Evangelion 2: Rebuild – The Changing of Instrumentality
After Kaworu Nagisa had died in Unit-13, Shinji Ikari's emotions flared to an extreme amount in an attempt to save him and once again unknowingly tried and succeeded in causing Fourth Impact. As a result, the world was destroyed.
But when Shinji is offered the chance by the heavens to return to life shortly before his life at NERV began, he jumps at the chance in an attempt to make things right.
Using his knowledge of events and his alliance with Rei and Kaworu, Shinji dives back through time in order to save those he holds dear by preventing SEELE's and his father's plans!
Chapter 1 – Happiness Can Be Found in Death
Shinji woke up to a faint glow of blue light floating in the middle of dark nothingness. As he stands up and began to walk towards the blue light, he begins to ask himself questions.
'Am I still inside the cave?'
'Am I in a cell?
'Am I… Dead?'
Shinji began to make assumptions after he walked further towards the light. From what it illuminated, there were no walls in sight and there was no floor to walk on.
He wasn't even on solid ground anymore, so he made the assumption that he had indeed died and was in what people considered 'The Afterlife'.
Shinji logically wanted to cry and mourn his own death, but he just couldn't. He felt in his soul that the time had come, and so he no longer complained.
He no longer complained about his life in the EVA.
He still felt responsible for Near-Third Impact, even if he didn't know the consequences of what he had done at the time.
And yet, the one thing that he was responsible for that hit him the most, Kaworu Nagisa. After he was revealed to be the salvaged soul of Adam and therefore the 13th Angel, he tried to prevent Fourth Impact by using the explosive collar he took off Shinji and committed suicide.
However, it turns out his death was in vein, and as Shinji cried his heart out at the death of the one person who had truly accepted him as the world was slowly torn apart.
"And you plan to forever blame yourself for the death of your friend, let alone the world?"
Shinji was temporarily blinded by a bright light, and when he could, he opened his eyes to see the darkness replaced with endless skies and clear water he could walk upon.
Soon after this happened, a large crimson red bird flew from the sky down towards his location. When it reached the 'Ground', it transformed in front of his eyes into a woman who Shinji had thought looked familiar to Asuka.
The woman's hair reached down her back to waist length, where it rested nicely. She was naked, with her delicate areas not covered in the slightest as if to show she was not afraid of who she was.
"Hello, Shinji-Kun. It's been a while."
Shinji tried to look up towards the woman, but due to having respect and modesty he could not bring himself to look at her naked form and instead looked down towards his feet…
…only to find that he was also naked. He squealed and proceeded to cover up privates.
"Don't be afraid, Shinji-Kun. All Lilin were born like this, so it's natural that they look like this in the afterlife." The young Ikari looked into the woman's blue eyes and finally had the chance to bring words to his lips.
"Just hit me. I'm not afraid of anything anymore, Asuka-Chan."
The woman then proceeded to giggle before flowing into a full-blown bout of laughter. As she collected herself together she spoke; "I'm not THAT Tsundere, Shinji-Kun. And I'm not Asuka-Chan, even if we do look similar."
The woman then began to walk closer to Shinji and said; "Look at my eyes, Shinji-Kun."
Shinji stared into her Irises long before he noticed that they were of a golden colour, too un-natural even when compared to Rei's crimson red.
"Hmm… Now I think about it, it may be a good idea to put some clothing on after all." And with a flick of her wrist, the woman had slowly materialised a White Kimono around herself. Shinji then felt heavier, and noticed he was now wearing his regular school uniform.
"That's much better for you. Now, I really should introduce myself."
"I am Phoenix, the 19th angel that controls the Afterlife, and the wisest of all existent angels."
"Wisest? Don't take offense from it, but I never thought that Angels even possessed intelligence." Shinji was honestly surprised about this revalation, eager to learn more of it.
"None taken. I could tell you a lot of things that would make you regret your actions, but for the sake of your psychology I'd rather not. But all we ever wanted as Angels was to reunite with Lilith."
Shinji began to feel bad for the actions he "Decided" when it came to the angels. "Li-Lilith?"
Phoenix nodded. "Yes. While she did betray Adam, we are all children in comparision to the mighty two, eagerly wishing our "Parents" would come back together. But we knew that wasn't going to happen, and so when "Father" sent us down to "Mother", we wanted to be happy and reunited all over again."
