Music soothes the soul, shaping it as much as any words or Interfacing can. Such has been the way of things since people found the rhythm in beating two rocks together. There are many things that can spark the creation of music. That the revelations that would come at what seemed to be Shinji and Asuka's most anticipated moment were almost a given.
We were all anxious, in one way or another. But in the end, the hardest of hits come from the most unexpected of places.
Pribnow Box, Geofront, 1 Week Later
Asuka Soryu-Langley, the Second Child, and, once again, the pilot of Unit-02, tried hard not to bounce too much in her seat in the Entry Plug. Of course, she could allow herself to show some excitement. After all, she was right back where she was supposed to be, in the Entry Plug of her Unit-02. But there was more than that. 'I… I finally get to talk to mama again…'
A part of her reminded herself to thank Daniel and Eleanor for expediting repairs to the point that they could even think of doing these synch tests. And she would. Right after she talked to mama.
She thought back to what Daniel had said to both her and Shinji before they went into the Geofront for the test. "There's a better than good chance that both your mothers are going to be overjoyed to be able to talk to you again. It's going to be very easy to connect your souls quickly. But…"
Shinji nodded. "That's going to look weird for the technicians who are monitoring us. Maybe even enough to stop the test."
Both of their eyes widened at that. Daniel nodded. "Yeah. Your mother, in particular, Asuka, might try and make the connection immediately."
Daniel smiled slightly. "Do your best to take it slow. If nothing else, you'll both be excited to talk to each other again. You'll be going first, then Shinji will step in."
He put his hands on their shoulders and his smile widened. "Good luck, you two."
Now, as she heard the chatter in the observation room rise to a crescendo she had surprisingly missed, a somewhat familiar voice broke through the chatter. "Alright, Asuka," Doctor Akagi said, "we'll be starting shortly. I can assume that you're still familiar with the process?"
Asuka gave a haughty sniff. "Doctor, if I had forgotten, I wouldn't be the best pilot NERV has, would I?"
A quiet sigh came through on the other end of the line. "Point taken. Prepare for Stage 1 connection."
Asuka didn't try to conceal her smile. The ones monitoring her would make their assumptions anyway. 'I'm going to talk to mama! I'm going to tell her so much! I can tell her I love her again!'
Inside the observation chamber, Misato looked up at the display showing Asuka's excitement with a small smile of her own. It was good to see her so excited again. She had heard how it had nearly crushed her, but it comforted her that she seemed to have a support net in Daniel and Eleanor, and, as Misato was sure she would be embarrassed to admit, Shinji. 'When are you two just going to bite the bullet and tell each other how you clearly feel? You two are so cute together, and you just can't seem to realize it.'
Someone joined her side, and she looked over to see Daniel. "I see she's taken like a fish to water, getting back into the swing of things like she is," Misato said.
Daniel nodded and chuckled slightly. "It is Asuka, like she said, after all. She's been looking forward to this all week."
Misato nodded in turn. "I know that much. Even Shinji seemed somewhat excited to get back into the plug."
Daniel's expression lost a little bit of its lightness. "Well," he said quietly after a moment, "can you blame them?"
Misato nodded slowly after a moment. 'No, I guess I can't.' she sighed quietly. 'Ever since they found out about their mother's souls, they've probably been chomping at the bit to get back in. That's what made Commander Ikari's dismissal so… evil. Even without him knowing they knew. Now… I just hope everything goes well.'
Maya cut through Misato's thoughts as she called out. "Beginning stage 3 connection. 0.75. 0.80. 0.90. 0.95. Mark. Absolute borderline crossed. The Eva is online."
Asuka nodded, focusing her Sight on the end of the Entry Plug, and ultimately, the core. In the distance was… nothing. 'Wait. No, there is something.'
In what seemed like the far-off distance, she saw a light, flickering and dim like a lonely star in a black night sky. Slowly it came into focus, and she saw the connection, a Frame that stretched out towards her, connected to her own soul. She strengthened her connection with it, and she felt the wholeness that she had experienced from that first day piloting Unit-02 all those years ago.
She further strengthened the connection slowly. It was almost odd, seeing how the connection between her and her mama worked. Her mama's soul still flickered oddly, seemingly out of sync with itself. Why?
As the connection grew stronger, she began to make out emotions. Patience. Boredom. Surprise. Wonderment?
Asuka tried her best to hold back her own emotions from overwhelming her as the connection continued to grow. "Mama?"
Joy. Joy. Love. Want. "Asuka!"
"Mama!"
Outside of Asuka's perception, the synch rate rose slowly, but steadily. "35%. 45. 50. 60. 75. 80. 85%. Holding steady so far at around 90%" Maya said.
Ritsuko keyed into the Entry Plug. "You've just blown past your personal best. Good job."
Asuka's eyes flickered over to the camera, trying to hide the annoyance in them, along with the tears that welled up in their corners. "But of course. Now, let me focus and see if I can keep beating it."
She focused her gaze again as Ritsuko tried her best not to roll her eyes. "Mama! Mama, I'm so glad to be able to see you again!"
"Asuka! I-I've missed you! And… you've found m-me. I-In here of all places. Ho-How?"
"Someone told me you were here! That you've been with me this whole time!"
"I-I have been here! And n-now, yo-you're her-ere too!"
Asuka's chest tightened slightly with concern. What was going on with her voice? And why was the flickering getting more intense? She could almost make out the details of her mama's soul...
"Mama? Are you okay? What's wrong with your voice?"
"Asu-Asuka! Pl-Please, Sta-ie with m-me!"
"What?"
"S-Die with me. Die with me!"
Asuka saw her mother's soul in its entirety. And a portion of that soul reached out and grabbed at hers.
. . .
Maya's display went wild, and her eyes went wide. "Her synch score is going crazy!"
Ritsuko looked over with similarly wide eyes as the Eva began to jerk and spasm in its restraints. "Send the shutdown codes!"
Maya shook her head. "It isn't responding!"
. . .
Asuka desperately tried to pull away from the other half of her mother's soul as it wrapped itself around their connection, seeming to squeeze like a constrictor snake around the link. Other tendrils seemed to rise from that half of her mother's soul towards her like grasping hands.
"Die with me! Please! I miss you!"
Asuka could not help but remember her mother in her final days. 'This is that part of her soul… the part of her that was left behind. I have to get out!'
With no small amount of effort, she focused on breaking the bonds which the insane part of her mother's soul held her with. It seemed to writhe and twist until finally, she broke free.
As she retreated she called back to her mother. "I'm sorry! I love you!"
"I'm sorry, Asuka! I love you. I love…" Love. Sadness. Desperation. Then nothing.
. . .
Outside of the Entry Plug, alarms continued to blare as the inside of the Pribnow Box went dark.
"Power has been cut! 30 seconds on the Eva's batteries!" Maya said. She looked back at her screen, and her eyes widened after a moment. "Synch rate is lowering steadily. We're regaining control. Shutting down now." She sighed in relief. "Eva will deactivate in approximately 15 seconds."
The entire process had taken less than 2 minutes. Shinji was at a loss for words, and his fear was only lessened as he felt the presence of Daniel and Eleanor close by, as well as Misato's hand gently squeezing his shoulder.
He had Seen what had happened. How fractured and broken Asuka's mother's soul was. How a darker part had nearly caught her. And even from this distance, he knew Asuka, the woman he loved more than almost anything, struggled to contain her confusion, her sadness, under the veneer of haughty annoyance that she would show to the other staff members. He didn't even need to look at the monitor or her soul to know such was the case.
As the Entry Plug ejected and Asuka made her way to the locker rooms, Daniel turned to Misato and Shinji. "She'd probably appreciate you being there," he said quietly.
Misato and Shinji both silently turned and made their way to the locker rooms, as Ritsuko began to coordinate the diagnostics and transfer of Unit-02 out of the Pribnow Box.
. . .
Asuka stood with her face towards the showerhead, the water running down her face. It almost hid the tears that she shed. 'I didn't break my promise to you again until now, Mama. Not since the night I found my Bruder. But… I made that promise that I'd never cry to someone I thought was dead. And now… you're alive. You're alive!'
She let the water continue to run down her for a moment before finally turning the shower off. 'But is what you're doing living? Cut in half like that? What can I even do?'
She didn't really know. And the frustration and anger and helplessness that coursed through her provided no easy answer.
She finished dressing and stepped out of the locker room to find Misato and Shinji waiting for her. She stepped into a hug from Misato, putting her arms around the Major and squeezing. She wanted a hug from Shinji, desperately wanted him to comfort her. But the thought of doing that in front of Misato awakened old fears. She didn't know about this, about them, for a reason.
After a moment, she stepped out of the hug. "Thanks, Misato. Seeing my mother like that…"
Misato blinked. "Seeing? What do you mean?"
Both Shinji and Asuka blinked. They hadn't told her about their training in Interfacing, did they? With both Misato and Kaji finally actually coming home only a few days ago, and the excitement of the upcoming synch tests, it had slipped both their minds.
Shinji scratched the back of his head. "Well… since Asuka and I weren't pilots anymore, Daniel decided to make good on his promise to train us in Interfacing."
Asuka nodded as Misato's brow rose. "Yeah. Rei happened to join in too, seeing as her Eva was pretty trashed after the Angel. So far, he's taught us how to see other people's souls, and a few other things as well." she rolled her eyes. "Still waiting for him to teach us something really exciting," she said under her breath.
Misato shook her head. "So… what does that look like?" she asked as she tilted her head slightly. Her eyes narrowed as an impish grin came across her face. "Is it like staring at someone without their clothes?"
Asuka and Shinji blushed. "It's not like that, Misato!" Asuka said hotly. Her annoyance became introspection as she went quiet after a moment. "It's like… looking at a sculpture, kind of."
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. And it isn't just being able to see the soul itself, too. You can see and understand the emotions someone's feeling too. It's… beautiful, really."
Misato nodded, and the hallway was quiet. "It sounds interesting. Maybe I should ask him to teach me that, too," she said after a moment. 'And I wonder if you two have seen how you dance around each other, finally. Maybe you've finally admitted it to each other.' she smiled slightly. 'It would take looking right at each other's feelings to admit that, wouldn't it?'
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. It's been… interesting."
Misato stepped back. "I'm going to supervise Unit-01's transfer into the Pribnow Box. It'll be about 45 minutes before your test starts, Shinji." she paused for a moment. "For what it's worth from me… I hope seeing your mother again goes well, Shinji."
Shinji looked up at her as a small smile crossed his face. "Thank you, Misato."
Misato nodded. "Of course, Shinji." she turned and walked away, leaving the two of them alone.
After a moment, Shinji stepped forward to finally give the woman he loved a hug. Asuka put a hand up in front of her before he could though. "Wait," she said, quietly. "She's waiting around the corner of the hall. Probably trying to see if we've finally admitted our feelings to each other." she chuckled slightly.
Shinji was confused for a moment, then figured that Asuka was probably using the Sight. He nodded and stood waiting. After a moment, Asuka nodded and held her arms out. "Okay, you're good."
Shinji stepped in and hugged Asuka tightly. She shuddered slightly. "Shinji…" she said after a moment. "She… I don't know what to do. I want to fix her, but…"
Shinji shushed her quietly. "We'll ask Daniel and Eleanor. Maybe they can think of something."
Asuka nodded, and it was silent for a moment. "Daniel's probably going to teach her about the Sight if she asks."
It was quiet again for a moment as Shinji processed this, his eyes going wide as he came to the inevitable conclusion. "So we can't keep ourselves secret for much longer, then."
Asuka sighed quietly. "Yep. So, now the question becomes do we tell her sooner or later."
She stepped back slightly to look at Shinji's face, then sighed. "We'll come up with something." A small, uncertain smile flickered across her face. "After all, if we work together, we win, right?"
Shinji smiled and chuckled slightly. "Yeah. We win, Asuka. You're smart enough to come up with something, and I'm smart enough to follow your lead."
Asuka raised a hand to flick Shinji's nose lightly. "Don't sell yourself short. If you come up with something good- and you have before- you know I'll follow your lead."
Shinji chuckled after a moment. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. I guess I just forget that sometimes."
Asuka's smile widened slightly as she gave him a quick kiss. "And I'm here to remind you when you do." she stepped out of the embrace. "Go. They'll probably expect you to be ready soon."
Shinji nodded. "Alright. See you on the other side." he turned and walked towards the men's locker room to get ready.
. . .
As Misato walked back into the observation room of the Pribnow Box, the window in front of her showing the back wall swung away to allow another gantry room, she came to rest beside Daniel and Eleanor. "So," she said quietly, but conversationally, "I see you've been expanding my pilot's skill sets."
Daniel nodded. "Yes, I have. I told them I would help them keep themselves safe. And I'm following through on that." he paused for a moment. "If you're going to get on my case for not including you in it, then I ap-"
"No, no," Misato said. "You've got nothing to worry about there. I've been busy for the last little while, and with these Scions that you've talked about… well, if they are as bad as you say, then I'd rather they be safe."
After a moment's silence, Misato spoke again as a wry smile crossed her face. "Though if you can hook me up with that soul vision thing you've apparently got going on, I'm sure that would save me a lot of time trying to understand some of the orders that I get around here sometimes. Not to mention Asuka and Shinji."
Daniel nodded slowly. "Well… whenever you and Kaji are free, we can get you up to speed."
Misato nodded, looking back out the Box as the purple and lime form of Unit-01 began to slide into place. 'He's not telling me everything.' she pondered silently. 'Have Shinji and Asuka already hooked up? And why would Daniel know, but not me?'
. . .
Shinji stepped into the Entry Plug of Unit-01 and tried not to appear too jittery. He would be talking to his mother soon. The mother that had disappeared in front of his very eyes so many years ago. What was she really like? What did she think about being in the Eva? How would she react to this sudden, far deeper contact? And how would she react if she found out his father wanted to get her out?
All those questions and more swirled through his head as he ran through the preparations for the synch test. The chatter in the Entry Plug was white noise as he focused, giving token replies as he prepared himself for what was to come. The only words that mattered to him were soon spoken.
"Prepare for stage 3 connection. 0.50. 0.65. 0.70. 0.85. 0.90. 0.95. Absolute borderline passed. The Eva is online."
Shinji focused on the other end of the Entry Plug, and after a moment, a pinprick of light appeared in the distance. He focused as he had so many times before, and the pinprick of light seemed to become closer, more focused. He blinked. He had almost not realized he was using the Sight. That made this easier, though, as the connection between him and his mother's soul came into focus, and became strong enough to sense emotions.
Patience. Serenity. Surprise. Happiness.
'Is that what mother feels whenever I activate the Eva?' Shinji wondered as he strengthened the connection still further.
At the edges of his focus, he heard Doctor Akagi. "Well done, Shinji. You've blown past your best score. Any anomalies thus far?"
"Thank you, Doctor. And no, nothing that feels out of the ordinary right now." Shinji absentmindedly said, almost missing the part where she said that they would be ready to shut down in the case of any anomalies similar to Unit-02. Instead, he further strengthened the connection.
Surprise. Interest. Happiness. "Shinji?"
"Mother…"
"Shinji… how are you doing this?" Yui Ikari asked, wonder evident in her voice.
Shinji smiled slightly. "It's a long and complicated explanation. All that matters right now is… I get to talk to you again. I have so many questions."
Outside of the silent conversation, Ritsuko nodded. "Alright. It looks like he's settled into a score of about 90%. No wild fluctuations like with Unit-02, but..."
Misato looked back at Ritsuko with slightly narrowed eyes. "But…"
Ritsuko sighed quietly. "But this is only a reactivation test. I'll let it go for a little while longer, but I can't risk having something similar to what happened to Unit-02 happen again."
As all of this transpired, Shinji felt a wave of joy sweep over him from his mother, as he looked at her soul. It was as beautiful to see as any of the other souls that he had seen before, and yet… this soul was one he would always remember.
"Shinji…" his mother said, "I had hoped that your father would protect you from having to do this for as long as possible. But even still, it made me so glad to be able to see you when the Third Angel appeared. I know he wouldn't have asked this of you unless it were absolutely necessary."
An old ember of resentment flared to life in the deepest parts of Shinji's stomach. "I don't want to think about my father right now. Right now… why? Why did you do this? Why did you leave me?"
It was silent in Shinji's mind for a moment. Then he felt what could best be described as a mental sigh. "I had to, Shinji. I truly wish I didn't. I'm sorry for that. They knew that I opposed their plans. So I had to take the chance to be in here. To secure the bright future that I promised you from them. So now, I'm in here, waiting for the right time to be in the right place to completely derail the plans that they've made. To make sure that they don't take your future away from you."
"They? You mean SEELE?"
Shinji saw the spike of fear pulse through his mother's soul at the mention of the name. "How do you know that name?"
"My guardian told me about them. How they started Second Impact. How they want to end the world. And how my father's going along with them to try and get you back." The last thought still stung with how recently he had realized it from making the connections to Hikari's questioning by his father, and he studiously made no mention of the other things that he had learned about the past, from Misato and Daniel both.
"What? Why… that knowledge of Second Impact, Shinji, that's what made me object to their plans, that's what drove me to be in here, to escape from SEELE's displeasure, but… Gendo… why?" confusion and sadness swirled through her soul like a tempest, and Shinji couldn't help but feel sad along with her.
Before Shinji could respond, the voice of Ritsuko seemed to ring into his physical ears. "Everything alright, Shinji? Your synch score took a drop suddenly."
Shinji nodded. "Yes. Something unpleasant just came to mind, and I lost focus for a moment."
"Alright then. Don't worry about adjusting. This is just an activation test. And we're concluding it. Prepare to desynch."
"Yes, ma'am." Shinji turned his focus back to his mother as the connection between them began to go out of focus. "Because you are the only person he seems to care about. Not even I matter to him more than you."
"Gendo…" Sadness. Confusion. Anger. Guilt. Then nothing.
. . .
As Unit-01 finished deactivating, Ritsuko walked up to Misato. "Alright. I noticed some very similar patterns between Unit-01 and Unit-02. I'm not worried about Shinji, but with what happened with Asuka… I'm going to want to talk to her."
Misato nodded. "Alright then." she paused, then sighed quietly. "The pilots know about their mother's souls, Ritsuko," she said, just as quietly.
Ritsuko's eyes widened slightly, then closed as she sighed. "They do, don't they? That probably explains the wild synch scores."
She paused for a moment. "I'll still have to talk to her. To both of them. It's going to look odd if I do nothing."
Misato nodded. "I'll talk to them before they talk to you. That way we can mug properly for the cameras." she gave Ritsuko a meaningful look. "I'll also want to be in there. They're my pilots, and I am their guardian."
Ritsuko nodded. "Done."
. . .
Shinji and Asuka sat across from Misato and Ritsuko in the small, plain debriefing room. A single camera peered down at them from the corner of the ceiling as Misato cleared her throat. "This is being recorded," she said, as the beginning of their 'debriefing' began, "so keep that in mind as you speak, and make your answers as brief as possible while still being at least somewhat comprehensive."
Shinji and Asuka nodded. Misato nodded in turn. "Alright. So, let's start with you, Asuka. You experienced perhaps the most severe rise and fall in synch score during your test."
Risuko nodded. "Much of this can probably be attributed to something that happened core-side, likely as a result of the extensive repairs that had to be made in the aftermath of the last Angel attack. So, go ahead and explain how it felt on your side."
Asuka took a deep breath, managing not to jump as Shinji's hand discretely squeezed hers below the tabletop before retreating, out of sight of both the adults and the camera, and nodded. "Well, I didn't do anything different from what I've done in the past. The connection just seemed sharper. More clear, I guess. Everything else started normally enough as well…"
. . .
After their 'debriefing' concluded, Misato leaned back with a long, quiet sigh, then turned to Ritsuko. "This room is monitored by the Magi, right?"
Ritsuko nodded as Shinji and Asuka gave Misato looks of confusion at the seeming non-sequitur. "Yes. All automated Geofront security is managed by the Magi." she paused for a moment, then shook her head slowly. "If you're asking what I think you are… then I'm sure mother can do us a favor."
Shinji and Asuka were thoroughly baffled now. "Your mother?" Asuka said in an incredulous tone.
Misato nodded. "I'll explain somewhat later. For now… you're able to talk freely."
Asuka's gaze locked onto Ritsuko with laser-like speed. "Why?"
Ritsuko blinked as it went quiet for a moment, then sighed. "I wish I could have been able to tell you. But information like that is- was- confidential. If I revealed it to you…" she trailed off, looking down and to the side.
Asuka leaned back in her chair, silent for a moment. "All my life," she said, "I've lived without knowing what happened to my mother. What made her change so drastically. What made her…" she trailed off, and silence filled the room again. "So, again… why keep something like that from us if we can be better pilots?"
Before Ritsuko could reply, Shinji's voice, cold and clear, rang out into the room. "It's because of my father, isn't it?"
Silence battered its way back into the room, as surprise, shock, and no small amount of fear flashed across Ritsuko's face. Then, she seemed to deflate as she sagged slightly in her chair. "Yes," she said morosely. "He is very particular about operational security. Among other things."
It was silent for another moment, then Misato stood. "Alright then. Let's go ahead and go home, you two. You obviously need the rest."
Asuka and Shinji nodded, standing and walking out the door, leaving Misato and Ritsuko alone for a moment. Misato looked down at Ritsuko, and a small, sad smile crossed her face. "So, Ritsky, want to go out drinking tonight? Might help with things."
Ritsuko blinked, looking up at Misato in surprise, then smiled slightly. "Not tonight, Misato. I still have a lot of work to do. I'm having to do it at home just to keep up, and that's with Maya coming along."
Misato looked at Ritsuko for a silent moment, then her smile started to become a smirk. "Well, far be it for me to interrupt a dinner date."
Ritsuko chuckled as she rolled her eyes. "I would say something about it not being like that, but…"
Misato chuckled as well. "You and I both know it's like that now. And… it's good for you. I haven't seen you this happy since…" she shrugged slightly.
Ritsuko nodded. "Yeah… it has been a while since someone has made me happy. Or at least, that happy."
Misato nodded, then made her way towards the door. She stopped and turned before she left. "Have fun with your work tonight. And tell your mother thank you for me." then, the doorway was empty, and Ritsuko was alone.
It was quiet for a moment as Ritsuko pondered on the words that she had heard over the past week. "Yeah, Misato," she said to the thin air. "I will."
- - -
Shinji and Asuka rode home, the car silent as the setting sun, broken up by the buildings, gave them a vivid backdrop as they both pondered their conversations, brief though they may have been.
Shinji, in particular, thought deeply about what his mother had said to him. 'Mother said she was opposing SEELE's plans, waiting for the right time, so clearly, she knew about them. Quite well, it seems, if her fear regarding just saying their name's anything to go by. Looking at her soul, she felt… close to them. Very close. Like she had joined early on. Or… maybe she was born into it. And my father had to get to know about SEELE somehow…'
Shinji's eyes widened slightly at the very real possibility. 'Oh, god. Am I the latest in a line of people looking to end the world?' he looked down at his hands as if there was a deep stain that he couldn't scrub off without tearing them to the bone. 'Is… is my family cursed?'
He recognized the feeling of a connection to his soul only moments after and felt something take a look at his feelings for a moment more before a vivid mental image of a punch to the arm followed. "Hey, that's enough. Stop it."
"What?" Shinji had to struggle to not say it out loud.
In the seat beside him, Asuka rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. All that stuff about 'cursed bloodlines' is nonsense. After all, when it comes to Ikaris, there's you. And I love you just the way you are, thank you very much."
Shinji glanced over at Misato as she focused on the road, then looked over at Asuka. "Asuka… what if…"
He marshaled his thoughts for a moment before taking a quiet breath. "Asuka… I love you, too. But… I'm starting to realize what I'd do to get you back if I ever lost you." he said as a quiet loathing danced through his soul.
"Shinji…" Asuka said, somewhat hesitant. "What would you do?"
"Anything."
Asuka saw the bitterness and fear that joined Shinji's loathing as he continued. "I could burn the world, and it wouldn't matter as long as I got you back. Just like my father." Shinji felt like he would burst at any moment from how much he hated the fact.
Asuka leaned slightly to confirm Misato was still focusing on the road, then reached across and gently squeezed Shinji's hand. "Shinji… I'm always amazed at how much you care. But… you don't have to resign yourself to being an asshole like the high and mighty Commander. Would you really do what he does? Manipulate and twist those around you, around us… just so you could get me back?"
Shinji hesitated for a moment, trying to draw away his hand from Asuka before she squeezed a little tighter. "No." he finally admitted. "No, I wouldn't."
"And I wouldn't love you if you did," Asuka said. "And already, that puts you miles above your asshole of a dad. And… you also wouldn't be alone in trying to get me back if something happened. You'd have everyone who knows and loves us both by your side and at your back, Rei and Toji and Hikari, Misato, the Theisman's, hell, maybe even the new scribble, depending on where that goes."
"Father had those, too," Shinji said. "The Deputy-Commander was one of his professors, and I'm sure he had some sway with my mother's friends that he worked with. What difference does it make?"
As they arrived home, Asuka let go of Shinji's hand as they walked back to their apartment, the Children sitting down on the couch as Misato went to the kitchen to grab a beer and get some paperwork done.
"The difference is that they never told your dad no, it seems like," Asuka said after a moment as she flicked the television on. "If nothing else, Rei and Toji and Hikari would tell you when you were going too far. Would you listen to them?"
Shinji was silent for a moment as Asuka watched the deliberation going on in his soul. Then, he sighed quietly as he looked at Asuka. "Yes," he said aloud, quietly. "I would."
"Can you promise that to me?" Asuka said, equally quiet.
Shinji nodded. "Yes. I can."
Asuka smiled slightly. "Then congratulations. You won't be like your father." she paused for a moment. "Besides, if anyone is going to be breaking curses on the family name, it's the one that's actually doing something good for a good reason," she said as she lightly punched Shinji on the shoulder.
Shinji nodded as a slight smile grew on his face, then he chuckled softly. "Leave it to you to jerk me up out of something like this."
"It's what I'm good at, Shinji," Asuka said somewhat smugly. "I can't help but do it. So don't forget it."
Shinji's smile widened. "Yes, dear."
Asuka nodded self-assuredly, and the connection between the two of them faded.
The apartment was quiet for a moment, save for the gulping of Misato drinking her beer, perhaps her second one, Shinji got an idea, standing and walking towards his room as Asuka's eyebrow rose.
Shinji came back out a moment later, cello case in one hand and a folding chair in another.
As Shinji began to set up, Misato looked through the entryway from the kitchen to the living room with a sly grin. "Ooooh, Shinji, looking to make some music for Asuka, are we?"
Asuka sighed, shaking her head. "I mean… with everything we've learned… maybe we both need it."
Misato's expression became somber for a moment, then relaxed as Shinji began to play. She rose from her place in the dining room, sitting down close to Asuka's beanbag on the couch. "So, what did you two learn?"
Asuka sighed. "Well, not only is my mother's soul in two pieces still… but… Shinji's mom… apparently, she's either closely involved with SEELE, or she's been a part of SEELE since she was born. It hit Shinji pretty hard."
Misato nodded slowly as the music continued, and all present missed the quiet swish of the door. "Wow…" she looked over at Shinji, whose eyes were closed as he swayed slightly to the music he made.
As Shinji finished his music with a slight flourish, Asuka and Misato clapped. "Good job Shinji," Misato said with a smile on her face.
Before Shinji could reply, another voice made its presence known. "Yes, Shinji. Good job as always."
All in the living room turned to look at Daniel, who held a guitar case in one hand as he leaned on the doorway between the kitchen and the living room smiling, with Rei close behind them. "I see that we both figured that music would be helpful to soothe the inevitable revelations of the day."
Shinji nodded as he smiled. "Yeah, you're right."
Daniel's smile shrunk slightly. "How are you two holding up?" he said quietly.
Asuka sighed. "About as well as we can."
Daniel nodded, walking over to sit down on the couch, leaning the guitar case against it as he did so, Rei sitting on the last available beanbag.
Asuka nodded down at the guitar. "I'm glad that you decided to cheer us up with your guitar skills, but I'm not sure a cello and a guitar go terribly well together, Daniel."
Daniel looked at Shinji, and both of their eyes began to gleam as Daniel turned back to Asuka, grabbing the guitar case and setting it on his lap. "You want to bet on that?"
As Asuka and Misato's brows both rose, Daniel looked back at Shinji. "How much do you remember of when we played together?"
A smile grew on Shinji's face. "Enough that if you started playing something, I could probably pick it up fairly easily."
Daniel nodded as he checked the tuning of his guitar. "Good, good." finding the tuning satisfactory, he pondered for a moment on what to play.
After a moment, he nodded, a smirk crossing his face. "Alright, I have an idea. You'll know it when you hear it."
He began to strum, and Shinji caught on immediately, coming in at his part only a second late.
As their music came together, they swayed slightly, and the other occupants of the living room watched in wide-eyed silence as they played.
Their faces were set in concentration, Daniel's head bobbing slightly in time with the music. Shinji plucked at the strings of the cello, and the melody seemed to almost make the air itself move with the tune.
Then, Shinji set bow to strings, short, but smooth movements replicating the sound of a human voice. Daniel's guitar was almost, but not quite overshadowed by the cello, as they seemed to dance without moving from where they were.
They reached the chorus, Daniel's flourishes complimenting Shinji's as the chorus seemed to pound like a beating heart, the beat pulsing through Asuka, Misato, and Rei.
Daniel's head swayed as they reached the end of the chorus and moved on to the second verse, and he mouthed the words as he played. 'And nothing else matters…'
They moved back into the chorus, then, as they finished, they seemed to dive into what would have been the main instrumental, Shinji now fully swaying as the volume toned down and Daniel's fingers moved deftly across the strings as he leaned back slightly from seeming to almost stand up.
Then, the song began to quiet again, as they moved into the last portion of the song, the two players stilling as they reached the finale with a slowly drawn bow, and the last few notes plucked on the guitar.
Shinji and Daniel both finished with a small flourish, and it was silent for a moment before Asuka, Misato, and Rei clapped. "Wow," Asuka said, with no small amount of amazement in her voice, "I wouldn't have ever figured that someone could play that on just a guitar and cello."
Daniel chuckled slightly. "You would think that. But then you would underestimate Shinji's musical ingenuity."
As Shinji blushed slightly at the outright praise, Misato chuckled. "Man, if only Asuka and Rei had instruments. We could have a whole orchestra in here."
As she said that, Daniel glanced sideways at Asuka with a small smile. "I seem to recall packing away a slightly dusty violin case and music stand when we made our way here from Germany, Asuka."
Asuka blinked, then her eyes widened as she stood up. "Of course! It's probably around here somewhere."
She almost bolted towards the back rooms as Daniel turned to Rei. "So," he said, pausing for a moment as she looked over at him, "what did you think of the show?"
Rei nodded, her eyes still wide. "It was… beautiful, in unexpected ways. Watching how you two interacted with the music you made was… inspiring."
A soft smile came to all those in the living room as she said this, when, with a triumphant cry, Asuka emerged from the back bedrooms with a small case in hand. "Well, here you go, Shinji. I can add music of my own to this odd little string trio."
She set the case down, unlatching it and opening it to extract a violin and bow that seemed in decent condition.
Shinji's brow rose just a fraction. "And how long has it been since you played?"
As Asuka was about to set bow to string, she paused. "Well… I don't think I ever played it when you were around, Daniel."
Daniel nodded sagely. "Then I would recommend taking it slow at first."
Asuka nodded as she rolled her eyes in mock annoyance. "Yeah, yeah."
Asuka slid the bow across the strings, and everyone, Asuka included, tried their best not to wince at the near screech that came from the violin.
Asuka lowered the violin from her cheek with a slightly embarrassed expression. "Sorry. I should probably find some rosin for the bow. And maybe replace the strings. That might help somewhat."
Shinji nodded. "I have some rosin you can use in the meantime, and there's a music store close by where we can find some strings."
Asuka put her hands on her hips as best she could. "Why, thank you, Shinji. I have no intention of staying behind for very long, so be ready to play the hardest pieces you can find with me!"
"Oooh, Asuka, I didn't know you wanted to actually make music with Shinji," Misato said with a smirk. "Okay with being annoyed with him not… playing to your tune?" she finished suggestively.
Shinji and Asuka predictably turned red in the face. "Misato!" they said at the same time, with the same indignation evident in their voice.
Misato chuckled. "Oh, come on. You two are just too easy to tease." her face became just slightly more serious. "However, if you are going to practice at night, please do it before I go to sleep. I would like to be able to wake up in the morning at least slightly well-rested. To say nothing of Kaji."
Daniel looked over at Misato as the front door swished open and shut, announcing the arrival of the man in question. "I wouldn't worry too terribly much, Misato. They'll be soundproofed before she starts practicing."
As Misato nodded gratefully, Kaji leaned on the entrance to the living room with a slightly bemused look. "Well, well, I didn't know it was concert night tonight."
Everyone looked over at Kaji as he ambled into the living room. "Well, we were kind of depressed after talking with our mother's souls in the Eva," Asuka said, "and Shinji had the idea of getting his cello out and playing it, while Daniel apparently had the same idea with his guitar. And they wowed us enough with the music they played together, it jogged my memory that I had a violin that I have had far too little practice with recently."
Kaji nodded sagely as his bemused expression became more prominent. "Ah, so you're making music with Shinji, eh?"
Shinji and Asuka both rolled their eyes. "Nice try, Kaji," Shinji said, "but Misato already got us with that one."
Kaji nodded as he sighed slightly. "Oh, well." he looked down at Daniel. "It's been a while since I've seen one of your guitars out."
Daniel nodded. "That it has been, Kaji," he said as he stood, beginning to pack his guitar away. "But it's time for me to get going and put on dinner for when Eleanor gets home." he looked at Rei. "So, will you be dining with us tonight, or here with Shinji and Asuka?"
Rei nodded at Daniel. "I'll be dining here tonight."
Daniel nodded in turn. "Alright then. We'll see you after dinner and homework are done, then."
Daniel said his goodbyes to the others, and as he left, a collective growl filled the air as stomachs rumbled at the thought of dinner.
"You know, now that he mentions it…" Misato said, glancing meaningfully at Shinji.
Shinji nodded and began to put his cello away. "Let me get this put away and I'll go ahead and start."
- - -
1 Day Later
Rei walked into a familiar part of Tokyo-3 and pondered on change.
She had brought up her concerns with Kaworu quietly to Daniel and Eleanor as they walked back from releasing Hikari from quarantine, and their words still echoed in her memory.
"Rei, I understand why you feel so… antagonistic to him," Daniel said. "It's literally hard-baked into your instincts to fear any of Adam's lineage."
Rei nodded. "Yes. But…"
As Rei fell silent, Eleanor finished the thought that she seemed unwilling to voice. "You understand him. More than you ever thought you would."
Rei sighed. "Yes," she said, in an almost defeated tone. "I want to hate him, to ensure that he will never be a threat to the people that I love. And yet I know what he has gone through. Not as an Angel, but as an almost human being. A Child."
Daniel nodded sagely. "The well-being of Kaworu will play a great part in future events. Not just in the Scenario of SEELE and Gendo, but in the world at large." he paused for a moment as Shinji and Toji glanced back at them. After a moment, he nodded, as if coming to a realization. He looked down at Rei. "Shinji and Asuka have helped show you what it means to be human, correct?"
Rei nodded slowly, beginning to piece together what Daniel had in mind. "Yes…" she said, just as slowly.
Daniel sighed quietly. "Kaworu Nagisa has spent his entire existence, meager though it may be, in isolation. Nothing but files on NERV personnel and a violin to occupy his time. He could use someone to help him become… adjusted to what 'normal' human life is."
Rei's expression was deadpan. "And that someone is me."
Eleanor looked at Rei with understanding. "You know, it doesn't need to be you if you don't want to. Shinji or Asuka could help him too-"
"No," Rei said, more forcefully than she meant to. "No," she said again softly. "I… I am the only one who understands what he is going through to any reasonable degree." she paused for a moment. "And… you have described to me the concept of 'paying it forward'."
She looked at her friends. Her family. She nodded. "Perhaps I can pay forward their generosity to me. Their patience and understanding."
Rei smiled slightly at the thought before the smile vanished as she came to a stop in front of the housing of one Kaworu Nagisa.
She had phoned ahead, officially wanting to apologize for the physical altercation in person. Kaworu, even with how much they had avoided each other due to their ancestral enmity, was effacing in his politeness and gave the address, found in Ayashibahara, where he lived. That was the first red flag for her.
The building she now stood before seemed even more in shambles than her previous apartment, but what it held within was no less dangerous, that ancient echo in her soul warned.
She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come and quashing that eldritch whisper in the back of her mind, at least as best she could, before entering the building and beginning to ascend the stairs that were the only alternative to an elevator with a precariously dangling 'out of order' sign on the doors.
She stopped in front of Kaworu's front door, reaching for a doorbell that wasn't even there anymore. Whether taken down for repairs or stolen by someone truly desperate, she didn't really know. So, she settled on knocking on the door.
"Come in." a quiet, familiar, somewhat irritating voice replied, and she opened the door and stepped into the apartment.
'Apartment' was a strong word for what she stepped into, the singular room as dilapidated within as the rest of the building was without, what little off-white paint there was left chipping off as a lone window on the back wall housing a dingy air conditioning unit that rattled as it tried to do its job of circulating the musky, stale air.
A single bed took up the entire wall on one side, with a low nightstand by its side covering almost half of the back wall, while the other corner housed a standing shower unit with an opaque shower curtain almost concealing the combination sink toilet that made up the rest of the 'bathroom'. In the entryway where she stood, a familiar kitchenette setup greeted her, setting off memories of her old home.
As she took in the frankly unsettling sight of Kaworu's accommodations, the boy in question quietly cleared his throat. Rei resisted the urge to jump back as she looked at the boy sitting on his bed, regarding her with curious crimson eyes. 'How odd,' she thought, 'that the admixture of humanity with Adam and Lilith produces many of the same features. I wonder…'
"I must admit," Kaworu began, that damnable knowing smile on his lips, "I wondered why you did not simply decide to maintain our distance, risk another display of violence simply to apologize to me in person."
Rei's brow furrowed slightly. "To apologize in person is a courtesy, one that I have been avoiding for the reasons you have stated. Thus…"
She paused for a moment, trying to force the words a part of her just didn't want to say out. "I apologize for my loss of control and the pain that it caused you."
It was silent for a moment, then Kaworu nodded slightly. "I accept your apology. I am grateful that, despite our… extenuating circumstances, we can remain civil in each other's presence."
Rei nodded in turn as she returned to observing the room. "Indeed."
It was a moment more before she continued. "These lodgings are quite… lacking."
"It suffices for my needs," Kaworu said with a slight shrug. "I have little in the way of possessions, and no great desire to invite guests into my home. Thus, I accept what I am given."
"I once accepted such, too. I was alone, then, like you are now." Rei paused for a moment. "Then, others became aware of my circumstances and lifted me from them. You are a pilot, one of the Children of NERV, the same as myself or Shinji and Asuka or Toji and Hikari."
She paused again for a moment. "They became my friends because of what they decided to do. I will speak to Major Katsuragi about moving you from this apartment."
Kaworu shook his head in wonderment. "Such generosity, for one who is, by all rights, your natural enemy. Why?" he asked as he regarded her intently.
Rei was silent for a moment as she searched for an appropriate word that wouldn't fully betray the mess of emotions that she was feeling at this instant.
"Compassion." she finally settled on. "Especially the compassion of one who once esteemed me as little more than a rival. Until she understood, and reached out and offered me something better."
She sighed quietly. "I cannot turn aside from a situation so similar to mine and continue to feel worthy of the love they showed me."
"Love, again," Kaworu said distantly. "I still wish to understand it." he paused. "I wish to understand why you would give it to one who could destroy everything you know."
Rei smiled slightly. "It is… human. Even I do not fully understand the depth of the descendants of Lilith. But I have learned some."
"Can you…" Kaworu said, then he paused for a moment. "Can you teach me? About humanity? About love?"
Rei looked down for a moment. 'This is… a dangerous path I might tread.' she thought. 'Then again, it always has been. For a chance to wrest a pawn from the hands of SEELE…'
"Very well." she finally said. "I shall teach you what little I know."
Kaworu's brows shot up. "Why do you accept?" he asked quietly, a genuine curiosity in his tone.
"Because I, too, once esteemed myself as a simple tool," Rei replied, equally quietly. "Until I was taught the first lesson of humanity: That everyone can choose what they are. What they wish to be."
"That is your first lesson," Rei said. "The rest will follow in the coming days."
She turned, then paused. "We have not been heard, have we?"
She heard the smile in his voice. "The seven Section 2 agents, and their listening devices, have heard nothing of this conversation." he was quiet for a moment. "They will note your arrival and departure. I may keep them from hearing, but their sight is untouchable to me."
"That is easily explained," Rei replied. She considered for a moment what she might say in parting. Then, in a moment of surprising agreement between the two portions of herself, she remembered a saying from a favored film. "Good night, Nagisa. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning."
Rei became profoundly grateful that her position hid the brilliant blush on her face as she waited for Kaworu to respond. "To say that now seems… counterintuitive, after the progress we have made," he said slowly.
"It is a reference to a piece of human artwork. Your lessons may very well cover the meaning. Good night."
With that, Rei vanished into the open night of Tokyo-3, and Kaworu regarded the closed door for a moment. He found himself mildly surprised that the Call, that gnawing thing that had been a part of him since his inception, that had only gained a greater ferocity as he arrived here, had… quieted itself, somehow, while Ms. Ayanami was here. 'Fascinating. I may not just learn about the human experience when I am around Ms. Ayanami.'
- - -
2 Days Later
Asuka looked back across at Rei as she began to type again. She hit enter, and Asuka's eyes darted forward, as Kaworu, similarly intent on his laptop, began typing after a moment. They were acting… strange. And she couldn't entirely figure out why.
During the school day, between classes, she would sometimes catch a glimpse of Kaworu leaning over to whisper something in Rei's ear. She would ponder on the answer for a moment, then lean back and whisper in his ear, Kaworu's eyes widening slightly as he ahhed quietly and nodded.
As lunch came around, and the pilots (along with Kensuke and what was, apparently now, his two girlfriends) went to the roof, Rei and Kaworu were late. Again.
Before they arrived, the other pilots felt their phones vibrate. 'Before you ask, Nagisa is currently weathering some particular biological urges.'
The pilots needed no further explanation.
After a moment, the two pilots in question walked out of the doorway onto the roof, sitting down next to each other. Kaworu was slightly blushing and seemed… flustered. Rei was only somewhat more composed.
"So… how are you liking Tokyo-3 so far, scribble?" Asuka said after a moment of awkward silence.
Kaworu blinked. "Scribble?"
Asuka blinked herself and tried hard not to blush at her slip-up as Kensuke, Sayaka, and Kyoko looked quizzically at her. "Uh… your hair," she said, trying her hardest not to sound lame. "It just reminded me of someone scribbling the outline. It's stuck with me for some reason."
After another moment of silence, Kaworu shrugged, his trademark slight smile on his lips. "It is no problem, Asuka. I have not had a nickname before now. I suppose now is as good a time as any to gain one."
Asuka tried, and mostly succeeded, at hiding the sigh of relief that threatened to burst out of her chest. "Alright then. Hell of a childhood, not even having a nickname, Kaworu," she said conversationally.
Kaworu nodded. "I had no one around with which to give me one. It has been what it has been."
Rei nodded as he said this, and looked over at Shinji and Asuka. "I believe tonight is our movie night," she said, hoping to change the subject. "I hope you do not mind, but I would like to invite Nagisa over, to show him his first movie."
Everyone's eyes widened. "Your first movie?" Toji said incredulously. "You haven't even watched a movie?"
Kensuke nodded. "Man, that's crazy. What did you do, grow up in a lab?"
Rei winced slightly at how unknowingly accurate Kensuke's statement was, then focused as Shinji chuckled somewhat uneasily. "Well, actually, we were planning on practicing together tonight. Misato's putting together a Christmas party that'll be in the next week and a half, and she thought that a cello and violin to play a few songs seemed appealing."
Rei nodded slowly, a glum look seeming to cross her face. Kaworu's eyes, however, were intent. "Would there happen to be room enough for a second violin? I have not played with another person before, let alone as part of a group."
Shinji and Asuka looked at each other for a moment, then shrugged. "I mean, I guess. As long as you can come over and practice on a regular basis." Shinji said.
Kaworu's smile grew slightly wider. "Thank you, Shinji, Asuka. I'm glad that I could offer my skills, meager though they may be."
Shinji nodded. "And thank you for offering, Kaworu."
Kaworu's face seemed to blush slightly deeper as Shinji said this, and he shifted around for a moment before stilling.
Rei said nothing, seeming to be deep in thought. She was silent as lunch continued, and Kaworu continued to present a polite, courteous face to those he was slowly coming to consider his friends.
As lunch concluded, and the children stood to go to their classes, Rei walked up to Asuka, who waved Shinji ahead, Kaworu joining his side as they made quiet conversation. "What do you need, Rei?" Asuka said, only a slight amount of annoyance evident in her tone.
Rei shifted her eyes downward, clearly somewhat embarrassed. "I… I have been thinking of the performance from earlier in the week, and… I want to take part in that. In the upcoming performance. I want to make my own music. Make music with you and Shinji."
Asuka's eyebrow rose as they both descended the stairway from the roof to the rest of the building. "Well…" Asuka said slowly, clearly not missing the double entendre, unintentional as it was. "I mean, a week and a half is a really small amount of time to learn an instrument, even for only one song. It took months, years of practice for me to get where I was before I dropped it for a while."
Of course, she left unsaid that the process of shaking off the rust by practicing with Shinji had become a thoroughly enjoyable process, especially when the practicing came after passion. That last part bought a slight smirk to her face before she refocused on the surprisingly determined gaze of Rei.
"I have done considerable research within the last three days to determine the type of instrument that would best compliment your violin and Shinji's cello. All I ask…"
Rei blushed slightly. "All I ask is that you might accompany me to the music store to make an acquisition of the instrument in question."
Asuka blinked as they approached their classroom. "So, which instrument were you thinking of?"
Rei smiled slightly. "The viola has become my final choice. As I have said, it compliments the cello and violin in a three-piece ensemble." her smile dimmed somewhat. "Or, now, a four-piece one."
They entered their classroom and made their way to their separate seats, and Asuka pondered on what she had heard. 'Man. And here I thought I was the most excited to start learning… or I guess, relearning my instrument. But how do I help Rei learn an instrument like that? There isn't any way possible to just drop the knowledge into her brain.'
She examined the last thought for a moment, seeming to turn it in her head as she pondered on the problem. 'Or is there…?'
After some discrete questions to the head of the music club, and a viola player that happened to stick around, that yes, a violin and a viola were functionally similar instruments, Asuka walked out of the school building at the end of the day surprisingly separate from her friends, at least for now, as she pulled out a phone, texting a particular number, then dialing it when she was satisfied with the answer she received. "Hey, Daniel. I have a question…"
. . .
Shinji and Kaworu stepped into the Theisman's apartment, which was their practice area for the day, as Shinji looked over at the ashen-haired boy who carried a violin case. He was very interested in Shinji's life, and was cheery and courteous as well, seeming to make a great effort to be his friend. Shinji, for how wary he had been of Kaworu's evident status as not only an Angel, but the final Angel, was starting to warm up to him. "So," Shinji said with a small smile, "how did you come to learn the violin?"
Kaworu nodded. "It was one of the few options that I had. Otherwise, it was endless boredom and dreariness. The music helped to dispel some of it. It… called to me, in a sense."
Shinji nodded. From what Daniel had told them, he probably wasn't exaggerating when he said that. As they made their way into the living room and began to set up, the door swished open and shut, and Daniel stood at the entrance to the living room, eying the setup, and Kaworu in particular, with no small amount of discernment. "Mr. Nagisa," he said after a moment, walking over to Kaworu as the boy turned to face him.
He extended a hand. "I'm Captain Theisman, head of Engineering for the Evangelion. But seeing as we'll be working together, at least for the short term, just call me Daniel."
Kaworu cautiously reached out his own hand, grasping at Daniel's, unprepared for the firmness of the shake. "A pleasure to meet you, Daniel."
Daniel nodded with a smile. "Likewise. So, you've arrived to turn the duet into an ensemble, huh?"
Kaworu nodded. "I simply asked for the chance. Shinji was kind enough to accept my request. I'm honored to be able to be useful to those who would be my friends."
Daniel nodded, then turned to Shinji. "Where are Asuka and Rei?" he already knew the answer. The question came from whether Shinji knew as well.
Shinji shrugged. "Asuka said she had something to do with Rei that involved the music store. I'm not sure when they'll be back."
Daniel nodded slowly. "Alright then." he walked back towards the kitchen. "I'll be making dinner tonight, for when Eleanor gets home. There'll be more than enough for all four of you as well if practice stretches that long."
Shinji smiled as he nodded. "Thank you, Daniel."
Daniel looked back at the two of them as they opened their cases and readied their instruments. "Of course, Shinji. Make the hills come alive for me."
He turned into the kitchen and out of sight as Shinji and Kaworu both looked at each other with no small amount of puzzlement. "What do the hills coming to life have anything to do with our practice?" Kaworu said.
Shinji shook his head slightly and shrugged. "Whenever I don't understand what he means, I assume he's making some reference or another. You'll get used to that if you're around him for long enough."
Kaworu nodded as he shouldered his violin, checking the tuning for a moment, then twisting the tuning peg slightly. "How long have you been around him?"
Shinji nodded after a moment as he finished tuning one of his strings slightly. "Well, he was there for me from when I was about 9 until I was 12, then he left for Germany, and… Asuka, I guess." he chuckled quietly after a silent moment's consideration.
At noticing Kaworu's questioning glance, he waved it off. "Oh, it's nothing. Just making a connection. Anyways, then he came back to Japan after I had turned 15 and started piloting Unit-01."
Kaworu nodded slightly as he finished tuning his violin. "So, he has been a point of stability within your life?"
Shinji finished tuning his cello, then fell still as he pondered the question for a moment. "Yeah, actually. That's a fairly accurate way to put what he's been. Like… an older brother, of sorts." he smiled softly, and Kaworu nodded knowingly as if a great mystery had been solved with the answer to his question.
As they began to play, Kaworu watched intently whenever he marked the pages with different notes and reminders for later before they heard the door swish open and shut, and looked up as Asuka and Rei entered, Asuka having a satisfied look on her face, and Rei, who held what looked like a slightly larger violin case, looking absolutely radiant with joy.
Asuka had every right to be satisfied, as she walked towards the music store with Rei, psyching herself up for what she was about to do. Daniel had run her through the steps as clearly as he could over the phone. What he had said to end the conversation was at least a little consolation. "You'll be able to figure it out. I'm certain of it."
After a moment to check that no one would be around to witness what she was about to do, she looked at Rei, who looked back at her. "Alright, Wondergirl," she said, causing Rei's brow to rise a fraction, "you're about to get your first music lesson."
Before Rei could ask what she meant, Asuka linked their souls together, causing whatever question she was going to ask to die on her lips.
Asuka focused, taking all her memories, all the understanding, of learning music: how it was read, how it was played, and what differences between her violin and the viola she was able to get from the head of the music club and the viola player… Sasako wasn't it?... that had been there. She had to thank them later.
Regaining her focus, she took the understanding that had come to the surface of her mind, mentally bundled it all up, and pushed it through the link between their souls.
It was a surprisingly exhausting effort, thanks to the burst of Flux Daniel said would come with it, but watching Rei's eyes light up the way they did… it was all worth it.
Rei grabbed one of the folding chairs and sat down between Kaworu and Shinji as they made room, bending down to unlatch the case, and smiling as she picked up the viola. It was a little heavier than she expected, but not unduly so. The store owner nodded appreciatively. "You have good taste, young woman," he said, his words piercing the quiet of the otherwise empty store, "to pick an instrument such as this one. Do you have any previous experience?"
Rei looked over at Asuka. The link between them was still open, and she had since connected back to Asuka's soul. It was an interesting feeling, to say the least. "Some," Rei said, brushing aside the rather inconvenient truth that much of that experience wasn't her own, "but it has been a while since I last played. I am thus just a little out of practice."
The store owner nodded again. "Of course, young miss. And there's no time like the present to… shake the rust off, as it were, correct? Go ahead and give it a try."
Rei shouldered the instrument, taking the bow in her hand, and pressed down on the strings gently, but with a little more force than Asuka needed for her violin. Then, the fingers of her left hand pressed down the strings on the neck just so, she slowly began to saw the bow.
It was slow going at first, as she got used to moving from one note to another, and moving the bow to be able to saw across the strings further back. But as she went, she felt the support, the surprise, and the confidence that Asuka felt for her. Rei's playing slowly became faster.
Though she wasn't going at the fastest speed that she had heard an instrument like this go before, as she finished with a slight flourish, Asuka and the store owner both clapped. "For being out of practice, you've readjusted to it quite quickly," the store owner said, a warm smile on his face, "but, as every musician does, you still require a little more practice."
Rei blushed slightly and nodded. "Thank you, sir," she said, as the store owner picked out a few booklets with a discerning eye.
"These should help you get back up to speed," he said, handing them to her. "Would you like to purchase the instrument?"
Rei smiled slightly as she nodded. "Yes. I would."
Asuka and Rei walked out of the store a few minutes later, Rei holding the case that now held her new instrument, Asuka holding the bag that held Rei's booklets.
As they walked home together, Rei did the unexpected and reached out for Asuka's hand, who jumped as she felt Rei's grasp.
Asuka turned to look at Rei, who looked back at her with utter happiness, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. "Thank you," Rei said quietly, and Asuka felt the gratitude, the warmth, the almost overwhelming love that poured through their link as she said those words.
After a moment of looking at Rei with wonder and amazement, a smile grew on Asuka's face. "Of course, Wondergirl."
As Asuka took her seat beside Kaworu, Shinji looked at Rei. "So… how good are you at playing?"
Asuka looked at Shinji with a gleam in her eye. "You'd be surprised, Shinji."
Rei nodded. "I can play slowly. But I can play."
Shinji looked over at Asuka, then back to Rei, a smile growing on his face. "That's great, Rei. We're mostly doing a slow piece anyways. Here let me show you…"
As the music began to fill the apartment, slowly but steadily, Daniel nodded as he sliced the vegetables for dinner. "Yes," he said quietly. "The hills are alive... with the sound of music."
. . .
As practice ended, and Shinji and Asuka went back to their apartment, Kaworu and Rei sat in the quiet living room, Daniel and Eleanor in the kitchen studiously (perhaps a bit too studiously this time) pouring over reports.
After a moment of silence, Kaworu looked over at Rei. "How does he do it?"
Rei looked back at him with a quizzical look. "What do you mean? And who do you refer to?"
Kaworu's gaze fell off her, sliding over to the far wall that separated the apartments. "Shinji. He… he takes what was set in stone, what someone declared finished, and he…" he grasped at the air slightly, seemingly at a loss for words.
"Changes it?" Rei said quietly, as Kaworu's gaze came back to her. "Makes it something different, something… uniquely his?"
Kaworu nodded, a rare look of… excitement in his eyes. "Yes, that. How?" he nearly whispered, seeming almost desperate for an answer.
Rei thought for a moment. "Creativity," she said simply. Kaworu's eyes widened at the word. "It is perhaps the greatest trait humanity possesses." she continued. "The ability to take emotion, thought, understanding… and channel it into expression. Into something that holds meaning for others."
Kaworu pondered silently on this, looking at his hands for a moment. "I… I do not believe I possess creativity, as you have described it," he said quietly. Rei did not even have to look at his soul to see the envy, the want, that seemed to thrum through him. "As a son of Adam, I do not possess the Fruit of Knowledge. Only the Fruit of Life."
As Rei's eyes widened at this seemingly blase statement, Kaworu stood, turning to look at her as she sat. "You have the fruit of knowledge, as a child of Lilith, correct?"
Rei blinked, then nodded slightly. "Yes," she said.
Kaworu's slight smile crossed his face. "Then… I look forward to seeing what you might create. Good night, Ms. Ayanami."
He turned and walked out of the living room, a farewell to the Theismans and the swish of the front door opening and closing marking his passing into the night.
Rei was silent as a blush glowed to life, despite her best efforts. 'Was… was he flirting with me?'
. . .
As Kaworu Nagisa walked home, he felt the Call, the pull that wanted to drag him down into the depths of what he knew was the Geofront. But… it was a distant thing. And now, he had some idea as to why. 'It is them. My… well, friends still seems a strong word for them. But it was her most of all.'
He smiled slightly at the moon as he remembered her smile. It seemed to leave the glow of the moon a seemingly inferior thing comparatively. 'I… I liked that. When she smiled.' his vocabulary, his understanding, was growing exponentially, and it was mainly her help that made it so. His feelings for her, though… to his mind, they were a complicated puzzle. There were so many facets, so many different things that he didn't even have words for.
His body, on the other hand, seemed to have already made up its mind, as he looked down at himself. He really hoped it would go away soon. Whatever it was. Maybe Shinji could shed some light on what was going on with his body…
Makoto Hyuga looked at the door in front of him and hesitated as he shifted the wine bottle with the card attached to it in his grasp. He still wasn't entirely sure what he was doing, or why Major Katsuragi had given him the invitation meant for her with a wink.
'All I did was pull her out of the way of a piece of rubble. It's what anyone else would have done.'
'So why did I get a decent bottle of wine to go with the card, then? Is this really just a wish-you-well gift in addition to an invitation?'
But… he did have to admit that a part of him was somewhat excited to continue unraveling the mystery of one Adira Faez. She would likely maintain a clean space, what with a military background and all. What effects would she decide to keep in the open? Those would be the most telling of who she… he was stalling again.
He took a deep breath, then rang the doorbell.
It was quiet for a moment, then the door opened on a Lieutenant in a loose t-shirt and shorts as she raised an eyebrow. "Captain." she noted the somewhat tense man standing in front of her for a moment before she spoke again, a slight smirk edging up a corner of her mouth. "Is this just a courtesy call, or are you expecting something else, what with the bottle of wine?"
Hyuga blushed slightly. "No! No, not at all." he extended the bottle towards her. "I was just concerned with your health after the recent Angel attack, and with Christmas in a week, I figured you'd also want something to celebrate with."
He tried desperately not to blush as Faez took the wine bottle. She turned it over and gently pulled the card off from the tape it was attached to the bottle with as her smirk became more prominent. "And I'm guessing this is also a Christmas card, too?"
Hyuga shook his head again. "No. Well, yes, but it's also an invitation to the Christmas party that Major Katsuragi's hosting in a week. We'd both like to see you there."
Faez nodded for a moment, then looked at the clearly trying not to be uncomfortable captain. "Come in for a minute." she turned and walked away as Hyuga blinked, then blinked again.
Hyuga hesitantly stepped across the threshold of the doorway. "May I ask why you've invited me in so suddenly?" he said as he took off his shoes.
Faez peeked out from around the corner of the entry hall, holding out the bottle. "Because the first drink of any bottle should be had in company. It's just something I picked up while I served."
She turned back in as Hyuga stepped into the living room. As expected, it was a rather spare space, with little in the way of ostentatious decoration. A large window in the back wall provided illumination to the space, and Faez sat on a small couch, a coffee table with a single picture being the only thing that shared the tabletop with the wine and two glasses.
The cork came off with a pop as Hyuga sat down next to Faez, and the red wine soon filled the glasses.
Faez and Hyuga took their glasses, Faez tipping hers slightly to the picture before holding it out to Hyuga. "Cheers, Captain."
"Please, I'm off duty." he said, as glasses clinked together. "Call me Hyuga."
Faez nodded, and they shared a quiet sip. "Alright, Hyuga." she said. "I've gotta say, this seems awfully forward for a commanding officer, sharing drinks on the couch and all that." she said as her smirk seemed to return.
She blinked as Hyuga nodded. "It would be, wouldn't it?" he shrugged. "Well, for all of the military decorum and ranks, NERV is still technically a civilian organization."
Hyuga chuckled softly as Faez's eyes widened. "Most of our technicians aren't even technically ranked, and even the command structure, for all its pomp and circumstance, is really only a ceremonial thing to ensure that orders are properly followed."
Faez leaned back on the couch. "Damn. And with all that they ask you to do…"
Hyuga shrugged. "Well, we do it because if we didn't, who could?"
They let the question hang in the air unanswered as they both pondered on it for a moment.
Hyuga looked at the picture on the tabletop, one of Faez surrounded by other women in military fatigues. She was smiling in the picture, seemingly at ease. She had a very pretty smile…
Hyuga blinked, trying to get his mind back on track. "This picture," he said, "is that you with your unit in the Valkyrie Division?"
Faez regarded the picture, then Hyuga. "Yeah, it is." she said quietly after a moment. "They were the closest thing I had to actual friends, after all the shit I went through."
Hyuga looked over at how somber Faez had become. "Something happened, didn't it?" he said, gently.
It was quiet for a moment, as Faez looked back at Hyuga with… apprehension? Then, Faez sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, something happened, alright."
It was silent again for a moment. "If you don't want to tell me…" Hyuga began.
"No." Faez said quietly. She sighed after a moment. "I think… it's time to finally get this off of my chest. With someone who will talk back to me."
Hyuga was intent as he listened to Faez. "It was about 2008 or 9. Around now, actually. I wasn't quite sure at the time. We were in South America during an op that is still probably heavily classified. Me and Anna," she said, pointing to one of the women next to her, "were doing advance recon on a heavily fortified enemy position."
She paused for a moment. "We got to an overlook and found that the camp was empty. We looked down, and there wasn't a soul in sight. Then, we heard gunfire from behind us. And as we were turning, a bunch of People's Army got the drop on us."
"We got in close, ditched our rifles. It was the only way we could make it out alive." She paused again for a moment. "Everything seemed to slow down. I remember every second of that 3-minute fight. The face of every person I tore a gun away from and broke in half."
Hyuga's eyes were wide with wonder and sadness, as he waited silently for her to continue her story. "You can… do that?" he said after a moment.
Faez took a deep breath as she looked at Hyuga, and he saw tears in the corners of her eyes. "Yeah. In order to prepare us for the sort of missions that they expected us to do…" she sighed quietly. "It's the sort of things that can keep a person up at night. It…" she looked down at the empty wine glass in her hand. "It made me something… more. I'm faster, stronger, have sharper senses, and have an almost perfect memory compared to any other soldier. That's how…"
It was silent for a heartbeat. Then another. "I remember hearing the crack of the bullet that killed my closest friend." she said, in a whisper. "How I remember finding all the rest of my teammates dead. How I remember… being alone."
It was silent again as Hyuga's mind was a whirlwind. He knew for a fact, however, that he was in way over his head when it came to something like this. What did he do? What did he say?
Instinct took over for his clearly defeated intellect, as he slowly raised a hand, and put it on her shoulder. In the moment he did, a single thought shone out in his mind. "I'm sorry to hear that." he said quietly.
Faez looked at him, then nodded after a moment. "I mean, this is war we're talking about." she chuckled softly. "I really should have expected it."
Hyuga shook his head. "Maybe. But…" he took his hand off of her shoulder and looked away, a slight blush coming to his cheeks. "This is probably presumptuous of me… but… would your friends, any of them, want you to be hung up on their deaths?"
Faez blinked, then looked back at the picture. "You know…" she said after a moment. "I've asked myself that question more than a few times. But… they were the closest thing I had to friends. To a family. In a long, long time."
Hyuga sighed. "And that's okay. But they don't have to be the only friends you have. I'm sure you know that. Like the technician from Black Mesa?"
Faez glanced back at him, then sighed. "Well… 'friend' is a strong word for Freeman. He honestly probably just put up with me."
Hyuga nodded. "Perhaps. But… I'm here too." he paused as Faez looked back at him with wide eyes. "And I'm willing to talk. About… whatever. I'm here to help. Not just as a commanding officer, but… as a friend, too."
He stood. "Thanks for letting me in for a moment and talking to me." he looked around and noticed that what he had at first dismissed as a lamp was, in fact, something else entirely. "What's that?" he said, walking towards it.
Behind him, Faez blushed slightly. "It's a painting easel. Something I used to do as a child in Baghdad."
"Oh?" Hyuga said, looking intently at the cloth that covered… something. He looked back at Faez. "Are you working on something right now?"
Faez's head bobbed from side to side. "I mean… I've finished it. It won't stick around for very long. It's just paint on a canvas, after all."
Hyuga lifted the cloth and found a surprisingly detailed reproduction of what he assumed was the skyline of Tokyo-3 at night, as seen from the living room window.
Hyuga's eyes went wide as he looked back at Faez. "Faez… this is amazing!"
Faez, beyond all expectations, blushed. "Oh, come on. It can't be that good."
Hyuga shook his head. "No, but it is! You say that this is going to go away? Why? It's… a part of you." he said the last part quietly.
It was silent for a moment as they regarded each other, and Hyuga composed himself. "Keep it." Hyuga said. "Like I said, it's a part of you. An expression of who you are. It's… like that photograph." he said, nodding down at the picture of Faez's unit. "It's a memory that's been made physical. And memories… they should be cherished. The good ones, at least."
It was silent again. After a moment, Hyuga shook his head. "I'm sorry." he said, blushing.
Before he could continue, Faez spoke as she looked down at the photo. "No. No, you're right." she sighed. "I guess… I just needed someone to just say it to me."
She looked back up at Hyuga, a small, soft smile on her face. "Thanks for coming over."
Hyuga nodded. "Thanks for having me in. See you at the Christmas party?"
Faez nodded in turn. "You can count on it. Do I need a fancy dress?"
Hyuga shook his head. "No. Normal clothes should be just fine."
"Okay. See you then." Faez said.
As Hyuga began to walk away, Faez spoke up again. "And if you're going to bring me a Christmas present… I'm more of a whiskey and rum sort of girl."
Hyuga looked back at her. "I'll keep that in mind. Have a good day."
He disappeared from sight, the swish of the front door opening and closing signaling his passing.
Faez looked back at the painting, then down at the picture of her unit. Her friends. Her family. 'Good memories…'
- - -
Infinity Box, Theisman Residence
Shinji, Asuka, Hikari, and Toji all panted slightly as they faced each other. It was doubles sparring today, with their souls linked to their partners. It was a unique sensation, knowing what your partner was about to do, two minds looking at a situation with one, if not unified, then at least deeply connected mind.
The pairs danced around each other, a block from one person stopping a strike meant for another, a jab or kick surprising one combatant from an unexpected source. Hikari and Toji held their own, but Shinji and Asuka simply had the greater amount of experience working linked together as they were, and Hikari and Toji both ended up on their backs on the mat in short order.
Daniel, Eleanor, and Rei, who sat by and refereed the match, stood up and began to walk over to the pairs, as Shinji and Asuka helped Toji and Hikari to stand again. "Excellent work, you four. You've made quite the advancements over the last few days."
Toji rubbed a forearm where a particularly pointed strike hit him early in the match. "Sure doesn't feel like it sometimes." he said mulishly.
"Hey, chin up, jock." Asuka said. "We're just a little more used to having our brains connected than you are. It's a matter of practice, is all."
Toji and Hikari nodded slowly after a while. They all could say that their skills had grown by leaps and bounds since they had started… was it really only 2 weeks ago? Shinji, once the scrawniest among them, could now claim a greater degree of skill in martial arts than he thought he ever could have. The training had left him so far, to Asuka's somewhat carnal delight, far more toned, his thin build now showing no small amount of muscle.
"Asuka is entirely correct, Toji." Daniel said. "It's all about practice. But, as much as I'd love to keep you guys doing martial arts and hand-to-hand combat, the unfortunate truth is that very few of the threats you'll face will be either stupid enough, or powerful enough, to try and engage you in hand to hand combat."
"They will be armed." he said, walking back over to the place he had sat, as a small box began to rise up. "And so," he said, sliding off the top of the box, and extracting the contents from within, "you will have to be armed as well."
He turned, and in his hands, he held a small pile of dully gleaming metallic handles. As he walked forward, he continued. "These are your first Control Surfaces. And they are what will allow you to begin making Frames that impact the world around you, instead of just yourself."
Asuka pumped a fist as she took one of the Control Surfaces from Daniel's hand. "Finally! We can start doing something more exciting!"
Daniel sighed quietly as the rest of the Children took their Surfaces. "These are colloquially known as Grips." he said, causing his own to appear. "These are perhaps the most simple kinds of Control Surfaces known to Interfacing."
Shinji examined the plain handle. "You mean there are other kinds of Control Surfaces?"
Daniel nodded. "Yes. In time, you'll learn how to create your own, and very few are alike in form or function." he smiled slightly, stepping back. "For example…"
The Children watched in wide-eyed amazement as three blades of crystal coalesced into being behind Daniel's head and back. Daniel couldn't help but smile at their wonder. "So," he said, holding his Grip out to show its inactivity, "where do you think the Control Surface is?"
The Children all scratched their heads. "Uh…" Toji said into the silence.
After a moment, Asuka, and Shinji along with her, decided to do the smart thing and used their Sight. As they scanned the Frame of Daniel's soul, Asuka found it, in time. A slightly brighter glow around a patch of Framework around his lower back. "All the way back there?" Asuka said, slightly incredulously.
Daniel chuckled and nodded as the blades, and the Control Surface disappeared. "Correct you are, Asuka. Like I said, Control Surfaces are important for the sort of Expressions you've been so terribly excited to make."
"Now, I hide that one so strenuously because, with this sort of Expression, the Control Surface acts as a conduit between you and the rest of Reality. Disrupt or destroy the Control Surface, the Expression goes with it. So, you have to be smart when creating a Control Surface."
Daniel waved his free hand. "Of course, that's for another day. Right now…" he paused for dramatic effect. "Think of a sword blade. Any kind will do. Focus on growing the Frame that results from the end of your Grip."
It was quiet for a moment as the Children focused, the Frames growing in their Sight slowly, but steadily. Daniel and Eleanor watched this with their own Sights and nodded as the Frames finished. "Alright," Daniel said quietly, "now energize them."
In a moment, iridescent blades, hazy like frosted glass dipped in an oil slick, began to grow at the ends of the Grips. For Shinji, the blade was a graceful, curved thing, reminiscent of a venerable katana. Asuka's was straight and broad, the blade of a knight. Rei's was thin, and an intricate basket surrounded the Grip. Hikari's was like Asuka's but thinner, more elegant. And Toji… Toji just had a lightsaber.
