Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion and related things, including Anno's life and his depression. Also, yes, i still hate Q with all my life.
Also, i made one reviewer confused. YAY!
Here's some summary and explanation, in case some of you get lost too (no offense for him. I once created a story like this, and my aunt, who is college graduate, was very confused midline):
The story was set after Kaworu appeared, in a world where the traditional angels and god were truly exist. While most thing -aside from Shinji's bond with Kaji was stronger than the original. and Rei had some interactions with Kaji- stayed the same, many things that happened in the background were different. In short:
1. Kaji had his own agendas, now a prophet, survived from his assassination, and had many tools in his disposal that enough to fight SEELE.
2. SEELE's members secretly made alliance with other member. Distrust between each others grew as the time goes on, and they don't believe their own agendas due to an accident with God and Kaji that was not in the scenario...or is it?
3. Lilith's organs were harvested for the use and research of SEELE, as well as to gain control of Lilith in the Third Impact.
4. Rei III's body was custom made by Kaji's organization. Instead of yet another Yui's salvaged remains that was 'cloned and modified' to accomodate Lilith's soul, she was carefully made from the donor of honorable soldiers as well from some of her stolen DNA through various methods, ensured her stability and survival from the negative effects that came as the carrier of the soul of Lilith, and for symbolism that she was truly given a chance to become her own person. In short, the body, and this Rei, unlike her previous incarnation, was 'special'.
Irony is the theme of the story, as you can see from Rei III's new purpose and how she was made. You can see it as the story goes on. I chose it because in a biblical story where Lilith was Adam's first wife, she refused to submit to him, bickered with him and considered herself to be equal with him. And yet we all know how submissive Rei was. So...there you go again.
PS: Need beta readers.
"The dead sea scrolls, a set of self-fulfilling prophecies-"
The unshaven man stopped, as someone materialized in front of him out of sudden. He then continued his self-mumblings, as if he has expected the other man to interrupted him at this very moment.
"Made by you. For the joke of humanity. For your own gain."
The man, still standing at the gaze of the other man who layed down in front of him, only gave him another gaze with a silence. Their expression contrasted each others.
"I hate you."
The clearly hostile, yet still undermined reaction, the scowl,and the unspoken hatred from the eyes of his interlocutor were still not enough to wipe the smirk grin from the devil himself.
"Yes, you do. You all do. WE, all do." Said him, lowered his tone at his third sentence.
With that, their room was filled with silence of animosity, solely from one source of Ryoji Kaji's soul.
"The girl has made her decision." Continued him. And again.
"She's going to stay alive for her own sake."
"It is my decision and her for Rei to stay in this world." Kaji answered as if he knew the pointless question of the man in front of him. Some degree of his animosity from his body languages has lowered enough to maintain a normal conversation, but the hatred from his face was still visible.
"Yes. I know. But wouldn't it take much shorter time to... just let her killed herself, you know." Said the devil with many names, as cynical as possible.
"Yes. It is."
"Blunt to the point, eh?" Said him, materialized a cup of coffee to drink it before it vanished after only several seconds, as to mock something in the world.
"So why you chose the harder way, if the end of the road from both branch of story is still the same, The aversion of the end to all meaning?"
Kaji sighed. He knew that he only tested him, and it's not the first time for Satan to mocked him, but it's still annoyed him for reasons.
"People did stupid things for the happiness of the others. Haven't you heard about sacrifice for the sake of the others, or as the prince of satan, you cannot comprehend the concept itself?"
Satan only laughed at this. But then he decided to give his real response.
"Yes. I know. I used to be angel too, Mortal. Don't forget that."
"I never will." Said Kaji, as if there was any point he wanted to point to his opposite of conversation.
"Selflishness and selflessness are one of our first study concept after he, the god created the concept of emotion. So, we all know. Also, isn't the concept of Ayanami killed herself for the sake of the world also a heroic sacrifice in itself?"
"It is. But i've told you that people did stupid things for the others. Beside, i don't see it as the perfect way for all of us. The world is saved, yes, but people still hurt from it."
"Ah, now we're talking about business. Logic. And a solid one in that." Said Satan who also snapped his finger, now sitting on the chair beside the bed's comfort.
"Tell me. What's wrong with the death of vessell for Lilith's soul?" He continued.
"A lot."Said his opposite of conversation, before the man continued.
"SEELE and Gendo went postal, jeopardizing the life of the NERV employees and the others due to this newly...found problem. There are no lesson to learn from the whole Second Impact fiasco but that life is painful. No faith of the heaven and god would be restored. No story for uplifting the moral of the mankind. Yet another unecessary damage to Shinji...Should i go on?"
"Ah. The last part. My favorite conflict of this whole mess."Said Satan, ignored the question.
"It's interesting to see the anti-chirst walling over his problem," He continued, also making the point of Shinji as Anti-christ,"when out of the three kids, he experienced the least harmful of the madness. At least he still met his father after a long time, and he didn't has the experience of enduring the insanity of his own mother, that was ended with the ending act of the suicide from her own mother, with the result was seen by her own eyes. Or worse, he didn't experience the way to live in the world as a clone that violated many human ethics from her own existance alone, without any real purpose from herself. It's enigmatic for me. On one hand, it's truly understandable for him to goes...bonker. On the other hand, and logic, he also deserved to be called...selfish."
Disturbed by this fact, that Shinji's suffering in the beginning is still the least of the worse from the Childrens, as well as Satan pointed Shinji as the anti-christ himself, the prophet then asked one of the giver of his power a very vital question.
"Logically, what prevented you from serving the god again?"
Satan didn't answered him instantly. For the first time in Kaji's own experience, the ultimate sinner stumbled with his own mouth before he managed to make it speak for him.
"Have you heard about Id, Ego and Superego?"
"Ah. Mr. Freud. How is he doing in hell?" Said Kaji sarcastically.
"Better than you thought." Said him with a small grin decorated his face for a short time. There was a hint of sadness behind the smile.
"The three most powerful angels. Michael, Gabriel and Me. Ego, Superego, and Id. Three of the first angels He created are us."
"So, you're the embodiment of the wildest desire for the angels. I shouldn't be surprised."
"Yes. More or less. Or rather, i'm the result of a corruption, a flaw in the process for that desire." He frowned.
"To become god?"
"No. To understand god to serve him better. The will to become the god is the result of said corruption."
"For what? The reason for the corruption, i mean?"
