared at her, trying to hide just offended she was by Koda's flippancy. "He seemed well. I mean, as well as cryptic ghosts can be."
"Wonder why we haven't seen him. I mean, Koda's a Herald as well," Kyoko commented.
"Doesn't seem like either of them really like that you're here. Leliel screwed things up almost as much in their eyes," Ria explained.
Kyoko nodded. She hated Leliel more than almost every other Angel save for Ramiel.
"Well, once this is taken care of, we'll make tracking down Leliel our next goal," Koda said.
Then find and kill Bardiel, then get themselves home, then send the Pilots home and help them with Gendo and SEELE, then things return to normal. Then take a vacation.
Normal... Only with Okito imprisoned and Kodama hating her. She had Mari, but once the Pilots and these two left, that was all she would have. And, provided they didn't turn on them, that would mean living with Iruel and the others. Building a future while always worrying if and when Iruel would start something, reignite the war, or activate their own secret plot of some damn thing like Ramiel's madness.
Ria tried not to despair too much. With luck, Kodama would calm down with time. Maybe she could get her friend back one day. And college provided plenty of chances to meet new people. Besides, peace would mean a chance for normalcy. She still occasionally struggled with questions of what she was exactly, but it would be nice to get back being "Ria: Aspiring Writer" and not have to worry about those questions anymore. Plus there was her future with Mari…
She looked at her ring, now secured in it's box. Safely stowed away, to be returned to her finger once she was done here.
Ria wanted a happy future with Mari. She dreamed of it, even. But would that cost? Accepting peace with someone she couldn't, wouldn't trust? Or pushing the fight on for months or even years?
Ultimately a question for another time. They had far too much to worry about as it was to worry about what came after.
"So," Ria said evenly, "there are two bases. One on the south end of the city and the other near the old University. Israfel is going to the old University and Sahaquiel will hit the south end, each backed by roughly a platoon's worth of soldiers. Iruel's presumably providing tech support or whatever, but we still need to figure out who goes where."
"I got south end," Koda said in between picking her teeth. "Sahaquiel's a walking bomb. I have better endurance. Plus this world's Israfel is basically bite sized for Kyoko."
"Could you not?" Kyoko deadpanned.
"Well, you're the only one here who's practiced cannibalism before," Koda snarked.
Kyoko become angry, her face flushed. "I have not!"
Ria held up her hand, specifically the replacement of the one Kyoko had bitten off when they first met.
"Oh... right." Kyoko said sheepishly. "Um... sorry. Anyways, yeah, I'll deal with the old university base. What do we do if we encounter Ramiel?"
"Call for backup. Don't engage unless you have to prevent him from escaping, Ramiel's currently our biggest threat. If we find him I don't want any of us taking any more risks than we have to," Ria said, completely seriously.
"And Arael?" Koda added.
Both Ria and Kyoko sneered at the name.
"If you see him, he dies," Ria said quietly. "Don't look for vengeance, don't try to extend his suffering, don't try to capture him. Just make sure his head is not connected to his body as fast as you possibly can."
Personally she wanted nothing more than to make Arael suffer until he begged for death but... practicality had to be considered.
Kyoko nodded in agreement.
"As for the others," she went on, "Armisael and Sandalphon, capture them if you can but don't risk it. If you find Matarael... just let him go home if he hasn't become an obvious threat."
"Right," Koda nodded.
"Understood," Kyoko agreed.
/
Armisael paced around the base as various masked cultists worked around her frantically, packing up anything and everything valuable.
Iruel hadn't just betrayed them. He had sided with the Lilim. Six Angels now were working with or for the Lilim. Seven, if Dimitri ever escaped.
Armisael was horrified. It had been us versus them, Angels versus Humans. That's what Ramiel had told them, that's what Misato's actions had shown, that's why Armisael was here. She was in the middle of a promising college education and had a decent internship that actually paid. She didn't need this. She didn't want godhood, she just wanted to survive. Ramiel had seemed the best, the only way to actually survive. Zeruel's situation had just been a freak accident of birth, one Misato's madness would soon correct. But that didn't happen, nothing Ramiel had told them had come true.
"My lady," one of the masked men said reverently. "We've secured Matariel and are working on moving the Heretics and test subject as we speak."
"Leave them," Armisael snapped, surprising even herself.
The guard stared at her, obviously confused.
