.hack/EVA: Catharsis: Chromatic Fragmentation
Disclaimer: In this universe in the quantum foam, I do not own or in any way shape or form hold a claim to the .hack series or Neon Genesis Evangelion.
" " denotes speech
'italics' denotes thought
'bold' denotes location names
'bold italics' denotes skill use
Net Slum Tartarga, Sea of Data
Upon the central bridge of the Net Slums stood the one who had been mistress of the data underworld through both iterations of The World, the Harvest Cleric Tsukinoki, better known as Helba, Queen of the Dark, a hacker of legendary skill, rumored to be the best of any living. Looking out at the broad vistas of The World spread before her like a ruler surveying her domain, a place that she cared for deeply as a second home, she managed a faint smile.
For all too brief a moment, her normally stern features softened ever so slightly, as the wind rustled the folds and draperies of her flowing white dress outlined with royal purple triangular designs. As always, her eyes were hidden behind the red-gold visor fitted in her queen's helm, but nonetheless, one could almost feel a sense of wistfulness seeping out from them.
'I may not be the Goddess of The World, yet I understand the order The World wishes from watching over it for so long,' the Sorceress in White mused, remembering the events of long ago, and all that had since transpired—all the people she had guided, all the ones she had protected, all the memories lingering in her mind. 'This place has been kind to me, a refuge for a time from the more mundane worries of everyday existence, reflecting the warmth of the Dawn, letting me reach beyond myself in the age of the gods. With utmost care, the winds of change have wafted, in the land of Twilight, under the moon.'
While Queen of the Dark, she had helped to usher in a new dawn after the Twilight of the old Gods, and now it seemed she strove for dawn again, in the wake of Aura's disappearance.
'I do know that Aura is part of The World, as Morganna was before her, as dear Zefie has told me, but I also know that she has returned to the Sea of Data so as to let humanity choose its own path. Would that the God of earth would remain in his heaven—then all would be right with the world!'
"Is something on your mind, my Queen?" a voice inquired solicitously from beside her. Twas her old friend Rumor, walking around in his new guise, golden eyes looking out unblinking from the fringes of his cropped blue-silver hair. Even though she had performed the data graft herself, Rumor's—no, Zelkova's—new appearance still sometimes took her by surprise. "Rumor has it that the memories of past might sometimes rise like wave, even for you."
Gone was the boy who used to be her emissary, the personification of rumors throughout The World—the mini-Harvest Cleric with tousled gray hair, big blue eyes, and a small teardrop shaped tattoo on his left cheek, dressed in dark blue robes fringed with what looked like depictions of ocean surf. Indeed, even Rumor's old affectation of prefacing his words with "Rumor says" or "Rumor has it" were now occurring much less frequently than before, cutting away one of the last few ties the Queen of the Dark had to the bygone days of the first version of The World.
"Greetings, old friend," the Sorceress in White voiced with a small sigh. "It seems you know me well, Rumor. As you suspect, I am simply pondering the events of past, as well as the possibilities in the future to unfold. Things such as the birth of the Goddess, the rise of AIDA, and each of the roles that we must play, old friend."
"Roles?" the young boy inquired, eyes curious as ever, if perhaps slightly more expressive. Though he had changed drastically in form, Helba smiled to note that the Flick Reaper born of Rumor's code still held in hand a staff like a frozen whirlpool, a sign that not everything had changed from what she knew.
"For many years, Net Slum has been ruled by a Queen," Tsukinoki murmured distantly, her tone contemplative. "For many years, I have watched over The World—yet with events in the other world, the Angels of which I have spoken, the time may soon come when I will walk The World no more."
"When you walk The World no more..." the newly-minted Zelkova repeated to himself, before frowning and looking in the direction of the fields below. "But what will we of the Net Slums do without you, you who have ever guided and protected us, given us refuge in troubled times?"
For the first time in a while, the smile on the Sorceress in White's face was somewhat drawn and tired, as she looked down upon the Lost Ground of Hulle Granz Cathedral, shaking her head at all that had transpired in that church in her long tenure as the Queen of the Dark.