As all of them recovered somewhat from the awe of seeing their first physical Expressions, they looked over at Toji with varying levels of skepticism on their faces. "What? I just like Star Wars, okay?" he said defensively.
Everyone chuckled, even Toji after a moment, when Eleanor stepped forward. "What you hold in your hands is… well, very complicated to explain comprehensively. Basically, it is the physical form of Metos. We call it Plasm. Right now, the only thing you'll need to worry about is that it'll stay sharp as long as it's a blade, and you won't have to worry too much about breaking it. Understand?"
As the Children nodded, some more slowly than others, Eleanor nodded in turn. "Alright. Let's make sure you don't stab yourselves. Or each other."
As she spoke, her own Grip, seeming to be composed of coral, coalesced into her hand, and a blade that looked to be made of bright sea glass formed on its end. "At least, by accident." she said, with a slight smile.
. . .
As the Children got put into sparring pairs, Eleanor walking around the room and offering mentoring to the two couples, Rei faced across from Daniel, her rapier poised and at the ready, as she had seen the masters in her favorite movie do. Daniel chuckled softly. "I'll go ahead and fence with you this once, but I'll also say this. Combat Interfacing requires flexibility. You can't afford to stick with a single weapon for too terribly long. It's like… a dance of sorts. Except one of the dance partners dies at the end."
Rei blinked, then shrugged slightly. "I will accept your analogy for now."
Daniel shrugged in turn. "It's not a perfect one. But right now, you just need to worry about the basics."
He fell into a stance similar to Rei's, but subtly different, holding his Grip in his left hand. "For example, it's going to be less exhausting to have your blade down until you're ready to guard or strike."
As he said this, a long, thin blade extended from the grip. Whatever Daniel planned to say next died on his lips as the blade began to hum quietly, causing Daniel to break from his ready stance. As he raised the blade to look at it, the hum intensified as it moved, then softened as it came to a stop. It was a musical tone, like the blade was intoning the first note in a song.
Daniel's eyes were wide, and Rei's question was a muffled thing. 'She's singing again. Why?'
Brown eyes, filled with fear at the monster that loomed before her, flashed across his mind as he attempted to connect to what was contained within the weapon. "Nynrya?"
"Daniel?"
He blinked, and his eyes focused on Rei, her hand on the hand that held his Grip, and a concerned look in her eyes. Besides the hum of his blade, the rest of the room was silent, their eyes, concern evident within them, on him.
Daniel looked around the room, blinking for a moment. "I'm fine." he said, his expression desperately trying to show the truth in that statement, and mostly succeeding. Mostly.
They all sparred for a little while, Daniel's skill apparent in the fact that he was only slightly thrown off of his spar with Rei. She was able to learn what she needed. That was enough.
After the training session was over, and everyone had gone home, Daniel gained little rest that night, as he dreamed of a woman in a plain white dress, and the man who slew her.
- - -
December 24th, 1 Week Later
Misato was glad that the Theisman's had offered up their apartment for the remainder of the Christmas party that the adults would be having. It was getting a little crowded in her own apartment, what with the Children, their friends, and what NERV staff she had invited. In addition to herself and Kaji, there was Ritsuko and Maya (who still hadn't admitted they were girlfriends yet), Hyuga and Faez (she knew she made the right call sending him. Thank heavens for woman's intuition!), Daniel and Eleanor, and Aoba.
'But at least I have a lot of people to spend Christmas with.' she thought, as a slight smile came to her face.
And there was a very, very good reason they were all crowded into her living room, the furniture cleared away for the moment, as four chairs, and the four Children that sat in them, occupied a dominant corner of the room. Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and the new Nagisa kid had been practicing. She had been surprised when the Nagisa kid showed up with his own violin and positively floored when Rei showed up with a viola (though she still couldn't quite tell the difference from this distance).
They set up and tuned their instruments, and as they finished, the low whispers of the crowd faded into silence.
After a moment more of preparation, Shinji's bow waved once, twice, three times, then the string quartet began to play. It was a slow, measured song, but that did nothing to detract from the beauty of it. Asuka's violin work was at the center of the stage, while the Nagisa boy kept up well, as their parts seemed to make the music float into the air that it made vibrate. But Rei and Shinji provided the base for them to work on, the low, deep notes blending with the higher ones of the violins to make the music have weight, depth, a place to fall back on should it ever seem to falter.
But it never did, and the sound rose and fell with what seemed like an almost expert precision for players so young. 'It looks like their pilot training carried over to their musical talents.' Misato thought with a slight smirk.
As the pilots moved into the final part of their piece, they finished the song with a flourish, and those gathered in the room all clapped.
As the clapping died down, Misato spoke up. "Alright then, everybody, thank you for coming, and thanks to our wonderfully brave Children for playing a wonderful little piece of music. Now, we'll go ahead and separate so we aren't crowded in one small apartment. If you'll follow the Theisman's…"
. . .
They all flowed into their separate areas, and the party began in earnest. The Theisman's had no string quartet to provide the music for their part of the party. But a disk player with a selection of Christmas piano music filled the gap at least decently.
As Misato sipped her beer, she scanned the room, her eyes falling on Daniel as he chatted with Aoba, probably about the latest thing with guitars, then sliding over to Eleanor, who had struck up a conversation with Hyuga and Faez.
Kaji, who was by her side, followed her gaze, smirking as his joined hers in looking at Hyuga and Faez. "You know," he said with a sly smirk, "he had a massive crush on you for a while."
Misato nodded knowingly. "I can recall. There's a reason that I sent him to give the invite to Faez. He's seemed interested in her for a little while, now. I just… gave him a little push, as it were."
Kaji nodded sagely. "I see. Playing matchmaker across the ranks are we? I thought that was frowned upon, having a superior officer fooling around with his juniors?"
Misato shook her head. "That's the thing. We may have military ranks, but NERV is really one of the most powerful civilian organizations in the world. We're in the gray area between civilian and military. We don't technically abide by military codes of conduct."
Kaji shook his head. "And yet, the powers that be have entrusted the most powerful war machines in the world to you."
Misato's expression became grim for a moment. "Yet another mystery of NERV."
Kaji nodded. "Yep." his gaze wandered back to Eleanor, then to Daniel. "Man. I've gotta say. This whole Interfacing stuff…"
He trailed off, and Misato nodded. "Yeah," she said quietly, "it's something else."
She thought back to a familiar room of blue stone. It had been a while since they had been here, but it seemed… bigger.
She remembered the strange, hypersensitive initiation, how everything became… more.
She remembered the connection to Daniel's soul as he connected her to… everything.
She remembered her decision, stupid as it was, to travel down the link, to ask one simple question of Daniel's soul. 'Are Shinji and Asuka finally together?'
She remembered the answer. And the argument that came with it.
She winced inwardly at that. She really should have been prepared for whatever answer she had gotten. And she thought she was. But not for an answer that… total.
"What?" she had stood up after it was done, propelled up by the shock and the anger. The looks on Daniel and Eleanor's faces said that they knew exactly what she was asking about. "Why? Why did they decide not to tell me? Why did you decide not to tell me that my pilots weren't just together, but that… they were having sex?" she had shouted.
Daniel at least had the grace to appear… defeated? Guilty? Resigned? She couldn't quite decide still. "Because, ironically enough, they trust you."
"What?" she had said incredulously. "How does that make any sense?"
Daniel had sighed. "They know that you intend to make the decisions that are best for them. Not only as a commanding officer, but as their guardian. As… well, their surrogate mother."
She had blinked at that. Did they really consider her, their lazy, teasing, honestly annoying former bachelorette… their mother? She said about as much.
Daniel had nodded. "Yes. They know that you care for them not just as the Children of NERV, but as… well, as a family. As your children, in a sense." he had sighed. "But they aren't really children anymore."
She had shaken her head. "No. No, just because they're going at each other hammer and tongs at night doesn't mean that they're grown up, Daniel."
Daniel had shaken his head in turn. "I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the fact that you, me, NERV… we've placed them in a situation where every day might be their last, one mistake could mean the end of the world, and, on top of that, in order to do their jobs, they have to commune with the souls of their once presumed dead mothers. We've put them in a place where even a professional soldier would crack and shatter under the stress by the end of it. We've forced them to act like soldiers. To be soldiers. To be grown up, and deal with that stress in a mature fashion."
He had paused. "It's stress we're dealing with every day, Misato. How have you started to deal with it?"
She had glanced at Kaji, who was staying silent. A wise choice for now. She looked back at Daniel. "Look, just because we're theoretically responsible adults doesn't mean that they are in the same situation we are. They're still children, Daniel! You know how irresponsible they can both be."
Daniel had smiled slightly. "Did you ever know Shinji to not be responsible for something, for someone, he cares about?"
She pondered on that. Shinji was nothing if not responsible for the things that he wanted to do. Diligent in making sure that everything went well. And he did care for the people that he loved. She only had to look at herself, and her apartment, just as a start.
Daniel had sighed quietly into the silence. "Look, I'm not looking to be the one to reveal their love for each other. Ask them. See for yourself." Daniel smiled. "Love, found within the soul, is a beautiful thing to look on, after all."
Misato blinked, her focus coming back to the party around them. The low hum of conversation washed back over her. She blinked, and her gaze swept around the room. Only this time, she had the benefit of the Sight.
It was still nothing short of magical, seeing the souls of others. If anything, Shinji's all too brief description of looking at artwork had sold the experience short. Misato was still getting used to interpreting the emotions and what they looked like, but watching them, even the usually negative ones, as they sprang into being and raced across the Frames was like watching a light show.
Eventually, her gaze fell on Ritsuko and Maya, who were having a conversation with each other. Watching the things that they expressed to each other was interesting in its own right, but the things they didn't say or show…
Misato rolled her eyes. 'Come on, just kiss already.'
Misato looked over at Kaji. "I'm going to go talk to Ritsky and Maya. They seem to be having a very interesting conversation."
Kaji smiled back at her. "Well, then, I might just be inclined to join you."
Misato smiled. It was good to have him at her side. Even if it was only to rib at Ritsuko.
. . .
In time, the party winded down, and all involved went home. All, that is, save for six, who now clustered around a kitchen table, a single manilla packet on it, looking to save the world.
Misato and Kaji sat across from Ritsuko and Maya, and Daniel and Eleanor sat on either end. After a silent moment of regarding each other with no small amount of wonderment at the sheer fact that, yes, they were all together now, Misato snorted softly. "Look at us. Our own Anti-Instrumentality Committee."
A soft chuckle made its way around the table, dying off as Daniel leaned on the table. "Humorous as that may be, that summarizes our position quite well, I think."
Heads nodded, and he continued. "We're here as representatives of those whose will it is to stand against the plans that SEELE and Commander Ikari have in store for this world."
He paused for a moment before continuing. "Thus far we have been acting… well, if not alone, then certainly not together. But now, most all of the key players in this little game have come together. Now…"
He leaned back, putting his hands on the tabletop in a dramatic motion. "Now, we are in a position to really start doing something. So…" he said, looking around the table. "What are our assets?"
Misato snorted softly at the reference, then nodded. "Well, for one, we have a solid idea of what, exactly, SEELE and Commander Ikari want to do. That's probably the biggest thing we have right now."
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes."
Then she looked over at Daniel. "How exactly did you get the information on SEELE's plans, actually? I've been wondering that since I talked to these three." she said, motioning at Misato, Kaji, and Maya.
Daniel smiled slightly and tapped on the packet. "This is a copy of the Human Instrumentality Project, as presented by Gendo Ikari to SEELE. I managed to get this from Commander Lutenhahl of NERV-2 in Neue Berlin."
Misato nodded. "Ah, Karl. It's been too long since we've spoken to him."
She looked at Daniel. "Have you been keeping in contact with him?"
Daniel nodded. "From time to time. He and I both understand the risks of communicating too openly. His operational security depends on us staying out of touch, more often than not."
Kaji smirked slightly. "It's classic cell work. We're the main cell, he's a secondary. Right now, he's useful, but for the most part, he's done his job."
Daniel nodded. "That's right." he looked over at Ritsuko and Maya. "We also have the assistance of the MAGI. Would I be too bold in assuming that we have your mother's assistance? And that she's been kept a secret from Commander Ikari thus far?"
Ritsuko huffed quietly. "Of course. She hates Gendo with almost as much passion as I do at this point. And she'll be kept secret from him. I don't want him trying to tie up a loose end."
Daniel nodded. "Good. Mrs. Akagi will be our trump card, more than likely. She'll be able to access things on her own time, and in secret, that would stick out like a sore thumb if we were to try."
"Like…" Maya said, cupping her chin thoughtfully. "Like, perhaps, whatever else might be a part of SEELE's plans."
Ritsuko nodded, her expression similarly thoughtful. "Yes, that's true. Even with the Instrumentality Project report here in front of us, it can only be assumed that there are developments that have occurred since the document's creation. My mother should be able to find whatever we need. With the necessary time for secrecy's sake, of course."
Eleanor's brow rose slightly. "Can Mrs. Akagi reach beyond Tokyo-3 like that? I always assumed that the MAGI system acted as an Intranet for NERV."
Ritsuko nodded. "That would normally be true, Mrs. Theisman. But we aren't dealing with just a purely artificial system divided into three nodes anymore. We're talking about the greatest scientific mind in the last three generations, hooked up to a computer system that allows her a degree of digital freedom almost unheard of. She's probably the first example of a truly artificial intelligence, at this point. If she wants to hook into the Internet, then there's nothing stopping her."
Daniel nodded. "And there are several things that we'll need to be able to access in order to ensure we have a full picture of what exactly we need… to…"
He trailed off, and slowly began to stand. The others followed his gaze and looked out at the glass door that separated the living room from the veranda.
Standing in front of the glass, three figures, looking for all the world to be regular people, smiled slightly as their forms began to distort, the surfaces of their skin and clothes becoming iridescent.
. . .
Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and Kaworu decided that the best after-party would be a quick movie before going to bed. Hikari, Toji, Kensuke, Sayaka, and Kyoko had all gone home, and Kaworu said that, besides the Section 2 agents keeping an eye on him, there was no set curfew in place for him. Besides, it was a weekend, and there wasn't much in the way of schoolwork to be done.
So, the four of them sat on the couch and watched as a man in black and a master swordsman face off.
Kaworu's eyes were glued to the screen as he watched them dance back and forth, their words and wits seemingly as sharp as their swords. "Is this really how people settled such matters in the past?" he said, almost incredulously.
Rei shook her head. "No, Nagisa. This is fiction. A story, made up by someone and put to film. Now please, be quiet and save your questions for after the film."
Kaworu nodded and turned his silent focus back to the film. After some time, Kaworu blinked in surprise. The Section 2 agents assigned to watching him… weren't, anymore.
After a moment, the Children all felt a prickling sensation, as if a great many people were watching them from out of their sight. Asuka was the first to speak. "Guys…" she said. "Does anyone else feel that?"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah…" a sense of dread began to build in the depths of his stomach, gurgling up like a rising flood.
Even Kaworu, inwardly used to the press of feeling when people were looking at him, blinked at this sudden weight of acknowledgment.
As one, the Children slowly looked away from the TV, their gaze drawn to the veranda window, as three iridescent figures passed through the glass door, and came to stand behind the couch as Asuka, Shinji, and Rei all leaped to their feet.
As their Grips flashed into their hands, they heard a sound, like a voice hitting a short, powerful choral note, muffled by the far wall. Then they heard it again, then again.
"Friends..." Kaworu said, with no small amount of fear on his face and in his voice. "What is going on?"
. . .
Daniel fired another round, his Grip in the shape of a pistol made of star opal, and the tiny star-like round that shot out nearly howled as it slammed into the lead Revenant's chest, the Plasm rippling as the wound sealed itself yet again.
This one was more stable than its compatriots, glitching less and seeming more… defined, somehow. It glowed brighter in his Sight, and had a larger Frame, as well. 'Damn. Whatever Animist is controlling these is probably using this one as the focal point for their control. What did Rasczak call those again? Primes. Yes.'
He linked his soul to Eleanor. "Dear," he said through the link, "we'll need to take care of this Prime first. The others should be easy pickings after that."
Eleanor nodded. "Sounds like a plan."
She turned to Misato and Kaji. "This one's stronger than the rest." she said, nodding over to what was apparently the Prime of the group. "Keep the other two busy while we deal with this one. And watch out! They like to play mind games, too."
She turned back, and the bond between Daniel and Eleanor strengthened until they moved, they thought, they breathed, as one, slowly advancing towards the Prime as Daniel's gun became a punching blade, and a small, diamond-shaped blade of deepest blue formed at the end of Eleanor's Grip.
The Prime had the sense to back away, as one of its arms slowly became a blade of its own, and the trio backed into the living room. The other two took the chance to slip behind them and entered the kitchen area.
Misato and Kaji put themselves between the two Revenants and the quailing Ritsuko and Maya. "Misato! Kaji!" Ritsuko shouted, eyes wide in panic and confusion. "What the hell is going on?"
Misato risked a glance back as her senses sharpened, and everything seemed to slow down somewhat. "We'll explain later!"
She turned back as one of them swung a bladed arm at her. She dodged back easily. Almost too easily, as she slammed back against the table before ducking as the Revenant made a jab at her.
Kaji took a boxer's stance, regarding the Revenant in front of him. It threw a seemingly sluggish left hook with its arm-blade, and Kaji blocked it, wincing as the edge still caught his arm, and threw a punch straight into the amorphous thing that stood in for a chest. Then he threw another one, and then another.
Each of his hits seemed to ripple like he was punching a water bed, pushing it back and staggering it, but seeming to do little else. He clutched at his arm as he glanced across at Misato, who seemed to fare little better than he did. 'Damn. This bites.'
He felt the tug of Interfacing, seemingly beyond his control, and lifted his hand from an arm seemingly free of any damage. He blinked. 'Huh. That's nice.'
He glanced back up at his opponent, who stood ready for him, and took the revelation in stride. 'Alright. I need a weapon.'
. . .
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei each held their swords at the ready as they slowly circled around the couch, eyes warily on the three figures as they spread out, one for each of them. Asuka smirked slightly at the situation. 'Good. I have a sparring partner.' she thought, as she held her iridescent blade at the ready. Shinji and Rei were less confident, and the tip of Shinji's blade jittered slightly.
Shinji was, frankly, terrified. 'What are these things? Are they what caused our nightmares? The… the Revenants?' Shinji watched as the one in front of him glitched between different forms. Some of the Angels, his father, the Eva… finally, it settled on his father, and Shinji felt the cold stare of what could only be his father pinning him in place.
'Wow.' he distantly thought, as a wicked blade replaced his father's arm. 'It really feels like he's here. They even got the cold glare right.' the sounds of battle muffled as his blade slightly dipped. 'Father…'
As his father raised his arm, Shinji blinked as it was sliced off, a sudden clarity of thought came to him as she looked over at Asuka, who was already parrying a… a nurse? "Focus, Shinji!" Asuka said, ducking another strike. "Get in the zone!"
Shinji nodded as he watched the Revenant's stump of an arm congeal, a replacement seeming to drip down to replace what was now lying on the floor. The zone. Right.
His surroundings, the slight ripple of his enemy's arm as it formed into another blade, became sharper, even as they seemed to slow down. The Revenant, his father, took another swing at him, this time seeming far more sluggish. Shinji was ready this time, and batted the blade aside, swinging at its chest and making deep gashes that seemed to slowly start closing.
. . .
Misato was getting tired of this. The thing that stood in front of her barely seemed to react, even after she had grabbed one of the larger kitchen knives that Shinji used for cooking, all her cuts seemed to do was annoy the thing more than anything else. Kaji had followed her lead, slashing at the thing in front of him. And Daniel and Eleanor…
She glanced into the living room. Daniel and Eleanor danced around the one they mentioned was stronger, as it shifted and contorted in impossible ways, its limbs lashing out like whips. The living room also seemed… bigger, somehow, and at times, Daniel, Eleanor, the monster, or a combination of the three floated up into the air, onto the ceiling, or slamming into the floor. At least, that last one mostly applied to the monster.
It held her gaze for a split second until she heard a voice she thought she'd never hear again. "Misato…"
Her head whipped back as her eyes widened, and she saw a man with long black hair, wearing a simple black shirt and jeans, with a familiar silver cross hanging from his neck. "Dad…"
The figure stepped towards her as her vision began to tunnel, the sounds of battle becoming muffled as a chill began to settle in her bones. He was back. She was back there, in Antarctica…
"I'm here, Misato." he said, as… as snow began to fall.
Misato couldn't help the tears in her eyes. "Dad…" she felt something slip from her hand. It didn't matter, really. He was here again. He was here!
Her father stretched out his arms. "Come here. I'm sorry, Misato. For everything."
She stepped forward, her own arms beginning to reach for a hug she didn't even know she needed.
Another voice became evident in the muffled distance. It might have been calling her name. Then she heard it break through clearly. "Misato!"
Clarity rushed back to her, as her father stumbled forward, becoming slightly iridescent again.
Misato blinked, then shook her head slightly as her surroundings came back into focus. She was in the Theisman's kitchen, and Kaji had just stabbed a monster. A monster that still held the face of her father, as it scowled and tried to throw Kaji off.
A spark of rage lit a fire in Misato's chest, and her heart began to feel like it was pumping magma. How dare this... thing, this bastard, have the gall to try and use her father to… to…
She shouted, and picked up her knife again as she and Kaji sliced and stabbed at the monster, driving it into the wall.
As its compatriot became tied up by the couple, the other Revenant turned to Ritsuko and Maya, who had crowded back into the kitchen.
It glitched, then glitched again as it looked at Ritsuko, and became Gendo Ikari. Ritsuko's breathing quickened. It… it couldn't be him. And yet it was… a slight smile crept up his face as he advanced slowly.
Ritsuko blinked. It was her first night in his room. Old feelings of expectation, of nervousness, suddenly sprang to life within Ritsuko, now underlaid by a current of roiling dread. 'This isn't real. This isn't real. This isn't real.' repeated over and over in her mind.
But it was real. She felt the sheets beneath her, felt utterly naked, as Gendo took off his shirt…
And was promptly punched by Maya across the face. Ritsuko blinked, and she was back in a kitchen, fully clothed, watching Maya continue to punch an also fully clothed Gendo. "You get away from her!" Maya shouted as she pounded against the creature's chest.
The thing seemed more surprised than anything at the sudden barrage of fists. Ritsuko's eyes widened as Gendo, the thing, whatever, raised its fists above its head, the hands turning into wicked claws.
As Ritsuko reached out a hand, a blade flashed, and a deep cut appeared in Gendo's side, and he, it, turned and looked at Kaji as he backed away. "That's right." Kaji said, motioning the Revenant towards him with his free hand. "Look at me. I'm the dangerous one."
. . .
Rei felt a very rare emotion as she dueled with the Revenant in front of her. Annoyance. These things barely reacted to any of their attacks, seeming to heal, however slowly, and used their seeming unfeeling to their advantage, reaching through their attacks to swipe at them with claws or blades or bludgeons.
"I believe we require a new strategy." Rei said coolly as she narrowly avoided another swipe.
Asuka glanced back at Rei. "You think?" she said incredulously, stepping back from a taloned grab.
Shinji's eyes narrowed as he thought for a moment, then widened as he stumbled on an idea. "Get ready." he said, beginning a chain of attacks that slowly drove his opponent, still wearing the face of his father, back.
Asuka shook her head. "Get ready for-"
The words died on her lips as she felt Shinji connect to her soul, then felt him connect both of them to Rei.
Then, the connection deepened further than it had ever gone, as Asuka, Shinji and Rei began to… well, Asuka didn't quite have the words for what she was experiencing. It was almost a level above synching with the Evas, as she understood exactly what Shinji and Rei were going to do before they did it, could almost see from their eyes if she wanted. It was almost dizzying, but not quite.
"Alright," Shinji said through their link, "we need to focus on one of them. If we bring it down fast enough, we'll be able to take care of the rest more easily."
Asuka nodded. "Makes sense. Which one do we pick?"
Immediately, Shinji brought to their attention that his Revenant still looked like Commander Ikari. Understanding and excitement sang through Asuka as she realized what Shinji was implying.
"Oh yeah." Asuka said. "That's the one."
Rei rolled her eyes. "We will need to stand together in order to ensure such a concept will be effective."
They had become slowly separated as the fight progressed, and Rei's opponent, an almost ghostlike mirror of herself, tried to press her back down the hallway out of the living room.
"Fair point." Asuka said with annoyance as she backed closer to Shinji.
Rei pressed the attack, driving the Revenant back until an opening presented itself, then ducked under a swipe of its claws to dash to Asuka and Shinji's side.
They regarded their foes for a moment, their swords a hedge against their advance. Then, after a moment of stillness, they launched their attack against their target, perfectly in synch.
The image of Gendo Ikari stumbled back, throwing its arms in front of it before they were mercilessly hacked off by Shinji and Asuka.
Rei turned on her Sight, and all of them saw the glow of the Revenant's Frame as it tried to regenerate under the withering storm of slashes and stabs. "We need to attack the Frame directly." Rei said through the link. "Otherwise this will only take up precious time."
"Right." Shinji said as he focused. They needed to make it so their blades could cut through the Frame. How did they do that?
After a moment more of focus, the blade of Shinji's sword began to shimmer and glow with prismatic light, almost like an AT Field, and his next slash shattered the Frame that he hit like glass, causing the Revenant to writhe as it finally seemed to feel pain. "How did I do that?"
"Well, we know how you did it," Asuka said, as her and Rei's swords began to glow as well, "but explanations later, stabbing now!"
The Revenant, for all its former terror, seemed to wail as it stumbled and tripped onto its back, its arms and legs gone as the Frame shattered under the Children's blows. Finally, with a stab, Rei speared through the core, shattering it completely.
And thus, the Revenant that was in the image of Gendo Ikari turned into nothing but iridescent Plasm.
"Gotta admit," Asuka said as they turned to regard the other two Revenants, "that was a great stress reliever."
. . .
Daniel tsked slightly as he and Eleanor faced down the Revenant Prime. It was a slippery creature, more flexible than its underlings, bending and stretching out of the way of their strikes with almost impossible ease. "We need to pin this thing down, Eleanor. I'm starting to get up there in terms of Flux, even with my Vent Frames."
"Me too." Eleanor said. "I'll see what I can do. Distract it."
"Got it." Daniel said as he dashed towards the Prime with a flurry of slices and stabs, Eleanor sliding out of the Revenant's view as it put its focus towards blocking Daniel's storm of crystalline fury.
As Daniel wailed on the Prime, its own attacks started to slip past his defenses, a cut here, a gash there, and Daniel's healing could only keep up so much. "Eleanor…"
As he spoke, four tendrils of water whipped around the Prime's limbs, coating them in almost the blink of an eye. As they did, the water went from clear to blue, to an almost pitch black, as the space of the water seemed to become impossibly deep, as a deep, muffled crackling sound filled the air. The Revenant writhed in its restraints, and Daniel considered his next move.
After a moment, Daniel stepped towards the writhing, jerking Revenant, his free hand becoming encrusted with sharp crystal claws that glowed with what seemed like starlight, and lined up his aim at the core with his Sight.
With a quick motion, Daniel's hand hit the Prime's chest, then sunk past skin to reach into the space the Prime's Spirit occupied.
He grabbed it, and with a wrenching motion, tore it out of the Prime's chest, causing it to collapse into a pile of Plasm.
As Eleanor released her grip, Daniel held the Spirit's core in his hand, a lattice of tiny constellations linking it to his clutching hand, and focused, linking himself to the Spirit. He felt the remaining four Revenants and projected a single, simple command. Run.
The Revenants clutched their heads, or what passed for them, but after a moment's struggle, the ones in his sight streamed back out the veranda doors, disappearing into the night.
Before Daniel destroyed the Daemon, another idea flashed into his mind, and he began to construct an Expression, his blade disappearing into his Grip with a quieting hum as he put it away.
Eleanor looked at Daniel for a moment, then as she understood what he meant to do, nodded and turned towards Kaji and Misato.
Time slowed to a crawl as Daniel used the Spirit as an access point to the soul of the Animist who had conjured it into being, and figuratively barreled his way past a familiar multihued sphere, and linked directly to the Animist, Aaminata's, soul.
An entire life flashed before his eyes. A harsh, unforgiving young life. An abundance of death. The promise of a world where all were united, and death was no obstacle. 'Typical recruitment tactic.'
A new purpose in uniting all Reality. A new perspective, a new control, in Interfacing. A bestiary's worth of Spirits to bind to bodies of Plasm and will.
Daniel needed something else, though, as he dived into the present. He found what he was looking for. Plans to take advantage of the next Angel. A device created to capture an unholy light. A map of Tokyo-3, with particular buildings noted with a dot. 'Perfect.'
He hid as much of his exploration as he could, wiping Aaminata's memory of his presence as carefully as he could, then withdrew, crushing the Daemon's Spirit in his hand. It had all happened in an instant, the pieces of the Revenant's spirit floating away as Daniel sank to his knees, exhausted physically and spiritually.
As Eleanor talked quietly to Misato and Kaji, Ritsuko looked up at Maya as she reached a hand down to her. "Are you okay, Senpai?"
Ritsuko stared at Maya as she took her hand, getting to her feet. She held Maya's hand for a moment. "Maya…" Ritsuko said with a dreamlike haze in her eyes.
"Yes, Senpai?" Maya said, worry still evident in her own eyes.
"Do you love me?" Ritsuko whispered.
Maya blushed madly but still nodded. "Yes. Yes, I do."
Ritsuko smiled slightly. "Oh, good."
Ritsuko then pulled Maya in for a long, deep kiss. Maya stiffened for a moment, then melted as they embraced each other.
After what felt like a wonderful forever, they parted, and Ritsuko looked at Maya with tears in her eyes. "I love you, Maya. And I should have said that a long time ago."
Maya stared back, as tears began to well up in her own eyes. "Senpai…"
Ritsuko chuckled slightly. "Please. It's just Ritsuko."
Maya's smile, radiant and pure, lit up Ritsuko's mind like a fireworks display. "Okay, Ritsuko."
After a moment of gazing into each other's eyes, Ritsuko turned to look at Eleanor, who had sat down Misato and Kaji at the table as she looked at them with a bemused expression. "I assume that's been a long time coming?"
Ritsuko chuckled slightly. "You have no idea." her gaze settled on Misato and Kaji, and her brow furrowed in concern as she stepped forward. "What's going on with them?"
. . .
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei watched as the two Revenants still standing clutched at their heads as they lost their forms, and ran, phasing through the veranda doors and disappearing out into the night.
Asuka nodded self-assuredly. "Alright then." she said, as she severed the link to Shinji and Rei and stopped energizing her Frame. "That wasn't too…"
She trailed off as the world seemed to rip itself out from beneath her, and she counted herself lucky to grab a hold on the back of the couch. That was, until she realized she could taste the couch with her hand.
Shinji and Rei were similarly stunned, and visions of… something… a lot of little somethings… danced in and out of their sight.
As the room spun around them, Kaworu stepped out from behind the couch, his eyes wide. "Friends?" he said, crouching down by Rei and Shinji. "Are you alright? Are you wounded somehow?"
Shinji shook his head. "No, Kaworu. We're fine. Or at least we should be…" he squeezed his eyes shut to try and keep the world from tilting so madly. It was terrible for his stomach. Even still, the vision of whatever he was seeing still danced across his view.
Asuka looked at the back wall as it began to shine in a person-shaped outline, then the light coalesced into Daniel, as he walked across to them.
Kaworu looked up at Daniel as he appeared, and a thoroughly confused look battled with the concern already present in his eyes. "Mr. Theisman? How did you do that? What's happening to my friends?"
Daniel ignored his questions for the moment, putting a hand on Shinji. "Shinji? Shinji, can you hear me?"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. I'm seeing the color orange whenever you speak, but I hear you."
Daniel nodded, a serious look on his face. "Flux Daze. Happens whenever you get too much Flux in you too fast. It's what happens to first-time Interfacers, and those who don't properly regulate their Flux levels. Right now, you'll be dealing with nausea, dizziness, intense synesthesia, and a peek into the Mental realm. Eleanor can get you patched up."
He gently lifted Shinji and Rei to their feet. "Alright. Up you come and just lean on me." he turned to Kaworu. "Mr. Nagisa, go help Asuka."
As Kaworu nodded and moved to help Asuka up, Rei groaned slightly. "Daniel?"
He looked down at her. "Yes, Rei?"
Rei shook her head slightly. "Your words taste... fruity."
Daniel nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure they do. Come on."
. . .
Daniel stepped back into his apartment, the Children in tow, as Ritsuko tried to examine Misato and Kaji at the same time as pestering Eleanor with questions. "What exactly were those things that attacked us? How did it manage to project… images into my head? And how did you do what you did?"
Eleanor's hands glowed slightly, a rippling effect reminiscent of a disturbed pond playing across them, as she waved over one section of Misato's head, pressed gently at another section of Kaji's. "We'll explain everything, we promise. Right now…" she looked up as Daniel and the Children arrived. "Right now, let's make sure everyone's able to get back on their feet. How are they doing, Daniel?"
Daniel smirked and chuckled slightly. "They held their own, it seems. Managed to take down one of the Revenants."
Eleanor nodded as a slight smile came to her face. "Good job to them. Flux Daze?"
Daniel nodded. "Yep. Same as Misato and Kaji, most likely. Maybe even a little worse."
Eleanor nodded as she finished her ministrations on Misato and Kaji, who slumped over slightly and clutched their heads, as she walked over to the Children to begin her Mending once again.
Daniel walked over to Ritsuko and Maya's side, as Maya looked at the puddle of Plasm that the Prime had become. "Is that stuff still… dangerous?"
Daniel shook his head. "No, it isn't. In fact, it's entirely safe for you to take samples and research it."
Ritsuko shook her head. "But what is it? What's going on? What attacked us?"
Daniel sighed slightly, then nodded. "You deserve those answers more than ever right now. To put it simply right now, you three," he said, gesturing at Ritsuko, Maya, and Kaworu, "have gotten caught in the crossfire of something much larger than even SEELE, this world, or even this universe."
He paused as he let that sink in. "And the long answer…" Daniel said. "Well, you'll have to come with me and trust me."
He paused as he waited for their answer. After a moment, Ritsuko and Maya nodded. "Alright. We'll bite." Ritsuko said.
Daniel smiled slightly. "Good." he looked over at the Children, and at Kaworu as he stood next to Rei, looking rather uncomfortable. "Kaworu?" he said, pausing for a moment as he looked up at them. Daniel nodded towards them. "Come with us. I have a lot to tell you three."
Kaworu looked back at Rei, then at Shinji and Asuka, then back to Daniel, as he slowly nodded, walking towards him.
Daniel nodded, then looked at Eleanor. "Take care of them, alright? I'll be back in a second."
Eleanor looked up at Daniel as she moved on from Kaji to Shinji. "Alright. See you."
Daniel led the trio back towards the Infinity Box as Eleanor continued her ministrations. As she moved on from Shinji to Asuka, Daniel, and the trio, now with far more dazed, awed expressions, soon stepped out of the master bedroom door.
Misato looked over at Ritsuko and chuckled slightly. "Behold, Reality?" she said.
Ritsuko looked at Misato. "Reality… this is the most important discovery… ever."
Misato nodded as she chuckled. "Yeah." she paused for a moment. "Now, if I wasn't mistaken, did I watch you and Maya kiss?"
Ritsuko turned red but smiled regardless. "Yes."
Misato pumped her fist. "Finally! Kaji owes me 1500 yen for that."
Ritsuko and Maya's eyes widened, then Ritsuko shook her head slightly and chuckled. "Why am I not surprised?"
Misato grinned, then her expression became serious. "So, now you know just how deep in it we could be."
Ritsuko's face became a mirror of Misato's seriousness. "Yes. And it seems we'll need every advantage we might have if they're escalating things as Daniel suggests."
Daniel nodded. "And make no mistake, they are escalating. Not just with this attack, but also with their upcoming plans, specifically surrounding the next Angel."
All eyes turned to him, some wider than others. "What do you mean?" Shinji said with a concerned expression each of the pilots shared.
"With the lead Revenant's death, I was able to take a hold of its Spirit core, and use that to link up to the Animist who gave them life. She is privy to a scheme to harvest the energy that the Angel outputs, a light that allows it to invasively link to a target's mind, and store it for later use." he let that sink in for a moment before he continued.
"With that in mind, I've been working on a defense to protect you against this energy already, using the space in your A10 connector clips, in order to shield you against its attacks."
His expression grew grim. "I'll be frank with you. I haven't the slightest clue how long the defense will last until the Angel breaks through it. But it's going to give you time to work against it."
Asuka leaned forward. "Alright. So, what's the plan beyond that?"
Daniel looked around the room at the assembled group, then smiled slightly. "I have some ideas. But ideas are rarely ever a complete plan. Let's talk in the Infinity Box. We'll need the time."
An Angel from on high signals a perilous beginning to a new year, and the beginning of the Anti-Instrumentality Committee's battle against SEELE. Old secrets come to light, alongside old memories. What are the origins of Adam and Lilith? Next Episode: An Uncaring Heaven's Glare.
It was a tense lead-up to Arael. With all of us knowing what was about to come, it was more like getting ready for a stage production than preparing for a military operation. The world's deadliest stage production, not only for the Angel, but for Commander Ikari and SEELE as well. It was vital to ensure that no one else knew about our preparations. We all had our part to play. Some more dangerous than others.
Commander's Office, Geofront, January 2016
Gendo Ikari sat at his desk, as he usually did, and silently looked over the reports that were in front of him. Seven of his best Section 2 agents were dead. And they had been killed in spectacularly bloody fashion. Fuyutsuki particularly made an effort to glance past the photos that were… well, graphic was almost not a strong enough word for it, was it?
"Sir," Fuyutsuki said after a moment of silence, "Who… what… could have done something like this?"
Gendo was silent for a moment. To tell the truth, he didn't have the slightest clue either. There was no telltale sign, no indication of allegiance, left at the scenes. To all the world, it seemed like a deranged serial killer had appeared out of thin air and fell upon them, disappearing as quickly as he came. But no killer could do that to some of the best people in security. Not alone. "SEELE isn't known for sending messages this overt." he finally said. "But the intent is clear. Someone does not want us watching the Sixth Child."
Fuyutsuki shook his head. "But who? And why kill our Section 2 agents in such a brutal fashion to get the point across?"
The silence that followed stretched on as Gendo considered his response at length. Finally, he said the words that he was perhaps the most hesitant to say. "I don't know, Sensei."
Fuyutsuki blinked, then his eyes widened slightly as he came to regard Gendo. That was the first time he'd admitted that for a long time. Longer, perhaps, than Fuyutsuki could even remember.
"Regardless," Gendo said, "we must at least take steps to seem as if we intend to protect the Sixth Child. If we have noticed this, then it is only a matter of time before the Committee does as well. And they will question what is being done to protect the Sixth Child far more strenuously than anyone else."
Gendo paused for a moment. "For example, they will likely decry the current housing for the Sixth Child as far too insecure. They will likely want him moved to safer housing."
A slight smile tugged at the corner of Fuyutsuki's mouth. "You mention that, and I will say that Major Katsuragi did just recently bring up the status of the Sixth Child's housing. She made a suggestion that the boy receive an apartment at her building."
Gendo shrugged slightly. "Then we will take advantage of such a request. Grant it."
Fuyutsuki nodded. "Very well."
He fell silent for a moment as he considered what to say next. "Gendo," he finally said, "do you think that there's something bigger in play here? That some party beyond the ones we know of is behind this?"
"There is nothing bigger than SEELE, Sensei." Gendo said this with the surety that only intimate knowledge gave.
"Gendo… can we be entirely sure of that anymore?" Fuyutsuki said.
Gendo was silent. For in truth, Fuyutsuki was right. There was no way to be sure, anymore. "Until it impacts the Scenario directly, Sensei, it will be of no consequence to us." Gendo finally said.
Fuyutsuki nodded uncertainly. "Very well."
Inwardly, Fuyutsuki was not so sure. 'There's just one question we haven't asked, Gendo. What if something has already impacted the Scenario? What if the Scenario doesn't look the same anymore?'
- - -
Infinity Box, Theisman Residence
Shinji breathed deeply as he looked down the sights of his Grip, now in the form of a pistol, and as he sighted a familiar target, similarly familiar words came to mind. 'Center the target, pull the trigger.'
Now, however, the target dodged from side to side, jumped and ducked, and Shinji had some difficulty drawing a bead on the target that looked like Sachiel.
The pistol in his hand fired with a short, blaring noise as a pulsating sphere of rainbow light shot out, and Shinji's shot caught Sachiel square in the mask, causing it to stumble back, exposing its core to the next shots that Shinji put into it.
Shinji released the form of his pistol, his Grip becoming just a simple slightly iridescent handle once again. All along the firing range that the Infinity Box had become, similar scenarios played out, some quicker than others, as Asuka, Rei, Hikari, Toji, Misato, and Kaji all got used to using their Grips as ranged weapons.
Kaworu was the only one not actively participating in the firing exercise. He had only just become Interfaced and sat patiently next to Ritsuko and Maya, who were having an intent conversation with Eleanor as to some of the more arcane and technical aspects of being able to link up with the foundations of the universe.
Rei stepped away from her firing lane, and turned to look at Kaworu. She had, for reasons that were still a mystery to even herself, taken up the brunt of Kaworu's training. Whenever she was asked why, and the question had come up frequently at first, she always gave a variation of the same answer. "Daniel and Eleanor have much work to do ensuring our training is where it is now. To have them step back and train someone at a lower level than us would take up precious time. And besides, I am most similar to him, therefore my experience in Interfacing will perhaps be the best match to his knowledge."
That Asuka's jests that Rei just wanted to spend time with "the cute scribble" only made her slightly blush was a testament to her self-control.
Kaworu stood and walked towards her, smiling slightly. "Am I to assume that my next training session starts now, Sensei?"
Rei's brow irked slightly at that. Toji had made the suggestion that he call her that. She was still mulling over an appropriate punishment for the boy. For now, she simply nodded. "Indeed. And you may cease your training at any point afterward, should you so wish." She made the offer every time.
Kaworu nodded. "Very well. But, as always, I must decline your offer. I have come to enjoy these training sessions and the time that I can spend with you all."
Rei nodded. "Very well." She and Kaworu each made their way to a sectioned-off side of the Box, as both Rei and Kaworu manifested their Grips. Kaworu had, Rei had to say with some grudging respect, made great strides in learning Interfacing. His lack of creativity was an obstacle, certainly, but he had a knack for copying what he saw.
As their swords began to appear, Kaworu's smile grew slightly. "You seem a decent fellow. I'd hate to kill you." he said in English.
Rei sighed quietly. "You seem a decent fellow. I hate to die." she replied in English. She regretted, somewhat, showing him that movie. Like her, it had become perhaps his favorite.
Everything around them slowed as they both "ascended" to the Second Peak, minor Vent Frames springing into existence to counteract the Flux that such entailed. Then, after a moment of stillness, they charged at each other.
Blades clashed, once, twice, thrice, and the two broke apart. The blade of Rei's sword grew slightly and became broader, as she changed her stance and attacks, precise jabs and short slashes becoming wide, powerful swings.
Kaworu dodged back, his own blade shrinking down before he dashed inside of the sword's reach, slashing at Rei as she backed up.
Kaworu's focus on driving back Rei was promptly broken by a right hook from a Grip turned into a knuckle duster, sending him stumbling backward as his Interfacing knitted up the wound.
As Kaworu shook his head to try and clear his vision, he blinked to find a slender blade touching his throat. He sighed. The spar had been won by Rei, once again.
As Kaworu raised his hands, Rei lowered her blade. "You are still inflexible. Reacting, when you should be acting. If you do not improve, there is a better than good chance that when your life is on the line, you will die."
She lowered the blade and stepped back. "This is why I always say you may walk away from these lessons at any time. You will be able to prove yourself as an Evangelion pilot in the event that the next Angel attacks soon, which is likely. You do not need to also prove yourself as an Interfacer at the same time. We will be able to defend you."
Kaworu took a few deep breaths, then smiled again. "Ayanami," he said and was quietly grateful for the fact that he could call her by at least one of her names, "it would be shameful of me to expect others to do for me what I am not perfectly capable of doing myself. I will continue my training. At the very least, it will allow me to hold out until you or Shinji and Asuka or any of the others arrive."
Rei frowned only slightly. She had to admit that he had a point. "Very well." she finally said, as the other Children, Daniel, and Eleanor walked over to the sparring mat.
"So, scribble," Asuka said, "she beat you again?"
Kaworu nodded. "Yes, Ayanami has, indeed, gotten the better of me this match."
Toji scoffed slightly. "So, what is that, then? 25 losses out of 30?"
Kaworu nodded patiently as Hikari elbowed Toji softly. "Yes, Toji. That is correct." he said with his trademark slight smile.
As Rei and Kaworu walked back towards the other Children and began to converse with them, Misato walked up to the group. "Rei, Kaworu." she said, pausing as they turned to regard her. "Remember, you two have your activation tests today."
She turned to look at the other Children, regarding Shinji, Asuka, and Toji. "That's going to be happening at about the same time as your synch tests."
The three of them quietly pondered what Misato said for a moment. They would be able to talk to their mothers again. It was now the one saving grace of the synch tests, now.
As they pondered this, Maya spoke up. "So, wait a minute," she said to Daniel and Eleanor, "with the Children's Expressions creating Plasm, how are you able to do what you do in making crystals and water and such?"
As Daniel and Eleanor thought for a moment on how to answer, Asuka nodded as she processed the question, turning to Daniel. "Yeah, actually. Why haven't you taught us how to make something we recognize? Like a lightning bolt or a fireball?"
Daniel recognized the moment for what it could be and nodded. "Alright. I'll try to explain quickly." he said, as he walked a little ways away and sat down on a stool that appeared.
"So," he said, as the others gathered around him and Eleanor, "those of you who are Interfaced have noticed that whenever you simply focus on energizing the Frames you make, you only get Plasm or energized Metos, which as I'm sure you've seen, probably has another name here. That's because you need one more thing in order to make the Metos into something else. A base to build on. An example to go off of."
He held out his hand. "That's where an Aspect Core comes in."
Instead of a star or a simple gemstone, something else appeared above Daniel's outstretched hand. It appeared to be much like some of the gems that Daniel was able to create, rounded even as it held a few flat facets. In the gem's depths, a starfield, bright and alive with nebulae and glowing constellations and the dark spots of black holes, seemed to stretch into eternity, no matter how deep one tried to peer. It almost seemed to pull the eye deeper into the depths it held.
"These act as a sort of... program that tells the Metos what to become. Cores are based around a single, usually physical thing, like a star, a gemstone, water, and so on." Daniel said.
Eleanor nodded. "However, an Aspect Core can be added on to. These additions are things that are closely related, either physically or in concept, to the thing the Core represents. We call them Facets."
Ritsuko nodded. "So it's like adding on to an operating system with specific programs."
Eleanor chuckled slightly. "After a fashion, yes."
Shinji nodded. "So, if you're showing us the star one, how can you create gemstones then?"
Daniel nodded, and the image of the Aspect Core disappeared. "A fair question. One can have multiple Aspect Cores, which allows them to choose what kind of thing they want to create and control. It takes a lot of time and practice to be good at more than one or two of them, though."
Everyone nodded at this, and Daniel stood up. "But for now," he said, "getting your own Aspect Cores will simply have to be a matter of time. We all have other things to do today, after all."
. . .
The Pribnow Box, NERV-HQ
Unit-00 stood restrained, as it always was, within the confines of the bright white room that was the Pribnow Box. From the observation room, which had the glass strengthened again from the last time it was replaced, Ritsuko looked out the window at the blue giant. It was Rei's first time back in the Entry Plug of Unit-00 after the battle with Zeruel, and Ritsuko worried.
She knew she shouldn't. It was just a reactivation test, after all, which went rather quick in the grand scheme of things. But past experience told her that putting the Unit in the Pribnow Box, and having her watch it, led to disaster. Led to the beast inside Unit-00's core going wild. Having it do so at her presence twice in a row could not be a mere coincidence, especially with the second incident having Shinji as the pilot instead of Rei.
As she looked on, Misato walked to her side. "Worried it might go out of control again?" she said quietly.
Ritsuko was silent for a moment, then sighed as she nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, kind of."
Misato shrugged slightly. "Can't say that I blame you."
They looked on as Maya confirmed that Rei had entered the Entry Plug.
Rei sat in the familiar slight pressure of the LCL, and heard the whir of the Entry Plug slide into place. It had been many weeks since she had been in here. The inside of her mind warred between a slight excitement of finally being able to know she could pilot again and the growing anxiety of what was inside Unit-00. 'I can control it. I am stronger now. In more ways than one.'
Even still, as the connections reached their final stage, she could not quite quash the anxiety as she heard Maya speak. "0.65. 0.75. 0.85. 0.90. Absolute borderline passed. The Eva is online."
Rei closed her eyes and focused, as she used the Sight to peer at the resident within the core.
It was a small, dim thing, almost unfit to be called something human. But it was, bestial as it could be.
It reached out to her, and she connected, the now-familiar wave of desire and vitriol seeking to drag her under as it had before.
It did not speak, only felt, in base, animalistic feeling. Want. Anger. Desire. Over and over again, it cycled through those things.
But Rei held on. "No. I will not allow you to take control again."
Annoyance. Exasperation. Want. it was the only thing that broke the cycle, but it said volumes.
Rei was taken aback for only an instant. She had never understood whole words from the core, only the emotions.
After a moment, she realized what it wanted. What she wanted. It was tempting. Very tempting. "No. Not yet. Not until everyone is safe."
The wave of vitriol came again. But Rei rode it out, and the beast came under her control once again.
"Good work, Rei." Ritsuko said. "We'll go ahead and desynch now."
Rei opened her eyes. "Thank you, Doctor Akagi."
. . .
Misato watched as Unit-03, black and white, slid into place within the Pribnow Box, and suppressed a shudder. She had seen the combat footage of the Angel, now called Bardiel, and its engagement of Shinji, Asuka, and Rei. A small part of her still feared that the eyes that now stared ahead at her would glow red again, and bathe NERV in a blanket of white light.
'No, Misato. They've cleared it of Angelic contamination. It's going to be fine.'
That still didn't completely dispel the fear that hung on as she heard the confirmation that Kaworu had entered the Entry Plug.
She had heard that Kaworu was part Angel, like Rei. But she also knew there was something else. Something no one was telling her.
She would have linked her soul with one of the Children's, but she had learned what she had done when she had become initiated was deeply disrespectful, and for a little while, she was afraid to link with another person's soul. But she had overcome that, for the most part.
Even still, just looking at their souls, it was clear there was something that tinged their interactions with the boy. Something she couldn't quite identify.
Even still, her mind wandered as she heard Ritsuko and Maya initiate the connection process.
That brought to mind another mystery. How would Kaworu synch with Mrs. Horaki? They weren't related in any way, and Kaworu didn't seem to have a core to call his own. So what did he do then?
She walked back over to Maya and Ritsuko as the Eva fully activated. She watched the synch monitor intently as it steadily climbed to 85%, then stopped.
After a moment, Ritsuko raised an eyebrow as she looked at Maya. "Is there something going on with the equipment? His synch level hasn't moved an inch since he reached it."
Maya shook her head. "No, Senpai. It's just that his synch score isn't showing any sort of fluctuations. At all." she said in wonderment.
Misato looked back up at Unit-03, and at Kaworu. 'How do you manage that?' she thought. 'Not even Asuka, the best pilot we have, is able to do that. Can Rei do that too?'
The mystery surrounding the boy only grew deeper.
. . .
Shinji sat in Unit-01's Entry Plug and took deep breaths. He was about to talk to his mother again. How was it going to go now? Would she be mad at him for what she had heard about… about father?
'No. She was sad, more than anything. And… she's the closest person I'm related to who actually seems to love me.'
Shinji scoffed quietly as the Entry Plug was inserted into Unit-01. 'Man. What a messed up family I have.'
The sounds of voices calling out preparations for the beginning of the test weighed on him like a familiar blanket. A part of him still wished that wasn't the case.
Maya's voice rang clear. "0.65. 0.75. 0.80. 0.90. Absolute borderline crossed. The Eva is now online."
Shinji breathed deeply as he established the connection. "Mother?"
"Shinji. It's… well, I guess it's a little inaccurate to say 'it's good to see you'."
Shinji smiled slightly. "It's good to talk to you again, mother. There's… so much I've wanted to talk to you about."
And so they conversed, as Shinji's synch score grew steadily higher. After a moment, Ritsuko keyed in. "Good job, Shinji. You're sitting at about 85%."
Asuka's voice made itself known over the line. "Alright, rookie. It's not bad. But you're not going to beat me just yet." she said, and Shinji could practically hear a cocksure smile on her face.
Shinji fought hard not to smile too widely back at Asuka. "We'll see about that."
A harumph came from the other end of the line, then it went quiet.
"So, who was that young lady?" Yui said, amusement evident in her tone.
"That was Asuka, mother. My… my girlfriend. The woman I love. Who I would do anything for."
Shinji could nearly feel the wonder and joy radiating from his mother's soul. "That's wonderful, Shinji. You've found love here, in the most unexpected of places. And… I can see how deeply you care for her. It's almost written all over your face, young man."
"Mother…"
Yui couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, come on Shinji. It's not like I'm going to meet her face to face anytime soon."
It went quiet after that, as Yui realized what she had said. "But," she said after a moment, "You can at least tell me what she's like."
Shinji's smile, which had shrunk slightly, grew back again. "I can do that. She's… alive, mother. Vibrant and passionate and… the driving force behind me. She helps me to do things I never could have done without her."
Contentment and joy. "So, Shinji, how did you two meet?"
Seemingly old memories, tinged with nostalgia that didn't quite cover the embarrassment and terror of the moment. "Well, it started when Asuka came with Daniel and Kaji from Germany with Unit-02. With Mrs. Soryu." he was somber as he said the last part.
"Wait a moment." Yui said. "Kyoko? She's here, too?"
Shinji hid a wince. "Mother… Asuka's mother is in Unit-02. And…" he trailed off, unsure of how to explain it properly.
"What?" Yui said, shock and sadness evident in her voice. "You mean… they tried again with the Contact Experiments?"
"Yeah." Shinji said. "But instead of taking her entire body and soul, it kind of… ripped her soul in half. It didn't go well after that."
It was silent for a moment. "Kyoko… I used to take you to have her babysit when we were in college. She had this rambunctious little toddler, with a head of hair like it was on fire."
"Mom…" Shinji said, as he desperately tried to keep his cheeks from showing the blush that was rushing towards them, recalling memories that were ancient compared to the memories that had started this. "That's Asuka. Her hair is… on fire. Like you said. She's a Soryu-Langley."
Understanding. "Ah… and Kyoko was Zeppelin-Soryu." Amusement rippled off of Yui's soul. "You know, it was always so cute watching you two play together."
Shinji closed his eyes and rolled them as he did. "I can only imagine, mother." it was quiet again for a moment. "And now… I've met her again. The real her."
It was quiet again. Then, what could only be described as a chuckle came from Yui. "Oh, yes. I almost forgot you had a story to tell. So, do please continue."
Shinji sighed quietly. "Like I said, Asuka came with Unit-02 to Japan, and an Angel attacked us at the same time. So, Asuka pulled me into Unit-02's Entry Plug, and we... we beat the Angel together. We win whenever we go into battle together." a note of bitterness entered his tone. "Whatever father thinks about that."
"Oh, Shinji." Yui said, a deep sadness welling up in her soul. "I still don't know what to think about Gendo. He... he loves me. I know that much. I see... so much of him in you. His love. His willingness to do whatever it was to keep the ones he loved safe. But to see him do this... to you..."
"Yeah." Shinji said. "I don't know either. But, in all honesty..." he paused for a moment. "You're right." it was one of the hardest things that he could admit. "I am like him. I will do almost anything for the ones I love. But I will never stoop to father's level. Ever."
. . .
Asuka sat in the Entry Plug for Unit-02 and tried not to show her anxiety. She was excited to try and talk to her mother again. That much was obvious to those who knew her. But… there was that part of her. The part that was left behind. The part that wanted her to die with it. She suppressed a shudder that the warmth of the LCL did nothing to dispel. But Daniel had talked to her beforehand. Now, she was at least a little more prepared. And damn it all, not even her mother could get in the way of her talking to her mama.
She had to chuckle slightly at that. 'And here I thought basically learning magic would be the weirdest thought going through my mind. What a world we live in.'
The connection was made, and Asuka got within Sight of the two halves of her mother's soul. As before, the darker, twisted half began to reach for her. But this time, Asuka constructed a barrier, a wall of Framework that the twisted soul couldn't get through. It was quiet for a moment. "Mama?"
"Asuka?" Kyoko said clearly. "How did you do that?"
Asuka could not hold back the satisfaction she felt from hearing her mama's voice not echo. "It's a trick I learned from my Bruder, mama."
"Your Bruder?" Asuka felt the distinct impression of an arched eyebrow. "And when did you get one of those?" she said, with no small amount of interest in her tone.
Asuka's surprise lasted only an instant, as memories rushed back. "It's a long story. But we'll get there later. Mama… it's been so long. I've missed you. I love you."
A quiet joy bloomed to life. "Oh, Asuka. Liebling. I love you too. I've wanted to say that again for so long."
Asuka was overjoyed. She heard it. She finally heard her say it again. It was a struggle to keep tears from welling in her eyes. "Oh, mama. I've done so much since you've gone in here. I've learned how to save the world. I've met so many people, like Daniel, my Bruder, and… Shinji."
"Shinji?" Kyoko went silent for a moment. "That's… that's Yui and Gendo's little boy, right?"
Asuka hid a spike of anger as best she could. "Yeah. Yeah, and now, he's grown up, and… he loves me."
Amusement. "Well, you two always did look cute playing together." a chuckle, and no small amount of smugness. "You know, I had a bet on whether or not you two would get together with Yui. Looks like I won."
Asuka did the best she could to not let her embarrassment show on her physical face. "Mama!"
A peal of laughter echoed from Kyoko's soul, dispelling much of the embarrassment Asuka held. "That's the little fireball I remember! I've missed you."
It was comfortably quiet for a moment, as they basked in each other's presence. "So," Kyoko said after a moment, "what is he like?"
Asuka smiled slightly. She was going to enjoy this immensely. "First off, he's a wonderful cellist, mama. And not too shabby an Eva pilot, either."
"Eva pilot?" Kyoko said with no small amount of confusion. "What is that?"
Asuka realized what she would have to explain. "Mama... I need you to promise not to get too mad..."
- - -
It was a quiet car ride home. Shinji and Asuka sat in the back of Misato's car, letting the city pass by them as the sun set. For a synch test day… it was good. The first that both Shinji and Asuka remembered as such.
Their souls were linked together, the spiritual contact almost, but not quite, making up for the physical contact they couldn't share right now.
"So, Shinji," Asuka said through their link, "what did you think about us knowing each other so young?"
Shinji shook his head slightly. "That was… interesting to find out. We knew each other. Our mothers knew each other…"
It was quiet again as they both pondered this. "So," Asuka said, a smirk slowly growing on her face, "Do we qualify as childhood friends, then?"
Shinji rolled his eyes. "That... might be stretching it a little."
Asuka's smirk grew. "Admit it, rookie. It makes us all the sweeter, doesn't it?"
Shinji nodded after a moment, as a small smile started to spread across his face. "Yeah, liebling. It does, actually."
Asuka nodded slightly, her satisfaction felt through the link between them. "That's what I thought."
It was a little later that Misato decided to pipe up. "So," she said, "how was talking to your mothers?"
Shinji nodded. "It was… interesting." he said, trying not to blush as he thought about the long, long talk his mother had with him about love. It felt… almost hollow, right now, knowing that his father to the two of them was two radically different people.
"I can imagine it's been quite the experience to catch them up with things." Misato said. After a moment of silence, her voice softened. "How's your mother doing, Asuka?"
Asuka sighed quietly. "She's… alright. The trick Daniel showed me worked well enough. At least it let me have a conversation with my mama."
Misato nodded, smiling slightly. "That's good."
It was silent for a moment. "So, how did they react to you two being an item?"
It was silent again for a moment. Then, Shinji and Asuka's eyes widened as they recognized exactly what the question was. 'Crap! We still haven't come up with anything yet!' was the thought that shot between the both of them.
"Misato!" Asuka said in shock. "How did you find out?"
Shinji's eyes were similarly full of shock. "Did Kaji tell you?"
Misato shook her head and chuckled softly as they pulled into their apartment's parking lot. "No. No, I just did… something stupid when I first got Interfaced."
As she pulled into the parking space and stopped the car, she unbuckled and turned back to look at the two wide-eyed Children. "And I'll be honest, I was kind of mad you two didn't tell me at first." she sighed quietly. "Look, I know I'm your commanding officer, and I should ensure that such relations don't get in the way of your piloting the Evas."
Asuka leaned forward slightly. "But it does-"
Misato raised a hand. "I know. The results are plain to see." a slight smirk tugged at Misato's mouth. "Even if no one else quite knows why."
Shinji and Asuka blushed, and Misato chuckled again. "And before you ask, no. I won't split you two up. You two… you two inspired us, really. Me and Kaji. I think Kaji got the courage to try again from you two. And he gave that courage to me, too."
It was quiet again in the car. Now, there was an air of relief. Shinji smiled softly. "Thank you, Misato."
Misato smiled back. "Of course, Shinji."
After a moment, Misato's smile became a sly, knowing grin as she turned back to Asuka. "So," she said, as Asuka began to blush, "how is it at night?"
Shinji blinked, then blushed brightly, as Asuka's mouth opened and closed silently for a moment. "Misato!" she finally said.
Misato rolled her eyes. "Come on, Asuka. You've been together for months. And I know what I saw in Daniel's soul. So now," she said, a triumphant look in her eye, "I get to play the role of big sis Misato looking for the juicy details."
Shinji looked down and to the side. "Come on, Misato." he said, almost sullenly.
Misato nearly cackled as she opened the door. "Alright, you two. Come on. I'll accept dinner in the place of a perfectly reasonable explanation. For now."
Shinji and Asuka groaned slightly as they got out of the car. Tonight was going to be awkward, there was no avoiding that. But, they thought, as they finally held each other's hands in front of Misato as they entered the elevator, the awkwardness would pass. They could be… each other. 'No more fearing her. We can be… together. No more secrets. No more lying.'
. . .
Daniel, Eleanor, and Rei ate dinner quietly together. It was getting to be a more common thing, and Daniel and Eleanor both wondered at what had caused it.
Rei herself ate slowly, her expression one of deep thought.
After a moment, Daniel looked over at Rei. "You've got something on your mind, Rei. Would you like to tell us?"
Rei blinked, then looked back at Daniel. "Yes. I have been thinking of family more deeply recently."
Daniel and Eleanor both nodded. "And what are your thoughts so far?" Eleanor said.
Rei looked back down at her food. "You have said in the past that family can transcend the purely genetic relations that we have. And I have had the privilege of living with you, having your guidance on how to be… well, normal, in addition to the guidance that Shinji and Asuka have given. You have gone out of your way to nurture and care for me."
She paused, and a blush came to her cheeks.
Daniel nodded. "And we've been more than happy to give that care." he paused for a moment. "Is there… something wrong, Rei?"
Rei's blush deepened. "No. Or, at least, I do not think so. I have just wanted to ask…"
She paused again for a moment. "Do your actions make you… my father and mother?"
Daniel and Eleanor processed Rei's question for a silent moment. Then Daniel spoke again. "Rei… would you like that to be the case?"
After a moment, Rei nodded. "Yes. You two are the closest I have come to having actual parents. I… can not consider Gendo Ikari as such, even as he is my legal guardian. And Lilith…"
Eleanor nodded knowingly. "That's far more complicated."
Rei nodded. "Yes. Very much so."
Daniel glanced at Eleanor for a moment, then smiled softly. "Well, Rei, we're more than happy to be your parents. You've deserved nothing less."
Rei's smile was radiant, and tears welled in her eyes. "Thank you." she said quietly.
"Of course, Rei." Eleanor said.
Dinner finished up, and eventually, it came to be bedtime. Rei walked towards her room, then stopped and turned back, Giving Daniel and Eleanor each a hug. "Good night, mother. Good night, father."
Daniel smiled as Rei hugged him. "Good night, Rei."
Rei stepped back from the hug with a smile and went to bed.
Daniel and Eleanor stood in the living room for a quiet moment. Eleanor looked at Daniel with a bemused expression. "So, we're parents now, huh?"
Daniel sighed quietly and smiled slightly. "Yes. Yes, we are."
Eleanor regarded Daniel for a moment. "Come to think of it… this isn't the first time I've heard of you referred to as a part of a family. You've made a habit of being an older brother, a father-in-law, a mentor…" she trailed off.
Daniel's smile dimmed as he nodded. "Yes. I have." he took a deep breath. "I can't say I entirely know what started it, but… I wanted a chance to make sure that no one else would walk the path that I did. Make sure that if they learned from me, it would be to learn to do good. To be good."
Eleanor sighed as she stepped forward, putting a hand on Daniel's arm. "Daniel… I've told you. What happened during the war… that wasn't you."
A bitter look welled up in Daniel's eyes. "Wasn't it? Then who was it that they took? Who was it that laid waste to countless Echoes? Who was it that almost killed y-"
Eleanor glared at Daniel. "Stop it. You have nothing to prove. To anyone."
She stepped closer, taking his other arm, then pulling him into a hug.
Daniel sighed after a moment. "You're right. I don't have anything to prove to you. Or Rei, or Shinji or Asuka, or anyone else."
As Eleanor stepped out of the embrace, Daniel took her by the shoulders. "But I have to prove it to myself. I have to be sure. I have to be sure that I can never do what… what he did again."
Sadness welled up with the tears in Eleanor's eyes as she cupped Daniel's face tenderly. She said nothing, opting to pull him into a quiet, tender kiss.
"Then, let me help you prove it to yourself. Let us help you." she said after a moment.
Daniel looked at her in wonder. "How did I ever deserve you?" he said softly.
Eleanor smiled slightly as she sighed quietly. "Daniel... it isn't about deserving."
Daniel smiled back. "No. No, I guess it isn't."
- - -
Infinity Box, 1 Week Later
Misato and Kaji descended into the Infinity Box and pondered on what was supposed to happen soon. Shinji and Asuka were right next to them, trying not to seem too excited. They would finish their training today, and become the next best thing to… well, wizards was the leading term, mostly thrown around by Asuka and Toji, but the comparison was not an unfair one.
As they filed into the Box proper, the three of them watched as other entrances disappeared, Toji and Hikari in front of one, Kaworu in front of another, and Rei in front of another still.
Ritsuko and Maya would be here soon, as they had been Interfaced a few weeks ago, and were just getting the hang of the Sight. Misato had since received a text chain that felt a mile long from Ritsuko that was 'a tenth of a tenth of the scientific breakthroughs that this made possible'. But right now, after what was about to happen was done, they would go over their plan for the next Angel again. For something as vital as this, repetition was no real burden.
Daniel and Eleanor stood in the middle of a circle of seven seats, padded and looking far too comfortable to sit in.
Daniel stepped forward as Shinji, Asuka, Rei, Hikari, and Toji stepped towards the seats. "Alright then," he said with a smile, "this is the moment that many of you have been waiting for. Some a little more impatiently than others."
"Hey!" Asuka said as Daniel gave her a meaningful glare.
A chuckle rippled through the group. "Anyways," Daniel said, looking up as Ritsuko and Maya walked into the Infinity Box, "what we're going to do first…" he paused dramatically as he sat down, Eleanor sitting with him. "Is take a seat."
The Children hesitated, then all but one entered the circle of chairs.
As they sat, Daniel leaned forward. "Now that we've done that," he said, as Asuka and Eleanor both rolled their eyes at him, "we get to the real work."
Daniel looked around the circle. "What we do now might get a little boring, but it's the only way to catch your first Aspects, as it were. Go ahead and use your Sight."
As they did, they saw the five empty Aspect Cores, three within Daniel, two within Eleanor. Having been taught what to look for, the Children, and those who watched on, saw Daniel and Eleanor's Aspect Cores as well, gleaming with distinct imagery among the light show of the rest of their souls.
"Alright." Daniel said. "Now, reach out and take the Aspect Core."
Frames, like tendrils, reached for the cores, growing and branching almost like vines as they wrapped themselves around the empty Cores, then gently pulled back towards their owners.
"Remember," Eleanor said, "don't be too disappointed with whatever comes to you first. Your first Aspect is drawn to you by your understanding of a given thing. Most people understand fire or water or other seemingly simple things. Other Aspects come later, with more experience and further training."
"Now focus." Daniel said. "Open the Core."
Though some were slower than others, the Cores each of the Children had all seemed to turn inside out, becoming fractals that twisted and turned, growing and shrinking.
"Now, continue to focus. Let the Core act as a link to the rest of Reality." Eleanor said quietly.
It was silent, and more than one set of brows was furrowed in concentration. In time, the Cores glowed, a brilliant dot of light that cycled through colors and images at lightning speed. After a moment they began to slow, the images becoming clearer to make out.
Daniel and Eleanor watched silently as the images in the Children's Cores finally came to a stop, and the Cores began to close one by one.
After a moment, Daniel nodded. "Alright. You have your first Aspect Cores. What did you get?"
Shinji opened eyes that were closed in focus, showing wonder as he stretched out his hand. Above his palm, transparent, glowing rings pulsing in the form of a sphere. "It's… sound." he said, the same wonder in his voice as was in his eyes.
Asuka looked over at Shinji, a slight smile on her lips. "Well, with the way you play the cello, I can't say that I'm surprised, at least."
A slight chuckle rippled through the room as Shinji dispelled the sphere. He looked over at Asuka. "What did you catch?"
Asuka held out her hand, and a pill of dull, gleaming metal appeared above her outstretched hand. "I got... metal." Asuka's smile wavered slightly for a moment, then her head bobbed from side to side. "It's no fireball, but I'll figure something out."
Daniel nodded. "Alright." he looked around at Rei, Hikari, and Toji. "And what did you three catch?"
Rei held out a hand, and a clear shard of glass slowly coalesced. "I believe that this is glass." she said simply. She stared at it intently, causing it to tumble and twist in her hand.