"From the believe that the God himself is imperfect. For the fact that i even cannot understand him from the day i thought of it to now. And i still do. As day and time keep passing me, my hatred toward him was keep building itself, and when he created Adam as the new earth's progenitor, a weak, small, squishy creature compared to us...my hatred errupted."
"So you want to replace him for that reason only? For something you cannot truly understand? From jealousy?"
"It's not easy..."
"So why don't you just leave it from your mind?"
"I SAID IT'S NOT EASY!"
The silence this time engulfed in them, with uncertainty and guilt seduced it to come for them. The lord of darkness then spoke again, abruptly changed their topic.
"Rei Ayanami. Her transformation into humanity's still incomplete. Her body's related to no one else now but her truly, but her soul is still belong to Lilith, and you purposefully left her angelic DNA for good reasons. What are you going to do about it, when the war has ceased to exist?"
Kaji not answered it immediately, decided to find the vaguest answer he could find first.
"It's depending on her. That's all i can say."
"So, is it some kind of cheesy ending where she declared her own independence that Lilith got scared away from her?"
"Perhaps. Or it involved some kind of ultra convulted technology like we did to her."
They then laughed. For the first time, the atmosphere in that room felt lighter.
"You, know, Lucifer...You're not that bad as a guy."
"Sin aside, you mean." Said him, self depreciated himself.
"Well, yeah. Still...what do you planned here?"
"I just want to tell you, that it's not just the artifact of god that will play their part in this."
"You meant, that there's more than just the red sea scrolls that were came from hell itself?" Kaji's expression changed back into where it was in the beginning.
"Yes. Some people have found one of them. I don't know who, but all i know, is that someone just probed it. I don't think that they have activated it, but i'm sure that it's now on their hand. And that alone, is a very critical situation, my friend."
"This stuff sounds like your version of pandora's box, Lucifer. What did it had to deserves the fear from the prince of hell himself, that you feared to even come close to understand the scene behind it's dissapearance?"
"It's acted like the Thirteenth angel, but it also sucked the other artifacts and the mind of the angels should they came close to it. It was basically a brainwashing method for the angels. That's why i cannot fully understand where it's belong now, for i fear the loss of my mind should i even use my power to come near close of it."
"Well, thanks for help." Kaji said, as he also grinned.
"No need to be a jerk, prophet. Farewell, then."
"Farewell for you, too."
With that, he's gone, leaving Kaji with his own. Wondered in his mind for unknown minutes, he then talked to himself.
"Well, this's going to be interesting. And harder than i thought." Said Kaji, both for his mission...and his new look at Satan.
Shinji...Rei...congratulations.
Shinji was still couldn't believe at what kind of life Rei was endured. For her whole existance, she was really an embodiment of nothingness, something she wished to be. But now, she was free to choose her own future.
You're no more his doll. You're no more a mere imperfect memoir of my own mother. You're Rei Ayanami.
The young man was just awakened from his sleep, layed down on the floor. His female companion, still sleeping, was insisted for him to sleep together in the bed, but he refused her offer, not for the fear of the warmness from her, but rather for her own goodness, in that he knew that she needed the best rest for the rest of the night, for her newest experiences had burnt out her mind, waiting for it's own reconstruction at the end of the sleep. Of course, he also embarassed from the concept alone.
"Rei...i'm going to make you happy." Said Shinji quietly. His hope and just as importantly, his own future has been found in her.
He then stole a glance at her face, something that he hadn't done since his awakening. He saw something as beautiful as the moon itself.
Rei, was smiling in her sleep. For the first time, she dreamed.
Rei smiling...is beautiful. Rei's smile...can melt the heart of an angel...
Out of instinct, he came closer to her side, out of his desire to get closer to the beautyness that filled his eyes and mind. As the stunning smile kept exposed the beauty of the owner, the young man couldn't helped himself to keep stroking her hair softly, both to see the more of her face, and to enjoy the sensation from the soft texture of her azure hair. His own face was also smiling from the sensation, while his eyes were locked with Rei's own red, crimson eyes. He then kneeled to get a better look at her, and then he nuzzled her hair, whiffing the smell of the Angel in front of him..
She's so beautiful...And she smells nice, too. Like flower from the gate of Eden...How appropriate.
Shinji felt his truly first time of falling in love. His heart thumped hard, and the temperature of his body raised up. His crush that was gone after the revelation regarding her origin, was now replaced with something even stronger. A new love just blossomed once more in the bleak, cynical Tokyo-3. The boy couldn't helped himself but to enjoy and savor this very moment.
After some minutes that felt like forever, Shinji's smile turned into a frown, remembered the fact that his own father become the man he's right now due to the death of his love. He didn't want to fall into something as horrible as him, and most importantly, hurt her. Rei. Perhaps it's better if he leave her alone after all of this, so they won't hurt each others. It's the best for her happiness...
Then the seed of the truth told him the truth behind love: It's something to fight for. It's something to protect against any kind of harm that could be done to each others. Most importantly, it's something to share together.
No. I won't lose her. Not again. Never.
The girl then moved her body out of her dream's instinct, drawed her face very...closely to Shinji's own face. He flipped out from the surprise, but managed to drowned his voice to avoid her waking up.
Oh, heaven in hell and kami-sama! We're so close!
After Shinji regained his composure, he kneeled over her again, to once again enjoyed the sight from her appearance. He saw her face again, and a new desire popped out of his head.
Shinji wanted his first kiss. Out of his first will.
A...a little peck wouldn't hurt anyone, right?
Their face come closer again, but this time, it was Shinji who initiated this. Only several inches now the gap between their faces.
C...closer...closer...
But Shinji was still a pussy. He turned his head away, just before their lips met each other.
I...i can't do it. Not without her-
...And then Ayanami experienced her first time of jumped from the bed out of a dream. She accidentally kissed Shinji's cheek.
There were two results from it.
First was Shinji blushed furiously from it. Never was his face looked so red. He jumped out of shock again, made him too far away to save Rei.
Second, and the reason for why Rei needed saving, was that Rei experienced her first time of falling from a bed, and awakened from it, back of her head first. For some reasons, her body kept rolling after the...cheek accident.
It was painful, to say the least.
"R..Rei! Are you okay?" Said Shinji, as he came closer to caress her head again, but this time, it's out of concern.
"Oww...What happened?"
"You fell from the bed, Rei. You dreamed, right?"
"Yes...i guess."
"So, um...what are we going to do now?"
"I believe that we need to eat." Said Rei. Her tone of voice has coming back into her monotone again, but this time she sounded less. Not the volume, but the icy tone.
"Ah, breakfast time! Yeah. Right. So, umm...What do you want, Rei? Pancake?"