"Net Slum will follow in the way of The World, it seems," the Sorcerer-Queen replied, her lips quirking into a more neutral expression. "As the Goddess has returned to the Sea of Data to sleep, returning the future of The World to the hands of those who dwell within it, so will I hand the future of the Slums to those who have long walked beside me. Rumor has it that instead of a 'queen', Net Slum will have a 'King.'"
"A king?"
"Yes, for I have chosen a successor," Tsukinoki stated, reaching up and removing her helm and visor, an action that few, if any, had ever witnessed in The World. Turning to regard the young boy who had accompanied her through the End of the old World, and into the new, her green eyes seemed almost misty as they reflected the light of dawn. "The one who wove legends and spun them for the benefit of those of The World, whose words have inspired the generations who came about in the Age of Aura, the one who has been my friend and loyal companion through both the old World and the new."
"Ah…then you mean…" the former Rumor looked down demurely, unsure of how to reply to this new piece of information. It was an honor to be so chosen, to be sure, but to have this responsibility thrust upon him so suddenly. "But, my queen…I am not worthy of…"
For the first time, the young personification of stories and bards found himself speechless as the Queen of the Dark reached down and affectionately ruffled his hair with a gentle smile.
"Rumor, old friend, if not you, then who?" she asked, not really expecting an answer. "You have been by my side since the birth of Aura, and you love The World more than almost anyone else. This place is your home, one you are bound to by nature and by choice. Long ago, when you first spoke to me about the types of players in The World, you said that there were two, those who like it and those who don't, and that eventually, both would quit. My time is coming, and there is no one I trust more so than you, old friend, for you will be the foundation of the new Net Slums."
A lone tear traveled down her cheek as the queenly mask allowed a trace of inner turmoil to leak through—but only for a moment, before it slid back down with an iron thud!
"More pragmatically," she continued, turning away and replacing her visor-helm upon her head, "you understand the nature of The World, and you have risked grievous harm to your person to protect it. So I bestow upon you this crown of sorts, for the time that is coming when my mantle becomes yours."
The Queen of the Dark proffered a hand to Zelkova, holding in it a set of horns like that which would adorn the brow of a twilight dragon. Wordlessly, the AI went down on one knee and took it, bowing his head to his friend and mistress.
Just then, a spiral of golden light burst into existence on the far end of the bridge, vanishing to reveal a characteristically unshaven Steam Gunner with fair skin and black hair bound up in a ponytail, a man wearing orange sunglasses, a blood red tunic, black trousers, and a flowing black overcoat. He was Gendor, the in-world avatar of triple agent Ryoji Kaji.
"Am I interrupting something?" the unshaven spy asked with much amusement as he took in the scene before him.
The Sorceress in White merely nodded at him, while bidding Zelkova to rise and be off once again. She watched his fast disappearing back as the small boy wandered off, before turning to speak to her guest.
"Your sense of timing needs work, Special Investigator Ryoji Kaji," Tsukinoki replied coldly, mouth set in something of a grimace as she looked over the man. "Both here and in the other world—you certainly picked an inopportune time to sabotage NERV's power grid, didn't you?"
"Heh…so you know about that too," the spy remarked, unsurprised. "Well, you are the legendary Helba, after all, not much gets past you."
"Indeed. Come along Kaji, we have much to discuss," the Queen of the Dark noted. "Including a special assignment I have for you, and the matter of a codename, as Gendor, is far too similar to your commander's first name and might draw too much attention. If I or my agents should make contact with you outside The World, you will be known to them as Fili the White."
"…Understood."
Morganna's Apartment
Try as one might to deny it, dawn always came all too quickly to the city of Tokyo-3, particularly, it seemed, after an Angel Attack. So, at least, the aching body of Shinji Ikari protested, as the rays of the sun lanced through the windows, creeping closer, closer to his face, a cursed wave of wakefulness that would not be denied. But as tired as he was from the manual labor to prep the Evas for launch, suffering phantom pain from the Angel attack, and subsequently hiking out to the outskirts of Tokyo-3 to go stargazing with his lover, the Third Child actually felt pretty good this morning.