Hikari caused a glimmer of light to appear in her hand, the mote of light glowing brightly. "I got light." she said quietly, focusing as the light danced in the palm of her hand.
In Toji's hand, a small flower grew, a blue and white blossom at its end. Toji blushed slightly. "What? It's a blue Iris plant. One of Sakura's favorites."
"Flowers, Toji?" Asuka said with a wry grin. "I never would have guessed."
Toji blushed. "Hey! Sakura's into nature and stuff, alright? And she kind of pulled me and dad into it too. Is that a problem?"
Hikari smiled at Toji. "No, actually. That's kind of sweet, really."
Toji smiled back at Hikari, and Daniel stood up, drawing the attention of all to him. "Alright, you five," he said, "you have officially become this world's first native Interfacers." he paused to let the statement sink in. "You are pioneers. It's… well, kind of a big deal undersells it somewhat."
"Now, I'm not going to lie, We won't be able to train you as directly as we've been able to up until this point." Daniel said as the Children's eyes widened. "Your powers are now diverse enough that we can really only give pointers and provide a direction for you to go in. You can come back here to the Infinity Box and experiment and train at your leisure, and we'll do our best to help you."
Daniel smiled slightly. "Congratulations, Interfacers. You've been prepared as best you can. Just… try not to blow yourselves up, alright?"
Another chuckle echoed through the Infinity Box, and the chairs disappeared as their occupants stood.
Shinji, Asuka, Hikari, and Toji gathered around, chatting about what they might be able to do with their newfound powers.
Rei, on the other hand, walked back towards Kaworu, who nodded as she approached. "Would I be correct in assuming that this will not impact our training sessions?"
Rei's brow quirked slightly. "You wish to continue?"
Kaworu nodded. "Yes. I have come to enjoy our time spent together." he paused for a moment. "Even if it usually ends with me flat on my back."
Rei blinked and tried not to blush. "Very well. I will continue to train you. Do not expect any less effort than what I have already given to training you. If anything, I will be pushing you harder."
Kaworu nodded. "I look forward to it, Sensei."
Rei sighed quietly, then turned as Daniel cleared his throat. Where the circle of chairs once was, a long table now stood, with room enough for all of them. "Alright." he said, as the air rippled with their disconnect from time. "Let's get the meeting underway."
All present filed into their seats. Daniel and Eleanor sat at the head of the table, five of the Children on one side, the adults and Kaworu on the other.
"First things first," Daniel said, "let's do some checking in." he turned to Ritsuko and Maya. "Ritsuko, how's your mother doing?"
The Children's eyebrows rose as Ritsuko nodded. "She's doing well. She's been able to link up to the Internet, and a few of the other Magi systems, and has started searching for any clues we might find on what SEELE is planning."
"For example," Maya said, pulling out a notepad from her pocket, "production on the Mass Production Evas is currently underway. They've completed 5 of them already, and they plan to have 12 of them made in this production run."
Daniel nodded slowly. "I see."
Asuka shook her head. "You mean there's 5 more Evas that could be here, in Japan, fighting the Angels by our side? What gives?" she said incredulously.
It was quiet at the head of the table as Daniel considered what to say next. Unwelcome memories of white, harpy-like giants tearing apart Unit-02 flashed through his mind. He should have done something more. He should… focus, is what he should be doing.
Daniel blinked. "The Mass Production Evas aren't meant to fight the Angels, Asuka." he said quietly, trying not to look away when she looked at him. "They're for ensuring the completion of Instrumentality. They're part of the plan."
It went quiet around the table as they processed this. Shinji and Asuka looked particularly pensive. Misato and Kaji had shared only a portion of the Human Instrumentality Project. What they had seen left them both sleepless for more than one night. Especially when they considered the death of the Angels included Kaworu. Their friend.
"Also," Ritsuko said after the silence stretched on for a little longer, "mother has been able to find a few trace references to something or someone called 'Arqa'. We're still not sure about what that might be."
Daniel and Eleanor's eyebrows arched as they slowly shook their heads. "We wouldn't know either," Eleanor said, "especially if it's buried in SEELE like that."
Slowly, all eyes turned to Kaworu. After a moment of consideration, Kaworu shrugged. "My apologies. There was not much in the way of information that I was given in my time at SEELE. I could not tell you anything about this 'Arqa' that you've recently discovered."
He paused for a moment. "However…"
Everyone leaned a little closer. "What have you got to say, Kaworu?" Misato said. "Is there something else that SEELE's hidden from us that you know about?"
"Well, to begin with, it is not something." Kaworu said. "It is someone."
Kaji nodded. "Go on..."
Kaworu cupped his chin in thought. "While I was being trained in piloting, I trained with another pilot. One who, it seemed, was expressly trained in combating other Evangelions."
Shinji's brow rose. "Fighting other Evas? Like… us?" he said incredulously.
Asuka's expression was similarly shocked. "There's another Child, and no one knows? What are they doing with her? Why train her to fight us?"
Kaworu nodded. "I believe that she may be a… well, a backup plan, in case their current plan for Instrumentality fails. I'm not sure."
Ritsuko looked intently at Kaworu. "Did you get a name? We could possibly search for her, see what comes up."
Kaworu's brow furrowed in concentration. "Her name was… Mariah. But she told me to call her Mari."
It was silent again for a moment. "So, did you get her last name?" Asuka said with a wry grin. "Or did you two just go on a first name basis?"
Kaworu smiled slightly, not missing the small blush that Rei attempted to hide. "I believe her last name was Marlowe. Yes. 'Marlowe, with an e at the end'. That's what she told me when we last spoke. She was… an odd person."
"An odd person?" Toji said incredulously. "Coming from you? That must mean something."
As Hikari elbowed Toji, Kaworu nodded. "Yes. She seemed… off, somehow. Even without the Sight I now have, her soul seemed… damaged slightly. Somewhat out of tune."
As much of the table looked at him in puzzlement, he blinked after a moment. "Ah. I forget. Before I gained the training I have, I was able to perceive people's souls by… hearing them? It was interesting to listen to how people truly felt."
Daniel and Eleanor's eyebrows rose as they heard this. "Well, now. Hearing souls is far different from what we're used to." Eleanor said. "You may have to teach us that sometime, Kaworu."
Daniel nodded. "Yes. But the greater point remains. There is at least one Child that is being hidden from us. A Child that seems to be trained specifically towards fighting other Children. We'll need to keep an eye on them. Especially as we get closer to the end."
The table fell silent as the implications of such a thing weighed on them. Daniel spoke again after a moment. "Speaking of the end, there is a better than good chance that the next Angel, that Arael, will be attacking soon. We'll need to be ready. Not just for it, but to put up a show for both Commander Ikari, and by extension, for SEELE."
Daniel smirked slightly. "So, let's make sure we all know our parts."
Apotheosis Echo will continue after the break.
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Chapter 19.2: [Into the Spotlight, the Players Step]
Daniel Theisman stepped into the Evangelion cages. It was an off period, so the next maintenance shifts wouldn't come for at least another hour. He had the bay all to himself, as he stared up at the massive face of Unit-01. Under the LCL, the armor was almost completely repaired, and the bent over pylon had been replaced.
It was close. Even if only by sheer dint of mathematical probability, Arael would arrive soon. Daniel could read the pattern, even if Zeruel threw it off by coming so early. They were ready. Hopefully.
So, now, he was paying a few visits. After all, it was only polite to check on the mothers of the Children, see if they were doing well.
He focused, and the view of Unit-01 blurred slightly, the sight pierced only by a single light far below him. He took care not to physically move forward as he mentally moved towards the gleaming soul. It wouldn't do to take an unplanned dip into the LCL, after all.
As he slowed to what seemed like right in front of Yui Ikari, he took a moment to marvel at the wonders of a soul, before connecting, seeing her surprise at being stirred in such a fashion. "Mrs. Ikari?" Daniel said.
There was suspicion and no small amount of caution evident in her next words. "Who are you? You aren't Shinji, obviously."
Daniel proceeded with a calming tone. "My name is Daniel Theisman, Mrs. Ikari. I'm the head of engineering for the Evangelion."
"Daniel…" Yui said slowly. "Are you the Daniel that Shinji's talked about with me?"
Daniel made affirmation as apparent as he could. "Yes, I am. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Strange though the circumstances may be."
Relief was the first thing to blossom from Yui's soul, followed by happiness and gratitude. "So I have you to thank for ensuring my son's safety. Thank you. He cares deeply for you, I can tell."
Happiness of Daniel's own bloomed, as halcyon days began to replay in his mind. "Yes. I had the pleasure of getting to know him when he was young and growing up. I… I like to think I helped raise him, somewhat. To make up for your unexpected absence."
A pause. "He needed someone who loved him." Daniel said quietly. "And I'm thankful to have been there for him."
"And I'm thankful you were too, Mr. Theisman." Yui said. "I knew my absence in his life would have been hard on him. But… I'm glad I've at least gotten to see him again. That I've been able to protect him this last year. But… I should have been there for him."
She paused. "Gendo should have been there for him."
Daniel sighed quietly. "Gendo is…" he paused, unsure of what to say. "Gendo Ikari is a broken man without you. His heart is cold, even as it seems focused solely on getting you back. He's craved the warmth you gave him, sought it out from others. And from Rei. Your… your daughter, in a sense." he finally said.
"I know. Shinji's told me some about what Gendo has done since I've gone. I…" an impression of a sigh. "I wish it weren't the case. I know who Gendo can be. I know there's a better man somewhere in there."
A moment of silence prevailed. "If only I knew how much he depended on me. Maybe I could have found another way…"
"Mrs. Ikari," Daniel said, "the past is the past. As much as I would love to change it, I can't. No one truly can."
"Perhaps." Yui said. "And it hurts me to think of Gendo now. Especially because of how much of him I see in Shinji. Brave and strong and compassionate."
Another sigh. "I don't know." an impression of a slight scoff. "Here I am, a leading scientist, and… I just don't know."
"Few do. Especially in these sorts of times." Daniel said solemnly.
It was silent again. Then, curiosity stirred in the depths of Yui's soul. "Mr. Theisman?" she said. "Is it… possible for me to give Gendo a message? Through you?"
Daniel blinked physically. "That… that is something that is… well, perilous is almost not strong enough a word for it."
"Even still. If he could hear my voice again, know what I want him to know… it would make a difference. I'm sure."
Daniel contemplated all of this for a moment. What could happen? What would happen? It was an intriguing thing, this request. If he accepted it…
"Well," Daniel said after a moment, seeing the anticipation thrum through Yui's soul, "give me a moment before you start."
He created a Frame for an Expression, a simple thing, really, to just capture Yui Ikari's voice and emotions. It was done in a moment, and the Frame glowed as he energized it, activating the Expression. "Alright." he said. "Just speak to him. I'll be able to capture it."
An impression of a deep breath, as a storm of emotions briefly flurried to life before being stilled by a practiced calm.
"Gendo. It's me. Yui. I know you haven't heard my voice in… years. You've looked at the core of Unit-01, and wondered what I thought. What I've been thinking."
A pause. "There's… so much to say. About what's happened, about what's going to happen, about Shinji. About… the daughter I never knew I had. Rei."
"Before everything else, know that, even after all that you've done… I still love you. I don't know if you don't expect that. But I do. I know that the man I love couldn't just disappear. Not after everything we did together."
"But even still…" an undercurrent of anger presaged and flowed with her next words. "I can't help but be… so, so angry at you for what you've done to Shinji. To our son. I left those pictures for him, for you, to remember me by, for a reason. I'd wanted you to continue on and remember my love, for the both of you. I wanted you to be there for Shinji. To help explain to him why I did what I did. And you abandoned him."
Yui's anger grew steadily as she continued. "You left our son, your son, confused and hurt and alone. Alone, Gendo! I thought when he finally reconnected with me in the Entry Plug, I would be working with a Shinji who was excited to work with you. I thought, messed up though we were, we could be a family again. But you've hurt him. You've nearly broken our boy! Left him with nothing but resentment and guilt and loneliness for the people he should love most! I… I hate that! I hate what you've done to Shinji!"
The anger wordlessly reached its peak, then ebbed into melancholy. "But… you're broken too, Gendo. Aren't you? I… I broke you. By entering the core. I had my reasons then. SEELE would kill me for the knowledge that you now seem to possess. I was sure of it. It was the only way to escape, then. And I'm sorry I never told you that. I'm sorry, Gendo." sadness overcame her for a moment.
"Above all else," she said after a moment of silence, as forlorn happiness began to infuse itself into her speech, "Know that I… I miss you. The old you. The one who loved deeply and passionately, who looked at our baby boy with the most wondrous look in his eyes, like he'd beheld a miracle. I would give anything in the world to know that that's who's waiting for me on the other side of this core."
"I wish I could be so optimistic as to think a single message could change you so completely as I hope to. But… at least it's a start."
As Yui Ikari finished her message, satisfaction was evident in Daniel's soul as he deactivated the Expression. "Done, Mrs. Ikari. I'll make sure it gets to him."
"Wait." Yui said as Daniel prepared to leave, curiosity making her glow like a main-sequence star. "How… how are you doing all this? How are you talking to me?"
Daniel sent the impression of a small, knowing smile. "You're a Metaphysical Biologist, correct?"
"Yes, I am. I studied under the pioneer in the field, Professor Fuyutsuki. Why?" a wave of excitement swept over her. "Has there been a breakthrough? Can people now communicate soul to soul?"
Daniel chuckled softly. "I'll just go ahead and say that Reality is far bigger than was once thought. Ask Shinji about it when you next talk. He'll be excited to tell you more."
Thoughtfulness washed over Yui's soul. "Can you… facilitate communication between me and Gendo?"
Daniel blinked physically. "Yes, actually, I can. Would you like to add that to the end of your message?"
"Yes. Yes, please."
The Expression glowed again. "Alright. Go ahead."
That practiced calm returned. "If you want to talk to me again, come and see Unit-01 after the next Angel attacks. Those who can help make this happen will be there waiting for you. Gendo… I love you."
The Expression faded again. "Alright. I'll make sure this gets to him."
Gratitude swelled up in Yui's soul. "Thank you, Mr. Theisman. For this. For Shinji. For… everything you do."
Daniel smiled slightly. "Of course, Mrs. Ikari. And thank you, for keeping us, the world, safe."
He pulled back from the connection, and the view of Unit-01 sharpened in Daniel's field of vision again.
He looked around to ensure that he was alone, then cupped his hands as a small gemstone, a deep purple amethyst, grew in his hands as he intertwined the recording of Yui with it. Alongside it, he weaved in an Expression of compulsion for Gendo, to ensure that he would pick this gem up, and focus on it enough for the Expression to begin relaying the message to him.
It took only a moment, but Daniel smiled as he pocketed the gem, then looked back up at Unit-01's face and sighed. "Yui Ikari…" he shook his head slightly. "Gendo doesn't deserve you."
He was silent for a moment, then chuckled as he began to walk away. "But really, what do I know about deserving?"
. . .
Daniel found himself in front of the Little Red Devil, Unit-02, and took a moment to remember. There were a lot of good things to remember that were now attached to this crimson giant, and especially its pilot.
He only took a moment to do so, then began to make his way towards Kyoko Zeppelin-Soryu's soul. He saw the twisted part of her soul and effortlessly erected the barrier that he had taught Asuka how to make. "Mrs. Soryu?"
Interest and surprise bloomed in the goodly part of Kyoko's soul. "And am I out of line to assume that you would be Daniel, the Bruder that Asuka's told me so much about?"
Daniel chuckled. "Yes, that would be me, Mrs. Soryu."
An impression of a small smile as a chuckle echoed from Kyoko's soul. "Please, just call me Kyoko. You're already a part of the family according to Asuka."
Daniel chuckled slightly himself. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, Kyoko. And I'm glad that she regards me as such."
"Well, the right place at the right time seems to have made all the difference in the world, it seems." Kyoko said. Then, a moment of quiet. "The… the part of me on the other side did… horrible things to my liebling. I wish… I wish I knew what would happen."
Another pause. "We just wanted to follow in Yui's footsteps. Who could have guessed…"
"Kyoko." Daniel said patiently. "Like I told Mrs. Ikari, the past is the past."
Surprise. "You've talked to Yui? Come to think of it, how are you talking to me, right now? How did you make the barrier that separates the two parts of my soul? How did you teach her to do that?"
Daniel smiled knowingly. "I would expect no less of an inquisition from a scientist of your caliber." Daniel went quiet as he pondered what to say next. "Reality is far more expansive than you could have imagined before. When one connects to it, the soul of it, one can do amazing things. Like speaking to the soul of an Evangelion. Or accomplishing things that were once considered magical."
Wonder and excitement sparkled across Kyoko's soul. "Wow…" she was silent for a moment as curiosity and thoughtfulness arced around her soul, considering the implications of what Daniel had just said. "Could you… heal me, then?" she said pensively. "Find a way to stitch my soul back together?"
Daniel was silent for a moment. It was a tall order, and he said as such. "My wife would be a little more versed in that area. I'll speak to her, see what she can do."
Gratitude. "Thank you, Daniel." she was quiet again. "Thank you… for being there for Asuka. For being her Bruder. I wish I could have been there for her… but I'm here now." determination flared to life. "And I will protect her as best I can. I should do nothing less as her mother."
Daniel smiled again. "And I wouldn't expect anything less. It was good to meet you, Kyoko. I'll give Jünger your regards."
"Jünger?" a laugh. "I never would have guessed she'd have a pet name. Shows how much she likes you. And do tell her I love her. She hasn't heard it enough from me."
"Of course. Take care." Daniel pulled back from the connection, and Unit-02's crimson and orange face met his gaze once again.
Daniel shook his head slightly. 'I seem to be collecting favors today.' he scoffed slightly. 'It's not as though they don't deserve it, though. After all they've been through.'
. . .
Unit-03 was next. Mrs. Horaki was an unknown to him, unlike the other pilot's mothers. Hikari had described her as a kind, gentle sort. Even still, with the current pilot still being Kaworu, she had to be… confused, more than anything.
He focused, and Fujiko Horaki's soul came into view. As he connected, he saw a flash of fear blaze across Fujiko's soul. "Who is it now? Where's Hikari?"
"Mrs. Horaki, it's okay." Daniel said with as much reassurance as he could project. "My name is Daniel Theisman. I'm the head of engineering for the Evangelions. I'm a friend of Hikari's."
Fear faded into caution. "Really? How are… how are you doing this, then?"
Daniel sighed quietly. "That would take… a lot of explaining. Explaining that I'm sure Hikari would be more than happy to do."
Fujiko's caution began to ebb slightly. "Very well. Where is Hikari? Why is she not here anymore? The only ones who have connected with me since… that thing, the Angel, whatever, were Hikari's friends, Shinji and Asuka, and… the boy. The thing."
"Kaworu?" Daniel said, concern evident in his voice. He still wasn't quite clear on how Kaworu synched with Unit-03. Perhaps Mrs. Horaki could shed some light.
There was a distinct impression of a shudder. "Yes. Him. Whatever he is. That boy isn't human. He has this… presence that simply overwhelms me whenever I wake up. I can't seem to do anything. Everything moves outside of my control like I'm a prisoner in my own body. I... I hate it."
Daniel sighed quietly. "Kaworu… I would not be surprised if Kaworu has come to dislike what he is able to do as much as you do. It may be a part of his very nature, but…" Daniel trailed off. What else could he say?
"Whatever he does," Fujiko said, "I'd rather it be for as short a time as possible. I want my daughter back."
"And we're trying to make that possible as soon as we can." Daniel said. "After the Angel attack, the head doctor of NERV wanted to ensure that something didn't happen to her, so she's on leave for now. But she'll be back soon. I promise."
"Good." Fujiko said. "I miss her." she went quiet for a moment. "I've missed my daughter. She's grown so much since…" she trailed off.
"Well, Mrs. Horaki," Daniel said, "it was a pleasure to meet you. I'll give your love to your daughter when next I see her if that's alright with you."
"Yes, please. Thank you, Mr. Theisman. It was… interesting to meet you."
Daniel nodded, and pulled away from the connection, sighing quietly. 'I wish there was something more I could do, but I'm not in charge of deployments. Especially this one. When Hikari gets back to Unit-03 is Ritsuko's call.'
Daniel nodded, then smirked slightly. He had one last visit to make, short though it may be.
. . .
Daniel linked himself to Chizue... no, Hayase Suzuhara's soul, and the distinct impression of a smirk was the first thing he felt. "Well, hello again, Daniel." Hayase said. "It's been a little while."
"Hello, Chizue. Or, should I say, Hayase." Daniel said, a smile slowly growing on his own face. "There's not much need for me to be jumping into the Evangelion like I did for Zeruel, so visits like this are unfortunately rare."
"I can imagine." Hayase said. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "Hold on. Why can't I see you? Where are you?"
Daniel chuckled softly. "I'm just looking in. I have to be within the core itself in order to properly see you."
Hayase gave an impression of a slow nod. "Makes sense, I guess. From what I've learned about what you've been teaching my Toji, it's the least you can do."
Daniel chuckled again. "Yes. Toji has been a joy to teach. He learns quickly when he wants to. It helps that his girlfriend is there to help move things along."
A wry chuckle. "I can imagine. Having someone as sweet but stern as Toji says Hikari is seems like the perfect motivator." a pause, then a sigh. "He has a girlfriend. And I may never see them. I may…"
"Hayase." Daniel said seriously. "We'll find a way to get you out when this is all over. I can promise that much. You will see your son again in the flesh. You all will."
Shock and surprise jolted through Hayase's soul as he said this. "You… you can do that?"
"Yes." Daniel said, with the utmost certainty. "We can make it happen. It might be a little while. But we can do it."
A happiness almost eclipsing everything else Hayase thought or felt shone like a mid-day sun. "Thank you." she said simply. "Thank you."
"Of course, Hayase." Daniel said, simply taking in the resplendent, radiant amount of joy that Hayase expressed. "I don't have much more time, so I'll have to be going. It was good to talk to you again."
"And to you too, Daniel. See you around." Hayase said.
Daniel pulled away from the connection and looked up at the giant in chrome, now sporting a full set of glinting chrome armor.
He briefly thought about visiting Unit-00 but dispelled it nearly as quickly. There was no conversation to be had there right now. Nor, really, would there ever be.
As he walked away, he pulled out his phone, dialing a particular number. As it picked up, he spoke promptly. "Ritsuko, I'm about to ask for a big favor."
- - -
Commander's Office, The Next Day
Gendo Ikari and Kozo Fuyutsuki stepped into the office and suppressed weary sighs. Only Gendo succeeded.
The Committee was dissatisfied with the amount of progress that had come from the S2 Organ research conducted by Doctor Akagi. They were always dissatisfied, one way or another.
As Gendo sat at his table in seemingly the only place he seemed to belong anymore, with Fuyutsuki by his side, his gaze was drawn to a simple gemstone, seemingly cut into a small tube with points at the ends.
Gendo stared at it for a long moment. "Sensei," Gendo said, "do you know who left this for me?"
Fuyutsuki shook his head as Gendo slowly reached for the gem, leaning to examine it. "No, Gendo. I don't. It's quite a catching stone."
Gendo was silent as he seemed to peer into the depths of the stone. Fuyutsuki waited for Gendo, and his eyes widened as he saw the seemingly impossible.
A single tear rolled down the side of Gendo's slack-jawed face, and a single word escaped his lips in a strangled whisper. "Yui…"
Fuyutsuki's eyes widened still further as Gendo stood suddenly. "Gendo?" Fuyutsuki said, concern furrowing his brow as Gendo rounded his desk. "What about Yui?"
Gendo said nothing as he began to walk faster towards the door of his office.
"Gendo? Gendo!" Fuyutsuki shouted. But his questions went unheard, as the door shut behind a Gendo that almost seemed to be running.
Fuyutsuki stared at the closed door for a moment more. 'What is going on?'
- - -
Central Dogma, NERV-HQ
Misato stared at the central screen as she stood on the command deck, alarms screaming around her. On the monitor, a glowing, almost bird-like Angel hung in the night sky, seemingly cobbled together into its present shape, with spikes seeming to jut out at almost, but not quite wrong angles as they formed the 'wings' of the Angel.
Arael. That was what Daniel had called this. They knew what it could do. What it was supposed to do. And… they had to let it do it. Misato hated that fact. But there were other factors in play here, she thought, as her mind wandered back to the planning sessions they had had.
"Alright." she had said when Daniel first proposed his plan. "I'm just going to come out and say it right now. That is the worst thing I have ever heard in my life." her brow had been furrowed in concern. "I need to put my pilots in harm's way, and keep them there, to make sure that you can do what you need to do?"
Daniel had sighed. "Yes. I wish that there were any other way. But it's that, or face the potential for the Scions to gain a weapon of similar power and type to Arael's. One that they can use repeatedly."
The room had fallen silent then. "So," Daniel said as the silence began to stretch on, "we need to consider deployments. Knowing Commander Ikari, he'll want Shinji and Unit-01 out of the way, possibly even waiting on standby in the gantry."
Shinji had rolled his eyes at that. "It figures. Put my friends into danger, and leave me to watch." he said, with no small amount of bitterness.
Daniel nodded. "It's going to be rough. But, more than likely, Rei, Kaworu, and Toji will be up there. As for you, Asuka… I'm unsure. He might put you on the surface, he might not."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Great. I might get to miss taking potshots at the Angel. That bites."
Daniel was silent for a moment as a pained look entered his eyes. He had blinked. Asuka's look of annoyance became realization, then Daniel continued. "Either way," he had said, "we can't expect much in the way of direct combat. You'll have to rely on your AT Fields, and the protection I've been able to give you."
Misato blinked as Captain Hyuga came to her side. "Major." he said, shaking her from her thoughts. "The Angel seems to be holding a geostationary orbit right above the city."
Maya looked over from her console. "The thing is, its position should be impossible to maintain orbit in for any length of time. And yet…"
Ritsuko, who regarded Maya's console screen, grimaced slightly. "That will likely be its AT Field helping to maintain such. The Magi might not be done scanning it yet, but this one's going to be tough to crack, I can tell already."
All eyes turned to the Commander's desk to regard the Commander.
But the chair that he sat in was empty, a flustered Fuyutsuki by its side as always. No one had seen Commander Ikari in days. And right now, the only person that had an idea of why he might be gone was Ritsuko. And she was studiously not saying anything.
Misato, for the first time in what seemed like ages, was… in command of an operation. It was rather refreshing, really. So, there had been some changes in deployment.
Now, in addition to Rei and Kaworu hefting Positron Rifles, and Toji sighting in a Long Range Missile Launcher, Asuka also hefted a rocket launcher while Shinji stood back, ready to grab another weapon should the need arise, or deploy his AT Field to shield one or more of his comrades.
Misato regarded the screen that showed all of them with a slight smirk. Finally, they were able to use everything they had.
Hikari made her way to the bridge alongside Eleanor as they came to a stop beside Misato. Hikari looked at the screen that held Unit-03 within it. "I hope everyone will be… okay." she said quietly.
Eleanor looked at Hikari, and even without the Sight, she could tell that there was worry, not just for the pilots, but for her mother as well. She put a hand on Hikari's shoulder as Hikari looked up at her. "Don't worry. It's going to be rough. But they'll make it."
Hikari nodded, then looked back at the screen. The Angel seemed to stare at them all without any eyes. It was more than a little unnerving.
Up on an abandoned street, Daniel walked along, holding an umbrella to protect him from a sky that rained like it seemed to know what was about to happen, listening to the wails of the Angel alarms. He toyed with a ring, a simple thing with a bright yellow gemstone, that seemed to weigh slightly more than it should. It was his protection from the Angel, stronger than the protection he had embedded in the Children's A10 clips. Granted, he did not have an Eva-scale AT Field to attenuate the Angel's attack, which necessitated some adjustments in his own shielding.
He breathed deeply as he stopped in front of the first building that housed whatever the Scions were using to capture Arael's light. 'Showtime.'
. . .
Rei finished setting up the aiming solution for her Positron Rifle, and tried to quash a feeling of… something, as she tightened and loosened her grip on her controls. There was no single word, or even a group of words, that could accurately describe what she felt fully, knowing that the weapon in her hands, and even the weapons in her friends' hands, were, for the most part, useless.
They needed the Lance. Daniel knew that. They all did, now. But with Commander Ikari absent… they needed another method to retrieve the Lance from Terminal Dogma.
"The Lance, at this point, is the only effective weapon in our arsenal." Daniel had said. "The problem arises from the fact that we aren't supposed to know that. Only Commander Ikari can come to the conclusion that the Lance will be the only thing able to penetrate its AT Field. Even still, we need to show that we need the Lance. That means, well, that we have the unenviable task of proving the rest of our weaponry useless."
Rei considered the weapon she would be proving today. It had served them well in the fight with Zeruel. But Zeruel had come to them, then, when the shots of the rifle's magnetic fields wouldn't fly apart and lose effectiveness. But it would have to do, she thought.
She activated the Magi assisted targeting reticle that was attached to Unit-00's head like a visor, cutting through the cloud cover like it wasn't even there, advanced magnification painting a digital picture of their enemy for her to see as she aimed at the center mass of the thing.
"Alright, then," Misato sighed slightly as she pulled up a panel displaying all the Children, "we're not going to take any chances with this thing. Once you all have your solutions, we'll fire a simultaneous salvo to try and weaken this thing's AT Field as much as we can."
She paused for a moment. "I don't know if any of you can do that…" she looked over at Ritsuko. "What do you call that thing Unit-04 did to Zeruel?"
"The AT Railgun." Ritsuko replied, loud enough for the Pilots to hear.
"Yeah. That." Misato said as she turned back to regard the Children. "If you can pull that off somehow, great. If not, don't worry about it."
Affirmatives echoed in across the board, while Rei simply nodded. In her Entry Plug, the screens that showed the other armed Pilots took priority. "Is everyone prepared to fire?" she asked levelly, even without Commander Ikari's presence.
All but one confirmed their readiness. "I will be ready to fire in…" Kaworu said, his eyes darting to the side as he smiled slightly. "1 minute."
Rei nodded. "Confirmed, pilot Nagisa." silently, she admitted to herself that, even as annoying as that seemingly all-knowing smile could be, it was slightly comforting that anyone could smile at all. Even if the person in question had no idea what was to come.
A tone in Kaworu's Entry Plug sounded. "I am now ready to fire."
As Rei nodded, she focused, channeling her At Field to spiral around the length of her barrel, as it soon invisibly extended over even the tallest buildings still deployed. It wasn't going to work quite like Daniel's Railgun, but the extra power behind the projectile would be considerable.
"Fire." Rei commanded, as she pulled the trigger.
. . .
Shiro and Takana winced slightly as the protective barrier around the rooftop they occupied only slightly muffled the sound of a barrage of fire coming from the Evas. They were new to all this, but they knew what they were told to do, as they hastened their work on the machine that was supposed to do… something with the Angel that was above them. They didn't know what. They were told how to set it up, turn it on, and step back and let it do the rest.
As they came close to finishing their work, they heard the door to the rooftop open behind them, turning to see a man emerge from it.
As they reached for their backs, and the weapons holstered in their pants, he raised a hand. "Hold on a moment." he said. "For the Unity, my friends."
Shiro and Takana relaxed. "Oh, good." Shiro said. "We wouldn't have wanted to make any mistakes, now."
The man nodded. "Right." he looked at the machine with a critical eye. "So, this is what we're using, are we? I haven't gotten the chance to see it set up."
Shiro and Takana turned around. "Well, from what we've been told-" Takana started.
He never finished his sentence, as a chain of stars connected by glowing lines wrapped itself around the two men's arms and torsos, snaking down to trap their legs together as they tumbled over in surprise.
Daniel looked over his handiwork and nodded. "Sorry, gentlemen," he said, stepping towards the machine as another set of stars sprang to life in his hand, and an interconnected circle of stars sprang to life at the base of the machine, the lines that connected them slowly starting to spiral upwards as new stars flickered to life along their length.
Soon, an Expression like a tower of stars in an intricate constellation surrounded the device. "But I can't let your masters have this sort of power." he held the bottom of the tower in miniature in his hand, and grabbed the top of the tower, twisting both ends.
The tower surrounding the device twisted as well, and the sight of the machine was replaced by utter blackness, a void that drew even the light of the stars towards it, before Daniel twisted the tower in his hands again, the void being replaced by empty air as the tower dissolved.
Daniel looked down at the two men he had tied up as their bonds began to slowly fade away. "I'll let you two get to shelter. The door's that way, as I'm sure you know." he said nodding behind his back.
The two men nodded. "How the hell did you do that?" Shiro said, his eyes wide with fear and shock.
"A lot of practice." Daniel said simply, closing his eyes as he focused on the next location he needed to get to.
As he opened his eyes to begin constructing an Expression to take him there, the sky brightened for a moment, before dimming, as a canopy of translucent energy darkened in response. 'Arael's attacking now. I've got to hurry, make this as short as possible.'
He breathed deeply as a wireframe of stars gleamed at the center of his body and appendages. "One down, three to go." his body disappeared, the constellation flying through the barrier with a ripple.
. . .
Misato watched the feeds of the Evas as they fired, the length beyond the barrels of Unit-00 and Unit-03's Positron Rifles flashing as the energy packets shot out far faster than any other projectiles, the N2 missiles fired by Unit-04 and Unit-02 following quickly behind.
A silent, tense moment came and went as all within Central Dogma watched the satellite image pick up the projectiles for the briefest of moments before they slammed into the Angel's AT Field, a brilliant flash of white washing out the camera for a second.
As the corona of the explosion, the expression of the most powerful weapons in all of humanity's arsenal, faded away, Maya looked over at Misato. "I'm reading close to a 5% drop in AT Field strength from the Angel."
Misato sucked her teeth for a moment. "Not the best, but I'll take it."
She turned back to the pilots, unmuting them. "Alright. You did something to this thing, probably got its attention, but it wasn't enough. Rei, Kaworu, power up your next shots, see if that helps. Shinji…" she shook her head. "I don't think you can degrade its AT Field from here on the ground, but see what you can do to help them."
Shinji nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll… see what I can do."
As Misato and Shinji spoke, Rei fought to unclench her jaw. They'd done it now. They'd gotten Arael's attention. Now…
Rei felt a prickling weight settle on her, her glance towards the screens showing the other pilots apparently feeling it as well. "It has noticed us, now." Kaworu said somewhat ominously, his smile having become a slight grimace.
Before anyone could respond, a blanket of light fell onto the section of Tokyo-3 the Evas occupied.
As the light sprang into being, Maya looked at her console. "I'm getting… odd readings from that light. There's no thermal energy, so it's not a physical attack…" her brow furrowed further. "I'm reading slight jitters on the pilot's psychographic readings."
"Let us know if it gets any more severe." Ritsuko said, holding back a sigh of relief. Their Pneumaic protection was doing its job, hopefully.
Even still, Rei felt the presence of the Angel like a blanket draped over her head as she focused on setting up another shot. "Has the AT Field of the Angel weakened in order to produce this effect?" she asked as the targeting reticle flashed, sitting in the center of the Angel.
"Unknown." Maya replied. "We'll need to fire another shot to find out. The rockets should be ready in 30 seconds. The Positron Rifles will be another minute after that."
"Roger." Rei replied, turning on the Sight to try and glance at Arael's attack. True to the feeling it gave, it smothered them, seeming to try and squeeze at their heads tighter and tighter as the Pneumaic defenses acted like a helmet.
Kaworu, as he waited for the seemingly glacial charge to build in his rifle again, did something entirely unexpected. He tapped his foot in impatience. That he was in danger was of some concern to him, naturally. But… his friends were in danger, too. Ayanami was in danger. That, for whatever reason, burned at him most of all, grating with an unexpected intensity.
Misato barely had to give the order before another barrage flew into the rainy sky, through the clouds, and towards the Angel.
Another tense moment passed in silence as they watched the volley streak towards the Angel. It hit all at once, and Maya looked back up from her monitor. "Angel's AT Field integrity has dropped 15% with that volley." she looked down at the monitor again, and her eyes widened. "The pilot's psychographic readings are getting more erratic."
Misato's jaw tightened slightly. "We need something that'll just… kill this thing. We can't get through with just what we've got, not in enough time with this light bearing down on them."
Ritsuko looked on as the light's brightness seemed to intensify, the Children slowly beginning to reach for their heads as their expressions of pain became more evident. "As for the suggestion to retrieve the Lance," Daniel had said, "if it isn't given by the Commander, it's most likely going to have to come from you. You're the most likely to be in the know right now. If the Commander will agree with anyone, it's going to be you."
'That would be if Commander Ikari was here,' she thought, as she glanced back at the empty chair.
"Get… out…"
All eyes turned to Rei, who now clutched her head with both hands as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Shinji!" Misato said. "Get in and throw your AT Field over the group. Everyone, close ranks so Shinji can project a barrier over all of you with as little effort as he can spare."
A few strained nods, and Kaworu spoke up as Unit-03 began to slowly walk towards Unit-00. "I will bolster Ayanami and I's defenses. Shinji can protect Asuka and Toji." he said, his jaw clenched slightly.
"Kaworu…" Rei bit out. "Wait…"
. . .
Daniel sped through the light of the Angel, his own light, and his protections of speed and the ring, keeping away the worst of Arael's degradations. Already, he had taken care of the next 2 devices. Now, there was just one more. One more, then he could stop worrying. At least as much.
The barrier he was headed for rippled as he passed through it, his body becoming flesh and bone once again as he stepped forward, then stopped.
In front of him, Tavis Farhaven, along with the other woman who broke into the Geofront, stood between him and the machine that was his goal. Daniel sighed quietly. "Mr. Farhaven."
Tavis stepped forward. "We wondered if you would interfere, fallen one. It seems our suspicions were confirmed."
Daniel sighed a little louder this time. "You know, if we're going to do battle with words as much as with weapons, the least you could do is call me by my actual name. I'm Daniel."
Tavis blinked, then stepped forward again, as a Grip of semi-solid mist materialized in his hand. "We cannot allow you to upset our plans, f- Daniel. The Great Cause must continue. With or without you."
Daniel nodded as he stepped forward, his own Grip appearing in his hand. "Tavis, the Great Cause has caused nothing but suffering. What point is there to unity if it's built off the back of sorrow?"
Tavis shook his head as he continued to approach, the Grip forming a sword blade of luminescent mist. "Suffering. What do you know of it? You haven't been a skaa, toiling in a field of ash trying to get the crop done quickly so you don't fear your royal master's lash. Suffering is necessary for growth. That is the first lesson of life." he said, coming to a stop a few meters away as the woman backed away towards the device.
Daniel was silent for a moment, as his Grip became a swordspear seemingly composed of many different gems that flowed into one another, and began to hum. "Necessary?" he said quietly. "You think this," he said, sweeping his weapon towards the somewhat hazy scene of Unit-00, crouched nearby and shuddering in pain, "is necessary?" he shouted.
Daniel shook his head as he took the swordspear in both hands. "And I know far more of suffering than you think. What do you think goes into making a Hollow Saint of me, a strident member of the Worldstrider Corps?"
"They broke me, Tavis. Body, mind, and soul." he said in disgust. "Turned me into a weapon that they unleashed on any world that incurred their displeasure at the head of their largest armies."
Tavis and the woman's eyes widened as he said this, and they were shocked into a moment of silence.
Tavis shook his head, his eyes hardening as he settled into a stance. "You lie. No man becomes a Hollow Saint, a being of the closest Proximity, without willingly stepping into their position. You have truly fallen if you act such as you do."
Daniel shook his head as he entered a ready stance. 'A true believer. I don't have time for this.'
"Tavis, stand aside, and you two will live. I can promise that much." he said.
"No." Tavis said simply.
"Very well." Daniel said, just as simply.
Stillness became motion, and the shell of a god and the god's disciple clashed under the glare of an uncaring, hostile heaven.
. . .
Rei fired again, no longer waiting for any order to fire as she drained the magazine yet again. Her head was in a vice, and the chance to continue thinking straight was perilously close to disappearing.
All there seemed to be now was light, and pain. It crushed her head as it suffused her being and the defenses that Daniel had prepared for them slowly began to crumble.
Then, she heard Kaworu, almost more clearly than anything else. "Kaworu…"
She struggled to put her thoughts into words. He should wait for Shinji. He had to wait for him to throw up the AT Field like Misato had likely ordered him to at this point. "Wait…"
And yet, there Unit-03 was, and the light began to become diffused by an opaque AT Field, the pain around her mind lessening more and more as Kaworu's, then Shinji's fields, strengthened.
Rei shook her head as she looked over at Kaworu's panel in her comm screen. "Pilot Nagisa." she said, not bothering to keep the annoyance from her voice. "There is little need to come to my rescue. I am more than capable of holding my own."
Kaworu smiled slightly. "However, every effort…" he faltered for a moment as the light dimmed, then disappeared. "Helps…"
In Central Dogma, Misato and Ritsuko, along with the rest of the bridge crew, watched as Arael seemed to… bloom, for lack of a better term, more delicate spikes sprouting from its wings as they widened. Then, five pits of black opened up in the center mass of the Angel, pinpricks of light growing slowly.
"All Units!" Misato said, fear smashing into her voice. "Find cover! Now!"
She had barely finished her order when pillars of light shot down from the pits in the Angel, each landing on a Unit and their immediate surroundings, AT Fields shattering as the Pneumaic defenses were pierced through.
There was no longer simply pain. There was the Angel, within them, now.
And a chill swept through Central Dogma when, as one, the Children screamed.
. . .
Daniel and Tavis clashed, then again, stepping back from each other as Daniel's weapon sang in his hand as he swung it and struck Tavis's sword. Tavis drove forward, as the woman launched shards of glass at Daniel which he batted aside easily, launching motes of starlight at Tavis, at the woman, and at the now thrumming machine.
Daniel's reach was simply too great, his skill in the swordspear going unmatched by Tavis's swordplay as he sliced and jabbed, driving Tavis slowly back towards the machine. Tavis stepped inside Daniel's reach unexpectedly, causing him to backstep, his blade becoming a short rifle that he shouldered to begin firing at Tavis.
Tavis now began to backpedal, throwing up a sheet of mist that surrounded his body to block the oncoming barrage. As it stopped for a moment, tendrils of mist emerged from the sheet that surrounded Tavis's body, as Daniel's rifle became a two-handed sword, slicing at the grasping tentacles.
As the mist fell from Tavis's body, the sky dimmed. The woman was the first to notice this. "Tavis?" she said, looking up as she ceased her barrage.
Tavis shook his head. "What, Ymris?" he snarled in annoyance.
Daniel looked up as well, and his weapon dipped as he looked at the sky, then at Unit-03 by Unit-00. Then his eyes widened as he turned back to look at the two Scions. "Run!" he said, as the light of Arael came back, stronger than before, causing the protective shield of their heads to darken further as it began to bubble and warp.
Ymris shook her head. "Tavis… he's right. If we get hit by that…"
Tavis looked at Daniel, then the light. Then he growled in frustration. "Alright." he said, backing up towards Ymris. "We'll leave for now." he looked over at Daniel. "But we're not done yet."
Daniel simply looked at them as Ymris caused two glass figures to appear in her hand, crushing them and shattering the image of them into thousands of pieces. Then he got to work, his Grip disappearing as he began to summon the Expression once again. He would need to act quickly, dispose of the tower in front of him before the barrier broke.
He pushed the Expression as fast as he could, and after what felt like far too long, the tower vanished in a flash of darkness.
Daniel sighed. It was done. Now, it was-
His train of thought was interrupted by a hollow crack, and as he looked up, the protective barrier shattered, bathing him in Arael's light.
He was driven to his knees by the sudden pain, his defenses struggling to keep up for a moment until they were swept aside.
Then, he was surrounded again, as old memories replayed, the eyes and the voices making a great babble, a part of which sang a familiar chorus. The noise only barely edged out Daniel's screams of pain as he clutched his head.
. . .
"Their psychographs are wildly unstable! We're losing the pilots!" Maya said, looking back with fear in her eyes.
She grabbed at her hair as she growled. "We need something to launch at this thing!"
Misato appeared to wrack her brain as the Children struggled. "Get… out…" Asuka growled.
"My… damn it… my head…" Toji muttered, and Hikari squeezed Eleanor's hand tightly as she watched a teardrop of blood slide down Rei's face.
Misato finally turned to Ritsuko. "Tell me we have some wonder weapon hidden away that can blow this Angel apart." she nearly begged. "Please."
"We do." Ritsuko replied silently. "We have the Lance."
"The Lance?" Misato's brows shot up as Ritsuko turned to face Fuyutsuki, his eyes widening.
"Sir, permission to retrieve and use the Lance of Longinus from Terminal Dogma."
. . .
Rei's mind was awash with a spectral light, a light that almost blinded her as she forced open her eyes and looked as best she could at her friends. Her focus was drawn to Kaworu. He almost seemed in more pain than she was. 'Kaworu…'
. . .
Kaworu's mind was absent from the present, the past bathed in an unearthly light.
It was his room in Neue Berlin, small and cold and concrete, a single light shining on a bed, a nightstand, and a violin case that sat atop it. It was not his first home, but it was his most spacious thus far.
There was the tube he had grown up in, floating in serenity even as the Call began to close its jaws around his soul. A man stood in front of him. Kihl. He remembered that. He remembered this.
"You are Tabris." a voice worn and weathered with age said to him, eyes hidden behind a visor that offered no clue as to his disposition or the intent behind the words. "You shall bring us joy. The salvation of true unity."
"How will I accomplish such a purpose?"
"In death."
Further back, Arael reached, and something broke within his soul, a gate leading to… the beginning.
. . .
Daniel's mind was on fire, and the buildings that surrounded him, familiar buildings, burned with equal intensity.
After all, the people of this Echo had not given themselves to the Unity. So their souls would be their payment. Regardless of the bright, baleful giants that strode in the world's defense, despite the eldritch creatures that had been cast down from the heaven's.
It mattered little what he, the renewed Hollow Saint of War, faced here. Each Echo had begun to blur together to him, anyways.
'I need…' he struggled to gather the rest of the sentence, the words scattering like the bodies before his vision. 'Get… away…'
Almost on instinct, he felt a tug within his soul, a feeling of weightlessness, then the light was gone.
Daniel gasped for breath as he sat up on the rooftop of a building almost a block away from where the last device had stood. He blinked, wiping away bloody tears that were being washed away by the warm rain as he saw Unit-02 beside the building, spasming slightly in a beam of light. 'Wait. No…'
He swept his gaze around, found all five Evas in similar situations. 'We need someone to get the Lance. Now.'
His gaze settled on Unit-01. 'Shinji. Hold on. I'm… on my way…'
. . .
Fuyutsuki was frozen in a moment of pure shock. How did she know? Did Gendo really tell her of the Lance? A thousand other questions raced through his mind. "I…" he managed to say before he trailed off. If they used it now, the old men would be angry. More than simply angry. It was one of the keys to Instrumentality…
"Sir," Misato said, pulling Fuyutsuki's attention back to the present, "I must ask that we deploy whatever weapon this is. If it has any chance to work, we must use it!"
Fuyutsuki looked up at the Children. At Shinji and Unit-01. 'Yui…'
His gaze became solid with determination. 'If we must… then damn the Scenario.'
"Very well." he said. "But we must send one of the Units to retrieve it."
Misato nodded as she turned to Faez. "Who's closest to an entrance to the Geofront?"
After a rapid query, Faez looked back to Misato. "It's Unit-01, ma'am."
Misato looked up at Shinji. "Shinji! If you can hear me, get back to the Launch Pad elevator! We need you to retrieve the Lance of Longinus so we can destroy this thing!"
All Shinji seemed able to do was shake his head. "Make… make it stop…"
. . .
Everything else had been stripped away now. All her memories had been laid bare. Now, there was only the imagination left.
She was in Terminal Dogma, standing before Lilith. Standing before Kaworu. A Kaworu who was bound by her Interfacing, a massive fist holding him out over the LCL.
"Why?" the question almost held back a sob. "I trusted you. We trusted you. I taught you to be more than just the Angel."
"And yet, it made it all the easier for me to accomplish what I was created for." Kaworu admitted. "So now, we both have a choice. And…"
He paused, that idiotic, calm, almost cute smile on his face. "I have made mine. End this. Make the choice that will save what you love."
"But… why? Why me?"
"Because you care enough to do it."
Kaworu closed his eyes. "Tell Shinji and Asuka thank you. The rest as well. All I ask… is that you remember me."
Rei closed her eyes, sobbed… then squeezed.
. . .
Kaworu looked into pitiless eyes, so much like his own, and felt nothing but burning shame. They were in Terminal Dogma. She had finally disabled him, after…
"Please." he begged. "Please tell me they'll live."
"They won't." Rei bit out. "They won't, and it's your fault."
"I… I'm sorry. I lost control. The Call…"
"The Call, you should have resisted. I have resisted mine for longer. You… are a liar."
"Please." he begged. "End this."
In response, Rei… let him go. "I taught you well enough." she said in disgust. "End it yourself."
Then she walked away. One more pair of eyes he would never see again.
. . .
Asuka looked into eyes that were so much like their fathers.
She wasn't quite sure what had happened that day, but it had led to another argument.
"Shinji, come on, you know me."
"Do I? Do I, really?"
Shinji went on into the shocked silence. "I mean, you spent your entire childhood trying to hide a part of you I'd come to love, putting up a front to the world so that you'd be noticed and adored for doing something I hated. And you keep putting up that front, every time we go out."
"So how do I know this isn't another front? How do I know this is the real you?"
She had no answer.
"That's what I thought."
Shinji sighed as he stood. "I can't do this anymore. We promised we'd be here as long as we wanted each other."
"I can't want this anymore. Goodbye, Asuka."
. . .
Shinji and Asuka had come home after a long day. Asuka looked at him, clearly annoyed.
"You know, it's amazing we've gotten this far." the tone of her voice was… concerning. And slowly rising.
"All my life, I've just wanted to know that there's someone who could keep up with me. I only realized it when I met you."
"I'd even thought you could make it, too."
"But you can't. You can't ever seem to! Every time, you've just continued to stumble and fall and make an utter fool of yourself!"
"So just… get out! Let me find someone who's actually got a chance to stay by my side, and not just curl up in a corner!"
She stood, and Shinji couldn't stand with her. His grief seemed to press him to his seat.
"We're done! I can't stand being with such an idiot anymore!"
"Asuka…"
Then there was something else. And the light, the room, Asuka, all faded away.
And he was back in Unit-01's Entry Plug.
"Fear."
It was Daniel speaking to him, shoring up his defenses.
"That is Arael's greatest weapon. I'm sorry you had to go through that. Talk to me when the mission is done. I'll help you through dealing with the vision."
"Shinji!"
Shinji blinked and looked at Misato, her face full of fear. "Get to the Launch Pad behind you! You need to get the Lance of Longinus from Terminal Dogma!"
After a moment, Shinji jerkily nodded as Unit-01 turned away. "I'm on my way."
. . .
Daniel watched and waited as Shinji made his way to the waiting elevator, breathing a quiet sigh of relief as Unit-01 sank out of sight.
He turned, and began making his way to the rooftop exit. Now, he had to help keep the rest of them safe.
As he stumbled into what was apparently an office, the eyes surrounding him watching every step, he made his way to the window, Unit-02, and Asuka, apparent in his Sight.
He reached out to her, his soul straining to add his defenses to hers while he bolstered them. He saw the fading vision, understood its meaning, then Asuka became aware of him. "Bruder…"
"Asuka, you'll need to throw your AT Field up, put as much power into it as you can. I'll help. Now, and after the mission when we talk about what you saw. Hurry!"
He felt Unit-02 respond as he sent what little power he had to spare her way, and soon, an umbrella of prismatic light began to attenuate the beams of Arael's light.
'Alright.' he thought to himself. 'Just hold on, now.'
. . .
Shinji blinked as he wiped the blood off of his cheeks, and tried to get the vision that he had seen out of his head as he dashed down a dark, moodily lit tunnel towards Terminal Dogma.
It… it could happen. It wasn't just fear, it was… a possibility.
But right now, he had to make sure it even could be a possibility, ensure that his friends would live to see another day.
He slowed to a stop in front of the massive Heaven's Door, and waited impatiently as it slowly opened to reveal the lake of LCL, the white giant that hung crucified above it, and the crimson Lance that jutted from its chest.
As he waded into the knee high lake, he remembered a piece of advice Daniel had given. "It'll probably be stuck in there a little more tightly than you might expect. Pull as hard as you can."
Shinji took the Lance in both hands, pulling with all of Unit-01's might, the bident sliding out with a wet, sucking sound.
He turned, and ran. Everything rested on his speed now. 'I'm coming, everyone. I'm coming, Asuka!'
. . .
Asuka's brow was furrowed, and only the LCL prevented what would have been sheets of sweat from trickling down her face.
It was everything she had to push the light back, and Daniel, soon joined by a shaky Toji, were putting as much, if not more, into helping her. If the Angel intensified its efforts… there would be no stopping it. 'Come on, Shinji. Hurry…'
"Just hold on, guys!" Misato said through their commlink. "Shinji will be there in 3 minutes!"
In Central Dogma, Misato looked at the screen that showed Unit-01 and the Lance, it's head swirling into a singular point, ascending as she willed the elevator to go faster. To just be faster.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Unit-01 burst onto the rain-drenched surface, gripping the Lance tightly. "How do I aim the Lance?" Shinji asked as he reestablished a lock on the Angel.
"Just establish a lock and throw the Lance." Fuyutsuki said. "It is a self guided munition."
Shinji nodded as Unit-01 spun the Lance into an overhand grip.
Unbidden, a thought sprang into his mind. 'This is lights out, Arael. No more suffering. No more!'
He groaned inwardly at the first part of the remark as Unit-01 took one step, then another, then hurled the Lance into the sky.
In a moment, it shot through the clouds, blowing the rain away as it only picked up speed, ripping through the sound barrier only a second later.
The Lance was in space in seconds, slamming into Arael's AT Field before the field bulged, then tore.
The Lance passed through the Angel's core as if it weren't even there, and it collapsed into a pinprick of light before exploding silently above Tokyo-3. Arael was, at last, no more.
. . .
Rei slumped back in her seat as she watched the brilliant, fleeting new daystar that was the Angel's remains begin to fade away.
They had done it. The pain would pass, the fear likely more slowly, but it was over.
And all that had to happen, it seemed, was Kaworu's interference. She looked at the boy in question, his eyes shut as bright blood streaked a pale face.
She was slipping into unconsciousness as well, she realized, as she felt Unit-02 grab Unit-00 and begin carrying it to one of the lifts.
In an office building, Daniel sank to his knees. The Flux was almost overwhelming, the Vent Frames clearing it away doing nothing for the Flux Daze. He had to go, but… he needed a moment.
So, he made his way back to the rooftop, watching for a while as Unit-02, Unit-04 and Unit-01 gently carried Unit-00 and Unit-03 back to the elevators.
As the last of the Evas disappeared, he took a deep breath. He had a little left in him. Enough to make it back into the Geofront, at least.
"Eleanor…" he said through a link to her. "Come find me."
With that, he became light, and joined the Children's descent into the Geofront.
. . .
Misato watched the screen as Unit-02 and Unit-01 helped Unit-00 over to a gantry, Unit-04 doing the same for Unit-03. Eleanor had left the moment the Angel had been pierced by the Lance without a word, leaving a confused and somewhat scared Hikari on the bridge with her.
Misato hoped that Daniel would be okay. He had been out there without any of the protections of the Evangelion. Who knew what he had gone through? 'No. He's Daniel. He's going to be fine.'
Looking at the Children, she still wasn't so sure of that.
She looked back at Fuyutsuki, who had joined them on the command bridge, and stood next to Faez. "What's the status of the Lance?" he said.
Faez looked back at Fuyutsuki. "It blew past escape velocity as it exited the atmosphere, sir. Tracking puts it in a degrading lunar orbit in the next 3 hours."
Fuyutsuki sighed quietly, then nodded. "Thank you, Lieutenant Faez." he looked at Misato. "What's the status of our pilots?" he said, concern edging into his voice.
'Well, at least someone up there cares about them.' she snarked silently before responding. "They're all in pretty rough shape. I don't need to be Ritsuko to tell you that." she said. "I wouldn't count on them piloting again anytime soon. Any of them."
"If anything, she's understating things." Ritsuko said seriously. "It's a miracle that they were even able to stay synchronised at all. Their psychographic readings are dangerously unstable, and we risk anything up to complete catatonia from any one of the pilots if we push them back out again before they've had time to stabilize. I'll be conducting thorough examinations on all of them."
Fuyutsuki nodded. "I look forward to hearing the results, and I hope that those results will be positive."
. . .
NERV Medical Center, 3 Hours Later
Eleanor looked at Daniel's still form as the EKG beeped rhythmically, and tried not to let the tears that were in her eyes fall down her face. He was going to be fine. He was going to be fine. Nothing could stop that. Not the fact that he cringed away at her when she first found him in a disused back corner of the Geofront. Not the fact that he had shuddered as he looked sightlessly away from her. Not anything.
But he wasn't healing fully. The attacks made by Arael, and his efforts to help the pilots, seemed to resist her Mending, and she needed more strength than she currently had on hand, at least another who could help her.
Her ruminations were interrupted by a rap at the door, and she looked up to see Ritsuko and, oddly enough, Hikari, as they walked in.
"How is he?" Hikari said quietly.
Eleanor sighed. "He'll live. That much is certain." she said, equally as quietly, before shaking her head. "He just… won't heal on his own. And I can't help him get back on his feet in any decent sort of time alone."
She sighed heavily as she sank down into a chair next to Daniel, putting her head into her hands. "I can't… I can't do this alone. But I am." she tried not to sob as hard as she could.
Then, Eleanor jumped slightly as she felt a hand on her shoulder, looking up to see Hikari looking at her, worry and anxiety and determination locked in combat behind her eyes. "Can… can I help?"
Eleanor blinked, then blinked again, then smiled. "You know what? I should have thought about that earlier. Yes. Yes, you can actually."
Eleanor stood, and her emerald eyes glittered with newfound determination. "I'm about to teach you your first lessons in Mending." she walked around the hospital bed, motioning to a place at Daniel's side. "Stand right there, Hikari."
She looked at Ritsuko before she started. "Will you be able to watch? I know there are other things you'll probably need to do…"
"No, no." Ritsuko said, a gleam in her eyes. "I shouldn't pass up this." she said, as she gathered a small notebook and pen from her lab coat pocket.
Eleanor nodded, then looked back at Hikari. "Alright, Hikari, I'm not going to lie. I'm kind of throwing you into the deep end here. Mending on living things is a more… delicate task than on inanimate objects. Most times, objects are easy to piece back together, as they have a set Frame with fairly easy to intuit connections. Living beings with growing souls, on the other hand… that's a different prospect."
"Use the Sight, and I'll show you." Eleanor said, and all in the room began to look at Daniel's soul. It was a mess, like looking at a shattered glass suspended in resin.
"Now, much of the work here comes from studying the soul. It has a perfect memory of everything that happens to the spirit, mind, and body. Find the proper image of how the Frame should look, and it's relatively smooth sailing from there. Finding it, though… that's tricky."
Hikari's eyes widened slightly, and Eleanor chuckled. "But I've already done that. Right now, all that you have to worry about is linking up to my soul and channeling a little extra power through me. I'll show you what I'm doing, and then we'll reverse things, have you put some things back together. Sound good?"
Hikari nodded uncertainly, and Eleanor smiled. "That's the spirit. Let's begin."
Eleanor linked her soul to Hikari's, and she watched as Eleanor worked, feeding energy into Daniel's Frame and using Frames of her own to hold the pieces in place as they healed. Eleanor showed how to make the Frames she used to Hikari, then Hikari got to try putting a part of Daniel's Frame back together.
Hikari's brow was furrowed in concentration, as the delicate parts of the Frame she used grasped at the floating pieces, bringing them into line with a hazy outline that Eleanor said was the projection of the way Daniel's Frame should be, according to his soul. With the pieces aligned, Hikari fed the energy that she and Eleanor both had into the Frame.
After a moment, it flashed briefly, and Hikari retracted her Frame as Eleanor nodded in approval. "Good job, Hikari." she said, causing the young woman to blush slightly.
"I just did as I was told." Hikari said bashfully. "You made it all work."
Eleanor shook her head. "Watching someone with more experience than you and copying them is one of the first things you do when learning something. Don't worry. Once you get better at it, you can start to add your own personal touches."
Hikari nodded after a moment, and Eleanor nodded in turn. "Alright. Let's get back to work."
. . .
Daniel opened his eyes, then blinked as he heard the steady beep of an EKG. Everything hurt. A lot. But not as much as it should have, he thought, as he sat up in the bed, groaning as he did.
He looked around and saw Eleanor and Hikari standing at the end of the bed, with Ritsuko behind them writing madly.
Daniel shook his head as he raised a hand to it. "How… how long have I been out?" he said quietly.
"About 5 hours." Eleanor said softly as she went to his side. "How are you feeling?"
Daniel shook his head. "Like I got run over by a steamroller on fire. Other than that, just peachy."
Eleanor chuckled. "I'm not surprised. Arael did a number on you. It was kind of tough putting you back together at first. Then, I got some help." she said, looking back at a slightly blushing Hikari.
Daniel nodded after a moment. "Good job, Hikari." he looked back at Eleanor. "I should be able to piece myself back together on my own now. Go help some of the others." a worried look entered his eyes. "How is Rei? And Kaworu?"
Eleanor nodded. "They're starting to patch themselves back together. Rei more quickly than Kaworu. I'll be going and helping the process along."
Daniel nodded. "Then go and heal, physician of mine. I'll put myself back together, and likely be up and about in about an hour."
Eleanor nodded, leaning in and quickly kissing Daniel. "Alright. See you then." she straightened up and looked at Hikari. "Let's go help out Rei and Kaworu, get you some practice with your new skills."
Hikari nodded, and Eleanor and Hikari exited the room. Daniel watched them leave, then looked at Ritsuko, who stood there for a moment checking over her notes. "Like what you saw?" Daniel said with a wry grin on his face.
Ritsuko looked up from her notes at Daniel as she blinked, then blushed slightly. "If you're talking about the fact that medical science has taken a massive leap forward, then yes, I do like what I saw." she shook her head. "And here I thought your mind was at least purer than Kaji's." she said with a slight chuckle.
Daniel shook his head as he chuckled in turn. "When you've lived and died as much as I have, you find whatever you can to have a chuckle at."
Ritsuko rolled her eyes as she made her way to the door. "I'm sure. Good luck on your healing, Daniel."
"Thank you, Ritsuko." Daniel said as Ritsuko exited, leaving him alone under a ceiling that was familiar, and yet unfamiliar.
. . .
Rei sat by the bedside of Kaworu, watching as Eleanor and Hikari got to work Mending Kaworu's soul. Shinji, Asuka, and Toji watched on with their Sight, and Rei watched alongside them. It was… miraculous. That was a word, she thought, that could best describe the sights she saw.
Kaworu… she had a lot she wanted to ask him. A lot she wanted to tell him. And, as she watched Eleanor and Hikari step back from an at least somewhat repaired Frame, and Kaworu slowly opened his eyes, it seemed she would get her chance.
Kaworu looked around the room slowly. "Friends." he said quietly. "I… hurt."
Asuka scoffed quietly. "I don't doubt it, Kritzeln. You took a hell of a mental beating, it looked like."
Kaworu nodded. "Yes. That seems the most appropriate way to put it."
Rei looked at Kaworu intently, then her gaze swept across the rest of her friends. "I have private matters I would like to speak with Nagisa about."
The room was silent for a moment. "Alone." Rei said.
Heads nodded slowly, and Eleanor flashed a sympathetic smile. "We'll make sure and leave you to it then."
Rei smiled slightly. "Thank you, mother."
As eyebrows rose at Rei's choice of words, Eleanor shepherded the other Children out of the room.
After a moment of using her Sight to ensure that they would not be eavesdropped on, she looked at the boy. "Are you able to stand?"
Kaworu moved his arms and legs for a moment, then nodded as he slowly got to his feet. "It seems that I can."
As they stood in front of each other, Kaworu looked down at his hands. "I feel… differently than I did before."
Rei tilted her head slightly. "How so?"
Kaworu shook his head. "The Call, for one. It feels… muffled, somehow. And… I cannot explain it. It feels like my mind has been opened. Expanded."
Rei's brow furrowed. "Odd." it was quiet for a moment. "May I speak before you continue?"
Kaworu nodded. "You may."
A crack echoed through the small room as Rei slapped Kaworu across the face, her brow set in indignation. "Do not put yourself at risk like that again, Kaworu! That was extremely irresponsible, and led to an unnecessary increase in the danger for both myself and the other pilots."
As Kaworu rubbed his face, he looked at Rei with a look of incredulity and wonder. "You called me Kaworu." he said dumbfoundedly.
Rei growled softly, then surprised Kaworu by hugging him tightly. "Yes, I did. And you may call me Rei."
Kaworu, now thoroughly confused, accepted the hug slowly. "Uh… Ay… Rei, may I ask what is going on?"
"You may." she said. "But you will not get an answer at this time. I am still trying to figure things out myself." she stepped back from the hug, and a flash of sadness made its way across Kaworu's face as the contact broke.
"You… you…" Rei said, then trailed off, her embarrassment becoming thoughtfulness as she studied Kaworu's expression. "What did you see?"
Kaworu sighed. "That is a question you will not quite get an answer at this time for, either. I am… still trying to understand what I saw myself."
Rei nodded slowly. "Very well."
Kaworu smiled slightly. "You seem quite flustered around me at this current moment. May I ask why?"
Rei blushed, and silence reigned for a heartbeat. Then another. "Because… I… I…"
Rei sighed. "I like you."
Kaworu blinked after a moment. "I do not fully understand. I thought we were already friendly with each other."
Rei shook her head. "No, no, Kaworu. I… I like you. I understand your struggles, your pain, your loneliness. You…"
Rei went quiet. "You're just like me." she said, barely above a whisper.
Kaworu stood rooted in place for a moment. "I… I like you too, Rei. You have been… nearly vital to helping me understand what it is like to be human. To know what the world is like. I cannot thank you enough for that. And…" it was Kaworu's turn to blush. "You look really cute when you're angry." he nearly squeaked. "Is that the correct word for it?"
Rei's eyes widened as she took in what Kaworu said. Then she sighed and smiled slightly. "Yes. I believe you may be using the word correctly."
Kaworu smiled back. "Oh good." he was quiet for a moment. "You look cute when you smile, too."
Rei blushed. "Thank you."
Kaworu nodded. "You are welcome."
After a moment of regarding each other, Rei blinked. "I wish to go check up on Daniel. He was in the path of Arael's attack as well. I wish to verify his condition myself."
Kaworu nodded. "Very well. May I accompany you?"
Rei nodded in turn. "You may."
Kaworu nodded. "Thank you." he turned, then paused. "I still wish to speak with you about what I saw later."
Rei regarded him seriously. "What did you see?"
Kaworu looked down. "I believe I saw… the beginning. Of Adam. And of Lilith."
An unexpected reunion occurs, and the beginning is finally explained. But knowledge of what might have been can be a dangerous thing. For what good is a future that could be when the past is irrevocably changed? Next Episode: End of Line.
For those of you keeping track of the Children's nascent powers from Chapter 19, Asuka has gone from having the Flame Aspect Core to the Metal Aspect Core, and the text has been updated to reflect this. It may yet be early enough that such an edit won't affect things too much, but I figured some notice of clarification would be nice for those of you who have kept up. Thank you, as always, for reading along with this wild ride!
Our knowledge of "the way things should be" had, in some capacity, served us well. Granted, deviating from that knowledge was gratifying to the extreme, especially when it was for the better, but there were still many who wanted to stick to "the script", SEELE notwithstanding.
But then, a few others got a hold of the script. And Armisael came down from heaven.
Misato's Apartment, Mid-Late January 2016
Shinji turned in the bed that he and Asuka shared and looked at the clock on the nightstand. 0145. And yet, sleep eluded him. Sleep eluded both of them. It had for the last three days since they'd been released from the hospital. But everytime that he looked at Asuka's face, the older one, the one angry at him for falling behind, always seemed to be there.
So he lay alone, for the third night in a row.
She had started to go to the bathroom for… ages, until he fell asleep. She was trying to avoid being close to him. It… it hurt. Everything seemed to be falling apart, and he couldn't seem to bring himself to try and stop it.
'Alright,' an achingly familiar, imaginary voice said, 'what would I do if you were doing this? Hm? Do you love me? Then why aren't you marching in and talking to me? After all, when we're together, we win. This is very clearly the opposite of that, rookie.'
'But…' he tried to argue with his imagination.
'No buts! Get up, don't run away, and come comfort me, you lovable idiot!'
Shinji sat up in bed, taking a deep breath. 'I… I musn't run away.' he chuckled softly at the words as he swung out of bed, and slowly, quietly, made his way towards the bathroom.
As he found himself at the door of the washroom, he saw the light coming out from the crack, placed a hand on it… and hesitated.
Then, he took another deep breath, and slowly slid open the door.
As he looked towards the bathroom door, he saw Asuka, her knees to her chest as she sat on the door, looking up at him with an unreadable expression. "Do you need to use the bathroom?" she asked levelly.
Shinji shook his head as he stepped in, shutting the door behind him. "No. I… we need to talk. About what we saw."
Asuka's jaw clenched slightly as Shinji sat in front of him. "I'm… I'm not sure I'm ready yet. We talked to Daniel about these stupid things the Angel showed us, anyway."
"Asuka, that's not enough. This…" he paused. "This is tearing us apart. I'm… I'm afraid of you, and this…" he scoffed slightly as Asuka's eyes widened. "This is the first time I've seen you afraid… ever."
"So… what scares you about me? What did Arael show you?"
It was a moment, then another, perilous in their passing, that was utterly silent.
"It was you." Asuka nearly whispered. "You'd… you'd finally grown tired of me having two personalities. Two lives. You couldn't trust me anymore."
"So…" Shinji gulped. "I left."
Asuka nodded silently as she squeezed her knees a little tighter, and another moment of silence passed between them. "I…" Shinji began.
He took a deep breath. "I saw something similar. You finally got tired of me dragging you down. And so you decided to find someone who could keep up with you."
Asuka's eyes widened again as Shinji sighed, then blinked. "What was his name again…"
"What?" Asuka said, letting go of her knees and revealing her full face to Shinji.
