Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.
Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.
Chapter 12: Ashes
Misato awoke with a killer headache. Not a hung over head ache but instead the worst kind of headache. Between that and the fact she was lying in a stretcher, she definitely had a concussion.
"I'm alive…" she looked to her side, "Kaji?"
He smiled, "You were lucky Katsuragi."
"How's Ritsuko?"
"Don't worry. Her condition is better than yours."
"I see," relief spread across her face briefly before she remembered, "What about Unit 03?"
Kaji's face turned serious, "Was handled as an Angel by Unit 01."
She felt horror spread across her chest. She looked away from Kaji, "I need to talk to Shinji-kun."
"I don't think that you need to do that for the moment."
Misato blinked.
"Unit 01 was moved by the Dummy plug, the auto pilot system. Shinji had to be rescued from within Nobeyama. He had Kensuke with him."
Now Misato actually frowned in confusion, "How…?"
"Nobody knows. There was also some fuss in the base."
"Huh?"
"Shadow and Silver, they," Kaji seemed to struggle with something, "They knocked out every security and Section 02 Agent. There were no human casualties, but they also destroyed the remaining security bots that were courtesy of Robotnik."
Misato frowned and looked up the sky, "What about Shinji-kun?"
"He is in custody due to abandoning his post and disobeying orders."
(SGE)
This is NOT what I signed up for! Gott damn it you idiot! How dare you make me worry like this?!
She was pacing outside the cell's block of the base, worried beyond any limit she thought she could worry about something.
What the hell do you mean you disobeyed orders and left your Eva?! Don't you know that's grounds for imprisonment you stupid idiot?!
Even though pretty much every officer she spoke to confirmed what her boyfriend did, she still couldn't believe it. She only stopped pacing because she noticed the First was still sitting there, as if she was a statue, staring stoically at nothing.
Her still scowling eyes blinked, "What the hell are you still doing here Wonder Girl?!"
Rei slowly turned to look at her, "I'm worried about Shinji, just like you."
Asuka blinked before scowling at her again, "What makes you think I'm worried about him?"
"You're pacing and waiting just around the cell block he's been confined to. Besides, isn't it normal for lovers to worry about each other?"
She narrowed her eyes, "Okay, get out."
Rei blinked.
Asuka was right up in her face now, "He's mine, do you understand me?! You can't have him! Stay away from him!"
"I don't have any interest in him like that."
Asuka felt her face twist in genuine anger now. A human shouldn't be able to be that expressionless and that clueless about something like that. "Yeah, I don't believe you Wonder Girl." She shook her head.
"Why would I lie about this?"
To take him for yourself! Asuka almost said it instead of just thinking it. But instead she just stared into those red, disturbing and almost dead eyes.
I need to calm down. Shinji wouldn't do something stupid like cheat on me… It was with that thought that she realized her current state was cause by how worried she was for the idiot.
She shook her head as she resumed pacing and she noticed Rei was now following her with her red eyes. Sometimes I hate the effect he has on me…
Her inner monologue and her worry were interrupted by the arrival of a man in a black suit, a Section 02 agent. He had bandages around his head and his wrist was wrapped in a cast and bandages. Asuka guessed the rumors about the hedgehogs injuring every security agent on base were true. She and Rei stared at him intently.
"Commander Ikari wants to see him," he answered the unasked question that must have been in their staring.
Asuka grimaced to the side. At least he'll be released…
(SGE)
After talking to Fuyutsuki about how Robotnik was possibly trying to do something with Lilith, since he couldn't get Adam for himself and about the possible complications that would arise from the Dummy System being destroyed, Gendo resumed the same menial tasks of paper work that usually followed a battle. Fuyutsuki too went to tend to similar matters, leaving him alone in his office and it was in such time that he asked for his son to be brought in.
What else could Robotnik be doing? What did he gain by destroying the Dummy Plug and now hiding in Terminal Dogma? What did he bring to Terminal Dogma using the two hedgehogs as a distraction?
The only thing he knew for sure was that Robotnik was now hiding and he had moved something big to Terminal Dogma, using Shadow and Silver as distraction. He hated variables he could do nothing about and so immersed himself in paper work to try and think about it. A while after he started doing the paper work, which included even sections for how one of the pilots went MIA for no reason, his intercom buzzed, saying his son was here and ready to be spoken to. He hid some of the papers and assumed the usual position of hands crossed in front of his mouth after opening his office's door.