The world, it seemed, was cooperating with him, as if congratulating him for his victory the other day. The mattress was softer and supported his back better than usual, his body didn't feel cold this morning, and—
'Wait a minute…this isn't my room…this is...an unfamiliar ceiling," Shinji noted, beginning to suspect that he had not gone home last night, and that the warmth he felt in his heart was really—he dared dart his eyes downward, thought processes slamming to a halt when he saw a head of silver hair resting on his chest. Gulping nervously, he let his gaze slip down a little lower, just as the source of warmth wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling his chest.
"Mmm…Ecchi-kun," came a soft moan from the still-sleeping Lycoris, causing Shinji's face to bloom with as much red as one of the spider-lilies the Child of Twilight normally carried around. "You're so warm, Ecchi-kun."
'Wha? This is a dream, right?' Shinji asked himself, finding his self-control beginning to slip away due to the very intimate position the two were in. He bit the inside of his lip to perform the classic test of wakefulness, wincing as the pain registered. 'I'm not dreaming…so that means…that I'm—I'm not in my room—I'm in Reimeiki-chan's room, in bed with her.'
His mind reeling from the revelation, his body jerked a bit, the tremor being just enough to wake up his sleeping lover, who blinked, yawned cutely, and looked up at him with a sleepy smile.
"Guten Morgen, Ecchi-kun," Lycoris whispered, crawling up Shinji's (still-clothed) form to kiss him lightly on the lips.
A perfect little moment—or it would have been, had slaying Angels been a job that led to an increase in good karma. As it was, (literally) shooting the messenger did not inspire much divine goodwill, and since the Third Child did have the most Angel kills to his name, having contributed to the death of each one except the 8th…
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Three quick raps sounded on the bedroom door as it swung open, revealing the presence of none other than the statuesque Yumi Aranami, otherwise known as Morganna, who blinked twice at the tableau she was presented with.
"Lycoris, apologies for the intru—" Morganna began, only for her voice to cut off abruptly as her eyes fell upon the sight of the two lovers. "Ah, Mr. Ikari as well, I see. Apologies for the interruption indeed."
In such a situation, the former goddess had the courtesy to leave before any more awkwardness could result, closing the door silently behind her. 'I will admit that that was unexpected, quite so soon.'
Quirking a slender eyebrow, Morganna retreated to the kitchen, preparing a Western breakfast with crepes, breads (with sweet toppings like jam, marmalade and honey), and fruit. It had been admittedly, a bit of a surprise to find the Third Child in her daughter's bedroom, even if both Lycoris and Shinji had been fully clothed, and she knew they had been together during the Angel incident. And while a small part of her did feel like invoking her old manner to interrogate the brown-haired boy, she did have to show him that she trusted him on some level, as he was currently one of the chosen dothackers.
'I will confront them at the table, as no doubt both are quite hungry…'
Meanwhile, back in the room, the unexpected walk-in had caused Shinji to blanch, going as pale as Lycoris normally was. But unlike how a blush only accentuated the beauty of someone like Rei Ayanami or Reimeiki Hakubo, blanching did not do anything to flatter his features. His panic was only averted when the silver-haired girl wrapped her arms around him and stopped him from moving, his inability to do anything forcing him to calm down.
"Come on, Ecchi-kun, calm down," she whispered insistently into his ear. "Like I said, Aranami-sensei is more of a big sister than anything else, so stop panicking. Or do you not like me anymore, after doing such ecchi things to me last night?"
With those teasing words, Lycoris launched the ultimate attack on Shinji's willpower, combining a mock pout with puppy dog eyes to erode away his absolute terror.
"Of course, I like you, Reimeiki-chan," the Third Child sighed, wrapping his arms around her in turn, any resistance caving in unconditional surrender. "It's just…"
"It will be fine, Shinji-kun," murmured the silver-haired girl, emphasizing her seriousness with the use of his real name. "As long as we're together, everything will be fine."
They stayed like that for a few more minutes—about as long as they dared, before walking out to the living room to confront Aranami-sensei.