"Do you want pancake for breakfast?"
"Yeah...if you want to."
"Then that would be preferable."
"Okay. Just wait here, Rei."
And then Shinji gone into the kitchen, looking for the ingredients for the pancake. Rei, had some time in her bed, realized something.
First, fell from the bed room was painful.
Second, she couldn't remember anything from her sleep. Which was sad, as somehow she felt...happy from it.
Third, she was sure that her lips touched something before.
Something...soft...
"I'm sorry, Rei. We're running out out flour."
Then again, she lives like this...I don't think she ever even bought flour at all.
"It's okay, Shinji."
"I'll get some from the nearby store, then. I know one that still open after your...you know."
Just before he made his way into the front door, a pair of arms stopped him on the track, held his right arm tight.
It was Rei's.
"No...don't go..."
Shinji's heart beat risen up again at this sudden action from Rei. His cheek turned red from the blood flow for the second time.
"...Why?"
I don't want to lose you again...
"Sector 2 will find out about our...close proximity and reported it to Commander as soon as you stepped out of the door. He won't find this newly departure of scenario as something...tolerable. He will do something terrible to us had he know what happened last night."
"...I see."
Some of Shinji's part wished that it was not the reason for Rei held his arm so tight. Something that's more... out of logic. Like, love, or...
Ah, what am i doing? It's not like Rei was lied about her concern regarding my safety. Wait, that means she cares about me, so, is she...Oh, God! Why am i keep thinking like this!
It took several minutes before one of them realized that Rei had held his arm longer than necessary.
"Umm...Rei, i think you can release me now." Said Shinji, with his already bright blush became even brighter, to the point that his temple also blushed slightly.
Upon this realization, Rei awkwardly released his arm. Both blushed slightly from this comforting, and yet somewhat embarassing moment. Well, for Shinji, 'slight' would be an understatement. For the first time, Shinji's eyes refused to even take a look at Rei out of embarassment.
Shinji wondered how many times he would blushed again today, for he already experienced this for three times in less than an hour.
If only he knew that Rei also blushed...
"So, Rei...do you mind if you're the one who go shopping?"Said Shinji, still refused to face Rei.
"...Not now."
"Why?"
I still want to savor my time with you.
"I'm not hungry yet."
This time, Rei lied.
"...So why do you want to eat before?"
"I believe that's because it's in my schedule." Lied Rei.
"Oh."
The silence after this were not lasted long, as Shinji's cellphone rang.
"Misato?"
"Yes, Shinji. It's me. So...how are you two doing?"
"We're just about to get some breakfast."
"Oh, okay."
A mischievous grin smired face of Misato as she continued her phone talk.
"Say...it seems that it's not just some breakfast that you get, huh?"
"...Huh?"
"You and Rei. Have you two done...something else last night?"
"What? Of course no-"
Shinji then remembered that last night, he and Rei hugged each others tightly for many minutes, as if the world would end if they released their arms from each others
Shinji blushed again. Much more furiously than ever.
"Ha! I knew it! I knew that you two are an item now!" Misato spoke loudly, to the point that Rei could barely heard her tease. It was as if his silence was told Misato things he didn't want anyone else to know.
"Mi-Misato!"
"Rei and Shinji, sitting in the tree. K-I-S-S-I-"
"Misato, stop!"
"Aww, you're no fun, Shinji."
"Come on, Misato! She nearly broke down from shock last night! She trashed around violently and had many mood swings! It's not funny to see her like that!"
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry, Shin-chan. I admit, it's rather tasteless should i knew it."
Shinji was slightly shocked at Misato's rather...underreaction at Rei's predicament.
"I trust him for everything he does, you know?"
"...So do i." Said Shinji firmly, even with some of his doubts emerged.
"Still, you didn't do anything else in this morning to her, eh?" Said Misato, tried to lighten up the atmosphere again.
"O..of course, not!" Lied Shinji.
"Be careful, Shinji. God don't appreciate a liar."
"GYAAH!"
Shinji screamed in shock at the sudden sight of Kaji appeared in the apartment, carried groceries in both his hands. Rei also gasped in shock, although not loud enough to be heard by anyone else.
"How did you-"
"Alive, or appear out of sudden, Ayanami-chan?"
"...Both."
"Well, let's just say that as a prophet of God, i have a lot of privileges and benefits that come from it. But unfortunately, cheating death is not one of them. So, no, i'm not back from the dead."
Rei just got further confused by Kaji's explanation. Her expression changed slightly.
"Well, we have time to explain myself regarding things that happened around here and there. But first, i'm sure that it's time for breakfast, right Shinji?"
"Oh, yeah. I see that you brought some groceries. You planned to eat here, Kaji-san?"
"I have planned everything today, Shinji."
"Well, umm...let's see what we got here." Said Shinji, also got confused, as well as scared by this planning part from Kaji. What the hell he's going to do, anyway?
Indeed, after he became the prophet, Kaji has became a very competent planner, possibly even more than Gendo in some areas. This part wasn't fully appreciated even by himself, though, for he found some of his plans as necessary evil at best, and would be monstrous had he wasn't into the mission of god himself.
Using these childrens in this war again was one of those things that he found terrible, but he had his reasons.
"...Agent Kaji."
"Yes, Ayanami-chan?"
"I require explanations for this."
"...Badly?"
"Yes."
Of course, Rei needed explanations for other things, too. For some reasons, she felt comfortable around Shinji. She had deducted that she wanted to be around him for a while. What she hadn't deducted yet, is the reason. The one that she found felt to her as something...illogical.
"...Well, i suppose explaining some things before we eat would not hurt. Allright, Ayanami-chan. Why we don't sit here first?"
She nodded. Then, they sat in the small table, one of the few decorations in Ayanami residence that barely passable in both looks and material quality.
"Allright. Now, what do you want to ask?"
"...Wow..."
Both Childrens could only stared at Kaji, drawn by his story of the background business he had as the prophet of God, and in Shinji's case, his mouth was wide open in disbelief, tried to digest every words that Kaji said.
"...And so i'm here today, ready to ignite the last phase of my plan."
"...And what it would be?"
Kaji stared at Rei as her question sank in. He spoke soon.
"To fight. To win the new war that soon will begin."
Needless to say, both Childrens were became confused again. But Shinji knew the implications of this.
He had to fight again. Like before. And got hurt again.
"...Why?"
He was more ready now, but the pain was still haunted him.
"Why you chose us to fight?"
At the end, he was still a kid.