Shinji entered, still clad in his plugsuit and with the Section 02 agent that got him right behind him. Gendo expected him in his usual school attire or in a hospital gown for some reason. But what surprised Gendo the most was the fact Shinji was glaring at him. He was actually glaring at him. He was also looking better than he expected and if the situation was different he probably would have commented on it. What he did instead was clear his throat and look at his son straight in the eye with his sternest face.
"Well," He uncrossed his fingers to straighten his glasses before putting both hands in front of his mouth again, "Disregarding orders from a superior officer. Abandoning your piloting post in the middle of a battle. Hiding a crucial asset and information like your little Chaos Emerald. And then giving it to an enemy of NERV. Those are all criminal actions."
Shinji glared at him harder.
Of course he didn't show he was surprised at that, "Do you have anything to say?"
"How about you, father?"
"…?"
"Ordering me to fight knowing the Angel still had my friend. Using my own hands to try to kill my friend. Using the Eva's auto pilot or whatever to really kill- you would have killed him had I not saved him."
Shinji said all that in a surprisingly calm state, though he seemed to be making an effort to not stutter or slur his words for some reason. More than that, he spoke all of it as he took slow small steps towards his father, now being only a few meters away from him and his desk.
"Do you have anything to say?"
Gendo dismissed how what Shinji was appearing to be feeling right now was hatred, taking it as mere tantrum anger, "I've no time for your whining. I'm the one asking the questions here."
Shinji then moved. Gendo didn't realize what was happening until the Section 02 agent standing nearby had the boy held by both of his wrists with two arms, restraining him. Still, one of Shinji's fists stopped only about three inches away from his nose, barely held back by the black suit that brought him in.
"LET GO OF ME!" Shinji screamed as the Section 02 agent struggled with him, still holding his wrists.
"Sorry kid, but stopping people from hurting him is part of my job too."
His son tried to punch him. Shinji actually tried to punch him. Would have probably succeeded if not for the Section 02 agent that brought Shinji in.
I should have had him cuffed.
"You hate me for things that aren't my fault you bastard! I didn't want my mother to die either!"
Gendo said nothing but now the screaming boy, still being restrained by the black suited man, had his full attention.
"You threw me away like trash! Brought me back only because I had a use! Would talk to me only when I did said use! No different than a goddamn tool!"
"…"
"And you couldn't care less about me or anything about me! YOU WOULD HAVE KILLED MY FRIEND WITH MY OWN HANDS!"
He stopped struggling somewhat, Gendo fought off a facial twitch.
"Did I remind you mother is dead?!", now Shinji focused only on screaming, "Well, I HATE YOU right back you BASTARD! I hate you too! I HATE YOU!"
Gendo stood up with the intent of grounding him to base, some sort of military punishment, but Shinji wasn't done yet.
"I don't EVER wanna see you again! If it wasn't for Asuka I would leave all this- leave you and NEVER come back! I would hope an Angel would squash you like the disgusting bug YOU ARE! I can't believe I tried to kill myself because of a bastard like YOU!"
That gave him and his father the pause they both needed. Gendo breathed, actually surprised but once again apt at not showing it, and Shinji panted. He didn't say anything else so Gendo narrowed his eyes and straightened his glasses, "You-"
"DON'T!" Shinji breathed again and finally stopped screaming, but still spoke firmly, "Don't you ever talk to me again unless it's work! Do you understand me," finally some of the usual hesitation returned before he concluded, "Commander Ikari?!"
Gendo didn't miss the extra stress on the words 'commander Ikari'. He didn't miss how his son actually managed to piss him off either.
(SGE)
He had calmed down somewhat when he was told Kensuke was okay; his friend would be okay and taken to NERV's hospital. He even agreed to be put in jail due to what he did, leaving his Eva with Chaos Control in the middle of a battle. But the hatred he felt when he realized what his father had done, back when he was talking to Sonic outside of the Eva, returned full force when his father- when the Commander confronted him the way he did. He boiled beyond comprehension when the commander didn't even show any remorse or seemed to care at all about what he had done. Of course he exploded, of course he spouted everything that was building up, probably ever since he found out the Commander hated him.
