Rei was dead. Rei was alive. While both were true statements, they held a conceptual conflict that could not be resolved without understanding several facts. As those facts were secrets known only to a select few, Rei did not receive a funeral. Instead, she went to school.
Rei was 5 years old, with bruises around her neck, decomposing… somewhere. Rei was 14 years old, injured, but very much alive and a part of class 2-A, Tokyo-3 Municipal High-school. Two of Rei, only one life, only one destiny; to die. Nothing more, nothing less. She needed nothing more either. Everything she needed was supplied by Ikari Gendo. She did not know what it was to 'want.' Knowing that would have made her more human, less able to fulfill her role in the scenario, and ultimately a hindrance to be removed, replaced, and ignored. Just like Rei.
Uniqueness would not be tolerated unless it was gainful to the scenario. That is why if a marking appeared on her left hand without any clear origin or purpose, one would assume that the second life of Ayanami Rei would be ended without a second thought. Fate was kind to that second life however, and when such a mark appeared upon her hand, it was already in a cast, wonderfully sealed from the eyes of the world. But not, however, sealed from the being who watched over her.
Being, at this time, would be the correct way to phrase it. True, it had once been human; its form was such that the being could be mistaken for one. But its power… the strength of this being was beyond the limits of a normal human by leaps and bounds, to the point where even thinking of challenging such a thing would be suicide for even a well-trained army. The power of the Servant Berserker could not be matched easily.
Berserker could have snapped her neck at any time it wanted to. Several times, rage almost brought him to do so as it slowly learned what was taking place before him. This mockery of life, this … homunculus … wanted nothing more than to fulfill a disgusting, useless man's wish and then to die. But Berserker knew from watching and listening to that blonde bitch babble on about its master's ability to be replaced that snapping her neck in rage at her submissiveness to this madness would do nothing except send him back… into that tomb he had built for himself. Into darkness and shadow.
Snapping the doctor's neck, or the filth for a man's neck, would do no good either given the coming trials. But Berserker could not remain hidden forever; better to be known, to Rei and her master at least, until the time was right. Better that the foolish man who abandoned his own son knew about an alternative to his scenario, another way to bring back the only being on the planet capable of loving such a cruel, despicable creature, though Berserker doubted even she could forgive Ikari Gendou for his misdeeds.
It was for this reason, when Ikari Gendo was visiting Rei in the hospital, that Berserker finally made himself known. Never stepping into the light to let himself be known, as he knew it to be folly at this stage for even such a strong willed opponent to know his true form -and perhaps even his true name by association, Berserker explained the situation. The Holy Grail that would form at the heart of Tokyo-3 over the next few months (in the heart of Ayanami Rei no less!), the battles that would lead to that miracle, and the need for patience… much patience indeed –all of this was explained to the mastermind of NERV in detail. This included the abnormality of Berserker's appearance this early in the course of events, and his own triumph over the Holy Grail's attempts to constrain him. Indeed, Ayanami Rei could cause him to go 'mad,' but it would accomplish little. His strength had always been in overcoming things, and the limitations placed upon him by the Grail were no different.
Needless to say, the supreme commander of NERV had heard of the Holy Grail, and of the happenings before his own schemes and those of the old men brought the world to the brink; the Holy Grail Wars. But… even for a man of immense, even labyrinthine information networks he did not know the specifics. In fact, Gendo had passed them off as useless information, as the only sorcery he needed was that to make the Evangelion move, to create Rei, and to imitate a Third Impact that he alone would control. Yet with that undeniable opportunity in front of him… yes, this did indeed give the brooding man pause. To be able to bring Yui back from that nothingness just by waiting and allowing his creation to control this Servant and do whatever needed to be done… namely, to eliminate all of the other servants and possibly their masters if they proved problematic. Seele could not even hope to predict this event; something so far beyond their considerations as something of the past, something forgotten in the breaking of the Grail at the end of the last War.
A sixth Holy Grail war, amidst the Prophecy of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Ikari Gendo, the de-facto Master of Berserker, and true master of NERV. It sounded good indeed, until…
"But I won't serve you. Your words are meaningless." Berserker's was a rough, but rich voice which spoke of a man who knew how to command, and to challenge.
Those words would complicate things. Gendo could make Rei use her Command Spell. It would have been easy; but there was a flaw in that plan. If what this being said was to be completely trusted, then she could only command him three times. If the second game failed too early because of his own meddling, the end result could be unpredictable, to say the least. If another Master were to achieve their wish… the results could turn the scenario into an unsalvageable mess.