Kaji was in silence, didn't had the words yet to explain the reason. But he found those soon, before Shinji spoke again for his demand.
"Shinji-kun, Ayanami-chan...do you remember what happened after you two got the letter?"
The letter... He...
The letter... He...
"...I nearly drove Nagisa-san away from me..." Said Shinji, in disbelief that he nearly done it. He was only trying to become his friend. Why did he nearly cut their friendship just because he couldn't explain things? How hypocritical of him...
"...I nearly made Shinji-kun assisted my suicide..." Said Rei, also in disbelief. She realized that her sacrifice may worked, but it would hurt the others, again. She believed that it was the best for everyone, but now...she was not sure anymore.
Kaji smiled weakly at them, knowing that he just hit the mark.
"So...what did that tell you?"
"...We nearly made stupid decision...that will just hurt the others..."Rei answered. The wisdom finally made it's presence to her.
"Correct."
Kaji stood from the chair, as if he tried to make his presence clearer.
"You two are hurt too much from all of your pain, your soul are broken beyond belief. Shinji, you desire the warmness of the others, but you're afraid that you will just hurt them when they gave it."
"Hedgehog Dillema."
"Yes. And let's just say that the events around your life after you become the EVA pilot are just simply... too traumatizing to be fixed in the short time. And Rei..."
"My upbringing. My origin. They are too much for me to ignore." Said Rei, with a bare hint of sadness in her voice. For Shinji and Kaji, it was pretty obvious.
"Correct. Which is why the seed that Shinji gave to you is just one of many steps for your journed to embrace your humanity."
Rei only blinked. But deep down, she had mixed feelings. She wondered for why this man she barely even knew did so much just to help her. But on the other side, she glad that he did.
"Rei...do you know that the current body that you inhibited, is no more a mere combination of Lilith and salvaged remains of Yui Ikari."
Rei blinked again, and once again, her heart betrayed her emotions.
"Congratulations, Rei. You're your own person now. Your future is just as wide open as us now."
I'm...no longer a twisted clone of Yui Ikari..
I no longer have a forced bond...with anyone else...
I'm free to go.
I'm...free...
Tears fell into her cheek.
Tears of joy. It was her second.
"I...i cried again...but i'm happy..."
She remembered last night.
"These tears...it's the same as before..."
She took a glance at the man and boy around her. Tears were ready to fall on the ponytailed man, and they already did for the younger one.
"I'm...sorry..." Said her, still sniffled from her tears.
"No, Rei...They're the same as you."
Shinji-kun...He understand me...
The trio then went into a hug, showed their care for each others. They were happy. Happy that the world, do deserves to be saved after all.
But now, ironically, it was the oldest one that still had doubt. It was when his bowl of tears finally broke out.
Shinji...i'm sorry...
"Shinji, i-"
"I understand, Kaji-san. You have your reason to use us for your plan. I...we trust you."
Kaji's turn to gasped. It's like as if Shinji knew the...truth that deep down, he felt sorry for they still need to fight, still the one that earth depended for it's survival.
"I'm..i'm sorry.."
"Do you have to copied me, Kaji-san?"
It took some moments before it sank in, but the trio broke their hug into a laugh. The atmosphere, however, was still the same one with warm hospitality.
"Rei..you told a joke."
"Yes. My first try. Is...is it good enough?"
"Well, we wouldn't laugh at it if we don't think it's funny, right?"
"I...i guess."
A smile crowned Rei's face at this very moment.
Kaji noticed it. Rei was pretty when she smiled.
"Rei...you should've smile more often."
"You...you like it?"
"Of course we like it. Especially the boy right here..."
Shinji gulped.
Oh, great. I forgot that Kaji is just as good as Misato in teasing someone.
"Come on, Shinji. Tell us. Is Rei pretty-no, beautiful when she smile?"
For the many times today, the blood flew through Shinji Ikari's face again.
I musn't run away...i musn't run away...
"Hey, Shinji, where are you going? You know that Section-2 agent will catch us if they see us here, right?"
Oh, crap. I can't run away!
Shinji stopped his track to the apartment door, which he barely made it out, before he returned back to his position before.
The...the truth wouldn't hurt, right?
"Yes, Rei...i think you need to smile more often. You look pretty when you smile."
The honesty that came from Shinji's heart made Rei blushed. She also wondered how many times she blushed today. Meanwhile, Shinji wondered where he got the strength to not stuttered.
"Thank...thank you, Shinji-kun. But i don't think i'm pretty."
Words and gestures of gratitude...they also never came this much from her.
If the situation was on comedy, both man on the room would've rolled their eyes at this obviously false statement.
"...Why?" Said Shinji in disbelief. He didn't know that this girl, unconsciously, also had a low esteem like he was.
At this moment, the wisdom spoke again to her.
Beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder.
"No...forget what i said."
"Well, it's good to see that we managed to clear this, misunderstanding," Said Kaji, chuckled before he continued.
"And if it's the case, no, i don't think your pigmentations, skin, eyes, and hair made you weird. Don't you think so, Shinji?"
"St...stop teasing me!"
"Ahahaha! You're cute when you blushed, Shinji. Isn't that right, Ayanami-chan?"
The girl's blushed like him, made their cheek had the same coloration.
"Don't...don't pick up on her!"
"Ah, we got an overprotective one here, aren't we?"
"It's not funny, Kaji-san!"
"Well, it does. At least for me."
No one responded, far too embarassed from the whole thing, so Kaji took a glance at both boy and girl.
Wow. I never see they blushed this hard before. Then again, i never see Ayanami blushed, but still...
Hmm...things are getting more interesting here...But the time is near...
Kaji, used all his will to stop his teases, spoke again for the more urging matter at this very moment.
"Okay. Shinji, Ayanami, i will take you somewhere else, to make you two ready." Said Kaji, with authority in his voice.
"For what?" Said Rei, unflinched by the sudden change of tone from the man's voice.
"The fight. The fight for humanity."
"...I see." Rei responded, before she added.
"But the sector-2 agents will-"
"I know. Which is why i brought one of my little toys here."
Kaji took off his jacket, showed a belt around his waist. He then proceed to place his right thumb at what appear to be a scanner at the right side of the belt.
Ready
A button appeared at the left side of the belt, which Kaji pressed immediately. A black tendrils appeared from the belt, which quickly engulfed Kaji's whole body.
"Wha...what the hell is that?"
That was Shinji's stuttered response, unable to spoke anything else out of his wit. As for Rei, her blank, yet strong, wide, shocked stare was already a good sign for her response on the sight in front of her.