"So until she fell apart from your father, you were all one big happy family?"
Phoenix then sadly smiled at Shinji. "Yes. I know you feel regret for your action but at the end of it, you never would have had a choice."
Shinji smiled sadly "It's OK. I'll just have to liv- I mean; Die with those consequences."
Phoenix put a hand on his shoulder from her current position. "You don't have to. They're all waiting. And while it may be uncomfortable for you, they'll forgive you for it. I'm sure."
Shinji felt better at this information, and smiled at the Angel. "T-Thanks, Phoenix-Sama."
Phoenix then crossed her arms and pouted at him, a solitary index finger wagging back and forth as if to tell him he knew no good. "Now come on, call me Phoe-Chan. I hate formalities."
"Okay… Phoe-Chan." Shinji smiled at her as he said this.
And likewise, Phoenix had smiled back at him.
"I said it's been a while… You obviously don't remember me after all those previous deaths…" She had spoke up to clear up the silence.
Shinji's face turned to a look of fear. "I-I've died before?"
"Oh boy, Shinji-Kun. I could count a few of yours, but I can think of something much better…"
She then materialised a television from the fabric of space they were in and showed the many deaths Shinji had faced since his time at NERV. From as early as being crushed by Sachiel on Day 1 and not being accepted by Unit-01, to as late as his battle against his father, to even more awkward and unfortunate deaths such as asphyxiation from Asuka where she held his nose when kissing him, ingestion of Misato's fatal cooking and the most ridiculous and embarrassing, drowning from the LCL that flooded into Unit-01's Entry Plug.
He was then shown another death, one that was powerful enough to upset Shinji to the point where he screamed at Phoenix to turn off the footage projected on-screen.
Shinji's instigation of Near-Third Impact, where he couldn't even reach for Rei and he watched her suffer as the world was destroyed. And his current death where he watched Kaworu explode in front of his eyes and Fourth Impact could not be prevented.
"Shinji-Kun! Shinji-Kun! They're in a better place now, they're OK-"
"NO! NOO!" Shinji wailed in mourning for his friends. "They died! They died in front of my eyes because I couldn't save them! Because I couldn't be the sacrifice! Why would you show me this? In fact, why even show me these?!"
"Shinji-"
"-Ikari-Kun."
Shinji froze and violently began shaking. He hadn't heard both of those voices since a very distant yesterday.
He turned around to see the face of multiple people he once knew from Pre -Third Impact. But there was two out of the group that stood out from the rest.
Rei Ayanami, the woman he had tried to save and instead almost destroyed the world.
Kaworu Nagisa, the best friend who had placed the explosive collar on his neck to sacrifice himself in an attempt to prevent the Fourth Impact.
The salvaged soul of Adam being the one friend who showed him true happiness.
And the woman that he had fallen in love with since the fight with Ramiel.
"…Ayanami-Chan? Kaworu-Kun?" Shinji began to cry tears of joy as he ran towards them with arms open wide, in which his friends followed suit.
The moment they were in arms distance, they embraced each other deeply as they all cried with tears of joy, the friends reunited.
Rei was the first to speak. "We're here for you, Ikari-Kun. Always."
"I… I couldn't save you. I tried to save you, and-" Shinji was silenced by Rei's index finger pressed softly against his lips as she shushed him.
"I forgive you. You tried to save me and that is all that matters, Ikari-Kun."
Shinji nodded in response to Rei, but still felt responsible for Kaworu's tragic end.
"And you died in vain. You literally stuck your neck out to get blown to pieces only for me to die-"
"I knew it would happen. I'm an Angel, so I just know these things. Besides-"
"They could never hate you, Shinji-Kun. Never." Shinji looked up to see the face of a woman in about her 30's, with short brown hair longer than Rei's by about 2 inches.
It took some time for him to realise. "M-Mother…?" The tears began to build up in Shinji's eyes.
The woman could only nod and say; "My son."
His friends had cleared the space between them in preparation for probably the greatest mother-son reunion in a while.
Yui had spoke up; "I've been watching you this whole time. When I was vaporised within Unit-01, I became part of it's neural network. I've been protecting you since the day you first stepped into the Entry Plug."
Rei was astonished. "…So you were Berserker all along?"
Yui simply nodded with a smile.
Shinji looked around at the mass group of friends that knew him. "Well, I've never had to deal with a situation like this before."