'If Ramiel's plans work, we don't need them as hostages. If he fails... they'll never stop hunting us as long as we have them,' she told herself.
Cowardly? Without a doubt. And Ramiel would be beyond furious, but it seemed the most sensible option. Ramiel had already gotten what he needed out of both the General and Ikari, anything more he would do would just needlessly anger things, same with doing anything to the scientist. Nothing more could be gained by needlessly provoking WILLE.
"You heard me," she said more firmly. "Leave them here. They're useless to us now."
"But...Lord Ramiel left strict orders to-"
*SLAP*
Armisael backhanded the cultist across the face, cracking his mask. A few of the other Lilim stopped what they we're doing and stared for a moment before rushing back to their duties.
"Ramiel isn't here!" Armisael said angrily. "And unless you want WILLE hunting us to the ends of the world, I suggest you do what I say, whelp!"
"Y-yes ma'am," the man said nervously, "I'll make sure they're left here."
"Good." Armisael nodded before turning her attention to some of the equipment being removed.
Hopefully with Misato back, WILLE would turn against the government and those allied with Iruel. That would give them some breathing room.
/
The armored personnel carrier was cramped, filled with men in heavy armor and the uniforms of the Imperial Army, each of them carrying a rifle. Somehow each man looked more dour than the last.
Koda and Sahaquiel sat across each at the end of the APC. Koda sat leaning back, arms behind her head in an attempt to seem casual.
"So, what's your game here?" Koda asked as she stared at the other Angel.
"Like Israfel said. We wanted something, thought using Ramiel was the only way to achieve it, realized he wasn't, so we defected. Simple as that," Sahaquiel explained.
"Uh huh," Koda was skeptically. "And what exactly do you want?"
"Political changes," Sahaquiel replied. "Let me ask you a question. Who do you think should hold political power in Japan, or any government, really?"
"The Empress," Koda said firmly.
Sahaquiel raised an eyebrow, a dry look of amusement spread across her face.
"You can't be serious," she stated. "We know better than anyone that Divine Right is a lie. We're the closest thing to Divine in this world and even that doesn't give us any right to rule."
"It's not about Divine anything," Koda said, growing serious. "The Empress was raised from birth to shoulder the responsibility of rulership. Her power isn't unlimited but it's strong enough so that she can make unpopular but needed decisions an elected official never could."
Politics wasn't Koda's favorite subject by any stretch, but she had her loyalties and beliefs.
Sahaquiel let out an amused huff.
"So what do you believe?" Koda asked. "I assume you're not actually a communist."
"I believe that rulership is far too important to important to leave in the hands of the common person or be decided by bloodline. That most people wouldn't know good leadership if it bit them on the face. Rulership should be based on actual skill, and the time has come for the return of Philosopher-Kings. For a certain value of Philosopher, and king," Sahaquiel stated.
"You prepared that line didn't you?" Koda mocked.
"...Yes," Sahaquiel admitted.
Koda laughed slightly. At least she was honest about that.
The two looked at each other awkwardly, each realizing the other would try to kill them if for a moment they suspected the other was about to attack them. That would be a messy and bloody fight.
The APC rumbled beneath them, the faint smell of oil lingering through the air.
"So Ramiel, if we encounter him... What's your plan?" Koda asked.
"Lot's and lots of boom." the other Angel replied.
That was a plan that Koda couldn't help but agree to.
The armored vehicle came to a stop, Koda lurching slightly to her right.
"We're here," the driver announced.
'So we are.' Koda braced herself for the battle to come.
/
"Both groups have reached their targets," Maya announced.
Asuka's eyes where focused on the screen as she sat in front of the command center. There was little she could do besides give orders to Kyoko and Koda, which only increased her anxiety. She was worried. Worried for Kyoko, for Misato, maybe even a bit for Doctor Akagi. A lot was riding on this mission.
She watched as both teams breached into the hidden bases at nearly the exact same moment. Kyoko and Koda where among the first in, each being careful to make sure Israfel and Sahaquiel where ahead of them.
Shinji stood next to her, watching nervously.
Things were progressing smoothly. The few people they encountered so far where humans wearing beaked Angel masks, presumably mercenaries or fanatics working for Ramiel. They appeared taken by surprise and either surrendered quickly or were gunned down.
"Ma'am," Maya's voice grew worried. "We have two unmarked six-wheel trucks that have suddenly turned towards WILLE."
No truck routes of note ran close to WILLE by design. And it wasn't one of theirs.
