Forever
Chapter 1: Beyond the Sea
An Evangelion Fanfiction
BY: LD
Disclaimer: Put Disclaimer and notes that I don't own Eva here.
The first thing that he was aware of was the sound of the waves lapping on the shore. His body began to register the sand he lay upon and the cool breeze blowing over him. Slowly he opened his eyes, his blue orbs taking in the scene before him. She was there with him, but that was impossible. She couldn't be, not after what had happened. Not after the Impact.
The man pulled himself over to his companion and turned her over. He checked for a pulse and saw that she was in fact alive. Slowly he moved his right hand along her forehead and frowned. He just stared at the hand as his companions blue hair slipped through the fingers.
"Impossible, Rei took my hand and Adam with it," Gendo Ikari thought as he looked down at the First Child. He forced the thought from his mind as he noticed the girl was shivering in the cool air. Her body was unclothed, as it had been in Terminal Dogma. Ikari took his jacket off and wrapped her up in it trying to keep her warm. As he did he heard someone else behind him coughing up LCL. He turned and saw a brown haired woman in a white lab coat pulling herself up on the beach. He dared hope for a moment but that hope was dashed as the woman looked up.
Her face was younger then before, the stress of what they had done having been swept away. But he could still recognize her even now. Gendo got to his feet and stumbled over to her. When he got that far he fell to his knees and placed his hands on her shoulders helping the woman. When she was done she fell back and looked up into his face.
The woman reached up and dragged her fingers across his face, never once touching a wisp of the beard that had been there before. It was then Gendo knew that he himself had lost something of his age as well. However recognition came quickly to the brown haired woman as her vision cleared.
"Hello Doctor," he said, hoping that the return had robbed Dr. Akagi of her firearm. Like him she was fighting for some strength from her body and responded to him in the only way she could. The sound of the waves lapping on the shore was broken by the sound of flesh striking flesh.
"Get away! You shot me, don't even think about soiling my last moments," she gasped.
Gendo held her fast, "You aren't dying, and you aren't in Terminal Dogma."
Ritsuko looked around here, the pallid sand and the red waves didn't do much to convince her until she looked up. The sky was dark but for a red line going across to the horizon. Her hair fell over her eyes giving her the first look at it.
"What's going on? How did we get here?" she asked.
"I don't know Doctor. Last thing I remember is watching Rei ascend to Lilith," Gendo admitted.
"I see, your plans didn't turn out as you wanted did they?" she said, the venom in her voice more then enough to show the animosity was still there.
"I'm not entirely certain that is correct Doctor," the once fearsome commander said. He helped Ritsuko further up the beach and then moved Rei to the same spot. Akagi wasn't certain what was going on, but she was damned if her only company was going to be Gendo and Rei. Life like that would truly be Hell.
As Gendo carried Rei he saw something ahead further up the beach. He walked towards it, not caring if Akagi followed his lead or not. As he did he found himself before a large sign, written in five languages. It was a simple sigh, several planks of would nailed to a couple of posts. He noticed a closed box sitting next to it.
The sign read, "To those who have returned to life, welcome. All sins will be forgiven. This is your second chance, enjoy it. If you need clothing, as you are undoubtedly cold you will find that and blankets in the box. Take some time to reflect on the false paradise you've left behind for a chance at a real life. When you are ready come to us along the road, or simply wait and we will come to you. To all of you, congratulations."
Akagi had walked up behind him and read the sign, "I guess everything did go according to plan."
Gendo merely nodded, getting his mind around this. So Third Impact had occurred, but with a way out for those who would be stronger then he was. Whoever had left this message had intended for it to be a signpost, a marker showing that they would not be alone in this barren world. Gendo laid Rei down and opened the box, finding simple clothes in side. There were plenty of sizes there, more then enough to find something to put on Rei.
"You don't seem perturbed by this at all Gendo. All your perfect little schemes, your best laid plans laid to waste and you seem oddly calm about this," Ritsuko taunted.