Rei just smiled. "Well, you could start by smiling. Then I'm sure Phoe-Sama could give us all a bit of time together at some point."
Shinji just smiled, recognising the reference to their time in the Entry Plug after the battle with Ramiel.
He looked into her crimson red eyes and then Kaworu's pair, and smiled. Not a forced one, but a genuine smile. Shinji had found happiness again, in the arms of his old friends.
"I missed you both." Shinji had held the two of them close together in a three-way hug, before with were interrupted by Phoenix.
"Shinji, I want to take you somewhere. Are you two coming?"
The pair looked towards the Angel of the Afterlife as she opened a portal to an entirely new landscape.
"Let's go, Shinji-Kun. The others will wait for us back home."
Another bright light flashed, opening a portal to the area Phoenix had mentioned. As Shinji and company waved goodbye at the remaining people, they slowly followed the 19th Angel through the portal.
They now stood upon the mountain overlooking Tokyo-3. The wind blew in Shinji's face, that familiar feeling he hadn't felt since he ran away after defeating Shamshel, the 4th angel.
"Tokyo-3 was destroyed in the Third Impact… How does this event exist?"
"We've gone back in time to a moment where Tokyo-3 still exists. It lives in the past now Shinji, but you can change the future… If you are willing."
Shinji was confused. "Hold on. So we've gone back in time… Because you want me to change it?"
Phoenix nodded. "But only if you want to. I can give you a month at the least to spend some time with the people in the city of Valhalla, but any longer and we won't stand a chance against the imminent danger the heavens will face."
Rei looked in fear towards Phoenix. "…We're in danger?"
"Indeed. I'm sure you all know about the Human Instrumentality Project."
Shinji wanted to know what they were talking about. "The 'Human Instrumentalilty Project'?"
Phoenix nodded. "Kaworu, if you would please."
The Angel smiled. "Yes, ma'am. The Human Instrumentality Project is the plan SEELE devised to sacrifice all Lilin in the Third Impact. But by finding safety in Lilith's egg, the leaders would become one godlike entity that would rule the remains of life for all eternity."
Shinji was intrigued by this new discovery. "And is it possible for it to happen?"
Kaworu then stated; "Nobody is sure. According to Phoenix, there was one alternate reality where Rei had awakened Lilith and started Third Impact to prevent Commander Ikari's desires for the Human Instrumentality Project. From what we could tell, only you and Pilot Sorhyu had survived."
Phoenix then jumped into the discussion. "There is a possibility that the Instrumentality could affect the heavens as well as all life on Earth. But we cannot be certain for sure. All I can tell you is that if it does work, except the apocalypse to happen and the rejected dead to walk the earth for all eternity."
Shinji understood the situation of the danger the universe was in. "I understand the situation, but what does it have to do with me?"
Kaworu then pitched back into conversation. "SEELE follows the fate they are given by a series of document of Extraterrestrial Origin known as the Secret Dead Sea Scrolls. They use these to predict their future and what they should do next."
Phoenix then chalks back into the conversation. "To put it simply, we want to give you another chance at making things right by defying the laws of the Secret Dead Sea Scrolls, not only preventing SEELE plans but also that of your father's."
Rei went back to state the main points of the conversation on everyone else's behalf. "We're at just as much risk from Instrumentality as much as those in the living are. You're our only hope, Ikari-Kun."
Shinji took a minute for it all to sink into his head.
"S-So wait, let me get this straight. All of mankind is at risk from Instrumentality and somehow I have to be the one who changes the fate of humanity?"
Phoenix nodded. "You won't go alone. Rei and Kaworu will go too in order to make sure you succeed in your quest."
Shinji thought about it. The idea that he could go back with his best friends to change the events that occurred at NERV would give him that second chance he always wanted. Plus if the heavens were indeed in possible danger, Shinji would rather not want to bear the burden of being the 'Destroyer of All Life'.
"I'll give you that month's time to fit in around here and make your decision-"
"I'll do it." Phoenix looked surprised and turned to see Shinji's face of determination, surprised that the once troubled teen was now prepared to make a stand in the name for what is right.
"Whether I go alone or not, I'll defy the Secret Dead Sea Scrolls and prevent Instrumentality."
And for once, Shinji was 100% sure that he would not run away.
END OF CHAPTER 1
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Ja Ne,
NotShinji