"There was a movie. A Christmas movie that Daniel put on whenever I went over to his apartment for Christmas. It had a mean, old man that saw a vision of the past, the present and the future."
Asuka blinked. "Uncle Scrooge?"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. And… when he was talking to the spirit who showed him the future, he said something…"
"Are these the shadows of things that will be, or shadows of what may be, only?" Asuka said slowly, the quote seeming to come to her piece by piece before she chuckled. "Yeah. I get what you mean. But…" the slight smile she had vanished as she looked at the floor. "It feels… so easy to stumble into. Even just by accident, we could do what we saw."
"Then… let's not."
Asuka looked back at Shinji with shock as she saw the tired determination in his eyes, as he stood and offered her his hand. "I promise I'll try not to fall behind." he said, with a conviction that rocked Asuka to her very core, the corners of her eyes pricking with tears.
"Alright." she said quietly, taking the hand and rising from the floor. "I'll be... as honest as I can with you. No double lives." she paused, then bobbed her head from side to side. "It'll probably take a while to figure that out."
"Then we'll do it together." Shinji replied. "Because together, we win."
They looked at each other for a long moment, then Asuka smiled, a quiet, choked chuckle escaping her. "Shinji…"
She settled on kissing him deeply to express her gratitude.
- - -
Evangelion Cages, Geofront, NERV-HQ, 3 Days Later
Gendo Ikari walked into the Evangelion cages quietly, his shoulders slumped slightly, and his face without the usual orange-tinted glasses that he usually wore. He had lost them… somewhere. It didn't matter, anyway.
The message… simple words could not describe what had gone through him when she spoke to him for the first time in years. Her voice was like that of an angel from heaven, soothing his soul.
And yet… what she had said… it had left him awake for days. And he knew she had meant it. He knew she was right. About every single word. About him. About Shinji. His son. 'Yui. I… I did that. To our boy. The one that was a miracle. I'm sorry.'
That thought, and hundreds, thousands of others, whirled through his head still as he emerged onto the catwalk, the vast purple mask of Unit-01, the giant that had swallowed the woman he loved, seemed to leer at him with one eye.
On the catwalk, Captain Theisman stood, and he turned as he noticed his entrance, revealing beside him… Shinji. He knew the look in Shinji's eyes. He had ignored it before. The resentment. The hate. Now, it was mixed with shock, as his son took in the dark bags under his bloodshot eyes and the tired expression that he had hidden so well behind the dark orange glasses. "Father…" Shinji finally said.
"Shinji." Gendo said quietly, and the right side of his chest twinged slightly. Adam was still in pain. The Angel attack had left Gendo writhing on the floor of some out-of-the-way apartment in Tokyo-3, knocking around the beer bottles and cans that he had carelessly tossed aside in his attempts to numb the pain of his soul.
Captain Theisman regarded him with a neutral expression. "I see Mrs. Ikari was not undue in her hope that you would come, Commander."
Gendo nodded. "Yes. She would know that." he looked at his head of engineering for a moment with narrowed eyes. "How are you-"
Captain Theisman raised his hand, stopping whatever Gendo had to say next. "Sir, I'm sure you have questions. But for right now, I'm only here to facilitate your communication with Mrs. Ikari."
As Gendo stepped over to Theisman's side, Shinji stepped forward. "Before you talk to mother," he said quietly, "I want to do something. Just once."
Gendo sighed quietly, then nodded. "You may do what you wish, Shinji. If it is what I think it is…"
A swift punch to the gut drove the words out of Gendo's lungs, along with whatever breath he had, as he sank to his knees. Shinji stood above his father, and breathed deeply, seeming to try and get himself under control. "That… doesn't even begin to make up for what you've done to me. To Rei."
Gendo nodded as he tried to catch his breath. "And… and I'm sorry…" Shinji's eyes widened as he said this.
Gendo finally got to his feet again as he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry that such is the case. I…" Gendo trailed off for a moment. "I… recognize what I have done more fully, now. To you. My son. And to Rei. And to everyone else here."
Gendo chuckled softly. "Yui's words made me have… a revelation, of sorts. One that… well, humbled me, to some extent."
He looked at his son, and Shinji saw the raw want, the near desperation in his eyes. "You have no idea how much I've envied you, Shinji."
With those words, Gendo looked to Captain Theisman. "Now, Captain, I want to talk to my wife." he said those words with a finality that brooked no argument.
Captain Theisman nodded. "Very well." he said as he put a hand on Gendo's shoulder. "Now," he said, "before I begin, you are about to experience a… change in vision. Are you prepared for that?"
Gendo looked over at Captain Theisman. "Captain, I have been dreaming of a moment like this for years. Yes." he said simply.
Captain Theisman nodded slowly. "Very well."
Gendo waited, then the world around him began to blur slightly, and as he looked around he saw, deep within the depths of Unit-01, a point of bright light shone sharp and clear.
Without physically moving, Gendo's sight seemed to drift over towards the light, until it resolved itself into… a sculpture of glowing, intertwined branches, surrounding a radiant core. "Is… is that…" Gendo said, dumbfounded.
"Yes." Captain Theisman said. "That is Yui Ikari's soul."
Gendo stood silently for a moment as he marveled openly at the sight. Then, Captain Theisman spoke again. "Alright," he said, as Gendo watched a branch that was likely from his own soul begin to reach out, "I'm establishing the connection between you and Mrs. Ikari. You won't need to physically speak. Just think of the words you wish to say."
Gendo nodded, and the connection was made, and he felt… her."Yui?"
"Gendo."
. . .
Daniel stepped back from Gendo as he sank to his knees, turning to Shinji. "Let's give your father some privacy, shall we?"
Shinji looked at the conversation between his parents as it began to happen, watching through the Sight as their souls lit up. His eyes furrowed as he saw… something else. A patch of familiar dark, jagged lines rested over his father's right chest. Those lines belonged to… an Angel.
Before Shinji could say anything, Daniel put his hand on Shinji's shoulder, and Shinji looked up at him as he nodded to the side, the message clear without a single word being spoken.
As they walked, Shinji linked himself to Daniel's soul. "Did you see that? The Angelic Frame that was in my father?"
Daniel nodded. "Yes. I did see that. It means that he's already implanted Adam as part of his plans for Instrumentality." he said.
Shinji's eyes widened. "Adam? You mean..."
Daniel sighed as he nodded. "Yes. That was part of his plan. Adam, containing the Seed of Life, the S2 Organ, and Lilith herself, would fuse, with Rei as a go-between, in order for him to direct Instrumentality and get Yui Ikari back. But now..."
Daniel looked back at Gendo, and Shinji looked with him, as they both beheld Gendo on his knees, his head buried in his hands.
"Plans may be changing." Daniel said aloud quietly.
Shinji looked on as he heard the seemingly impossible: a quiet sob from his father. In his Sight, his mother's Frame glowed with barely checked anger, and his father's… there was grief and remorse and joy all swirling like a stormcloud within his father. He never would have guessed such things were possible for his father. And yet…
"You wouldn't have believed this if you hadn't seen it, I'm guessing?" Daniel said through the link.
Shinji looked at Daniel, then back at Gendo. "Honestly… I'm not so sure."
Daniel looked at Shinji intently. "And what makes you say that?"
Shinji sighed quietly. "Because… because I would probably act the same, if Asuka and I were in my parent's place." he paused for a moment. "I would say I wouldn't do the things he did to get her back, but…"
Daniel nodded slightly. "You could if you were pushed far enough. Is that right?"
Shinji sighed quietly. "Yes." he said, resignation evident in his mental voice. He continued to look at his father as they conversed. "He doesn't deserve this." he said, bitterness evident in his tone.
Daniel sighed again. "I don't doubt it." Daniel said aloud, causing Shinji to look back at him.
Daniel shook his head. "But, Shinji, I have found in my long, long years of life that deserving something and needing something can be two vastly different things." he looked at Gendo as he continued. "You're right. Your father does not deserve this after what he's done. But he's needed it. He's needed his family more than anything in the world. Someone who will welcome him home with open arms, show him that he can be better than some drunken pub brawler who has to be kicked out of every single bar he's in."
Daniel sighed. "In that same vein, I cannot say that I deserve Eleanor's love. Or even yours. Not after what I've done." he paused as Shinji looked back at him in shock, then crossed his arms over his chest. "But… I still need that love. From you. From Eleanor. From Asuka and Rei and all the rest. Even if only…"
He looked down and to the side. "Even if only for me to know that I can still be loved at all." Daniel whispered.
It was silent for a moment as Shinji processed the emotions behind Daniel's words. How similar they were to what he saw his father feeling at this very moment. Then, he quickly embraced Daniel tightly, causing him to jump slightly before slowly unfolding his arms and returning the hug.
He felt Shinji's unflinching support, his gratitude, his love, and a tear slid down Daniel's cheek as he processed these things. Then, after a moment, he looked over at Gendo and found him looking over at them silently.
In his face, Daniel saw Shinji. Who he could have been. Who had appeared on that television screen what seemed like forever ago. His expression filled with sadness, confusion, hurt. Envy.
After a moment, Daniel extricated himself from the hug, and walked over to Gendo, linking himself to both the Commander and Yui. "Commander. Mrs. Ikari. Your time is running short, I'm afraid. It's time to finish things up."
"Very well." Yui said. "Gendo," she said after a moment, "please, remember what I've said. Don't forget this like you've forgotten before."
"Always, Yui." Gendo said with utter conviction. "I'm sorry I forgot in the first place. I'm sorry I forgot at all."
An impression of a sigh escaped from Yui. "Oh, Gendo. I've missed that about you. Your conviction. Use it to do good. To be good. To our son."
Gendo was quiet for a moment. "I will, Yui. I… I have to make up to him for what I did. You've shown me that. I just… I just don't know if I can do it."
Patience and calm from Yui. "Try, Gendo. For me. For him."
"I will, Yui. I love you. I always have."
"And I love you, Gendo. Now, get out there and save the world for us."
Gendo's attention turned to Daniel. "Alright. I'm ready, Captain."
"Very well." Daniel said, and slowly cut the connection between Yui and Gendo.
Gendo Ikari stood up, seeming to all the world a different man as he wiped at the welling tears in his eyes and the tears that had already rolled down his cheeks. "Thank you, Captain." he said in a husky voice. "I… I don't know what else I can do."
"Do what Yui says." Daniel said simply. "And I believe a good place to start," he said as he turned to look at Shinji, "is to talk to your son. You have a lot to make up for."
Gendo sighed. "I know. And, more than likely, I will never fully be able to make up for what I've done."
"That is more than likely the case. But you can at least start." Daniel said simply.
As Gendo walked forward, Daniel grabbed his arm, and Gendo looked back at him in surprise. "And if you ever need someone to talk to who knows what you are going through, sir… I am here." Daniel said quietly. Then, he let go of Gendo's arm.
Shinji and Daniel stood still as Gendo walked from Daniel's side, coming to a stop an arm's length away from Shinji. It was an awkward moment of simply looking at each other before Gendo spoke. "Shinji."
"Father." Shinji said simply, his tone as guarded as the look in his eyes.
Gendo sighed quietly, his eyes closing. "I… am sorry for my actions. I was… blinded by grief. By my desire to see Yui again. And now… I can only try and make up for the time I wasted."
It was quiet again for a moment. "I do not expect your forgiveness. I do not even expect you to understand fully why I did what I did." Gendo paused, then sighed. "Can we… just sit down and talk sometime?"
Shinji was tempted to refuse. What had his father ever done to warrant this? Why should he give to his father what he had never received for most of his life? Then Daniel's words came back to him, and he pondered for a moment.
"Very well." Shinji finally said, the guarded look not fully leaving his expression. "I'm guessing that I'll have to work around your schedule?"
Gendo shook his head. "No, Shinji. I… I haven't had a schedule for a few days. You have my number. Call me when you're ready."
Shinji nodded slowly. "Alright. I will."
Gendo sighed and was silent for a moment as Shinji walked past him to Daniel's side. "Shinji." Gendo said as he turned, causing Daniel and Shinji to stop and look back at him. It was silent for a moment. "Thank you." he said simply.
Shinji looked back at his father with surprise. Then, he turned, and soon after, Gendo was alone in the shadow of Unit-01.
- - -
Infinity Box, Early February 2016
Rei stood across from Kaworu and marveled at the progress he had made in so little time.
As it had turned out, in the aftermath of Arael's attack breaking much of Kaworu's Frame, Eleanor, possessing the proper skills, decided to take some… liberties in how she put Kaworu's soul back together.
Which was how she had received a clearly excited text a week ago. 'I CAN CREATE!!' it read, and Rei did not have to be physically present to feel the jubilation and triumph in those words.
She remembered ringing his doorbell once, then twice. She could not hear anything inside. After a moment, Kaworu had opened the door, a wide, excited look in his eyes and a wide smile on his face that Rei couldn't help but smile back at. "Rei!" he nearly shouted. "Come in! You got my text message!"
Rei stepped in with a chuckle. "Yes. I don't know how I could have missed it, Kaworu. Especially when you say that you could do something that was seemingly impossible for you before."
Kaworu led her to the kitchen table, where papers were strewn all across its surface. He picked one seemingly at random. "It started with... this musical piece about a week ago."
Rei's eyebrow rose slightly. "That long ago?" she said.
Kaworu nodded. "Yes. I was practicing on my own, and I made a mistake." he said this with the utmost satisfaction. "Then, I decided that the mistake sounded better than what I was supposed to play. So, I went back and marked down this note, like Shinji does." he pointed at a line and dot a little higher on the page than its printed companion.
"Then…" Kaworu's eyes looked at that singular note with wonder. "It was like a gate had opened. My mind… it took what I already knew, and it put them together in different combinations, ones that I knew sounded good from other pieces that I'd played before, and…"
He looked back at the table. "Well, this is the current result."
Rei studied some of the sheets of music, then picked up one that held a small doodle in a once clear corner. It was an approximation of a tree, with a surprising amount of detail. "I did not know you could draw, Kaworu."
Kaworu blushed sheepishly. "I found that I have a knack for it only a few days ago. Getting my hand to make what I saw in my mind was a challenge at first, but then it just… came to me. I'm not sure how."
Rei smiled as she shuffled through some of the small piles of papers, music sheets turning into drawings of various things. A parked car. A street lamp. Then, her eyes widened slightly as she found a picture of… herself. She looked at the remarkably detailed image of her in a sweater and pants, her preferred garb for training with Interfacing, as she held a slim blade to the side in a fencer's pose.
Rei looked at Kaworu, then looked past the physical. Her Sight revealed that, as opposed to the clashing, almost overpowering mess that his soul was before Arael, Eleanor had… well, pruned back the parts of his soul that were Angelic, and seemed to have encouraged the human side to grow more as well. His Frame had become… unified. It was impossible, the ancient part of her said. No force of mere men, even as seemingly magical as this, should be able to make what was, in essence, the Forbidden Union.
But Eleanor had done it.
Rei's focus shifted back to the present, and to Kaworu, as he formed a spear with his Grip, settling into a ready stance as Rei raised a blade that seemed made of stained glass. It would still be hard as steel, however, the Plasm changing only into the image of the object.
As they clashed, weapons changing from spear and sword to pistol and shield to daggers and onward, they settled into a familiar rhythm. She had, against all odds, come to enjoy the training sessions that Kaworu so often wanted them to have. It was an escape from the world, a moment where it was just the two of them, their skills, and their wits, pitted against each other.
And, far from whatever Asuka's imagination cooked up, these were not dates, in any way, shape, or form. She had just… come to look forward to them, is all.
After a surprisingly intense sparring session where Kaworu won again, which was good to see, Rei and Kaworu regarded each other silently for a moment before Kaworu blinked. "I think…" he said in between breaths. "I think I can tell you."
"Tell me what?" Rei said, fighting not to have her cheeks flush more than they were from the possibilities.
"About what happened in the beginning." Kaworu said, and the Box went silent for a moment. "What happened to Adam."
Rei looked at him intently as she dismissed her weapon, then walked over to one of the walls, where a bench held towels and water. Kaworu followed behind, accepting the bottle proffered by Rei and drinking deeply from it as she sat down. "I believe that we are two sides of the same story." she said quietly, as Kaworu sat down next to her. "I believe that we may need to tell both sides in order to have the… complete picture, as it were."
Kaworu nodded. "Indeed." Kaworu paused for a moment. "Perhaps we can see what the other saw, should we link our souls together."
Rei's eyebrow rose fractionally. They had never done that before, had they? There was the concern she held that their Angelic halves might react… violently, should such a thing occur. But, they wouldn't know unless they tried.
Rei said as much to Kaworu, who nodded in response. "I guess that makes sense." he said after a moment. "But, I'm assuming, we're also at the point where we are strong enough to break off contact before anything happens. As well as being in the Infinity Box, separated somewhat from the rest of reality and all."
Rei nodded slowly. "Very well. We shall try."
It was quiet as they linked their souls together, tentatively at first. Then they waited for… something. Whatever that 'something' was.
When nothing, in fact, happened, Rei and Kaworu both released a quiet sigh, looking at each other and chuckling slightly before solidifying the connection. It was… different, somewhat than connecting to the others. Rei felt a simmering hostility. Likely, that was the Angelic part of his soul screaming out at the connection. Hers was doing much the same.
They focused on the beginning.
. . .
They both saw a world in flames. It was not consumed by petty things such as material needs. The Super Solenoid Organ, the Fruit of Life, had dispelled that from their world, right alongside age and sickness. No, now it was consumed by ideologies and wants and allegiances. The world was dying. And its people were dying with it, consumed by the Soul Arts which had made the Fruit of Life possible. The Soul Arts which now consumed… everything. And now, nearly everything was gone. The quiet that was left was the anxious, scared, resigned repose of the dying.
And now, the scientist desperately searched for a way to save his people. He had run through every possible way to preserve their world. But the sheer, immutable fact of the now seemingly ever-present geological instability, making itself known at an increasing rate through the tremors that were being felt more and more powerfully, showed that whatever else happened next, their world would not persist.
Then, one day, he had an idea. It was wild. Ridiculous, even. But it had to be tried. They had not learned how to manipulate their souls over the course of centuries for nothing. Perhaps within such things could be found their salvation.
So, the scientist proposed his idea before the council. An idea that was filled with an optimistic, desperate hope.
The councilor was drawn to that hope.
She saw the spark that it lit inside him, the idea that, should those who were willing to be transformed, body and soul, to undertake long, lonely journeys to other worlds, go through with the plan that he had made, then though their people might perish, their legacy, the legacy of a people who had seen miracles, made them with their own hands, might live on. His hope, the desperate, unsteady smile that went with it, was nearly intoxicating. As he spoke, she had fallen in love with that smile.
But it seemed that their world held one last conflict in store for them. The council bickered, piddled, twiddled, and resolved back and forth, back and forth. It was a miracle that none had yet come to blows.
"Abandon the Fruit of Life? Are you mad? What would be left of us then?"
"Look around you! See what the Fruit of Life, what all the Soul Arts, have done to this world! You would have that be our legacy? You would have our descendants reenact our tragedy?"
"And what of it? We have failed, but you would see the chance that immortality, that the miracles we have wrought, be swept away from the face of the universe? That those that follow after us be denied these things because of our follies?"
"What of it? What of it? If we had your way, if we had his way, the galaxy, nay, the very universe, would be barren in short order!"
And so the discussion, the argument, went round and round. And the scientist's smile began to waver. The councilor couldn't bear that, somehow.
And so, with trepidation, she added her voice, her fledgling idea.
"Two Seeds!"
Silence rippled through the chamber as the councilor spoke for the first time. "What?" one of the other councilors said incredulously.
"Two different Seeds." she said, gaining confidence as she continued. "We give the Seed of Life, the ability to create the Fruit of Life, to those who will not have the desire, the mind, to use it to do what we have done. And we make a Seed of Knowledge, based somewhat on what we were before. Ones that might have the intelligence to come up with the theory of the Soul Arts, but not the power to tap into them without help. Without the Seed of Life's help. That way, when they meet, perhaps they will be more ready than we were."
It was quiet again in the council chamber. Then, one by one, voices began to state their agreement, and from her idea, her idea, they made a plan.
She looked at the scientist. And his smile had become steady. He was smiling at her. She smiled back. But behind that smile was no small amount of sadness. They would not work. They couldn't. Not with the end of the world, and their flight from it, so imminent. So the smile was only ever that.
Time passed, and the final preparations were being made. The councilor felt… bigger. Hundreds, thousands, had willingly sacrificed themselves, their souls, to become one soul. Her soul. The soul of a Progenitor. Memories of a thousand lifetimes, a thousand struggles, and the chance to be a part of preserving their legacy, thrummed through her in the moments before they unified with her.
And as she searched in the memories of those souls, the last rite before she passed into the depths of space, she found a conversation between two souls from before they had been interned within her now vast body.
"You saw the way he looked at her while everything was getting ready, right?" one soul had said.
"Of course I did. Who didn't?" the other said. "If we weren't so hellbent on getting out of here like this, I would have started a betting pool on how long they would take before getting together. But now…" she felt the distinct impression of a shrug as dread and guilt at what was sure to come next began to spread within her. "I guess we'll never know, will we?"
Sadness echoed through the part of the councilor's soul that was originally hers. And, within the scientist, that sadness was reflected. That they missed, for even a moment, to find some comfort before the end… but it was too late. They would go their separate ways. He carried the Seed of Life, she the Seed of Knowledge. They would never, could never, cross paths again.
The last sight either of them saw before falling asleep was the quickly receding grey and green dot that would no longer be their home.
Time untold passed as they drifted in space, a black egg and a white egg adrift in a sea of stars.
The one who was once the scientist landed and awoke first, upon a world that was rich and pure, a far cry from the wasteland that they had left behind. The tiny, tiny part of his soul that was once his own was jubilant. It was hard not to be. Then, before he started his work, he looked up at the night sky from whence he came. And he saw a familiar sight. One that filled him with dread.
The one who was once the councilor stirred as she sensed that she was close to a planet. And, as she awoke, she marveled at the world before her, the blue oceans and the green that was the plants beginning to bloom.
Then she sensed another presence. One like hers. One that was bearing the Seed of Life.
It was him, she realized with a stab of fear. She had followed him here, and now… she put everything in jeopardy. All because… she loved him.
'I'm sorry.'
That was the last thing she thought before she crashed. She felt the failsafe he had designed as it rendered the scientist dormant. And then, almost on instinct, she got to work.
Kaworu and Rei pulled back from each other, and the connection was severed, as they found themselves once again in the Infinity Box. They looked around and then looked at each other, both surprised by the tears in each other's eyes.
"That was…" Kaworu said after a moment.
"Sad." Rei finished. "I believe the proper term for it is 'tragic'."
Kaworu nodded. "Yes."
It was silent for a moment. Then, Rei and Kaworu both blinked and looked at each other again. "Something's different." Rei said with certainty.
Kaworu nodded. "Yes. It feels like something within me has… changed…"
They looked at each other again, their eyes wide in surprise. "The Call…" they said simultaneously. It was… different now, somehow.
- - -
1 Week Later
Daniel, Eleanor, and Rei ate dinner together quietly. The family dinners had become a staple of the house, now. The conversation was light most times, but tonight, they both sensed that something had happened recently. Something that flustered the usually calm young lady.
For one, she had stayed out one night and had a sleepover with "a friend" with little notice. For anyone else, that would be perfectly normal. But Rei was not normal, sad as it sometimes was to admit. She was not the sort to just do something with little reason as to why. And when she had returned afterward, she seemed… well, flustered was still the right word for it. The only explanation that she had given them was "I had an enjoyable time."
They had dropped the matter for the time being. They respected her privacy. But they still wondered. Especially if it might have concerned one Kaworu Nagisa.
So, it was a quiet moment before Eleanor spoke. "Rei?" she said, pausing as she looked over at her. "What's been going on this past week? You've been… out of sorts. Did something happen?"
Rei paused, then her cheeks turned a shade of pink as she continued to stay silent.
"Rei?" Daniel said slowly. "Is something wrong?"
Rei quickly shook her head. "No. No, nothing is wrong, father."
Her seeming embarrassment became pensiveness. "Kaworu and I… we… found out a few things, over the past week."
"Found out a few things?" Daniel said. "Like what?"
Rei looked at both of them in turn. "We have seen what happened to Adam and Lilith. What made them come to reside on this world."
Daniel and Eleanor's brows both rose slightly. "Really?" Eleanor said. "That seems interesting, to say the least. What happened?"
Rei took a deep breath. "The first thing we both saw was a burning world…"
. . .
As Rei concluded her story, it was silent for a moment. "Wow." Daniel said, breaking the contemplative silence. "That was… tragic."
Rei nodded. "You have summarized Kaworu and I's thoughts and feelings on the matter most succinctly. It seems that Interfacing, in one form or another, was known in this universe, leading to the creation of the S2 Organ, among other things. The Fruit of Life, as it was called, and the Fruit of Knowledge, the intelligence required to use Interfacing, were kept separate as Adam, whom we assume was the scientist, intended. They seemed to call it 'the Forbidden Union', should the two come together prematurely. But now..."
Rei began to blush as she continued. "It seems the Forbidden Union has been achieved."
Daniel and Eleanor both blinked. "How?" Daniel said. "It took Unit-01 consuming an S2 Organ in the Receptor records that we've seen to come close to that. So what happened?"
Rei looked at Eleanor intently. "You did. Or, at least, your healing did."
As the dining room went silent, Rei explained the situation to her shocked foster parents. "Kaworu Nagisa, like myself, is a fusion of humanity, the children of Lilith, and a member of the… what we have termed the First Ancestral Race. Unlike myself, however, Kaworu's line comes from Adam. The Adamic part of Kaworu's soul, the part that technically made him an Angel… attacked itself. It was likely in the middle of consuming the portion of his soul that made him human."
"Then, Arael attacked." Rei said after a moment. "His Frame was shattered, and the part of his soul that was Angelic was… broken? Set back? I am still unsure of how to term it."
"With your ministrations," Rei continued as she looked at Eleanor, "you balanced out the Adamic part of his soul, and encouraged the growth of the human part. You… unified them, somehow."
Eleanor nodded slowly. "Okay. I've had some experience with other people with mixed-origin souls. That was sometimes part of ensuring that they were able to do what they needed to do, making sure that one side wasn't trying to eat the other. It's a rare thing, but I've seen it happen before."
Rei nodded. "Regardless, you created a being that possessed the Seed of Life, in this case, a miniaturized S2 Organ, and the Seed of Knowledge, the ability to use Interfacing to its fullest extent. The Forbidden Union. It took Kaworu and I linking our souls after one of our training sessions to recognize this. And I don't believe we were the only ones who noticed such a development."
Daniel's brow rose slightly. "You mean, Lilith and Adam might have seen it as well?"
Rei nodded. "Yes. We are linked, in one way or another, to them. The Call is evidence enough of that."
Rei blushed slightly. "And… speaking of the Call…" she paused for a moment. "It has… changed. Rather dramatically."
Rei fell silent, and Daniel and Eleanor quietly connected the dots in their head, a quiet 'ah' escaping Daniel's lips. "It isn't a hostile Call, anymore, is it?" Daniel said with a level expression.
Rei sighed explosively, slightly startling the two adults. "Yes." she said with an air of resignation. "In fact…" she began to blush even deeper. "It is quite the opposite."
Rei's head dipped down as she sighed again, then she looked back up at Daniel and Eleanor with a look of annoyance. "Lilith seems to now find the prospect of… merging… with Adam a pleasurable concept. That feeling has bled over into my link with her. Adam seems to feel the same, and it seems that the same has occurred with Kaworu."
She was silent for a moment as she tried to find what to say next, her frustration seeming to build within her as it finally released with another explosive sigh. "I just want to be normal. Kaworu just wants to be normal. But when we're getting these… urges for each other it becomes increasingly difficult to do! Especially when I had some of those urges concerning him in the first place!"
She shouted the last sentence and then fell silent as embarrassment radiated from her.
It was quiet for a moment, then Eleanor spoke again. "I could help with muffling the Call, if it's like that…" she said slowly.
Rei shook her head. "No, no, mother. We'll… we'll manage. The urges from Lilith seemed to have died down somewhat recently."
Daniel's eyebrow arched. "That wouldn't happen to coincide with that mysterious sleepover that you had a few days ago, would it?" he said.
Rei was silent, then sighed as she blushed more deeply than it seemed she had before, thinking about that night… that passion. "Yes. Having a… release valve was especially helpful."
Daniel nodded knowingly, Eleanor shortly following his lead as she connected the dots. "Were you at least safe?" Daniel said softly.
Rei nodded quickly. "Yes, we were. Even so, with our… divergent ancestries, I am not sure we are even capable of bearing children." she said. An odd look came to her eyes as she finished speaking.
It was silent again for a moment. "Rei," Eleanor said, deciding to change the subject, "are you going to tell the others the story as well? I think that they'd be more than a little interested to hear it."
Rei bobbed her head from side to side. "Perhaps. The only one whom I can think of that would be genuinely excited to hear such a tale would be Ritsuko, perhaps Maya as well. As for the others…" she shrugged.
"They would be supportive, and listen attentively if nothing else." Daniel said, smiling slightly. "What is there to lose?"
Rei considered this silently for a moment, then nodded, a slow smile growing on her face. "Yes. You are correct. Thank you." she looked at the two of them in turn. "For both of your words."
Daniel nodded as he smiled back. "Of course, Rei." his smile became a little more sly. "And, if you really want to go on a date with Kaworu, the Infinity Box can serve as more than just a training room."
Rei shook her head. "Daniel…" she said, embarrassed even as her smile never wavered.
. . .
Infinity Box, 1 Week Later
Shinji and Asuka walked into the Infinity Box and took a moment to marvel at what had gone on in the last few days.
Rei, to Asuka's smug delight, had finally confessed to being interested in Kaworu ("You see, Wondergirl? I told you you two could understand each other!"), and then, the two of them had followed it up only a day later with perhaps the wildest story they had ever heard.
Rei and Kaworu had decided to gather them, along with the other Children, Misato and Kaji, and Ritsuko and Maya, within the Infinity Box. Daniel and Eleanor had tagged along and bore witness to the rest of the group's reactions to an epic tragedy of star-crossed potential lovers.
The Children reacted in awe at its telling, and even the normally stoic Toji was moved to near tears. Misato and Kaji were much the same, and there was much holding of hands and hugging.
Ritsuko and Maya, on the other hand, were focused, almost frantically writing notes next to each other. Well, Asuka had thought, some kinds of love look a little weird.
But now, as Shinji and Asuka emerged into the Infinity Box proper, their brows rose as they took in the comfortable-looking theater that it had become. A long couch stood in its center, and a long coffee table filled with snacks and drinks stood in front of it. It was dim, but they could see that Rei and Kaworu were conversing with a woman. A very tall woman, with dark hair that glinted red as it caught the lights from time to time, and who wore an ephemeral, almost mist-like dress.
That woman also looked over at them, green eyes glinting similarly in the scarce light. "And you must be Shinji and Asuka." she said in a quiet, but resonant voice.
Asuka nodded slowly. "And who might you be, ma'am?" she said, just as slowly.
The woman chuckled. "I am Amaya, daughter of Gwynevere. I am a resident aboard Daniel's ship, the Val."
Asuka and Shinji nodded. "Oh, yeah." Asuka said. "He mentioned you and Vert… Vert? Vordt, pardon me, when he talked about when he was on your world."
Amaya nodded. "So, he told you about his time with us, then?" her smile grew slightly wider. "It was well when he was with us in Irithyll. He became…" she chuckled slightly. "A bright light in a darkening world, uplifting us with his strength and wisdom." her slight smile started to become a smirk. "Along with a wonderful singing voice."
Asuka and Shinji's brows rose, and Rei began to chuckle softly. "Yes. And as the master bathroom has none of the similar protections his bedroom has, his singing is sometimes quite evident."
A chuckle rippled across the room before dying down. Shinji looked around, then looked back at Amaya. "So, what has you in here right now, Amaya?"
Amaya's face fell. Before she could speak, Rei stepped forward. "It has to do with our date tonight. Well, a date might no longer be the correct term for what we wish to experience together."
Shinji and Asuka looked at Rei as their eyes widened slightly. Rei had called the both of them for a double-date, which was an exciting prospect, to say the least. They would have to do it in the Infinity Box, so as not to tip off SEELE that their end of the world plan was now actively trying to be a real boy instead. But she had remained mysterious as to what their date was actually going to be.
"So, what's up with our date tonight?" Asuka said.
Rei sighed quietly. "Tonight is movie night, as one would expect. However…"
Amaya looked back at Rei with no small amount of concern in her expression. "I still believe that what you wish to do is unwise." she said.
Rei shook her head. "No, Amaya. If we can help Daniel better by doing this… it will be worth it."
Asuka and Shinji began to connect the dots. "Wait a minute…" Shinji said.
Rei nodded. "Yes. We will be watching…" she held up what appeared to be a DVD case. "Neon Genesis Evangelion."
Shinji and Asuka's eyes widened. "But why?" Asuka said. "If Daniel's right, our lives have changed so much that knowing what some perverted director might have seen is the next best thing to useless."
Rei looked at Asuka with a determination that was surprising Asuka less and less by the day, a fact that she was profoundly grateful for. "Asuka, our personal lives may have changed radically, but from what Daniel has said, history itself, and the larger picture of the near future, remain, for the most part, unchanged. And if we can better help Daniel and Eleanor, Misato, NERV, by watching this and having at least an idea of what comes next, then I don't see why we shouldn't take it."
It was quiet in the room. Then, Shinji nodded slowly. "I understand where you're coming from. And… if it gives us even the slightest edge on the Angels… on SEELE…" he looked around at his friends and Amaya with a look of determination. "Then Rei's right. It will be worth it."
It was silent again, then Amaya sighed. "Very well. But know this." she said, a serious look in her face. "The story you are about to witness is a tragic one, even a horrifying one. And that is before you get to the fact that, in essence, it is a show about yourself."
It was silent again as the Children considered this. Then, Kaworu nodded. "That will not deter any of us, it seems. Myself included."
Amaya sighed. "An admirable determination." she squared her shoulders. "I will also say, if you wish to watch all of it, the total time of the television show, along with the film that completes it, will total to about 15 hours."
Asuka exhaled quietly. "That's… a long date."
"Perhaps." Rei said. Then she smiled slightly. "But a double date with the people I love has been a long time coming, in my estimation."
Asuka and Shinji both smiled slightly. "Yeah." Shinji said after a moment. "I guess it has been."
They settled on the couch, taking what snacks and drinks they wanted, as Amaya walked out of the room. "The screen is, as all things are in this room, controlled by your thoughts." she said before exiting completely. "Volume and speed should be especially pertinent."
She turned back, and almost smiled at the four Children. "Good luck." she said quietly. Then, the children were alone.
They were quiet for a moment, then Asuka shook her head. "Alright. Let's get this show on the road, get it over with." As she said this, she felt the telltale sign of the Infinity Box removing itself from time.
The others nodded, and with a thought, the screen lit up, a pinprick of blue light becoming a ripple as a woman's voice began to sing, backed by a chorus.
. . .
1 (Relative) Hour Later
"Well, so far so good." Asuka said. They had decided to break up the viewings for now, with three episodes each before a short break being the current consensus. "I mean, it's been a terrible few days for you, Shinji, but other than that, we know what we're looking at."
Shinji nodded. "Yeah… Sachiel and Shamshel were… stressful, to say the least."
Kaworu nodded slightly. "And to think that these would be considered some of the least of my brethren."
All other eyes turned to Kaworu, an awkward silence falling over them. "Kaworu…" Rei said, her eyes filled with concern. "Is watching the Angels be defeated…" she trailed off, unsure of what to ask.
Kaworu shook his head. "No. I will be fine. The other Angels are… I am unsure of how to state my relation to them. But as it is, watching them be defeated…" he sighed quietly. "It's still complicated."
Silence fell again, and they started the next three episodes.
. . .
"Man, I almost forgot that we had to use all of Japan's power to just even crack Ramiel." Shinji said, shaking his head slightly with wonder.
Asuka nodded with just as much wonder in her expression. "And to think that Zeruel was even more powerful than that. It took two Evas with S2 Organs, one of whom was being piloted with the help of Interfacing, just to take it down."
Kaworu looked over at Asuka as she said this. "One of you already knew Interfacing?"
Asuka shook her head as she smiled. "No, actually. Daniel somehow went into the core of Unit-04 itself. He managed to do some pretty wild things, too." the smile dimmed as she went silent for a moment. "He took one hell of a beating though."
She shook her head after a moment. "But I'm getting ahead of myself."
. . .
Asuka swelled with pride. "And here I come to save the day!" she said, a smile on her face even as she rolled her eyes. "Kind of weird that the Over the Rainbow was just a regular aircraft carrier here. And that they had to carry Unit-02 on a barge." she harrumphed. "A barge! For my mama."
Rei shook her head as a slight smile came to her face. "Even still," she said after a moment, that smile fading away, "we are already seeing the realities of what would likely happen if Daniel and Eleanor were not in our lives."
She looked at Asuka. "You were far more combative and closed off, unwilling to express your gentler emotions to other people. Should this course continue unchanged, you… or at least the version of you that we are watching right now will more than likely isolate herself from everyone with her abrasive personality."
Asuka nodded slowly. "Yeah… I can concede that. Daniel really did help file off a lot of my rough edges."
Rei nodded. "It seems he did."
Shinji chuckled. "And that's to say nothing of the mess I seem to be at the start of all this."
They winced as the Shinji on the screen turned away from Asuka in the night, and Shinji and Asuka silently found each other's hands, giving each other a squeeze of reassurance.
. . .
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei all smiled slightly as they relived, imperfectly as it was, some of their better days when it came to teamwork.
"Man." Shinji said. "Matarael was even more of a pushover there than he was here."
"Sahaquiel, too, from what I've seen of the mission files that I've gotten access to." Kaworu said. "My… my brethren, shall we say, seem… lesser, somewhat, in this version of reality."
"Yeah. Still good to see all of us smiling together though." Asuka said. The quiet conversation that was going on was then silenced as they took in the likely fact that, somewhere, out in the greater Reality, this was what had happened to them.
. . .
At the end of the next hour, the two couples sat silently, processing with no small amount of sadness what had happened in the last episode that they watched. "We…" Asuka said, trailing off. She settled on hugging Shinji as close to her, and as tightly, as possible. "I don't know about you two, but I don't think I can do this in one sitting."
Shinji nodded slightly, an almost vacant expression in his eyes. "Yeah." he said, numbly.
Rei dipped her head, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I understand." she said quietly. All of them had been hit hard by the seemingly sudden downturn of events.
"Shall we continue tomorrow?" Kaworu said, looking at his friends with no small amount of concern.
Shinji nodded again. "Yeah. That… that sounds good."
"Very well." Rei said, standing up. The others stood with her. "I will see you all tomorrow. Good night."
"Thanks, Wondergirl." Asuka said.
. . .
The Next Day
As the Children filed into the Infinity Box, they found Hikari and Toji looking around them at the theater space. "Oh, hey, you two." Shinji said, drawing Hikari and Toji's attention. "What brings you here?"
Toji nodded back at the wall that now held the screen. "Well, we were planning on doing some training, but, uh… we found this pad instead."
Hikari nodded. "Were the four of you watching something recently? We noticed the snacks."
Rei nodded slowly, along with all the others. "Well…" she said slowly. "We were watching the show that Daniel mentioned that he first saw our world in."
Toji blinked. "Run that by me again?"
Asuka sighed quietly. "Well, jock, when we do something or say or think something, what happens afterward does something to transmit itself across the vastness of Reality and tumble into the heads of creatives on other worlds. Daniel watched a TV show that was based on another version of our world before he came here."
Asuka scoffed. "Pretty messed up world, too, from what we've seen so far."
Hikari tilted her head slightly. "So… why are you watching it then?"
Kaworu smiled slightly. "We were hoping to both compare notes on what has happened thus far, and perhaps gain a strategic advantage by seeing what the future might hold in store for us."
Hikari and Toji both ahhed as he said this. "I can certainly understand wanting a leg up for the future." Toji said as he nodded.
"Yes." Hikari said. "Perhaps we could join you? If it is as messed up as you say it is, maybe you could use some support."
The four Children looked at each other, then nodded after a moment. "I don't see why not." Rei said, a slight smile on her face. "Thank you, Hikari, Toji."
Hikari nodded. "We're more than happy to help."
. . .
Hikari was seriously reconsidering her previous statement as she watched the shockingly violent attack made by the singular Bardiel. And its aftermath, as she clutched tightly to Toji, whose own eyes were wide in silent shock.
Everyone was shocked to one extent or another. Everyone expected the fight to go wrong after the others had caught Hikari and Toji up, but no one expected the sheer brutality of it all.
"Toji…" Shinji said as he looked over at his friend with remorse in his eyes.
Toji met his gaze levelly. "Hey. Don't worry about it. It didn't happen here. Besides, even your dad wasn't evil enough here to activate that Dummy whatever."
They all shuddered to one degree or another. Toji was right. Commander Ikari seemed… somehow even more callous in that version than he was here. And that was saying something.
Shinji pondered on his father silently for a moment. On what they had talked about several days ago. 'I still hate what he's done. To me. To my friends. To seemingly everyone around him. That will never change. But… he's going to be better than… that. Mother saw to that.' he smiled slightly at that last thought.
. . .
The six Children were silent for a moment as they finished the next three episodes. Zeruel was almost as bad as they were expecting. Then…
"Mother…" Shinji had said, as Unit-01 went berserk, tearing into Zeruel with a ferocity that unsettled even Kaworu. As it consumed the S2 Organ. As Shinji became trapped in the core of Unit-01 for a month and experienced the mind-bending sights that version of Shinji saw.
"Hikari," Asuka said slowly as she looked over at Hikari, "was that what it was like? Being in the core with your mother?"
Hikari shook her head. "No, not at all. It was…" she shook her head again. "I don't know. I was kind of out of it for most of the time I was in there. But it was… not that." she said.
They all reflected on what they learned about Gendo Ikari. Shinji especially, comparing and contrasting his father's life as he told it here to what he saw on the screen. It was close. But it also had its differences. A point that stuck with Shinji as they continued to watch.
They looked over at Rei. After the last episode… she was hanging on tightly to Kaworu now, the tears in her eyes threatening to fall as she experienced the first Rei's death without the comfort of Eleanor's presence.
It was… suffocating was exactly the right word for it. Watching as Naoko Akagi strangled her. But the feeling passed, with the help of Kaworu's embrace.
. . .
Arael passed in solemn, bitter silence, Asuka holding tightly to Shinji as she watched the show's version of her force her way into the fight, stinging from her defeat at the last Angel.
And as Asuka's fears and memories played out on the screen to the tune of Handel's Messiah, she squeezed Shinji a little tighter, not bothering with the tears that flowed from her eyes.
Shinji squeezed Asuka in an embrace, filling her with warmth and strength as he whispered into her ear. [It's okay, Asuka.] he said softly, in German that was far, far better now than it was on the Over the Rainbow so long ago. [That's not you. That can never be you now. Because I'm right here.]
Asuka chuckled softly. [It's a wonderful life…] she said, just as quietly.
As Shinji looked at her with a puzzled look in his eyes, Asuka chuckled again. "It's an old movie quote that Daniel liked to say whenever things got tough." she said quietly in Japanese. "And… he's right. It is a wonderful life I have." She snuggled close to Shinji. "Especially because it has you in it."
. . .
The Children were all intent as they watched Armisael appear. It was an odd thing, even for the Angels that they had seen thus far. An interconnected double-helix that seemed to create waves with its body as it rotated comprised the entirety of the Angel. And the two Evas sent out to stop it seemed lacking for such a task.
They watched silently as it seemed to turn into a singular ribbon of light, coiling and writhing like a snake as it struck at Unit-00.
They gasped as it connected with Unit-00, and Armisael began to invade Unit-00, and Rei's mind.
It was silent as the grave as they watched Rei.
"So, I can't go…"
The screen went white, and Unit-00 disappeared. And Rei went with it.
"Rei…" Shinji said quietly as the aftermath played out, and the episode ended. "I can't… we can't-"
"No." Rei said, determination in the gaze that she leveled at all of them. "You all now know that I am a clone. That I have other bodies prepared in the event that I die. If there is any person who is able to make the sacrifice that seems to need to be made, it is me."
Determination was soon joined by desperation. "Please. When the time comes, let me make the sacrifice." she paused, as tears began to well up in her eyes. "At least… at least I know I'll be able to see you again if it's me."
It was silent again. Then, the others nodded. "Alright." Asuka said slowly. "The only reason I'm doing that is that you seem like you're sure, Wondergirl. But if you are sure that it'll work like that… then I'm with you."
"Rei." Kaworu said.
As Rei turned to face him, she saw the pain in his eyes. The desperation. So she connected her soul to his, and channeled her surety, her calm, into his soul. "Kaworu. It's going to be okay." she said quietly.
She shared a kiss with him, soft and tender. After a moment, she pulled back, determination in her eyes as she looked at the others. "Alright." she said. "We have one more episode to watch before the series finale and the feature film that goes along with it. Let's watch that one, then leave the finale for… after."
It was quiet for a moment, then the others nodded. "Alright." Shinji said, sighing quietly. "Let's get this over with."
. . .
Kaworu nodded as he finally seemed to make his appearance. "I wondered when I would enter the story, as it were." he looked over sympathetically at Asuka. "It's a shame it had to be in response to your struggles."
Asuka shrugged. "Don't sweat it, Kritzeln. We're glad we got to know you this early here. Besides, the way it was… here," she said, waving her hand at the screen, "it was only a matter of time."
Kaworu nodded and turned his attention back to the screen.
As the episode progressed, the Children became quieter and quieter. Some of them seemed hesitant to even breathe, as they watched Kaworu's fateful meeting with SEELE. As they watched him take over Unit-02, driving into Terminal Dogma with an ease that belied his power. As Shinji, broken and fighting the only other person that he considered a friend still, who had betrayed him in the end, defeated Kaworu in front of the crucified giant that was Lilith.
As Shinji held Kaworu in the hand of Unit-01, and with anguish, simply squeezed.
As the episode ended, with a shattered, lonely young boy beside a new lake, Asuka squeezed a slack-jawed Shinji tight with a hug. Rei soon stood, walking over towards Shinji and enveloping him as well.
Shinji simply stared at the now dark, blank screen. "I… I…"
"No, Shinji." Rei said quietly. "That is not you. Please, remember that. As strong as the version of you we've watched is, for going through all of that and still fighting, remember, you are stronger than that. You have… us."
"Yeah, Shinji." Asuka said. "You have me. And the rest of your family here. You are not alone."
It was silent again for a moment. "Thank you." Shinji said quietly. "I… I love you all. Please. Remember that, in case I ever forget."
"You never will, rookie." Asuka said. "But we'll hold you to that."
"Right?" she said, looking meaningfully at the other three Children.
They nodded. "Yeah, Shinji." Toji said. "We've got your back. To the end of the world and beyond." Hikari simply nodded in agreement.
"Yes, Shinji." Kaworu said with a smile. "To the end of the world. And if it does try and end, well... who's to say we can't stop it?"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah." he said. "We know what we have to do now. It's simply a matter of making it happen."
Apotheosis Echo will continue after the break.
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Chapter 20.2: [Threnody for the Children of Tokyo-3, 1st Movement]
Meeting Room, NERV-HQ, Geofront, Late February 2016
Gendo Ikari stared levelly at the old men, the singular bright light under the table, and the lights under the pillars that the Human Instrumentality Committee, that SEELE, now hid behind, throwing light across his orange-tinted sunglasses, hiding the expression in his eyes. That was an asset that was going to prove vital now. Especially after what had happened in the last few weeks.
"Commander Ikari." SEELE-01, Lorenz Kihl, said harshly. "Why was the Lance of Longinus used against the last Angel? And why were you not in command? Explain. Quickly."
"I shall answer the questions in reverse order." Gendo said calmly. "An unexpected procedure had me confined to the Medical Center for an extended period of time, during which I left Deputy-Commander Fuyutsuki in command. During my time away, I left him with exacting instructions in the unlikely case of an Angel attack. One of those instructions was to use the Lance of Longinus in the far more unlikely event that the rest of the arsenal available to us proved to be ineffective."
"And you trust your Deputy-Commander's judgment?" SEELE-04 said in a barely disguised French accent.
"Implicitly." Gendo said, in a voice that brooked no further argument on the matter. "And, as I'm sure the records sent to you by the Magi will show, there was little recourse besides using the Lance. It was unavoidable."
He waited for the old men to bring up something, anything related to the story which he didn't tell, of Ritsuko suggesting the use of the Lance instead of Fuyutsuki, that would send his narrative crashing down around his ears. But the old men said nothing about it, for now.
"The Mass-Produced Evangelion series has yet to be completed. To have a setback of this magnitude in the Scenario is a grave thing, indeed, Ikari." SEELE-02 said instead.
'I'll have to thank Naoko later.' he thought silently. It had been quite the surprise when he had found that little piece of trivia out. But right now, he had to focus on the old men, and betray nothing.
"Regardless," Kihl said, "such instructions as the ones you gave are out of line. For yourself, and your subordinates. The Scrolls are particular about the Lance's role in Instrumentality. In one way or another, you are responsible for its loss. A grave loss, as it is about to impact the surface of the moon."
Before the old men could go any further, a phone rang beside Gendo's tented right arm. He dropped his pose and answered the phone. "Fuyutsuki, I'm in a meeting."
He was silent for a moment. "Understood. Prepare the pilots to sortie."
He stood with the phone still in hand, as the muffled sound of alarms began to reach even his ears. "Gentlemen, we are under attack by an Angel. We shall have to continue our meeting later."
"If you remain in your position afterward." SEELE-05 said ominously.
"Ikari." SEELE-04 said. "I'll cut to the chase. Do you intend to betray SEELE? The Scenario?"
Gendo ignored them, continuing to speak to Fuyutsuki. "Task Major Katsuragi with deploying the Evangelions as she chooses. I'll be there in 15."
He hung up the phone, and without another word, his image disappeared from SEELE's view.
"Very well." Kihl said. "Set our plans into motion. The end begins now."
. . .
Ritsuko's Lab, Terminal Dogma
Adira Faez was clearly out of her element, she thought as she shifted the bag that she carried on her shoulder. She felt slightly lost among all the equipment and monitors. But she was here with a purpose, as she made her way to a particular part of the lab.
The Angel attack, it seemed, would provide the perfect cover for what she was about to do. As for the Magi, the jamming device provided by her benefactors would prove to be more than enough to cover her presence here.
She keyed past another set of doors, labeled 'Dummy Plug Production Plant/LCL Processing Area', and emerged into perhaps the most secretive part of the lab, and perhaps Terminal Dogma. Before her, a vast, glowing tank of LCL stretched around the room, filled with dozens of copies of Rei, all seeming to stare vacantly at her as she entered. It was more than a little creepy.
Even still, she had a job to do, as she pulled out a special thumb drive and plugged it into the port that had been indicated to her. The machine hummed to life, and she stepped back to let it do its work as she listened to the alarms up above her.
A monitor showed the progress of 'Progenitor Division and Extraction' as it slowly ticked upwards. As the bar filled completely, one of the bodies blinked as it was grabbed by an arm that wrapped gently around the girl's naked torso, placing it into a special tube that shut itself off from the rest of the tank, draining the LCL from it.
As it finished draining, a transparent door slid open, as the copy of Rei bent over and coughed up the LCL in her lungs seemingly by instinct before taking a step out of the tube. It looked at her intently, and Adira couldn't help but squirm slightly. Nevertheless, she had been told what to say. "You are Rei Ayanami."
"I am Rei Ayanami." the clone said tonelessly.
"You have an important role to play in the Scenario of Instrumentality." Faez said. "You must be prepared to ensure the day comes when Instrumentality will be realized."
"Yes." the clone said. Then it went silent as it stared at her. Blank slate, indeed, Faez thought, as she began to reach into her bag.
"Here," she said, pulling out a shirt, sweatpants, socks, and shoes, "put these on."
As the clone seemed to know how to do that without instruction, Faez shuddered. This was all just too weird. But as she closed her eyes and saw her friends, her family, she suppressed it. This was for them. She would see them again. But even still, the memory of a painting, the only one she'd kept thus far, came to her mind as well. She could try and make a case for him. He could be there, too.
"Follow me." she said as the clone finished. They turned and left. She would have her ways to get out of here, even this far into the Geofront. Her benefactors had their ways.
. . .
Central Dogma
The alarms finally went silent as the Angel appeared on the screen. It was, by far, the strangest one that Misato had ever seen.
It, like Ramiel and Zeruel and Leliel, hung in the air, bright and white against the blue sky. It was, perhaps, the most alien of all the Angels they had seen, as its double-helix body seemed to undulate as it rotated.
So alien was it that the Magi that wasn't part of Mrs. Akagi was flipping between Pattern Orange and Blue, finally seeming to settle on a 'Pattern Inconclusive' warning.
All the Children were in the Evas. Well, Hikari was still off duty, but Ritsuko was finally about to get her back into the pilot's seat before this happened. As it were, she had to send Kaworu up to the surface instead, along with Toji, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei.
She looked around the command bridge and saw Hyuga sitting in his former spot at the operations console. Faez was absent… somewhere.
She looked beside her. Only Eleanor was there with her, Ritsuko, and Hikari. Daniel had decided to take residence in his reinforced office by the Eva cages for some reason.
The Commander was there, Fuyutsuki by his side as always, but now he had dropped wearing those damn orange-tinted glasses. She could see the look in his eyes if she tried hard enough. The carefully concealed worry that almost didn't need the glasses to hide it.
And the pilots… the pilots were… off. There was no better way to describe it. Even Asuka's brave bluster, only somewhat reduced as it had become in the last few months, was completely absent as she sat in the Entry Plug. It was like… they had attended a funeral. Or were about to.
No. No, no. No one was dying today. So why did the Children act like that, then? Why was everyone... off?
. . .
Daniel sat in his office and silently wondered for a moment what, exactly, Rei was up to.
He had talked to the pilots as the alarms went off, ferrying Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and Kaworu in his car. Eleanor was already at the Geofront, and Hikari was being picked up by Section 2. "Alright. First thing's first, this is not an Angel you'll be able to defeat with just a few Pallet Rifles. Nothing on the order of the Arael needing the Lance, but it's going to take a sizable explosion to deal with it after you take its AT Field down."
The Children had nodded silently, and his brow became furrowed. "That's the thing, however. From what I've seen, this thing tracks by sensing AT Fields. If you throw one up to try and neutralize it, it zeroes in on you. Be careful. If it connects, any blow it gets dealt gets felt by you."
Rei nodded again. "Thank you, Daniel. We'll make sure and look out for it."
The tone of her voice struck him as… off, somehow. Like she had known what he had said before. They were all somewhat off, really. He'd had little time to ponder those facts, though, as he parked and got out of the car.
As Daniel and the Children made their way to the Evas as quickly as possible, Shinji, Asuka, and Kaworu disappeared into the locker rooms. Rei had paused, then turned around and gave Daniel a tight hug. "Thank you, Daniel. For being a father to me." she said, before stepping out of the hug.
As she turned, Daniel grabbed her shoulder. "Don't die out there, okay?" he said as she looked back at him.
Rei had said nothing, simply nodding and walking into the locker room.
Daniel slowly, but surely, started to put the dots together. 'They know what this Angel is like. And Rei… she's prepared herself. How did they know?'
Daniel chuckled grimly as the answer became obvious, even as he fought a knife of fear that was driving itself into his heart. 'Of course…'
. . .
Asuka tried not to fidget as she prepared to launch. So, instead, she focused on the repair work that was being done on her mama's soul.
Eleanor had begun her work only a few weeks ago, but already it was looking much better than it was, Frames connecting the two souls together. Even now, it seemed that she would be completely healed within… weeks. Her mama would be whole again. And maybe… just maybe… she might get to see her again. After all of this was over.
But that thought dragged her back to the present. To what was about to happen.
Asuka blinked, then sighed quietly. "Yes. I… I have to follow a plan. A plan that's going to see me let my friend… my best friend…"
Horror flashed across Kyoko's soul. "Asuka-a…" she didn't know what to say next. "I'm here-e." she settled on.
. . .
Kaworu sat in the Entry Plug of Unit-03 and tried to talk to Mrs. Horaki. "Ma'am, I know I haven't been the most… accommodating. I understand your desire to not connect with me. After all, I am not your daughter. But… unless you do, I will have to take over the way I have in the past. And... I don't want to do that. I want to protect my friends in the way that they protect me. And… I'm honored to say that your daughter is one of my friends."
He didn't think it would amount to much. If she wished to hide, to not connect, there was nothing he could do but do as he had done before. But take control of the body himself, and bypass the core.
Just as he gave up hope, he felt the prick of a connection, and privately, his heart soared.
"You're… different." Fujiko Horaki said to him. "You've changed from what you were before. How?"
Kaworu smiled slightly. "With the help of my friends, Mrs. Horaki."
It was silent for a moment. "Very well. Protect her, Mr. Nagisa."
"I will."
. . .
Rei broke the surface and caught her second look at the Angel. At Armisael. It somehow appeared even more off than it had on the screen, the helix pattern moving up and down, up and down. She steeled herself for what was to come next. For the sacrifice she had to make.
She thought back to the elevator ride to the gantries that held the Evas. It was silent, save for the squeaking of the Plusuits as the Children all hugged each Rei tightly.
"As I said," she said quietly, "I will see you all again. It may not be in this body, but it will still be my soul. I will still be me. I promise."
As the others pulled back from their embrace, she took Kaworu's arm. "And just in case I haven't made it perfectly clear within the last few weeks…"
She pulled him into a deep, long kiss. As she parted, a ghost of a smile came to her face for a moment. "I love you." she whispered. The smile disappeared just as quickly as the elevator dinged, and opened to the hall that led them to their Entry Plugs.
Now, she would have to make the ultimate sacrifice. For him. For all the people she loved.
. . .
Shinji stood waiting, tense and intent, as they watched the Angel, watched Armisael, slowly move towards them. He, Rei, and Toji all held a Pallet Rifle, a sniper rifle, and a rocket launcher, respectfully. Asuka and Kaworu stood closer towards it, Asuka hefting a Progressive Ax while Kaworu favored a Progressive Glaive, their blades white-hot and humming.
All of them studiously kept their AT Fields at a minimum for now. If any of them flared up, even for a moment, it would begin to hunt them. Then the plan would be at stake. Then, someone might not come back.
"Alright." Asuka said as she leveled a glare of annoyance at the Angel. "We should probably start hitting this thing before it gets too close." she said to no one in particular in Central Dogma.
"I don't know, Asuka." Misato said slowly. "We might be waiting and watching for a while if this thing doesn't start moving any faster."
"No." Rei said with a level, emotionless face. "It is coming."
As she finished speaking, the helix shape flattened into a line, and the Angel slithered towards them as it broke the circle it had made with its body.
. . .
It seemed to zero in on Asuka first, and she fought the instinct to raise her AT Field as Unit-02 shifted its grip on the thrumming Progressive Ax. Even if she tried, the Angel was like a bolt of lightning, seeming to aim for Unit-02's gut like a thrown spear.
Before it could connect, a searing lance of tungsten-carbide, courtesy of Rei's amazing accuracy, slammed into it, throwing it to the side as the rod of metal spun into the trees with a crash.
The driving point of the Angel turned to seemingly leer at Unit-00 as it racked another round, Unit-01 and Unit-04 slowly stepping to the sides as they aimed at the Angel. 'That's right.' Rei thought quietly as she raised her AT Field slowly and deliberately. 'Focus on me. No one else.'
The Angel bolted towards Unit-00 as Unit-01 and Unit-04 opened fire, their shots glancing off with little effect, as the Angel continued to drive towards Unit-00.
It crashed through her AT Field like a pane of glass, and Rei bit down a scream as she felt a burning blade of pure pain run her through as the Angel pierced the stomach of Unit-00.
Within Central Dogma, alarms blared anew as the monitors for Unit-00 flashed angrily. "Unit-00 has been pierced by the Angel! It's beginning to meld with Unit-00!"
Misato's eyes went wide. "It's initiating a first contact…"
Daniel's eyes were similarly wide as he watched the other four Children slowly approach Amisael, Shinji and Toji peppering it with bullets and rockets to no great effect. 'She's banking on herself being the target. She was all along.'
He turned on his sight, scanned down towards where he remembered the clone bodies being held. The hollow Frames, without souls to complete them, seemed like a tangled clump of branches. 'Good.' he thought as he sighed quietly. 'Ritsuko hasn't blown them up yet. Likely won't now, unless Rei asks her to afterwards.'
Then he turned his gaze back to the screen that showed the battle and fought to keep the dread that bubbled in the pit of his stomach from boiling over. Along with the memories that threatened to overtake his mind.
. . .
Asuka came to a stop next to Armisael, raising her Ax as she tried to keep the fear that she felt at hearing the gasps of pain coming from Rei's commlink. 'Damn you. Damn you!' she thought, as she hacked into Amisael's "back".
The deep cut she made erupted in a spray of deep red blood, the Angel screaming in pain. And Rei screaming with it.
"All of you, hurry!" she heard Misato say in a panicked voice. Maya's addition to Misato's statement only strengthened that panic. "The Angel is at 5% biofusion with Unit-00 already!"
Asuka raised her ax to strike it again, then her eyes widened in pain as she felt a hot spike of pain gore her abdomen. "Damn it!" she said, looking down to see that the Angel had somehow split a part of itself off to impale her. She felt pain, felt fear, from herself and her mama, as the spike slowly put out branches that began to eat through armor and flesh alike as it dug towards the core.
For a brief instant, she was connected to Rei through the Angel. She felt the spike of fear, the realization that she was there too, that the plan was in danger…
Then the connection was gone in a blinding flash of pain as the connection was severed with a chop of Kaworu's glaive, as she stumbled back screaming and tried to pull the now dull, pale white flesh out from her Unit's stomach with one hand, to little effect.
Kaworu fought down a fear that seemed ready to overtake him as he set to the task of chopping at the Angel's body, barely catching the sight of Shinji and Toji laying their weapons down and pulling out the Progressive Knives that were stored in their shoulder pylons.
The Angel healed at a breathtaking rate, every swing that Kaworu made seeming to do nothing but cause Rei even more pain as it closed up on the Angel's body in moments. There had to be a way…
"Kaworu!" Shinji shouted, causing him to pause and blink. "Behind you!"
He barely had a moment to turn before he felt the other end of Armisael slam into his lower back, and he arched his own back as he screamed in pain.
In an instant, he was connected with Rei, as he felt fear and terror and resolve and love all at once. He felt Mrs. Horaki's terror at the familiar feeling of being invaded by an Angel, of being powerless to do anything to prevent or circumvent it this time. The Angel itself seemed to turn its attention on him for a moment, and its soul felt… childlike.
Even still, he swung the glaive around, trying to reach for the connection between the Angel and himself as he set his jaw against the pain.
"Shinji!" he finally gasped out after a moment, fixing the sight of Unit-01 across from him as he stumbled backwards. "Catch!"
He threw the Glaive across the Angel, and Shinji caught it in Unit-01's free hand, dropping the knife. "Asuka!" he said as he linked his soul to hers to communicate his intent, to ensure that what he was about to try next would work.
Asuka hefted the Progressive Ax in her hands as she ran back towards them, the point where the Angel pierced her bulging and veiny. "Got it!"
They charged towards Kaworu as he stumbled back and turned to allow them both the clearest opening they could, and they swung their weapons with a mighty shout. Shinji connected first, driving a deep cut into Armisael's body as Rei and Kaworu screamed in stereo.
Then, as Shinji pulled the blade of the Glaive back out, Asuka swung down, striking the wound dead center, severing Kaworu from the Angel's grasp as he fell forward, the Angel's "tail" writhing in the air as it and Rei both screamed in pain, and Shinji dragged away Unit-03 from it.
"All of you! Get back, now!" Misato said, and the Children had no need to be told twice. She looked at Maya and Ritsuko as they stared at her monitor in alarm. "Is there anything we can do for Rei?" she pleaded desperately.
Maya and Ritsuko looked back at her with desperation evident in her own eyes. "We're trying to eject the Plug, ma'am!" Maya said. "It isn't accepting the signal!"
"Damn it!" Misato said. "Why doesn't that ever work? Keep trying! Something! Anything!" she shouted, as much to her own reeling, spinning mind as to her friends, and Maya and Ritsuko turned back to the monitor, Maya's fingers flying over the keyboard as they frantically reached for some solution.
Misato looked up at the Commander. He was still here. He had left command to her. That was shocking in and of itself. And he was still without his trademark sunglasses. Now, she could see the fear in his eyes as his gaze was locked to the veiny form of Rei on the main screen.
A fear, Misato realized with no small amount of shock, that went deeper than simply losing a clone that could be replaced to continue his plans. No, in his eyes was the fear of losing someone that he… loved.
. . .
Deep within the Geofront, as Daniel watched Unit-00 slump backward, its back ballooning into a tower of flesh, filled with the half-made forms of the previous Angels slain in battle, and its stomach ballooning up as Armisael seemed to fill it, his resolve to stand by and let the Children fight this battle was shattered as a single thought echoed through his mind.
'Not again.'
. . .
Rei blinked and saw another world. She was hip-deep in a sea of LCL, and several meters in front of her stood… herself.
She looked down at her hands and arms, saw the veins of the Angel's corruption lacing through her.
As she looked back up, she saw that her reflection was looking back at her with inquisitive eyes. "What is this feeling?" it said to her.
Rei blinked. "What?" she said.
"What is this feeling?" the Angel enunciated.
Rei focused, realizing that she could see the soul of the Angel, and what it felt. What it was.
"It is… loneliness you feel. When you are surrounded by others, and yet isolated from them." Rei said.
"I don't want it." the Angel said.
"Few do." Rei said.
"You don't have loneliness. Why?" the Angel said.
"Because I have my friends. I have the ones I love." Rei said.
The Angel that wore her face stretched out its arms towards her, seeming to want to grab at her. "Give me your friends." it said, its eyes becoming intense.
"No, Armisael." Rei said. "I cannot simply give you my friends. You must be able to make your own. But… you can't."
"If you won't give me friends, I'll take them. I don't want loneliness." Armisael said, and her image took a single step forward.
Rei felt a connection from outside, and a stab of fear entered her heart. Had another one of her friends been caught by Armisael's grasp?
The voice that spoke next dispelled that fear, replacing it with a new one. "You heard Rei. You can't have the people she loves. And I won't let you, either."
Both versions of Rei looked at the man that now stood next to one of them with surprise and no small amount of shock. "Who are you?" the Angel asked.
"I am Daniel Theisman. I am Rei's father. And you will not touch her anymore."
He took a step forward, interposing himself between Rei and the Angel that had taken her image, as he raised his arms and they became wreathed in a starfield full of twinkling lights and colorful nebulae.
. . .
Shinji looked at the tower of flesh that had erupted from Unit-00, as the white, undulating form of Armisael struck out from it like a glowing umbilical cord. He shuddered at the sight. 'I can only imagine the pain that's going on right now. She must be having her conversation with it. I hope… I hope it ends soon.'
He heard the command bridge over the comms. "Rei's inverting her AT Field! Corruption is spreading rapidly through all the systems!" Maya said.
"Rei! Eject the Plug! Get out of there!" Misato shouted, and Shinji could hear the tears in her eyes as he struggled to keep his own from spilling from his face.
"I can't." Rei said in as level a tone as she could manage. "Without my presence, the AT Field containing the Angel will vanish."
Shinji suppressed a shudder as he heard all too familiar words. "So, I can't leave. Not now."
Then, Shinji noticed something. Every once in a while, Armisael would twitch and spasm, as if it were being hit with… something. 'Is Rei fighting back? Why?'
. . .
Daniel threw another haymaker across the imaginary face of the Angel. It had grown taller, taller than him, and its arms were now tentacles of light that wrapped themselves around his left arm and torso. His arm was protected by the starfield that surrounded it, and his torso had become similarly protected quickly after.
"Give it to me." Armisael repeated, over and over again. "Give it to me. Give it to me. Give it to me! I don't want loneliness!"
Rei's physical face was wet with tears as she watched the scene in her mind. "Daniel!" she cried out to him without saying a word. "Please! Let me do this! I can come back. You can't!"
"No! Not again!" Daniel simply said as he threw another punch across Armisael's face.
He felt Rei mentally tearing at the link between their souls, even as he felt her physically reach for the self-destruct switch. "Rei! No!"
"Daniel." he heard her say. "I love you. I'll see you soon."
She pulled the switch, the words 'Mode: D' appearing on the side of the chair, as she looked back at Daniel and smiled softly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Thank you, father."
"REI!"
The world went white.
. . .
Shinji watched as the tower of malformed Angels collapsed in on itself, and Armisael was rapidly drawn into Unit-00's quickly distending stomach before it collapsed in on itself.
Then, Unit-00 stood, seeming to look at them as it stretched out its hand, becoming an image of Rei, a halo of white light above her head.
Shinji suddenly remembered what was about to happen, and the fact that they stood between the city and the Eva that was about to explode.
Unit-01's hands went out in front of it as Shinji poured every bit of strength he could into the AT Field. "AT Field to maximum!" he shouted.
Asuka and Toji quickly followed his lead, and a concave wall of iridescent light suddenly stood between Unit-00 and the rest of the world as it lit up for a moment, then exploded with a crack of thunder.
The combined AT Field held on, just barely, as the massive explosion vaporized the hills, the trees, the very ground, behind where Unit-00 once stood.
As the blast dissipated, Shinji heard the massive rush of water begin to fill the third lake that had been created near Tokyo-3.
He leaned back in his seat with a heavy sigh. The Angel was defeated. They had won. Rei was gone. He reeled mentally at the thought. But she would be back. She wasn't gone forever.
. . .
All Daniel felt was pain, all he saw was white light, as the connection sent nearly the full pain of the blast that Rei felt back into him, and he found himself, his back arched and gasping for breath, on the floor of the office.
As he got to his feet after an agonizing moment, he saw on his screen the dissipating blast of Unit-00's demise, and his heart shattered. 'Rei…'
He blinked after a moment as he realized he was still connected to Rei's soul. Only by the barest of margins, only enough to know her soul was still there, still connected to her body. But enough to know that she had survived. For now. Enough to know that she would not survive for long.