"This was a possibility written of in the Scrolls," was all he said.
Ritsuko sneered, "I see, then I guess I should be asking how many gods I pissed off to end up here trapped on a dead world with both of you."
"We are not alone on this world," Ikari said as he wrapped Rei up. She was shivering greatly now, and he focused as much as he could on getting her warm.
"And what makes you so certain, Commander?"
"Because that sign was there, and it did not show the sort of age you would expect if whomever had originally posted it was the only one to remain. Also these clothes are in good repair, no indication of rot or tearing. Leads me to believe that whomever set this out changes them regularly," was his answer. After he was certain he had gotten the simple shirt and pants on Rei and a blanket wrapped around her he turned to the doctor.
"We seem to have been given a second chance at life here doctor. I do not intend to waste that chance. I believe our best hope for survival is to find this road mentioned on that sign and start walking," Gendo said.
Ritsuko was about to strike back when she heard something coming towards them. She saw the two people running along the shore towards them and pointed over Gendo's shoulder, "Or we could just wait and see who it is that's coming down the shore."
Gendo turned and saw the two people racing down the beach towards them. He looked over his shoulder and said, "Stay with Rei, I'll meet them at a safe distance."
Gendo walked down the beach before Ritsuko could object. He got a better look at the two approaching figures as he moved closer. They were a young man and woman nearly eighteen from what he could tell. The woman had long dark auburn hair, while the man's next to her was black. Their eyes however were nearly the same, deep shade of blue. There was something else about them, the features in their faces seemed familiar to him but the older man couldn't place it.
The woman giggled as she walked up to him, "Hello, you must be from beyond the sea."
"The sea?" Gendo asked.
"Everyone we find on the beach comes from beyond the sea," the young man pointed out to the LCL. Gendo understood a bit more now. There was something a bit unsettling about how the woman was looking at him.
"You look like Father," she said.
Gendo to his credit didn't show any outward reactions, "Father?"
"The one who guides us. He and Mother were the first to return from the sea. They gave birth to the first children who gave birth to the next and on an on. Father remains here on Earth to guide the children here while Mother guides those lost souls in the Ring of Gauf back from the sea. When the two meet every few years they reacquaint with each other."
The young man took that moment to speak, "What she means is that they lock themselves in Father's place and don't come out for a week."
This earned the young man a quick smack to the back of the head by his companion. "Don't make it out to be so perverse idiota!"
It was then that Gendo started to make the connection in what he was seeing. The hair, the eyes, the vague sense of familiarity. These two had to be children of the Second and Third Children. There was no mistaking it. But how?
He had to be sure, "Do you know Father's name?"
The young man shook his head, "We just call him Father."
The woman shook her head, "Enough about that for now, you are undoubtedly very weary from returning. We'll take you to the village and Father will tell you everything you need to know."
Gendo accepted this, Father would probably be the person he needed to talk to anyways. If Father was who he thought he was though there could be some major problems. He would deal with that when the time came. Of course the women he was with would probably be spared any... unpleasantness from the encounter.
They followed the two through the over growth to a simple road. Gendo carried Rei in his arms as she still had not awoken from whatever slumber she was trapped in. She was breathing and her heart still beat in her chest but it seemed she would not be roused so easily. Gendo had never known her to be such a heavy sleeper. It pained to think if he had paid more attention to the girl as more then a toll in his schemes he might have noticed.
They entered a clearing and found a small town built up there. The houses were small and made of what looked like mud brick or adobe as was used in the American southwest a long time ago. Everyone he saw had the either the saw dark red hair as the woman or the brown or black hair of the boy. The disturbing thing was the prevalence of the dark blue eyes. They all had HIS eyes.
The little entourage approached a house in the middle of the small village. Unlike the others this one looked older, round, and had many levels to it. The top level seemed to have a deck where someone to come out and look over the area. The deck surrounded the circumference of the structure, and several spots had what appeared to be rudimentary telescopes. The two children led them to the large structure and knocked on the door.