'A failsafe revenge plan or did they know we were coming?' Asuka wondered.
"Prepare countermeasures," Asuka ordered. "Order the trucks to stop. If they don't, destroy them."
Maya relayed the message.
If Ramiel was trying to get in, they would make him work for it.
Suddenly two security guards and one of the minor technicians stood up, and began to laugh. Strange rasping laughs, gasping heavily for air.
Asuka stared in confusion, along with the rest of the Command Room.
Then it clicked, Okito's warning.
Asuka quickly slammed the emergency alarm button and grabbed a pistol.
Red flashing lights and blaring alarms filled the room as she leveled her pistol at the laughing guard. He simply jumped out of the way, leaping halfway across the room, his limbs stretching in mid-air.
WILLE had been compromised, Bardiel was here.
/
Touji was dragged down kicking and screaming by two of his former comrades, each of them had one of their arms wrapped him like giant snakes, disturbingly sincere smiles across their faces. Bardiel had gotten to them.
Bardiel… His biggest fear, the reason he hadn't slept soundly in weeks, the reason he and his family had given each other special codes just coming back from the store, the reason none of them had really laughed since they first became of aware of it. It was here, at WILLE, and he had been completely oblivious to it.
They dragged him into a room and stood him before... his wife, Hikari.
For a brief, terrifying second he thought they had captured her as well. Then he saw her eyes, glowing brightly red.
"No, please no," Touji said weakly, collapsing to his knees.
First Okito and now her? It was too much, too much for him to bear. This was a nightmare from which he could not escape.
He felt Hikari's hand on his cheek, pulling him up to look her in the eyes as she smiled down sweetly at him.
"You think I'm gone, don't you?" she asked. "You think the monster took me away?"
She still acted the same, beneath those eyes it still felt just like her.
"No, please... I can't-I can't take this." Touji could barely find the words.
"When Bardiel leapt out of Sakura and entered me, there was a struggle, a terrifying struggle. Me against a being that had long ago stopped being anything resembling human," Hikari explained calmly. "I was a simple housewife. I should have had no chance. But the being, Bardiel, they had consumed dozens and dozens of people and had probably possessed a hundred more. Thankfully it needed Sakura alive to avoid suspicion or else I think they would have consumed her body and soul too. They were constantly fighting against every soul they had taken into themselves, and during our struggle the voices overwhelmed them, for only a second, but that second was all it took. Bardiel shattered, both soul and mind. And I took the shattered remains of the Angel into myself."
She paused, looking deeply unhappy for a second.
"Sometimes," she said slowly, "I can still hear them, inside me. The souls of everyone Bardiel took. They come to me in my dreams… screaming..."
Touji was paralyzed. He didn't want to believe her, but she still talked like Hikari. It didn't feel like there was someone else pulling the strings. Which made what she was saying all the more terrifying.
"The experience, it changed me, I'll admit," Hikari said tearfully. "But I'm still me. I'm still the girl you knew in high school, I'm still the woman you married."
"Then-then why are you doing this?!" Touji about screamed.
Hikari frowned. "It's the only way our family can be whole again. It's the only way to get our son back."
"Okito's a monster, and he doesn't want to be saved," Touji said, still terrified out of his mind.
"He's a teenage boy," Hikari shot back. "Boys his age make mistakes all the time. Mothers forgive them. Face it, Touji. We have two sons and now we have two daughters, we should be happy but we're not. Our daughters hate each other, our oldest son is imprisoned and we can barely explain why to our youngest. I have a chance to set things right."
She grabbed him close, kissing him on the cheek.
"I'm not crazy about what I'm doing, but it will be over soon and we can get back to being a whole family again," she whispered in his ear, her voice eerily calm.
It was Hikari, Touji realized with mounting horror, but she was insane. The experience fighting Bardiel or whatever was left from the Angel had left her completely detached from reality, convinced that whatever horrors she was unleashing was the best for the family.
Touji struggled against the infected guards as Hikari turned to leave. He begged, pleaded with her to stop. Nothing got through to her.
"I know you don't understand now why I'm doing this., Hikari said as she left. "But you will, with time."
The door closed and locked behind her.
/
"So…" Koda said awkwardly. "You saw Kaworu? How's he doing?"
Ria stared at her, trying to hide just offended she was by Koda's flippancy. "He seemed well. I mean, as well as cryptic ghosts can be."