'No. No, no, no, no. Not again. Not again. Not again.'
The thought echoed through his mind over and over as he opened a portal to the surface, stepping through it onto the empty streets of Tokyo-3.
He gauged his course, and he began to walk. Then to run.
He tossed his physical capabilities into the Open Sky, careless of the Flux that was building up as his pace quickened, his legs pumping faster and faster before his stride began to slow down, each step covering dozens of meters at a time.
Vent Frames sprang into existence on his skin, a constellation-like pattern of the night sky visible on his hands and creeping up his face as it peeked out from under his NERV uniform, just enough to keep the Flux from fully stopping his enhancement. He pressed on anyway, fighting through the interference of the Flux to his Interfacing. Not again.
The city became wooded hills, yet his pace barely slowed, carrying him up and down, up and down the hills, as he felt the thump of the Entry Plug's impact in the hills several dozens of miles away in his soul, physically heard the rushing roar of the creation of the third Lake Ashi. But he would get there soon. He had to get there soon. Not again. Not again.
He was close, and then he began to skid to a stop, throwing up dirt and rocks as he came to stand in front of the dented, bent Entry Plug. She was still inside. Her Frame was beginning to degrade. Not again.
He ran up to the smoking, hissing emergency door of the Plug, uncaring as he gripped the edges with crystalline claws, every muscle screaming at him for the briefest of moments as he tore the door off of the Plug, throwing it behind him as he became drenched in scalding LCL.
The torrent of liquid didn't help the raging nausea, the sudden dizziness as he heard the color of the LCL, breathed in the smell of the words he next spoke as he leaned into the Plug. "Rei! Rei!"
The massive wave of Flux Daze that had hit him was the last thing on his mind as he tasted the Plugsuit beneath his fingers and pulled Rei, battered and burned but still miraculously alive, from the Plug, kneeling beside her body.
He strengthened the connection between their souls. "Rei. Rei, damn it all, why?"
"Because I've seen how it was supposed to go. It's okay." she said back, patience and calm in her crumbling soul. "Like I said, I'll see you again, father."
"No. Not again."
Daniel leaned over Rei physically, mentally reached into the depths of his soul, and began to tear out the Frame that surrounded his core. The most important part. The one part that would let her live.
He bit down on his tongue and tasted blood as he ripped himself apart, suppressing a scream of pain, as the peek into the Mental Realm became more visceral, more clear. But the pain was worth it, as he put the piece into place around Rei's core, now whole again at last, and fused it to her.
"Daniel?" Rei said with dawning horror as she recognized what he was doing. "Stop. Stop! Please! I can come back! You can't!"
"No!" Daniel said as he continued. "I won't stand by and watch you die when I can do something about it! Not again!"
Shock and sorrow and anger and remorse and understanding at the words and their meaning rippled through Rei's soul as Daniel continued to tear himself apart for her. "Please, Daniel! Live! Live so I can see you again!"
"Rei…" Daniel said, as he finished at last and observed his handiwork. She would heal on her own now. She would live. "I can die. I'll only Wander for a while. After what I've done… it's only a little of what I've deserved."
He straightened his back, then fell to the side after a moment, looking up into the sky as his own Frame began to crumble and dissolve. "You'll live. And that's enough."
He barely felt the other connection that had been made moments before he finished his work. Barely felt the horror and shock as it processed what he had said and done.
. . .
Eleanor's breath quickened as she realized what Daniel had done. To himself. To save Rei. Hikari looked up at her as they exited Central Dogma, Eleanor looking around her to ensure that they would not be seen.
Hikari's eyes widened and became filled with confusion as Eleanor's pace quickened. "Eleanor? What's wrong?"
Eleanor said nothing, grabbing Hikari's arm as she turned down an empty corridor, a vortex of water swirling to life in the palm of her hand as she and Hikari marched into what looked like an oncoming wave.
"Eleanor!" Hikari said, and they were through, without getting wet at all. They had emerged on one of the hills on the outskirts of Tokyo-3, surrounded by trees and bushes, and a view of the open blue sky.
None of those held her attention, however, as she gasped at the sight of Daniel laying next to the broken Plug on a ground slick with slightly steaming LCL, Rei at his side.
Eleanor rushed over to Daniel as Hikari made her way over to Rei, kneeling next to him while Hikari tended to Rei's physical wounds.
Eleanor looked at Daniel's soul with the Sight and tried not to sob at what she saw. It was… ripped apart. Crumbling away. There wasn't enough there to make sure he lived. Not without power and tools and facilities, things that she didn't have on hand. He…
He looked over at her, and slowly raised a hand to caress her face. "She'll live." Daniel whispered to Eleanor with a slight smile on his face. "She'll live. Our daughter will live."
Eleanor shook her head as she looked back up at Rei, who would indeed live because of what Daniel had done, then looked back at him. "You idiot. You absolute idiot. Why didn't you wait? Why didn't you just..." she sobbed. "Why?"
"Because I… couldn't let it happen again. So, I didn't." Daniel said more quietly.
"Eleanor." He said as he slipped away. "I love you."
His hand slipped off her face, and he took one last breath.
Before his soul flew away, Eleanor created a hurried Expression, and energized it quickly, catching the fleeing core within it. His soul was safe. But he… he…
She clutched his body to hers and wept.
. . .
3 Hours Later
Ritsuko, Maya, and Misato circled around the site of the crashed Entry Plug. There was a spill of LCL at the impact site, a fact that puzzled Ritsuko and Maya as they touched down.
Teams of hazmat-suited technicians surrounded the Plug as they scanned it, and declared it safe, as Ritsuko and Maya approached the open emergency door of the Plug.
Maya looked in, and her eyes were wide. "Senpai…" she said with no small amount of wonder. "She's...
Ritsuko looked in with both her eyes and her Sight and was amazed to see that, against all odds, Rei was… alive. Unconscious, but alive, in the seat of the Entry Plug.
She turned to the men who came up to her with a paramedic stretcher. "The pilot's condition is classified as Top Secret. Only I and Lieutenant Ibuki, as well as anyone we clear, are allowed to go anywhere near her. Secure her, then dispose of the rest of the Plug."
The technicians nodded, helping Maya load Rei onto the stretcher after she performed some first aid, zipping up the man-sized biohazard bag that was there more for precaution than anything else.
Misato watched as they loaded the stretcher into the tilt-jet craft that she and the other two had come in. "She's alive…" she whispered to herself, as she took in the Sight of Rei's soul. Something felt off to her about the sight, but she brushed it aside for the moment, glad that her pilot, her friend, had miraculously survived the battle. They had won. Yet again. Thanks to her.
As Misato, Maya, and Ritsuko rode alone with the bagged-up Rei, Ritsuko shook her head. "It's a wonder that she didn't fly out of the Plug when the door came off."
Maya nodded. "Yeah. But… it didn't look like it came off on impact. The Plugs simply aren't built like that. It looked like… it was torn off."
Misato connected the dots after a silent moment and nodded. "Hold on. I'm going to reach out to Daniel."
She focused, reaching out, and finding him. "Daniel?" nothing. "Daniel, can you hear me?" still nothing.
She shook her head. "Daniel isn't responding. Maybe Eleanor got there instead of him."
Misato reached out again. "Eleanor?"
Misato was almost swept over by a massive wave of grief, anger, and guilt, the force of the emotions making her tear up slightly. "Eleanor, what's going on? Where's Daniel?"
An image, sharp and clear, like she had seen it herself, came to her mind. And she knew exactly what it meant, as her eyes widened and tears began to flow. "Daniel…" she whispered, stifling a sob as she saw Ritsuko and Maya's eyes widen.
. . .
Rei's eyes cracked open, and she took in the sight of friends. Shinji and Asuka were on the left of her hospital bed, and Toji and Hikari stood at the foot of the bed, Eleanor behind them.
And on her left, Kaworu held her hand gently, smiling as his eyes locked with hers.
Asuka chuckled. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Wondergirl. How's it feel to have a new lease on life?"
Rei's eyes widened as she remembered. She tore her gaze from Kaworu's eyes as they began to grow concerned, and looked intently at Eleanor. "This… is not a new body." she said quietly. Her gaze asked Eleanor a question, begged and pleaded with her to give the answer that she desperately hoped it would be, as most of her friends became confused.
"What?" Kaworu said. "What do you mean?"
Rei didn't answer, continuing to stare at Eleanor, as she finally shook her head slightly.
"No…" Rei whispered, and tears began to stream down her cheeks.
The other Children turned to look at Eleanor and finally began to connect the dots as they saw Eleanor clearly, her puffy red-rimmed eyes seeming to hold a few more tears to shed. "Where's Daniel?" Asuka said quietly.
Eleanor was silent.
"Eleanor, please, where is Daniel?" Asuka said, her eyes widening and tears welling up in them as dread seemed to crush her chest as she stepped away from Rei's side.
With all eyes on her, she opened a closed hand, revealing what looked like a globe of water, with a bright, glowing center.
Asuka shook her head as she stepped forward, her face scrunched up as she was desperately trying not to sob. "No. No, no, no. Eleanor. He's okay. He has to be okay. That can't be him. He has to… he has… he…"
She fell to her knees, clutching her head in her hands as she wept and sobbed. "Bruder! Why?" she said in between sobs.
Shinji could barely think as he made his way over to Asuka, kneeling beside her and embracing her as he silently wept himself. 'He's… he's dead? He saved Rei?'
Rei continued to weep as she squeezed Kaworu's hand. "Father…" she whispered. "Why?"
. . .
It was a silent, solemn car ride home. Shinji, Asuka, and Rei, released by a teary-eyed Ritsuko, rode home with Misato and Eleanor.
As they reached the apartment building, the group got out of the car, and Eleanor turned to face them. "I… I have his body. Down in the Infinity Box. If you want to…"
The others nodded after a moment, and Eleanor led the procession.
They stopped for a moment in the master bedroom, taking in what was Daniel's. Pictures of moments that they had almost forgotten were spread across the room, and Asuka picked up one that held a place of honor on the dresser.
It was a picture of Daniel, Shinji, and Asuka after they had defeated Gaghiel. Daniel stood between them, hands on both their shoulders as they stood in the parking lot of the apartment. Asuka had her hands on her hips, a sure, brave smile on her face. Shinji's smile was more strained, but he held it, regardless of the pinching that Asuka's spare Plugsuit did.
Asuka chuckled at the memory, drawing Shinji's attention to her and the picture, and they both silently marveled over it.
Rei picked up a far more recent picture. It was the Christmas party, just before the adults and the children separated. He stood between Shinji and Rei, wearing a ridiculous Christmas sweater. Another picture in the frame caught Daniel and Rei in the moment he praised her viola playing, and he couldn't have looked more proud of Rei at any other time.
Misato picked up another picture on the dresser, one from longer ago than many of the others. It showed Daniel, Misato, and Asuka showing off the patches they had gotten when Unit-02 was completed. They stood in front of Unit-02, all the way back in the Stahlturm. She looked up, and on the wall, she found the patch itself, framed and behind a pane of glass. She reached out and gently brushed the frame, a slight smile on her face.
Eleanor cleared her throat after a moment. The others turned, and the door to the Infinity Box was open. "Follow me when you're ready." she said quietly.
. . .
It was a few more moments before the trio walked into the Infinity Box. In the center of the now bare room stood a table, upon which lay the body of Daniel Theisman, surrounded by a dome of shimmering light.
They all walked over to the table, putting a hand on the forcefield as they looked down at the man they all loved in one way or another.
It was silent. Then, Eleanor sighed quietly. "If he wasn't stupid enough to just wait…"
Asuka shook her head. Her eyes hurt. She hadn't cried this much since… since before her mother's funeral. She wanted to keep crying, now. More than anything, she wanted to keep showing the uncaring world that she had cared for her Bruder. She almost chuckled at the thought, at how mad the Asuka of a few years past might have been at her now.
Shinji put a hand on Asuka's shoulder, and she looked over at him. She felt no small amount of surprise as she saw that the grief she expected to find in his eyes was joined by an intense thoughtfulness. The thoughtfulness that came when Shinji had an idea brewing in that beautiful mind of his.
It was silent again for a heartbeat. Then another. Finally, Shinji spoke up. "Is… is there anything we can do with Interfacing?"
Eleanor looked at Shinji, and for the briefest of instants, her sorrowful green eyes flickered with hope. Then, they dimmed again. "Normally, yes, Shinji."
As Misato, Shinji, Rei, and Asuka's eyes widened, Eleanor continued. "Death doesn't need to be the end for someone who travels the Worldsea. Shinji, Asuka, Rei, you've heard that much from Daniel's travels to the world of Dark Souls. When an Interfacer physically dies, their soul goes on to do what we call Wandering, spending decades, centuries, growing their Frame again before they return."
She took a deep breath before continuing. "Beyond the plentiful different kinds of resurrection magic that can be found in one Echo or another, there's the far simpler one of just putting his body and soul in a P2 tank."
"A… P2 tank?" Asuka said, tilting her head slightly. "What's that?"
Eleanor chuckled softly. "Like I said, it's a simple thing, really. A P2 tank is a regular tank filled with a P2 substance. A Physical-Pneumaic bonding agent. There are dozens, hundreds of different agents out there, and all of them stimulate the growth of new Frames. Something which Menders like me find extremely difficult to do, even under the best of circumstances."
Eleanor sighed quietly and shook her head. "But the problem is, it's nearly impossible for me to source or fabricate most any of the agents that I know of here, and finding those agents elsewhere runs the risk of tipping off the Scions that he's dead. I…" she sighed quietly as he put a hand to her face. "I don't know what to do."
It was silent again for a moment, as Shinji, Asuka, and Rei's spirits sank yet again. It hurt that he was gone. It hurt even more to know that he could be brought back from this, that they could see him again… if they were anywhere else in Reality.
Then, Misato's voice rang out in the silent chamber. "Eleanor?" Misato said, and as all eyes turned to her, they saw the look in her eyes. The look that always came when she was thinking of something absolutely crazy.
"Yes, Misato?" Eleanor said slowly.
"Is LCL one of those substances?" Misato said quietly, and everyone's eyes widened.
Eleanor nodded her head after a moment. "Yes… yes, it would have to be." she looked at Rei. "It would be the only way that you were able to go from your first body to the second one without taking years to regrow your Frame, Rei."
Rei's eyes widened at the implication, then both hers and Eleanor's turned back to Misato as she went silent again for a moment, her eyes darting sightlessly as she did what she did best. "Guys… I have an idea."
Misato's idea gets put to the test, as Daniel is placed in the care of Ritsuko. A long overdue party is had, and the beginning of what should be the end of all things on Earth comes ever closer. What world will Daniel awake to? Next Episode: Stepping Back from the Light.
Gendo Ikari walked on the streets of Tokyo-3 openly, in nondescript clothing and bereft of his shades, and took a moment to marvel at the city that he, and NERV, protected. It was still a bustling place, even with the recent attacks by the Angels. It made the buildings around him echo with the voices and clatter of those who called this place home.
'And we have never told them that simply living here is putting them at risk of the Angels in the first place.' he thought silently. 'After all, the old men would hate to have everyone look at their hand before they play it.'
But for now, he pushed such thoughts away from his mind. The games where these people, this city, even himself, were merely pawns, held little precedence. For now, as he stood in front of his destination, a quiet restaurant, he had more personal concerns. Ones that he should have faced years ago. When she disappeared. When…
No. Just… go in. Talk to him. Let him air out his grievances and ask his questions. Those were the goals as he walked in and looked around.
Finally, he found him, in a back corner, looking back at him intently with a face that was so much like the one he had fallen in love with. That face held an expression that he had seen in the mirror every day for the past decade and a half, a wondering, guarded, almost but not quite unsure thing.
'Shinji truly is our son.' he thought as he made his way over to the table. Behind the carefully level expression that he wore, he felt… sadness at the fact. Something the Gendo of even only a few weeks ago would have scoffed at. But that Gendo didn't know what he knew now. Didn't truly understand what he had done to Yui. To Shinji. To his family.
He sat down at the table. Shinji had already ordered. It was silent for a few moments after a waiter came up to them to take Gendo's order, as they regarded each other.
"Shinji." Gendo finally said after an almost unbearable silence.
"Father." Shinji said simply.
"Thank you for being willing to meet with me. I know this must be difficult for you." Gendo said.
Shinji shook his head slightly. "You have no idea, father." he said levelly.
Gendo sighed quietly. "No. No, I suppose not."
They were silent for a moment as they ate together. A family dinner. The first one they had had… ever.
As they finished, Gendo sighed quietly. "You have questions." he said, matter-of-factly. It was to be expected, honestly.
Shinji nodded after a moment. "Yes. I do." he looked down at the table as he pondered silently.
He looked into his father's eyes, so much like his own, now. Unsure, guarded, and wondering. "Who are you? How did you come to know mother?"
Gendo blinked then seemed to deflate slightly as he sighed. "Those are good questions. Ones that you should have known the answers to already. Ones that we should have told you about."
He shook his head. "Before all this, I was… a delinquent. I had no direction. I was smart, yes, but I did not channel it into anything except beating the person in front of me whenever I got into a bar fight in college. Which was depressingly often."
Gendo looked into the middle distance as he smiled softly. "Then I met Yui."
Shinji paid rapt attention as his father sighed quietly. "She had gone to a bar that I had frequented with some of her friends. A girl's night out. I have no idea why they chose there, of all places. Several people made a pass at all of them. Many at her especially. And… I thought she was cute. Too cute to just be demeaned by idiots who didn't know better."
Gendo chuckled quietly. "So, when the next person that night made an unwanted advance, I did what I did best. I pulled him up and punched him in the face."
Shinji's eyes widened as Gendo shook his head. "It was a little miracle that she recognized me from one of her classes afterward. We got to know each other better over the coming months. She helped take the energy, the drive, that I put into my fighting into my studying. She became my friend. Then she became my… everything. We made plans to marry each other only a few months after that fateful day in 1990."
Gendo paused for a moment, then chuckled again. "I still got into bar fights, regardless of her disapproval. So after a while, she told me if I was ever in need to contact one of her professors. One Kozo Fuyutsuki."
As Shinji looked at his father somewhat incredulously, Gendo nodded as he smiled slightly. "Yes. That's how I met him. By having him pick me up from a bar fight that had… escalated. It's how I came to respect him. His judgment and wisdom. It's a great part of why he's my Deputy Commander here at NERV today."
Gendo's small smile faded away. "Then, I was introduced to Yui's father. And through him… SEELE."
It was quiet again as they both processed their feelings on that particular organization for a moment. "I learned about the Dead Sea Scrolls. About the concept of Instrumentality. Or, at least, what they presented to me at first. It was… enticing. The thought of never being alone again, never without the people I loved. And unlike whatever religion I could have found out there, the steps weren't just laid out for some far-off future I might never see. We could make Instrumentality a reality in only a few years."
"So, when I married Yui, I married into her family. I took their name. And I was no longer a Rokubungi. I was an Ikari." Gendo said quietly.
"Even still, life went on, and Yui became pregnant. It was… perhaps the most terrifying moment of my life at that point, waiting for you." Gendo paused for a moment. "We had made an agreement. If it was a boy, then we'd name him Shinji. And, if it was a girl… we'd name her Rei."
Shinji's eyes widened as he gasped quietly. Gendo nodded. "Yes. And then… we had you. And… you were a miracle in that moment. And… that was the moment that I gave myself fully to SEELE. If I could live that moment forever… then anything else that came after was worth it."
It was silent again for a moment. "Then, the Katsuragi expedition to Antarctica happened. And we found Adam."
Gendo shook his head even as he fought the urge to reach for his right breast, where the being in question was embedded. For now. "I found out what, exactly, it would take to begin the process of Instrumentality. We would need to wake up Adam by removing the Lance from its body. What would happen next… well, only the old men knew completely at that point. However, I was suspicious and inquisitive, so, with Yui's far-off help, I gained access to some of their plans. And I realized what would happen. What they knew was coming after this. So, I packed everything and left, citing Yui and you becoming suddenly ill as my excuse. That it happened to be the day before they woke him up was a coincidence. One that would not go unnoticed to those that knew me."
Gendo shook his head. "We did our best to keep going in the aftermath of Second Impact. It was bearable with Yui and you around. Even with the knowledge that I gained. I wanted to keep it out of her hands. Keep her away from the danger I was surely now in. Not that she stayed ignorant for long. Or had her own opinions about it."
Gendo sighed quietly. "Then, Yui and I both became scientists at GEHIRN, the predecessor of NERV. Fuyutsuki joined us soon after. He threatened to go public with what he found before I showed him part of what was going on. The creation of Unit-00. Lilith."
Gendo looked down at the table. "Then… the Contact Experiment happened. And… I lost the best part of myself. The woman who had been my rock since that day so long ago. And… my grief consumed me. Blinded me to many things. I became used to that blindness. I just wanted the pain of losing her to stop. So… I tore my heart out, in a sense. Isolated myself from everything that reminded me of her. Sent you away because every time you laughed or smiled I… I only saw her."
Gendo shook his head. "I still needed warmth. Love. Things that I had spurned from anyone else but her now. That didn't mean I didn't still seek after it, however."
"And…" Gendo trailed off after a moment. "Excuses. That is all that I have said is. Excuses for not trusting Yui's judgment. And now, I am paying the price for it."
Gendo looked up at Shinji and found him staring back, brown eyes so much like his. "And… I hope you never have to fully understand what I do, Shinji. Because that takes… experience."
Shinji nodded slowly. "I hope so, too. But… I can understand why you did what you did, even if I hate it. You've been moving heaven and earth to get mother back. And I… I would do the same for the one I love."
Gendo's eyes widened slightly, then closed as he considered what Shinji had said silently for a moment. "The pilot of Unit-02. Soryu-Langley. You love her, don't you?"
Shinji nodded. "Yes, father. More than anything in the world."
Gendo looked at Shinji with no small amount of wonder in his eyes. Then he nodded his head and chuckled quietly. "Good. I hope you can keep up with her."
Shinji chuckled himself. "Some days, I'm not entirely sure. But I'm trying."
They fell silent for a moment. Then, Gendo nodded. "Thank you, Shinji… for being willing to do this."
Shinji sighed. "You are welcome, father. But don't think that I'm going to love you, or even like you, anytime soon. You may be my commanding officer, and I may follow your orders, so long as they do not put my friends, my family, in unneeded danger. I protect those I love, father. From the Angels. From SEELE. And from you, up until recently."
Gendo regarded Shinji for a moment, then nodded wearily. "And I expect nothing less after what I've done."
- - -
Theisman Residence, The Next Day
It was a calm day. That was becoming more and more of a rarity as time went on. So, Daniel and Eleanor spent it reading. There was some much-needed catch-up to do, after all.
Eleanor looked up from her book as the doorbell rang, and Daniel stood and sighed quietly. "I'll get it." he said, walking towards the door in question.
He disappeared, and Eleanor slightly enhanced her hearing as she listened in, the door swishing open like she was right in front of it.
"Oh. Hello, Commander." Daniel said, and Eleanor's blood ran cold.
"Hello, Captain Theisman." Gendo Ikari said. "May I come in?"
"Please, Commander." The shuffling of footsteps. "I assume you have questions."
"Yes, Captain." It was silent for a moment, save for the quiet thump of approaching footsteps.
She didn't need to enhance her hearing to understand what was said next. "How… how did you connect me to Yui? How are you able to even… see souls at all?"
Daniel and Gendo stepped into the living room, and Eleanor stood, unconsciously coming to attention.
Daniel sighed quietly. "To explain the answers takes someplace more… appropriate than an apartment living room. We need… a demonstration." he looked at Eleanor. "Do you want to come along, honey?"
Eleanor considered for a moment, then shook her head. "No, Daniel. Not this time."
Daniel nodded. "Alright. See you in a few."
Daniel looked at Gendo. "Alright, sir. Follow me."
Gendo nodded and followed Daniel into the master bedroom. Gendo looked around as Daniel made his way to the back wall. He inspected a row of pictures on the dresser, ones of Daniel's life and times, always seemingly with at least one of the pilots.
He jumped slightly as he heard a hollow tone, and turned to watch the wall that Daniel stood in front of ripple and become a doorway of cool blue colored stone.
Daniel turned to look at Gendo and saw his wide-eyed reaction at the sight. "This way, Commander."
As they descended the stairways, Gendo heard clashing, blaring sounds, like an out of tune orchestra was doing battle with an ironworks, and wondered at what it was, in relation to the sights that seemed to surround him.
"You know of the existence of the soul." Daniel said simply as they continued down. "The soul has been divided, extracted and inserted from one body to another. But it has eluded you what the soul is made of, where it comes from, what the limits are of the power it can create. Well…"
They stepped into a large room, and Gendo's eyes widened at the sight before him.
Shinji and Asuka regarded each other, the pilot of Unit-02 wielding a large sword as six shards of dull, gleaming metal hung in the air around her shoulders, three to a side. On the other hand, Shinji seemed to float as he held a long, glowing spear-like weapon that seemed to fuzz as it vibrated.
Shinji literally flew forward, batting away the shards as they zipped towards him, jabbing the spear at Asuka. Asuka jumped back, swinging her sword and batting away the jabs aimed at her, as the metal shards began to fly back towards the duo.
As Shinji ducked under the shards, Daniel continued. "The material of the soul, and the energy it produces, can be used to do many things. Like what you see before you. The soul is powerful, and it is… a great many things."
Gendo looked at Daniel with eyes wide with shock. "Like what?"
"A hard drive, a power plant, a means of identification and expression. These and many more comparisons can be made. As for how I know these things, and now, by extension, the Children," Daniel said, as he nodded towards Shinji and Asuka's spar, "well… that is going to take a little more explanation."
After a moment of watching, Shinji noticed them, his feet touching the ground at last as he lowered his weapon.
[Come on, Shinji,] Asuka said in German, [it can't be that tough to get through my defense, can it?]
Then, Asuka looked behind her and saw Daniel and Gendo, her eyes widening slightly before narrowing in on Gendo. [Brother. What is the commander doing here?] she said with no small amount of suspicion in her voice.
Daniel stepped forward. [I'm providing context for what he's seen thus far. He spoke with Shinji's mother in Unit-01 at her request. Now… it was only a matter of time before he asked more questions.]
Asuka nodded after a moment. "Very well." she said in Japanese. "But does the explanation have to get in the way of our sparring? Shinji's just started to pick up some interesting tricks."
Daniel chuckled slightly as another doorway on the far end of the room. "Don't worry, Asuka. We'll have it in a separate room. Try not to rough each other up too much this time, alright?"
Asuka sighed heavily as she nodded. "Yeah, yeah. We'll try."
Daniel smiled slightly. "Alright. We'll stay out of your way then."
His smile faded as he turned back to Gendo, and motioned to the doorway. "Follow me, Commander."
Shinji and Asuka both watched as Daniel led Gendo past them, and through the doorway. The walls surrounding it flowed shut, and the wall looked like it had never been disturbed in the first place.
The two of them looked at each other as Shinji sighed. "I guess it figures he would want to know how that happened."
Asuka knew what he was talking about, with Daniel enabling Commander Ikari to talk to Shinji's mother. His wife. How he had talked with Shinji.
Asuka nodded. "Well, just because he's had a heart-to-heart with his wife and his son doesn't mean I'll be any less inclined to punching him in the face. Hope you don't mind that too much." she said as she returned to a ready stance.
Shinji nodded as he assumed his own ready stance, his feet slightly lifting off the ground. As he pondered silently on just how similar Asuka and his father had started out before… all this happened. "Well, I've already punched him. And I wouldn't be surprised if you and I weren't the only ones. You might want to start a queue."
Asuka snorted softly, and they resumed sparring.
- - -
Ritsuko's Lab, Geofront, 3 Days Later
It was a quiet workday for Ritsuko. She and mother were working quietly on SEELE's S2 reports. They had learned so much. Not just from the study of Unit-03 and Unit-04. The discoveries that she and mother and Maya were making because of what they learned from Daniel and Eleanor were… miraculous. Even something as simple as Plasm, Metos made physical, had breathtaking properties. It reacted to mental and physical stimuli like almost nothing else. It could become soft and malleable, or it could become harder than tungsten-carbide. And it could do all this while varying its weight, which had broken at least one scale in the lab already, much to Maya's embarrassment.
It was… amazing. Not only was she making new fields of science by the minute with the woman she loved, but she was also… reconnecting, as it were, with her mother. It was a chance to work with her, talk with her again. And… she had become excited to talk to her mother again, seemingly against all odds.
She scoffed quietly as she sat at her desk. 'And all it took was her death in order to make it happen. Nothing too major.'
Maya was off getting some coffee for both of them while her mother puzzled away on the latest quandary of Reality. Ritsuko looked up with a slight smile on her lips as she heard the door opening and shutting. "Back with coffee already, M…"
The words, along with the smile, died on her lips as she saw Gendo standing before her, bereft of his glasses. A lance of fear drove itself into her heart as she stood. "Commander. I didn't expect you would be coming." she said, a guarded tone evident in her voice even as she fought to keep her expression neutral.
Gendo shook his head. "And, before recently, I made no plans to visit you. But… I require your services."
As Ritsuko fought to keep her eyes from widening in surprise, Gendo sighed quietly. "But before I ask for your help, Ritsuko, I must apologize. For… everything that I've done to you."
Ritsuko could no longer keep her eyes from going wide as she heard the seemingly impossible. "Apologize… sir?"
Gendo nodded. "Yes. I've had… a revelation recently. One brought on by something I once thought would be impossible. It brought me to realize how… callous I've been. How I should have been better to those around me. So… I offer my apologies, Ritsuko Akagi. I have used you, for both your mind and body, to satiate my desires. I had forgotten why I needed you in the first place. To act as a vital part of this organization. I am sorry."
Ritsuko stared at Gendo in shocked silence. She had no idea what to say, her mouth opening and closing slightly. So, someone else took the chance to chime in.
"So, I had to die before I could see the day that Gendo Ikari begins taking responsibility for his actions? My, what a world we exist in."
Ritsuko's cheeks became heated as she blushed and finally found something to say. "Mother!"
Gendo's eyes widened as he looked around the room. "What the… Naoko?" he said incredulously.
"Yes, Gendo." Naoko said. "It's me, your old hag. You never would have guessed that I'd be right here, right in the Magi I built and Ritsuko finished, would you? Well, now that I've made myself known, I get the unprecedented chance to snark at you from the grave. And that… well, I wouldn't say it's well worth it, but it is good to see how utterly flabbergasted you are right now."
As Ritsuko looked around her, her eyes settled back on Gendo, his face the picture of shock and surprise. And she couldn't help but begin to laugh. So she did. She had to hold her desk for support, so hard did she laugh at Gendo Ikari, the stoic mastermind, looking so utterly confused.
"Ritsuko, dear," Naoko said with a hint of worry in her now far more authentic digital voice, "I'm not sure how wise outright laughing at your commanding officer to his face is."
Ritsuko shook her head as she got herself under control and straightened herself. "What can he do to me that SEELE couldn't, mother? I'm in as much danger as I could possibly be already, mother. Perhaps even more than that."
Gendo looked back at Ritsuko as he tried to get his expressions and emotions under control. Ritsuko took the chance to dip into the Sight (oh, what a wonderful tool that had become in the cause of science!) and studied Gendo's soul for a moment. Shock and surprise were racing around his soul, yes, but what Ritsuko didn't expect to see was… grief. Remorse. Even… guilt.
Gendo took a deep breath. "Regardless of the… revelations that have come, I still mean to offer my apologies, for what little they do. To the both of you." he said, looking around the lab as if he could find Naoko Akagi simply hiding in a corner.
"But, as I said in the beginning, I require your assistance on something. Something that needs to be done soon. Or undone, as it were."
Ritsuko's mirth faded from her expression completely as she paid attention to what he said next. "I have implanted…" he trailed off and sighed. "I have implanted Adam in my right breast, as part of my plans for Instrumentality. And now… I wish to remove it, and place it back in suspended animation."
It was silent for a moment as all present processed what Gendo had just said. Ritsuko's Sight lasered in on the place that Gendo had specified. Indeed, there was a black, jagged tangle of lines, in line with where his heart was opposite of it, that had… connected itself to Gendo.
Before Ritsuko could speak, the door swished open and shut again, and Maya stepped in, two cans of coffee in her hands. "I'm back, Ritsuk… oh…"
They all stood there silently for a moment as they regarded each other. Ritsuko sighed after a moment. "Well, sir, it looks like it's going to be a rather difficult operation. Not simply because it is attached to you in a spot above a vital area."
"But because it is also attached to my soul in that area as well." Gendo said with a level face. "I understand. I have spoken with Captain Theisman, and have been filled in on some of the details on this… Interfacing."
Ritsuko's brow rose. "Behold, Reality? He trusted you enough to do that?" she said outright.
Gendo nodded slightly. "Nothing so grandiose as that, but the point still stands. Adam, it seems, is linked with me quite intrinsically."
The door swished open and closed again, and Maya looked over at Eleanor as she tried not to jump too much. "Which is why I'm here." she said, a serious look on her face. "Two souls inhabiting one body, while not unheard of, requires a great amount of preparation, delicate balance, and compromise. Commander Ikari has done none of these things, and should Adam continue to be attached for any great length of time, there will be… many different consequences. Most none of them good."
Ritsuko and Maya nodded silently as Maya made her way to Ritsuko's side, handing her the can of coffee in her other hand. Ritsuko cracked the can open and took a sip. "So, we'll need to do a procedure on him in order for him to remain Gendo Ikari." Ritsuko said matter-of-factly.
Eleanor nodded. "And while I have experience with battlefield surgery, I'll need facilities available in order to make sure that this goes off without a hitch. Do you have such facilities on hand?"
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes. But they are usually fully automated. Which is how I assume that Adam became implanted without anyone's knowledge in the first place."
Gendo nodded. "Indeed." he said simply.
"Well," Eleanor said, "All I'll need it to be is to allow me to get out of the way after I sever the connection it's made to his soul. After that, it's an easy task to just excise the thing."
Gendo nodded. "Then let us begin."
. . .
Gendo Ikari lay on the table, shirtless and under anesthetics. On his right breast, just as promised, the embryonic form of Adam was embedded, a thin, clear layer of skin having grown over it even as the skin surrounding it seemed to pucker into a crater. It seemed to stare at Eleanor, who stood above it. The automatic surgical tools were stowed away for now, and Ritsuko and Maya watched intently with the Sight as Eleanor began her work, Frames appearing and taking on the form of scalpels that cut through the worryingly large number of connections that Adam had made to Gendo's soul.
As Eleanor worked, Naoko chimed in on a terminal next to Ritsuko. "And you're sure he's genuine? I wouldn't put it past him to gaslight every single person in the room. Even if you can see his soul."
Ritsuko shook her head. "That's right… you can't see his soul, can you?" Ritsuko shook her head. "Then… you couldn't see what was going on within him. The remorse and grief… they almost seemed ready to consume him. And… I know why."
Maya turned to look at Ritsuko with wide eyes. "You do?"
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes. Daniel had me deliver a message from Yui before the battle with Arael happened. This… appears to be the result. He's been… well, changed is a strong word. I doubt he'll ever change completely. But… there's a light he's seen from his wife. One that's shown him what, exactly, he's done."
Maya looked back at the slumbering commander with wide eyes, while Naoko scoffed. "All he ever cared about was his wife, didn't he?" Naoko said. "Getting her back from that Contact Experiment. That's all he ever needed us for."
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes. That's the only person he seems to have ever truly loved. Not even his own son."
Maya shook her head wordlessly, and all turned their attention back to the operation theater as Eleanor looked up at them and nodded. "The soul-based part of this operation is complete. I'll step back and let the physical process begin."
"Alright." Naoko said as mechanical arms unfolded from the ceiling, tipped with various surgical implements. "I'll try not to rough him up too much. Even if he does deserve it."
"Mother." Ritsuko said as she rolled her eyes. "He does, but that's beside the point. There's also Adam to consider. We have no idea what might happen if it becomes compromised. We might run the risk of a… a Third Impact."
It was quiet for a moment as Eleanor exited the operation theater. "Very well." a far more sober Naoko said. "I'll get to work. Adam will need another block of Bakelite ready for him, it seems."
Eleanor nodded. "I can substitute for that whenever you're ready."
"Alright," Naoko said. "Doesn't mean cutting him up won't be satisfying." she tried and failed to mutter as the arms descended upon the Angel.
- - -
1 Week Later
Gendo rubbed at the bandages that wrapped across his chest, and he felt like a weight had been lifted from off of it. Adam, along with being a physical burden, seemed to also be a spiritual one as well. He felt… well, he didn't quite know what he felt yet, but he had little time to contemplate that right now. Right now… well, he was just trying to make things up to Yui still. And to the others his actions had put in harm's way. For her.
Which was why he now sat across from Inspector Ryoji Kaji, on a covert car ride to Tokyo-2, and the offices of the Ministry of the Interior.
He had contemplated deeply on what he would have to do to stop SEELE's plans. Because of what Captain Theisman had shown him, and the possibility of getting his wife back so much more easily than what the Human Instrumentality Project promised.
He had planned to upset their plans anyway, take control away from the old men who hoped to become the masters of humanity. But if there was a better way, a way to preserve the world in exchange for getting the woman he loved back… well, the world was in a far more vulnerable position than Yui was at the moment. If he had to step up and save it fully from the old men to get his wife back, then that was what he would do.
And really, Yui would be inconsolable if she exited the core of Unit-01 to a wasted world. And he couldn't have that happen. So he had put the mind that she had said was far greater than he once thought it was to work, and arrived at the point where he now sat in this car, taking a fateful trip to the capital.
He regarded Inspector Kaji, his intent eyes bereft of the glasses he had once claimed as a shield against the world. The inspector was somewhat uncomfortable, the relaxed posture that he wore often slightly tense as he regarded Gendo with a cool stare.
"I've got to say, commander," Kaji finally said, "I never expected this from you. A secret car ride to the capital? One might think you were up to something."
Gendo smiled slightly. "And, in a sense, Inspector, I am. I've known things that should have been known to others beyond SEELE for quite some time."
Kaji's brow rose slightly. "Oh my, commander, looking to betray SEELE now, are we? That's a dangerous game."
"It always has been, Inspector." Gendo said levelly. "But such is the way of things. At least, for now."
"And what, exactly, do you plan to reveal?" Kaji said with an abnormally serious look in his eyes.
"The truth, Inspector." Gendo said simply. "Or at least, enough of the truth that the old men do not grow overly suspicious."
Kaji nodded slowly. "Like what?"
"The true nature of Second Impact, for one. As well as some of the nature of the Dead Sea scrolls and what they contain on the Angels." Gendo said matter-of-factly, as Kaji's eyes widened slightly, a quiet whistle coming from his lips.
"That is… an impressive amount of knowledge to simply be giving to someone, Commander." Kaji said. Then he went silent for a moment as he studied Gendo's expression. "Why?"
Gendo was silent for a moment, then sighed. "Because I made a promise to Yui recently. With Captain Theisman's assistance."
Kaji nodded. "I see." he said simply.
. . .
Minister's Office, Japanese Ministry of the Interior
Minister Tomiko Okamura sat at her desk quietly and wondered at the message that had been relayed to her. It was an urgent one, by one of the best insider informants she had in NERV. Apparently, Commander Ikari was on his way. He would be arriving soon, by the looks of it, accompanied by Inspector Kaji. If nothing else, this was going to be interesting.
She looked up and stood as the door opened, the purposefully slovenly form of Inspector Kaji followed by the tall, broad-shouldered form of Commander Gendo Ikari, who regarded her with intense blue eyes.
"Commander." Minister Okamura said. "You are a mysterious man, indeed. All this time spent on wondering what, exactly, is going on at NERV, then I get told that you will simply walk through our front doors, as it were."
Gendo nodded and shook her proffered hand as they sat down. "Much has changed recently, Minister. The only things that haven't are what I am about to tell you."
Okamura's brow rose fractionally. "And what would that be, Commander?"
Gendo regarded Okamura levelly. "The truth of Second Impact and the Angels."
"He does, but that's beside the point. There's also Adam to consider. We have no idea what might happen if it becomes compromised. We might run the risk of a… a Third Impact."
Does he actually speak in the anime? It's been a good little while since I've seen it, and I'm mostly working off of memory and the Wiki (due to getting hella depressed when I watched it). Or am I missing something else entirely?
Well, in the anime, SEELE sends Kaworu to accelerate Third Impact knowing that Unit-01 has 'illegally' consumed Zeruel's S2 engine. Kaworu indicates to Shinji he is the spokesperson for the Angels, and the reawakened consciousness of Adam. Mind you, Adam in Apotheosis probably fulfills a different role.
In terms of Kaworu's (and by extension, Rei's) nature as Nephelim (which is perhaps my favorite term for them), Lilith and Adam's status as Progenitors, that being a conglomeration of souls, would have Kaworu as the last surviving soul Adam carried to Earth, preserving his role as 'spokesman' of Adam, so, on that point, you'd still be correct.
As for why Ritsuko and the others present didn't try contacting Adam himself then? Well, without Kaworu present to tell them that it is possible, and likely even probable to talk to him and understand him, there's a better than good chance that, at that moment, Ritsuko decided that Adam would be able to be contacted after they had gotten him extracted from Gendo. As for whether or not Kaworu will try to speak to him in the future? Well, that remains to be seen...
Ahhh, Decade. Of all the Kamen Rider's that I've watched, I still haven't really seen that one. And, really... I wouldn't be surprised if it came from that.
As for the climax, if you mean End of Evangelion... well, I have plans for the time afterward. But, I'd be getting ahead of myself to speak of it here...
It was an interesting experience, what came next. Death was no stranger to me, nor was being brought back to life. The fashion it was done in was… well, interesting, to say the least. But at least it would be quick, relatively speaking. And a good thing that was, too. The Children, NERV, the world, needed every advantage it could get soon...
Ritsuko's Lab, Geofront, Late February 2016
Ritsuko and Maya's hands flew around the incomplete project that they had begun months ago as a public cover operation for some of their more secretive projects. It was an LCL diagnostic tank, made for showcasing the medical purposes of LCL in the far-off, impossible days when they would supposedly become a more public fixture.
Now, however, it had to actually prove itself, and quickly. Eleanor and Misato were on their way with Daniel Theisman's body and soul. And, according to Misato, LCL was one of the biggest parts of the solution to bringing him back from the dead.
Ritsuko had to shake her head at that. They were about to revive someone by putting their soul back into their body. Not a new one, but the original. It seemed she would have no shortage of notes to comb over when everything was said and done.
They were in the middle of finishing up the final checks when they heard the crashing of a wave behind them, and looked behind them to see a wall of flowing water, as Daniel's body, laid on a thin metal slab, emerged head first, followed by Misato, Eleanor, Shinji, Rei, and Asuka, above whose left forearm hovered a copy of the slab in miniature as her face glistened with sweat and her brow furrowed in concentration.
Eleanor leaned over Daniel as she walked, her brow similarly furrowed as the wall of water disappeared behind her, leaving only the scent of the clean open ocean.
Ritsuko stood and made her way over to Daniel, activating her Sight as four metal legs flowed out from underneath the slab, hitting the metal floor with a dull clunk as Asuka breathed a sigh of relief and the slab above her arm disappeared.
Ritsuko Saw Frames emanating from the tips of Eleanor's fingers, thick and clawlike as they pulsed like an AT Field, slowly digging into the Flux, which appeared to be a shifting, dark-hued, muted blotch that was broken up by the scattered remnants of Daniel's Frame, and extracted it through what looked like a peek into the deep sea on her hands and arms. "So, what's going on?"
Eleanor shook her head. "I'm clearing up enough Flux to get his soul back into his body." she said without looking up at Ritsuko. "It's a very difficult process."
Maya finished the preparations for the tube, then came to stand at Ritsuko's side as she similarly peered down at Daniel's body and soul. Or lack thereof. "What makes it so difficult?"
Eleanor released her Frames and stepped back from Daniel, wiping her forehead. "Well, the fact that when Flux builds up to sufficient levels, it gets really hard to remove without a Vent Frame already there. It's like… scratching at wood with your fingernails, is what I'm doing right now. You'll get through it, but it takes a lot of time, and it can be painful for the person extracting it. It makes for some damnably difficult armor to pierce through with any sort of Interfacing when it's worked the right way. But that's not pertinent right now. "
Ritsuko nodded. "I'll take your word for it. Is he going to be ready soon?"
Eleanor nodded. "I've almost got enough space to put his core back in without any negative repercussions. I can work on him while he's in the tank as well."
Misato nodded. "Then let's get him in." She turned to Ritsuko. "Is it ready?"
Ritsuko nodded. "We just need to pump in the LCL and run some final diagnostics. That shouldn't take too long."
"Alright." Misato said. She turned back to Eleanor. "Can Hikari help you out?"
Eleanor nodded. "She can, but she's still resting from helping out with Rei. I'll talk to her later."
The tank soon gurgled with slowly filling LCL, Daniel's body suspended within it as it glowed orange. Daniel wore a latex suit, not terribly unlike the Plugsuits that the pilots wore, and had a rebreather over his face for when he actually started to breathe again. The suit was not as form-fitting as the Plugsuits were, but it still showed his broad, but slim barrel-like body with little in the way of flattery. But for now, flattery was secondary to survival.
Eleanor continued her work as soon as Daniel was confirmed to be hooked up properly, carving channels as quickly as she could to ensure that the Frames could at least connect to the brain once work began.
After almost an hour, Eleanor stepped back from the tube and pulled out Daniel's soul. "You idiot." she whispered, then the water, and the gleam within it, vanished from sight as Eleanor slowly lifted Daniel's soul back into place within him.
As it found its place, Eleanor breathed out a quiet sigh of relief as she watched the beginnings of Frames start to grow on Daniel's core. After some more cleaning of Flux, she stepped back. "Alright." she said quietly, then looked back at Misato, who stood with Ritsuko, Maya, and the present Children behind a console that monitored the tank. "He's now on his way to recovery. Not only that but what would have taken several years on my own is now going to take… about a month, with myself and Hikari checking in on him and helping the process along."
The others sighed quietly, and Shinji stepped forward. "Is there anything we can do to help?"
Eleanor's head dipped as she cupped her chin and thought silently for a moment. "Other than providing some more energy for Hikari and me to use, not anything directly. But any little bit helps for us to get it done faster." she said as she looked back up at Shinji and the other Children. "Thank you." she said softly.
"Of course, Eleanor." Shinji said. "After all he's done for us…" he trailed off, and Asuka and Rei both nodded silently.
Eleanor smiled wearily, then sighed heavily. "Well, he's safe now. And I am wrung out. We'll get back to him, alright?"
Ritsuko nodded. "We'll keep an eye on him and tell you if anything changes radically."
Eleanor nodded in turn. "Thank you, Ritsuko."
. . .
Eleanor walked back into her apartment, Rei in tow, and they both collapsed onto the couch.
They were exhausted and grief-stricken, and the weariness they felt seemed to extend to their souls as much as it did to what felt like every part of their body.
After a moment of silence, Rei scooted over to Eleanor and wordlessly embraced her. They sat that way for what seemed like ages.
"I know why." Rei said quietly, breaking a fragile, sad silence.
"You do?" Eleanor said just as quietly.
Rei nodded. "Daniel… he's been here before. On another Echo. That's why… he saw me..." she trailed off, unsure of what to say next.
Eleanor nodded. "Yes." she said, with the certainty of someone who had lived with the knowledge nearly since she had arrived here.
Rei looked up at Eleanor. "Why? Why didn't he tell us?" she said almost pleadingly. "Especially after we knew about the existence of other universes?"
Eleanor sighed. "I asked him the same question when I finally fully figured it out."
Rei continued to look up at Eleanor as she sighed. "And… he said that he didn't want you to feel like he loved you because of his experiences somewhere else. He wanted to love you for you. No one else."
Rei looked down as she nodded slowly. "I see. Even still…"
Eleanor shook her head. "I know." Eleanor snorted quietly after a moment. "You and I both know that there's going to be a line to tell him how stupid he is. And I apologize, but I'm going to go first. If you don't mind."
Rei chuckled softly. "We'll see what the final queue is."
Eleanor chuckled in turn, and they fell silent and enjoyed the change in atmosphere for a moment.
After a moment, Eleanor blinked as a random thought came to mind. "Rei." she said, looking down at her as she looked back up. "When is your birthday?"
Rei blinked, then looked down as she considered the question for a moment. "All my current records show that my birthday is March 30th, 2000. I will, chronologically at least, turn 16."
Eleanor nodded. "And… I don't think we celebrated either Shinji or Asuka's birthdays last year. Is that correct?"
Rei thought for a moment, then nodded. "Correct. I do not recall Shinji's birthday ever being celebrated last year. You may have to ask Toji or Kensuke about that. And as for Asuka's, in the aftermath of the Revenant attack, and the renewed focus on training and preparing for Arael, Asuka's was… forgotten." she said the last word with a blush of embarrassment.
Eleanor nodded. "Don't feel too bad about it, Rei. Even Asuka seems to have forgotten. So…" she trailed off, a gleam entering her eyes.
Rei looked back up as she began to connect the dots. "Are you saying we should celebrate together?" she said, a smile growing on her face.
Eleanor smiled back at Rei. "Well, after everything that's happened," she said, as her smile dimmed, "and everything that's likely about to happen, we need a spot of happiness in our lives before we plunge into the night, as it were."
Eleanor chuckled. "And, if things go well, then Daniel coming back will be quite the birthday present, don't you think?"
Eleanor did not need to see Rei's soul to see the joy that shone from her. She tightened her hug as she buried her face into Eleanor's side. "That would be amazing, Eleanor. Thank you."
Eleanor couldn't help but smile. "Of course, Rei."
. . .
1 Week Later, Early March 2016
Daniel Theisman became cognizant again. 'Ah. Well then.' he thought, somewhat surprised that legible thought was also on the table. 'I wonder how long it's been.'
He felt a weight all around him, almost but not quite cold, that seemed to block any sort of perception he could currently lay claim to. 'And that would be the Flux. It feels like there's… a lot. Was I really that careless?'
Then, memory decided to do a cannonball into the swimming pool that was his line of thought, and he remembered what, exactly, brought him to this current point in time. The sight of the Angel, wearing Rei's face. The explosion, and the pain that went with it. The almost unthinking desperation of running, running, all the way to the point where Rei's Entry Plug had crashed, and holding her in his arms. The grim resolve as he tore his Frame, his very soul, apart, so she could live. 'Well then.' he thought again, far more soberly. He hoped that he'd gotten there in time.
As he ruminated, he felt another presence and perceived the distinct impression of the smell of the ocean, the gentle crash of waves as the Flux around them was cut apart and siphoned away. 'Eleanor.' he thought, first in relief, then in guilt. She was probably going to be quite mad, wasn't she?
The Frames that were Eleanor's scalpels retracted, and another Frame reached out and bound itself to a small, reaching tendril of Daniel's own. "Eleanor?" he said, tentatively.
The distinct impression of a slap across the face was his first answer. It was quiet for a moment as he contemplated this before Eleanor answered. "You idiot! Going off and playing hero like that instead of just waiting for me? Really?"
Daniel felt a spike of guilt. "I can't hide behind the heat of the moment, can I?"
"No, Daniel. You can't." Eleanor said hotly. Then it was quiet again for a moment. "But… you remembered. Rei knows that you remembered. I should have remembered that."
Daniel was silent for a moment. "You're still right, though. I should have waited. Then, I wouldn't be…" he trailed off. "Where am I, actually?"
A sigh. "You are currently in a tank of LCL that was rather hastily made ready by Ritsuko and Maya, being tended to by myself and Hikari." a pause. "She says you were, and I quote, 'quite foolish and should have waited for us to help'."
Daniel chuckled. "I'm not surprised. And I'm guessing most of the others have something to say to that effect."
"You would be correct." Eleanor said. "Now, I really should get back to work so that you aren't so clogged with Flux that you can't go beyond being in a coma."
Eleanor disconnected herself, and the scalpel-vacuums reappeared and got back to work.
'Oh, Eleanor.' Daniel thought, not for the first time, and surely not for the last. 'Who did I make happy enough to get you? Besides your father and brother?'
. . .
1 Week Later
Asuka, Shinji, Rei, and Kaworu walked down the street, returning home from school. Not as many cars passed by as they had in the past, and the classroom was getting emptier and emptier. The writing was on the wall. The Angels, once tolerated and hidden away from, had finally seemed to have broken the courage of many residents to stay. Many of the businesses in the city had become closed until further notice, and homes had started to pop up as 'For Sale' more and more along their route home.
In short, the city was becoming a ghost of itself. And all of the Children felt this keenly. Especially when Kensuke, Sayaka, and Kyoko's families moved to Tokyo-2.
They, on the other hand, had to stay, after all. It was their duty. Their responsibility. Their families had to stay, too.
So, to take their minds off of the mounting pressure, the dread of what they could guess was coming, they talked about the birthday party. Asuka and Shinji had been nearly overjoyed at the idea. And, with the hope that their help could ensure that Daniel could be there, they spent as much time as Eleanor and Ritsuko would allow trying to help Hikari and Eleanor clean Daniel out of the Flux inside of him.
They chatted about cakes and candles and decorations, Kaworu almost giddy at the thought of celebrating the simple fact that someone existed, the other three basking in his excitement.
As they turned onto an alleyway that now was flanked only by rows of empty houses, Rei's smile dimmed as she slowed to a stop. She looked down slightly as the others turned to regard her with confusion and concern on their faces. "Rei?" Kaworu said softly, walking up to her. "What's wrong?"
"We'll need to finish the show now. Soon, I feel." Rei said quietly, and mirth departed from the group as all of them adopted the serious look Rei's face held. "If what I am assuming happens next, SEELE would intend to move their plans forward in the event of Kaworu's death." she said and looked back up at the others. "If the Scenario has depended on the deaths of the other Angels, then, likely…" she trailed off. "Such would be the case here, too."
They all looked at each other silently as the weight of such a scenario settled on their shoulders heavily.
Shinji fixed his gaze on Rei, a determined look growing in his eyes. "Then we protect him. We're Eva pilots. We're Interfacers. We've fought gods and monsters and saved the world dozens of times. We protect humanity. So, what's the added challenge, really?"
Shinji was silent for a moment, then looked away and blushed slightly. Asuka nodded, putting a hand on Shinji's shoulder as she looked at Kaworu. "Shinji's right, Kritzeln. We're here to protect each other. It's as simple as that."
Kaworu smiled slightly. "Thank you. All of you."
The Children nodded. Then they blinked. Something was… off. It wasn't just quiet now. It was… silent. Completely. No birds sang, no horns honked, no sound of any kind from the outside world seemed to reach them.
The Children looked around them as the end of the alleyway that they had come from seemed to shimmer and distort. They looked back up the alleyway as well, then slowly circled around Kaworu and began to walk again, almost creeping towards the other end of the alley.
As they rounded a bend in the alley, they came face to face with four familiar forms. They had grown slightly larger, yes, but they all knew the Revenants all the same.
This time, however, as Asuka, Shinji and Rei put themselves between Kaworu and their Grips seemed to appear out of thin air, they were far more ready than they were even only a few months ago.
The Revenants seemed content to wait and watch as the Children's chosen weapons sprang to life. Shinji began to float off the ground, and Asuka and Rei entered ready stances, Rei raising a rapier of stained glass, and Asuka holding forward a gleaming damascened great sword as dagger-like shards of metal floated behind her.
Kaworu's blade was a simple curved saber of iridescent Plasm, but it would be enough to defend him, as the Revenants finally approached. Each seemed intent on single combat, which now surprised none of them, and the Children spread out as far as they dared to give each other room.
Then, the Revenants rushed forward, seeming to stretch as the Children stepped forward to meet them.
They were as gelatinous as they had been, perhaps even a little more, as they stretched and contorted out of the way of blows that would have bisected their Frames. Asuka had more success than the others, her flying shards of metal puncturing her opponent from time to time, punching holes into its Frame and causing it to stagger. Shinji did a flip over the head of the one that he engaged, swinging down with his spear and striking it on the shoulder, cutting deep and shattering the Frame there.
The Revenant that faced Rei, on the other hand, seemed to drive towards her relentlessly, battering aside her blows and driving her back. It got within her weapon's reach, and before she could make her weapon any shorter to compensate, it grabbed ahold of her head with both arms, and pain erupted in her head. It was like Arael all over again, as it felt like the Revenant combed through her brain, and her memories and thoughts were laid bare.
"Rei!" Kaworu shouted, but he could do little more than that as his opponent pressed down on him with greater ferocity. He had to save her. He couldn't let her be hurt like this again. He could help her. He needed to.
As these thoughts raced through his mind, his AT Field, his birthright as the descendant of an Angel, unfurled almost on instinct and trapped the Revenant before him in a box of oscillating rainbow octagons. As it struggled to escape, Kaworu's sword became a long, broad-headed spear, and a hole opened up in the box as his AT Field held the struggling Revenant in place.
Kaworu jabbed the now gleaming blade deep into the Revenant's chest, shattering its core, and as he released his AT Field, the Revenant's body flowed to the ground as an inert pile of Plasm.
As all this transpired, Rei felt the weight on her mind lift after what finally seemed like too long, and the Revenant retreated, its companions doing the same, with holes and a deep gash from shoulder to stomach decorating the other two as they similarly backed away.
After a moment, they turned and ran. "Hey! Get back here and let us finish the job!" Asuka shouted after them. "Cowards!"
Shinji touched down and looked back at Rei and Kaworu. Rei got to her feet, rubbing her head. Kaworu, on the other hand, looked down at the slowly expanding puddle of Plasm at his feet with no small amount of shock.
"Rei?" Shinji said, walking towards her. "Are you okay?"
Asuka turned back, her eyes filling with concern as she took in the sight of her friend. Rei nodded after a moment. "I'll be fine… I think." Rei said.
"What did it do to you, Rei?" Asuka said, her blade and shards disappearing as she walked over to Rei.
Rei shook her head. "I am… unsure. It seemed to be attacking my mind directly in much the same fashion as Arael did."
Kaworu suppressed a shudder as he remembered what Arael had done to the both of them. "Why, though? The last time they attacked, they may have used our fears against us, but they never tried to…" he trailed off as he considered what other thing that the Revenant could have done.
"Look through our memories." Rei said, and her head dipped in thought as they heard the tweeting of birds above them again. Then she looked back up at all of them. "Did any of the other Revenants attempt to grab you as they did me?"
After a moment of consideration, the other three shook their heads. "No. At least mine didn't seem to." Shinji said. "I was floating around at the time, so I'd probably be pretty hard to catch."
Asuka nodded. "And I punched mine full of enough holes and kept it away, so it never got the chance to get close enough to me."
Kaworu looked back at the Plasm that had begun to make its way towards a storm drain. "And… my AT Field helped me take care of that one."
Asuka cracked a small smile. "Congratulations, Kritzeln. You scored your first Revenant kill."
Kaworu smiled slightly and blushed just as slightly. "Thank you, Asuka."
Shinji nodded and smiled at Kaworu and smiled, then the smile dimmed after a moment. "The point still stands. The Revenants seemed to be after our memories. And they only got Rei's. That's the moment they decided to cut their losses and run. So the question becomes… what do they want with our memories?"
The Children's expressions became serious. "Good question, Shinji." Asuka said. "On top of that," she continued, "what are they going to do with just Rei's memories?"
The questions ate at them. It annoyed them all to one extent or another that, really, they just didn't know.
Rei shook her head. "Perhaps we will find out. But for now, let's get home. We've done quite enough standing around out in the open."
"Agreed." Shinji said, turning to walk again. "Let's go."
. . .
They arrived home safely, much to their relief, after sending a quick text to Hikari and Toji as they walked home as quickly as they could. Misato was still out at work, likely dealing with the utterly humongous amount of paperwork that Unit-00's destruction brought in its wake. Kaji, on the other hand, looked up from the couch as he muted the TV. "Hey, kids. It's a little later than usual. Traffic hold you up?"
Asuka shook her head. "No. Revenants did."
Kaji's bemused face became serious as he stood up from the couch. "Well, it doesn't look like any of you are seriously hurt. Did you face all of them?"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. The ones that were left after Christmas Eve, at least. The thing is…" he shook his head. "They didn't seem to want to kill us. Or at least, we don't think so."
Kaji's brow rose. "Oh, really? Then what did they do?"
Rei shook her head. "One of them… seemed to look through my memories. After it did that, they all ran. They may have been after all of our memories, but… I'm not so sure."
Kaji shook his head after a moment of silence. "Well, I don't know what to tell you. Keep an eye out, really, but I can assume that you'll already be doing that."
The Children all nodded. "Well," Shinji said after a moment, "I'll get dinner started, but you and Misato will be eating on your own tonight. All of us, along with Hikari and Toji, are doing a group date in the Infinity Box."
Kaji nodded as he smiled. "Ah well. I understand. Movie night?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "However did you know?"
Kaji chuckled slightly. "Because you've turned Rei and Kaworu into cinephiles, it's not the hardest guess in the world. Got a movie planned?"
It was silent for the briefest of moments. "We'll be deciding on one with Hikari and Toji when they arrive." Rei said.
Kaji nodded after a moment. 'My. She's quite good at lying, isn't she?' he would let it slide. For now. "Alright then. You kids have fun." he said lightly.
. . .
The Infinity Box
The Children all stared almost anxiously at the television screen that the back wall had become from the comfort of the long couch. They had witnessed themselves being… broken. In one way, or another. Now, they would witness… the end. There wasn't anyone in the room that wasn't filled with some sort of trepidation going into this.
After a moment of pensive silence, Asuka took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's finish this."
. . .
Episode 25: A World That's Ending/Do you love me?
They watched silently as the Human Instrumentality Project, as seen through the eyes of Shinji Ikari, began, and a wall of text, accompanied by a seemingly omniscient voice from the darkness, interrogated a huddled, defeated Shinji Ikari. Then, they watched as Asuka seemingly threw his words at her feet with contempt in her voice, then as Rei cooly did the same.
They watched as Rei and Asuka underwent similar interrogations, as the screen showed Unit-02 at the bottom of a lake, Asuka curled up inside as she lamented how useless she had become, and how she feared to be isolated. Alone.
They watched Rei, and Rei, and yet another Rei, all converse with themselves, and wonder at whether any of them were the real Rei Ayanami. They watched as they came to the conclusion that, in the end, none of them were, and that the personality behind Rei Ayanami lurked somewhere beyond.
They watched as Gendo, Misato, and Ritsuko each explained what, exactly, Instrumentality was. As Misato and Ritsuko argued over whether or not humanity had any right to initiate it.
They all glanced away with blushes of various degrees as the Shinji of the show gained a voyeuristic peek at Misato and Kaji in the middle of passionate sex. As Misato faced herself, her wants, and her fears.
They returned to Asuka and the conflict that seemed ready to tear her apart in front of the Shinji of the show's very eyes.
As the episode finished, Shinji looked down in thought. "I wonder… would Instrumentality really be that introspective?"
All eyes turned to Rei, and she cupped her chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps. It is a unification of all souls on Earth, after all. In the last moments, before it begins in earnest, I am sure many would find something to pontificate on."
Everyone nodded slowly. "Well," Toji said after a moment. "I hope there isn't too much in the way of that next episode. I can only take so much navel-gazing."
The room was filled for a moment with a low chuckle that faded away all too quickly. "Well, jock," Asuka said, "you've got at least one more episode of it, and whatever's in the movie, then we won't have to worry about navel-gazing about what could have been again."
. . .
Episode 26: The Beast that Shouted Love at the Heart of the World/Take care of yourself.
The Children settled in and watched as Shinji went on an increasingly surreal trip through his own mind, images of nature playing out as Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and Misato asked themselves searching, deep questions.
They watched as Shinji grappled with his feelings, his passions, his fears. Shinji gasped slightly as he heard the voice of his mother, even after speaking to her again, as she told him only he could find happiness.
They watched as the screen became white as paper, and Shinji an outline of himself. They watched as Gendo stepped in to define the world Shinji floated through, as simple as drawing a line to denote a two-dimensional separation of ground and sky.
They all blinked as Shinji on the screen woke up to another world. A calmer world. A normal world. At least, as much calmer as it could be with Asuka shouting at him to wake up.
They watched with small, soft smiles as Shinji and Asuka worried about normal things, like getting to school on time, and who the new transfer student might be. As Gendo and Yui stood in the apartment, alive and together and loving. At least as loving as Gendo could be hidden behind a newspaper.
They watched as Rei became an interesting, yet fully human girl, and Misato a school teacher, and the world became… normal. It was… enticing, to think that they could live normal lives, be normal people.
Then the vision faded, and their smiles along with it, and Shinji sat in an empty auditorium, with only his voice, and an invisible other, to keep him company.
They smiled again as Shinji came to the conclusion that, yes, he could love himself, that he could be himself and stay where he was. They watched as the dark auditorium shattered, the view replaced with a daylight sky and a coral reef in a deep blue sea, as all the people Shinji cared about congratulated him.
Then, the episode, and thus the series, ended.
The Children sat in silence for a moment. "Man." Shinji said. "At least I finally seemed to find happiness, in the end."
Asuka nodded, her smile becoming a wry grin. "And all it took was the end of the world for you to finally get it."
A chuckle rippled through the air in the Infinity Box. Then, Rei leaned forward and picked up a lone DVD case from the coffee table some of them had propped their feet up on and studied it intently. "Now… we watch the end." she said quietly.
. . .
Episode 25': Air/Love is Destructive
The Children sat shocked into silence, as events picked up from Episode 24, and Shinji… released his tension onto a comatose Asuka.
Shinji shook his head, standing and circling back to behind the couch in silence as the movie paused after the scene, his face in his hands.
After a moment, Asuka stood, and slowly made her way towards Shinji. As she reached him, watching him shake his head, she slowly laid a hand on his shoulder.
Shinji flinched, and Asuka stepped back as Shinji looked at her with the most intense loathing she had ever seen. Even from herself.
"I… I…" Shinji said, trailing off as his mouth opened and closed wordlessly.
Asuka stepped forward and gave him a tight hug. "Shinji. I'm right here. I'm right here. We're not whoever is on the screen. I promise."
Shinji squeezed back tightly, shuddering slightly. After a moment, the shuddering stopped, and Shinji took a deep breath before exiting the embrace and looking at Asuka with gratitude. "Thank you." he said simply.
"Of course, Shinji." Asuka said. A look of determination filled her eyes. "Now, let's finish this. Together."
Shinji nodded, and they sat back down on the couch, as the movie began to play again.
They watched as Misato reviewed what she had learned. What had led to Kaji's death. They watched as Gendo and Fuyutsuki confronted SEELE one last time, as they blamed the two men for the loss of the Lance. As they stated that Unit-01, born of Lilith, and possessing an S2 Engine, would be the only thing left that was able to initiate Instrumentality. And, finally, as SEELE promised Gendo Ikari the death he seemed to seek.
They watched as SEELE began its assault, first striking through the digital realm with the combined power of five Magi systems. It was only Ritsuko's hastily erected '666' firewall that kept them at bay.
Then, the JSSDF stepped in, and the attack began in earnest. The Children watched in stunned silence as the soldiers brutally murdered anyone they came across, and a spike of fear drove itself into their hearts as Shinji fled into the depths of Central Dogma.
They watched as Misato gave command to Hyuga to go find Shinji, and as Gendo did the same to Fuyutsuki to go retrieve Rei.
They watched as a comatose Asuka was placed in Unit-02, and then at the bottom of the Geofront lake.
The silence felt especially heavy as Tokyo-3, the city they defended, was swept away by the baleful light of an N2 strike, and the Geofront laid bare.
They watched as Misato narrowly saved Shinji from an execution that he seemed to welcome, and they rushed towards Unit-01, and Misato explained the nature of humanity's role as the 18th Angel, the children of Lilith.
They watched as Asuka woke up, aided by the depth charges that seemed to keep pelting her. As she realized her mama was inside Unit-02 the whole time.
"Come on…" Asuka whispered, as Unit-02 lifted the massive weight of the destroyer that circled the lake above her head, and threw it at the JSSDF forces. As Asuka dispatched the rest of the forces that stood against her with almost contemptuous ease, even as they severed her umbilical cable.
Then they watched as the nine Mass-Production Evas, pale white and eyeless with thick, red lips and creepy, geometric smiles, circled down towards the Geofront, and the waiting Unit-02, on massive wings, and all of them suppressed a shudder at the sight.
A rising sensation of hope, of defiance, took a hold of them as they watched Asuka show her skills as an Eva pilot, achieving a synch score that was almost ludicrous compared to where she had started at the beginning of the movie, dancing from Eva to Eva with a terrible grace, the blood of the MP-Evas caking onto Unit-02 as Asuka found her determination.
They watched as Shinji and Misato continued their flight towards Unit-01, and gasped quietly as Misato took the bullets that were fired at them as they reached the elevator door. As she begged Shinji to pilot Unit-01 again. They cringed as Misato kissed Shinji deeply, and threw him into the elevator with a promise.
Then, the sight of a dying Misato was swept away by an explosion. The movie paused as the Children fell silent, tears pricking everyone's eyes, Shinji and Asuka's especially.
After a moment of silent consolation, the movie continued, and they watched Shinji sob as he looked down at the bloody necklace of his guardian.
They watched Gendo retrieve Rei from her vigil at the broken tank that once held her other bodies, and informed her that the time had come.
They all groaned as they watched the MP-Evas begin to stand again, and as Asuka blocked an oncoming heavy spear with her AT Field, they felt a surge of hope.
Hope became horror as the spear spiraled and twisted into a grey replica of the Lance of Longinus, and it tore through her AT Field, hitting Unit-02 in the eye. Asuka's eye exploded with it as she howled in pain, and the MP-Evas descended on Unit-02, tearing it apart as Asuka screamed.
As the MP-Evas lifted off, Asuka and Unit-02 reached a defiant arm to the heavens. They were met with a Lance that bisected the arms of both Eva and pilot down the middle. And Asuka continued to scream. Right up to the moment that Lances from all the rest of the Evas perforated Unit-02's decimated body. And Shinji heard all of this, on an elevator that scrolled ever downward, and in front of a Unit-01 that was encased in Bakelite.
The scene cut to Gendo and a nude Rei staring up at Lilith. Ritsuko stood in front of them with a revolver and a detonator in hand. As she stated her intention to blow up the facility before they could initiate Instrumentality.