An older woman stepped out and spoke with the two for a moment before looking at the three new comers. She told the two something and then retreated back into the house. Their escorts returned and the young girl said, "The Child is going to fetch Father right now. He was talking with the heads of the families about something important. I don't know what."
Ritsuko asked, "What is your name?"
"Of course, we never introduced ourselves," the girl said. "I am Miranda, and this is Renji. it's always a good day when we find people from before. Sometimes we forget ourselves if only because we take great joy in this."
Gendo was about to ask why they kept saying before when the older woman approached them. Unlike the two in front of him this woman seemed to be in her late thirties. She too had red hair, but of a shade brighter then Miranda's. Her eyes were a bright blue, which seemed to be the most prevalent trait among these people. Gendo however was struck mute by this woman. Were it not for her eyes and hair she would have been identical to Yui.
"You have the family resemblance about you, as does the girl," she said. The woman ran her fingers through Rei's hair as she looked down at her. Gendo gave Rei a glance as he tightened his hold protectively around her.
"So I've been told," Gendo said in answer.
The woman smiled and then said, "Father welcomes you from beyond the sea and hopes you will be able to make this place heaven for yourselves. What you have done is a hard thing for many souls. Father will be very pleased to see your faces, and help you find your way in this new world."
Ritsuko was starting to get annoyed by these people, especially how they seemed to be loyal to whomever Father was. None of them seemed to know they were speaking to Commander Gendo Ikari, and this deference they paid him was seriously trying her patience. Didn't they know he was responsible for all of this?
Before she could say anything another figure exited the central building. This one was male, about as tall as Gendo. Though unlike Gendo his hair was long and pulled back into a ponytail. His face held no sign of a beard, but the cheeks and chin seemed similar to someone she knew. As he approached them the two adults noticed a smirk grow on his face. She recognized that smirk, though not the man who now wore it. Kaji used to smirk like that.
The smirk grew into an honest smile as he got closer and got a better look at them. Ritsuko couldn't recognize him, but Gendo could do nothing but. Underneath a red happi over-robe that fell almost to his ankles, he wore a black kimono and wide-legged, pleated black hakima. It was both an outdated style of dress, as well as an ironic reversal of the Commander's usual attire.
Gendo lost the ability to speak as the man said, "Dr. Ritsuko Akagi, Commander Gendo Ikari, and Rei Ayanami. I'd say it's been a while, but that isn't my line now is it... Father."
Gendo and Ritsuko were speechless as all around them more people crowded around. They were amazed that the man they all called Father had also called this new comer the same thing. There were murmurs and joyous cries as the people of this small town welcomed the three who had come from beyond the sea.
Gendo regained the most faintest use of his voice, "Shinji?"
Shinji nodded, the smile never leaving his face, "Yes Father, it's me. Welcome to Forever."
--
Shinji lead Gendo and Ritsuko into the large circular building. As he ushered them in he said, "Welcome home. Just me and Yui here right now. No telling when Asuka will show up, but if you three did then she must be doing pretty well this time around. Let's get Rei settled then we will talk. Yui, could you bring us some tea please?"
Yui nodded and went to prepare the refreshments as Shinji led his father over to a bed near a window. They laid Rei down and Shinji covered her up with a blanket. Gendo noticed the small smile on the other mans face as he stroked Rei's hair. Ritsuko was not impressed by how Shinji was tending to the loathsome girl in her mind.
Shinji ushered them to a small sitting area and sat around a low table on some rather soft cushions. Ritsuko preferred to keep a safe distance from both Ikaris. Shinji was an unknown but she knew she hadn't endeared herself to him when she reveled Rei's secrets, and Gendo had already killed her once. Yui returned with a hot pot of tea and served the three.
"Thank you dear, tell the heads of the houses I'll be indisposed for most of the day if they need me please," Shinji said.