"Wonder why we haven't seen him. I mean, Koda's a Herald as well," Kyoko commented.
"Doesn't seem like either of them really like that you're here. Leliel screwed things up almost as much in their eyes," Ria explained.
Kyoko nodded. She hated Leliel more than almost every other Angel save for Ramiel.
"Well, once this is taken care of, we'll make tracking down Leliel our next goal," Koda said.
Then find and kill Bardiel, then get themselves home, then send the Pilots home and help them with Gendo and SEELE, then things return to normal. Then take a vacation.
Normal... Only with Okito imprisoned and Kodama hating her. She had Mari, but once the Pilots and these two left, that was all she would have. And, provided they didn't turn on them, that would mean living with Iruel and the others. Building a future while always worrying if and when Iruel would start something, reignite the war, or activate their own secret plot of some damn thing like Ramiel's madness.
Ria tried not to despair too much. With luck, Kodama would calm down with time. Maybe she could get her friend back one day. And college provided plenty of chances to meet new people. Besides, peace would mean a chance for normalcy. She still occasionally struggled with questions of what she was exactly, but it would be nice to get back being "Ria: Aspiring Writer" and not have to worry about those questions anymore. Plus there was her future with Mari…
She looked at her ring, now secured in it's box. Safely stowed away, to be returned to her finger once she was done here.
Ria wanted a happy future with Mari. She dreamed of it, even. But would that cost? Accepting peace with someone she couldn't, wouldn't trust? Or pushing the fight on for months or even years?
Ultimately a question for another time. They had far too much to worry about as it was to worry about what came after.
"So," Ria said evenly, "there are two bases. One on the south end of the city and the other near the old University. Israfel is going to the old University and Sahaquiel will hit the south end, each backed by roughly a platoon's worth of soldiers. Iruel's presumably providing tech support or whatever, but we still need to figure out who goes where."
"I got south end," Koda said in between picking her teeth. "Sahaquiel's a walking bomb. I have better endurance. Plus this world's Israfel is basically bite sized for Kyoko."
"Could you not?" Kyoko deadpanned.
"Well, you're the only one here who's practiced cannibalism before," Koda snarked.
Kyoko become angry, her face flushed. "I have not!"
Ria held up her hand, specifically the replacement of the one Kyoko had bitten off when they first met.
"Oh... right." Kyoko said sheepishly. "Um... sorry. Anyways, yeah, I'll deal with the old university base. What do we do if we encounter Ramiel?"
"Call for backup. Don't engage unless you have to prevent him from escaping, Ramiel's currently our biggest threat. If we find him I don't want any of us taking any more risks than we have to," Ria said, completely seriously.
"And Arael?" Koda added.
Both Ria and Kyoko sneered at the name.
"If you see him, he dies," Ria said quietly. "Don't look for vengeance, don't try to extend his suffering, don't try to capture him. Just make sure his head is not connected to his body as fast as you possibly can."
Personally she wanted nothing more than to make Arael suffer until he begged for death but... practicality had to be considered.
Kyoko nodded in agreement.
"As for the others," she went on, "Armisael and Sandalphon, capture them if you can but don't risk it. If you find Matarael... just let him go home if he hasn't become an obvious threat."
"Right," Koda nodded.
"Understood," Kyoko agreed.
/
Armisael paced around the base as various masked cultists worked around her frantically, packing up anything and everything valuable.
Iruel hadn't just betrayed them. He had sided with the Lilim. Six Angels now were working with or for the Lilim. Seven, if Dimitri ever escaped.
Armisael was horrified. It had been us versus them, Angels versus Humans. That's what Ramiel had told them, that's what Misato's actions had shown, that's why Armisael was here. She was in the middle of a promising college education and had a decent internship that actually paid. She didn't need this. She didn't want godhood, she just wanted to survive. Ramiel had seemed the best, the only way to actually survive. Zeruel's situation had just been a freak accident of birth, one Misato's madness would soon correct. But that didn't happen, nothing Ramiel had told them had come true.
"My lady," one of the masked men said reverently. "We've secured Matariel and are working on moving the Heretics and test subject as we speak."
"Leave them," Armisael snapped, surprising even herself.
The guard stared at her, obviously confused.
'If Ramiel's plans work, we don't need them as hostages. If he fails... they'll never stop hunting us as long as we have them,' she told herself.