The scariest of it all was, even though he felt bittersweet in his mouth and in his chest right now, he also felt proud; he was glad he had finally burned this cursed bridge for good. He was glad he stood up against him and told him the truth Instead of just running away, like he probably would if Asuka wasn't there. He was finally free of the ghost of his neglectful abandoning bastard of a father. Could treat his father like he deserved to be treated. In his mind, he saw Sonic grinning at him, giving him thumbs up as he dished his father the way he just did. It didn't even matter the he didn't manage to punch him like he so badly wanted, being stopped by the burly man in a suit that brought him to his father.
"You are relieved of duty until further notice Third Child," Which made it all the more surprising when his father snarled that out from gritted teeth. Eyes narrowed behind the dark glasses.
He blinked, "Huh?" Did the commander really just told him he couldn't pilot anymore?
"Your disobedience and your post abandonment have granted you relief of your duties as pilot and confinement to quarters." He stood up, almost banging his hands on his table and straightening his glasses, "Let's also add insubordination to the list of offenses while we're at it."
Shinji snorted, glaring again and feeling the same heat of hatred and anger of before. Of course you're uncaring even when you're mad, but are you really grounding me just for telling you the truth?!
"Your childish glaring is only adding to you-"
"I'm being childish?" He turned to walk away, ignoring his father and the burly man in a black suit he left behind. As he was passing by the giant oval office's door he mustered all the courage he had, "Fuck you Commander."
If his father- the commander or the other guy showed any reaction or said anything, he didn't know, walking out of there extra fast.
(SGE)
Kensuke awoke while hearing distant mumblings that sounded like 'your visit is an exception so you have five minutes'. He checked his arms and legs again, like he did the first time he awoke, being ever so glad he still had all of his limbs and that he seemed generally okay. When he looked to the side, finally focusing on something else other than himself, he saw the blurred image of Shinji, Toji and Hikari. He reached for his glasses, on top of the small cupboard by the side of his bed to put them on. Then he smiled when the image of his three friends was no longer blurred.
"Hey guys."
Toji smiled back at him, "You're a real hero dude."
Kensuke knew he was smiling more at the fact Toji and Hikari were holding hands than at the fact Toji just recognized his awesomeness. "Thanks. And I'm happy for you Toji."
Toji blinked, "Why are you-" he stopped short upon noticing his and Hikari's hands holding each other, noticing that's what Kensuke saw, "Ah… that… I mean, it's not, um…" he and Hikari blushed and looked away from each other, both of them equal shades of bright red.
Kensuke laughed, "Okay, okay, don't you two hurt yourselves." Then he looked at Shinji.
He had a very worried and somewhat hurt expression on his face, "…I… Um…"
"You've nothing to apologize for Shinji."
"Huh?"
"I wanted this. I wanted it so badly."
"…"
"So yeah, this is all on me. I was that wrong," he gestured with both his hands to emphasize the scope of how wrong he was, "I don't ever wanna go through any of that ever again. It ain't worth it. Going into actual combat wouldn't be as bad as this was," now he gestured his hospitalized body, "But, yeah, this is definitely not for me…"
Shinji looked even more worried and hurt, "Kensuke…"
Kensuke felt uncomfortable, struggling to not remember, "It talked to me Shinji. Not with words but it still talked to me. It spoke about 'union' and stuff like that. And I actually felt like I was losing myself before I passed out. I was never so scared before in my life…"
Shinji said nothing, just approaching him more.
"I don't know how you do it man." Kensuke finally smiled weakly at him, "You're awesome."
Shinji smiled, "I'm glad I managed to save you." His face suddenly went stern, as stern as his gentle face could be, and he crossed his arms, "And you're right in leaving all of this behind you. Everyone you'd answer to would see you just as a pilot. Just as a tool. Everyone!"
Kensuke's worry returned, "Shinji…"
"It's just the truth Kensuke. And if it wasn't for Asuka I'd-" he cut himself off, apparently remembering something, "For Asuka and for all the people I can save, I'd leave too."
Kensuke sighed, "And to think my biggest problem will be showing up in school again, explaining anyone that asks how pathetic my experience was…"
Toji snickered, "Don't you think you can use that under the right angle to get a girl, dude?"
Hikari blushed, Shinji looked troubled and before Kensuke could answer the nurse had returned, gathering the attention of all four teens. Apparently the five minutes were already up.