Yui smiled and kissed Shinji on the cheek, "Of course Father. I'll take care of it."
Shinji smiled as she left, watching her until she was out of sight before turning to the others. "I do hope she finds someone someday. She worries about me more then she should, but I suppose it's expected when you take into account a man of my advanced years."
Gendo quirked an eyebrow at this, "You only look thirty or so."
Shinji smiled at him, "You are taking this better then I would have thought, considering."
Gendo starred into his tea, "This was always a possibility, though I didn't read too much past that in the scrolls. Neither I nor SEELE cared much after Third Impact."
"You're also more open and less cold, being a disembodied soul for a few centuries really loosened you up."
Gendo was about to reply when what Shinji said sank in. Ritsuko had a stunned look on her face as she asked, "Did you say centuries?"
"I didn't mention how long it's been since the Impact?" Shinji asked.
Both of the new comers shook their head, "I could have sworn I did... must be getting forgetful."
Shinji just went back to his tea as Gendo and Ritsuko waited for an answer. Shinji noticed and set his tea down, "Now, this is going to be difficult to take but considering who I am talking to you should take it better then most. I suppose I'll just come out and say it, it's been exactly three-hundred and fifty-seven years since the impact."
Gendo was the first to find his voice, "Three-hundred and fifty-seven?"
Shinji simply answered, "Yes."
Ritsuko stuttered out, "So... y-you've been back what? Fifteen years?"
Shinji shook his head, "No, I was the first person back."
"So after everything people only began coming back fifteen years ago?" Gendo asked.
"No, they've been coming back in fits and spurts the entire time since Third Impact," Shinji said much too manner of factly for Gendo and Ritsuko to accept. The weight of what he was asking them to believe was nearly impossible.
"So you are saying you are three-hundred and seventy-two years old?" Gendo asked.
"Yes," Shinji replied simply.
Ritsuko was starting to get a little angry at Shinji's short responses and absurd assertions, "It is biologically impossible for you to be that old and still look like your thirty."
Shinji chuckled, "I don't think the three of us have any room to talk about things that are impossible, Ritsuko. After all, in our own ways we're all responsible for what could be called the end of the world. In fact I was hoping that one of you might have a theory about why I can't seem to die. After all, you did say that Third Impact turning out as it did was a possibility Father."
Gendo scratched his chin as he thought, "There may be one thing, I don't know if it is relevant at all though. A small numerical equation that was mentioned at the end. One equals Three, Two equals Two."
Shinji stood up and began pacing, "What does that mean? Just a translation error, perhaps an arithmetic proof. Gaaaahhhh, maybe it has to do with the numbers of pilots designated. What does it mean?"
Gendo and Ritsuko shared a look, both knowing something was not right with Shinji. Ritsuko cleared her throat and asked, "So what happens now? Like you said, we're responsible for everything that happened."
Secretly Ritsuko was hoping for a public and painful execution of Gendo Ikari and perhaps Rei being killed as a threat. What Shinji said didn't make her happy, "Oh, that's right. I need to show you around and bring you up to speed on how things work around here. It's not much but we call it home."
Gendo decided to take the conversation towards their apparent new home, "How many people live here?"
"In Forever about two thousand or so. We don't have the resources or such to maintain a large city here like you remember. There are several towns like this all over Kyushu, most stay close to fresh water and the sea. Kyoto has just recently begun to see some repopulation. The Suzahara clan has been trying to demolish several old blocks and get some exposed earth on the older roads. Most of Tokyo-3 was destroyed during the invasion so when we came back we abandoned what was left initially. And over time all the roads have fallen into disrepair and are barely recognizable."
"What kind of social structure do you have here?" Gendo asked, rather interested to understand the society his son had crafted. He knew why he was focusing on that. It was easier to focus on that then the realities Shinji asked them to accept.