The Children watched Ritsuko's shock as the detonator failed, and Ritsuko surmised that the Magi, the part that was based on her mother as a woman, decided to choose Gendo over her.
They watched as Gendo leveled his own pistol at Ritsuko, and said something the movie cloaked in silence.
As Ritsuko smirked. "You liar."
A gunshot, and the splash of LCL as Ritsuko's body hit it. They watched in dawning horror as visions of a multitude of Reis began to appear above Lilith.
They watched as Shinji seemed to lose all hope in front of Unit-01. Then, with a mighty crash, Unit-01 broke free of the plastic prison and reached out to Shinji as he wondered if his mother's soul was calling to him.
They watched as the top of the Geofront pyramid exploded into a massive cross, then transformed into massive wings as Unit-01 bellowed its challenge to the heavens. Inside the Entry Plug, Shinji screamed as he saw the remains of Unit-02.
Then, 'TO BE CONTINUED...' flashed across the screen.
The movie was paused, and the Children all felt the sensation of the Infinity Box lifting out of time as Rei made it so. After a moment of stunned silence, Rei spoke quietly. "I believe we might need a moment before we finish this."
Asuka, tears flowing down her face as she and Shinji hugged each other tightly, nodded. "Yeah." she said in a husky voice. "Yeah, I think we do."
. . .
It took the better part of half an hour before the Children felt themselves ready to continue. There was little in the way of discussion. Simply holding each other in consolation. After all, who wanted to talk about what had happened to… most all of them? Or what might happen next?
But, in the end, the next, the last, title card appeared on the screen.
Episode 26': Sincerely Yours/ONE MORE FINAL: I need you.
The Children sat in silence as the events of the next episode washed over them. As Rei's arm fell off, and Gendo inserted Adam, embedded in his hand, into Rei's body in perhaps one of the creepiest ways possible.
As Shinji's anguish seemingly called the true Lance of Longinus back from the moon, and SEELE joyfully commenced Instrumentality.
They watched as the Mass Produced Evas crucified Unit-01, and made the pattern of the Tree of Life. As they overloaded their S2 Engines and created an Anti AT Field. As the Evas commenced Third Impact.
They watched silently as an enormous explosion, shaped eerily like an eye, shattered Japan, and uncovered the Geofront, the Black Moon, after so long spent being buried.
They watched as Rei consumed Adam, and Gendo's hand, as she rejected Gendo and regrew her arm, floating into the air towards Lilith as Gendo pleaded with her to change her mind. They watched as Rei, displaying joy in the show for perhaps the first time, declared she was home, and Lilith, for the first time ever, replied.
Then… things started to get really weird.
Surreal imagery washed over all of them, as Lilith flew out of the Geofront, and the physical process of Instrumentality broke Shinji and Unit-01 mentally. They watched as Unit-01's wings became a giant cross, the Tree of Life, and shuddered at Fuyutsuki's proclamation that the fate of the world was in Shinji's hands, as Shinji and Unit-01 were absorbed into Lilith.
Then, the visions began. A child version of Shinji building the destroyed Geofront pyramid in the sand of a playground, doll-like versions of Asuka and Rei helping him as studio lights and scaffolding surrounded them. Shinji destroying the pyramid in a fit of childish rage, then beginning to rebuild it again.
The image of Shinji and Asuka naked on top of each other, as Shinji told an annoyed Asuka just how alike they were, then Misato and Kaji having sex as Shinji watched in disgust, then onto a train car where Asuka and Misato and Rei all tried to console a frightened, indignant Shinji, then onward, or backward, to… the kiss.
Or, at least, it looked at first like it was the kiss. And the Children watched in sorrow as a cold, distant Asuka denied Shinji's want to be with her forever, recriminated him for simply wanting to have someone who paid attention to him.
Their shock turned to horror as Shinji, tossing chairs and the table aside in his grief as he begged Asuka to help him, finally snapped as she refused him, rushing up and beginning to savagely choke her. And Instrumentality began.
As Shinji declared that it would be better that everyone simply disappeared, the Black Moon and Unit-01 rose into the sky, Lilith taking it into her hands as massive wings sprouted from her back.
As for what happened next… It washed over all of them, seeming to drown them in the beautiful sorrow and spectacle of a world ending, of a broken boy experiencing… everything.
They watched with bated breath as Shinji spoke with Rei, and came to the conclusion he had in the show in a far more somber fashion, as Lilith seemed to begin to fall apart in graphic detail.
They watched as Unit-01 burst out of the red eye of Lilith, growing wings of light, as the Black Moon exploded, and the Mass Production Evas, impaled on their replica Lances, exploded as well, and all the gathered souls of humanity flowed back towards the Earth.
They watched intently, Shinji most of all, as the Shinji on the screen spoke with his mother for the last time. As they watched Yui Ikari explain to Fuyutsuki why she wanted to be in the core of an Evangelion, to stand as a monument to humanity after it had passed on from the universe. Tears filled Shinji's eyes as he watched Unit-01, and his mother along with it, float into the depths of space, carrying the Lance along with it.
They watched as Shinji emerged from a sea of LCL, half of the face of Lilith standing vigil over a silent world. They saw a row of crosses, one kicked over, and another draped with Misato's necklace. They saw the vision of the Mass Production Evas, petrified and seemingly crucified, scattered across the landscape.
And they saw Shinji laying on a white beach next to a bandaged Asuka, hands almost but not quite touching. Watched as Shinji sat up and saw an apparition of Rei on the sea disappear, then noticed Asuka.
They gasped quietly as Shinji once again began to strangle Asuka, then stopped as Asuka caressed his face gently, almost tenderly. As Shinji broke down sobbing, Asuka had one last thing to say. "How disgusting."
The final scene was a sight of the red sea LCL, the white beach which the two broken children lay on, the night sky broken up by a stripe of red, the stone Evas with arms spread wide. Then, white, with the black word 'END.' in the corner. Then, the screen went dark.
. . .
An exhausted sigh passed through the group. It was done. They had done it.
Otherwise, it was silent, as the Children all clung to each other desperately, as if they would drown in the tears that threatened to roll down their faces.
After what felt like forever, Rei extricated herself from Kaworu's embrace and stood with a deep breath. "It's over." she said, not bothering to hide the relief in her voice. "We know what will most likely happen next." she continued as she turned to face the rest of the Children. "Now, we can stop it."
The others looked up, then nodded slowly one after the other. "Yeah." Shinji said quietly, then paused. "I… I lost everything. I almost…"
Asuka looked up and put a finger to Shinji's lips as she shook her head. "No, Shinji." she said quietly. "That's not you. That's not me. That's not anyone we know that was on that screen. Not anymore. We might kind of know what SEELE's going to do next, but they won't find you like you were on that screen. You won't be alone. You'll have all of us. You'll have me. We'll be together. And together, we win, Shinji."
Shinji smiled slightly. "Simple as that." he said quietly.
Asuka smiled back at him. "Simple as that. I knew I trained you well, rookie."
They chuckled quietly, then looked around them. Shinji's eyes fell on Hikari and Toji. "Hey. You two okay?" Shinji asked quietly as they looked over at him.
Toji nodded after a moment. "Yeah, Shin-man. We'll be fine. But you… damn, man…"
Shinji shook his head. "You heard Asuka, I'm sure. That's not me. I… as weird as it is to say this, I'm better than myself."
Toji and Hikari nodded. "Even still," Hikari said, "it must be hard, knowing that that could have potentially been what happened. That, somewhere else…"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. But… there was one thing that we have that the show's version of us didn't. Outside help."
"Mr. Theisman." Kaworu quietly said, drawing all eyes to him. "If I am remembering correctly, you have stated that Mr. Theisman's first exposure to this world, to us, was through what we just watched."
Rei nodded. "It's no wonder, then, that he would go to such great lengths to help us."
The others nodded. After a moment, Asuka stood, pulling Shinji up with her. "We should probably get going, now." she rolled her eyes. "There's still homework to do, even with the end of the world approaching."
The others chuckled and stood as well. As much as they wanted it to not be so, Asuka was still right. At least, for now.
- - -
1 Week Later
Shinji, Asuka, Kaworu, and Rei all looked up at the LCL tank where Daniel rested. He'd made considerable progress, with their help, even as they all chastised him for pulling something so heroically stupid.
He was awake, for one, and looked around the room. His arms and legs twitched every now and again, the Frame not having been fully completed in them yet. Eleanor and Hikari were in the middle of fixing that, each working on one of his arms as Ritsuko and Maya studied the process intently.
In the meantime, the other four Children present engaged Daniel in conversation, which had become much easier now that he could actually speak, his voice only somewhat distorted by the speaker that carried it to them.
They had floated from one topic to the next, when Daniel, even behind glass and LCL as he was, proved his perception. "You guys seem… off, somewhat. Did something happen after the Revenant attack?"
It was quiet for a moment, and all of the Children paused for a moment, even Hikari holding her Frame's position for just a second before she returned to her work. "Well…" Shinji said after a moment. "We watched Neon Genesis Evangelion. And the End of Evangelion." he said quietly.
All eyes turned to them, Ritsuko and Maya's eyes widening, Eleanor's full of resigned acceptance.
Daniel's eyes were filled with worry, evident through the orange haze. It was silent for a moment before Daniel spoke again. "Are you all okay?" he said to all of them.
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. It took a little while to get over it, but… yeah. We'll be okay. This world won't be like what we saw."
Daniel nodded as much as he could. "I dearly hope so. And I'm sure it will be."
"Yeah." Asuka said. "Especially once you finally get out of that tank and back on your feet." she said as she smiled.
Daniel chuckled quietly. "Yes." he looked over at Eleanor as best he could. "How long do you estimate that will take, honey?"
Eleanor glanced up and to the side as she thought for a moment. "Well, if the others get off their butts and keep helping me," she said as she looked back at the Children with a wry grin, "then you've got maybe a week, week and a half tops, before you're able to walk around."
Asuka sniffed in mock indignation. "Well, we're quite tired, Eleanor. It's not our fault that we had synch tests today!" Asuka's indignation faded into happiness. "Especially when it's Hikari's first with Unit-03 after what happened with Bardiel."
Daniel's eyes widened, a smile almost visible behind the fog of his rebreather, as he looked over at a slightly smiling Hikari. "And how did that go?"
Hikari's smile widened. "It was good to talk with my mother again. She… well, she gave Kaworu some respect after Armisael, but she's far more relaxed now that I'm the pilot of Unit-03 again."
Daniel smiled slightly. "That's great, Hikari."
After a moment, Daniel looked back at the other four. "Well, I think the boss made things pretty clear, don't you think?" he said, shooting a quick glance at Eleanor.
The Children chuckled and stood, walking over towards the tank.
. . .
The Children stepped back into Misato's apartment, weary but happy, as Misato followed behind. Helping with healing Daniel had drained them even further than even the synch tests usually did, but they had made excellent progress. Daniel had even waved goodbye as they left.
"I hope you four can get your schoolwork done after today." Misato said in mock seriousness. "I might even get a call from the school about you all, what with how tired you all look."
They all rolled their eyes. "Well," Shinji said, "I hope I'm not tired enough to not cook dinner. Then, well… we'd have to rely on your cooking skills to save the day and have us properly fed."
Misato's eyes widened in genuine shock. "Alright, let's talk about this." she said with the utmost seriousness.
The Children all laughed, and Asuka looked at Rei and Kaworu. "You two staying over for dinner?"
Rei and Kaworu nodded. "We'd be delighted to." Rei said.
Shinji cooked up a wonderful dinner, as always, and Shinji, Asuka, Rei, Kaworu, Misato, and Kaji did as best they could in terms of table space, two padded folding chairs set up for Rei and Kaworu at either end of the table.
As they ate, they talked about the day, how Daniel was doing, the synch tests, and other various topics. It was during a lull in the conversation that Kaji decided to make his move. "So, what was movie night about?" he said casually, a carefully hidden look of intent in his eyes.
The table fell silent, and the Children's faces dropped. "Well…" Asuka said.
"We watched the series that Daniel said was based on our universe." Rei said quietly. "Neon Genesis Evangelion."
Kaji and Misato's brows rose. "Really?" Misato said slowly. "Did they at least do a good job? Or was it terribly campy?" she said with a sly grin.
That grin slowly vanished as the Children looked at her with what could best be described as haunted. "No, Misato." Shinji said quietly. "It isn't too campy."
They got back to their dinner in silence, and silence held sway over the table for the next few minutes as they ate. "So," Kaji said, breaking the silence, "how did you pull that off?"
Rei looked at Kaji. "Daniel's vessel, or, more appropriately, the soul who manages it, has access to all the Receptor records of this universe. It wasn't hard to find which one Daniel had watched, with her guidance."
Kaji nodded slowly. "Alright, then. Maybe we'll go ahead and take a look at what you watched." he said, shooting a look at Misato, who nodded. "It'll be nice to know what might be coming."
Shinji sighed quietly. "Just… don't try and watch it all at once." he said, looking intently at Kaji.
"We'll keep that in mind, Shinji." Misato said quietly. It was silent again for a moment, then Misato's face brightened slightly. "So, how's the birthday party coming along?" she said.
The Children's faces brightened considerably on the change in subject. Misato smiled softly as they talked about something seemingly normal. And for a moment, she pretended that they really were a family.
. . .
Dinner was finished, and everyone made their way to bed. As Shinji got ready, he looked down at his phone again, and a now familiar line of thought started up once again.
Why should he invite his father? He had done nothing but treat him like garbage since mother entered the core of Unit-01. But… he was trying to be better now, too. Ever since he had gotten to talk with mother again.
Shinji recalled the words Asuka had said to him when he had first brought up the quandary to her. "Shinji, I honestly don't think you need the potential letdown of having your father celebrating something he never even bothered to remember over the course of your life. But… if you want to give him a chance… if you think that he deserves this… then I'll support you. Even if I do grumble about it."
Now, with the party coming up soon, he had to make a choice. He picked up the phone and opened the text messages. He saw the answer he had given to his father after he had asked to talk with him on that fateful day. 'Asuka's right. He won't deserve this. But…'
He typed out an invitation.
- - -
March 27th, 2016
Daniel Theisman waited patiently as the LCL gurgled down the drain, his feet touching solid ground again at last. Finally, finally, he was free to go. And not a moment too soon, he mused. The birthday party was coming up soon. A spot of light before the darkness they would surely be entering.
Daniel took off the mask, and the tank swung open, allowing him to step down onto the floor, as the Children, along with Misato, Kaji, Ritsuko, Maya, and his wife, all clapped.
Daniel raised his hands. "I'm sure there are more than a few of you looking to either give me a hug or punch me in the arm. More than likely, it's a little bit of both." the others chuckled slightly as he paused. "But… I want to shower and get into some regular clothes first. I'll let the line form once that happens."
Heads nodded, and Daniel smiled slightly. "It's good to be back."
Eleanor walked to his side, planting a quick kiss on a cheek still damp with LCL. "And it's good to have you back."
She turned to Ritsuko and Maya. "I'll go ahead and take him home then, if that's alright with you, Doctor?"
Ritsuko smiled slightly. "I release him into your care, Eleanor."
Eleanor nodded, and she looked at the others. "We'll see you later."
A standing wall of water appeared in front of them, and Daniel and Eleanor walked into it, disappearing as the wall crashed to the floor, leaving no trace of its presence.
- - -
3 Days Later
Today was the day. A banner hung over the entryway into Misato's apartment. 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHINJI/ASUKA/REI!' it read, and balloons of purple, red, and blue lined the hallway. Gendo Ikari took all of this in, a bag in his hand, as Misato stood next to him and tried not to squirm. "The decorations are well made." he said, trying to be casual. Misato nodded silently.
She had been warned he would come. Hell, they all had been. Misato had a mind when that happened to try and get Shinji to stop his father from coming. But… Shinji seemed sure about this. And… 'What I would give for the chance Shinji's getting to have with my father…'
And, speaking of Shinji, the young man rounded the corner from the kitchen. His smile, broad and happy, dimed somewhat as he stepped forward, coming to a stop in front of Gendo. It was silent for a moment as they sized each other up. "Father." Shinji said levelly.
"Shinji." Gendo said. He looked down, and surprised Misato by seeming… embarrassed? Anxious? Surely impossible things for the ever implacable Commander Ikari. "Thank you for inviting me." he said quietly.
Shinji nodded. Then, Shinji stepped into an embrace, catching both his father and Misato off guard as he hugged his father.
Gendo's arms were to his sides slightly, seeming almost to not know what to do. Then, slowly, Gendo returned the embrace, tears welling up in his eyes.
After a moment, Shinji stepped out of the embrace and looked up at his father. "Thank you for coming." he said quietly. Then, he turned. "Come on. The party is about to start."
As Shinji turned, he caught sight of Asuka and Rei peeking past the doorway, and nodded slightly as he approached them.
As Shinji walked towards his friends, Gendo breathed deeply and adjusted his grip on his bag. "Very well, Major Katsuragi. Let us go join the party."
Misato nodded yet again. This was going to be… interesting. Yes, that was the word for it.
. . .
The party went well, Gendo's presence only slightly putting a crimp in the celebrations. There were more balloons in the kitchen, and a cake, crafted lovingly by Hikari and her family, was separated into three quadrants, colored much like the balloons, each with two candles in their center making the number 16.
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei all got their 'Happy Birthday' song, and they blew out the candles to applause. All there enjoyed the cake, giving their regards to Hikari, who blushed as she accepted the thanks.
Eventually, it came time to open gifts. Asuka received a new video game, a new swimsuit, and gift cards for the department stores in the mall (the ones that were still open, at least). Shinji got new sound-canceling headphones, a music book, and a pack of strings for his cello. Rei also received a music book for her viola, along with a few movies that she particularly wanted to see.
All of them received drawings of them made by Kaworu, who blushed as he smiled at their thanks.
After that, all eyes turned to Gendo, who had grabbed the bag from the counter it had sat on for the duration of the party, and opened it. "It would be remiss of me to be a guest at a party and not bring gifts." he said as he dug out the items he had wrapped in brown paper. "Especially when that party celebrates my son."
He passed out the items, two each to the Children, as they began to unwrap them.
"Shinji," Gendo said as he unwrapped a clear container containing an SD card, "on that card is a selection of music that your mother and I enjoyed listening to. It may be a little outdated by today's standards, but I hope you will enjoy it nevertheless."
"Ms. Langley," he said, turning his attention to her as she unwrapped a stack of candy bars labeled 'Moser Roth', "I understand that these chocolates from your home country are of high quality. I hope they will meet your expectations."
Rei," he said, as she unwrapped a tube of artwork, "I understand that you have become fascinated by artistic expression. This was one of Yui and I's favorites whenever we visited the art museum in college. I hope that you will enjoy it as much as she did."
"And, as I've been informed, you are all musicians of a rather high caliber." Gendo said as they unwrapped the boxes of rosin that came along with the other gifts. "I hope to hear you all play someday."
Shinji looked at his father with no small amount of gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you, father." he said quietly.
"And thank you, Shinji." Gendo said.
As the Children talked amongst each other, Gendo spared a glance towards Daniel, who gave him the slightest of nods and smiles. Without his help, Gendo would have had no idea what to do. He would have to thank him later.
After a while, Misato piped up. "Alright now. I promised you a steak dinner after Sahaquiel, and I've told you I wanted to actually make good on that. Have you picked out a place like you said you would, Asuka?"
"Yeah, I actually have, Misato." Asuka shot back with a small, devious smile. "And I hope you're ready like you said you would be!"
As everyone stood, the Children to put away their gifts and the adults to make some conversation, Gendo made his way over to Misato. "You need not worry about payment for this restaurant visit." he said quietly.
Misato's eyes widened. "Commander… it would be somewhat improper of me to have you…"
Gendo raised his hand to stop her, a slight smile on his face. "Please, Major. This is something that I should have done years ago. It's a pitiable way to make up for what I've done, but… he's deserved better from me."
Misato regarded Commander Ikari silently for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, sir." she said quietly.
After a moment, they all made their way down towards the parking lot, then towards their cars.
It was Kaworu who sensed it first, his AT Field, strengthened by his Interfacing, unfurling almost unconsciously before the crack of the rifles was heard, and one, two, three bullets, gleaming red, became stuck in the Field.
More rifles soon joined the fray as the Children, and the adults with them, took cover as best they could. Kaworu and Rei stood tall, their AT Fields combined to create a dome that kept them safe. For now.
Even with their strengthened protection, it was clear that it would only be a matter of time before the Fields would be breached. Fire seemed to come from all around, and Rei swept her Sight around to try and find their assailants.
She found a few of them in a building several dozen meters away, and her AT Field lowered as she sent a ripple of the pure power of an AT Field at them, their bodies pulping in what was surely a gory mess as the Field crashed into them like a freight train.
At that moment, however, a single bullet smashed through Kaworu's field like a pane of glass, and hit Rei in the back of the leg, sending her to one knee as she shouted in pain.
"Rei!" Kaworu said, losing his concentration as he spun around. Then, a flurry of bullets hit his back, knocking the boy to the ground.
"Kaworu!" Rei screamed, and from behind a parked car, Shinji stood.
Before he could do anything, Daniel grabbed his arm, and Shinji turned to look at him. "Be careful." Daniel said. "These are Flux infused rounds, I'm sure of it. They'll break through your defenses quickly. Be quick." he let go, then motioned to Rei as she pulped yet another group of assailants. "Rei, over here! Hurry!"
Shinji energized the Frame as he ascended to the Second Peak, and he dashed out with a speed that most Olympic sprinters would be jealous of, lifting Kaworu up from under his arms as he dragged him backward.
It was sheer luck more than anything else at that point that a bullet caught Shinji, slamming into his side and sending him falling to the ground.
"SHINJI!" more than one person screamed, and Daniel had to hold Asuka back from rushing out as Rei found the group of assassins where the bullet had come from, and pulped them as well.
Eleanor raised her hands towards the two downed Children, the pavement under them becoming water as Shinji and Kaworu floated over towards Eleanor, Hikari, and Toji. As they arrived, Eleanor looked up at Misato and Kaji, huddled by a parked car with Gendo. "Any luck on contacting anyone?"
Misato shook her head as she held her cell phone and her pistol. "No use! They must have cell jammers in place somewhere!"
Eleanor set her jaw against the frustration she felt and got to work mending Kaworu's wounds. He was hit badly. But he could be healed now that he was in front of her and Hikari.
As bullets composed of a bright red metal began to pop out of their entry points around the spine, the holes sealing up as they did, the hail of fire that had greeted them, while far smaller, was still coming at them relentlessly, shattering car windows and punching holes in their bodies. They were too exposed for Eleanor's comfort. She scanned around looking for dead zones where their assailants couldn't get at them. As she scanned, her eyes fell upon a sight that was dreaded everywhere in the Worldsea, and a spike of fear stabbed into her heart.
"Eleanor," Daniel said through the link they had established as soon as the ambush began, "what is it?"
Horror. Terror. "An I-"
A hollow, zipping sound cut her off, as Daniel watched her soul shatter from the impact of a round seemingly composed of Flux.
Flux that seemed to catch the pieces of her soul within them, congealing into a lump of Flux as her body sprawled over Kaworu's.
Hikari screamed and shook Eleanor. "Eleanor? Eleanor, what happened?" she shouted, jostling Eleanor's limp body.
Daniel looked back to where the shot had come from, and his blood turned to ice as his worst fears were confirmed.
Walking towards them was a figure in dull, grey armor, a featureless helmet on his head obscuring his face. As he walked towards them in no great hurry, bullets pinged off of the armor. The figure pulled out two small devices, activating them, and released them, the drones flying towards the last assassins, a faint popping in the distance confirming their deaths.
Daniel stood, his Grip appearing in his hand and becoming a thrumming blade. "Everyone get back!" he said, and for the first time, those around him heard something in his voice they thought they could never hear: fear.
The figure seemed nonplussed at Daniel's defense, pulling a sword from a scabbard at his side as he approached silently. Daniel fought not to have the tip of his blade waver as the figure approached him.
Without a word, the figure swiped at Daniel, and Daniel parried the blade aside, the blow leaving a sizable chip on his blade that slowly repaired itself.
Daniel was pressed back as the figure continued his slow, measured assault, a few more parried swings sending the top third of Daniel's blade flying as a kick sent Daniel to the ground.
As the figure turned down his blade and raised it to stab at Daniel, a lash of metal wrapped itself around one of the figure's arms, and a thorny vine wrapped around the other, as Asuka and Toji pulled against the figure's bindings.
The figure struggled against them for a moment, then pressed a button on the hilt of his blade, which began to thrum. Then, the figure released his two-handed grip on his sword, grabbing Asuka's lash of metal and pulling hard.
Asuka, unprepared for the sudden tug, started to stumble forward, and as she came close to the figure, his sword flashed across Asuka's arm, seeming to mist through it as it made contact. Asuka's Expression dissolved immediately, and her arm fell limp to her side as she stumbled back, her face full of dazed shock and pain.
Toji shouted wordlessly as he saw this, pulling at his vine and succeeding at causing the figure to stumble for a moment.
Then, the figure wrapped the vine around his arm again, taking it in his hand as he pulled Toji towards him as well. Toji took the vine in two hands as he struggled, and as he drew closer and closer, aimed a kick at the figure. The blade flashed again, as Toji went to one knee, his leg limp and useless, and the figure slashed across both of Toji's arms, the vine withering and dying away.
As the figure regarded Toji for a moment, Daniel stood, aiming a superpowered kick at the back of one of the figure's legs and wrapping his arms around the figure's head as he went to one knee.
With a wordless shout, Daniel threw the figure out across the street, sending him bouncing away. Before the figure even impacted the ground, Daniel threw his arms wide, Vent Frames flaring to life on them, and a circle of stars surrounded the group.
In a flash, they disappeared, leaving the parking lot empty save for the bullet-ridden cars that had been taken cover behind.
As the figure got to his feet and shook his head, he jogged back to where he had engaged his target. They were gone, as expected. 'Oh, well.' the figure thought. 'They didn't tell me there were going to be others. That will be an extra charge.'
The figure opened a panel on his vambrace, tapping a few buttons and fading from sight as police sirens finally began to wail.
Ritsuko stood and turned as she heard a whoosh of air, and her eyes widened as she came face to face with the group that Daniel had just teleported in. Eleanor was slumped over beside the unmoving forms of Kaworu and Shinji as Hikari tended to them, and Toji and Asuka regarded unmoving limbs with no small amount of horror.
And Daniel… he was afraid. Openly so. What could scare him so much?
She walked towards them, concern growing in her expression. "Daniel? What's going on?"
Daniel said nothing, rushing to Eleanor's side. As he looked over her, his hand became wreathed in a starfield, and he turned her over, his hand slowly sinking in and pulling out a dark mass of Flux, encasing it in crystal.
Daniel looked back at the others, then at Ritsuko. "We've been attacked. And we need to ensure that Shinji and Kaworu don't die."
. . .
After a moment, and Maya's shock and concern at coming in to see such a mess, the Children were moved up to the Medical Center's most secure position under the utmost secrecy. After a moment, Kaworu and Shinji were under anesthetics, the EKGs beeping steadily as Hikari struggled to pull the remaining rounds from Kaworu, Rei by his side.
Asuka sat by Shinji, refusing treatment as she kept vigil on Shinji. Gendo sat opposite her, his hand on Shinji's shoulder and his face filled with worry. Toji sat on a chair to the side next to Misato and Kaji, a hollow look on his face as he tried again and again to move his arms, his leg, and was met with… nothing.
And Eleanor… she lay on a gurney, eyes closed, unmoving, as Daniel stood over her, the crystal that contained the Flux that had seemed to consume her core in his hand.
Hikari shook her head as she continued her ministrations on Kaworu. "Damn it!" she exclaimed, drawing startled looks from the Children who were still awake. "It's like trying to pull on something covered in grease trying to extract these bullets!"
Daniel looked up, blinking for a moment before making his way over to Hikari's side, pocketing the gemstone. "I'm not a Mender like Eleanor," he said quietly, "but I can at least dig the bullets out."
Misato looked at Daniel with no small amount of alarm. "Please be careful, Daniel." she said. "A lot of those looked like they landed near his spine."
Daniel nodded. "And Eleanor got most of them out from the most dangerous positions, thankfully." he said. "But there's still a few left…" he trailed off as he concentrated, his Sight activating and taking in the rounds, their positions marked by outlines of Flux.
Invisible to the naked eye, Frames began to extend from Daniel's hands towards one of the rounds. Daniel's gaze flicked up towards Kaworu's S2 organ, chugging away at clearing up the Flux present in his system. Its size prevented it from being as effective as any of the Angel's, but it did its work well nevertheless.
Daniel's focus returned to the bullet he had surrounded with his Frame. "Now, for Flux-infused weaponry that gets embedded in someone, you need to completely envelop it in order to pull it out, Hikari." he said quietly.
"And…" he said, slowly beginning to extract the bullet, "you just… take it slow… like… this…"
As he said the last word, the bullet fell into his open palm, and the skin sealed shut in its wake. He hefted the crimson round in his hand. "And there you have it. One Flux-infused bullet."
He paused for a moment, then turned to Ritsuko and Gendo, who stood over Shinji. "Now, call me crazy," he said, holding the bullet between his finger and thumb, "but does this round remind you of anything that would be able to pierce through an AT Field?"
After a moment of consideration, Ritsuko's eyes widened. "The Lance…" she whispered.
Daniel nodded. "That's what I thought." he regarded the bullet as Hikari continued to make progress in stabilizing Kaworu. "My bet is that SEELE has found a way to synthesize, at least in part, the power of the Lance of Longinus."
Gendo nodded. "It would make sense for the old men to have an interest in anti-AT Field weapons. Especially where it concerns the Lance as part of their plans for Instrumentality."
After a moment of silence in which Hikari successfully extracted another bullet from Kaworu, Kaji spoke up. "So, wait a minute," he said, "what's the difference between those and…" he looked over at Eleanor as he trailed off, and what little light was in Daniel's eyes left as he regarded the woman he loved.
"The difference is that, while these, and presumably by extension, the Lance, are physical objects infused with Flux, what the I-Breaker did to Eleanor is completely made of Flux." Daniel looked down at the gemstone in his hand as he said this, clear save for the thumb-sized lump of dark-colored Flux that seemed to swirl inside it.
"I-Breaker?" Asuka said, finally looking up from Shinji as he said this. "What does that mean?"
Daniel's voice was cold enough to send shivers through the entire room. "An Interface-Breaker. They are anti-Interfacer specialists. Able to use energized Flux to protect themselves from Interfacing, and weaponizing Flux to… to neutralize Interfacers."
Daniel shook his head. "They're rare, thankfully." he said as he walked up to Eleanor. "It takes time and effort to be able to energize and use Flux like they do. But it makes them deadly. Especially the ones that know how to make Flux Cysts."
Another shudder passed through the group as Daniel finally named what it seemed was in his hand. "And…" Misato said. "What are those?"
Daniel raised the gemstone in his hand, giving everyone a clear view of what was inside. "This is a Flux Cyst. It… it shatters the soul into dozens of pieces, and prevents them from coming back together by encasing them in hardened Flux."
He held the crystal in what was almost a death grip as he continued. "If that I-Breaker had gotten a hold of this, all he would have had to do was open a portal to the Worldsea and toss it through. An eternal Wandering. And that… that is the closest we can ever get to truly dying." he said the last part in an almost strangled whisper.
Rei in particular shuddered as she took in the implications. To have one's soul shattered and separated permanently like that? It made what had happened to her seem… well, at least she had retained individuality while her soul was split. To face this…
"Is there anything we can do about it?" Hikari said, extracting yet another bullet.
Daniel shook his head. "Not here. We don't have the sort of tools on hand to crack a Flux Cyst. Or, at least…" he thought for a moment.
Asuka looked up as she began to connect the dots. "Wait a minute… the Val?"
Daniel nodded. "Exactly. The Val is a warship, built to be the Hollow Saint of War's personal vessel. It's a flag vessel, and it has the facilities for me, what was my personal guard, and the crew, even though it's able to be automated. It'll have the medical facilities for Eleanor to crack this cyst."
"So what're we waiting for?" Toji said, determination evident in his eyes.
Daniel shook his head. "We're going to make sure you all are patched up first." he paused as he looked over at Eleanor. "She'd want to make sure you're all okay before she gets any treatment." he said softly.
It was silent, then everyone nodded. "Alright, then." Toji said.
Daniel smiled softly. "Don't worry, Toji. Shinji and Kaworu will be back on their feet in no time."
Maya, who had taken all of this in silently until now, nodded. "That much is obvious. Especially for Mr. Nagisa. I'm still not sure what to make of his soul. Is he part Angel, like Rei?"
Daniel regarded Maya silently for a moment, and all eyes turned to him as he regarded Rei, linking his soul to hers. "Do you want to tell them? It's your call."
Rei thought silently on it for a moment. "We will have to, at some point or another. It might as well be now."
A pause. "Allow me to tell them if you will."
Daniel nodded silently and severed his connection with Rei as she took a deep breath.
"Kaworu Nagisa… is the final Angel. The final part of Adam that needs to die."
A gasp went up among the adults as she raised a hand, looking pointedly at Misato, whose Grip had come into existence seemingly by instinct. "Or, at least, his soul is that of the final Angel's. After Arael's attack, Eleanor prevented the part of his soul that was based on his Angelic ancestry from… consuming the part of him that was human. He has no intention of harming us."
Misato regarded the unconscious Child like she would a live grenade. "And what if that part of him decides it wants to go through with what the rest of the Angels tried to do?"
"He will not. He is dedicated to preserving the world he has come to love, for the people that he loves." Rei said, with a look on her face that brooked no argument. "So I will not let anyone shoot him, Major Katsuragi."
"Not even you."
All eyes turned to look at her, then down at the pistol that her Grip had become. Misato looked down on it, almost startled at the fact that it existed. Silently, the pistol disappeared, and Misato sighed heavily. "Sorry. It's just… bad memories always come with the Angels."
Rei nodded understandingly. "Don't worry about it. The nature of the Call, for both of us, has changed. No longer does the part of us that is Angelic wish to destroy the world or rebuild it in another image. Instead, it wishes for something…" she couldn't keep herself from blushing slightly. "Different."
"Besides," she said quickly, "all we need to do is protect him from whatever happens next."
She looked down at Kaworu. "If we don't…" she trailed off, and a heavy silence fell upon the room.
Daniel sighed quietly, then nodded. "She's right. SEELE's likely getting desperate now if they are willing to attack so openly. They need all the Angels dead in order to initiate Instrumentality. So all we have to do is protect him. Simple as that."
"Even still," Gendo said, as Hikari moved over to Shinji, having extracted the last bullet from Kaworu, "SEELE has connections deep within NERV, being the parent organization. We must be constantly vigilant, here and in the future."
Daniel nodded. "He's right. We'll keep an eye on things, and make sure that no one from SEELE gets in here. Or that I-Breaker."
. . .
The I-Breaker watched on the screen as Daniel, his target, moved to assist one of the girls in performing first aid on one of the unconscious boys. He was careful with them and told the girl to take a break once they had extracted the round from the boy, everyone in the room visibly relaxing as it happened.
They stayed together, never going alone to get snacks or drinks from one of the machines. And his target never left, always by the side of the woman he had tagged with the Cyst. His wife, it seemed.
Old memories, terrible memories, flashed through his mind. But he stamped them out as quickly as he could. The money his clients were promising… it would be worth it. 'The money I get from this… it'll help someone who deserves it. Not any damn Interfacer."
. . .
The Next Day
The sun's rays reflected through the Geofront mirrors and into the small, rectangular windows of the hospital room inhabited by a still unconscious Shinji and Kaworu. They would live, now that the rounds were out of the way. Now, a fully rested Hikari, or at least, as fully rested as she could be kept in the hospital room overnight, could get to work mending everyone's Frames. Or, at least, the Frames that needed mending. Kaworu's was now whole, like he had never been attacked in the first place.
She started with Toji's leg and marveled at the clean cut that the I-Breaker's blade had made through Toji's Frame, simply leaving it without power. The fact that a thin wall of Flux now stood between the two Frames was the only obstacle that she faced. Even still, it would take time to clear the Flux out.
As Hikari finished on Toji's leg a few hours later, and Kaworu began to stir from his stupor, the door swished open, and a nurse came in with a cart, bags of saline fluid on top of a medical green cloth that covered the rest of the cart.
Ritsuko regarded the nurse with a wary eye. "Why are you here? Who told you there were patients in this room?"
The nurse stammered for a moment. "Well… well, I was just told that there were patients in here who needed saline, ma'am. That's all."
Ritsuko nodded. "Alright, then. Again, who told you?"
The nurse continued as if she hadn't heard, lifting the cloth that covered the cart as she crouched down. "I was told that there was one more thing that one of the patients needed."
Time seemed to slow as the nurse produced a pistol, a reverent, almost ecstatic look in her eyes. "The final piece to begin Complementation. Instru-"
She didn't get to finish her sentence as a pistol cracked, sending the nurse to the floor with a spray of blood from her head.
Gendo Ikari stood straight and tall, the barrel of his pistol smoking slightly as Kaji, Misato, and Daniel all put away their Grips.
Ritsuko shook her head at the nurse's body. Maya's eyes were wide, tears welling in them, and her face was nearly green as she held a hand to her mouth.
Ritsuko looked over at Maya, then crossed in front of her with a concerned look on her face, hugging her after a moment. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Maya." she said softly. "It's going to be okay."
Ritsuko continued to comfort Maya as Daniel stepped forward and regarded the nurse for a moment, then took the pistol from her hand, ejecting the magazine and catching the round in the chamber as he racked the slide.
He set the now safe pistol and magazine aside on one of the nightstands in the room and pushed the cart away before stretching out his hands as a constellation in the shape of an oval ring appeared between them, a ring surrounding the body mirroring the one in his hands.
As he energized the Frame in his hands, the Expression activated, and the body of the nurse tumbled into what seemed to be the void of space before the Expression snapped shut, leaving a clear, clean hospital floor.
Daniel shook his head. "We hardly knew ye." he said quietly.
Daniel turned back. "Is everyone okay?" he said with concern in his expression.
Maya gulped, then stepped back from Ritsuko's embrace. "I should be fine soon, Mr. Theisman." Maya said.
"Other than that," Gendo said quietly, "I was able to react before anyone was hurt."
Daniel nodded. "Good." he said equally quietly, then looked at Kaworu as he continued to stir, slowly putting a hand to his head.
Daniel walked towards Kaworu. "Are you okay? Hell of an alarm clock, hearing a gunshot."
Kaworu nodded slowly. "Yes. I should be fine." he said slowly. He looked around. "Was anyone hurt?"
Rei shook her head. "No. No one was hurt. Commander Ikari stopped the threat."
"I see." Kaworu said, looking around as the haze in his eyes from the anesthetics quickly cleared.
Daniel nodded, then looked over at Hikari, who had started on Toji's arm while giving a still somewhat queasy Maya practice on Mending. "Hikari," he said, pausing as she looked back at him, "how long would it take you to get Shinji up and running?"
She was silent for a moment as she looked at Shinji critically. "I think I can get him up and running in about a few hours after I rest. After this, though… I'll really need to rest."
Daniel nodded. "Alright. Don't worry about rushing things. No need to get any Flux Daze, or exhaustion. We'll keep everyone safe."
Hikari nodded. "Thank you."
. . .
Lieutenant Faez walked down the Medical Center hallway with a clearly worried Captain Hyuga, their walk draped in the light of the setting sun. They had just received a call from Major Katsuragi, telling them that the Pilots, along with Commander Ikari, had been attacked. No one had been wounded badly, but they needed to talk, and talk privately and securely.
That call had mostly been for Captain Hyuga. He had made the decision to have her along. Which was all well and good. She'd needed to come along anyway. That he happened to like her would have made any persuasion that much easier.
So now, pistols in holsters on their sides, Hyuga opened the door, and the two of them stepped into the room. It was quiet, and everyone looked over at their arrival. Misato stood, regarding Faez. "I didn't tell you to bring company." she said conversationally, the look in her eyes betraying the caution that she surely felt.
"It's okay, Major." Hyuga said. "I trust her." he looked over at Faez as he said this, and Faez couldn't quite quash the little spark of joy she felt when he said that. It felt… good to be trusted by him, somehow.
But she still had a job to do, she thought, as Katsuragi and Hyuga went aside as much as they could and talked quietly.
She saw him. The boy with the pale hair and the red eyes. He talked with his friends, smiled slightly, chuckled softly with them at some joke or another. And her hand slowly went to the pistol at her side.
Visions of her squad, of the last family she had had, flashed through her mind. She tried her hardest to quash them. He was right there. All she had to do was pull the trigger, then… then she'd see her family again. She would know for sure that she would be loved again…
"Lieutenant."
Faez blinked as the voice calmly rang out, and turned to regard Captain Theisman, who regarded her intently, with no small amount of sad sympathy in his eyes. "Killing him won't bring them back."
Faez's eyes went wide as all eyes turned to look at her with shock and concern. More than a few pistols were now being aimed at her. But Captain Theisman stood, waving them down.
Anger bubbled into Faez as her brow furrowed. "I lost my family. Both of them. The only people I ever knew who loved me. What do you know about that?"
"More than anyone should ever have to, Lieutenant." he said softly.
Faez blinked. "And… how do you know it won't work like they say it will?" she said, her anger faltering for a moment as she unholstered her pistol.
Captain Theisman's jaw clenched slightly. "Because, Lieutenant, no matter how tender, how exquisite… a lie will remain a lie."
He paused for a moment. "And because I've seen how it works."
Faez's eyes widened as Daniel continued. "Look into my eyes, Adira. Look, and see."
She looked. And she saw… the end. In an instant, understanding of the horror and beauty and hollowness of the end. She barely felt the pistol fall out of her hand as she sank to her knees, tears welling up in her eyes.
Daniel looked down at the now broken Lieutenant with no small amount of sympathy, then looked at a stunned Hyuga. "Give her comfort, Captain. She needs it now. From someone she trusts."
Hyuga looked at Daniel, then at Faez. His eyes set in resolve, and he looked back at Misato. "Major, I'm sure we'll be able to talk more later." he said quietly. He walked over to Faez, gently bringing her to her feet and walking her out of the room.
They didn't go far, Daniel saw, his Sight confirming that they stopped just down the hall, going into an empty room.
Misato looked over at Daniel. "What did you do to her?" she said quietly.
Daniel sighed. "I showed her the truth. The one thing SEELE never told her. The same truth I showed to Commander Lutenhahl. That they would only get an illusion. Nothing more."
He looked over at Misato. "That seems to be a common thread among those who SEELE recruits. And now…" he said, looking back to the room where Hyuga was busy consoling Faez, blinking as he watched shock and surprise from both of their souls bloom into acceptance and love, "We have another ally on our side. Maybe not one with access to as much knowledge as Karl did, but one we'll be able to vet nonetheless."
Misato followed Daniel's gaze, and only blushed slightly before looking back at Daniel. "I'm still keeping an eye on her." she said simply.
Daniel nodded. "I would expect no less." he turned to look at Hikari. "Are Shinji and Kaworu able to move?"
Hikari nodded. "Yes. All we need to do is get them off the machines."
Daniel nodded. "Good. Because now that everyone's ready to go…" he trailed off, and looked at his wife, looking to all the world like she was asleep. "We can go ahead and get her treated on the Val."
Eyes widened as Daniel continued. "It'll be the most secure place we can treat her and finish treating everyone else, along with having what we need to crack this Flux Cyst."
He walked over to an open wall, a key of crystal coming into existence in his hand as he looked back at Kaworu. "Would you mind covering our tracks quickly?"
Kaworu nodded as his AT Field flared invisibly. "Done."
. . .
The I-Breaker's screen went dark, and he shook his head. The Val, huh? It didn't surprise him that the Interfacer had a Seabreaker just sitting around. He had to get here somehow. Even still, following him and doing his job had just become a lot harder now that his bug had been fried.
The I-Breaker stood. He'd have to go back to his lodging that his client provided, near their chapel. There was some thinking that he needed to do. Thinking on subjects that were important now. The now more persistently nagging thoughts of the past would have to wait until this job was over.
. . .
The door to the Infinity Box opened, and Daniel looked back as Shinji and Kaworu got to their feet. "The Infinity Box is linked to the Val. All you need to do is call Amaya, and she'll lead you to the medical wing of the ship." he looked over at Gendo. "Commander Ikari, if you so wish, you can be dropped off elsewhere, and make your way back to your residence. I'm sure Deputy Commander Fuyutsuki is somewhat worried."
Gendo shook his head. "No, Captain. I want to make sure my son is safe. I'll be needed here later though, I'm sure."
Daniel nodded. "Very well." he turned to Misato and Kaji. "Misato, Kaji, if you can stay behind for a moment, guide Hyuga and Faez here. The door will stay open until then. They've gotten mixed up in this now, and leaving them in the dark will put them, and us, in an unnecessary amount of danger."
Misato nodded silently. "Will do, Daniel. We'll keep an eye on them." Kaji said.
Daniel took a deep breath. "Alright, then. Let's go aboard the Val."
. . .
Gwynevere's Valiant Daughter, Somewhere in the Oort Cloud
The Children, and the adults that accompanied them, looked around themselves with no small amount of wonder in their eyes. They had emerged into a long corridor that Amaya said was on the outer edge of the ship, continuing to ogle at the long, clean corridors.
They entered a decently sized, clean white room, with a dozen receptacles for people to lay on. Amaya walked over to one of them, motioning for Daniel to lift Eleanor onto the table as four instruments on articulated arms extended from the wall.
"This one, the Energized Metos Cutter," Amaya said, motioning to one of the instruments as its outline glowed, "will have the sufficient power needed to crack a Flux Cyst. You'll need the Pneumaic Bridge to ensure you're cutting the Cyst where it needs to be cut, as the Cyst needs to be within the body in order to ensure a quick recovery." she said as another device, looking like a pane of slightly rippling transparent materiel suspended within a ring glowed slightly.
Daniel nodded, pulling the gemstone that held his wife's shattered soul from his pocket, his hand becoming a starfield as it closed around the gem. Slowly, carefully, he inserted his hand into Eleanor's chest, then pulled it out again, stepping away as the Pneumaic Bridge settled into place, and the Flux Cyst became visible to the naked eye as the Cutter gently floated over towards Hikari.
Daniel put a hand on Hikari's shoulder. "Don't worry too much about screwing up. The machine knows what it's doing. All you need to do is guide it and supply the Metos for it to cut the Flux with. It'll do the rest."
Hikari looked up at Daniel, a hint of fear in her eyes. "You're certain?"
Daniel smiled slightly. "Of course. Eleanor would be, too. Don't worry. You've got this."
Hikari nodded slowly after a moment, then approached the table, taking the Cutter in one hand. After a moment, the end glowed with a multihued light, then a beam shot down, rippling through the Pneumaic Bridge as it hit the Flux, the Flux beginning to glow brighter and brighter.
Daniel nodded. "I leave her in your care." he said softly. He turned to the others, as Shinji and Rei worked on Asuka's arm, Maya doing the same for Toji. Ritsuko scribbled down notes furiously, while Gendo simply took in the sights.
As he looked at all of them, Misato, Kaji, Hyuga, and Faez all stepped into the room. Hyuga and Faez had dazed looks on their faces, and they held a whispered conversation.
Daniel breathed deeply. He cared about these people. The ones that SEELE had put in danger. The ones the Scions had put in danger, he thought as he looked at Toji and Asuka flexing their arms again, opening and closing their hands.
He needed to stop them. Both of them. But SEELE was a massive, multinational conspiracy.
The Scions, on the other hand…
Daniel took another deep breath, then turned to Hikari. "Hikari." he said softly, and Hikari grunted in response. "I'll be going. Let me know when she wakes up."
The room fell mostly silent as the others regarded him. "Where are you going, Daniel?" Shinji said.
A determined look entered Daniel's eyes as he turned to look at Shinji. "I'm going to go take care of the Scions. When I got the plans that the Scions made for Arael, I also gained the location of their mission here in Tokyo-3. It's the only Scion mission here."
"So…" he said, making his way to the door. "I have a job to do." he said quietly.
. . .
Daniel breathed deeply as he entered his personal quarters. It had been a long time since he had been in here, but the automated maintenance made it so that the room barely showed it.
Along one wall stretched memories from days past. His original swordspear. The coiled sword. A sheathed hand-and-a-half sword over a floating hologram of a simple silvery ring.
His gaze wandered to a laspistol and chainsword. Two different types of lasguns. A bolter next to a wooden percussion cap rifle, of all things, its buttstock etched with the word 'Hrusch Rifle Company'.
And in one corner, his slim, advanced combat armor, retrieved from the Scion's trash heap before it had become vaporized. One of his last connections to the Worldstrider Corps.
He stepped towards it, putting a hand on one of the shoulders, the hologram bearing the Worldstrider Corps' insignia hovering on the upper arm.
It had been a good while since it had seen battle. Now, though… it would work. It always did.
He put a hand on the breastplate and concentrated. The armor seemed to turn into a fine mist, the combination of Interfacing and nanotechnology flowing onto his hands and compressing into two bracelets on each wrist.
As he opened the holographic diagnostic window on one of his bracelets, he heard a quiet "Wow…" from behind him.
He turned to see Asuka, Shinji, Rei, Kaworu, Misato, and Kaji, standing in the doorway and taking in the sights of the room with wide eyes.
Daniel sighed quietly. "You're planning on trying to go with me, aren't you?" he said, equally quietly.
Asuka's gaze focused on Daniel as she shook her head and stepped forward. "If you were planning on going into what I'm guessing is the Scion's home base alone, you'd be far more idiotic than I thought you were. We want payback as much as you do."
Daniel shook his head. "It isn't a matter of me wanting to take revenge, Asuka. It's a matter of keeping you all safe. Your skills as Eva pilots are going to be needed for what's coming, far more than anything else I've taught you as an Interfacer. You need to be able to deal with what SEELE's about to throw at us. So I need to make sure that the Scions won't throw any wrenches into the plans we make for then."
Misato stepped forward. "Even still, it's tactical suicide to do what you're about to do, and you and I both know it. Let us at least back you up. Please."
It was silent for a moment, then Daniel sighed quietly. "Alright, then. Follow me."
. . .
"Welcome to the Skeleton Closet." Daniel said as the others walked into the armory behind him.
It was unlike any armory they had ever seen, a tall, rectangular box of a room containing a glowing pillar connected to a console.
Daniel stepped up to the console, tapping some buttons and causing the inside of the pillar, composed of a multitude of rectangles, to rotate, a compartment next to Daniel receiving one of the rectangles as its transparent front slid open. The rectangle held six sets of bracelets, which Daniel plucked out of their holders as he handed them to the others.
"This is combat armor like the one I'm wearing right now." he said as the others put the bracelets on. "It'll have built-in Vent Frames, Frame-laminate armor, and a variable-power assisted movement package. Nice and simple. It'll stop most anything below a 10 millimeter dead in its tracks, and rifle caliber bullets will take a while to get through. It'll even stand up to Flux weaponry for a few hits."
Daniel turned back to the console, and the rectangle in the receptacle retreated, replaced by a rectangle holding three rifles. Daniel took two at a time and passed them to the others. "And these are standard pattern magnetic accelerator rifles. Due to the magic of objective Interfacing, they have a bottomless ammo count, so no need to count rounds."
Asuka regarded the rifle that she held with some confusion. "So, wait. Why use these instead of Interfacing?"
"Because in a combat situation, even in power armor like this, waste not, want not is the order of the day." Daniel replied seriously. "Flux can fill you up really fast when you're paying attention to someone else in combat. This keeps that to a minimum."
After they received their weapons, which dissolved into the bracelets of their stored armor, Daniel retrieved one last thing. He turned to the others, holding blister packs of pills. "Combat stims." he said, tearing the packets into single servings and giving one to each of them. "That way, you'll go into what's coming feeling like you've had three square meals and a full night of sleep."
As Misato and Kaji popped the pills without a second thought, Rei regarded the pills with some hesitation, and Shinji looked at Daniel with concern. "Aren't these just drugs?" Shinji said.
Daniel shook his head. "No. You have Interfacing to thank for that, once again. But these are quickly produced run-of-the-mill stims. You're still going to feel a hell of a crash once they run their course."
The group's expressions became serious as they considered fully the implications, the Children popping the pills in their mouths. "Well, then." Kaji said. "Let's not waste a good feeling."
Daniel nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
. . .
Outskirts of Tokyo-3
Daniel crouched at the wall of an empty warehouse, peeking out from behind it to look at the warehouse across from them. It was night, and the warehouse in front of them, the one that was a Scion mission, was the only one with a light on.
Daniel looked back at the others, stacked up behind him. Misato and Kaji were right behind him, and the Children right behind them. Rei kept a close watch on their rear, while Asuka and Shinji watched their side.
"Alright." Daniel said, gaining everyone's attention. "I'll go in first. Alone."
"And before you protest," he said as they all stiffened in surprise, "there's a good reason."
"When I got the location of this mission, I also gained access to the name of the leader of the mission. A Receptorist Jameson. Think of him as… sort of the equivalent to a pastor or head priest. And feelings of guilt concerning hiding… something from him. Call it gut instinct, but I think he'll be receptive to letting this get resolved without a fight."
"So," Daniel said, as the others slowly nodded, "I'll go in, and try to talk to Jameson. If shit hits the fan, you guys are more than welcome to barge in and back me up. Sounds good?"
"Alright then." Asuka said slowly. "But we'll be ready at the drop of a pin."
Daniel nodded. "I expect no less. So, stack up on the door after I go in. Misato and Kaji go in first from the left, then you four from the right. Got it?"
"Got it." they all said.
Daniel's helmet, a somewhat angled design sculpted into the shape of a roaring dragon that held the visor in its mouth, disappeared as he smiled slightly. "See you on the other side." he quietly straightened up, then casually made his way towards the door.
As Daniel approached it, his senses sharpened, reaching the Third Peak easily, and the dark became almost like day, as time seemed to slow. He made a conscious effort to keep a regular pace as he got to the door, then opened it and stepped inside.
. . .
There was a full crowd, it seemed, as all eyes turned to him. The Receptorist, an older man with perceptive grey eyes that stood out against his dark skin, a short, cropped head of white hair, and a similarly trimmed beard, regarded him with no small amount of suspicion as he shifted his grip on a staff that split apart into swirls of metal halfway down, then unified again at the top. "So," he said in a deep, resonant voice that was used to speaking to the back of any given room, "you must be the outsider that young brother Farhaven has spoken of."
Daniel nodded. "You would be correct, Receptorist." he said simply.
A gasp rippled through the crowd as Jameson took a step forward. "I will not allow you to harm the members of this gathering any further." he said and took off the shawl that was about his shoulders, exposing a muscled body that belied his apparent age.
Daniel shook his head. "And I have no plan to do so. I hold no malice in my heart for anyone in this room that has found a purpose, a new life for the better, in the Great Cause."
Jameson's expression hardened. "And yet, you wear armor into this holy house. You expect violence."
"Only because that is all I have been offered by the Unitists that I have met in this world. Especially one Tavis Farhaven and his friends. They seek to rob this world which I defend. Profit off of the harm of its greatest defenders."
Jameson shook his head. "I find that hard to believe, sir." he said. "What proof do you have?"
Daniel raised his arms to his sides. "That which is engraved upon my soul, Receptorist. See for yourself."
Daniel felt the tentative touch of the Receptorist's Frame as it reached out and brushed against his soul, seeming to test the waters. Then, it established the connection.
It was silent for a moment, the Receptorist's eyes scanning from right to left as if he were reading a book. Then, his eyes widened. Then they hardened, as he cut off the connection, and gave a withering glare at one of the congregation members in the middle of the rows of pews. "Farhaven." he said in a harsh voice that commanded respect. "We were supposed to be better than this."
Tavis stood, a look of defiance in his eyes. "And we are supposed to be better than this, Receptorist! We moved the Great Cause forward, he moved the Great Cause forward, by leaps and bounds in the days when we marched forth and brought the order Reality so needed! As one!"
"You do not remember the infighting, Farhaven. Not as I do." Jameson said, his face hard as stone. "You do not know the horror I, and many others felt, upon learning the truth of the Hollow Saints after we had thrown ourselves away at Tel. After we had alienated the rest of Worldsea from ever easily accepting the truth."
Tavis shook his head. "But you were the greatest among the soldiers, the warriors, of that conflict! Why do you shirk from such a thing now?" he said incredulously.
Jameson shook his head. "I was younger. I did not know what I do now. That wanton violence such as I was once a part of is not the solution to spreading the Cause abroad."
Farhaven shook his head. "Receptorist…"
"Enough." Jameson said, tapping his staff of office on the ground. An echo rebounded impossibly throughout the room, and a ring of pure white light encircled Farhaven.
"Sit down." Jameson said, his voice echoing similarly to his staff. Farhaven complied instantly, and even Daniel had to restrain himself somewhat from trying to find a seat.
Jameson looked at Daniel with sympathy in his eyes. "Now, son. What would you like to say?"
Daniel sighed. "I wish for you to leave this world. Take those who will go with you. I work actively to defend this world from the threat it poses to itself. To have those with the powers of the Worldsea at their disposal hindering that, possibly taking advantage of those who would suffer, would be a great burden."
Jameson nodded. "Very well. The Great Cause of Unity will come to fruition in all places, in time. And it will come in peace." he said this as he scanned the congregation. "We will leave this world, for now."
"Thank you, Receptorist." Daniel said, no small amount of relief evident in his voice.
Jameson nodded, then regarded his congregation. "Who will leave with us? Stand, if you would."
Most of the congregation stood, and Jameson nodded. "Then, prepare to board now." he raised his staff, the end of it lighting up and ringing softly. Similar lights appeared above the heads of those that stood, and they disappeared in a flash of light.
Tavis continued to sit, along with about two or three dozen others. Daniel's eyes widened as he found among them a head of familiar, blue hair.
"So," Jameson said, pulling Daniel's gaze back to him, "Daniel, is it?"
Daniel nodded, and Jameson smiled slightly. "You have a good heart, to defend this world so stoutly. I wish we could have met under better circumstances."
"Thank you. I simply wish to protect the ones I love, sir." Daniel said. "But," he said, looking at the back of Farhaven's head as he approached, "if Mr. Farhaven here wanted me, then he had to go through me. Not my wife, not my brothers and sisters, and daughter. Just me. And I would be more than happy to give up my life for them."
He came to a stop as he regarded Tavis face to face. The man stared back, a hard look in his eyes. "Alright, then." he said quietly. Then, the all too familiar mark glowed upon his brow. "Now!"
Daniel's helmet closed as bullets sparked off of it, and spun as he regarded his assailants. They stood, aiming machine guns at him. Then, one of them spun on Jameson, unloading a burst of fire at him.
It proved ineffectual, as a wall of light sprang up, the sparking of the bullets bouncing off it almost lost in the glow.
"Misato, Kaji! Lead the way!" Daniel said into his comms, and the door slammed open as Misato and Kaji burst in, leveling their rifles at the men who turned to face them, short bursts taking them in the head and chest.
Tavis stood up and burst his bonds, his Grip appearing in his hand as a stout blade of mist slashed at Daniel's back to little effect, causing him to spin around as his own Grip appeared in hand.
. . .
As the chaos erupted, four more armored soldiers entering the chapel, the I-Breaker considered things as he aimed down his scope from his vantage point on a catwalk above the room, keeping the dancing, ducking form of his target in his Cyst Rifle's sights.
After what he had said, the memories had gotten to him. He couldn't help but see… him. The man he loved. And the daughter that they had raised. She always did like him better.
He couldn't help but see him in his target now. Damn it all.
He stood. This was getting out of hand, anyway. His client was likely to be dead at the end of this. That was what he told himself as he faded from sight, and made his way towards the open door as discreetly as he could.
. . .
Shinji breathed as evenly as he could, the sound feeling weird in his helmet, enclosed as it was.
This was… different. Far removed from the combat he had participated in against the Angels within the confines of an Entry Plug. And yet… it was all too familiar, as he pumped rounds from his rifle, the bullets colliding with bricks of stone as he faced off against a tall, broad Interfacer with tan skin and a broad face with sea-green eyes that regarded him coolly.
Shinji shook his head, dispelling his rifle as his Grip flashed into his hand, and he lifted off of the ground slightly, a long lance extending from his Grip as he took the fuzzing, vibrating weapon in two hands, floating back slightly before flying forward.
Before his lance even hit the swirling rock that the Interfacer hastily put up as a defense, an octagon of familiar multihued light sprang into being, Shinji's lance colliding with it.
As he looked around in confusion he saw… Rei. Except, it couldn't be Rei. She wore street clothes in place of armor, and her brow was marked with two glowing hands holding up a simple diamond.
"Rei…" he said unconsciously.
"Yes, Shinji?" Rei said on his comms, causing him to blink and almost miss the boulder that was flying towards his face, causing him to fly back as he stammered into his comms. "You… I mean, not you, but…"
"Shinji, I can't understa…" Rei trailed off. "Another version of me? Did they somehow split off another part of Lilith's soul?"
"No time to ponder that now." Daniel said, interjecting with a cool, level voice that seemed out of place as he grappled with a man who seemed to make his weapons out of mist. "Someone needs to be on her, make sure she," he paused as he ducked a swipe, "doesn't get in the way."
Shinji sent a blast of sound at the stone Interfacer's head from behind him, and his eyes rattled as he clutched his head, Shinji barely noticing the sight as he turned to regard this new version of Rei.
Before he could make a move, a tall, dark man with a staff that had a ball of light glowing at the end of it strode towards the other Rei, swinging his weapon down, then pulling back and thrusting it forward as it hit a hastily erected AT Field.
Shinji took in the sight of the man, who must have been the Receptorist, as he slowly began to drive the other Rei back, flashes of light erupting from the ground, before he saw a flash of metal fly past his face, impacting the stone fist that was heading for his head, and looked towards its source.
Asuka was taking full advantage of the integrated Vent Frames, as dozens of metal spikes floated around and behind her, two spikes as shoulder pads of metal having grown on her armor to act as the Control Surfaces. "Shinji!" Asuka shouted. "Keep your eyes on him!"
She turned to face the Interfacer as she ran to Shinji's side, and they pressed their attack, sound and steel singing out together as they pressed the Interfacer's stout defenses.
. . .
'Man. South America has nothing on this.' Misato thought as she put another few rounds into those who must have been initiates, their assault rifles having little effect on her armor as she shot, punched, and kicked.
She felt alive, her Frame glowing with energy as she sharpened her mind and body with the help of the combat stims. She dodged a massive falling blade of glass and fired off rounds at the Interfacer, a woman with distinctly pointed ears who raised a barrier of opaque glass in the nick of time, the bullets visible as they stopped inches into the glass.
As she and Kaji came to stand side by side, a lance of stained glass flew by them, crashing through a large portion of the barrier. Misato looked at Rei as she advanced, another lance of glass appeared above an outstretched arm, and she threw it forward, the lance shattering the barrier entirely as the Interfacer jumped out of the way, Rei in hot pursuit.
Misato nodded, then turned to see a sight she had been itching to pay back for what seemed like ages now.
Standing next to a slight, dark-skinned woman, the rippling, iridescent forms of the Revenants stood by, seeming keener to protect their master than join in the fray. But that didn't matter, she thought, as she advanced towards them, Kaji and, surprisingly, Kaworu, falling in by her side as their rifles disappeared, Grips flashing into existence in their place. Kaworu readied a two-handed grip on a spear, while Kaji settled for a short, stout sword.
Misato readied her grip on a large mace, and the Revenants charged to meet them, their controller dashing into the back. Coward.
. . .
Tavis flew back from a superpowered kick from Daniel and bit down a curse. Guides damn it all, this was the worst possible outcome! Now, he would lose everything. Except… he couldn't afford that. He needed an out.
He linked his soul with Ymris's, who was currently busy combating another Interfacer who used glass. "Ymris! Damn it all, we need to leave!" he bit out in utter annoyance.
"Alright!" she shouted, pausing as she ducked a swing of the Interfacer's sword. "Get this one off of me and I'll get on it!"
"Got it!" The connection closed, and he rolled out of the way of Daniel as he stabbed down with his swordspear, leaping to his feet and dashing past Daniel to fight the Interfacer, Daniel in hot pursuit.
Tavis's Grip became a massive sword, reminiscent of the feared koloss of the tales of his home, and swung down at the Interfacer as Ymris jumped back, the Interfacer blocking the blow with her comparatively small sword.
Tavis's sword shrank, and another blade appeared in his hand, as Daniel reached him, jabbing his swordspear at him as the other Interfacer pressed their attack on him.
He parried each of the blows, leading them away from Ymris as best he could. That was all he needed to do…
A strike parried barely in time caught him in his arm, and another sliced across his chest. 'Ymris… hurry…'
After what felt like too long, he felt the touch of her soul again. "Everyone, get ready!"
Tavis smiled grimly as he regarded Daniel and the other Interfacer, then disappeared.
. . .
The sound of crashing glass filled the air as Tavis disappeared in front of Daniel's eyes, his image shattering like glass.
He stumbled into a strike that had become overextended, then looked around.
All of the other enemy combatants were gone, the Revenants having fled in short order before presumably vanishing with Aaminata, leaving only them and Receptorist Jameson. The I-Breaker, Daniel realized with a blink, hadn't made an appearance tonight. Strange.
Daniel shook his head slightly as his helmet disappeared, and he made his way towards Receptorist Jameson.
The others converged on him, their own helmets disappearing as they came to stand beside him, regarding the Receptorist.
Jameson sighed and shook his head, and the group got a clear look at the mark on his head, a palm surrounded by five circles, with lines tapering towards the palm. "They have taken up the old mark of the Guides." he said wearily. "There was a reason I made a new one."
Jameson looked around at the group. "I offer my apologies. I wished simply to provide guidance to those that were lost on this world. It is saddening to see how many tell tales of lives shattered by the Second Impact and the Impact Wars that followed."
His eyes settled on Rei, and his brow arched. "And you, Ms. Ayanami, are… well, I was surprised to see your face among the congregation. It saddens me to think of what ill purposes young Farhaven has in store for her."
Rei nodded. "Yes. Her existence… complicates things." she said quietly.
Jameson nodded sympathetically. "I can only imagine." he looked over all of them again. "I wish you the best of luck for the coming trials that you face."
Jameson's gaze fixed itself on Daniel again, and he nodded as he placed a closed fist over the center of his chest. "May you be guided to a greater unity, son."
Daniel mirrored the motion. "And to you, the same."
Jameson smiled slightly. "Thank you. I'll take my leave. I have my congregation to take care of."
The end of his staff glowed again, and he disappeared, leaving the group alone in the now ruined chapel.
Daniel sighed after a quiet moment. "Alright then." he walked forward slightly, then turned to regard the others as his armor disappeared. "We'd better get going. Best to not look too suspicious, should we?"
The others nodded, their armor disappearing as they made their way to the open door.
As they passed through it, Daniel taking up the rear, and got a little ways away, Daniel felt a prickle on the back of his neck, and his eyes widened as he threw his arms wide almost on instinct, a barrier flashing into existence between the others and the building as it exploded with a thunderous roar, the warehouse disappearing in a flash of baleful light.
The others were thrown to the ground by the sudden light and sound, clutching at their ears as they rang.
After a moment, they all stood slowly, looking back at the fire with wide eyes, then down at the still form of Daniel, flat on his face.
Fear flashed through all of them as they ran to him, and that fear turned to horror as they saw his back, his shirt torn up as jagged pieces of metal stuck out of it, outlined by starfields.
"Daniel!" Shinji said, reaching for his shoulder, and hesitating as he saw the particularly large piece of metal that stuck out of it.
"Damn it…" Daniel said, his voice muffled by the ground. The others gasped slightly, amazed that he was still alive, let alone conscious. "Should have seen that coming…"
. . .
Misato's living room was dark and silent, the party decorations untouched from three days ago. Then, a flash of light presaged the group's arrival, Daniel still face down on the floor as the others surrounded him.
Daniel turned his head to the side to make his voice more clearly heard. "Alright, this needs to be carefully done, and without interruption. Asuka, get some coverage on the windows and the veranda doors. We don't know if SEELE's still watching this apartment."
Asuka nodded, then walked over to the veranda doors, holding her hands out as sheets of metal slowly began to rise from the floor.
"Shinji, go turn the light on. We'll need to be able to properly see. Then, get a large bowl, a bowl with some cold water, and a washcloth. We'll need to clean up this mess after we're done." Daniel continued, keeping his voice as calm as possible.
Shinji nodded, running to the light switch and flipping it on, then dashing into the kitchen.
"Alright," he said, looking up as best he could at Misato and Kaji, and acknowledging Kaworu and Rei out of his line of sight, "the four of you are going to play battlefield surgeon. I was able to keep any shards of metal from hitting my spine and vital organs, but with the barrier and the teleportation, it's everything I've got to keep these from bleeding openly. So, you'll need to extract them slowly, starting with the ones that pose the most danger. For example, the particularly large one in my… left shoulder. That one's nicked an artery, and I can't heal it while the metal is still in the way."
Misato and Kaji nodded, and he presumed Kaworu and Rei did the same. "Alright." Daniel said as he heard the dull thump of an empty bowl. "One of you go ahead and get a grip on it, and extract it slowly. I'll heal it as it's on its way out."
Misato nodded, and extended her hands towards it, Frames beginning to grow from her soul as they latched on to the shard of metal, the unseen contact points beginning to glow iridescently.
"Alright. Now, slowly, like I said." Daniel said, and Misato clenched her jaw as she began to pull, the metal wiggling slightly as she pulled it out.
"Stop." Daniel said, and Misato ceased pulling the metal for a moment. "Alright. It's healed." Daniel said. "Go ahead and just pull it out."
Misato nodded, and the shard popped out, the flesh quickly sealing behind it with only a little blood escaping. Misato dropped the dripping metal into the bowl with a hollow clatter.
"Excellent, Misato." Daniel said, and a small, unsteady smile was all Misato could answer with. "Now, if you three sitting here want to follow her example, we'll be done fairly quickly. There are still some problematic pieces around my spine, so you might want to start with those first."
Asuka, finished with her task, knelt next to Shinji as Kaji, Rei, and Kaworu began their work. "Daniel…" she said. "How are you even still talking?"