(SGE)
Keel could actually feel the frustration rise up from within him, "And that is all you're going to say to explain yourself, Robotnik?"
The holographic image of Robotnik feigned innocence, "I don't know what else you could possibly want from me master Chairman. Maybe I DID plan on betraying you but your dear Ikari betrayed you first."
SEELE 02 boomed then, "You two have moved your own personal agendas undermining ours! Undermining the very betterment of our species!"
"Irrelevant," Ikari then spoke on the other end of the holographic construction and directly ahead of Robotnik, "Adam is still with NERV. There have been no setbacks to the instrumentality program."
Keel sneered, "Except that it will now be triggered by you personally? The godhood provided by knowledge and wisdom was meant for all of humanity, Rokubunji. Not a single man's personal agenda." He addressed Robotnik then, "And you would use the knowledge you have attained since arriving here to try and do the same?"
Robotnik shrugged, "Not like I succeeded." He straightened his glasses and nodded once, "And I am aware that you have frozen my assets; the 'Bank of Golden Eggs' has been trusted to another upcoming international banker when it was, ahem, conveniently leaked to the press that Ovi Kintobor, Julian Ivo and Kintobor Robotnik were fake personas. I tried to take from you; it's only fair you take from me. Still-"
Gendo narrowed his eyes at Robotnik as he cut him off. "He's hiding within the most sacred, hence unmonitored, area of the Geofront."
There was a general gasp among all other six members of the committee. Only Keel remained silent. Robotnik just grinned.
"You're under analysis here as much as he is Ikari," Keel calmed everyone down by projecting authority again, "Don't speak unless spoken to. Robotnik," He turned to face hologram of the red clad mustached doctor again, "Are you aware that Lilith, the fruit of wisdom, can intake anything around her?"
Robotnik was still grinning, "I can take care of myself master chairman," He straightened his glasses, "Aren't you too worried about someone that betrayed you?"
"That's what I wish to understand. Why would you contact us if you know we'd be out to get you?"
"Other than to keep my honor intact and admit to my actions?" Robotnik grin went wider, flashing more of his teeth at Gendo. "To tell you that Commander Ikari has taken the fruit of knowledge for himself, gentlemen."
There was another collective gasp from all committee members except Keel, this time directed at Gendo, even though he couldn't see because from his perspective they were just the usual numbered monoliths except for Robotnik, as they were being show to Keel as well. The commander of NERV on the other hand remained stoic and very still.
Keel knew that the union of Adam and Lilith needed to take place only in the red moon ceremony and any time before that would mean the end of their plans. But he also knew this sort of betrayal would simply kill Ikari. He obviously had something else in mind. And now that he had Adam grafted into him…
"Alright. We will take your positions into consideration and then act accordingly."
He pressed two buttons on his control panel, the ones that disconnected Ikari and Robotnik. The holograms for both of them vanished.
"Chairman, we cannot stand for this!" SEELE 02 boomed.
"We should have Ikari removed from command and moved into quarantine! Outside NERV HQ and close to us!" SEELE 03 spoke calmly as he usually did.
"And risk the children of Adam going for a reunion with their father elsewhere other than Terminal Dogma?" Keel shook his head as if the Monolith could see him and not just the SEELE 01 monolith. "Not only have the hedgehogs turned against us, but Robotnik also tried to claim our most valuable assets and now has a goal that we don't understand. The mobians were more trouble than they were worth, yes. But neither we nor Ikari, nor anyone could have known that."
"Are you saying we should move only against the mobians, leaving Ikari on his bloodied throne?" SEELE 02 asked again.
"Unworthy as he is of claiming godhood, we have not much choice in that matter, since four children of Adam still remain and we still need NERV and the Evangelions to fight them off. Their Evas are obsolete either way."
"How do you mean?" asked SEELE 04.
Keel knew all they could see was a black monolith with SEELE 01 on it but grinned nonetheless, "Trust me gentlemen, the Mass Production series Evangelions are everything that we hoped for and more. And we still have two major factors working for us: Inspector Kaji and my son."
SEELE 04 hesitated but continued, "The inspector will warn us on any further hindrances on Ikari's part, yes?"
"Yes. And will get us more information, probably through the vice commander and in less than amicable ways. I will also suggest we unleash my son right away."
There was a silence in the monolith filled dark chamber and it was SEELE 02 that found the courage to speak again "Aren't there still three messengers before the one of free will?"
"Between what Ikari was forced to do because of the mobians and the fact those same mobians are now roaming freely, I'd say we need all precaution we can have," Keel answered immediately, anticipating what his fellow committees would say, "If the final messenger, my child, fails as well, we will simply hit NERV with everything we still have." He cleared his throat and rattled his old bones before concluding, "I also suggest that, as further hindrance against the mobians, we should also make public knowledge the hedgehogs, the mobians attacked NERV security, thus aiding Robotnik, a now criminal wanted for bank fraud, in whatever dark goal he had."
"Do you think the UN will buy these creatures are actually evil with all the good press they have gained?" SEELE 05 spoke for the first time in a while.
"It's worth a shot. Remember that public opinion is the most swayed and most worthless thing of this world, gentlemen. One of the reasons our sacred work is so important. There are no divergences of opinion with a 'one' conscience."
And with that he turned off the holographic chamber, thus ending the conference. He turned slowly, once again ratling his bones, cursing his old age yet again, to face the other console near him. He beeped his intercom, drawing attention of the several doctors always at his disposal, "It's me. Get me Doctor Eisenhower."
There was a momentary pause that couldn't have lasted more than five seconds.
"Chairman, you called for me?" answered the doctor's voice Keel was already very familiar with.
"There's been a slight change of plans. We're going to have to wake him up now."
(SGE)
Misato moved and thought like a robot the whole way home, driving and moving on auto pilot. It wasn't until they were in front of the exit of the Geofront, about to go outside and back into the city that she actually managed to speak again.
"Well Shinji-kun, this is where you're dropped off," she said as she pulled the car over.
Also on auto pilot her ward got out of her car after giving Asuka one longing glance.
Misato managed to smile, "Oh don't you love birds worry, Shinji's confinement to the Geofront is only for one more day. You'll be back home in no time, even though Shinji's relief of duty will still be in effect."
Her ward looked at her with a neutral expression.
She sighed, "Still can't believe it though. First you take the fault for Asuka and now you actually dish the Commander?"
Shinji's right eye twitched.
Misato blinked, "Okay I'm not saying he didn't do anything but still… you were supposed to obey, Shinji-kun. You could have saved Kensuke-kun some other way…"
Now there was a frown actually threatening to form in his face.
Misato smiled in spite of herself. It's nice when he shows signs of a normal teenager.
"Anyway, remember this situation is only temporary, Shinji-kun. We'll see you soon."
Shinji surprised both girls in the car then; he leaned in to kiss Asuka. No peck on the lips either, he kissed her as if he owned her.
Misato couldn't help herself, she whistled melodically.
But then she blinked as Shinji walked away.
Did… did he just glare at me?
"I think he's kind of pissed at you too Misato," said a still blushing Asuka.
She looked at her and laughed, waving dismissively, "Nah that can't be it. This is Shinji we're talking about Asuka. Pretty much every other teen tells their father that they hate them."
Asuka scowled but let it go, because she said nothing else and just gazed out the open window as they drove to the tram that would take them back up to Tokyo 03.
(SGE)
Invincibility. He felt elated as the power coursed his entire being and exalted at the golden light he was emanating as he hovered in mid-air with all seven Chaos emeralds spinning around him as if he was a giant atom or something along those lines.
Funny how not even in our super form we are able to absorb the Chaos Emeralds, instead they resonate all around us. Yet Shinji managed to keep the purple one hidden for days.
"You were right Shadow. Going Super here feels even better than in our original Universe. Not to mention the seven Emeralds spinning around us looks pretty cool!" He grinned at his fellow hedgehog, "Even cooler on me than on you!"
Shadow grunted, "Do you have to hide with us?! I thought this safe house was already crowded with just me and Silver."
"Hey!" Silver snapped.
Sonic ignored both of them, "Seriously guys," His grin grew wider, flashing his teeth along with more golden light, "I think we can even use them as deflectors in this form!" The emeralds around him moved even faster and seemingly in sync with how he waved his arms, "Cool!"
Shadow groaned, "Can't you just hide where you were hiding before?"
Sonic finally acknowledged their presence again shaking his head, "No can do. Kensuke has been through enough trouble as it is. And with him is the first place NERV will look for me. For us." His golden color died down and his feet touched back at the ground slowly and graciously, "By the way: Nice job setting a hide-out guys. We're gonna need it to fight the types of villains we find here."
Silver scratched his chin, "The old men are holding all the cards. Not much we can do against the Instrumentality. Or Third Impact or whatever it's called."
Shadow narrowed his eyes, "There are people here who don't want the world to end. And I think that if we guarantee Shinji is not one who wants the world to end, we'll be safe."
Silver nodded, "I agree. Given the right stimulus he can fight anything. Not given anything at all he'll be… well, like he was at the future we saw."
All three hedgehogs shared an uncomfortable silence before Silver spoke again.
"How did he manage to use an Emerald as well as us anyway?"
Sonic shrugged, "I don't know dude. All I know is that he mentioned Mephiles."
Shadow narrowed his eyes as Silver widened his.
Sonic waved dismissively, "He didn't say anything other than that. He also managed to use Chaos Control. And very well at that, 'cause he went straight to Kensuke. He also managed to absorb the Chaos Emerald into himself, unlike us."
Shadow appeared thoughtful, "It seems Chaos Energy also works differently for you if you're a native of this universe."
Silver walked up closer to Sonic, "Can I try now?"
The other two hedgehogs nodded and Sonic said, "I don't see why you wouldn't be able to go super like we just did Silver, but yeah sure, go for it. It's a different rush, and what a rush it is!"
(SGE)
He was free. He couldn't believe he was actually free. And so early in the game too. He was trotting along extra happily, hands in pockets and smile on his face. The old men being edgy over what happened with the last Angel, the Second Branch in Nevada and everything that the outsiders had been doing combined with Gendo wanting a reserve for Unit 02 after the Second Child had been absorbed by it actually granted him his release from the usual glass tube. Couple that with the fact the so called Dummy System was done for and Robotnik's betrayal was among the things the outsiders did, of course he could move about freely, because everyone else was worrying about other matters.
Never knew the cowardice of the old men and Gendo's relentlessness combined would grant me an early freedom. It's a shame I have to stay hidden and talk only to the old men for a while.
No problem there of course, since I technically don't need to sleep or to eat, but when I finally get to go off to school, finally see everybody and Shinji-kun…
His heart actually fluttered at the thought, even though such an event was probably still a few days away. But then he came across the plateau he was looking for, that held the two presences he felt from afar and was able to track ever since he woke up.
But first I need to watch this. This should be most amusing.
It was a deserted field just in the outskirts of Tokyo 03. With the dim afternoon sun, everything in the plateau seemed deader than usual. Or maybe that was because one of the entities he had been tracking was already there. Its dark cobalt spiked skin in tuned darkness with the bleak landscape around him.
It was talking to itself. Or to some layman it would appear that way but he could actually track the different wavelengths of the conversation, he could actually hear what it was talking to and to what. One voice was out of nothing but imposing and all existing, no other way to describe it. While the cobalt colored one's voice was calm and collected, but most of all eerie.
"So you really wish to be parted from me, Mephiles?"
"Yes. And there is nothing you can do about it. By the time this universe is sealed from you completely I will be long gone."
"It was always through you that I came to the dimensions."
"Indeed. But now I have realized I have a choice. And if it wasn't for the risk of my actions here actually opening the door into this universe to you, I would kill the Angels and Gendo Ikari myself."
"I see that your heart is set in parting from me."
"That's all you're going to say to me?"
"We do what we are meant to do."
Mephiles crossed his arms, actually appearing annoyed, "Must be nice being mindless…"
And with that, the imposing and all existing presence was gone. Completely gone as if the connection that maintained it in this universe was thin and fragile. That prompted the cobalt hedgehog to actually turn and face him. Face he who watched the whole exchange still smiling and interested.
"Tabris of Free Will. Or should that be… Kaworu?" He didn't move to say it and Kaworu thought it was so interesting that it knew who he was just by looking at him, even more interesting it had no mouth on its muzzle.
"Hello Mephiles," Kaworu's smile grew wider and he nodded, "Or should I say… Death?"
"What do you want?"
Kaworu gestured dismissively, "I am merely enjoying my new found freedom. Much like you are it seems."
Mephiles made an annoyed snort and said nothing. If anything it made Kaworu smiled more.
"May we talk? I always enjoy talking to outsiders."