Rei knew her creator's wish however. She would not be swayed by anything. She would die for the mission if that is what it took. She could be replaced. And yet… now she could not. Such a pity for her, that poor girl who wanted nothingness; so lonely in knowing she was not human, but never understanding what her loneliness was in the first place! The paradox of her life was mirrored in her Servant, though she knew nothing about it in those days.
Once they were alone, Rei stared at her new companion. Berserker stared right back, cloaked in shadow. Red eye to red eyes. "You are not alive."
"… You and I… have nothing else but a bond. I am not dead, yet I do not live. You are not dead, but neither can it be truly said that you live. Perhaps in the future, you will learn what it means to live. "
Rei nodded, and grimaced as her vision swam. The IV had just dropped in only half a dose of NERV's most potent painkillers, instead of her usual full. She would need to be more conscious than usual. Today was the day that Ikari Shinji and the Fourth Angel would arrive in Tokyo-3, after all.
Shinji hung up the phone and sighed. The same government message again. Rubbing his gloved left hand, the teen looked to the apparition that had been following him around for the last few days. It was a twice Shinji's height, with stark white hair, dark skin, dark eyes as well, and armor… he was a red knight who introduced himself as Archer, and declared that Shinji was his master.
"You're my master, no doubt, even though you're pretty weak." Archer had merely shrugged upon their introduction, not bothering to explain his cutting words.
Shinji had thought that he had gone insane at first; until Archer had pointed out the Command Spell on his hand. That bit was too much to deny, as his hand had been burning with pain from the moment Archer appeared in that weird circle in the forest. Shinji had merely stumbled upon it after running away from his teacher's house, unable to cope with his father's sudden demand for him to come.
"Looks like that lady isn't coming to pick you up." Archer looked down Katsuragi Misato's photograph, which he had been holding on to ever since he had seen it. His 'Master' didn't need any more teenage drama stemming from some buxom woman who didn't have the social grace to cover up and not point out the obvious. "So, are we going to a shelter, or just waiting here. It's your call, Shinji."
"Um… I… I don't know, Archer. If it's dangerous out here, I guess we should…" His breath was stolen from him in an instant.
That girl… Red eyes, blue hair, a school uniform of some kind… and something lurking in her shadow, with such a fierce intent to kill that the boy could scarcely move. He was going to die –Shinji was sure of that fact. If that thing twitched in his direction, his hea—
Birds, suddenly flying to his right, disturbed by something in the distance. When Shinji looked back, both the girl and the terrible intent were gone. Archer was staring at that same spot as well.
"It looks like the game has already started." Archer quipped with a smile. His two swords, one white and one black with the symbol of Yin and Yang embedded in them, were present and carried in a lazy but certainly dangerous looking stance.
"A-Archer?" The Third Child stammered, almost not noticing the growing sound beyond the hill. Shinji turned, saw the VTOL aircraft as they passed nearby and covered his ears as their engines nearly deafened him.
The red knight stepped forward, dismissing his weapons and placing a hand on his Master's shoulder. "Shinji, we need to get out of here."
"R-right! Which wa-" An explosion, sudden movement, his world spinning as strong arms embraced him and took him for a ride. Archer moved at speeds that boggled the mind. In the midst of that dash, Shinji could only scream out in terror until the movement finally stopped, and Archer placed him against a concrete barrier as squealing tires approached.
Katsuragi Misato let her Renault powerslide to a halt next to the Third Child's place in cover and opened the door. Wozy as he was Shinji was able to make out her words and stumble towards the car in time to dodge the Sachiel's foot. That his stomach had almost no time to recover before Misato's driving skills were put to use did not make his life any more pleasant, but it was a very low price for survival…
This is, of course, not made with the consent or approval of any associated parties. Main contents of the following are from Neon Genesis Evangelion of Studio Gianax, and Fate/Stay Night of Type-Moon, respectively. Lesser elements will be drafted in from other sources throughout the story, for however long I can keep it going. As I'm making no profit off of this venture, nor do I intend to, I would ask that no lawsuits be filed in my general direction from the aforementioned companies. As this is more of a mass crossover with two major elements and multiple minor elements, I'm going to leave this in the main Eva archive.
Having lived off Eva fanfiction for some time, and now owning both of the rebuild movies, I figured it was time to get into the game and start writing some myself. I know that I've probably made errors, so feel free to let me know about them. Reviews will be gladly accepted, critiques loved.