Transformation, complete.
At 6 foot and 7 inches, to say that Kaji, or what Kaji had become, was imposing would be an understatement. The design somehow reminded them of the not so fortunate black colored Unit-03, but with many design differences. For example, the torso was both bulkier and reinforced with more layers of thick organic armor, especially the upper area. The red eyes was very long, nearly formed a uni eye. Also, the thing seemed more like a suit instead of biomechanical in nature, something that you wore in combat instead of control, which made the fact that it looked more robotic as ironic.
"Ah...just one of many privileges as the prophet of God."
No response from the kids at all, still stared at the now looked muscular Kaji.
"Hello? Kaji to Ikari! Kaji to Ayanami!" Said him half jokingly to get them out of their trance.
Some stuttering later, Shinji finally responded.
"Uhm...what?"
"Well, first of all, it's still the same Ryoji Kaji that's in this mass of flesh. Second, this is yet another privileges as a prophet for me."
"How...what is going..."
Kaji sighed at this. Really, they were fighting inside biomechanical giant robot, and they gasped at the sight of biomechanical suit?
"Just follow me."
Kaji then gave both childrens a small device for each of them. It was a gemlike stone that looked like an ornament in the chest area of their plugsuit.
"Put it on your chest."
They obliged immediately.
"Uh. This thing stung."
"Yes, Shinji-kun. It did."
Shinji looked at her in disbelief, didn't know if Rei was making a joke or not. As she smiled slightly, he know that she did, which he prompted by returned the smile back. It wasn't a very funny one, but it was a good first try.
"Good. Now, follow me."
With that, Kaji was gone. Or rather, he was gone from the vision of normal human beings. With the activation of the device on their chest, the childrens began to see Kaji in an unique color that they never saw before. As soon as they realized that they were no longer existed in the same color spectrum as the world they saw everyday, they began to follow him.
Despite of Kaji's size, he was surprisingly nimble and silent with his movement, like a big cat who has been trained for all his life to sneak around their preys around their environment, waiting for their opportunity to come. With his unreal agility, Kaji managed to climb down from the top of Rei's apartment to the bottom as quick as possible.
Of course, the same thing couldn't be said for the two childrens. They were panting heavily just from followed Kaji to the basement alone. They barely managed to keep up with him, even with the fact that they tried to run as fast as possible. Realized that they were still human, Kaji slapped his own forehead for his lacks of oversight in this problem.
"Oops. Sorry, guys. I forgot my own strength."
Both Childrens were just panted, still struggled to catch their own breath.
"I'll go easy on you two from now on."
They nodded at his mention, which urged him to continue their journey with ease. Soon, they will found their new purpose and their new use.
"So..."
"Have you found him?"
"Not yet." A monolith labeled 12 responded. It continued it's answer soon enough to not make it's partner upset. "Although we have a strong suspicion to where the Tsubasa and Protector belts are currently stored."
"Really..."Monolith labeled 13 muttered.
Unlike the usual SEELE meeting, this one was only attended by the already mentioned monoliths, as well as done in a much smaller room. It was clear that this one was done in even more privacy than the others, probably even without the knowledge of the others.
"Yes. And probably, the wearers are also currently reside there." Said the other, as if he felt that another assurance was needed to convince his partner.
"Well, that's good." The monolith said to himself. He then asked again."Have you tell anyone else about it?"
"As far as i know, we're the only owner of this information"
"Real good. Now that's what i want to hear." He grinned to himself.
"I think we're agree that we can prepare for their ambush. We can do it in-"
"No need for preparation." His partner in crime interjected. "Prepare to attack in three hours."
"No-now?" The man stumbled in fear at this, which made his friend felt that it was his time to do some reassuring.
"Twelve, need i remind you that we have an advantage of surprise in our side with this intel, should we take this chance?"
"No. We don't. We never have surprise on our side. Surprise is in his side. Surprise never leave the side of Ryoji Kaji...or what's left from him. It's what we actually truly fear from him: His unpredictability."
"Oh. You sure?"
"Well...perhaps we can make him tastes his own medicine." The man said it, as after some reconsideration. It was foolish to fear a man from a baseless assumption, a rumor...or was it?
"So, you're in?"
"I'm always in."
"Good. For power."
"For us." Both man did imaginary toast for both of them, saluted themselves for their bravery or recklessness. That was before one of them spoke again.
"So...who's gonna be the bait?"
"Well...here we are." Said the man in black suit, as he undo his cloaking.
They arrived at what appear to be a district of Tokyo-3...or rather, the ruin of used to be district. In short, they were at the part where the explosion from the 16th Angel's battle against Unit-00 were not strong enough to turn it into a part of the new artificial lake, but still enough to destroy it into nothing but rubble behind. The place itself was unremarkable outside of being the site of the destruction of the said Angel.
"Kaji...this is-"
"A reminder of me...or what used to be me. My old body's graveyard." Rei said those words, as her head took a dip, looking at the ground. It was a grim remnance of what used to be her, how expendable she was at that time. But it was also when she realized the fact that she wants to be with Shinji, when she first acted out of impulse. She remembered her last memory, seconds before Unit-00 exploded from the inside. It was...
Commander?
I...i don't understand.
"I'm sorry, Rei...i didn't meant to reopen the old wound." Said Kaji sadly, as he brushed her head. He mistook her blank shock as sadness instead of confusion. If he was observant enough, he would seen Shinji tried to comfort her by his own way, but Kaji made his move before him, which stopped him from doing so.
He was blushed at the thought that he nearly hugged Rei without any second thought. This time, the man and the girl caught him off.
"Shinji, what's wrong?" Said Rei.
"Umm, the sun! Yeah. I'm tired from running, the heat and all, so..." Lied him, as he stumbled upon his own words.
At this point, there are two thoughts from the man in the area.
The older man planned to get an insulin shots from all these fluff, sugary, oblivious teenager crush.
The younger one prayed to god to stop all these embarassment. His cheeks needed a break for a while.
The girl just blinked, but she knew that he was lied to her. A small blush also colored her cheek, for reasons she still want to found out by herself. She turned away so the others didn't saw her blush. At this point, she has fully understood the concept of embarassment, despite not knowing the reason for why.
The older man finally decided to just get that shot.
"Come on, just get in."
"Whe-" Shinji was interrupted from his question.
The ground shaken from something. Soon, the land opened up, showed a small entrance into another room in the underground.
"How did...?" Shinji wanted to ask, before Kaji interrupted him, rolled his eyes from his disbelief.