Cowardly? Without a doubt. And Ramiel would be beyond furious, but it seemed the most sensible option. Ramiel had already gotten what he needed out of both the General and Ikari, anything more he would do would just needlessly anger things, same with doing anything to the scientist. Nothing more could be gained by needlessly provoking WILLE.
"You heard me," she said more firmly. "Leave them here. They're useless to us now."
"But...Lord Ramiel left strict orders to-"
*SLAP*
Armisael backhanded the cultist across the face, cracking his mask. A few of the other Lilim stopped what they we're doing and stared for a moment before rushing back to their duties.
"Ramiel isn't here!" Armisael said angrily. "And unless you want WILLE hunting us to the ends of the world, I suggest you do what I say, whelp!"
"Y-yes ma'am," the man said nervously, "I'll make sure they're left here."
"Good." Armisael nodded before turning her attention to some of the equipment being removed.
Hopefully with Misato back, WILLE would turn against the government and those allied with Iruel. That would give them some breathing room.
/
The armored personnel carrier was cramped, filled with men in heavy armor and the uniforms of the Imperial Army, each of them carrying a rifle. Somehow each man looked more dour than the last.
Koda and Sahaquiel sat across each at the end of the APC. Koda sat leaning back, arms behind her head in an attempt to seem casual.
"So, what's your game here?" Koda asked as she stared at the other Angel.
"Like Israfel said. We wanted something, thought using Ramiel was the only way to achieve it, realized he wasn't, so we defected. Simple as that," Sahaquiel explained.
"Uh huh," Koda was skeptically. "And what exactly do you want?"
"Political changes," Sahaquiel replied. "Let me ask you a question. Who do you think should hold political power in Japan, or any government, really?"
"The Empress," Koda said firmly.
Sahaquiel raised an eyebrow, a dry look of amusement spread across her face.
"You can't be serious," she stated. "We know better than anyone that Divine Right is a lie. We're the closest thing to Divine in this world and even that doesn't give us any right to rule."
"It's not about Divine anything," Koda said, growing serious. "The Empress was raised from birth to shoulder the responsibility of rulership. Her power isn't unlimited but it's strong enough so that she can make unpopular but needed decisions an elected official never could."
Politics wasn't Koda's favorite subject by any stretch, but she had her loyalties and beliefs.
Sahaquiel let out an amused huff.
"So what do you believe?" Koda asked. "I assume you're not actually a communist."
"I believe that rulership is far too important to important to leave in the hands of the common person or be decided by bloodline. That most people wouldn't know good leadership if it bit them on the face. Rulership should be based on actual skill, and the time has come for the return of Philosopher-Kings. For a certain value of Philosopher, and king," Sahaquiel stated.
"You prepared that line didn't you?" Koda mocked.
"...Yes," Sahaquiel admitted.
Koda laughed slightly. At least she was honest about that.
The two looked at each other awkwardly, each realizing the other would try to kill them if for a moment they suspected the other was about to attack them. That would be a messy and bloody fight.
The APC rumbled beneath them, the faint smell of oil lingering through the air.
"So Ramiel, if we encounter him... What's your plan?" Koda asked.
"Lot's and lots of boom." the other Angel replied.
That was a plan that Koda couldn't help but agree to.
The armored vehicle came to a stop, Koda lurching slightly to her right.
"We're here," the driver announced.
'So we are.' Koda braced herself for the battle to come.
/
"Both groups have reached their targets," Maya announced.
Asuka's eyes where focused on the screen as she sat in front of the command center. There was little she could do besides give orders to Kyoko and Koda, which only increased her anxiety. She was worried. Worried for Kyoko, for Misato, maybe even a bit for Doctor Akagi. A lot was riding on this mission.
She watched as both teams breached into the hidden bases at nearly the exact same moment. Kyoko and Koda where among the first in, each being careful to make sure Israfel and Sahaquiel where ahead of them.
Shinji stood next to her, watching nervously.
Things were progressing smoothly. The few people they encountered so far where humans wearing beaked Angel masks, presumably mercenaries or fanatics working for Ramiel. They appeared taken by surprise and either surrendered quickly or were gunned down.
"Ma'am," Maya's voice grew worried. "We have two unmarked six-wheel trucks that have suddenly turned towards WILLE."
No truck routes of note ran close to WILLE by design. And it wasn't one of theirs.
'A failsafe revenge plan or did they know we were coming?' Asuka wondered.