"Most likely, a combination of Interfacing and the combat stims. Now, I'm going to go ahead and shut up, and let you get to work." Daniel said, and did so, as the operation began in earnest.
. . .
Eleanor gained consciousness again, then slowly opened her eyes. She was in a white room, medical tools around her pulling away as Hikari stepped back, a relieved look in her eyes.
The last thing she remembered was… the attack. The I-Breaker. A blade of fear drove itself into her heart as she turned to Hikari. "What happened? Where am I?"
Ritsuko stepped into view as she sat up. "You're onboard the Val. You were hit by what Daniel called a 'Flux Cyst', so we had to move you here after we fixed up Kaworu and Shinji."
She looked around. This would be the medical bay of a Seabreaker. She saw Toji and Maya as they talked to a wide-eyed Hyuga and Faez, who, she noted with distant amusement, were now holding hands. Gendo looked around at everything with what could only be described as wonder in his eyes. Shinji, Kaworu, and most especially Daniel, were absent. "Where are they?" Eleanor said. "Where's Daniel?"
Ritsuko's expression became one of concern. "He said he was going to go take care of the Scion mission. The other Children, Misato, and Kaji followed him."
The blade of fear that had embedded itself in her heart twisted as she reached out with her soul across the vast distances that separated them. "Daniel…"
. . .
The sun was rising. Or, at least, it should have been. The doors and windows were covered, and the only light came from the overhead lights, so they had no clue as to what the outside world looked like right now.
The group sat at the kitchen table silently, the combat stims having worn off now. On the table, a bowl with over three dozen shards of metal in various sizes and coverage in blood sat in the center.
They were tired. Three days of little sleep, little real sustenance, and coming out of combat did that, really.
Misato was especially tired, her vision blurring every once in a while before she focused it again. She jumped along with everyone else as she heard her alarm clock go off. 0730. The sun really was rising.
She looked around at the table. Shinji and Asuka were slumped over, holding each other's hands. Kaji held hers in a grip that was warm. That was good. Daniel was pale and a little jittery, but he was awake and sitting at the table with them. That was… a miracle.
And Rei quietly held hands with… Kaworu. The Angel.
A part of her mind that she had repressed, that she thought she had dealt with, roared back to life, filling her head with whispers as she blinked drearily. As she blinked, she saw… it. Him. Adam. the giant of light.
He was there. The thing that killed her father. And slowly, her Grip came into being, becoming a pistol. She could avenge him, now. She could…
"Misato."
She blinked, and Kaworu was Kaworu again, and she turned to look at Daniel, who regarded her as intently as he could with his tired, bloodshot eyes. "We need to keep him alive."
"Why?" she whispered. There was so much behind that simple question. "Shinji and Asuka, and you, for… for Adam. For the thing that killed my father. Why?"
"Because if he dies, then SEELE wins, Misato." Daniel said, leaning on the table. "Then Instrumentality happens and…"
"And what?" Misato said, leaning forward herself, her hand falling from Kaji's as it clenched. "Something might happen that you saw on a screen? Something that you've never experienced?" her voice began to rise as she continued. "You weren't there, Daniel. You might have seen Antarctica on a screen, but it didn't take your father. It didn't take everything you ever loved! You didn't live through this Instrumentality you keep warning us about, you just watched it happen!" her throat became raw from the shouting.
Daniel's fist slammed on the table, and his expression blazed with fire, causing Misato to pause and shrink back slightly. "No, Misato. I didn't just watch Instrumentality, just watch Third Impact. I lived it." he said, deathly quiet.
It was silent for a moment before Daniel continued, all eyes now on him. "How do you think I know my way around the Geofront so well? Around the city? How do you think I even got the skills to become head of Engineering for the Evas? I was here, Misato. In another Echo. I watched as Shinji, Asuka, you, all of you were broken. I watched as SEELE sent the JSSDF into the Geofront and slaughtered everyone that I had come to know!"
He was standing now. Misato caught the others on the edge of her vision, all of their eyes wide with shock. All except for Rei's. "I walked past you slumped dead by an elevator that you pushed Shinji into to protect him! I watched on a monitor as… as Unit-02, and Asuka got torn apart by the Mass Production Evas! I watched Lilith ascend into the sky, carrying the Geofront with her! I watched the souls of humanity fly away from me into the sky! I… I…"
He trailed off, slowly sitting down as his expression changed from anger to horror, his shaking hands slowly coming to clutch the sides of his face. "No. No, please." he whispered. "Not now. Not here."
Daniel's vision began to fuzz, and the world blurred around him as he dimly felt Shinji shake him by his shoulder. He heard Eleanor's voice, a muffled, distant thing, as his soul reached out on instinct, grabbing for whatever support it could. It found Eleanor. And Shinji. And Asuka, and Rei, and Kaworu, and Misato and Kaji and Ritsuko and Maya and…
'No, no, no, no, no, stop! Stop!' he frantically thought, as his surroundings grew dark. And the worst day of his life in recent years began again.
- - -
Senior Technician Daniel Theisman was in a dark bathroom, clutching one of his coworkers and trying his best to stay silent. They were here. The JSSDF. He had done everything he could to stop it. But here it was.
He had tried to help Shinji, Asuka, and Rei. But he was too far away from them, both in terms of location and position, to do much of anything but watch as they were slowly worn down and broken. He noted Kaji's passing, a kind man, even to him, who, as it turned out, didn't matter much in the way of things.
He had failed. He had failed and now, everyone was dying. Most of the maintenance crews for the Evas were dead now. People that he had come to know and care for. He had run past many of their bodies on the way here. And now, the last member of his section still alive, a woman named Nishiyama, did her best to stifle her sobs as they listened for the boots, heard the gunfire in the distance.
Then, a jolt of fear, as the door to the bathroom was kicked open, the glare of flashlights shining on the floors as they swept through, the other stall doors slamming open as the soldiers kicked them.
The two of them went silent. This was it. This was the end.
Then, Daniel blinked. It would be the end for Senior Technician Theisman, who could do no more than watch, now. But for Worldstrider Daniel… for the Hollow Saint…
The door slammed open, and a flashlight shined in his face as the light left his eyes.
The soldier didn't even get a chance to shout as a blade of obsidian decapitated him, his body falling to the ground as the blade darted out of sight, gunfire filling the bathroom for a terrible moment, then stilling as the last body hit the floor seconds later.
Daniel stood, and Nishiyama looked up in confusion and horror. "Mr. Theisman?" she said in a trembling voice. "What are you doing?"
The blade floated to his side as Daniel stepped out of the stall. "I'm going to go save the world." Daniel said in a toneless voice, as a bared sword blade glowed to life on his brow. "Whether they like it or not."
. . .
The next however long passed in a blur of shouting soldiers and falling bodies. Space bent the bullets away, and something similar to a black hole sucked away the flames that the flamethrowers flung at him. The blade of obsidian, now joined by three others, made mincemeat of the soldiers.
He passed a monitor, spattered with blood, that showed a view of the Geofront exterior. He paused for a moment as he watched the monitor with dead eyes, showing Unit-02, showing Asuka, a mangled plant bed for a grove of Lances, the white wings of the MP-Evas slowly circling like vultures… he moved on. He had to. Or he would collapse in on himself and simply die.
He walked to an elevator, tearing the doors open and beginning to float down the shaft until he got off, and began walking to the next one. He had one destination right now. Terminal Dogma.
As he arrived at the next elevator, he saw Misato. He saw the Major slumped dead against an elevator door as she lay surrounded by JSSDF soldiers. He paused to regard the body of someone whom he had talked to, who had been kind to him, enjoyed his company whenever Shinji had him over for dinner on those rare occasions, and a wall of stars flared to life as an explosion further down the corridor sent a wall of flame rushing towards them, stopping dead at the wall of stars.
His blades dissected the elevator doors next to Misato, then the bottom of the empty elevator car that waited there. He walked in, floating down. He had to get to Terminal Dogma.
He floated down, down, down, going as fast as he could while conserving his Flux creation. Even still, he had deployed all of his Vent Frames. Now, a set of horns, ridged and spreading out almost like antlers, crowned his head, the sword blade floating in the center.
He reached the door to Terminal Dogma. The one that Kaji and Misato had stood in front of. Without touching it, the doors blew inward, clattering to a stop as Daniel stepped through. Daniel looked up, and the first emotion that had crossed his face since he started was awe, followed by horror.
Lilith had come down from her cross, and the mask that had adorned her face now melted off, splashing into the LCL below, revealing the face of Rei.
Lilith looked down at Gendo, who laid on the floor clutching an arm with no hand, then her gaze lifted up, and landed on him.
He was pinned underneath that ancient gaze as it studied him, curiosity evident in her eyes for a passing moment. Then, Lilith looked up and began to rise towards the ceiling, passing through it without so much as a whisper.
Daniel fought to not sink to his knees. He was too late… no. No, he could not afford to think like that. He turned and began to walk to the elevator shaft.
"What the…" Gendo said, his voice strained with pain. "Who are you?"
Daniel turned and saw Gendo staring at him with confusion, even a little fear. "I'm the one trying to save the world, Commander." he turned away. "You have an upcoming date with your wife. I'm not one to interfere with such things." he said levelly.
Daniel walked back into the elevator shaft and began to rise again. Maybe if he made it to Central Dogma, he could do… something. Anything, to keep things together.
As he stepped out of the elevator shaft, his blood ran cold as he saw an apparition of Rei hanging over Misato who turned and regarded him with confusion and curiosity. 'It's already starting. Shinji… hang on. Please.'
He picked up his pace as ghostly Reis began to appear over everyone, NERV and JSSDF alike, and one even followed him as he desperately tried to ignore it. He knew what it was trying to do. He knew what would happen if he gave in.
A wave of pure force washed over his soul, and his Frame wavered for a moment as he stumbled, portions of his skin turning a translucent orange before he stabilized himself. The bodies around him began to pop like bubbles, becoming viscous orange LCL as the core of their souls, flickering like fireflies, flew through the roof and walls of the hallway he was in.
Daniel shook his head. He needed to get to the surface now. Central Dogma would be useless with only him inside it.
He turned into starlight, passing through the ceiling and dragging the specter of Rei along with him.
He reached the surface in seconds, finding himself on the shore of the artificial lake of the Geofront, a bubble of air coming into existence as he looked up, and saw the black sky of Earth's low orbit, as flickering souls flew past him and joined the wave-like, swirling mass of souls above him.
It had all happened so fast… Daniel looked around him in a daze. The gory remains of Unit-02 bled into the water of the opposite shore, and trees and water whipped around him as he turned to look at where Lilith would be.
There was nothing he could do.
No.
No, there was something he could do, as his gaze steeled in determination, and he became starlight again, flying towards the mass of souls' final destination. The Doors of Guf.
. . .
He passed through the Doors and entered a world of water, light playing off the bottom of the white floor from an indeterminate source above. Daniel looked around as best he could, using his Sight to try and find Shinji. He was the key to this, now.
He shook his head as he turned off the Sight after a moment. It was a riot of Frames and cores, of light and emotion and memory. He couldn't find anything like that.
"Shinji!" he shouted as best he could. "Shinji! Where are you?"
He did not know for how long he did this before a familiar voice answered him. "You are not like the others."
Daniel spun around and found before him a pale young woman with bright blue hair and piercing red eyes. Rei. Lilith.
Daniel shook his head. "No, I'm not. Where's Shinji? I need to help him."
Lilith shook her head. "No. He will make his decision on his own."
Daniel stared at Lilith for a moment. "Shinji… Shinji is broken. Ready and willing to die. And you've put the fate of the entire human race into his hands." he said this almost incredulously.
Lilith didn't even move. "Yes. The part of me that was once Rei Ayanami trusts him."
Daniel sighed. "You can't let him choose now. He is hurt. He needs comfort. Not to have the fate of the world in his hands right now. He needs time."
Lilith's voice was without inflection. "He will make the choice."
"He shouldn't." Daniel said in exasperation. "His mind needs to heal. He cannot represent humanity now. Not at this moment."
"I am humanity's creator." Lilith said, ignoring Daniel's words. "When Shinji makes his choice, I will honor his decision."
A dangerous light entered Daniel's eyes, and the stars in his Frames began to wink out as he slowly approached Lilith. "No. No, you may be their creator, but you are not their god. I am the only one that can even begin to lay claim to that title. And if I must use the power that grants me such a title to scatter your soul amongst the stars, and restore this world to the people I love, then I have stopped caring to hesitate."
Daniel blinked, and another figure appeared in front of him, a boy, pale like Lilith, but with ashen hair. Kaworu. Tabris. He spoke, and his voice rippled with power.
"You would threaten to disrupt this process. To overthrow the decision we have given the one that we love to make. And…"
Daniel felt the ripples of power shift as Tabris read his soul like an open book. "You would do nothing but pose a threat to the one we love."
Daniel's eyes widened as he realized what they saw. "No. No, that part of me is behind me. I hated that part."
"And yet, you have fallen back into it so easily." Lilith said emotionlessly.
Daniel blinked. Then, he sank to his knees wordlessly, the light leaving his eyes as a void of despair opened up in them.
"You are an intruder. We will not allow you to interfere." Tabris said. "Begone."
Daniel did nothing as the power Tabris wielded swept him away, out of the Doors of Guf.
. . .
Daniel woke up on a long white beach and looked up as the massive white form of Lilith left the world behind, fleeing into the dark as she clutched the Black Moon. The Mass Production Eva's, now seemingly turned to stone, arms wide as if they were crucified, crashed into the sea, throwing up waves of red water. After that, it was a silent night.
He looked around him. He recognized where he was. He looked down at his feet. They should have been here. He should have been here.
He began to pace. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. There was supposed to be hope here. There was supposed to be love, supposed to be possibility, however small and fragile and improbable it was. He was supposed to save the world. He was supposed to save the people he cared for. And he couldn't. A dozen thoughts whirled through his mind. 'If only I had done this a little sooner. If I hadn't bothered with some petty disguise. I could have stopped this from ever happening. I have the power to stop this. I have… I… I…'
He looked down at his hands, shaking and with Flux becoming motes of starlight that drifted away, and he could feel the mark on his brow seem to sear his forehead, as one thought shattered his mind as it entered it. 'What have I done?'
His scream was the scream of the knowingly damned. And the stone Evas, jutting above the red sea, were its only silent witnesses.
- - -
Finally, the vision began to fade, and after a moment, Daniel was back in Misato's apartment, clutching the sides of his face as tears streamed down from his eyes. He looked around the table, and there was no one else there without tears in their eyes as they regarded him. He scanned the room.
Eleanor was there, awake and worrying and right next to him. Ritsuko, Maya, Gendo, Hyuga, and Faez stood behind him, eyes full of shock and sadness. Hikari and Toji had gone to Shinji and Asuka's side.
He turned his eyes back to Misato and Kaji. To the Children. "I just don't want to see you die again. Please." he whispered.
He buried his face in his hands and wept silently, Eleanor comforting him as silent sobs heaved his body.
Next Time on Apotheosis Echo...
The beginning of the End. Now, the most important moves are made, and the world will see, in one way or another, what fate has in store. Blood will be shed, one way or the other. Next Episode: Precipice.
And there we were. The beginning of the End. Those were tense days. Filled with move and countermove, SEELE and the AIC, and by extension NERV, both trying to outplay the other. Even with the knowledge of what could come next, there were still surprises in store for all the world...
Infinity Box, Theisman Residence, Early April 2016
Daniel Theisman sat at the head of a long table, his wife at his side, as he regarded the rest of its occupants.
The Anti Instrumentality Committee had grown in recent days. Now, along with Hyuga and Faez, a wondering Fuyutsuki and a surprisingly stoic Aoba had been inducted. Daniel chuckled mentally at the sight. All of the main actors, sitting down at a table and discussing how to stop SEELE. Even Gendo. He wouldn't have bet on this in his wildest dreams if he wasn't seeing it right now.
But there were more serious matters to discuss right now. The end was closing in. It was simply a matter of time, now.
"So," he said, and the quiet chatter of the table died as he spoke, all eyes turning to him, "all of you, in one way or another, have been briefed on what SEELE intends to do in the coming days."
Nods came from up and down the table. A slight shudder passed through Misato, Kaji, Ritsuko, and Maya. Even Gendo wasn't immune. They had watched the series and the movie that the Children had. They had come out of it similarly haunted. The others had simply been told what had happened, Fuyutsuki, Aoba, Hyuga, and Faez spared the trauma of watching a potential version of it unfold in front of them.
"So, with that in mind," Daniel said, "we need a plan. One that will take advantage of our advance knowledge of their potential actions and use it against them."
"Our biggest obstacle is going to be their use of the U.N." Daniel continued. "SEELE, as the Human Instrumentality Committee, has the resources of an unknowing United Nations to throw at us, up to and including the entire N2 arsenal. We need to find a way, first and foremost, to neutralize that advantage."
"So," he said, dramatically placing his hands on the table in front of him and sweeping his gaze around the table, "what are your thoughts? A man can look wise by staying quiet all he wants, but only those brave enough to look like fools have the answers we need."
It was quiet for a moment as all of them pondered the question. Then, Gendo nodded slightly. "What if we went public? Told the United Nations what we know?" he said quietly.
A quiet gasp went up around the table, and Fuyutsuki, seated next to Gendo, looked at him with no small amount of apprehension. "Gendo, I don't believe that would be wise…"
"Wait." Kaji said, nodding slowly. "I think I know what he's getting at."
"Obviously, we do not tell the world everything that we know." Gendo said, his hand cupping his chin thoughtfully. "But we have seen that SEELE attacked NERV, or rather, SEELE directed the JSSDF to attack NERV, on the basis that we were trying to initiate a Third Impact. If we can tell them, in no uncertain terms, that we have accomplished our stated goal…"
"Then SEELE loses that leverage." Eleanor said, nodding slowly. "They'll still likely attack. Such a tactic might set them back for a while, but I'm sure that they'll still try to take over the process of Instrumentality. And they'll more than likely still use military force to help accomplish that. If not the JSSDF, then another that is more suggestible and willing to obey."
Kaji nodded. "I can take care of the JSSDF and get the message ready, along with ensuring that we have a sufficiently receptive audience for our message."
"Good." Daniel said, nodding appreciatively.
"Wait a minute." Asuka said. "If SEELE is still going to attack us, wouldn't it be nice to have the JSSDF on our side?"
It was silent for a moment, then Kaji nodded. "That would be awfully nice, wouldn't it? We'd need them close… But it would help if SEELE bites the bullet and sends in an army."
Misato nodded. "That might work. But they'd still need an excuse to be out there…"
"Could the U.S. forces stationed at Okinawa help in that? Militaries do joint exercises, right?" Shinji said, drawing the gaze of those at the table to him as he blushed slightly and began to shrink down in his seat before Asuka put a hand on his.
Kaji nodded. "Yeah, actually. They could do that. But let's keep it real here. Having the JSSDF and the U.S. forces here around the time that SEELE attacks when we don't know that is going to be a real gamble."
"It's a gamble that I'm willing to take." Gendo said. "Even if it doesn't work out, we'll still not have the JSSDF to worry about. And in any case, we have the Evangelions." he said, looking down the table at the Children.
The Children nodded, some more slowly than others. Even with all that they were talking about, there was a better than good chance that they would have to engage human-sized targets. Toji and Hikari looked especially uneasy with the concept. But they would have to do it, to ensure that SEELE didn't end… everything.
Daniel nodded. "I think we've made some good progress on that front. We'll talk about the details later. Next thing we have to worry about," he said, directing his gaze to Ritsuko and Maya, "is the digital attack on the Magi."
Ritsuko scoffed softly. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. Mother will be able to take care of that quite easily."
Ritsuko noticed the pointed stare that Fuyutsuki gave her, then the ones that Hyuga, Faez, and Aoba also sent her way. She waved her hand. "I'll tell more on that later, but suffice to say that with the Magi unified under her, the hack should be much more easily overcome."
"Perhaps, Ritsuko, but I doubt Mrs. Akagi will be annoyed if we… lightened the load, shall we say?" Daniel said with a slight smile.
Maya nodded uncertainly. "Well, I'm not entirely sure what we can do on that front. Besides the Magi backup in Matsushiro, the show had the Magi in China, Germany, and the United States participating in the hack as well. That's five in total."
"Matsushiro shouldn't be too big of a problem." Aoba said, drawing everyone's attention. "I mean, all we have to do is take it down for maintenance for a while, right?"
Ritsuko nodded. "That would be most effective, yes, but it still doesn't solve the others."
Faez spoke up. "I have some contacts back in the States. I think I could leverage some favors to have at least one of them taken out of service."
Daniel nodded. "And I'm sure I can convince Karl over at NERV-2 to find some excuse to have his Magi come under maintenance as well." he paused for a moment as he smiled softly. "From five Magi down to two. I'd call that quite the bargain."
Ritsuko nodded, smiling slightly. "I'm sure mother will agree."
Daniel nodded, leaning back in his chair as he steepled his fingers. 'Well, then. I think we have a solid base to work off of. We can split off, work out the details. For now, though…"
He looked over at Kaji. "Kaji, how long would it take to give the leaders of the world some advance notice of what we want to do without tipping SEELE off?"
Kaji tilted his head as he considered the question. "Well… I'm sure that Minister Okamura will have her ways to get it done quickly. I'll bend her ear on it."
"Alright." Daniel said, and the Infinity Box rippled as they reinserted themselves back into the flow of time. "Let's let what we've talked about stew for a little bit. Then, if something comes to mind, let either me or Eleanor know."
- - -
Tokyo-3 Municipal High School
The Children sat on the roof of the school and quietly ate lunch together.
The school was empty. Classes had been canceled due to a lack of students, and the teachers had all moved out. Technically, they shouldn't have been here.
But, with the plying of some of Asuka's lockpicking skills (learned straight from Kaji, the master of sneaking into places he shouldn't be, much to Hikari's dismay), they were here regardless. It was nostalgia, mainly, that drove them there. A rite of normalcy before they passed into the future, and what strange things lay ahead. As such, they tried, and mostly failed, to talk about normal things at first.
After a few minutes of silence, Shinji blinked as he remembered something, and looked over at Rei. "Rei," he said, pausing as she looked over at him, "were you ever able to… communicate with the Dummy Plugs? Seeing as they were… well, technically, a part of you?"
Rei looked down, then shook her head. "I do not believe so, Shinji. While the Dummy Plug system was based on my brain patterns, my understanding is that it is an entirely digital system."
Shinji nodded. "Oh. Okay."
Rei shrugged. "I believe you were going to ask if Kaworu could do the same for his Dummy Plugs?"
Shinji nodded, a glum look in his eyes. "Yeah."
Asuka patted him on the shoulder. "It's alright, Shinji. They can't all be winners."
Shinji shrugged. Then, Kaworu's expression became thoughtful. "Perhaps not with the Dummy Plugs themselves, Shinji… but perhaps I can communicate with the souls within the MP-Evas."
The Children looked intently at Kaworu now. "Wait a minute." Toji said. "Do we even know who, or what is even in the cores of those things? It could be other people's souls, or pieces of other people's souls, like what happened to Rei, or it could even be another Angel that they broke apart! Or multiple Angels!"
Kaworu nodded as Hikari punched Toji in the arm, causing him to yelp. "Both the pieces of one's soul, or the souls of Angels, would explain the rather bestial nature of the Evas that we have witnessed." he pondered quietly for a moment. "However… having the Evas be piloted by an Angel feels… likely."
Hikari looked at him with some confusion. "What do you mean?"
Kaworu regarded the other Children. "Well, when Adam was awoken by SEELE, they didn't just wake him up. He was… reduced? Stripped down? Regardless, almost all of the souls that Adam carried with him were lost in Second Impact. He kept only a few of them in the aftermath. We know of the Angels that we have already defeated in battle, my brothers and sisters. There is me, of course. As for any others…"
"There would have to be only one other Angel in order to make Instrumentality work, though." Shinji said quietly. "You and one other. That way, Adam would be whole when he merged with Lilith." he looked up at Kaworu. "Am I on the right track?"
Kaworu nodded. "Yes. That would be correct." he said quietly. "But, as we saw in the film, the Mass Production Evangelion were consumed by Lilith as well. So, it would not be out of the realm of possibility for them to be controlled by Angels. Or, more accurately, the pieces of an Angel."
Shinji nodded silently. Then, Asuka spoke up, looking at Kaworu with curiosity in her expression. "So, Kritzeln… is there a way you could find out about this? Like… talking to Adam, in some way?"
Kaworu pondered for a moment, then nodded. "With my connection to Adam, it would not be surprising to be able to communicate with him directly. I am, in a sense, Adam's spokesman, as the show all too briefly called me." he looked over at Rei. "Perhaps the same can be said of yourself for Lilith."
Rei nodded. "That would likely be correct. However… I'm unsure."
It was silent for a moment, then Asuka looked back at Shinji. "So, wait a minute. What got you thinking about the question that got this all started?"
"Well…" Shinji said, trailing off as he took out his phone, unlocking it to look at the music player. "I have an idea. Maybe not a completely sane one, but still, an idea."
- - -
Recording Studio, Undisclosed Location, Tokyo-2, 1 Week Later
Gendo Ikari sat at the center of a long table and tried not to be too nervous. His appearance would never betray it, of course, but even still, everyone who sat at the table that he sat at knew the risks that were involved in even attempting this.
So now, as film crews bustled around them, he looked to his left and right. Beside him to his right was Ritsuko. To his left, Misato and Daniel. The four heads of the divisions of NERV.
He looked up at the teleprompter beside the camera, as it showed what they had planned to say. It was a carefully considered thing, puzzled over for the last week. It had to be, in order to not be dismissed out of hand as pure nonsense.
Gendo breathed deeply as the final preparations were made. Soon, they would appear to all the leaders of the world. Now, he had to hope that Inspector Kaji was able to pull his weight and get the appropriate audience in place.
. . .
United Nations Building, New York, United States of America
It was a late night that had the members of the United Nations come together. It was a mysterious night as well, with the Security Council calling an emergency session only a day ago for 'the disclosure of information pertaining to Special Agency NERV'. The main hall was a susurrus of lowered voices, speculating on what, exactly, would be disclosed, and why they, and a few leaders of the world, would have to know at such a damnably late hour.
The President of the General Assembly banged his gavel once, twice, three times. By the third strike, the room was silent.
The Speaker for the Assembly stood and made her way to the microphone. "This Emergency Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, held April 12th, 2016, is now in session."
She paused for a moment before continuing. "This session has been called on account of Special Agency NERV, as they have seen fit to address the General Assembly and the leaders of the world. They will be speaking to us on a live broadcast from Tokyo-2 in Japan. The floor is given to NERV at this time."
The Speaker sat down, and the twin screens on the back wall flickered to life, showing four people sitting at a table, a plain background putting the focus on them as one of them, a man with a chinstrap beard and piercing blue eyes leaned forward slightly.
"Members of the General Assembly, leaders of the world. My name is Commander Gendo Ikari." he said in English, as his name and title began to scroll at the bottom of the screen in a multitude of languages, and a booth to the side became filled with whispered translations. "Since the beginning of the new millennium, the world has struggled, in one way or another, to cope with the devastating results of Second Impact, and the Impact Wars that followed in its wake. For the past 16 years, Second Impact has been said to be a rogue meteor impact. However, the time has come for the truth."
A murmur rose throughout the Assembly as one of the screens showed a picture that seemed like something out of fantasy. A giant seemingly composed of pure light.
"On the screen is a photograph of an extraterrestrial being, discovered by the Katsuragi Expedition to Antarctica in 1999, that has come to be known as Adam. During experiments on Adam's body, the being unexpectedly awakened, killing most everyone involved in the expedition and initiating the event we know as Second Impact."
The assembly hall was dead silent as Commander Ikari continued. "However, Second Impact would not be the last time we encountered beings such as Adam. Massive creatures, codenamed 'Angels' began to appear in Tokyo-3, appearing to be related to Adam in their origin. On the screen are images and videos of them now."
As he spoke, a montage of images and video did indeed play across the screen, as strange, almost unreal beings, massive in scale, marched across what was presumably Tokyo-3.
"NERV, founded in the aftermath of Second Impact, was created to study and, if necessary, combat extraterrestrial life, such as was found in Antarctica."
The camera's focus changed to a blonde woman in a lab coat, as the name 'Doctor Ritsuko Akagi, Head of Research' began to scroll at the bottom of the screen. "To this end," she said, "the Artificial Humanoid combat platform, designated the Evangelion, was created, to ensure the safety of humanity from the Angels."
"These Angels have taken a variety of forms, from the recognizable to the barely perceptible, in search of another being, kept dormant under Tokyo-3, like Adam. This being, named Lilith, if biologically united with any Angel, holds the potential to destroy all life as we know it."
A quiet, shocked gasp rippled through the hall as the camera changed its focus again, this time focusing on a dark-haired, serious looking woman who the screen identified as 'Major Misato Katsuragi, Head of Operations'. "Several combat operations have taken place over the course of the preceding year in defense of Tokyo-3, and to prevent any Angel from combining with Lilith." she said. "All have been successful, due to the skills of our staff and the pilots of the Evangelion. All the Angels that have appeared thus far have been defeated. And we are confident that we have defeated all the Angels."
A murmur passed through the chamber as Major Katsuragi continued. "We are confident in this due to records detailing contact with extraterrestrials like Adam, Lilith, and the Angels, found decades prior to the discovery of Adam in caverns by the Dead Sea. These seemingly ridiculous accounts, detailing the general number, type, and timing of the Angel's appearances, have proven themselves accurate nearly down to the day. We have come to take these Dead Sea records extremely seriously."
She paused for a moment, then continued. "The Dead Sea records detailed the arrival of 12 Angels, who have all been defeated. Thus, the mission of NERV, as it pertains to the defense of Earth against the threat of the Angels, has been judged to be completed."
The camera panned to a white man with blond hair and blue eyes, and the name 'Captain Daniel Theisman, Head of Engineering' began to scroll by as he spoke. "As such, we will be commencing the deactivation and decommissioning of the Evangelion Units within our care within the next 6 months, and turning our focus as an organization to more fully studying the extraterrestrial objects that have been found and left behind in the wake of the Angel attacks. Traditional defenses in the event of further attacks will be maintained and updated as advancements are made, and the advancements made using Angelic findings will be subject to a rigorous testing policy before being shared with the rest of the world."
The camera panned back to Commander Ikari. "We wish to thank the Japanese Strategic Self Defense Forces at this time for their cooperation throughout this period, and for the patience and support of the Japanese government and the United Nations. Without you, our mission would have been impossible. This concludes our presentation."
The screen went black. And the Assembly erupted into chaos.
- - -
Lorenz Kihl, Chairman of the Human Instrumentality Committee, did his best to remain calm as he considered the broadcast from the United Nations, so as to not tilt his body further into the spiral of decay that he had tried to forestall.
Damn Ikari. Damn him! His betrayal, long foreseen as inevitable by some, had been sudden and complete. He did not release everything to the world, but he had done enough that their plans going forward had been upset completely.
There would need to be a reckoning. Soon. They would have used the JSSDF, but now, if Gendo's ability to bend the ear of the Security Council, or at least a good portion of it, was any indication, the JSSDF would probably be a resource that would not be able to be used. Or at least, used with any dependency and speed. Especially now that their countrymen made the almost express statement that they wouldn't be able to try to initiate Third Impact, the excuse that had been prepared for whenever they would need to dispose of NERV.
SEELE needed to deliver punishment regardless, however. And, after a moment's thought, Kihl smiled slightly. There would still be ways. Ones that would be far more compliant and less questioning. Even if they were not as readily available as the JSSDF were.
He would need to convene the rest of SEELE. They would need to plan carefully, now.
- - -
3 Days Later
Daniel Theisman sat in the Infinity Box and pondered the absolute mess that the world news cycle had become. The Children, Misato, Kaji, Fuyutsuki, Gendo, and Eleanor pondered it with him.
It had only taken a few days before headlines shouting about 'First Contact' and 'Humanity's fight against the alien invasion' plastered the news, and the talking heads that most all of them had ignored now spoke the words 'NERV' and 'Angel' and 'Adam' as easily as any other. And they asked questions. What did an 'Artificial Humanoid' even mean? Who were the pilots of the Evangelions? And why had they been kept in the dark about this, the answer to the question of 'are we alone in the universe', for so long?
Fuyutsuki sighed quietly. "And so it begins." he said, equally as quietly.
Daniel nodded, and the news feed faded to black. "Yes. And we have likely brought ourselves a little time, at least, to prepare for what comes. Now, we go through what the show never heeded. The time in between. The waiting. From now, to… whenever they decide to strike."
"It's honestly quite surprising that SELLE hasn't yet called you in to chastise you, Gendo." Eleanor said after a moment of silence.
Gendo nodded. "Perhaps. But, as it's plain to see, they require new strategies. Ones that take into account that their most vital part is no longer under their control. They will need time to adjust their plans."
"They aren't ones to not have contingencies in place, Gendo." Fuyutsuki said. "The Scenario is something that they have prepared for decades to accomplish."
"And it would be foolish to assume they do not, Sensei." Gendo said simply.
It fell silent again for a moment. The weight of what was coming, once again, seemed to fall on all of them.
"They will call me soon." Gendo said simply, quietly. He did not need to say who. "They will rebuke me. And then they will begin."
- - -
Pribnow Box, Geofront, 2 Days Later
Shinji sat in the Entry Plug of Unit-01 and regarded the Mass-Production Evangelion in front of him. It looked just like the ones he had seen in the movie, and he understood its capabilities well. As well as his own shortcomings.
The MP-Eva, deftly maneuvering around him once again, sliced down with its Lance copy, severing his umbilical cable with a single strike. The timer, 5 minutes until he lost, popped into existence and began counting down.
Shinji shook his head, shifting his grip on his Progressive Glaive as he jabbed at the MP-Eva. The Glaive slashed through the Eva's AT Field, but it danced out of the way again, parrying the Glaive with its Lance copy.
Shinji set his jaw and charged forward, jabs and slashes sending the Eva stumbling back. Finally, Unit-01 cut a deep gash in the Eva's chest, just short of its core, digital blood flying from the wound as Shinji pressed his attack.
He was in the zone now, slashing, stabbing, parrying. He could almost make a move at its core…
Then, the screen went black, and Ritsuko's voice rang through the Entry Plug. "You're out of power, Shinji, Asuka. You lose."
Shinji sat back in his seat and sighed heavily. Asuka was more active in her displeasure. "Verdammt! Again! It's always these damn umbilical cables getting in the way!"
Ritsuko sighed and shook her head. "Well, unless you can find a spare S2 Organ like the ones Units-03 and 04 have, that won't be changing."
She had a point, Shinji thought. Hikari and Toji might have been winning less than he or Asuka, but their operation times were also a lot longer. The simple fact of the matter was that, when it came down to it, Hikari and Toji could simply outlast them. And that was an unsettling thought.
"Shinji." Yui said, startling Shinji slightly. "We can do this. Together." her soul radiated with encouragement.
"Thank you, mother." Shinji said. It was quiet for a moment. "Mother," Shinji said, "I… I watched something a little while ago." he said, with no small amount of trepidation.
"Oh?" Yui said. "What was it?" there were growing hints of concern evident.
Shinji took a deep breath. "I watched… well, a show. About us."
It was quiet for a moment, and Shinji wondered what she would say. She had been amazed at what wonders Shinji had told her about the greater Reality and Interfacing. Now, she had to contend with one of the consequences of multiple universes.
Yui sighed quietly. "Well… with what I've learned from both you and Mr. Theisman… I can't say I'm surprised. Much, at least. What was it like?" Trepidation now filled her voice as it echoed through her soul.
Shinji paused for a moment. "It was… dark. Everyone was broken, and no one was there to try and fix us. SEELE won. Kind of. And you… you said something. In the past, to Deputy Commander Fuyutsuki, just before you entered the core."
"Ah. That I wanted to stand as a monument to humanity after it had passed." Yui said softly, a forlorn feeling tumbling slowly through her soul as she pondered silently.
"Why? Why say that? Why do that?" Shinji said.
"Because I knew, more than anything else at that point, that I would never set foot outside of the core ever again. That if I didn't enter the core, I would die, and you and Gendo would truly be alone." Yui said. "Now, though… I'm not so sure. What you've told me Mr. Theisman can do… what will be waiting for me on the other side… not just a new world, a new Reality, but you and Gendo…" she trailed off.
"I want to see you again, mother." Shinji said. "More than anything in this world, after all of this is done… I just want to hug you."
"And I will." Yui said. "But for now… we just have a little longer to go, it seems."
Shinji's expression grew serious, then Ritsuko's voice cut in on the speakers, breaking his concentration for a moment. "Alright, you two. That's enough time to rest. Let's go ahead and go again. Your choice of weapons, as always."
. . .
As the simulations continued, Ritsuko couldn't help but glance around the room, filled with the technicians necessary to make these simulations work in the first place, an ember of anxiety flaring slightly in her heart.
She shouldn't be worrying. Ever since Asuka suggested these exercises, and Misato and Kaji both wisely brought up the danger of SEELE agents within NERV catching wind of it, Kaji, with the help of a group of Section 2 agents he explicitly trusted, went through the personnel lists with a fine-toothed comb looking for SEELE plants, meeting each and every one of the people who worked for NERV, even if only briefly, over the course of the half a week.
With the help of being able to see other people's souls, he was quite adept at rooting out the truth of whether or not anyone he talked to was with SEELE. And, with a little time and conversation, many of them had been subverted to helping them. And the ones he couldn't subvert… well, she didn't want to dwell on how thorough Kaji had to be with them.
Even knowing that every single person in the room was above board, that none of them would go to SEELE and spoil their plans, she couldn't quite suppress a feeling of danger, of the need to keep this secret.
She heard a quiet hum next to her and looked at Kaworu and Rei, who had taken up a post next to her as they regarded the simulation on Maya's screen intently. Kaworu had a pondering look in his eyes. He looked around, then whispered quietly to Rei, whose eyes widened in surprise as her brows shot up.
"Alright, you two." Ritsuko said quietly. "Have something to say to the rest of the class?"
Kaworu looked up at Ritsuko with barely concealed interest and even a little curiosity. "You've made mention of finding an S2 Organ to Shinji and Asuka."
Ritsuko silently connected the dots, and her eyes widened. "You mean… you can create S2 Organs?" she whispered.
Kaworu nodded. "Yes, actually, we can. The knowledge of the scientist included the ability to create S2 Organs, a trait that every Angel, in some capacity or another, has possessed."
Maya looked back up at them with concern in her eyes. "Wait a minute." she said quietly, her voice lowering further as she continued. "Wouldn't putting an S2 Organ in Unit-01 just give SEELE... something else to initiate Instrumentality with?" she said in a whisper.
Ritsuko nodded. "That's a good point." she said.
"Indeed." Rei said. "Even still, the advantages of an S2 Organ will outweigh the risks, in my opinion." Rei was quiet for a moment, then she whispered. "It will not be like what we've seen. He won't be alone. None of us will be."
The group pondered silently for a moment. "Alright then." Ritsuko said. "How long will creating a new organ take?"
Kaworu looked out the observation window at Unit-01, tilting his head slightly as he seemed to do the calculations all in his head. After a moment, he looked back at the expectant Ritsuko and Maya. "I would say… about three weeks?"
Ritsuko and Maya's eyes widened as they looked at each other, then back at Kaworu. "That quickly?" Maya whispered.
Kaworu nodded. "Yes. And I believe I can perform the most necessary steps without even having to extract the Evas from the gantries. Then, it's simply a matter of letting them grow to the proper size."
Ritsuko nodded slowly. "Well… there's no risk in taking a shot at it." she paused for a moment. "Is there?"
Kaworu shook his head. "As long as I follow what I'm seeing in my head, there should be no great risk."
Ritsuko nodded. "Alright then. I'll want you to get on it as soon as the simulations are done."
- - -
Meeting Room, Geofront, 5 Days Later
Gendo Ikari sat and waited patiently for the old men to appear. He was slightly surprised that they had waited this long to do so. They must have upset their plans more thoroughly than he thought.
Then, with a quiet hum, the black monoliths of SEELE appeared.
"Ikari." Chairman Kihl said simply.
"Chairman. Committee members." Gendo said levelly, the look in his eyes betraying nothing, even hidden behind the orange lenses he had come to wear less and less as they were.
"I must say, Ikari," SEELE-04 said, his French accent thick with barely disguised disgust, "when I asked you if you planned to betray us, I did not expect you to answer in such a spectacular fashion."
"Much has come to light in past weeks and months." Ikari said. "I do not expect you to understand."
"Perhaps not, Commander." SEELE-02 said. "But we understand quite clearly that you, the very person who presented us the Human Instrumentality Project, have now decided to go astray from it. From the Scenario which has played out over decades, and will yet come to fruition. Whether you are a part of it or not."
Gendo swept his gaze across the room. "There is a brighter future than Instrumentality." he said quietly.
He could feel the shock ripple through the room from the digital monoliths. "There is no good end for humanity except Instrumentality!" SEELE-03 said incredulously. "We have not come this far to be denied unity, perfection, simply because of your changing whims!"
Gendo remained stoic. "My only wish is to be reunited with my wife. At first, Instrumentality was the only way that I would see her again. That was the only reason I even thought of working with you. But now, I see the illusion for what it is. It is a fate worse than death."
"Worse than death?" Kihl said, his voice cold as a winter storm. "If it is death you find more preferable than Complementation, then we will be more than willing to give you the death you seem to so earnestly seek."
With that, the monoliths faded away. After a moment, Fuyutsuki stepped out of the shadows. "That went about as well as I expected it to." Fuyutsuki said with a quiet sigh.
"It is of no matter how positively or negatively it might have gone, Sensei. All that matters is that, now, we make our countermove." Gendo said. He looked down and picked up the phone that was by his side, dialing the number he needed to call.
"They are preparing to strike." he said to the person on the other line. "Begin the shutdown procedures." he was silent for a moment, then nodded as he hung up the phone and began to stand.
. . .
Maya nodded as she hung up the phone, then turned to Aoba. They had been at Matsushiro for the better part of a week waiting for this call, a fact which Ritsuko lamented frequently. With nothing to do but wait, it had almost become a vacation, really. She had found out a lot of things about the normally reserved man that she worked alongside. Like his family. He had a hard life, even before Second Impact. He had trusted in science to save someone he loved dearly. And it had failed him. It was little wonder he was so pessimistic about technology and the world in general.
But right now, as they entered the mostly empty bunker complex of Matsushiro, they couldn't think about that. Right now, they had to reach the Magi backup, and soon.
After what felt like too long, they stood in front of the massive computer bank that hummed with power and cooling units and processors, holding within it an almost exact copy of the Magi held within NERV-HQ.
Aoba caught a key tossed by Maya, and they made their way to the terminal. Shutting it down was a two-person process, and they began it, moving as quickly as possible, Maya's instruction over the last week proving extremely helpful.
Finally, they reached the last step, and inserted the keys into their slots, looking at each other as Maya counted down. "Three… two… one."
The keys turned, and the Magi backup gave a low whir as it shut down, the room they were in soon becoming silent.
Aoba nodded. "Alright. Well, that's done and dusted. Now I guess we wait for everyone else."
- - -
Undisclosed Facility, New Mexico, United States of America
Doctor Freeman sipped at his coffee as he looked down at his tablet. Before him were the blueprints he had managed to get, in one way or another, to the backup Magi computer system of NERV-03. It was quite the design, really. Biotech wasn't his field, but he could still appreciate the intricacy of the system regardless. Black Mesa would have paid a fortune to get at the proprietary secrets found within.
But, for now, he thought as he felt his phone buzz, his job was to be a little less loving towards the system. Freeman pulled the phone out of his pocket. The text on it was from a friend. Or, at least, as much of a friend as could have made while on exchange with NERV. 'Hey, Gordon. Got the stuff for that favor coming. Thanks. Sorry I didn't keep up with you before.'
True to Adira's word, a data file appeared in the messages afterward. It was a surprisingly small file, but he'd been promised that was all he needed to crash the Magi for weeks. Freeman nodded, moving the file from his phone to his tablet, linking up to the Magi in the way that Adira had told him, then, he hit send.
Freeman looked around for a moment. It really felt like there should have been a music sting for some reason. But now, the moment, as it were, was gone. Freeman shrugged, polished off his coffee, and went back to work.
- - -
Commander's Office, NERV-2, Stahlturm, Neue Berlin
Commander Karl Lutenhahl sat at his desk, reviewing paperwork, managing requests, and generally doing the little things that demanded a commander's attention when the phone rang on his desk. He picked it up. "Hallo? Kommandant Lutenhahl spricht."
He was quiet for a moment, then his expression brightened. [Ah, hello, Daniel. It's good to talk to you again. How are things in Tokyo-3?] he paused for a moment. [I can imagine, with the press conference Commander Ikari put together.]
He was quiet for a moment. [I see. I see. Yes, actually. I think I can pull levers and have that done. How quickly do you need it down?]
Silence for another moment. [That's cutting it awfully close, Daniel. I'm not sure I'll be able to get it down that soon, but I might be able to interrupt whatever the old men are doing when they start.]
His expression dimmed as both ends of the line went silent. [So… it's finally beginning, isn't it?]
A pause. [I thought so. Well, I hope I'll be able to see you again when all of this is over. If not… well, it's been a pleasure, Daniel.]
A small, grim smile crossed his face as the line went dead, and he hung up the phone. Then, he dialed another number, waiting with only a little impatience as the other end picked up. [Catherine, about that favor you said you owed me…]
- - -
Within the Magi, NERV-HQ
Naoko Akagi floated patiently in the digital space that had become her home. She checked the status of the Magi elsewhere in the world. The Magi backups in Matsushiro and Nevada were dark, silent things, denoting their powered down state. Germany's Magi was still bright and active, and Boston and Beijing were similarly bright.
She knew what was coming soon. Not only had Ritsuko warned her about the attack, but she had also, at her insistence, provided her with a digital copy of the show that she had said showed her what was about to happen.
She was vaguely grateful right now that she didn't have a physical body that could do such things as getting nauseous at what she had seen. It was a horrifying future that awaited them if SEELE had their way. She had little love for the potential future that she had witnessed. Reliving perhaps one of the worst decisions in her life was only a somewhat significant portion of that.
But she couldn't focus on that right now. Right now, she had to tend to firewalls and ICE and the thing that would keep her from getting compromised.
After exactly 3 days, 5 hours, 17 minutes, and 2.17 seconds, the other Magi glowed a baleful red, as streams of similarly crimson data began to flow towards her. The attack had begun.
Of course, none of the Magi had any idea that they were heading for Doctor Naoko Akagi, she thought, as a bokken appeared in her hand, an imagined representation of some of the ICE she and Ritsuko had prepared together.
Already, the waves of digital corruption crashed against firewalls, breaking through some of them, bouncing off of others to be picked off by the wandering motes of light that represented the other ICE packets that had been prepared.
Ritsuko focused her attention on a particularly flagging section of the mainframe, the image of her body seeming to float towards it as she swung the ICE bokken in her hand, her strikes burning through the corruption that seemed most intent on breaching their communications.
As she took a greater view of the situation, one of the baleful red lights flickered out, the stream of corruption disappearing in an instant. That must have been Germany finally going offline. Even still, the tide of corruption from Boston and Beijing didn't slow. So, she needed one last thing.
Checking in to ensure that, yes, it was still in fact a working day and, yes, Ritsuko was in fact at her terminal, she decided to speak up. "Ritsuko, dear, would you mind helping me put up the 666 firewall?"
Ritsuko blinked, then nodded. "Yes, mother. One moment."
After a moment, a massive wall sprang up in front of her, and the corruption could do nothing to breach it. For now… they were safe.
"So, mother." Ritsuko said, drawing Naoko's attention back to her. "What was it like to fight off the attack? Being a conscious figure within the digital structure of the Magi, and all?"
"Well…" Naoko said slowly. How to describe it…
. . .
Misato looked over the reports of the cyberattack that Ritsuko had sent over to her. They were simplified, of course. The technical jargon needed to get an accurate point across to someone who had some knowledge of programming and hacking passed through her like air. So, she appreciated the effort.
In short, the attack had been stopped dead in its tracks. None of their communication lines were compromised, and, really, it had amounted to a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Misato chuckled slightly. Far was this from the isolation that had been rendered to them in the End. But it was still a prelude to something far worse, she thought as a sober expression ran across her face.
She'd had the Section 2 agents running more, more intense invasion exercises, put in place as a relic of the fears of the Impact Wars. They were rusty, at first. That was to be expected. But they had all gotten much better. Even still, they only had personnel with nothing heavier than a light machine gun and a few outdated troop carriers. Whatever military force came after them would have tanks, air support, heavy weaponry troops, and artillery.
'But we have the Evas. Our trump cards. And,' she noted with some slight amusement, 'ones that are getting better and better.' Kaworu had told her, along with Shinji and Asuka, his plans on helping Unit-01 and 02 get S2 Organs. They all had the same objection, that it would just paint a target on Shinji's back if SEELE realized what was happening, but in the end, the strategic value just proved itself to be too great. Kaworu had begun the process a few days ago. Now, with no small amount of supervision from the other pilots, they simply had to wait for the organs to grow to the proper size. Then, they would be even more ready for what was coming.
Hyuga approached, stirring her from her musings as she looked up at him. His expression was grim as he held a tablet. "News from the U.N., ma'am." he said quietly. "They're issuing Order A-801, withdrawing our status as a Special Agency and turning command of us over to Japan, citing 'the passing of the threat of the Angels'."
Misato nodded. "I see." their protection of being a U.N. agency had been stripped of them. It was an inevitability, really. "Well, then, we'd better be ready."
Hyuga nodded uneasily. "I hope we are. But… I can't shake the feeling that it won't be enough, somehow."
Misato sighed. "Well, Hyuga, I'll be honest with you… neither can I." she paused for a moment. "But we'll have to face the future anyway. Whether we're ready or not."
- - -
Tokyo-3 Outskirts
Tavis Farhaven paced in a dilapidated, abandoned warehouse. This one was on the other side of town. Since the mission had exploded, they had moved from place to place, hoping quietly that the Hollow Saint would not be following them.
He scanned his eyes across the room. From nearly 40 members of the Revival, now, they numbered barely more than a dozen. Months of work, of good friends, gone now.
Then his eyes fell on Rei Ayanami. Or, at least, their Rei Ayanami. She conversed quietly with a few of the others, the tall, broad stone Interfacer Kauri having taken a particular liking to her. And Tavis's mind turned. He had studied somewhat the Receptor records of the world. He knew the role that Rei played in Instrumentality. Specifically Commander Ikari's plans. If they could find Adam…
"Rei." he said, approaching her as she turned her focus to him. "Where is Adam?"
Rei cupped her chin thoughtfully. "Last I remember…" she trailed off. "It is in the possession of Commander Ikari."
Tavis nodded. "That sounds about right." he said. He was silent for a moment. "Alright. I have an idea."
Rei looked at him with startling intensity. "Will it help ensure that Shinji and Asuka are safe? That Kaworu won't be deceived by the pretend version of me anymore?"
Tavis nodded. "Yes, Rei. You'll need to fulfill your original purpose under Gendo's Scenario. But if you do that, you can give me the choice to reverse Instrumentality. Then, we can get you, Shinji, Asuka, and Kaworu back."
Rei's intensity faltered somewhat. "Well…" after a moment, she regained her resolve. "Very well. I can do that. For my friends."
Tavis smiled. "Alright then. Now, we make a plan. Then, we wait for the perfect time to strike."
Asuka looked up at the scarlet helmet of Unit-02, then over at Kaworu, as he idly played with a summoned ball of ink, toying with it between his outstretched hands, and smiled slightly.
Kritzeln had finally gotten his Aspect Core. He, Misato, and Kaji all decided to do it, with what was coming. The thing he had control over was ink, of all things. He was over the moon now and had chatted excitedly with the rest of the Children about how he could creatively apply his new Interfacing.
Speaking of Interfacing, she turned her gaze back to Unit-02 and studied her mother's soul. Eleanor had worked overtime to Mend her mama's soul. Now, she didn't have to put up a barrier whenever she wanted to talk with her. Now, all she had to do was reach out, and… connect.
"Hello, Leibling." Kyoko said, not an echo to be heard. "How are you on this fine day?"
"Oh, about as well as I could be, mama. What with the end of the world looming over our heads." Asuka said with a cheery inflection.
It went quiet for a moment after that. Then, Kyoko spoke again. "You're scared, Asuka." it was a statement of truth.
Asuka nodded. "Well, yeah, mama. Who wouldn't be? We've got the fate of all life on Earth on us. And not just from some alien thing. From people. Powerful people, who've been planning on doing what they're about to do for decades." fear began to rise within her as she spoke.
"Asuka." Kyoko said, with the authority only a mother talking to her child could have. "I will keep you safe. I promise. I won't let it be like what you've told me."
Reassurance radiated from Kyoko's soul, soothing Asuka's. "Thank you, mama." it was quiet for a moment. "Speaking of not being like what I've told you, how's the S2 Organ?"
Curiosity and a slight trepidation rippled through Kyoko's soul. "It's… interesting. That much is for certain. Even though I can't normally feel anything unless I'm active, I can still feel it growing. I wonder, does growing an organ inside of a body feel like this otherwise? I'm not sure."
"I can't say I'm sure either, mama. Wait a moment."
She looked over at Kaworu. "Hey, random question." she said casually.
Kaworu blinked, as if she had stirred him from some deep thought, and looked over at her. "Yes, Asuka?"
She nodded over to Unit-02. "Growing an organ like this. Do you…" she trailed off for a moment, then her voice softened. "Do you know what that feels like?"
Kaworu regarded her for a moment, then looked down slightly. "I do not personally. But… through Adam, I have all the memories of the Angels. What it was like for them to regrow organs."
It was silent for a moment. "Oh." Asuka said. "I'm… I'm sorry? I'm not sure what to say about that."
Kaworu smiled slightly. "It's alright, Asuka. I can understand your curiosity. But, please, try not to require the same regrowth that the Angel's went through. I understand that Shinji and Eleanor would be quite annoyed, for starters."
Asuka chucked. "Alright. I guess I'll try."
Asuka looked back at Unit-02 and her connection with her mama. "I tried to ask."
Kyoko chuckled. "I'm sure you did." it was quiet again for a moment. "How is Shinji doing?" Kyoko said softly.
"You've been asking me that almost more frequently than I ask him." Asuka said wryly, then considered her answer for a moment. "He's… fine. Surprisingly. He's quite brave about all this. And not just the upcoming battle. But… for what comes after. He's very insistent that there's going to be an after. Which is good."
"Yes, it is." Kyoko said, gentle happiness glowing in her soul. "I'm glad you've found someone who truly loves you, Liebling." she said softly.
Asuka smiled slightly. "We understand each other, mama. On a level that's… sad to know, of course, but… I'm glad he understands me. And now that we know that, we're more of a team than we ever were before. And when we're a team, we win. It's as simple as that. And when we win… I'll get to see you again. For real."
"For real, Asuka." Kyoko said. It was a promise.
- - -
East China Sea Early Warning Station, Toshima Island, 2 Weeks Later
Radar Technician First Lieutenant Saitou idly watched the screen as the blips of the American Pacific Fleet did their maneuvers. They were supposedly getting ready to take part in the joint exercises with the JSSDF starting early next month. Saitou thought it was grandstanding, more than anything else. They wanted to show how strong, how advanced, they were. And, he had to admit, even through the simplification of the radar screen, it was working. There were few militaries as sharp as they were, especially after being forged in the fires of the Impact Wars.
After a moment of watching the spectacle, a tone drew his gaze elsewhere. A ship had exited international waters. Then another, and another, then three more, until a fleet was in Japanese territory. Alarms began to whine as the commander of the station looked over at him. "Saitou, what's the count on the unknown ships in our waters?"
Saitou watched with no small amount of shock as they passed by the American fleet, coming within 10 miles of them as he counted. "Best count says nearly 40 ships, sir!"
"Any IFF signals coming from them?" the commander asked.
"No, sir!" another technician said. "As far as we know, they're running dark!"
"Get a hold of the Americans!" the commander said. "See what they have to say!"
. . .
U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford, 100 Miles off Toshima
Rear Admiral Kenji Frost considered the radar display that one of the technicians had sent over to the holotable with no small amount of worry. The radar and sonar cross-sections showed destroyers, frigates, and aircraft carriers, surrounding a number of transport ships. The short-range scout drones returned images of Russian and Chinese vessels. Which ones, however, he didn't know. They were running silent. And that worried him.
Captain Sanderson, flag captain of the Ford, looked over at another technician. "Where does it look like they're heading?"
The technician peered down at his screen. "Unsure, sir. It looks like they're heading out into the Pacific. Wait a minute." he stared at his monitor silently for a moment, and Rear Admiral Frost watched as the lead ships began a slow turn. "Predictions put them… off the southern coast of Japan, sir." he looked up at Captain Sanderson with no small amount of worry.
Rear Admiral Frost pondered the situation for a moment, then nodded, a decisive look in his eyes as he spoke next. "Sanderson, inform the fleet we'll be following them. I'll get on the line home and explain the situation. Once we're underway, contact the JSSDF and inform them that we're tailing the fleet."
Sanderson stared at Frost with no small amount of shock, then nodded as he turned to address the rest of the bridge. "Sound General Quarters. Power to the engines, and put us in pursuit of the unknown fleet." he said, and alarms began to wail as they made their way towards the mysterious fleet.
- - -
Central Dogma, Geofront
Alarms blared, and Central Dogma was awash with voices, as the main screen showed a satellite image of the cluster of dots that was the fleet of military ships that was now only a few hours away from them. The city had been prepared, the downtown area securely hidden away under shutters of metal thick enough for an Eva to walk on without denting them. The defense buildings, once little more than white noise when deployed against the Angels, now were vital in the battle that was sure to come.
The Geofront proper was closed off, sealed shut. It would take a lot of effort to get through any of the now heavily guarded access points, and an N2 strike to breach the surface of the Geofront itself. A fact that Misato knew acutely as she studied the camera feeds showing the Section 2 forces, in body armor and wielding rifles and light machine guns, stationed at various entrance points alongside troop carriers armed with heavy machine guns. The tilt-rotor attack craft were ready to dust off at a moment's notice.
Hyuga looked over at her as he came to rest by her side. "JSSDF says that the Central Army is mobilizing and will be on its way in under an hour. Air wings are preparing to scramble and will be arriving at the same time. We've also gotten word that the American Pacific Fleet is in pursuit of the unknown fleet."
Misato nodded, scanning the bridge. Daniel, Eleanor, Kaji, and Ritsuko were present, and Aoba, Maya, and Faez were at their stations, madly typing and tapping away to organize the defense of the city. "So, it's going to be a real battle." she said quietly, her words almost lost in the noise.
"What's the status of the Evas?" a voice, clear and calm, said, cutting through the noise to reach the occupants of the command bridge.
Misato looked back up to Commander Ikari. He was without his glasses, and she'd come to appreciate the cool, collected look that had become far more clear to discern over the past few months as she came to attention. "All Units have been deployed to the Geofront surface, and can be deployed in the city within 5 minutes."
"Very good." Commander Ikari said and leaned back in his chair, Fuyutsuki alone hearing the quiet sigh.
"Humanity, the descendants of Lilith, now come to claim her and initiate Instrumentality." Fuyutsuki said. "And we must destroy the threat."
"We're fighting the 18th Angel, Sensei." Gendo said quietly. "What inevitable irony, that we, in the end, would prove to be the biggest threat to our continued existence."
. . .
Shinji sat in the Entry Plug of Unit-01 and breathed deeply and evenly. It was about to begin. The events depicted in the End. But, as he looked around him, at the three other Evangelion around him in the pristine Geofront surface, he found strength in the sight. 'I am not alone.'
'In more ways than one.' he thought, looking into the core of Unit-01, to his mother, who radiated calm, stoic patience. 'Thank you, mother.' he thought silently.
Now, though, they waited. Waited for the battle to begin. Waited for the white Angels with cruel smiles.
. . .
Rei and Kaworu waited in the shadow of Lilith, deep in Terminal Dogma. It was a vast, empty space, and Rei and Kaworu sat together, Kaworu fiddling with headphones connected to a fairly cheap music player. Shinji's plan was a bold one, one that usually came from Misato's mouth (a fact that Asuka was more than willing to use to playfully rib at Shinji with). But, even still, it carried with it the chance of working. And that was a chance that they were willing to take.
Rei sat silently and pondered. Then, she blinked. "I can still feel her." she said.
Kaworu looked over at Rei, an eyebrow arched slightly. "What do you mean?"
"The other Rei. She's still here. In the city. As for where…" Rei frowned slightly. "That is obscured to me."
Kaworu nodded. "I see." it was silent again for a moment. "Do you think… that they might try to do something? An attack like what we've been told is about to happen would be the perfect cover, and Adam and Lilith the perfect targets. Wouldn't it be so?"
Rei considered Kaworu's words for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, actually. It could be." she took a deep breath. "But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." she paused for a moment. "I believe that's the right term for it."
Kaworu shrugged. She would know better than him, he guessed.
. . .
It was silent up above now. The alarms, though no one was around any longer to hear them, had stopped, and now, it seemed as though the city itself was waiting with bated breath for the first move.
Automated defenses scanned the skies, and CIWS barrels waited silently. Then, contact, coming in hot and fast. A cruise missile.
Immediately, an array of CIWS turrets swung skyward, the brief whir of their barrels spinning up presaging the growl of their firing. After a moment, a distant explosion signaled the missile's destruction.
The first cruise missile was only the beginning, and soon, the sky was filled with streaks of tracers flying towards the flock of missiles that left trails of smoke through the sky.
. . .
"It looks like they're using the missile bombardment to cover their disembarking troops." Faez said, pulling up the images a stray drone had caught of New Yokosuka, now swarming with infantry and vehicles.
"Should we send out our air elements, or hold them back until the JSSDF arrives?" Hyuga said to Misato.
Misato shook her head. "No. We'll keep them in reserve for now. Our defenses are at their best when the enemy is right in the middle of them. How far out is the Central Army?"
Hyuga looked down at his tablet. "Advance elements should be entering city limits in 15 minutes. The main force will be arriving shortly after." Hyuga listened into a headset that he had commandeered. "The American Pacific Fleet is about to come into range now."
The bridge was silent for a moment as they watched the fleets come into range of each other. After a few minutes of what was surely heated communication, missiles began to fly between them, as fighters launched and began to dogfight, transport aircraft from the American fleet lifting off and making their way around the action as best they could towards Tokyo-3.
Speaking of Tokyo-3, Faez turned to acknowledge the rest of the bridge. "Russian and Chinese forces have passed the city limits. They're heading towards the access points to the Geofront."
Camera feeds attested to this, advance elements of the JSSDF meeting in battle with Russian Ground Forces and Chinese PLA, with American Marine forces sweeping in from the sky. The city had started to become awash in urban combat, the dead and dying beginning to become increasingly evident on both sides.
"Alright." Misato said, taking the situation in on the wireframe hologram of the city that stretched out before her, dots and arrows of green and red showing the battle as it raged onward. "Go ahead and get the tilt-rotors off the ground and on ground support duty. Tell them to focus on protecting the entrance points."
"Yes, ma'am." Faez said, turning back to her console.
"Speaking of entrance points, one of the emergency access points has been breached." Aoba said.
Misato looked at Aoba with wide eyes. "Already? Are they special forces?"
Aoba shook her head. "Well… take a look for yourself, ma'am."
Misato looked down at the console. One of the cameras situated down a dark hallway saw a blur pass by it in seconds. Misato's brow furled in concern. "Can you slow that down for me?"
Aoba did, and Misato's jaw clenched as she saw the bright blur of an all too familiar sigil, right where someone's forehead would be.
She straightened up and looked over at Daniel. "The Scions." she said simply, and Daniel's expression became grim. "Alright then," she said, walking over to Daniel and Eleanor and lowering her voice, "what should we do? What do you think they're doing?"
Daniel cupped his chin for a moment, then lightly linked the souls of himself and Eleanor, Misato and Kaji, and Gendo and Fuyutsuki to make sure that they all could hear what they had to say. "Alright. I believe the Scions are more than likely cognizant of their timing, and what's down here. The last time they got down here, they got close to Terminal Dogma, after all."
He paused. "I think they might be trying to initiate Instrumentality. Especially if they have their Rei with them. Gendo, where is Adam being held?"
"In a secure location." Gendo said simply. "Though its guards might not be enough based on what you've said Interfacing can do."
"I concur." Daniel said. "Alright, here's the plan as it stands right now. Misato, Kaji, you have Gendo and Eleanor take you to Adam. If they grab him and run, make your way to Terminal Dogma. I'll go keep an eye on Kaworu and Rei, and have Eleanor join me."
The others nodded, and Daniel nodded in turn. "Alright. Let's hurry. At the pace they're going, we don't have much time."
The link between their souls was broken, and Gendo stood, looking over at Fuyutsuki. "I'll go ahead and give you command, Sensei. Trust Captain Hyuga's judgment."
"Of course, Gendo." Fuyutsuki said. "Good luck."
Misato, likewise, gave Hyuga command of the tactical situation. Then, they all made their way out of Central Dogma, Gendo departing with Eleanor, Misato, and Kaji as they disappeared into a wall of water. Daniel's form became a constellation of stars that soon winked out of existence, as he teleported to Terminal Dogma.
. . .
A squad of Section 2 agents, kitted out in body armor and carrying rifles, patrolled a hallway, eyes alert for any sign of enemy movement. As they walked, the hallway soon became shrouded in mist. After a moment, it became thick enough to not be able to see… anyone.
As they called out to each other, one man finding another or the wall for support, a hail of glass swept through the hall, the shouts of the men passing as quickly as they came.
As the mist cleared on the sight of several dead bodies, Tavis, in sleek, rounded grey armor, alongside a similarly armored Ymris, Rei and Kauri, stepped forward, his Sight cutting through the walls and souls of the Geofront to find his target.
After a moment, he saw it. A tangle of black, jagged Frame. He pointed it out to the others. "Ymris, Kauri. Go grab Adam. I'll go ahead and take Rei down towards Lilith."
"They're going to have Lilith protected." Kauri said, his voice a deep rumble. "More than likely, Adam will be protected as well."
"More than likely." Tavis said. "But we have Interfacing on our side. Getting there will be easy."
"Beating the Hollow Saint and his companions will not." Ymris said, a warning tone in her voice.
Tavis sighed. "Of course. But now, we're actually ready for combat. Just as much as he is. Now, go. We'll be waiting for you."
After a moment, Ymris and Kauri nodded, jogging down the corridor that led to their prize.
As they went out of sight, Tavis sighed deeply, and his helmet disappeared as he looked at Rei, her own helmet disappearing. "Are you ready?"
Rei nodded. "Yes. For my friends. For the Unity."
Tavis smiled slightly before his helmet flashed back into existence. "For the Unity. Let's go."
. . .
Misato and Kaji, now armored up, waited impatiently for whoever was coming to barge through the door and be done with it. Gendo, on the other hand, was the picture of calm as he studied the embryonic form of Adam, encased within a cube of transparent Bakelite. It had grown somewhat in the interim between its excision and its new internment, and it seemed to regard him intently with the eye on the side that was facing him.
They heard a faint rumble above their heads, and almost missed the slight tremor. Misato's helmet flashed into existence as she keyed in Hyuga. "Hyuga, status report. What's going on?"
Hyuga's voice was filled with awe. "It's insane. The main force of the Central Army has arrived. Fighting is heavy near the downtown shutters, and there's damage to at least two of the entrance points. We've lost a third of our attack craft, but the enemy forces are…"
She heard a strangled gasp. "Access point 2 and Main Access Shaft 1 have been breached! We have enemy forces entering the Geofront!" Hyuga said, with no small amount of alarm. "3 other access points are sustaining heavy damage!"
"Damn." Misato said softly. "Deploy our internal defenses. Stand by to activate the Evas."
"Yes, ma'am!" Hyuga said, and the connection was dropped.
Kaji sighed quietly. "Hell of a bind we're in." he said as calmly as he could.
"It wasn't going to be any other way." Misato said. "And now…" she shook her head slightly. What was going to happen next was insane, but if Gendo knew what he was doing…
. . .
Shinji's eye was drawn to an explosion off in the distance, as was everyone else's, as Captain Hyuga's voice cut into their comms. "We have enemy forces breaching the Geofront! Take care of the ones on the surface where you are. As for how, I leave to your discretion."
"Roger." Shinji, along with the other pilots said, as more explosions began to go off high above their heads, and aircraft began to descend into the Geofront, tanks and other armored vehicles not far behind as the internal defenses began to light up.
"Alright." Shinji said to the other pilots, as Unit-01 strode towards a waiting flock of helicopters. "As hard as it may be, let's try to keep casualties to a minimum. We know they're being manipulated by SEELE, and there won't be an Instrumentality to bring them back if we can help it."
"Alright." Asuka said, jogging towards a column of tanks. "I can't promise anything, though."
"Same here, Shin-man." Toji said, hanging back with a Pallet Rifle. "We might just be too big to do that."
Shinji sighed quietly, Unit-01's fists clenching as the helicopters opened up on him, the rounds and missiles flashing harmlessly against his AT Field. "Even still," he said, swiping at a helicopter's tail rotor, taking it off almost effortlessly and sending it spinning towards the ground, "there's no harm in trying."
. . .
Rei and Kaworu looked up in surprise as Daniel appeared out of nowhere, his armor beginning to manifest around his body. After a few moments, Eleanor appeared in a similar fashion. "The Scions are here, aren't they?" Rei asked.
Daniel nodded. "Got it in one, Rei. Our best guess is they're trying for Instrumentality."
Kaworu's expression became grim. "That was what we surmised would happen as well." he said. He paused for a moment. "I do hope we can still go through with Shinji's plan."
Daniel chuckled softly. "I hope so, too. We spent long enough working on getting ready for it."
Eleanor punched Daniel's arm lightly. "If you can call what you did 'working'."
A chuckle rippled through the group. It died as they all heard Hyuga's report and the Eva's response to the incursion.
"Alright then." Daniel said quietly. "Now, we watch… and we wait."
They all looked to the human size doors several meters away from them. They spared only a quick glance at the far more massive Heaven's Door. Whatever came through the doors… they would have to be ready.
. . .