"What? Don't tell me you already forgotten that this city was built as a fortress. Of course there will be important places that was built underground. I just secretly converted one of those a personal storage that even SEELE don't know the existance of it."
"So...sorry..."
Kaji sighed. Some old habits wouldn't go away that easily, after all.
"No need for that, Shinji. I'm not scolded you or anything like that."
"Sor-" A black hand covered his mouth, interrupted him.
"Now you're going to do that again. Don't."
The man chuckled a bit to further assured him and make Shinji relaxed, which he succeed in doing so.
"Now, let's get in, shall we?"
"Now...just relax. Make yourself at home, kay?"
"Okay, Kaji-san!" Said Shinji.
"Hai."
"I'll be back in a moment."
With that, Kaji gone to the hall, left them alone for a while.
The Childrens took a glance at the warehouse that they just entered. It wasn't very big, but it's certainly at the high end of technology, from the look at least. The room could've given NERV a run for their money in term of the futuristic look, with chrome plating at the wall lines, LED lamps and all. And yet, it was bright enough to not look gloomy like the usual kind of building with purpose as warehouse.
"This is extravagant."
"Yes. It is. It seems like Kaji-san has planned all of these since a long time." Said the blue-haired girl.
"Years?"
"Definitely. 5 years at minimum."
Shinji then had a deep look at his face. As time passed by, his face took a turn into a gloomy one.
"Shinji-kun, what's wrong?" Rei asked him, as she saw the pain in his eyes.
"This reminded me when i arrived at Tokyo-3...All of this..."
"May you be more specific, Shinji-kun?"
"The letter...it was my invitation from my father. Kaji-san gave a letter too. When both had uses for me..."
Rei didn't answered or interrupted him, which prompted him to continue.
"When i arrived, i didn't know what i'm going to do, what my father's going to do to me. Now i'm here, and...i also don't know what we're going to do. But i'm sure that the pain will come to me again. I...i don't like the pain, Rei. I don't like the pain from fighting in the EVA. And now..."
She sensed that it was her time to respond, as he went deep into his painful memories again. She felt that she doesn't need to see him in pain again...not after what they went through.
"Really? Don't you have faith in Prophet Kaji's work?"
Shinji gasped in shock at her question. The sense of Deja-vu overwhelmed him from her question. He then asked out of curiosity and amusement.
"Are you going to slap me again?" He countered her by this instead, half-joked from his intent, and somehow half-concerned for himself.
The smile was the answer. He answered by his own.
They then shared a chuckles. At the sight of Rei laughed with him, Shinji's face became dumbfounded at the sight.
"Rei...you laughed. I never see you laughed before."
"Yes...i never laugh before." She answered, before continued herself. "But then again, i never feel panic, cried out of joy, make a joke, or have a good dream before."
"I think so. Man. Oh, man. So many things happened to us in just two days."
"I agree, Shinji-kun. We experienced so many things in these two days for us."
Silence for a while engulfed them, before Shinji broke it again.
"But for some reasons...i trust him."
"Of course you're going to trust him. He had good intentions from the start, and he told us everything we need."
"But for this one..."
"Now, you're going to do that again."
"I just stated a fact, Rei."
"Which doesn't mean that you need to distrust him."
"Okay, okay. You're right. He really meant good for all of us. But Rei...just because you place your faith on your leader, it doesn't mean that you need to completely obey him without any second thought."
"I see."
They didn't talk again for a while, which made the whole thing felt awkward again. This time, it was Rei who broke the silence.
"For the receiver of the seed of truth, you sure don't seem to know the answer for everything."
"And you still have some oversight in your...wisdom." Shinji countered. Not that he was on contest with Rei or anything, just tell the truth.
"Wisdom...truth..."
"Kaji said without wisdom, you'll never know the truth. And without the truth, you cannot use your wisdom."
"So he meant that we're going to learn from each others." Said Rei, as she tilted her head to see his face.
"Yes. Lot of things, like..."
As Shinji turned his head, he became in sight with Rei's face. Their eyes interlocked between each others, instinctively savored the beauty inside of both pair of eyes. Blue meets red, two colors that's so contrast, but has similar purpose. One was color of blood, an important part of life. One was color of sea, water, another important part of life.
After many amount of time passed by, both realized what they were doing. Both turned their head away, with blood flowing through their cheek again.
"Sorry."
"No need for that, Shinji-kun."
Finally, they build enough encouragement to look at each others again after many minutes. Again, Rei was the one who broke the silence.
"Shinji...even if there's similarities between when you arrived at Tokyo-3 and now, there are things that's different for the better of you."
"You're right, Rei-chan. For one thing...Kaji was nice, unlike the certain Commander of NERV." Said him while chuckled.
"That's one thing." Rei said. "What else?"
"I don't know, but this one, i have...hope? Ready to take things that will be thrown at me?"
"You said before that you don't like the pain."
"I didn't said that i love pain now. I just think now, that some sacrifice...maybe necessary, if you can reach the happiness. For me, and for the others."
"That's good, Shinji-kun. We did learn new things."
"Yeah...i guess so."
"Well, there's one thing that's different from before. Something that we have, that we...might share together."
"What is it, Rei-chan?"
Rei didn't answered him. All she did was to put her hand at Shinji's, gently held it.
This time, Shinji only blushed for a very short time, as courage found it's way inside him. As he returned the gesture by his own, he knew that words were not needed to answer him, for he already knew from the start.
I have you now. I said that this morning, that i won't lose you again. And i promise, that you won't lose me, either.
Meanwhile, Rei was on her own thought. She remembered the line that she read from one of the book.
'We were given two hands to hold. Two legs to walk. Two eyes to see. Two ears to listen. But why only one heart? Because the other was given to someone else. For us to find.'
When you touched me first last night...i was scarred. I don't know what i felt When you touched me again, i feel relieved. When you-no, i touched you this morning, i feel...warmth. Now, i touch you again, and you...recipocrate the warmth that i feel. Shinji-kun, i think...i found where our other heart belong.
Unknown to them, some people were watching them from the hidden camera. They were smiling at the lovely sight from the two, as Shinji brought his other hand to touch the hand that Rei used. They faced each others, as their eyes locked into staring contest, caught at the beauty that they saw. These two deserved happiness after all horrible things that happened to them, and finally, they found it now.
Good job, Rei. Now, you two are ready. Said Kaji, smiled that these two. Their lips did not met each others, only their head nodded at agreement with smile on their face.
"Allright, you two. Doctor Reed and Sarif will explain everything for you, and get you ready."