To Shinji's surprise (having had generally negative responses from authority figures), the rather intimidating woman that doubled as Lycoris' guardian/sister figure and their teacher wore a gentle smile on her face, as she gestured for them to sit and eat. As usual, she was dressed in her ensemble of black formal dress with a Celtic cross pendant, her black hair accented by purple-black tresses flowing to the small of her back—but today, her ethereal violet eyes seemed to shimmer with more amusement than usual.
"Come, breakfast is ready," she said cheerfully, almost in the manner of Misato before a volley of teasing. Both the brown-haired boy and silver-haired girl quickly obeyed, and complying with her wishes, began to eat.
At the first forkful, the Third Child's eyes widened in delight, the strange tastes a treat to a palette only used to Japanese dishes.
"This is very good, Aranami-sensei," complimented a surprised Shinji, trying to defuse any possible verbal attacks before they began. "The crepes are especially delicious?"
"Why thank you, Mr. Ikari," Morganna replied demurely, before fixing her mischievous gaze on the hapless boy. "Would you like the recipe? From what your friends say about you, you're quite the cook."
"It's just something I enjoy, that's all," he said, brushing off the praise. "I'm nothing all that special."
"Nonsense," quipped Morganna, her smile widening to the Cheshire grin of a feline having found an especially choice fish to eat. "As for this morning…Shinji Ikari, slayer of Angels, however did you come to date the sister of a goddess? Would you say that's a bit of a contradiction? Come now, tell me all. I would like to know of dear Reimeiki's lover besides the terrors in his heart."
"I, uh—we…"
Shinji and Lycoris looked at each other, eyes meeting blue to golden, then looked down and blushed in unison, movements perfectly matched, as Morganna laughed freely for the first time in many years, a laugh born not of derision or challenge…but of mirth.
'It seems that Lycoris and I have both become more human than I realized…'
Asuka Langley Soryu's Residence
Deep in the bowels of the Geofront, the temperamental Second Child was caught in the place between waking and sleeping, tossing, turning, all alone. That was by choice of course, as with her mouth, she had declared that she didn't need anyone, that she would never need anyone. Others had hurt her before, had betrayed her—and so she had turned her back on them, spurning the world for the sake of herself.
But it wasn't the distant past that troubled her today, though the wounds inflicted by mother and father still festered, rotted with the maggots of doubt and despair. No—it was the pain of being stabbed in the back by the verdammen glory-hounding baka hentai Shinji Ikari, the Third Child, who, now that she looked at their time together, had conspired to keep her from being known as the best pilot.
'On the supercarrier Over the Rainbow, the baka interfered with my first battle, getting into my Eva without permission, and taking charge,' fumed the redhead, face contorting with rage. 'In the battle against that double Angel, he took charge of the offense and belittled me, making me look foolish and himself the hero. And just yesterday…just yesterday, he took on that spider-like Angel and defeated it by himself, without even waiting for me—me, who he kissed without warning after molesting that doll. BAKA HENTAI IKARI SHINJI!'
How dare he? Honestly, who the hell did the Third Child think he was, to just kiss someone without permission like that and then not even make it up to her? If he had just waited for her, had allowed her to slay another Angel by herself, without his interference or her EVA going berserk, then maybe she would have forgiven him. The streak of boldness was rather attractive…
'NIEN—he's a baka hentai, and more than that, a wretched little doll master, a vampire sucking away the talent of others all to make himself look good,' seethedher thoughts, her eyes darting this way and that in the shadows of the unlit room. 'Well, I won't just let him get away with his devious little plans, putting his dirty paws wherever he wants, as if he were some gift to women. Only the Fourth Child actually understands me, even if he can be difficult too…'
Yesterday's events replayed themselves over and over within her mind, and try as she might to find an alternative for the way the Third had acted, she couldn't.