"We have a clan based structure for the most part. After the first few decades we understood we'd need to set something up if we wanted to ever have a chance. After we had our first child Asuka and I had a long discussion about things like family and rebuilding. We had been mostly focused up until then on just surviving. We didn't know about the changes to ourselves because of the Impact, so when we had Kikyo we started discussing about what would happen to her after we died. It's not a pleasant thing to think that you'd be leaving a child on a dead world so we just started having more children.
"Ten years or so after Kikyo was born we found three children about the same age wandering the beach. One was a young boy about ten neither of us knew, the other two were very familiar to us. It went like that for a while, just finding lost children every few days. We decided after a while, trying to educate them that it might be best to start splitting our kids up into groups so we could at least have some families set up. We weren't certain if we could prevent it but we had a chance to keep any interbreeding problems to a minimum for a while."
Shinji sipped his tea and continued, "We setup the five houses after that, and named them for the family names of people we knew. We found it fitting for those house to be in charge of specific things like their name sakes. The Suzahara clan which I mentioned became our heavy labor force. They handle all our construction needs and most of the repair work around the town. The Horaki were the ones we had setup to tend to keeping us all fed and clothed. It was a rather interesting discussion when we decided that it might be best for a while at least to adopt some old ways in regards to our clothing as you can see. The Aida were our dreamers, the ones we charged with just coming up with new ideas. Didn't matter what, ideas for architecture, art, theater, music. We understood certain aspects of human nature had to be expressed so we just let them keep most of us entertained.
"Then we set up the Katsuragi clan, our guardians like their namesake. They focus on keeping all of us safe from any outside threat. Just because we grant everyone a chance at a new life here doesn't mean that everyone who comes back in other parts of the world took that chance to change. They focus on training and contingency plans in the event of an invasion, that is something we are very afraid of. We haven't had that come up in the last several centuries but it is a worry. Though they do seem to have taken up some other traits of their namesake... which is a big reason we keep them away from cooking if at all possible.
"The fifth house was the Akagi, our scholars. They study everything they can and mostly try to reclaim and protect the knowledge humanity had acquired before Third Impact. It's because of them we've been able to at least give our settlements electricity and running water. There is even talk about being able to recreate some vehicular transportation and short range communications to keep us connected to our sister cities across the island. Just yesterday Mariko told me that they had figured out how to start recovering some of the materials used in the old phone lines. Granted it's not fiber optics or the MAGI system, however it's more then we have right now. We just can't generate the materials we used to."
Shinji paused and sipped his tea, "The houses all have a matriarch or patriarch that serves as head of the house. That person is always the one with the most knowledge, wisdom, in some cases age to represent them. Those five come to me and together we try to do whats best for the town here as a whole. A sort of high council if you will. Mostly I stay out of the way and let them make their own decisions but offer guidance where needed."
Gendo nodded, "Seems you have a stable social structure here. How do you integrate those who return into it all?"
"Same way we deal with our children, we let them choose. Every child born is born without family name. When they come of age at fourteen they choose their path and take the name of the family they wish to be a part of. We still have regular families and all, but no family names outside those of the houses."
Ritsuko said, "That can't go over well with everyone who comes back though."
Shinji nodded, "True enough, but it's not our place to force them to accept our way of life. Many returnees have left Forever and gone on to try to restore some of the older cities inland. Not that we forsake them either. We keep in contact with every settlement we can."
There was one other concern though, "What about us though? We aren't your normal returnees, we killed this world once," Gendo asked.
"Doesn't matter, all sins forgiven for those who take this second chance. It was one of the few things the resettled cities and our settlements agreed to. Of course you are the first people even remotely associated with NERV or SEELE to have ever returned on this part of the world. I can probably expect someone to come looking for blood but they won't get it. You've chosen to start a new life, a better life then that false paradise. I won't see anyone take it away from either of you," Shinji said. His voice the whole time was low and thoughtful.
"And Rei? She's part Angel, if not completely. This may be our only chance to prevent her from destroying all of us." Ritsuko asked.