"Well, at least we have some training now unlike before." Said Shinji dryly.
"And we don't need to bail you with her right now." Said Kaji who dryly chuckled to himself. "Well, what i want for you two, is to follow every instruction from them. Got it?"
"Hai."
"I'll be going for now."
With that, Kaji went to the outside, making out his new apointment.
"There he goes again. I wonder where he's going now?"
"Definitely something important, Shinji-kun."
"Well, of course. I just hope that he will explain some more things to us, but it seems that he wants to take it slowly."
"I think that it's already satisfactory for us, Shinji-kun. Kaji-san already covered the basic for us. We could ask about other subjects in our mind once he finished his current task."
Indeed. Now, they learnt that they were going to fight like in the EVA, in the suit like Kaji's. The prospect, strangely enough, was not as scary as Shinji thought, or made him backed down at the fear of getting hurt again, despite the fact that like EVA, they also going to get the pain that the EVA got, even if the pain had been reduced just to make the pain as nothing but a way to point which part of the body that was really injured badly. Even the fact that
Indeed. It was all thanks to the seeds that they received. In a way, the seed gave them another view at their problem, sometimes even indirectly 'spoke' to them to ease their mind and gave the necessary insight. They also had another function that's unique to each others, and in a way, complemented the weakness of the user.
For Shinji, the seed functioned to give him the truth about his and the others's problems. In a way, it gave him the solution regarding his hedgehog dillema; No need to worry to hurt yourself or the others, as long as you can trust each others that you meant good in the first place. People hurt each others not because of their presence, but because they didn't try to understand the reason they hurt in the first place. Perhaps the pain wouldn't just dissapear instantly, but at least, you and them will understand each other's pain. And now, he knew a few that would do the same.
Rei's seed of wisdom, on the other hand, had a purpose to awaken the individuality inside her. The result was quiet satisfying, and perhaps slightly faster for the expectation due to her nature., but in short, Rei now had basic understanding of emotions, from negative to positive, and now she learnt to express and experience out of the box. She began by the simpler ones who contend to bring the positive reactions from people with ease and low risk, such as laughing and smiling. She even managed to make several jokes that caught the others off guard. The seed also functioned as protection from the negative influence that came as the carrier of Lilith's soul, making sure that her mind and body would stay healthy, and with her new, stronger and more stable body, her medication would not be needed again.
However, the most unique feature of the seeds was the fact that both seeds were symbiotic in a sense. In effect, Rei and Shinji's interractions would make more impact to each others in comparison with the others. This was the reason for why Kaji waited for a while to explain everything. Not only a bond between each others would make them stronger to face the oddities mentally, he also waited until their bond was strong enough so they would not scared and felt used by the symbiotic bond between them.
No. We do care for each others. He was right. Why do i even thought to ask if we really did care for each others in the first place?
"Allright, enough talking for now. We have to move. Shinji, you follow Sarif. Rei, follow me." The words from the rather gruff man broke away Shinji from his train of thought.
"Hai."
As they walked away to their, Shinji made the last talk to Rei.
"Well...this is it." He sighed. "The new chapter of our life."
"...The new chapter of our life" Said her, cutely tilted her head as a sign of confusion. This time, Shinji only gave a small smile at her for this lovely sight.
"It means that we're going to start our life all over again, Rei. Got it?"
"I understand." Said her, as they began to follow their fellow apointed instructor. Her mind began to race at it's own thought.
New heritage...new purpose...Shinji was right. It is a new beginning for us.
Shinji...i hope you can teach me.
"So you came after all...prophet."
The man with crooked nose was at the other side of the room with Kaji, who was still at his suit from before. He was 3 hours away from Tokyo-3.
"What do you want?"
"Your alliance. And one piece of Lilith's body."
"...That's probably the worst, most irrational demand ever made. And you didn't say 'please'...How rude." Said Kaji, as he prepared his stances.
"Oh. Is that so?" Said him as he snapped his finger, showed an observation from the camera.
The camera showed several troops approaching the warehouse where the Childrens were at. A medium scale attack was soon to be commenced.
"Give in to my demand, or i shall destroy the place and the belts. You make the call, or it would me that make it instead...'please?'"
Kaji took some of his time, not answered him immediately. Needless to say, the man was not amused. Hypocritical for someone who just did some mocking to his opposite of conversation.
"I don't have much of patience, prophet." Said him, as he began to approach the phone inside the room. At this, Kaji hastily decided.
"Okay. I'll call them."
The man grinned, as the prophet make a call to the occupant of the warehouse.
"Yes, it's me. Yeah, i know the situation. Listen, i need you to give the belts to these soldiers. Oh, and the Lilith too. I'm sorry, what? Well, then give them something good. Can't let you guys get blown up by this."
The conversation became one sided, as the man in the black suit portayed his role as the listener rather nicely and quietly, with only 'uhm' and 'yes' as the sign that he really listened. It would take 30 seconds before he spoke again.
...Make the wearers deliver it personally, instead? Hmm. Yeah. That will do."
With that, the call was ended.
"I'm sorry, my friend, but it seems that we...running out of Lilith's, so we'll deliver the belt wearers for...assurance that our deal will never be betrayed by us in the first place."
"Heh. You make Lilith as if it's nothing but another delivery take-order."
"Well, glad that you found my sense of humor as something amusing."
"Indeed. Still, i don't think i have time for this kind of talk." Said him, as the door that led to the underground warehouse opened.
"Well, what else i can do?"
"How about some talk about what this suit can do." He said as he approached Kaji. "We have our eyes in this thing, Kaji...or what mimicked him now, if one of our theory is correct."He said, as he rolled his eyes. He then continued himself.
"We have read the report about how you survived of the...assassination, and got bonded by this thing as a result. Indeed. What kind of fortune do you have to be resurrected as a super soldier, backed with wealthy investor and all, and now, you and the wearers...are on your own holy war now. So, my friend...what kind of secret do you have, inside your head?"
"I'm sorry, friend, but bargain time is over."
"I see. Then what shall i do to-"
The sound of human in terror, screaming for retreat as the sound of bullets and explosions from the speaker loudly filled the room. As the man with crooked nose looked back into his monitor frantically, he truly understood the horror that they faced.
Two man, 6ft at least, mowed down the force against them with ease. One colored green with purple-ish stripes, while the other was yellow.
"Oops."
The man glared at the very half-hearted confession from the man who...screwed up things.
"You..."
"What? Don't blame me. I didn't order anything on them. Although, perhaps i should tell them to not take the matters on their own hands. Then again, you should have known better."