'I'll bet that if I hadn't been able to defeat the 8th Angel, the dull little boy would have just jumped into the volcano without the D-type equipment … pulling me out just for a scrap or two of praise. At least I'm not that deranged…'
Restlessly, the Second Child stirred, still dressed in her clothes from the day before. Right now, she was unsure of herself: she was confused and angry and…it wasn't as if there was a point in changing, since she didn't want to go to school and have look the lecherous pervert in the eye, as he flirted with anything with two legs and a skirt.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Before she could launch into another round of grousing and grumbling, the sound of someone rapping at the door to her inner sanctum jolted her back to reality. Asuka knew that she was dressed plainly, to be sure, and wasn't quite presentable, but there was no help for it: she had to answer the door. So she put on her arrogant mask, strode over to the door and flung it open, turning her imperious gaze upon the one who dared to interrupt her.
"Yes, who is…oh, it's you, Fourth. What do you want?" she asked of the grey-haired boy that was standing there watching her, somehow wearing a pleasant smile. "If you've come to ask me to show you around again, I'm not in the mood."
"Of course, I can understand," the other said as he gave her a once over. "You seem troubled today—likely due to the behavior of the Third Child, who seems intent in taking all the glory away from you, the best pilot."
"Eh?" she asked, taking a step back. "What are you—?"
"Oh, come now, don't be coy," Kaworu murmured in honeyed tones, once again aiming to assuage the hurts of the redhead. "You and I both know that you are the best—that's why the Third is jealous, trying to keep you from taking the field and showing how weak he really is. For even without the vast difference in your skills, do you not pilot the first production model Evangelion, while his and mine are but obsolete test and prototype models?"
"Heh…it's only natural that they would give me the strongest Evangelion, since I am the best, right?" Asuka asked of the grey-haired boy, receiving a grin in return.
"The best, and the most desirable," the Fourth Child added with a smirk, his words somehow sending shivers down her spine. "Even in the rumpled attire you wear now, your beauty is quite evident."
"B-baka! You…you…" she protested weakly, trying to squirm away for a few moments before giving up, deciding that resistance was probably futile. For as much as the Second Child wanted to resist, she hadn't been able to get much sleep the night before, and in his arms she felt—almost—comfortable. "You're right…but why are you here?"
"I have my first sync test with Eva-00 today, which as you might or might not know, is notorious for its history of going berserk in sync tests and activation experiments," Kaworu stated in his musical voice. "Since you are, of course, the best pilot, I would like it if you could be there with Eva-02, to restrain my unit if something should occur. And then afterward, we will go out on our 'not-a-date', as you call it."
"Unit-00…berserk during a test?" Asuka repeated, lips curling into a fierce grin. "So I guess Wondergirl wasn't so perfect after all, if she couldn't control her own EVA."
"Quite so," the grey-haired boy acknowledged. "And as her replacement, I have my doubts as well, though I would have none if you were there watching. For though your heart is fragile, you have woven great strength for yourself without needing others."
Asuka flushed ever-so-slightly at his words.
"And what, do you need me there?" she shot back. "Don't tell me you're too afraid to pilot without me holding your hand, baka!"
"No," he whispered softly, looking into her eyes. "I don't need you there at all—I simply want you, as I enjoy your spirit and your company. For did I not say: 'I love you?'"
Had the Angels known that those three little words could send the Second Child into a brief catatonia, rendering stiff and rigid, frozen in state of shock, they would surely have broadcast that on all available radio frequencies.
"Al-Alright," the Second relented, giving in to what Kaworu wanted from her. "I'll go join you for your sync test…I was looking for an excuse not to go to school and deal with baka Shinji today anyway. You'd better appreciate the chance to see me in my plugsuit, Fourth Child. I don't do this for just anyone."
Her mind made up, Asuka grabbed Kaworu by the hand and started dragging him off towards the EVA Cages.
"Holding hands…are we not starting our date somewhat early?" inquired a curious Fourth Child, grinning like the proverbial cat that caught the canary.
"Anta baka?" the Second Child exclaimed, spinning him around and getting in his face as she frantically tried to deny it. "I just don't want to waste time getting to HQ, that's all—mmph!"
The one problem with a face to face confrontation is that at close range, an accidental kiss is all too possible, especially when it would make things that much more awkward.