Hyuga watched as the battle above their heads continued to rage. Not only were the Evangelions making quick work of the forces that had breached the Geofront, but the Central Army had also begun a painful, driven offensive, driving the forces still in the city proper back towards New Yokohama. Most of their feeds from the city had been destroyed, but the commander of the Central Army was kind enough to patch through their gun camera feeds.
As Hyuga watched the situation carefully, Faez turned to him. "We're picking up a signal from a Russian source. Tracing now."
After a moment, Maya looked up from the decoded signal. "It's a call to the U.N. They're requesting the assistance of the Task Fleet. Getting a confused negative." she turned back as the signal continued, then her eyes widened. "Sir, they're asking for an N2 strike! Right in the center of the city!" it was silent for a moment. "It's been accepted!"
A gasp swept through Central Dogma, and Hyuga's next words were tinged with shock as he turned to the pilots. "All Units! Drop what you're doing and get to the surface as quickly as you can! There's an inbound N2 missile that's aimed for the center of the city! The internal defenses should be able to cover your movement!"
The Children all reacted in shock, memories of what they watched on a screen flashing through them as they disentangled themselves from their engagements and made their way towards the launch tubes.
"Sir!" a technician yelled up to him. "Perimeter units have engaged the enemy! They're trying to break into HQ proper!"
Hyuga looked at the feeds. True to the technician's word, the internal cameras showed heavy fighting near the entrances to the HQ, Section 2 agents fighting valiantly, but still losing ground to the far better equipped Russian and Chinese units.
Hyuga considered the situation silently for a moment, then looked at Faez. "Are there any entrances that we're sure won't fall into enemy hands?"
Faez turned back to her monitor, typing quickly, then turned back to Hyuga. "I count at least 10 access points that have been secured by the Central Army and the Americans."
"Alright, then." Hyuga said, a determined look growing in his eyes. "Open them up. Direct friendly forces to get down here and assist with our defense. Once that's taken care of, start telling anyone that isn't absolutely vital to running things here who's not holding a gun to evacuate."
Faez nodded quickly. "Yes, sir." she said as she turned and began her duties.
As she did, an alarm sounded, and one of the technicians below them looked up with fear in her eyes. "Satellites are picking up an N2 missile in the air off of the East China Sea! ETA is 5 minutes!"
Hyuga's eyes widened as he turned to the Children. "Pilots, that N2 missile will be here in 5 minutes! Please, hurry!"
. . .
Shinji tapped his foot, clenching and unclenching his hands as they gripped the controls, breathing deeply to stay calm after hearing Hyuga's announcement. He felt the platform he stood on begin to go noticeably faster, and a timer on his display showed that they would be at the surface in 3 minutes.
After what felt like so much longer than that, they emerged into a scene of swirling chaos, tracers and missiles from the ground arcing into a sky that seemed filled with missiles and helicopters and jets. Their AT Fields flared as some of those missiles and shells were directed towards them.
Asuka growled in frustration. "Damn it, we're going to need some cover. How many of us need to stop this thing?"
"Honestly?" Shinji said. "Just one. I'll go ahead and set up an AT Field. The rest of you will need to cover me."
"Will do." Asuka said. "Hyuga! We need weapons up here!"
Hyuga's voice cut through the speakers. "Will do! Sending up weapons now. Their positions will be marked on your HUDs."
"Alright. Go! I'll get set up." Shinji said, and the others nodded as they dashed towards the weapons buildings.
Unit-01 strode into the center of the city as the weight of fire softened. The troops were retreating, either underground to continue the fight inside the Geofront, or out into what was presumably the N2 strike's safe range.
Shinji came to a stop, ignoring the now almost non-existent fire directed at him as he looked into the clear blue sky. "Hyuga," he said, "is there any way for me to see where the N2 missile is?"
Hyuga's voice, slightly more harried than before, came through on the speakers. "Yes. You have 90 seconds until it hits."
"Good to know." Shinji said as Unit-01 raised its hands skyward, a keening whir filling the air as his AT Field unfurled at its maximum strength, becoming a large concave bowl that curved skyward, reaching to nearly surround the pale blue dot that was rapidly approaching.
After a moment, he saw the missile itself for the briefest of instants before a white light and a thunderous roar seemed to fill his entire being, his AT Field straining to keep together.
After a moment, it passed, and there was more than one sigh of relief that could be heard over the Entry Plug speakers. "N2 missile neutralized." Shinji said, his voice evident with relief as he scanned the city. Now, besides the other Evas, the city was largely empty. It was… eerie, how quiet it had become.
"Oh, hey, would you look at that?" Asuka said. "I can see the apartment." she paused for a moment. "It doesn't look… too beat up."
Shinji cracked a slight smile. "That's nice." he said. "Hopefully our stuff survives this."
"I mean, we did put the most important things in the Infinity Box before this all started." Hikari said. "And, really… it is just a building, after all."
"Yeah, maybe." Shinji said. "But… it's home." he said quietly.
Before anyone could continue, Hyuga's voice cut in, and his words sent a stab of fear through all of them. "Heads up. We have 12 contacts coming into the city's airspace."
. . .
12 massive uniwing transport planes flew high above the earth, carrying the final wave of the assault on Tokyo-3.
Their cargo prepared itself, red Dummy Plugs sliding into place as the hatches closed and the pale white giants pulled their heads out from their receptacles.
With a flash of explosives, their restraints were released, and they fell towards the earth for a moment, before 12 sets of wings unfurled with a thunderous sound, not unlike the opening of a massive parachute, and they slowly began to circle towards the ground and the Evangelion that waited for them.
Deep beneath the ground, Kaworu's eyes widened. "They're here." he said in barely a whisper. "He's here. My brother."
. . .
Misato and Kaji looked up as they heard the rumble of the N2 missile going off. "Well, there it is." Kaji said, and Misato keyed up Hyuga. "We felt the N2 strike all the way down here. What's the damage?"
"None, ma'am." Hyuga said, his voice evident with relief. "Shinji was able to deflect it. We..." before he could go any further, another voice, just far enough to not understand, shouted for a moment. "We have 12 unidentified aircraft entering Tokyo-3 airspace. Profiles match our transport uniwings."
Misato's blood ran cold. "The MP-Evas. They had time to finish them all." she said quietly.
Gendo nodded. "It seems that the other Units were closer to completion than we realized." he said quietly.
Before anyone could go any further, a massive slamming sound came as the door in front of them dented in, causing them all to jump. Another slam came with another dent. "Holy moly," Kaji said, "someone's punching the door in. I'm impressed."
"Stay focused, Ryoji." Misato said, and he nodded, his helmet flashing into existence as their Grips did the same.
After two more hits, a fist covered in stone and smeared slightly with blood punched through the door. It grabbed at one side of the hole, tearing a strip out of it as another similarly igneous hand tore at the other side, the doors flying away as two figures in rounded armor, the top of their helmets glowing with the Scion sigil, stepped through the door.
Before they could go any further, Kaji spread his arms wide, and a blanket of shadow enveloped the room ahead of where Kaji was standing, smothering the two Interfacers as they put their arms up to protect them.
Kaji stepped into the shadow, which to him was a clear sight of the room, simply in monotone color, his Grip becoming a short sword as he swung at the shorter of the two Interfacers, driving her back as a similarly sized blade of what appeared to be glass appeared in her hand to block Kaji's swing.
As Kaji dueled with the other Interfacer, Misato stamped her foot on the ground, and a chill wave of frost lanced out across the ground, creeping up and solidifying into ice as it reached the larger Interfacer's leg.
The larger Interfacer stepped back, his frozen leg crackling as it hit the ground and Misato stepped forward, a two-handed mace crackling into existence from her Grip as she swung at the Interfacer's chest, the unnaturally tough ice shattering the apparently thin sheet of rock with an audible crack.
Strike and counter-strike went back and forth, Misato and Kaji switching back and forth between their two opponents from time to time. As they switched again, the smaller Interfacer dashed past Misato, dodging a burst of fire from the submachine gun her Grip had become as she picked up the small cube of Bakelite that contained Adam, putting it under her arm as she dashed for the door, letting her armor tank the shots as she pushed Misato aside, the larger Interfacer following swiftly after as Kaji peppered him with bolts of shadow from a pistol Grip.
As the pair disappeared with Adam, Kaji turned and walked towards a slightly smiling Gendo. "All according to plan." he said quietly.
. . .
Asuka watched the spiraling Evas with a sense of dread burning in her chest that refused to dislodge itself, despite her best efforts. These were the things that had killed her. That had taken Shinji and turned him into…
No. No, this wasn't going to be like that. They were together. And when they were together, they won, she thought as she adjusted the Progressive Lash on her arm.
Nor would it be quite like what they had seen on the enemy side as well. Three extra bodies that felt no pain, shrugged off wounds that would put any one of them on the ground screaming, and could levitate using their AT Fields… that was nothing to thumb her nose at, she thought, as they touched the ground, surrounding them in a circle.
As they continued to stand there, Asuka became confused as they remained where they were, raising their arms to the heavens, blades in hand. "Alright… anyone know what they're doing?" she said, as she felt all of their AT Fields activate.
"I dunno." Toji said as he hefted a Positron Rifle. "But I don't think it's going to be good." Hikari nodded wordlessly as she shifted her grip on a Progressive Glaive.
The MP-Eva's AT Fields, seeming to spiral around each other, reached into the sky, and in a moment, Shinji understood what was happening. "They're retrieving the Lance." he said quietly, and he leveled his Pallet Rifle, the Progressive Spike on his arm only slightly getting in the way. "Get ready."
Shinji keyed in Kaworu, and his name appeared on a screen that showed 'Audio Only'. "Kaworu, if you're going to do what we planned, do it now."
. . .
Kaworu nodded. "Will do, Shinji." he said, his soul reaching out and connecting with the shattered pieces of his brother Angel up above him, slipping the earbuds in and smiling slightly. "A soundtrack to save the world." he said softly, as he opened up his music player to Track 01, and pressed play.
He let the music, hard and fast, flow through his soul, becoming amplified by it, and threw it down the link he had to the Evas.
Up on the surface, each of the white Units staggered as if they had been physically struck, stepping back as their AT Fields dissipated from their pattern, flowing towards themselves as Toji fired a volley of antimatter at one of them, Unit-17, and caught it in the chest, burning through its armor and exposing its core before the final shot splattered harmlessly against its AT Field.
As Toji fired, the Lance of Longinus, tumbling end over end, slammed into the ground about a kilometer from the cluster of NERV aligned Evas. Asuka, seeing her chance, rushed forward, scooping up the Lance as it unfurled into its bident form in her hand. "You freaks want this?" she said through her speakers as a length of chain spooled out of the Progressive Lash's container, whirring as the Progressive element heated the metal white-hot. "Then come and get it from me."
One by one, the Mass-Production Units shook their heads, fighting through the disorientation, and began to level their heavy blades at the Evas and charge.
Unit-01 stepped up to Unit-02's side, the Pallet Rifle thundering as the shots pinged off of the Unit, numbered 08, that rushed its way towards them, stepping back as Asuka began to swing her Lash, and flicked it towards her enemy.
The tip whirred as it tore through the air, and cracked against the forearm of the Unit, tearing its arm off with a peal of artificial thunder as it howled and dropped its blade.
Shinji had little time to take this in as he looked over at another of the Mass Production Units charge at him, swinging the heavy blade it held overhead as Shinji desperately swung his Pallet Rifle to block it, the blade cutting into the weapon and rendering it useless before being jostled aside by Shinji as the handle for the Progressive Spike swung into position. He punched at the MP-Eva's chest and squeezed the handle, a blare of sound presaging the spike slamming forward, a spray of blood coming out just far enough from the center of its chest to miss the core.
Meanwhile, Toji continued to fire at Unit-17, the shots weakening its AT Field steadily until at last, his shots breached the strained field, shattering the core as the Unit fell, its blade clattering heavily as it skidded towards him.
"Well done, Toji." Hikari said as she dodged a swing from one blade, stepping back from another as she swung the Progressive Glaive to clear some room.
"Thanks, Hikari." Toji said, ducking under the blade of the Unit that stepped over the one that he downed, throwing the Positron Cannon towards another as he bull-rushed the one in front of him, sending it tumbling towards the ground as he stood, scooping up the blade almost on instinct and swinging it wide to deflect the stabs of a trio of them. "Man, these things just don't stop, do they?"
He looked down at the weapon in his hands then blinked as he remembered what it actually was. He saw no obvious controls on the weapon itself as he focused for a moment on clearing some space to make his way towards Hikari. However…
He used his Sight, and the weapon lit up, a series of Frames and Flux lacing through the soul of the weapon. There was a jutting piece of Frame that he reached out for and connected to…
And In a moment, the blade swirled in his hands, becoming a grey, almost blue copy of the Lance of Longinus in its bident form. "Alright." Toji said with a growing smile as he joined Hikari's side, jabbing at one of the Units that came close to him, goring it through its shoulder. "Shinji," he said into his commlink, "If you need a weapon, pick up one of the blades. You can use your Sight and Interfacing to make it one of the Lance thingies."
Shinji nodded, looking around him for a moment and spotting the one on the ground next to the arm that Asuka tore off. He pushed one of the MP-Evas away from him, jogging towards the blade and scooping it up as he turned his Sight on, spotting the jutting Frame and connecting to it, the blade becoming a Lance copy as he swung it to bat away one of the blades that jabbed at Asuka, then jabbed himself at one of the approaching Units.
Shinji shook his head. "There's just too many of them coming at us at once. We need to do something."
. . .
As the battle raged on above their heads, Daniel, Eleanor, and Rei's gaze flickered between Kaworu, whose eyes were closed in concentration, and the personnel door into the room. It was silent save for the muffled sounds of the music that sometimes leaked out from Kaworu's headphones.
Time seemed to pass as such for what seemed like an age, the personnel door slid open, and all eyes turned to see two figures in rounded armor, their brows glowing, as they walked through the door.
Daniel walked forward, placing himself in between the Children and Eleanor and the two figures. "Hello, Tavis." he said calmly, his helmet disappearing.
Tavis stepped forward, his own helmet disappearing as well, revealing eyes that held the anger and exasperation of an oncoming storm predicted too early. "Hello, fallen one." he growled. "You seem to know why I'm here."
Daniel's Grip appeared in his hand. "Yes. And I won't let you bring Instrumentality to pass. You want to become a god? Find another way."
"A god? A god?" Tavis said incredulously, his own Grip appearing in his hand. "Don't be so dramatic. I'm simply here to move the Great Cause forward." he smiled slightly. "And… to help Rei free her friends from your clutches and the deception of the pretender that is by your side. Once that's done, it's a simple matter of reversing Instrumentality."
Daniel's expression was cool and hard as Rei and Kaworu's eyes widened. "I see. So that's what you needed Rei's memories for."
The other Rei blinked. "What?" she said, almost incredulously.
"And I assume you've done some very careful editing." Daniel said calmly.
"I've done no such thing. She is, for all intents and purposes, the real Rei Ayanami." Tavis said.
"Really?" Rei said, walking over to Daniel's side. "Then why would she do this? Why would Rei Ayanami do what she had been made to do by Gendo Ikari? Why would she be… a doll?" she whispered the last words, seemingly afraid of them even still.
The other Rei's eyes widened, then narrowed. "I am not a doll." she said, the merest hint of vitriol tinging her voice as she regarded her mirror image.
"Prove it."
Both Reis turned to look at Kaworu with shocked expressions as he stood, taking the earbuds off slowly and walking forward. "Do you love Shinji and Asuka?" he said simply, leveling his gaze intently at the Rei that stood by Tavis's side.
"Yes." she said instantly. "You know that."
"Do you love me?" he said softly. Both Reis gasped quietly at that.
"Yes." the other Rei whispered, and Rei suppressed a stab of jealousy as she continued to look back at Kaworu.
"Then why would you do this?" Kaworu said, pausing at Daniel's side across from Rei. "You promised to protect Shinji and Asuka. I promised to protect Shinji and Asuka. So why would you break that promise to start the very thing that they are fighting to prevent?"
The long silence that followed was shattered by the door into Terminal Dogma flying into the room, two Interfacers in the same rounded armor dashing in, one of them holding a familiar cube of Bakelite. "Tavis!" the smaller of the Interfacers said. "Catch!"
She threw the cube into the air, and tendrils of mist reached out from Tavis's fingers as he caught it, the mist seeming to penetrate the transparent plastic slowly and wrap around the form of Adam trapped inside, the Interfacers coming to a stop by Tavis and Rei.
As Daniel, Rei, and Kaworu began to move, they received a powerful impulse from Eleanor directly to their souls. "Wait."
Confused, but knowing of Eleanor's surety, they paused, as Tavis turned to the other Rei, the mist that enveloped Adam slowly moving towards the edge of the cube. "Rei, it's now or never. The choice is yours."
The other Rei stood there for a moment, conflict clear in her eyes as Adam slipped free of the Bakelike, the cube falling to the ground with a clatter. "If you have been lying to me…" she said slowly as her armor disappeared, leaving her nude as Adam slowly drifted over towards her stomach.
As it reached halfway between Rei and Tavis, three shots split the air with a crack, and Adam twitched and spasmed as it took the full force of the bullets.
All but Eleanor looked back towards the door and saw Misato and Kaji standing beside Gendo, whose raised pistol smoked as the sound of the shots continued to echo through Terminal Dogma.
After an instant of shocked silence, several things began to happen all at once.
Eleanor, seemingly in on whatever Gendo was doing, reached out, snaring the cluster of souls that was Adam and pulling it close to her.
Tavis shouted, throwing his arm wide and sending a shower of spikes towards the trio near the door. In an instant, Gendo pushed Misato and Kaji over, and the shower of spikes perforated the man as he stumbled back, falling into the doorway.
Kaworu clutched at his chest, the shock of Adam's death reverberating through his soul as he went to his knees, pain ringing through him.
High above them, the Mass Production Units clutched at their heads as best they could, some dropping their heavy blades and allowing the Shinji to gore one through the core, Hikari nearly bisecting another with her Progressive Glaive.
And Lilith keened, imperceptibly to most, as she felt and saw the death of Adam through both Rei's eyes. The mourning wail rippled through the souls of both Reis, vibrating their Frames and cracking some of them as they both fell to the ground, stunned physically and mentally.
After a moment of stunned stillness, Daniel's helmet came into being around his head, his Grip became a rifle, and he leveled it at Tavis and sprayed him with a burst of fire.
Several rounds sparked off his armor as he turned, his own helmet flashing into existence, and he charged through the hail of bullets, bodily picking Daniel up as he continued forward, plunging the both of them into the LCL with a splash.
As the other Interfacers still standing rushed at each other, Daniel and Tavis struggled under the LCL, sinking into its depths as they punched and kicked at each other.
After a moment, Daniel saw the sight of a core flying up and out and kicked Tavis off as he reached out for it with his Frames. In an instant, he caught it, drawing it to him as he realized that the soul that he caught was Gendo's. 'Well, then.' he thought. 'I'm surprised that you had the heart for that. Then again, if your son, even your wife is anything to go by…'
After a moment, he shook his head, Expressions in the form of wings unfurling from his back as he angled himself towards the surface. He focused, and he burst out of the LCL and into the air, his Grip becoming a long, stout lance as he surveyed the scene around him.
Kaworu had shaken himself from the shock that Adam's death had driven through him, and a rippling, iridescent black blade was in his hand as he dueled a Tavis that had similarly rocketed out of the LCL.
The other Interfacers were tied up facing Misato, Kaji, and Eleanor, and they were fighting a losing battle.
As he pondered for a moment on the situation above and below, he looked down at the pool of LCL below him. As he looked into the deep pool of orange, a truly mad idea came to him as he linked his soul with Eleanor's. "Dear," he said as casually as he could, "do you think you and the others can handle this without me?"
"Yes, I'm confident we can." Eleanor said as she ducked under a blade of glass that had been flung at her, tendrils of water like tentacles rising from her back to strike at the offender. "Why?"
"Because I have a crazy idea. And it might just work." He then gave her an idea of what he planned to do.
He didn't need to see her face to feel her eyes widen. "That… is crazy. But if it works… well, I'm sure the other Children will appreciate it. Good luck."
"Thank you, honey." Daniel said, before he cut off the link, and his wings disappeared before he dived into the LCL.
As he dived deeper and deeper, he linked himself with Gendo's soul, Frames flying out around them into a pattern that Daniel had seen and tended to so many times before, a bubble of crystal surrounding the both of them. "Commander," Daniel said, as he processed Gendo's confusion and surprise, "are you ready to understand what your wife does?"
"What?" was Gendo's only startled reply, as the Frames became bone, then muscle, then flesh. The flesh became armored in crystal, their depths seeming to contain a starfield filled with nebulae.
After a moment of darkness, massive eyes opened to the orange depths, and Daniel felt the extent of his massive body as his feet hit the floor, and he began to stand up.
. . .
Kaworu's focus was laser-sharp as he laid a withering assault on Tavis, barely even noticing as Daniel dived into the LCL. Block, thrust, swing, parry, dodge, shoot, stab.
He'd hurt her, he knew it. Manipulated her. He'd hurt Lilith. Or was it Rei? Was he Tabris, or Adam, or Kaworu? It didn't matter. This one would pay for what he'd done. Was that him talking? Or Lilith?
Kaworu dodged as he blocked a flurry of shots from Tavis's gun, coming to a stop in front of a curled up, naked Rei as their Rei, his Rei, began to struggle to her feet.
Tavis created a swirling ball of dark mist, and let go of it, the ball beginning to swirl and rotate as tendrils of mist began to lash out from it, the sphere growing in size, Kaworu almost missing as Tavis created a pendant of white mist around his neck.
Kaworu looked to the others quickly. Their Rei was up, creating a barrier of stained glass around herself. Misato and Kaji created similar defenses as the other Interfacers did so as well.
That left the Rei that lay behind him. Still shocked. Still defenseless.
She needed it, only flinching slightly as one of the tendrils grazed her arm.
In a moment, Kaworu made his decision, a dome of ink spreading out from behind him to cover the prone form of the other Rei. He leaned against the dome as the lashes started to tear at him.
The armor held for a few minutes, the Frame armor withstanding what felt like a massive buzzsaw, then it was breached, and the lashes began digging past the armor, into his skin, his Interfacing patching the gashes up for a moment before they were reopened by another rotation of the sphere.
It… hurt. But it would be worth it. He felt their Rei's soul connect to his, and understood what he was doing. He felt the confusion and the fear in her soul "Why? Why do this? Protect yourself. Please." she pleaded with him.
Kaworu sighed quietly, as much as he could with several blades beating at his chest, the sphere of mist itself almost on top of him now. "Because, right now, she is you as much as you are. And I've promised to protect you. So I'll protect you. Don't worry." he smiled slightly as he felt her shock at the peace that thrummed through his soul as his S2 Organ went into overdrive working to heal him.
In the end, though, even an S2 Organ was still an organ like any other. It was straining to bring Metos in, to cleanse the Flux that was building up. Soon, it would be overwhelmed. Soon, it would shut down, and he was sure now that even his Interfacing could not save his body for long after that.
"Rei," he said through their link, "if it comes to it… catch my soul for me. We can figure it out from there. Promise?"
"No, Kaworu. There has to be another way." Rei said, stubbornness accentuating her fear for him, her love for him.
"There might not be another way, Rei. Please." Kaworu asked with all the strength of his soul.
It was a fleeting moment that seemed to stretch forever before Rei answered. "Okay."
Kaworu smiled. Now, he could be sure. Now, he could devote everything to this. To protecting Rei Ayanami. The woman he loved.
. . .
Ymris continued to struggle against the whirlwind that Tavis had created, her arms held up in front of her as a windbreak of opaque glass weathered the cutting blades.
There was a point where Tavis's driven nature became an obsession. That point had been passed long ago, now. She should have done something then. She always had, in the past. But the fear of the fallen Hollow Saint prevented her from thinking clearly.
Now, all their plans had fallen apart, she thought as she scanned the large, empty room with her Sight. It was a riot of Frames, the most immediate one being the massive sphere which Tavis now stood in the middle of, seemingly unharmed by it. Surrounded by a dome-like Expression by the ashen-haired boy, their Rei Ayanami lay curled up, her Frame cracked and, in some places, shattered.
Then… she noticed the other Frame. Larger than any other in the room, save Lilith's. It was… massive. And it was in a familiar shape…
She watched as Tavis noticed it too, the Expression he had made faltering and losing energy, the mist fading away as it slowly stopped spinning. Then, the giant stood.
LCL flowed down its form in great sheets as it stood tall. Its form was that of a giant of starlight, its head adorned with great horns.
She barely noticed the ashen-haired boy slump down and to the side as the giant looked around, and she connected her soul to Tavis's as she continued to stare at the giant flexing its arms, clenching and opening its hands. "Tavis, I know you hate it when I say this, but we have to go now." she said as evenly as possible.
"No!" Tavis said. "We can still win. We can-"
"We can what, Tavis?" she said, authority in her voice. "Gut ourselves on their blades now that everything we've planned for here has crumbled around us? We can't even be sure that the Rei that we have will follow us anymore. Adam is dead. Face it. We're out of options here."
She felt the rage that swirled within Tavis's soul as he grappled with the facts that she had presented to him. "Damn it. Damn it!" he nearly shouted. "Damn him! After all we've accomplished here…"
"There's nothing left for us here, Tavis." Ymris said. "We have to go. Now. I'm not going to lose you, too."
It was a long moment before resignation coursed its way through Tavis's soul. "Fine." he said, and Ymris couldn't help but feel sorry for his plight. "Let's go. We need another place. Away from here. From this world. We need the fallback."
"Alright." Ymris said. "Thank you, Tavis."
"Alright," she said as she linked herself to Kauri, "get ready. We're going to the Resurgent now."
She felt Kauri's confused acknowledgment, and behind the barrier, she made three fragile figures, shaped roughly like the people that they mimicked. She briefly contemplated making a fourth but thought better of it. They needed to be out now.
So she crushed them, and they were away.
. . .
Misato heard the crash of shattering glass that marked their opponents running away, but as she looked at the sight before her, she paid it little mind.
It was… an Evangelion. Right here, in Terminal Dogma.
"Major!" she heard Hyuga shout, shaking her from her shocked stupor for a moment. "We're picking up a Pattern Blue in Terminal Dogma!"
"Don't worry about it." she said, an almost dazed tone to her voice. "It's just Daniel."
"What?" Hyuga said in shock.
Misato watched as the Evangelion began to turn into light, and slowly rise towards the high ceiling, its speed rising as it passed through it like air.
"Wow." Kaji said as he came up next to her. "That's what Interfacing can do, huh?"
Eleanor nodded. "Yes. That, and so much more." she shook her head. "If he doesn't burn himself out first."
. . .
Up on the surface, Shinji, Asuka, Toji, and Hikari stood with their backs against each other, staving off the MP-Evas as best they could.
They had become almost rabid for some reason, the 9 remaining Evas lunging forward at them with transformed Lances, jabbing and swinging with wild abandon.
One swing, timed just right, knocked the true Lance of Longinus out of Asuka's hand as she found herself distracted, one of the MP-Evas scuttling forward and swiping it from the ground. All of them turned and ran towards the shattered Main Access point, jumping in one by one.
"Damn it!" Asuka said, running after them. "Shinji, follow me! We've got to stop them!"
Shinji looked over as Asuka ran, and began to run after her as she jumped into the Main Access shaft. "Asuka! That's…"
"Don't worry about it! Just use your AT Field to slow the fall!"
Shinji slowly nodded as he reached the shaft. "Alright then." he said slowly before jumping in.
Before Hikari and Toji could follow, they heard a mighty crash from behind them. Turning around, their eyes widened as they took in the sight of the last three Revenants, their growth slowing as they became almost as tall as them, if not as tall.
"What!" Toji shouted incredulously. "Where did they come from?"
. . .
Far out in space, Aaminata's brow dripped with sweat as she sat in the chair that was strapped to two orbs of glass that glowed with a rainbow shimmer.
Ymris looked over at Tavis with a worried look in her eyes. "And you're sure that letting her use the Large Metos Siphons like this is wise?" she said plaintively.
Tavis nodded once. "Yes. It'll buy us time to escape without having Daniel or his lackeys on our tail."
It was a logical reason, Ymris knew. But she also saw through that reason, to the almost blinding spite that was really behind it.
. . .
As Shinji unfurled his AT Field, turning his fall into a glide towards the Geofront surface, now burning and blasted by bloody combat, he keenly noticed the absence of Hikari and Toji. What had held them up?
"Uh, Asuka…" Shinji said, uncertainty ringing through his voice.
"Shinji, we're together." Asuka said stubbornly. "We'll win."
That didn't quite assuage Shinji's fears, but he felt courage from Asuka's words. Which was all that counted.
They hit the ground on one side of the diamond-shaped "lake" that was close to the HQ with a shuddering crash as the internal defenses continued to light up the MP-Evas, who indiscriminately swung at everything that came close to them as they made their way towards the Geofront pyramid.
Asuka stepped forward as one of the Evas raised a Lance, then swung it down at the pyramid, cleaving into it from its top to the middle of its structure. A length of chain from her Progressive Lash unfurled, and Asuka used her AT Field to make a rigid spear that she jabbed into the offender, striking it in the gut.
The Eva stepped back without a sound as the spear withdrew from its body, and all of the Evas turned to regard them.
At that moment, Asuka fully realized that there were two of them against more than triple their number. Even with Asuka's skill, she was far from confident in her ability to simply take them all on now, S2 Organ or no. "Uh, Hyuga…" she said slowly. "We're gonna need some help."
Before Hyuga could reply, another voice cut in. "Don't worry. I'm on my way."
"Daniel?" Shinji and Asuka said simultaneously. "How?" Shinji said as he kept his focus on the slowly approaching MP-Evas, their Lance copies leveled at them.
"You'll see." Daniel said, and the grin on his face was evident in his voice. "I should be appearing right… about… now."
In essence, yes. Daniel and Gendo basically teamed up with their souls to create an Eva out of LCL. How long that actually holds together before it reverts back to LCL is anyone's guess.
Daniel Theisman stood on a wide, white beach, and breathed in deeply, closing his eyes as he listened to the gentle lapping of the waves.
He knew this place. It was part of why he had come. It held the potential, and the memory, of a place of tragedy, of shattered hopes and dreams. Of a quiet, broken, forlorn possibility. He was alone on this beach again.
"Daniel!"
He opened his eyes and turned with a smile. He was alone on this beach, once. But not anymore.
Captain Hyuga watched as the battle within the Geofront continued to unfold. Japanese and American units, led by Section 2 pathfinders, had begun their counterattack, and every once in a while, the rumble of ordinance going off caused the room to shake slightly, buried as it was deep beneath the surface.
As the battle raged on, the invading forces slowly being pushed out of HQ, an alarm went off, and Hyuga looked around the command bridge as Maya turned to him, eyes wide. "Sir," she said, "I'm reading an AT Field. Right inside Terminal Dogma!"
Everyone's eyes widened in shock, and Hyuga keyed for Misato on his headset. "Major! We're picking up a Pattern Blue in Terminal Dogma!"
No one could have guessed fully what Misato said next. "Don't worry about it. It's just Daniel."
A quiet gasp rippled through the command bridge as Maya turned back to her console. "Pattern Blue is rising up from Terminal Dogma!"
Before Maya could continue, Faez spoke up. "Unknown Evangelions are now breaching the Geofront!"
All eyes turned to the screen as the white Evas began to hover down on their wings, internal defenses and units on all sides turning and beginning to open fire. But the Units shrugged it off like it was nothing, as they advanced towards the Geofront pyramid. Towards them.
A cheer went up as they saw Unit-01 and Unit-02 dropping down from the ceiling of the Geofront. That cheer died as they saw massive iridescent… things rise up and begin to move towards Unit-03 and Unit-04.
Then, a shout went up as one of the Mass-Production Evas cleaved into the pyramid, shaking Central Dogma and sending dust and chunks of rubble from the ceiling.
Then, as Unit-02 attacked one of them, and the MP-Evas turned to regard the two Units, Asuka's voice came up on the speakers. "Uh, Hyuga…" she said. "We're gonna need some help."
Before Hyuga could answer, his jaw went slack, right along with everyone else's, as a massive field of stars, bright against the darkness that it filled, nebulae and constellations filling its breadth, floated in front of the main screen. And from it, a massive face seemed to leer, the outline of four distinct horns evident above its armored jaw.
"Don't worry." Captain Theisman said, his voice echoing through the speakers of Central Dogma. "I'm on my way."
"Daniel?" both pilots said as the mass of stars and nebulae began to rise again, passing through the ceiling. Shinji's next word summarized all their thoughts. "How?"
The Pattern Blue on Maya's terminal began to reach the surface as Captain Theisman continued. "You'll see. I should be appearing right… now."
All eyes turned to the screen as the starfield appeared in front of Unit-01 and 02, resolving into the form of…
"An Evangelion…" Ritsuko said as it stretched out its hand, and a massive swordspear came into being, the midnight Eva grasping it in its hand.
. . .
As Eleanor watched Daniel vanish through the ceiling of Terminal Dogma, she shook her head slightly. If he could keep that together for long enough, then he might actually make a difference.
But, she thought as she looked down, there were more pressing matters to worry about.
She made her way over to Kaworu, who lay still on his side. As she kneeled down next to him, Kaworu looked up at her, his eyes clouded by pain. "Is she…" he whispered.
Eleanor glanced over at the prone form of the Rei Ayanami that curled into the fetal position, no sign of any major injuries evident to her sight, either regular or Pneumaic. "Yes." she said quietly. "She's okay."
Kaworu breathed as deeply as he could as Eleanor began to stitch him back together. "Good. Good. She…" he trailed off for a moment, seeming to become exhausted by the very act of speaking. "She deserves better than that." he finally whispered.
Eleanor nodded. "Yes. Yes, she does. But right now, let's focus on you, shall we?"
As Eleanor continued to work on Kaworu's frankly breathtaking amount of wounds, putting him peacefully to sleep as she did, she looked up to see Rei, their Rei, walk over to the prone form of her clone.
She crouched down, gently touching her shoulder, flinching back slightly as her clone jumped. Then, she laid her hand on the clone's shoulder, and gently pushed her so that she could see her face.
The other Rei's eyes were nearly empty of light, of emotion, of everything, as she looked up at the face that so perfectly matched hers. "Who am I?" she whispered.
It was a silent moment before Rei took her clone's hand. "Right now… you are Rei Ayanami." she said quietly. "We can figure out the rest later."
"But…" the clone, Ayanami, said. "I can't be you. I'm… I'm…"
"You're Shinji and Asuka's friend." Rei said.
"But the memories aren't mine." Ayanami said, her eyes welling up with tears.
"Then they'll simply have to do for now." Rei said, helping her clone to her unsteady feet.
Rei looked over at Eleanor as she helped Kaworu to his feet. "That was Daniel who made the Evangelion?"
Eleanor nodded. "Yeah. I think… he did something to the LCL. Catalyzed it into forming a body." she shook her head. "I haven't the slightest clue how long it will last before it returns to being LCL. But it's a hell of a trump card he's come up with."
. . .
Daniel focused on the white Mass-Production Evas in front of him as Shinji and Asuka came to join him at his side. Or at least, he tried his best to.
It was working. It was working! It was a hell of a strain to do this so off the cuff, and frankly, it was a miracle that he could focus on the outside world still, but linking with Commander Ikari's soul had provided enough Metos and… well, processing power was the closest term for it, along with the ability to have his focus mainly on the Pneumaic aspect of the frankly breathtaking Expression, to really make it work.
He gripped the massive swordspear and regarded the now seemingly far more cautious foe as they spread out before them. "I don't know if I can hold this for very long, but if we're quick about it, then it shouldn't be a problem."
"Oh, come on, Daniel." Asuka said, her Progressive Lash unspooling again. "You're talking about the two best Eva pilots in the world. Try and keep up, and we'll have this done in no time."
Daniel smiled slightly. "I'll try." he scanned the MP-Evas again, picking one to single out as it held its Lance ready for a low jab. "Even still, I see 9. We're 3 to one, and I don't think that they'll play fair."
"It did take a lot just to kill the three that we did." Shinji said, batting away a jab with his own Lance.
"Alright, then." Daniel said, slowly walking forward. "First things first. Get the true Lance itself back. Then, we get to delight in some good old-fashioned brawling."
Asuka smirked. "I can get behind that. One second and we can get started."
She began to twirl the Lash in front of her, using her AT Field to create an almost entrancing spectacle over their heads, then flicked it forward, the end wrapping around the Lance as Asuka yanked back on it.
"Come on, Dummkopf." she muttered, catching Daniel moving to cover her other side out of the corner of her eye. "Let go of the world-ending alien spear." she yanked again, harder, causing the white Unit to stumble forward.
The other white Units began to press forward, jabbing and slashing at the three Evas as Daniel and Shinji covered Asuka's flanks. Daniel and Shinji both leveraged their weapon's reach to bat away the strikes, jabbing every once in a while as Asuka stepped back, the motor in the Progressive Lash's housing whirring madly as it strained against the weight of the MP-Eva.
After jabbing at one of the MP-Evas, causing it to back away with a gash across its arm, Shinji looked over at Asuka and the MP-Eva that had a death grip on the true Lance in one hand, even as it held its copy in the other. In a moment, Shinji turned and swung underhand with his Lance copy, cutting through the white Unit's forearm with a gush of blood as it stumbled back, falling comically on its back as the true Lance clattered to the ground.
Asuka stepped forward, quickly snatching up the true Lance as her Progressive lash spooled back up, stepping back into a defensive stance as she swept the crimson Lance in front of her. "Alright, that's step one complete." she said, barely holding back a snicker at seeing the white Unit's pratfall. "Now…"
"Payback." Daniel said quietly. "I've waited far too long for this."
. . .
Toji and Hikari regarded their opponents as they moved to try and surround the two of them. They had been told about the Revenants by the other Children and Daniel. They hadn't ever figured they could get this big.
One of the rippling, putty-like things lurched forwards, taking a swipe at Toji as he parried the strike, the Lance's blade only sinking slightly into the thing's arm before stopping.
Toji yanked the Lance copy out as he stepped back from the Revenant, narrowly avoiding a swipe at his head. "This thing's tough." Toji said.
"Thank you for stating the obvious, Toji." Hikari said absentmindedly as she ducked under another swing, batting away another strike away with her Progressive Glaive.
From under her line of sight, the Revenant she ducked threw a punch that was studded with spikes. Hikari noticed it at the last second, and as she yelped in surprise, a wall of light flared up before her, stopping the punch within inches of her Unit's body.
The Revenant stepped back, seemingly taken aback from this sudden development as Hikari processed what had happened with only slightly less shock. "Oh." she said at first, blinking after a moment. "We… we can Interface using our Evas."
Toji's eyes widened, and he focused on the Revenant that had created a massive blade out of its arm. "Mom." he muttered softly. "I might need your help with what I'm thinking."
"I'll give it to you, Toji." his mother said, surprising him slightly. "Let's kick this thing's ass with flower power."
Toji's surprise became determination, as he set up the Frames for an Expression that wrapped around the Lance copy he now held out to ward against the Revenant in front of him. It was a little difficult ensuring the Flux from the weapon didn't degrade them, but it was done after a moment. He energized the Frame, and the Expression activated, a branch of dark wood growing to make the bident of the Lance copy into a trident.
The Revenant regarded Toji cautiously, then dashed forward, seeming to try at getting inside the reach of his Lance. Toji jumped back, swinging the Lance copy like a baseball bat, the flat of the blades connecting with the Revenant's right arm.
Immediately, a rootlike system began to spread from the center prong of the trident, latching onto the Revenant's arm with a grip that it desperately tried to shake off as it swung wildly at Toji, who kept his distance as best he could as he wrestled with the Revenant for control of the Lance.
After a moment's struggle, Toji slammed the point of the Lance copy into the ground, and jerked it to the side, breaking off the connection to the root system now growing into the ground and up the Revenants arm, trapping it in a brace of wood that was perhaps stronger than the steel and concrete it pierced.
After a few moments, the Revenant went to one knee as the growth of the bark slowed, then stopped, Toji taking a quiet breath at the exertion needed to keep the growth up to that point. The Revenant wildly swung at Toji with its free arm for a moment, Toji batting it aside as he jabbed at it again and again, trying to reach the core of its soul.
As Toji stabbed deeply into the Revenant's chest, it jerked to the left as it detached its arm, and tried to stand.
As it got to its feet, Toji used the leverage of the Lance to push it to the ground with a wordless shout, laying the Revenant flat on its back as roots began to sprout from its wound, crawling across its body as they reached the ground below the struggling monster.
The Revenant writhed as Toji withdrew the Lance, and the roots continued to grow, enveloping the Revenant's chest, then its head. Finally, its remaining limbs disappeared into the system, and the Revenant was entombed in a coffin of bark.
Toji sighed heavily this time. "Man. Thanks for the help, mom." he said.
"Of course, sweetheart." his mother replied. "Now, why don't you go and make sure that Hikari is taken care of?"
Toji blinked, then looked over at Hikari, who was holding her own against the other two Revenants, two arms composed of light arcing out from her shoulders to grapple with one as she chopped at the other with the Progressive Glaive.
"She seems to be holding up just fine, mom." Toji said as he hefted the Lance copy in his hands. "But I'm sure she'd appreciate the help."
. . .
Within the Geofront, Asuka slammed the Lance of Longinus into an MP-Eva, shattering its core and sending it slumping to the ground.
As she pulled it out with a sickening slurp, she brought it up just in time to block another MP-Eva's blow, walking back as she parried and dodged the two that joined their comrade.
This was harder than she thought. That was only the second MP-Eva that they had killed down here, the first dying dramatically from similar impalement at the end of Daniel's swordspear. Even still, that left 7 of the driven, nearly berserk Units coming after them. It was a handful, to say the least. "Guys," she said slowly, swinging the Lance to bat away the advancing strikes of the MP-Evas, "I think we're gonna need just a little help."
Shinji nodded as he pressed forward on the lone target he had engaged, his Lance copy jabbing and slashing, batting away at the white Units defense until, finally, he stabbed at the MP-Eva's chest, its core shattering as its blood gushed out from the wound like Shinji had hit an artery. "We're making good progress, but you're right, Asuka. Some help would be," he paused as he ducked a swing to his right, "nice."
Daniel leaned back from a slash aimed at his Unit's head, gritting his teeth slightly. He would be letting loose with some Expressions, but it was nearly everything he had simply making sure that the Unit that he'd created around himself didn't turn into an inopportune puddle of LCL. "I think..." he said, blocking a thrust with his swordspear, then maneuvering around the thrust to slam the bottom of the weapon into the white Unit's face, sending it stumbling as Daniel swung the swordspear down in a mighty chop, slicing through the MP-Eva's shoulder and sending the arm it was attached to flying. "I know who to talk to."
. . .
Deep within Terminal Dogma, Eleanor blinked as she looked up, feeling the connection that Daniel made to her, and through her, to Rei.
"Eleanor, Rei," Daniel said, the strain of his task evident in his voice, "I'm about to pass how I did what I'm doing to Rei." Eleanor felt the stream of knowledge pass through her and into Rei, whose eyes widened. "Right now," he continued, "there need to be two souls in order for Rei to pull this off. Eleanor…"
"There is no need for Eleanor to join me." Rei said, looking down at her clone. "I know someone who will be perfect for the task at hand."
Daniel's confusion became understanding as Rei crouched down and put a hand on the shoulder of her clone, who sat on the ground wrapped in a blanket from one of the power armor's survival kits. The clone looked up at Rei with a weary, almost defeated look in her eyes, her face creased into a tired frown.
"For now, you are still Rei Ayanami." Rei said simply. "You still love Shinji and Asuka." she smiled slightly. "Would you like to help me protect them?"
A dull, muted shock flickered to life behind the clone Ayanami's eyes. "But…" she said, trailing off as Rei helped her to her feet.
Rei shook her head. "No. Like I said, right now, you are still Rei Ayanami. They will understand." she smiled slightly. "They are very good at doing that."
Ayanami looked at Rei with wide eyes as she stepped back towards the sea of LCL and extended her hand. Then, after a moment of silence, she took it, the blanket sliding off her shoulders. "Okay." she said slowly. "What shall we do?"
"Follow me, and roll with what comes next." Rei said, turning and leading Ayanami towards the LCL. She tilted her head as she walked. "At least, I believe that is what Daniel means by saying that."
They walked forward, the LCL rippling slightly as they walked across its surface using their AT Fields. Ayanami looked around her, confusion evident in her expression. "What is the purpose of this?"
Rei stopped, turning to face Ayanami as she linked their souls together. "This." she said simply and showed her.
Ayanami's eyes went wide as she took in what was about to happen, then her expression became one of determination. "Very well." she said through their link. "I think I am as ready as I will ever be."
Rei said nothing, simply smiling slightly as they both plunged into the depths of the LCL with barely a splash to mark their entrance.
As the two Ayanami's disappeared from sight, Misato and Kaworu walked to the edge of the LCL trying to peer in with both their regular sight and their Pneumaic Sight. "They're doing what Daniel did, right?" Misato said absentmindedly as Frames began to bloom into existence, one of the Ayanami's becoming surrounded by something akin to the Frame that immediately surrounded a soul writ large. Frames began to shoot out in all directions as Eleanor joined their side as Kaworu smiled slightly, and the Frames energized as the souls of the two Ayanamis became united, a bright Pneumaic glow preceding the shadow of the body being formed.
"Yes" Eleanor said and watched as Unit-00, reborn in LCL and armored in stained glass of deepest blue and purest white, stood tall.
. . .
As the battle raged below them, Toji and Hikari began to finish their business with the last two Revenants.
They had separated them, and now they both regarded their opponents, who sported deep cuts and chunks of missing Plasm as they warily circled the Units.
Toji, keeping his distance, now held a rod of wood, from the end of which bloomed a flower of deep blue and black, bristling with thorns that Toji fired at the Revenant every once in a while, patches of wood creating a web across the places where they spread from the impact points. Every once in a while, Toji jabbed his Lance copy at his opponent if it strayed too close, the Revenant jumping away, narrowly avoiding the blows. But it was getting slower each time.
Hikari, on the other hand, took a far more proactive approach. She had sheathed the blade of her Progressive Glaive in a far larger blade of light, the blade now stretching almost half the length of the weapon itself as she stabbed at the ducking twisting Revenant.
Shaking her head, Hikari finally seemed to tire of trying to stab the Revenant before her, the blade of light disappearing as she dropped the Glaive, her forearms becoming sheathed in a bright, angry red light that sharpened the points of Unit-03's fingers into potent claws as she dashed forward.
The Revenant, seemingly caught off guard by the sudden change in tactics, stumbled backward as Hikari fell upon the Spirit, punching and kicking as she began to systematically tear the Revenant apart, the massive iridescent figure tumbling to the ground as chunks of inert Plasm flew away from its body.
With a gaze like tempered steel, Hikari's Unit-03 raised its arm to the sky almost dramatically, then plunged into the Revenant's chest, the light surrounding Unit-03's hand becoming brighter as it intruded on the Pneumaic plane of existence, surrounding the Revenant's Spirit core, and crushing it like a sphere of sugar glass.
The Revenant twitched beneath her for a moment before its form lost its cohesion, and Unit-03 stood, Hikari's breath heaving slightly as she turned to face Toji and the final Revenant.
Both regarded her without the slightest hint of movement for a moment, then the final Revenant's form collapsed into a pile of inert Plasm.
"Man, Hikari," Toji said, uncomfortably aware of how tight the Plugsuit had become, "I uh… didn't know you had it in you to be that vicious."
Hikari blinked, then sighed quietly. "Well, my frustration has to go somewhere, Toji. I'd rather it be into something that I don't like."
Toji nodded. "Makes sense." he said slowly.
He regarded the Plasm that had once been his foe. "Say, you don't happen to have a guess at what happened to this, do ya? I didn't know these things could get… scared."
Hikari shook her head. "I don't know, Toji. Whatever the case, we need to get down to the Geofront. Shinji and Asuka would probably appreciate our help."
Toji nodded. "Yeah." he said, looking over to the access point that led down towards the HQ. "Let's get on that."
. . .
Tavis wheeled on the exhausted form of Aaminata, who regarded the soul of her Revenant with nothing short of relief. "Why?" he said explosively, walking towards her quickly, stopping short of her. "Why did you recall the Revenant?"
Aaminata regarded Tavis with a weary look of indignation. "I will no longer throw my children into the grinder at your pleasure, Tavis." she said in a deadpan voice that even still simmered with barely checked anger. "Already, I have lost too many. I will not lose another."
Tavis was silent for a moment, staring at Aaminata before heaving a sigh. "Fine. Fine." he said, the anger in his voice laced with resignation. He turned and walked towards the door of the room that the Metos Siphons occupied. "Let's go. We have…" he paused for a moment, considering his words. "More productive places to be." he finally settled on.
. . .
On the bridge of the Geofront, Hyuga looked on uneasily as Shinji, Asuka, and apparently, Daniel fought against the seemingly relentless group of Mass-Production Evas. They now had only half of their number, and the three allied Evas now stood together, their backs against each other, defending themselves against their foes.
Up above, Unit-03 and Unit-04 had made short work of the anomalous enemies that had sprung up as the MP-Evas went underground. Now, they made their way towards the torn open ruins of Main Access Shaft 1.
Hyuga's train of thought was brought to a screeching halt as an alarm went off. "Sir," Maya said, turning to look at him, "I'm reading another massive Pattern Blue down in Terminal Dogma."
Before Hyuga could reply, a voice he half expected to hear through his headset made him jump. "That's Rei." Misato said, and Hyuga turned to see Misato appear from what looked like a wall of shadow, followed by Kaji, Kaworu, and Eleanor.
"Major…" Hyuga said, his expression slack with shock.
"Open Heaven's Door." Misato said, taking command of the situation as if she had never left. "Rei needs a straight shot to the Geofront surface." She looked at Faez, Aoba, and Maya. "What's the status of the other Units?"
"Units 01 and 02 are mostly intact, with minor damage to the armor plating." Faez said. "Units 03 and 04 are similarly intact." she shook her head slightly as she looked at the monitor. "As for the Unit… whatever it is, I'm not able to get any readings that make sense from it."
"That's fine." Misato said, striding forward and looking up at the main screen, showing Unit-03 and 04 as touched down on the Geofront's ground, dashing past the ragged circle of white Evangelions to join the small, exceedingly thorny cluster of NERV-allied Evas.
Before she could continue, a voice usually only heard in whispers spoke up behind them. "Where is Gendo?"
Along with the rest of the command bridge, Misato looked back up to Fuyutsuki, his face stoic, but his eyes betraying the concern he felt.
Misato looked down and to the side silently, and Fuyutsuki's expression slackened. "Don't tell me…"
"Yes." Misato said quietly, yet still loud enough for her voice to carry to the rest of the command bridge. "He died… killing Adam."
A quiet gasp went up from those who were not present in Terminal Dogma, and Fuyutsuki slowly sank to his knees. Those that looked up there looked at the chair that he had always seemed to occupy, as if he could never be anywhere else. And yet…
From out of sight, Fuyutsuki bowed his head and wept silently. "Gendo…"
It was a somber, quiet moment before an alarm sounded quietly, drawing the gaze of Faez back to her monitor. "Unit… 00 is reaching the surface now." she said, and all turned to look at the main screen again as the reborn form of Unit-00 dashed into the light, glinting in a way that metal never could as it caught and reflected the rays of light that reflected into the Geofront.
. . .
Deep in a secret room, far away from the carnage and death that had surrounded Tokyo-3, the members of SEELE watched the proceedings in stunned silence.
They had for the better part of the battle, at least, as best they could from the gun cameras of the Chinese and Russian forces that they had sent in to capture Lilith from NERV, then from the Mass-Production Evangelions, one and all Camael, as they grappled with the unusually prepared Evangelions of NERV.
They had figured for the presence of Units 01 through 04. They had even received word that Unit-00 had been destroyed in the last battle, and accounted for its absence in any potential engagement. Then… there was the new Evangelion.
"How could they have made such a Unit without our notice?" SEELE-07 said incredulously, crystalizing what had hung in the air since its dramatic entrance. "How is it able to do what it does? Who is piloting it?"
With those fateful words, the conference call erupted into chaos, each of the members of SEELE almost seeming to shout over one another as they argued in circles, minutes seeming to stretch forever with the bickering, grating on Lorenz Kihl's nerves.
"Right now, it is of no consequence." Kihl growled, no mean feat for how decrepit his body had become, and the room fell silent.
After a moment, Kihl continued. "Right now… we have lost." he said, and none needed to see his face to know how that comment burned at his heart, the words boiling within him as they were stoked by the rage at their truth.
"So?" SEELE-05 said, his Russian accent thick with frustration as he spoke. "We still have the Mass-Production Evangelions. We still have the world at our fingertips." he scoffed. "Let them come." he said dismissively. "We will be ready, and answer accordingly."
"Ikari will spill all." SEELE-04 said, his French accent only slightly less pronounced than his distaste. "We will be revealed, and decades of following the Scrolls, the Scenario, will have come to nothing."
"This is truth." Kihl said simply. "SEELE is about to be revealed to the world. Therefore, we must act to conceal ourselves again." he pondered quietly for a moment. "Arkhip." he said, and behind the monolith's implacable surface, SEELE-05 squirmed.
"You will know your place." he said, and the cool tone of his voice underlied the scathing rebuke. "We have been built on bringing the world to its final form through secrecy, through the trusting of the scrolls. We will continue in our ways, support of the UN or no."
He paused dramatically for a moment. "However…" he said, and all others in the conference did not even dare to breathe. "I recognize the need for… a sacrifice."
"You will be that sacrifice, Arkhip." he said almost conversationally. "In order to throw suspicion off the rest of SEELE, of the Human Instrumentality Committee as it takes its leave, you take upon yourself our mantle. And you will die, taking the Committee's name with you."
It was silent for another moment before Kihl spoke again. "You know what must be done. And the token reward that awaits you."
Again, as images of the battle slowing down, of a reborn Unit-00 appearing, played before them, it was silent.
"Very well." he said, his voice filled with resignation that even still could not hide the anticipation that lurked behind it. "I will go. I have preparations to make."
"As do we all." Kihl said simply as the monolith of SEELE-05 vanished from sight.
"In the meantime," Kihl said, addressing those that remained, "I also recognize the need for a… course correction of sorts. The Scrolls need not be abandoned. Pull back the remaining Mass-Production Evangelions." he said, pausing as a ripple of shock became an audible gasp.
"They will be needed in the time to come." he said simply. "As will our other assets."
"Prepare the Numberless Children." he said, and shock again made itself known amongst the Committee. "Their time will soon come, and they will complete the task that NERV has proven itself unworthy of."
. . .
Shinji looked around him as Unit-00, seemingly remade, joined their side, then scanned the enemy before him.
Never had he been so confident in battle as he was now. Now, as he leveled his Lance copy at the Eva nearest to him, he stood back to back, side by side, with his friends. His family. There was nothing that they couldn't do now. No one they couldn't face. He wasn't alone. He never would be, anymore.
This bravery, bolstered by the profound connection between him and his mother, and him and the woman he loved, became confusion as he watched the Evas in front of him step back, then step back again. Finally, they turned and ran, he and Asuka and Toji making errant swipes at the ones that passed by them as their wings unfurled and they lifted off the ground, disappearing into the hole of Main Access Shaft 1.
"Ah, man." Asuka said as the last one disappeared from sight. "I was hoping to actually get all of them. Stupid white Evas, turning chicken." she grumbled.
"Yeah." Toji agreed. "I was looking forward to putting the pain on them myself, too."
"Does this mean…" Shinji said plaintively. "We've won?"
"Yes, Shinji." Daniel said, his face, crowned with horns that held a starfield within them, appearing on a screen on his HUD, as he sat encased by a glittering crystal. "But that doesn't mean we've won the war."
Daniel looked around him. "In the meantime, I've got to go ahead and let this go. It's been straining enough as is." he smiled slightly. "I'll meet you all at the Eva bays."
"We'll see you then." Asuka said, and Daniel's face disappeared, as the Evangelion he had created dissolved into LCL once again, splashing across their feet and legs.
As the Evas dropped their ready stances, their various weapons dipping, Rei nodded, her face crowned by a seemingly fragile diadem of stained glass. "I will also meet you at the bays. Maintaining this, even with Ayanami's help, is… quite tiring."
Her face disappeared as well, and Unit-00 became LCL as well.
After a moment of silence, the sort of silence that can only come to be after battle, Hikari sighed quietly. "They could have at least made sure that someone didn't need to clean all this up." she said.
A soft chuckle passed among the remaining pilots as they endeavored to stay perfectly still. It would be really annoying to have done all this and then just end up accidentally crushing their friends.
. . .
As those in Central Dogma watched the retreat of the MP-Evas, a weary silence hung over all, dispelled for a moment by Faez as she spoke. "Evas have entered the water. Sonar from the American Pacific Fleet is still tracking them. They're descending rapidly."
After a moment, she shook her head. "They're gone. None of our sensors are picking them up anymore, Major." she switched her screens. "Chinese and Russian elements are beginning to stand down."
Misato took a quiet, deep breath. The battle of Tokyo-3 was now over. They had won. Third Impact would not come to pass. Today, at least. "What are the losses?" she said, equally quietly.
Faez scanned her screen for a moment before answering. "Reports are showing we're down to a quarter of Section 2 agents. Heavy estimated losses for the Chinese and Russians. Somewhat lighter estimated losses for the Central Army and American Marines."
Those on the command bridge were silent as the weight of the loss of human life seemed to press down on all of their souls for a moment before Misato shook her head. "Go ahead and have what's left of Section 2 coordinate with the Central Army and the Americans on disarming the surrendering forces. Start getting an exact count." she paused for a moment. "I need to be sure of who to contact." she said quietly.
"And get the Evas back to the bays." she said, shaking her head slightly. "The kids… well, the kids deserve a victory celebration."
. . .
It was quiet as Asuka had Unit-02 step onto the gantry, the restraints locking in place as she slowly descended.
"Mama…" she said, looking down the Plug towards her mother's soul. "We won."
She watched pride and relief flash through Kyoko's soul. "Yes, Liebling. We won."
"Well… I say that…" Asuka said, thoughts filled with trepidation as the gantry slowly went down the shaft. "But, really… the MP-Evas are still out there. SEELE's still out there. And… really, I don't know how we'll deal with them." she sighed audibly as the gantry thunked into place, and shutdown procedures began.
"We'll deal with them when the time comes, Asuka." Kyoko said. "Together. Just like we've always been."
Asuka smiled slightly. "Together." she scoffed slightly as she considered. "After what's happened… after what I've seen… I think I've had enough of being seen for a while."
"Well, at least by the world." Kyoko said. "But you have Shinji. And Daniel and Eleanor and the rest of your friends."
Asuka nodded as the Plug went dark, and she continued to maintain the connection to her mother for just a moment longer. "Yes. And that's all I think I'll ever really need."
It was for a moment longer that Asuka basked in the connection she had to her mother. "Goodbye, for now, mama. I love you."
"I love you too, Leibling." she said, and Asuka severed the connection.
. . .
Shinji stepped out of the showers, vigorously toweling off before he reached his locker and began to put on his regular clothes.
As he finished dressing, Toji walked to his side, similarly ready. The tall boy took a deep breath as he considered him, then surprised Shinji by pulling him into a tight hug. "We're alive, Shin-man." he said quietly. "We're… we're alive."
"Yeah." Shinji said. "We are. We've won. For now, at least."
Toji pulled back from the embrace and looked at Shinji. "Aw, come on man. Don't be too down about the MP-Evas legging it. Just means we get more chances to turn them into paste for what they could have done."
Shinji considered the thought that Toji presented, then smiled slightly. "Yeah, Toji. I guess you're right."
Toji nodded sagely. "Of course I would be." a smile grew on his lips. "Now, let's go and see if our girlfriends are ready."
Shinji smiled. "Yeah. Lets."
They walked out of the locker room doors and began to walk towards the girl's locker rooms. As they reached the hall that split into the two paths to the locker rooms, Shinji's smile widened as he saw Asuka, chatting with Hikari as they walked towards them.
It was only a moment more before Asuka noticed them, and Shinji's brain was filled with fireworks as she smiled widely at him and began to walk faster towards him.
His pace picked up as well, and soon, they met, embracing each other with a deep kiss.
It seemed to last forever, a forever that both of them wanted before they pulled apart to look at each other. "I love you." she said, her eyes brilliant and wet with tears.
"I love you." Shinji said, only barely cognizant of the fact that Toji and Hikari had similarly embraced. "And… we won. Together."
Asuka's smile became a smirk. "That we did, my one and only rookie." her expression became tinged with annoyance. "Still stings that the MP-Evas turned tail and ran though. I was looking forward to the pounding that we would give them."
Shinji chuckled slightly as they separated fully, hand in hand as they began to walk towards the elevators, Asuka tapping Hikari's shoulder as they passed their embrace. "Yeah, there's that. But we saved the world. And now, there's another chance to fight them."
Asuka tilted her head thoughtfully. "Well, Shinji, when you put it that way…"
They continued in quiet conversation as they slowly made their way towards the elevators, the two couples coming together to chat. As the elevators came into sight, the Children paused as they heard the ding.
The doors slowly opened, and Daniel and Rei stepped out, their faces positively beaming. Which, for Rei, meant an honest-to-goodness smile.
"Daniel… Rei..." Asuka said. "That was awesome!" she shouted, stepping forward, Shinji only narrowly avoiding being dragged along as Asuka came to a stop in front of the two. "You… you made your own Evas! How? I mean, I know you used Interfacing, you'd have to, but…" her eyes widened. "Could we do that? Could we leave the Evas behind and..." she didn't need to finish the question.
Daniel nodded. "Well, where you are right now, it would be very, very difficult. But it would be possible. You'd just need something to help ensure it stays together. Like a sufficiently powerful Spirit. Or another soul."
"Really?" Shinji said. "So who did you two synch up with?"
Rei stepped forward. "My clone, Ayanami, was who assisted me in…" she tilted her head slightly as she considered what to say. "Reviving Unit-00, as it were."
"Ah." Shinji said. "And where is she?"
"She's currently with Eleanor and the others. She is… undergoing a crisis of identity. She desires to be alone right now." Rei replied levelly.
The others nodded. "There's another Rei runnin' around?" Toji said as the words finally registered in his mind. He shook his head. "With the way the world is, that's the least weird thing I've heard concerning us."
The group chuckled, then Hikari looked at Daniel. "So, Daniel, who helped you?"
Daniel's face froze for an instant, then dropped as he sighed quietly. He was silent for a moment, within which all eyes turned to him. "I had… Gendo Ikari's soul."
Shinji blinked. "Wait a minute. My father's soul? Daniel… where's my father?"
Daniel sighed again. "He… he died. Killing Adam to prevent Third Impact."
It was silent as the words seemed to nearly bowl all of them over. Shinji slowly sank to his knees, a storm of conflicting emotions roaring to life within him, his chest tight. He surprised himself as he saw the tears hit the floor. "Father…"
In a moment, he felt the warm, comforting presence of Asuka's soul drape over him like a blanket, even as she knelt down beside him and draped her arms around him. It was silent for a moment as he faced the anger, the grief, the guilt, all built up inside his mind and seeming to face him like an implacable wall.
But he wasn't alone, even here. He had Asuka. He had the woman he loved. And soon enough, Shinji wiped his eyes dry, and stood again, looking upon a far more somber Daniel. "Is… is he…" he said, trailing off, unwilling to finish the question and face the possibility of the answer he feared becoming real.
"No, no." Daniel said quickly. "I have him right here." he pulled out of his pocket a gemstone, clear and with a bright light in the middle that shifted colors from time to time. "He's safe."
Shinji exhaled, surprised somewhat at the relief he felt. "Okay." he paused for a moment. "Thank you, Daniel." he finally said, standing up.
Daniel smiled softly, pulling Shinji in for a gentle hug. "Of course, Shinji."
After a moment, he stepped back, scanning the Children. "Now, Misato's probably going to hate me for spoiling the surprise, but you have a hero's welcome waiting for you at the top of the elevator. One for all the brave pilots that helped win the Battle of Tokyo-3."
"Funny thing, that." Asuka said. "You're basically a pilot too, now. Not even honorary."
Daniel looked down for a moment, then scoffed. "Well, then. I guess I am, at that." he looked back up. "Well, then. Let's not keep them waiting, shall we?"
. . .
New Hayakawa Beach, 2 Weeks Later
Daniel Theisman, Worldstrider, member of NERV, Evangelion pilot, breathed deeply of the salty ocean air, closing his eyes as he felt the warm white sand beneath his bare feet, and listened to the gently lapping waves.
He remembered this beach. It was part of why he had come, even though it had taken weeks to get here. He remembered the potential, the memory of a place of tragedy, of shattered hopes and dreams. Of a more broken man. Of a more broken boy and girl. Of a forlorn, quiet possibility. He was alone on the beach right now. Just as he was back then.
"Daniel!"
He opened his eyes and turned to look at Eleanor, and the approaching group of the Children, Misato and Kaji, with a smile. He was alone on this beach, once. But not again. Not anymore.
As the day went on, and the group enjoyed their day at the beach, away from the prying cameras and microphones of the international press that had begun to hound them since news of the Battle of Tokyo-3 reached the rest of the world, Daniel found himself under the shade of an umbrella next to Shinji as they watched an impromptu volleyball game, centered around a net of eye-catching coral and seaweed that Eleanor had created.
Shinji took a deep breath. "So," he said quietly, "the world is going to know about Interfacing now."
Daniel nodded. "Yeah, that it will. And the knowledge of the rest of the Worldsea will likely follow." he said, equally quietly, as he looked over at Shinji. "That means that the Worldsea will notice this place."
Shinji nodded. "That makes sense." he said and pondered on the implications of such a thing.
It was silent for a moment as they thought of all the ways their world could now change. "Shinji," Daniel said quietly, interrupting the boy's train of thought as he looked over at him, "have you made a decision about your father?"
Shinji looked down at the white sand. He had grappled with the question since Daniel had first posed it the night after the battle. The words Daniel had said then echoed through his mind again. "His fate is in your hands. The choice is yours, and yours alone."
Shinji sighed quietly. Even still, he had broached the problem with Asuka, obviously, with Rei and Misato and Eleanor, and even with Daniel on occasion. But Daniel had always emphasized that he was going to be the one to choose.
"I mean, there's something tempting about just…" he said, trailing off.
"Letting him go on like this?" Daniel said softly, and Shinji nodded. "I wouldn't say he doesn't deserve it."
"Maybe." Shinji said. "But the last few weeks while he was alive… there was something there. He was… changing."
Daniel nodded. "That he was."
Shinji sighed after a silent moment. "I haven't decided what to do yet. But I'm close. I can feel it."
Daniel smiled slightly. "Don't worry. We'll be able to get him back to having a physical body… well, at least relatively quickly."
Shinji nodded. They had buried his father's body quietly. It was only him, Rei, Asuka, Daniel and Eleanor, and Misato and Ritsuko that had stood by that unmarked grave after it was finished.
Shinji shook his head as if to physically dislodge the thoughts that swirled in his mind, and he swept his gaze around the beach, his gaze landing on a familiar-looking figure, sitting alone in the shade of a tree.
Ayanami had taken a new name for herself. It was a temporary one, one that she said would last until she found something that spoke to her, but now Ichigo Ayanami was at least distinct from Rei in that regard.
Another way she had come to distinguish herself was in her hair. The bright blue it had once been had confused Daniel and Eleanor to no end once she had moved in with them, prompting her to look for a different color Eleanor could help make her hair. After much consultation with Asuka, Misato, and Ritsuko, of all people, she now sported a deep, dark green color, distinct from both Rei and Asuka's blue and red.
As Shinji saw her, he stood, Daniel standing with him. "I'm going to invite Ichigo over." he said.
Daniel nodded. "Alright. I'll come with you."
They walked over to her, and she looked up at them. "Ichigo," Shinji said, "what has you sitting over here alone?"
Ichigo looked down. "I am… still not entirely comfortable being around you. After what I was about to do."
Shinji sighed quietly. "It's okay. I've forgiven you. Asuka and Rei have, too. Most everyone has, in fact."
He reached out a hand. "So, why don't you go ahead and sit under the umbrella with me and Daniel? It's going to beat sitting under a tree. And… I'd like to catch up with you. It's been a little while since we've talked."
Ichigo looked up, and accepted his hand to stand. "Well," she said, "I've devoted much time to finding… myself, I guess."
"That's good." Shinji said with a slight smile, as the two of them began to walk back towards the umbrella near the volleyball game. "What have you found so far?"
Daniel watched them as they went, their quiet conversation lost as he stood there, taking the sight of the Children, then sweeping his gaze to the sea, blue and bright and brilliant. 'The ocean always looked better in blue.' he thought absentmindedly, then he walked back towards the others. To his family.
Even though Third Impact had been averted, the world would never be the same. Too much had been revealed for such a thing to ever be so. We were truly in the undiscovered country, now. Not even I could predict what we would see next. But, really, that's a story for another time.
Daniel set down the recording device and looked around his quarters on the Val. Things had changed. And not simply around here, the thought, as he toyed with a bracelet that contained a giant.
He scanned the wall, filled with mementos of past worlds, of past lives, and his eyes landed on a sheet of resin, within which sat the several dozen pieces of metal that had been embedded in his back after the Scion mission exploded.
Old memories began to replay as he stood, walking over to a window and looking out at the world below him, a pale green and blue dot backlit by a rising sun.
He was able to move the Val closer now since things had changed so dramatically. Several ships, Seabreakers, flew away from the planet, massive sails unfurling as they disappeared into the Worldsea.
After a moment, he shook himself and walked over towards the door. They were probably ready by now. They had made their choice. And Daniel was more than ready to help them.
- - -
Daniel, the Children, and the Worldsea will return in: Apotheosis Echo: Beyond the Gates of Heaven
- - -
Well, it's done. At least, the first part. For those of you who have read along as I've written this, thanks for sticking around for my debut in fanfic writing. It's been an engaging, eye-opening experience. For now, though, I'm going to take a little break, to figure out where to go next with this and to make sure that the next part of this story is even better than this one. After all, as Daniel said, we are now in the undiscovered country, beyond which only ANIMA (at least to my knowledge) has officially ventured. Again, thank you.