"I doubt Rei is in anyway Angel in her physical makeup. But if you insist on being sure then there is a way," Shinji said. He stood up and walked to one of the shelves. From it he took two jars and sat them on the table. One jar was marked "02" while the other was marked "4th". Both jars had what looked like a red crystal like stone in them. He opened the jar marked "02" and held it in his hand. The stone glowed a soft red.
"This is a piece of what was left of Unit-02's core. Amazing that, a crystalline structure designed to trap, harness, and utilize the power of a human soul. A human soul that so loved the pilot of the Evangelion that once released could never be stopped. But when the core was shattered that soul was released. Free to join all other souls in the Ring of Gauf or to pass beyond to where souls went before then. To finally find peace beyond this prison. Since the soul that was held by this core is gone it's gone dark. But hold it in your hand and it reacts like this."
Shinji handed Gendo the core fragment and then removed the other stone. As with the other one this core fragment glowed red, but when he handed it to Ritsuko it went dark, "That fragment is part of the Fourth Angel's core. I found that while walking along the ridge I killed it on. Seems our clean up team wasn't that thorough. That core fragment only reacts to myself and Asuka. Human energy won't react with it. The only reason I can come up with for it reacting to me is that I was at the center of the Third Impact. Asuka was in Unit-02, so when the Anti-AT field was released we soaked up all that energy like a sponge. That's why it reacts to us even after all this time, we're full of this energy."
Shinji took the fragment from Ritsuko and walked over to the sleeping Rei. He placed the glowing stone in her hand and let it sit there. Ritsuko and Gendo walked over to him and looked on. The core fragment had gone completely dark.
"Seems this Rei is all human, not a trace of Angel energy in her. Nothing to do about that but let her rest," he said and then took the core fragments and returned them to their jars. He then walked towards the front door and motioned for the two adults to join him. "Some returnees we find on the shore take almost a week to wake up. The process is not without it's taxing element. I'm betting after all I've told you you two could use a drink. Lets go see if the Katsuragi have any of that Angel Blood cleaner they call sake ready. I swear that family takes so much after their namesake it's like she was guiding them the whole time."
Gendo did have one other question on his mind, "Where is Soryu?"
--
It had been a whole week now since they had come to this new world. Rei had awakened the morning of the third day much to Gendo's relief. Akagi however had avoided them as much as possible, preferring to take up a spot with the family that bared her name. With the genius and knowledge she possessed it was obvious she would. He didn't mind it, preferring to spend his time tending to the one child he had ever really treated as his.
Shinji and Yui had been more then gracious in helping them, as had all the other folk in this odd little town. Though it was not according to his scenario Gendo could easily see living here until the end of his days. Even now he and Rei sat watching the passage of the town folk, and the children playing in the dirt streets. Rei's strength had come back to her quickly, and the Horaki had been more then capable in providing for her dietary needs.
"Ikari seems different," Rei said.
"He does at that doesn't he."
"He seems to be unstable most of the time."
Gendo nodded, concerned that his son seemed to have acquired some form of dementia. The fact he was completely, totally, and soully responsible for that weighed on him. There were times when Shinji seemed as clear and focused as glass, then that focus would shatter and he'd go off on some other subject almost completely unrelated. Gendo wondered if this was related to this immortality his son had seemingly acquired. Living for that long had to cause some major strain on the mind, perhaps irreparable. How long before he really lost it and was simply a babbling old man who couldn't die? Gendo shuddered to think of the possibilities. He tried to focus on the final equation the scrolls had spoken of.
"What do you remember about the Impact Rei?" Gendo asked.
"I do not remember that much. My last clear memory is activating Evangelion Unit-00's self-destruct in order to defeat the Sixteenth."
Gendo nodded at that, Rei's words confirming something he had thought. Because of Rei's joining with Lilith he had thought everything from her had been lost. However, Rei had just told him what he needed to know. Since the Third Rei had been so much closer to Lilith then the Second it made sense that that one would be lost over the other. There were faint traces, but nothing more then fragments.