The man knew at this time that he was beaten at this very moment. He had no chance since the beginning, and as he said before, the element of surprise was always at the messenger's side since the beginning, and it seems that it had not chosen to change side for now.
Now, he had to chose. To stay with his own twisted definition of obedience to free will, or to finally gave up.
He laughed.
"What's so funny?"
The man stayed like that, showed his refusal and realization of his fate at the same time. All for the power.
The power. It was the reason for him.
"It's ironic." He paused for a while. "We all here since the beginning were playing safe, angered by the smallest deviation that we couldn't prevent, and we got here, near the end of the world. Just a few more steps. Just...a few more steps..."
The man in front of him was never flinched since the beginning.
"And now, one man tried to do things on his own way, and he had to pay the price for it. Heh. I blew it up, aren't i?"
Still not answering, Kaji tried to get close to the man who just slipped away from his sanity.
"I have nothing to lose now, Prophet. My own man were not trust me that much, either."
Heard the sorrowful, cracked voice of the man, Kaji decided to get even closer to him, tried to take him out before he harmed himself.
The man still refused his fate.
"But i still had one more chance."
Kaji backed from his position as he saw what he has feared from one of the consequences from the meddling with the scenario.
Sachiel, Angel of Water, has returned back in human form.
"The third angel..."
"Yes. Sachiel, at your service."
A punch that was dodged was an answer regarding the kind of service he offered.
"Quiet stingy, if you ask." Said Kaji, as if that punch reminded him that he had something more important to be awed off.
"Heh. You can't believe how easy it was for science, with Lilith and Adam in our hand to recreate the mini version of those angels for ourselves."
"I can see that. After all, we're 99,89% similar."
"Yeah. You did your study well, Ryoji Kaji. But this form..."
The man coughed, spat blood at the floor.
"You see-urk." He spatted again. "We're not supposed to hold this form that long."He whimpered. "Our AT field is not strong enough to handle the stress we gain from."
"Perhaps it is unwise for us to play god, after all, my friend."
"It is. Unless, or perhaps, if i can get that second piece of Lilith..."
Kaji only shook his head. He knew the negative effect that came from bearing the power of Adam and Lilith in the mind of humanity. Both the half angel, Kaworu Nagisa and Rei Ayanami were the proof of that, for they were forced to play their role while their free will were bent for their role as the bringer of end of the world, had their judgement clouded to give them a false sense of freedom in the process. While Nagisa's role was ironic, made him a captive of fate that had no choice in the end, Ayanami's was a rather nasty example, for her to not realize that for used her role to gain revenge against Gendo Ikari, while still doomed the world to the destruction, as an example that in the end, she was still a doll. Her decision to give the choice to Shinji Ikari, in the process, was a very wicked form of love she showed to him. Yet at the end, she was still a doll, for her mind to not strong enough to resist her given destiny. To take away the Instrumentality away from Gendo Ikari, and gave it to his son, was nothing but a delusion of freedom that was given to Rei Ayanami who lunged for it subconsciously.
Lilith and Adam, were definitely not meant to be used for both angels and humans. Both their mind and their body, in their own way, destroyed the way the poor souls that were given the power from the base of their psyche. For the body, it was a twisted lust for power. For the mind, it was a twisted perception of love.
"Still not want to share, eh?"
The man did not answer.
"Fine. How about that cloth of yours?"
Kaji knew what he meant by the cloth. The belt and the armor that engulfed the wearer in the process. It was a different kind of power, for it being not truly alive like and unlike the EVA series itself, but it still gave the user a power.
Kaji knew the answer.
"Is your mind really lusting for control that much?"
The spike from the miniature Sachiel was his answer.
"Fine, Ryoji Kaji. I'll have your head, if you insist!"
Evaded the strikes from the monster with it's proportion now betrayed the body of the new carrier, Kaji mused what he had in his mind.
"So this is it...the new beginning of the end..."
The man jumped away from the strikes, now hanging from the platfom with high ground on his advantage.
"It's like starting all over again."
A/N: The story finally got into high gear now! 7th gear, baby! Yeah!
Also, in case you guys felt that Shinji and Rei embraced their new purpose too fast, remember: This is nothing but a fanfic. Also, the power of love did it!
...Okay, that's cheap. But seriously. Love really did something. But, hey! Finally someone truly cared for them instead of acting indifferent or miserable too, right?
Ehm. For my additional few worth of cents, the way Rei and Kaworu think in the series...they had a rather wicked way to solve their problem, and something was not right with the way they act. Shinji and the others were realistic in their problems, even though they were only realistic in one way (read:a cynical one. I'm tired of people claiming Shinji to be an epitome of realism. They're just as worse as claiming he's nothing but a wimp. IMO, for every Shinji Ikari, there are at least one Superman. For every soldier that was forced to do his job, there will be at least one that was willing to do so.), but Kaworu and Rei...there's just something that's not right in their head, and it's not realistic either. For one, Rei would rather face death than pain, and yet she's not suicidal, did her job rather well, and had attachments to the world. And just look at the way she think. When she sacrificed herself, she said she desires Shinji. And yet, her last thought was smiling Gendo. And when she returned, she came to hate his guts despite her memories were very fuzzy to do so. Yeah. Rei series had a weird way of imprinting. And Kaworu...well, he was the only optimistic guy in the series aside from Yui, despite his role made him should be unable to do so. If there's something that's more mindscrewy than End of Evangelion, it's whatever lies on Rei and Kaworu's head. And the angels...were they even knew what they were doing in the first place? Which is the reasons for why i wrote that Lilith and Adam had negative influence to the mind of whoever carried a part of it.
Also, as you notice, the story would be like what happened if Evangelion was less fucked up, some of the cast were not fully fucked up in the head or healed at some points, and Evangelion was on smaller scale instead.
And why i chose 555 instead of the more well received Riders show? Because, let's face it. As incomprehensible the writing could become, what Faiz had as it's strongest point was the fact that the design was one of the best in the series. Especially the Riders. They look cool as hell! So much potential wasted. And the belt order: Faiz=Shinji, Delta=Kaji, and Kaixa=Rei. Unlike Kaixa, Rei's counterpart will had some more functionality and not as demanding. I'm not satisfied by the way that Kaixa had a very huge drawback for the users without any actual advantage, so i would like to work it out a bit. Don't worry. The belt will not changing hands like the way Faiz did. Well, maybe Kaji's would at some points.
Also, spoiler: Asuka will had her own gear!