"Prepare countermeasures," Asuka ordered. "Order the trucks to stop. If they don't, destroy them."
Maya relayed the message.
If Ramiel was trying to get in, they would make him work for it.
Suddenly two security guards and one of the minor technicians stood up, and began to laugh. Strange rasping laughs, gasping heavily for air.
Asuka stared in confusion, along with the rest of the Command Room.
Then it clicked, Okito's warning.
Asuka quickly slammed the emergency alarm button and grabbed a pistol.
Red flashing lights and blaring alarms filled the room as she leveled her pistol at the laughing guard. He simply jumped out of the way, leaping halfway across the room, his limbs stretching in mid-air.
WILLE had been compromised, Bardiel was here.
/
Touji was dragged down kicking and screaming by two of his former comrades, each of them had one of their arms wrapped him like giant snakes, disturbingly sincere smiles across their faces. Bardiel had gotten to them.
Bardiel… His biggest fear, the reason he hadn't slept soundly in weeks, the reason he and his family had given each other special codes just coming back from the store, the reason none of them had really laughed since they first became of aware of it. It was here, at WILLE, and he had been completely oblivious to it.
They dragged him into a room and stood him before... his wife, Hikari.
For a brief, terrifying second he thought they had captured her as well. Then he saw her eyes, glowing brightly red.
"No, please no," Touji said weakly, collapsing to his knees.
First Okito and now her? It was too much, too much for him to bear. This was a nightmare from which he could not escape.
He felt Hikari's hand on his cheek, pulling him up to look her in the eyes as she smiled down sweetly at him.
"You think I'm gone, don't you?" she asked. "You think the monster took me away?"
She still acted the same, beneath those eyes it still felt just like her.
"No, please... I can't-I can't take this." Touji could barely find the words.
"When Bardiel leapt out of Sakura and entered me, there was a struggle, a terrifying struggle. Me against a being that had long ago stopped being anything resembling human," Hikari explained calmly. "I was a simple housewife. I should have had no chance. But the being, Bardiel, they had consumed dozens and dozens of people and had probably possessed a hundred more. Thankfully it needed Sakura alive to avoid suspicion or else I think they would have consumed her body and soul too. They were constantly fighting against every soul they had taken into themselves, and during our struggle the voices overwhelmed them, for only a second, but that second was all it took. Bardiel shattered, both soul and mind. And I took the shattered remains of the Angel into myself."
She paused, looking deeply unhappy for a second.
"Sometimes," she said slowly, "I can still hear them, inside me. The souls of everyone Bardiel took. They come to me in my dreams… screaming..."
Touji was paralyzed. He didn't want to believe her, but she still talked like Hikari. It didn't feel like there was someone else pulling the strings. Which made what she was saying all the more terrifying.
"The experience, it changed me, I'll admit," Hikari said tearfully. "But I'm still me. I'm still the girl you knew in high school, I'm still the woman you married."
"Then-then why are you doing this?!" Touji about screamed.
Hikari frowned. "It's the only way our family can be whole again. It's the only way to get our son back."
"Okito's a monster, and he doesn't want to be saved," Touji said, still terrified out of his mind.
"He's a teenage boy," Hikari shot back. "Boys his age make mistakes all the time. Mothers forgive them. Face it, Touji. We have two sons and now we have two daughters, we should be happy but we're not. Our daughters hate each other, our oldest son is imprisoned and we can barely explain why to our youngest. I have a chance to set things right."
She grabbed him close, kissing him on the cheek.
"I'm not crazy about what I'm doing, but it will be over soon and we can get back to being a whole family again," she whispered in his ear, her voice eerily calm.
It was Hikari, Touji realized with mounting horror, but she was insane. The experience fighting Bardiel or whatever was left from the Angel had left her completely detached from reality, convinced that whatever horrors she was unleashing was the best for the family.
Touji struggled against the infected guards as Hikari turned to leave. He begged, pleaded with her to stop. Nothing got through to her.
"I know you don't understand now why I'm doing this., Hikari said as she left. "But you will, with time."
The door closed and locked behind her.
/
Last edited:
Prince Charon
Just zis guy, you know?
So it seems.
On the bright side, it could be worse. On the dark side, the author could still choose to make it worse.
- Location
- Surrey
Called it!
Also, I hope Hikariel gets this whole ''infesting my husband's coworkers to kidnap my son" plan over with soon. Kenny's got school tomorrow!
Last edited: