+++++ 15th Angel + 12: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
The call was specific to him, but lacked direction, My love?
In the annex. Fuuka…needed…. He trailed off, uncertain how to explain to Hikari his own mind, It was a night. She's asleep, is something wrong?
We need to start getting ready for meeting Cardinal Brahe, according to Kelly. She's working with Suzuka to get the little ones moving, her tone conveyed no urgency. If you'd rather, I can make breakfast myself. I just thought you'd prefer to be involved in the way you normally are. When you weren't in the music room, gym, or study I finally remembered that I can just think your name and talk to you. I'm not really awake myself, I guess.
Shinji had to ponder the confluence of concepts that ended with the act of her saying his name translating in his mind to 'my love'. That path only held further heartache, though, so he backed away from it, No, I'll wake her up. She and I will go make some breakfast for everyone. It'll be good for her to…I don't know…feel like she's helping? Swallowing a sigh, he asked the woman he loved most, Light, am I just fucking this up? I'm trying to stop her from being abused…but she wants nothing more than to consider herself my wife. I'm going to ask everyone over breakfast this morning to sign the papers to become my wives according to the nation of Japan, backdated to when they moved into the Manor. Am I just denying her to assuage my own guilt?
There was a lengthy pause before she responded, If I were in your situation, Shinji, I would give her what she desires. She's not going anywhere. She's not leaving here, where she's safe. Loved. Wanted in more ways than that very attractive body of hers. She has Rei, who has been a wonderful friend and leaned on her. She has you, who radiates love…despite the pain mingled with it. You aren't lusting after her because she's pretty. You aren't looking at her like an 'easy lay'. The circumstances which brought us together were terrible. She seemed to shrug mentally, Don't let them linger like poison over everything you do with her so that half a century from now that's all you have in your mind as a history.
The star in his sky, as usual, managed to make it seem so easy. I love you, Hikari Ikari. I need to talk some, later. When I know what I'm trying to say.
You know where to find me, a final pulse of love and she moved on with her morning.
From his position cradling the tragic beauty in his arms, Shinji was able to see once again why it would be so easy to just…follow what was seemingly natural. Her body wasn't the athletic perfection of Kelly or Suzuka, or the generous proportions of Ritsuko or Kodama. She didn't have the budding youthful maturity of Hikari or Minami. Or the weathered charm of Akane or Mikoto. What Fuuka had was seemingly flawless genetics without refinement. It was as if Rei Ayanami had never spent time in physical exercise. The clay itself was more than sufficient, the artist that worked with it would only change how someone would behold that perfection.
Running his finger along her forehead to clear her hair from her eyes, he kissed her temple and tried to wake her gently, "Fuuka? It's time to get up." Watching her take the first breath of semi-consciousness only amplified her beauty, the fragility she contained demanding that he shelter her forevermore. Cupping her cheek, he smiled so that the first thing she would see was what warmth he could offer.
Her eyelids slowly parted, and with them her own lips grew into a welcoming smile, "Oh my, oh my…good morning Shinji-sa…." Her lips drooped, "Shinji."
"You may call me whatever you wish." His bout of selfishness hadn't led to a good end, and whether it bothered him or not…it made her happy. "Might I give you a kiss? To make up for last night?"
Excitement rebounded in her amber eyes, "Of course…but I require no-"
Cutting her off, with a far gentler method than she herself used, he tried to build a useful basis of knowledge for her to work with. It wasn't a mark on her that she had never been kissed before he had been gifted the experience, it simply spoke of a life lived differently. He enjoyed her soft lips, the way she touched the back of his neck…the way her breath tickled his face…. The 'gentle' kiss quickly shifted towards hungry, a feeling of desire flowing from her as he gave into his physical urges. His hand shifted from her face to slide along her ribs, to her hips.
Please…. Her voice, unpracticed, sounded in his mind, Touch me? Gripping his arm, she moved his hand to cup her chest, Please, husband…please touch me.
Dismissing her shirt was easy. He had crafted stars, resurrected extinct plant life, healed the atmosphere, destroyed anti-magical lifeforms. A simple nightshirt was as challenging to him as Nozomi's math homework. Explaining to himself why he was moving his 'kiss' from her lips to her chest was math so advanced as to be space magic. Her sudden intake of breath, a shuddering moan of delight, only urged him further onward. There was constant affirmation in her voice, in the way she curled her hand over his as he massaged one breast, tangled her fingers in his hair as he suckled the other.
"Hnnggg," eloquence was fading and failing as her mouth tried desperately to urge him onwards. She had felt teasing, tantalizing, samples of lust as the bursts from his kisses with the other women crescendoed and decrescendoed with almost primal fury. The world hidden from her view by her husband's kindness was now standing before her unfiltered. She knew that she could control this. She could direct it. One, small, word from her was all that she would need to set him inside of her. It would hurt gloriously, pleasure her terribly, and tie them together irrevocably. Twice she had asked for something. Twice he had given it. Neither time had he hurt her in the doing. It was only that he believed she wanted, desired another man. A disgusting, hideous, thought if ever she'd had one. She might, once a woman in her own right, pursue dalliances with some of the ladies of the house. It was not uncommon in the books she'd been given on the subject and it would bring them closer together in sisterhood and service. Her husband, her lord and master, would forever be her one and only. She was his gift. She was his everything. She…she could ask him one, small, thing…. Glowing, unseen in the low light, with a blackened aura, she whispered and gently pushed on his head, "L-lower." The trail of kisses he touched to her ribs, then her stomach, set her toes aflame. The light touch of his tongue to her navel almost lit off her first ever experience with climax. Watching as he gripped her cotton prison between his teeth, dragging them free of her body, caused her to curse herself for asking for one thing and not that thing. He might not give her a fourth, he might not-
+++++ 15th Angel + 12: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
Rei Ayanami, sitting in the bathroom having her hair washed, was perfectly content with how the morning was going. The play by play which spread through the household, the uncontrolled thoughts of Fuuka as she begged their shared husband to never stop, was an amusement to be lingered over. The fact that the woman washing her was not shy about caressing those places that provided pleasure during the telling of it only made the voyeurism all the sweeter, "This was overdue."
"That's one perspective," Hikari admitted. "I can see it from Shinji's all too easily. If the situation allowed for him to let her go free, without causing him pain when some other man with lesser morals took advantage of her, that would fit neatly in with his ethical guidelines. Instead, since she's tied to him for all time, the most that he was doing was delaying the inevitable and stretching out the angst. He'd rather angst than guilt, as short-lived as guilt would be."
"He would, as you said, spend five decades denying his lusts in the waking world, expecting her to change her mind," she countered without any heat. "He would drag the pain onwards, draping it over everything he did. This may hurt, for a short time, but there was no other possible end. She will never wish to leave him; her worldview is predicated specifically and explicitly over a patriarchal construct that enabled her mother's depredations. As feminine as the man we love is, expecting him to become that is folly. And so, it is better that they meet in the middle, like this, so that neither side is given everything they wish. She will accept his reticence; he will accept her unending devotion. Balance, much as he seeks in other aspects of his life."
Following another aching mental scream of ecstasy from nearby, the Princess shrugged unseen, "He can be 'take charge'. You just have to wind him up the right way. Still, I doubt either of us want him to be anything but what he is."
"Perhaps healthier of mind," Rei offered simply.
"Definitely healthier of mind," she agreed.
+++++ 15th Angel + 12: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
Using the time and space in his soul to linger afterwards with her allowed him to not completely hate himself. They had sat for hours in his soul bathing in water that never lost its heat, her body seated with immaculate poise on his lap. He had said precious little, though needed to say nothing for the talking that she herself engaged in. Fuuka was effusive in her praise for his prowess, his manliness, and his gentle romance. She alternately hoped that she might become pregnant, and worried that he might not wish her to, as the argument ponged back and forth in her mind. She insisted that, soon, she would return the 'favor' he had graced her with before granting her the fourth and final wish. Every statement she made, pure and perfect truth, only served to confuse him and confound him.
Once she was calmer, settled in the reality that she had claimed her spot in his life, Shinji had moved them back into the real world to wash their physical shells with more haste. "I am sorry that we have to hurry, but today is going to be very busy."
"Oh my, we've just spent far longer than I'd thought possible, my dearest love. Believe me, I appreciate the truth that I cannot claim all of your time," a picture-perfect smile amplified the honesty of the statement.
Offering her clothing that would flatter her in his eyes, he tried to force away the dark thoughts building on the horizon, "I need to get moving. Will you be alright on your own?"
"Please, go," she moved out of his way. "I am eager to meet these gentlemen that require our time. Any who call upon you for such an audience deserve our best, and I must ensure my hair is properly situated."
Pausing to kiss her on the way past, he continued to dig his own grave, "You could never look less than perfect, I swear." Slamming his own clothes into place, he opened the doors between Fuuka's bathroom and her bedroom. He, of course, made it only to the hallway before his plans were changed once more. Lying unconscious on one of the recessed benches lining the hallway, with Yang tending to her, was one of the other women he'd not yet shared intimacy with. "Fuck."
"That would be the dilemma," his Diplomat chuckled ruefully. "Spent all that time worrying about Fuuka having a meltdown, still ended up causing poor Minami to faceplant when the overmind narrations started."
His face went flat, "The…you're kidding."
"Fuuka-chan apparently doesn't know how to focus her thoughts," Tsuru hid an embarrassed, yet amused, grin behind her hands. "We heard everything." Pulling him into a hug, she unknowingly echoed Rei Ayanami's thoughts on the matter, "It was a matter of time, my prince. She's one of us, and she loves you deeply. Thank you for making certain that her first experience was something worth celebrating, instead of filled with decades of emotional baggage."
Unable to stop himself from blushing, Shinji mechanically returned the hug, "So…all of you…."
"Know exactly what she received," Suzuka announced as she walked past. "Dear heart, have some pride in your work. Breakfast remains unmade, ladies. Help Minami-chan recover while our husband and I see to feeding everyone." Separating him from Tsuru, she urged him down the hall and towards the kitchen. This was not a terrible deed. You are not a monster. The situations you keep comparing this to, and conjuring in your mind to castigate yourself with, are fictions. In this world, the real world we both reside within, you gave a young woman the gift many a young woman dreams of. You will, when it is time, give the same gift to Minami-chan. Hold your head high, so you do not denigrate what you have given her with pointless self-flagellation.
Working with her own motions, he twirled her around so that she walked in the crook of his arm, She reminded me of Asuka. He could feel the statement hit her, landing awkwardly. Nature versus Nurture. The only difference between them, is that Kyoko was ripped from the world before she could nurture Asuka, and Fuuka's nature overcomes what her mother tried to do to her. I don't know if I hate her or love her, Suzi…but that redheaded irritant is stuck in my damn mind, and I'm finding more and more that she wasn't wrong.
+++++ 15th Angel + 12: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
Breakfast was spent with most of his time apologizing to Minami, and everyone avoiding ruining Fuuka's day by pointing out what had happened. Misato promised to address it later, woman to woman, and so Shinji left it alone. The clothing for the day was accented and changed by a combination of women, Nicki, Yang, and Minami cooperating to help him dress everyone to maximize the 'wow' factor. Pictures might be taken, but impressions would be indelible. Transportation was provided courtesy of Lieutenant Colonel Hagiwara's driver, the senior officer insisting that Kiyomi accompany him in her expected capacity as military attaché while she turned her attentions to acquiring more people to help run what they'd started. The base that had been crafted from nothing continued to stay in motion, even as they left for NERV, and the ride from one 'base' to the next was filled with jovial conversation that was chosen by Hikari and Akane to keep him 'settled'. Their lives were changing forever this day…and it was his fault.
Meeting Kelly, who had hurried in to NERV ahead of everyone else to perform the pre-meeting setup, Shinji left the group of women he was escorting to Saki Watanabe and Misato. His Irish Consort needed his help and wasn't shy in urging him to give it, "They told me 'No'. I understand that this is important, I agree that it's important, but the virus is not going to be solved in the next day. We need them present, pretty, and poised." Giving him a petulant, adorable, smile, she toyed with the buttons of his shirt flirtatiously, "Convince them, with me?"
He could only nod, accepting that his right hand rarely asked for anything, which made telling her 'No' more or less impossible. He'd make the effort, the success of which would rely on the women he was about to speak with. Contemplating the optics he was about to provide to the representatives of the Church and State during the ceremonial greeting, he spent the journey to Maya's lab in silence. He wasn't ready for what he walked into, as his mind had drifted far from his expected goal of convincing them to join him for the dog and pony show.
The sliding door opened at his touch to reveal three conversations happening simultaneously between five women. The math didn't seem to work, at first, until he realized that the crosstalk was nearly universal. As one, they all halted when he entered, and as one they all turned to glare at Kelly. Undeterred and unflappable, the former Naval officer simply folded her hands before her waist peacefully, "I said I was going to bring him here, and here he has been brought. Now you get to tell him why you can't support him in pushing for a peaceful transition to a new world order. Each of you is more than capable of putting thought to this virus problem while you sit and play nice for the cameras. None of you are going to enjoy the next several decades if you aren't in the photographs of this historic event. I will personally make your lives a living Hell if you deny him your comfort today, and don't think that I won't. Now ask him for whatever professional garments you'll take, and let's march our butts to where we are needed."
Ami, not ready for what was apparently part two of a discussion he had been absent for part one of, raised her hand timidly, "I'm…kind of dead. Am I-"
"Everyone. Will be. Present." Kelly's tone left nothing unexplained by her meaning. "He'll be recalling Lilith and Eve. Amethyst, you'll bring Rose. Ami-chan, you will inform your fellows. Everyone." Turning to the man she loved, she smiled winningly, "Ankle length, fitted, something in a forest green with white trim? Nude stockings, at the thigh, and sensible heels?"
Still silent, with his hands in his pockets, he changed her outfit as requested. It was one of the dresses he'd bought for her in another life, and so he was familiar enough to make it happen without thought.
"Perfect," kicking one heel up, she kissed his chin. "I'm going to get back to settling everyone in place. Once you have them dressed, bring them to the auditorium on Echo thirty five. You don't enter with them, Saki will be there to bring them in instead." Her smile dropped like a rock as she turned to consider the women one final time, "Fifteen minutes. Sharpish."
The room remained as still as he had been himself, until the door closed behind the departing Poet. Not making eye contact with anyone in particular, he asked in a calm and quiet tone, "So…who's first?"
+++++ 15th Angel + 12: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
Rose had argued less than Lily, surprisingly, but both were convinced when Shinji asked them with full sincerity if whatever they were doing was more important than being there as a family, whole and entire, during a pivotal moment in his planet's history. That Usagi declared her full support, followed by Eve's admission that she was simply glad to be considered part of the crew, cut short any further arguments and allowed an awestruck Saki Watanabe to lead a cluster of groups into the room through the main entrance. Everyone was present.
Come around the side hall, dear, Kelly called him mentally.
Appearing from thin air as he went to move, Phobos and Deimos alighted on his shoulders. Holding their position, despite his motion, they silently declared their place as a part of his family, as watchers over his acts. He was about to face great change, and they would not sit idle as one who would protect the women they loved did what was necessary.
Calm, now that he had no choice, Shinji kept his hands in his pockets and walked towards the door his Poet lingered outside. Waiting inside of that hall was his entire life. The women, and children, that he would tear apart reality for. Foreign dignitaries who were here to pronounce him 'Emperor', a 'Living Saint'. He knew that there were still surprises waiting…nothing in his life was ever spelled out clearly and neatly in advance. Coming to a halt before the one redhead that didn't exist to irritate him in some way, he took a centering breath before asking, "Do you ever wonder…what life would have been like if Adam had just learned to enjoy sharing symbolic power? If, instead of fighting against Lilith's desire to have a say in Creation, he had simply taken the chance to make life better for everyone?"
"Different, I would guess." Familiar enough with a man preparing himself for pain, she smoothed his shirt out, "It may be selfish, but I like the world I'm in. I have a family I love, a man I adore, and a chance to make the universe a better place. Not bad for a girl from a small town in a small country that's lived under the shadow of oppression for nearly all of its existence."
He smiled, a grim upturn of his lips, "They're making a mistake."
"Agree to disagree." Patting his chest, she put on her own game face, "When it starts, recognize it with a gesture of benediction. Your seat is at the head of the table, facing the audience. I'll be standing to your five, if you need something use the mental channel. Prepared statements from those in attendance, as well as those on the holographic conference pads, short break for people to analyze what the others said, then reconvene to get down to the business of forging a brave new world. Kodama has snacks for the little ones, I'd expect Cardinal Brahe to ask for regular breaks for his people. Mind your comments, sir…there's a whole world listening to them now."
Nodding, nothing left to say, he turned to present himself to the door and waited for Kelly to signal the guard inside to open it for him. Preceding him, then stepping to the side, she called out in a voice that likely could have been heard outside the building, "Ladies and Gentlemen, His Majesty Shinji Ikari, Emperor of the Ikari Empire, the Watcher over Chūbu, first of his name, Paladin of the Realm, Sworn Regent and Devoted Protector of Old Hakone and its Environs, and Beloved Husband and Father."
The Catholic contingent shot to their feet, applauding without accompanying cheers though with broad smiles as if receiving-
Phobos and Deimos launched themselves from his shoulders, circling around the room in slow, lazy, arcs. With his arms now free, he was able to lift his hand as if he were both recognizing the praise he was receiving for simply existing and wishing those giving him that praise healthier, happier, lives. Moving purposefully, if a touch unhurriedly, he still covered the ground between him and his seat far faster than any of the others present might have.
The room had more people than he'd anticipated, with others representing themselves through the holographic system in place that had allowed his own father to hold meetings with the various UN committees he'd been leading on merry chases. Several Japanese ministers, members of the Diet, and military personnel. Cardinal Brahe's retinue, as well as those assigned to both of the Archbishops he'd spoken with. The Imperial Princess, and a coterie of servants and staff. Gretchen, and more than a few UN delegates. Admiral Drake, Admiral Lazarev, and several of their staff. Others he didn't recognize and couldn't identify, save by the way they dressed.
Seated in a special section, with Honor Guards standing between them and anyone else, was his household. His entire household. Aspects, spirits, aliens, and humans. Even, somehow, Pen-Pen. The warm water aquatic bird was eyeing everyone with thinly veiled irritation, the noise not something he appreciated. There was no doubt, to any who might simply look at a photo of the room, that those sitting with his family were considered special. Honored. Sacred.
Stepping between the table and the chair, he motioned for quiet and urged one thing as his Ravens landed on the corners of the looming backrest, "What we do today, I pray that we do for the good of humanity. If any here doubts their dedication to improving the lives of every man, woman, and child on this Earth, even those we may disagree with…I beg them to leave now. Those who remain, I will hold accountable for the decisions we agree to." When none made to leave, he nodded and took his seat, "Then let us begin."
+++++ 15th Angel + 12: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
The speeches, well-prepared and delivered with as much enthusiasm as was reasonable, had taken the better part of two hours to get through. He had been declared everything from a boon to all mankind, to a shining paragon of what humanity was capable of with enough dedication, to a blessing from a benevolent creator. His family was lauded with effusive praise for supporting him during these dark times, glorified for their willingness to sacrifice a 'more traditional' relationship to lead the way for those that would need to follow in their steps. His colleagues in the Eva project were declared heroes for their steadfast dedication to not only defending mankind, but to doing so without fraud, waste, or abuse. He was promised support, accolades, and rewards beyond his imagination. Through it all, he sat there with a simple smile on his face, trying with all his might…not to cry.
The first break, allowing everyone to discuss amongst their groups what they'd heard from the other groups, gave him no rest. He was approached, swiftly, by a messenger from the Imperial Princess. The note delivered simply stating, 'Do not despair, Warrior of Light'. He couldn't prevent the honest chuckle, nor the warm smile he gave in return to the woman gazing on him with understanding and sympathy at the memory of her telling him just that very thing so very long ago on his wedding day. Duty was their mandate, and she had taken his measure long, long ago. Motioning the messenger closer, he lowered his voice and asked, "Please, tell her We appreciate her wisdom, and her presence during today's events. We hope to spend more time with her, as We might."
The young woman bowed and hurried off to deliver the response. This created that most abhorrent of things, that which nature cannot abide: a vacuum. The dead space was filled with two more messengers, requesting that he read notes they had delivered from their superiors. The first was from the member of the Diet who had assisted Itsuki Hagiwara, urging caution regarding the delegation from the Chinese mission to the UN. This he 'accidentally' set on fire, while gesturing the bearer closer to respond that he understood and would bear the warning in mind. The second was a formal request from Admiral Lazarev that he be allowed to send some candy to Team Rainbow. The note, written in English, tipped him off that even these dispatches were likely to be monitored and his display of caution regarding leaving them lying about open was not ill-considered. Advising that perhaps any candy go through Kodama, he also asked for another bottle of strawberry wine, hoping that his 'mistake' would be understood as understanding. They want me to be an Emperor, and here we sit already filling ourselves with mistrust by playing games.
Kelly stepped away from her huddle with one of the clerical staff from Cardinal Brahe's retinue to 'tend to her boss'. Leaning down, she moved her mouth as if whispering, though spoke exclusively in her mind, Some members of the UN will be making a power play here. They're going to start testing your resolve, see how easy it will be to get you to accede to any demands. That two of the women of our family are pink, and eleven are visibly alien, with only Ireul, Leliel, Eve, and Lily appearing 'human', is still holding their tongues. I'd expect the question of your humanity to come from someone during the next flurry of statements and questions.
So, that means I need to seize control of my own narrative. He was familiar enough with statecraft, the songs of those eager to align with him had been bombarding him with tactics and strategies unknowingly, Then, the best way to start…is to be unpredictable. Motioning her back, Shinji leaned over towards where Cardinal Brahe was reading through an unexpected letter, and cleared his throat, "Excuse me, Your Eminence?"
There was surprise in the man's song, not having anticipated Shinji deciding to bypass those he would have been more comfortable making idle chats with. A friendly smile bespoke an eager curiosity about the oddity before him, "Yes, Your Holiness?"
"Is that how I'm addressed?" Smiling in turn, Shinji shrugged, "To be honest, I'm just about completely lost on how someone not born into the Catholic faith, or baptized in the faith, might be addressed as ostensibly a 'living saint'. My only familiarity with the religion itself comes from my brilliant right hand, Kelly Chambers. And a host of memories of lives that…."
The fact that Shinji had his doubts only fed the enthusiasm the Cardinal addressed him with, "Are you more comfortable in English? I am quite conversant in your native tongue; I spent my time in seminary with a wonderful gentleman who patiently instructed me in the language."
"Ah, well then. I guess I ought to have considered the possibility that your Pope knew who he was sending, with a little forethought," with a wry shrug, he switched languages himself. "To be honest, I'm comfortable in any language on Earth, and some not found…locally."
"It's no slight that you would worry at another's capacity. I listen to my translator to allow for alternate interpretations of phrases, nuance or…colloquialisms." His statement slowed as Shinji changed the water in the pitcher before him to a liquid that was only found on Rose's home planet, the juice of a cactus-like plant that appeared in the colder southern reaches, "How, if I might beg your indulgence, do you manage that? While the total mass itself may not be created or obliterated, you're changing the elements that comprise it, which has to alter the structure itself. It violates our understanding of Newtonian physics, at the least."
Using Bardiel's invisible strands to pour a glass for himself and the Cardinal, Shinji was grateful that curiosity and not condemnation had followed the test, "A scientist?"
"The majesty of the tools by which God orders the universe are never beyond human understanding, Your Holiness. We only need to look harder; His answers are ever waiting for willing eyes." Accepting the glass, which floated towards him smoothly, he judged the coloration, "Thank you."
Hefting his own cup in a toast, Shinji nodded in fellowship, "To willing eyes." The gently sweet liquid was harmless to humans, the carbohydrates easily broken down like the juice of any orange, and it tasted nearly akin to fresh watermelon at its ripest. Pleased when the man before him eagerly tried the new experience, he kept the pressure up, "So you are an adherent to the less…hidebound, I suppose, interpretations of your faith?"
"That is delicious." Setting down the cup to not allow greed to overcome manners and training, he agreed easily, "While I hold to the teachings as dearly as any of my Church, I do not prejudice myself against obvious truths like many might. As your faithful advisor might have informed you, the Holy See does not view science as anathema. Merely capable of great harm when not properly ordered. Too many think to deceive the faithful with sleight of hand, or cunning tricks and lies. A keen mind, an understanding of science, and a healthy skepticism allow us to protect them against those dark forces."
"Indeed. It's an unfortunate truth that charlatans and miscreants seek the 'easy path' through life, putting their talents and capacity for lies to poor ends." Pulling one of the apples adorning the center of the table towards him, Shinji split it in half with Zeruel's touch to retrieve the seeds. "It's…odd, I'll choose to call it odd I suppose," with Sandalphon's powers, he used the four seeds to quickly grow four more apples, setting three before him before repeating the process several more times with the fourth. "With enough work, I could feed everyone." Offering one of the apples to his conversational partner, he frowned, "Does that not obligate me, in your opinion, to do what I can to feed everyone?"
Wonder and joy beamed from his face as he accepted the fruit, "No, Your Holiness. It does not." Feeling the apple, pushing and testing it, he continued to speak abstractedly, "One of my mother's more favorite sayings was, 'Pray as if it is up to God, work as if it is up to you.' Her meaning, of course, is that if we leave everything up to Him we are belittling our own capacity for good." Setting the apple down, he looked back to Shinji, "That is not to say that we shouldn't help those who require it. Charity is a virtue. But like every other concept under the sun that virtue can be abused. 'Teach a man to fish,' as they say."
Willing a knife of solid ice into his hand, Shinji spun it around to offer the hilt to the Cardinal, "That same saying, however, works regarding warmth and setting them on fire."
Faced with miracle after miracle, Johannes Cardinal Brahe gratefully accepted the next in a seemingly endless sequence, "Which simply proves the point, one should say. Help should never be unconditional. Help a drunk man find his next bottle and you do not truly help him. Help a drunk man see that his vices destroy him by beating him, and he only learns to fear the fist." Splitting the apple in half easily, and observing the fruit within, he set down the knife and spread his hands, "Love him, and through that love show him a better path to God's light, and you save his soul." With a slight shake of his head, the man couldn't believe his own eyes, "You answer my every question before I ask it. You are not deceiving me, you willingly hand me everything to test myself. Why, if I may be allowed to ask a question, do you doubt your own Grace?"
The room had, by and large, quietly watched the exchange. "Because I was born Shinji Ikari, son of Yui Ikari, and Gendo Rokubungi, later Gendo Ikari. Because I spent the first three years of my life, looking at people who would be as gods to the mind of a toddler…only to watch one willingly kill herself to prove the breadth of her self-delusion, and the other abandon me to prove the depth of his manic fixation. Because I spent ten years being beaten, tortured…called worthless, weak, and useless. I then spent months fighting for my life…only to be offered a chance to save everyone. Because I am where I am…at the whim of a capricious being that refuses to show its face to me while it orders me about through pain, and fire, and hate." Gesturing to the other diplomats in the room, he smiled sadly, "Because I could very easily have been ignored by them as I struggled against titanic beings from beyond the stars," his hand shifted to where his family sat, "save for the fact that I love them more than I love myself. I have no grace, Johannes of Lydersholm, son of Alice and Peter. Only the reflected light of women I would give any and everything I have to be worthy of. What I have…." Summoning his spear and holding it in the hand he'd used to gesture, he let his aura go, "Is power. It matters not what I was born. I am now the product of uncounted ages of pain. I seek peace but am surrounded by war. I am a Paladin, a Wanderer without a home. I look at humanity seeking its own destruction and I weep tears of flame," his eyes proved the truth of his words, each willingly taking the hue and depth they were capable of as they lit on fire. "They name me Emperor. You name me Saint. I…." Working his grip to ease the tension that had built up as he spoke, Shinji dug the butt of his spear into the ground as his voice shifted towards the depth of his regrets, "I wanted to live a peaceful life. A simple life. A life of being good, and kind. But I…." Exhaling harshly, he quoted a dead friend, "Great men do not move through life with clean hands. We do what we must, for those who cannot. There will be death, there will be famine, there will be chaos. I cannot control all ends, I cannot control what Creation itself places before me. I can, and I will, control what I do about these evils. If that means accepting what others would call me, then I must accept it. If I must rule…wherever I must rule will be a place of balance. Whatever I must do to make it so, I shall do."
"So declares Saint Ikari, Patron Saint of Wanderers," the Cardinal declared. Reaching into his stack of papers, he pulled out one and held it out for all to see, "Named a Living Saint by Papal bull. I have been entrusted by the Holy See to declare that the Vatican calls on all peace-loving nations of the world to seek good standing with the Empire of Ikari. That we will, hand in hand with the glorious nation of Japan, lay the hopes of all our children at his feet. All good children of the Holy Mother will look to His Holiness to lead us onward to the glories of Heaven."
"The Children of Yamato do so agree," the Imperial Princess declared in a firm voice. "Our dear younger brother now spreads his wings to chart his own course. On behalf of Our eldest brother, the Chrysanthemum throne petitions for shelter under the Grace of Ikari."
Before he could respond, a number of other voices called out similar requests, not wishing to be seen as slow to seek his favor. Scanning the room, he could feel only one song that was less than content with the happenings, Who is that sitting next to the general? The JSSDF Marine general, second row on the left, my apologies. There's about a dozen of them in this area.
Kelly responded after a brief pause, Seating chart says, 'Advisory Staff'. Not particularly descriptive.
She's nervous. Everyone else is anxious, more excited than upset, she's genuinely worried about something. Ethical worries were quickly set aside, My Flame, is she planning anything dangerous? Don't share her thoughts if she's just…being sane.
Rei Hino, with a slight look of confusion, asked, What's an Armisael?
Shinji stood from the table, his eyes locked on the new target, his hand tight around his spear. Levelling the deadly weapon at the supposed 'advisor', he cut over the startled gasps, "You. Do not move."
+++++ 16th Angel + 0: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
Fear, pain, but no confusion crossed the woman's face as she slowly stood, "You killed Father."
Great job, Eve, Lilith ground out. One of your children right under our noses, and not even a 'Head's Up'?
Approaching cautiously, Shinji tried to keep the Angel's focus on him so that everyone else could back away. The military detachment from the JSSDF, however, stood their ground and prepared to fight against a potential threat to not only The Paladin, but the Imperial Princess, members of the Diet, and other dignitaries on what was their home soil. He kept his voice calm, "Everyone, back away. This doesn't need to end in violence. Armisael, you're-"
"Why?" The woman's face began to move oddly, as if emotions were foreign concepts, "Why did you have to kill our Father?!"
"Armisael, dear," Eve moved to support Shinji, standing near him to de-escalate the situation, "your Father went to his death willingly. He was dead the moment Lilith crashed into this world. You know how the rules are, the two species cannot coexist without an intermediary. Shinji can be that intermediary!" Indicating the possessed woman's torso, she made her own plea, "Please, don't hurt this poor woman's child simply to avenge a man that neither deserved it nor wanted it."
She's pregnant? Shinji grimaced, Of course…that's how Armisael is-
I can't intervene, Master, Eve informed him with a heavy heart. She's challenging you. If I interfere, Creation could take it as a violation of the rules and the entire system will collapse. A complete reset will be the best possible outcome, a total wipe of reality…far more likely.
"You can see your brothers, your sisters," he had to work this out diplomatically. If he failed, there was every possibility people would die in the scuffle. He was nowhere near his Eva, and he wasn't confident that Armisael would remain in the mortal shell for a fight, "They stand with me. In love! Love for me, for their new family, love for you…if you'll just let us-"
"They stand in fear!" She screamed out her defiance, "You killed our Father! You're torturing my brother!"
Eve spread her hands pleadingly, "Calm, my child…please, I feel no fear of this man. I love him more than I ever loved your Father. He's going to give you more siblings, you'll-"
"No…." A smug tone entered her voice, "He won't."
The sound of Suzuka's scream would haunt Shinji's mind, both in his waking hours and those few he chose to spend sleeping, for thousands of years. Frozen, in horror, he felt his wife's pain wash over him like a tsunami. Slightly less than a second passed as he debated rapidly what to do, what he could do. If he killed the woman holding Armisael, there was no guarantee it would also kill the Angel. If he didn't, he allowed the murder of his children, potentially his wife, and then everyone else nearby should the Sixteenth choose to do so. A baby, innocent and unborn, was being used as a shield.
His children were being threatened.
Teleporting the last distance between him and his target, he flung her upwards against the vaulted ceiling, two dozen meters above. Flying up after her, he impaled her with his spear and simply obliterated the poor Lilin's corporeal form with that natural electricity which Ramiel could produce. Unfortunately, this did not kill the Angel. It did, however, free her from the shell she'd chosen to inhabit. Wrapped around the point of his weapon, the beast undulated in a sick parody of life.
As she swelled to immensity, a twin helix of light and suffering, the Angel of the Womb roared in pain and rage, You will know our misery you failed usurper!
Misato, go get Unit-01 up top! His last order given, Shinji called on Sahaquiel's shield to protect those below him as he shoved his foe out through the various layers of the GeoFront between him and the ground above. He couldn't worry about anything else now. My children. Forcing the thought away, he pushed harder. Metal, plaster, wood, and stone erupted around them while they ascended, as Armisael lashed him with both ends of her snakelike body. Many unfortunate employees of NERV were injured, some very badly, by the necessary but drastic evacuation. He couldn't protect everyone. I couldn't protect my own children. Daylight, cold and sterile, burst into his eyes as the outside world welcomed them from the underground. His skin sizzled, his mind shrieking that what he was doing was damaging him horrendously, he spun and threw his now full-sized opponent away from him. He had to buy time. Unit-01 wasn't where he was, he was vulnerable. I hesitated. His grip on the haft of his spear tightened, "I'm going to kill you now."
Rushing towards him, a wordless howl echoing across the landscape, Armisael was no longer interested in speaking. She would be the one to avenge her father. She would be the one to save them all. All that was between her and victory was a pathetic, weak-hearted, Lilin.
+++++ 16th Angel + 0: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
"I know he's not in it, you blithering idiot, launch the fucking Eva!" Misato's foot beat a rapid tattoo on the elevator as she waited impatiently for it to reach the bridge, slamming the 'end call' button on her phone. Shinji was exposed, alone, and facing an Angel. Suzuka was being hauled to medical by Kyoko, Kodama, and Ritsuko, and she had no further information. Hikari and Kelly were attempting to explain as they could to worried diplomats and clergy, everyone who'd remained behind asking what they could do to help. Tsuru, Yang, Minami, Fuuka, and Rei were helping Pen-Pen calm and occupy Team Rainbow. Maya and Akane were working with the 'Sailor Senshi', as they called themselves, to affect recovery operations for those harmed by Shinji taking the fight outside. Everyone had their roles, everyone was doing what they needed to.
Reaching the top, she almost bumped into Shigeru as she exited the lift, who apologized as he hurried over to his console, "I was just coming on shift, ma'am, I took over for her and have things moving. I have Unit-01 on an intercept course for the fight. He's giving that beast a bout as he is, but I'm not sure how we're going to get him the separation he needs without hitting him with the defensive weapons in the attempt."
She was glad to have at least one person she could always count on to keep his head in a crisis, "Once it's up top, eject the plug enough that he can get in. I'll let him know it's open." If we're going to be honest with everyone about everything, it doesn't matter who knows I have him on speed dial. Taking in the camera feeds, she grimaced at what she saw. The man she loved was fighting a giant twisted cable of light, and it was not obvious who was losing and who was winning.
+++++ 16th Angel + 0: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
"She's still tachycardic. Corpsman, I need that line run." Kyoko was hooking up sensors along Suzuka's body, "What's the status on a mobile sonogram cart?"
Ritsuko was typing away as fast as she could on a MAGI interface, "Kodama's still hunting it down. People aren't leaving their toys where they ought to. I'm going to track them down and not leave their limbs where they ought to be."
Rina, lacking the backstory, continued asking probing questions of her patient as she applied an armbar to stop that patient from hurting herself and others. That her patient was immortal, writhing in violent pain, and sweating badly enough that dehydration was already a serious concern could only be helped by getting the elegant woman to restore logical control over her body, "Can you tell us where it hurts, ma'am? Please, even a general area will help."
Hina had the I.V. line introduced, working in tandem with her twin sister, "Got it. Recommend stabilizer bar, here. She's not lucid." Hurrying to begin running fluids, she called back over her shoulder, "Still can't reach Temple. Don't know where mom is, but she's not answering her phone."
+++++ 16th Angel + 0: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
Punching the enormous double-helix strand did little, as its body was too malleable and there were no obvious internal structures to damage. His spear could dig wounds into the Angel, but until or unless he could find the core there was little he could do to slow the regeneration down. He himself had not come out unscathed, though his own natural regeneration was working to keep him in the fight. Scars would form, eventually, over those places where acidic burns and shredded skin took longer to congeal back into a system in hemostasis. He was aware of Unit-01's presence, but withdrawing from combat long enough to connect with the system would allow Armisael unopposed blows against it and him, or the freedom to devastate more of the city. He was fighting liquid, the being reforming and reshaping after everything he did. He was too small, a thought he never believed he'd have again, and that limited his offensive capacity.
+++++ 16th Angel + 0: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
"You stay right where you are, you…terrible mistake." Eve glowered death at her son, who stood calmly grinning where she'd left him. "Rose, dear, get your people out of here. Once our beloved wins, they'll just be pawns for my son to use against him. Leave me here, with Lilith, and do what you can to get ready. This-"
"How did you miss your child's presence?" Tabris asked pleasantly, "Your baby girl was right there, but you didn't even notice her?" Clicking his tongue in disapproval, he sighed, "Tell me…did she pass along my regards?" His voice darkened, "Did Shinji enjoy watching his-"
Rose grabbed Lily's dress before the woman could approach, "Don't. Don't give him the satisfaction." The pink skinned starship captain had her own emotions switched off, the terrible deeds her people had performed weighing all the heavier now that the tragedies continued to mount, "I'm trusting you here, ok?" When her counterpart actually looked shocked, she shook her head, "Now is not the time. We both fucked Shinji up good. We both did terrible things. We both allowed terrible things to happen. Keep your head straight, evacuate Eve when it's time. I need to be on my ship now, because if this is the only surprise he had lined up I'll eat the [Song] planet."
Lilith of Eden, aware of the irony of the situation, clenched her fist and growled out, "Keep your people safe, Rose. Lover is going to need all of us, to help him and Suzuka…." Her eyes held pain, both for anyone who pissed her off, and for her own emotional hurts, "Go. I've got this."
+++++ 16th Angel + 0: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
"Please be careful, there we go," Usagi kept a beatific smile on her face as she urged people to carefully climb free of the debris held up by her allies. "The doctors are very busy right now, but they'll be with you as soon as they can."
Makoto Kino accepted Minako's help to set down a larger section of rubble, "We should be up there."
"Don't need to convince me," the Sailor of Love groaned. "The Princess and Rei are the ones ordering us to stand down."
Rei Hino, appearing quietly behind them, let her anger show a touch, "The rules of these fights are strict. He has access to our talents, but not our aid. Should he require the elements we control, he'll use them. For now, he requires that we help these injured souls. So stop complaining, and keep searching."
Ami and Maya sent the walking wounded towards the hospital wing, triaging those that needed more immediate aid. The bluenette Sailor of Mercury wanted to cry, the sounds of misery surrounding her, "What savage cruelty…."
Her husband was fighting. Her wife…was suffering. There was too much for Maya to do, and not enough of her to do it. "This is our life, Ami-chan. This is why we don't fight with each other like selfish children. We are always one minute away from having our entire world upended, and the last thing he needs is for us to be at each other's throats all the time over who he chooses to spend those few minutes he has with."
"I'll never think cross thoughts of you again," she whispered sadly. Gripping the woman who was as tall as she herself on the sleeve, she had her gentle heart in her eyes, "I am so very sorry that I thought you would willingly abuse him."
The kindred spirit before her earned a warm hug with the admission of fault, "The situation is terrible. It's just a series of horrible things, and people trying to work through them as best as they can. You pull your weight, like you are today, and we'll make it through. I won't let us fail, and he won't let me fail, ok?"
+++++ 16th Angel + 0: Tuesday, December 6th (131)
How's the evacuation going, Mother? Shinji was tiring, he knew his foe was too. The fight had stretched into the second hour, and neither side was ceding anything.
Shelters report full. Anyone who hasn't already made it…isn't going to. She couldn't give much by way of advice, as the camera feeds struggled to keep up with the rolling brawl, What's your play here?
He'd built a home. His Aspects had built a base. A city…couldn't be that much harder. I'm going to kill this bitch. Flexing his dwindling reserves of willpower, he shoved Sahaquiel's shield into being around him and forced Armisael back. Allowing his body to fall towards the ground below, he willed an orb no larger than a golf ball into the void he'd left behind…and let go.
Sahaquiel, obeying the Purpose she'd been given by Shinji himself during his brief time as a nearly pure Adamite being, shifted her protection from around him to sheltering what she could of the GeoFront and the surrounding areas. She ignored his safety, ignored his will, and protected those he loved. Her physical avatar screamed in agony as the light of a miniature sun flared and died, smashing with immense force against her shield. Her emotions roiled, knowing that what she'd just felt…her 'Daddy' felt ten times over.
Shinji had been ready for that eventuality. Knowing that his defenses might fail, that there was no guarantee that the youthful Aspect he loved was even strong enough to absorb that much concentrated light. When the pressure wave drove him against her shield, boiling away the skin and blood of Armisael, he clutched to the one thing that would keep him awake and in the fight. He held to the knowledge of his failure. To the strength that pure hatred granted him. His body baked alive. His left eye, exposed by virtue of being on the side of his face that remained facing the explosion, bubbled away. He was being crushed between a shield crafted by the love he held for those beneath him, and the burning disgust he had for a creature that would murder children without true need.
Sucked upwards by the vacuum created when the explosion lost its energy and the atmosphere sought to reassert its rightful place on the planet, his right eye the only source of light for him, he used the power of flight to aid his acceleration towards his goal. A red sphere, larger than he himself. The heart and soul of the Child of Adam. That which made the being that would never know peace. Slamming his spear into it with both antipathy and determination, he created a second explosion as the very atoms that composed the orb were ripped apart.
As this second blast was directly before him, he had no protection and less capacity to carry on. Consciousness fled, gravity reclaimed him, and he fell to the Earth broken and bloody. Victorious…but at a terrible cost.
+++++ Author's Notes:
xXCARL1992Xx: RE: My problems.
There's a good reason that the Flight Attendants tell you to put on your own oxygen mask first. It's good and practical advice, and when you forget to do good and practical things you wind up paying through the nose for that fact. Thanks for your well wishes, and I'm glad you're still enjoying the show.
SK: RE: Speed.
This story has throttled down well below fifty miles per hour. Thank you for your well wishes, and I'm glad you're still enjoying the story.
chiposkippy: RE: Warm wishes.
Thank you, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
JaceSterne:
RE: Pacing.
I'm starting to flex the muscles again, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to stick the landing this year.
RE: Biological nanites.
Life is full of a multitude of ways to kill us all, or alter our core functionality as human beings. The pandemic sweeping our world right now is proof enough of that. Epidemiology is a valued science, for certain, but it's nearly impossible to always know for sure what causes things with any semblance of haste. My money's on the plague in my story having been caused by wombats.
Blackplant:
RE: The Empire.
If I were going to put someone in charge of a globe-spanning empire, I could think of many worse people than the man who's determined to allow everyone as much free will as he can, while providing as much safety and security as he can. It helps that he doesn't want an empire, and won't look to misuse it.
RE: Well wishes.
Thank you. It's stabilized, at least. I'm still bailing water, but I'm at least not drowning anymore.
Martial Arts Master:
RE: Pacing.
The fact that I can't write as much as I want to has made what's happened all the worse. This story was my catharsis from a world that had already been hard. Now that I can't dedicate as much time to it? It's…challenging.
RE: Completion.
I'm going to finish this story, one way or another.
Guest: RE: Fun.
I'm glad you're having fun with it. Everyone needs more fun in their lives.
Huagh:
RE: Flow.
The narrative does skip about sometimes if you're not more recently in it. As it's gone on, and I've continued to reference things from much earlier chapters, it's only become more obvious to me that I apparently hate plot holes.
RE: Minami.
Gaghiel needed someone of his own, and Minami serves a purpose that neither she nor Shinji is aware of yet.
RE: Sailors.
Those five, and their inclusion, were a real beast to balance. I can't make them as powerful as they were in their source material, or Shinji'd become superfluous. In the end, I hope they work the way I intend them to.
origamishishou: (It's good to be back at it, as much as I am.)
RE: Your own story.
I'm certain that you can make it everything you want it to be, my friend. When I have time, I'd love to read it and see what you've come up with in your own whimsy.
Ghost Man:
RE: Characterization.
Balancing character with caricature so that everyone is distinct enough to remember without becoming one-dimensional is probably the bane of every writer's existence. Ultimately, that's why I reference hair colors and eye colors so often when people are speaking, because Shinji spends so much time with his eyes above people's chin-level to avoid potentially looking down at chest-level, that it serves to identify without becoming redundant.
RE: Kino/Hino.
Nice catch. Fixed that one.
RE: Sailors.
They are capable of corporeal manifestation outside of Shinji, so long as they've stored up enough of his love to maintain the body. They soak in his affection, in the time-dilated atmosphere of his soul, and then turn that into power outside of it. The problem is, if they've manifested physically they're subject to those rules. They can't become intangible at-will, though they can make use of their powers and potential. If they release themselves back into Shinji's soulspace, they become ghosts again. Whether or not another "death" is possible, they don't know for certain. A lot of this hasn't been explored, for pacing purposes. But there's the explanation that I can give right now.
RE: Infection.
I'm not entirely sure how Terror (Ireul) would be useful against the plague. As far as Armisael…well, if you've read this chapter then you know why that's not going to be likely.
RE: Chat.
Same to you, my friend. I try to check regularly for PMs.
TheHiddenLettuce:
RE: Well wishes.
Thank you. I'm just glad that people come back and read even after long hiatuses.
RE: Fuuka.
She got what she asked for. What she wanted? That's another issue.
RE: Minami.
I have a fondness for misunderstood characters showing others that the masks we all wear are just those. Her place in the story was always intended to be to show Hikari that she (Hikari) was way too hypercritical, despite her actions being well-considered. It also showed, however, that Hikari wasn't above "starting fresh" if the situation warrants it.
TripleF: RE: Well wishes.
Thank you, I appreciate the thoughts. I could use some luck.
Huagh: RE: Roles.
At this point…I think Suzuka, Nicolette, Tsuru, and Akane. Those three, if I'm remembering right, have not yet accepted their roles. (I have over one hundred thousand more words written at the time of posting this chapter, so I just did a quick scan.)
Johann Sebastian Bach: RE: Length.
I'm not sure I should be proud so much as placed in a mental hospital. Every time I see my audience grow, I sit back and wonder exactly how I managed to enrapture people with this unwieldly beast. Whenever you want, though. The story'll be here. Thanks for at least looking at it.
DariusPogChamp: RE: Chapters.
Yeah…I kind of overshot the mark. I had planned everything out to be around 100 chapters, and then kept finding more things I needed to say. Oops?
ZF IAnswerToNoOne: RE: Mister Toad.
I hope you enjoyed what you've read. I thank you for choosing to try, even if I failed to entertain.