"He has become the First," Rei said.
Gendo glanced at her, "What do you mean?"
"He is no longer the Third. He has become the First," she said. Rei offered no explanation for her words. Gendo thought on this as the day went on. Rei remained in their new home resting up as Gendo took a walk through the town. The simple shirt and work pants he wore now more resembling the other men about this town. Simple and effective, and like most everything here from a design long before even he had been born. Many of the men and woman here wore the same kimono's Shinji had. The children ran past kicking a simple ball down the road past him.
It seemed that this town had tried to go backwards in time somewhat. Still keeping what it needed from the more modern times before the Impact like electricity and running water while at the same time holding on to what had been considered outdated even twenty years prior to the end. The passersby on the street were friendlier then people would have been in Tokyo-3.
"Was I so blinded by grief and driven by the scenario I never once took the chance to just watch people live?" Gendo thought.
As he walked he saw a gathering of people and heard several people weeping in their own grief. Gendo approached and saw Yui standing off to the side. She was looking o he crowd but wasn't really paying attention. Gendo walked up to her, slightly startling her from her thoughts. He looked where she had been and saw Shinji sitting next to a bed, and lightly speaking to the old man laying there.
"Good afternoon Gendo," Yui greeted, though her voice was more withdrawn then it had been during their other meetings.
"What's going on here?"
"Dad is making small talk with old man Kozo. He always tries to be there for the families of the dying. Hardest part of life for us here," she said.
"Why is that?" Gendo asked, though he knew how difficult losing someone to death was.
"Because our souls don't go to the Ring of Gauf like all the ones from before the sea. Father says they go somewhere beyond even the ring. Where, he doesn't know. He says no one should know until that time comes."
Gendo nodded, "Reminds me of something a bunch of old men once told me. 'The sorrow of Death gives rise to the hope of Rebirth.'"
Yui smiled lightly, and as she did Gendo had to remind himself he was not talking to his late wife, "When it comes to death here we prefer this saying, 'Death is not the end, simply a new beginning.'"
Gendo couldn't help but smile as she said that. It seemed to put everything into perspective the way this woman said things. Only one other person had ever had that affect on him. For the slightest of moments he could have sworn he was looking into his Yui's eyes right then and not this ones.
--
The old man had died peacefully in his sleep that night. The morning was somber as the entire town lent it's shoulder to the direct family. It was early evening when the body was carried by the man's sons and friends to the shoreline. Gendo and Rei stood off to the side and observed as the body was placed on a floating barge of firewood. As the first flames were lit and the small construct sent out floating on the waves the two watched those who had known the old man.
"What is our purpose now?" Rei asked. It was a difficult question, one Gendo had expected ever since they had started this new life. He didn't have a good answer to that. What purpose could a broken child and an old man who had surrendered to grief have in a world such as this one.
He answered the question the way he had truly lived before, "We live, we love, we die. You will need to find yourself a new purpose. But it will be yours, and no one else's. I will help you in anyway I can. I owe that to you after all I've done."
Rei merely nodded, taking in what she saw as the mourners began to break up and return to the village that was now their home. She looked out towards the blood red sea. The color she hated, now flooding the world. She hated even standing near the shore, the scent of LCL, of blood overwhelming her senses. The red streak along the sky didn't make her feel better either. She knew she had served her purpose already. What more was left for her now? The Commander couldn't give her this answer apparently. She had to find it herself.
For now all she wanted to was leave this place of death.
She turned and started down the path to head back, leaving Gendo to his thoughts. He stood there for a while watching the flames die, and stayed there long after the final embers were quenched by the sea.
To Be Continued...
Next Chapter: Four more souls return from the LCL Sea to this new era, greated by Mother herself. Much has changed and more will take getting used to. But a darkness is brewing on the horizon, which will change the small village of Forever.
Next Chapter: The Sonata of Angels
Pre-Read by: Dartz, Fresh C, Himonky, Icarius Oneson