"Your words say one thing, but your body says another," Kaworu commented wryly after pulling away. "You Lilim are so very pleasantly contradictory…"
Tokyo-3 1st Municipal Junior High School, Classroom 2-A
Gossip being the only thing in the universe that moved faster than the speed of light, naturally the topic of discussion in the classroom involved NERV, the blackout, the absence of the enigmatic Rei Ayanami, and hot collector photos of the epic battle against the spider-like Angel (taken of course, by a certain military otaku who had found himself disobeying the warning to get to the shelters…again).
"…Ayanami's still missing, do you think she's in for more testing at NERV?" asked one student, tossing some metaphorical chum to lure in the more serious rumormongers.
Naturally, some took the bait.
"Maybe she was a vampire that NERV cloned from the flesh of some ancient demon, and her nature as a true-blood daylight walker is breaking down," one speculated, while reading the latest release of her favorite manga series online. "That would explain why she's so pale, and why she acts so unnaturally, looking out the window…"
"Do you always have to invoke some supernatural explanation?" another asked in exasperation, her preferred explanations a little more on the romantic side. "Maybe she just ran off and eloped with someone…I mean, while walking around the other day, I caught a glimpse of a boy who looked kind of like her. Her had grey-hair and red eyes, and he was standing on one of the street corners playing the violin. What if…they were destined lovers?"
"Well, we're in a city under attack from Angels, and teenagers pilot giant robots," one of the more reasonable students pointed out. "That alone is unnatural…but if Ayanami ran off with anyone, it would be Ikari. You've seen the way she looks at him."
"But Ikari is enthralled with the mysterious transfer student," objected the gossip who had proposed the strange pairing of Ayanami with someone else. "That and I hear he lives with a beautiful older woman…"
"Hmm, a mysterious transfer student…I've got it!" exclaimed one of the usually quiet students, eyes burning with unholy excitement. "Soryu and Ayanami hate each other, right? And they both work at NERV? Maybe Soryu arranged to get rid of her by 'accidentally' shooting her in the back during the last battle. I mean, only the purple one showed up to fight the spider, right? Maybe the other two were fighting each other…to the pain!"
"…you mean to the death?"
"No, to the pain! So much more brutal and…" he trailed off as he saw the entire class looking at him strangely. "Ok…I'll shut up now."
But peace was not to remain for long in the classroom, as rumors possessed a life of their own, and would animate the lips of the nearest acceptable vessel.
"…what if…what if it was Doll Syndrome?" the gossip queen finally spoke up, horrified and trembling as she glanced at the M2D goggles in her hand. "The news has been mentioning that a lot lately…"
"Don't be silly, Doll Syndrome?" the greatest of the skeptics scoffed, quashing that line of argument. "Wait…let me guess…next you're going to say the blackout was a result of sabotage, that Ayanami is in a coma, the grey-haired guy is a new Evangelion pilot, and that all of this is being hushed up by—"
He stopped abruptly, words failing when 1) he saw the look of rapture on the other student's face, and 2) when she suddenly rose from her seat and glomped him.
"—a government conspiracy!" the gossip queen squealed in pleasure. "Yes, someone finally understands me and the way of the world. And all this time, I thought you hated me! Sorry for being so cold to you Kyon-kun! I-I love you…please go out with me!"
The skeptic's own expression of incredulity was mirrored by a collective "EH?" from the throats of all present, quickly followed by the rustling sound of cash changing hands, as some were proven quite right-and some quite wrong-in the game of predictions. Unfortunately, there was no time for the shell-shocked skeptic to respond to the unexpected confession before the door opened, and Aranami-sensei walked in, with Shinji Ikari and Reimeiki Hakubo trailing her and blushing.
"Rise! Bow! Sit!" came the ritual commands from the Class Representative, ones instinctively obeyed by all with a sense of self-preservation.
"Thank you, Class Representative," acknowledged Morganna, who unexpectedly smiled at the class. "Now today, I have another assignment for you…"
A chorus of groans was rendered stillborn, as the mere attention of the tall, imposing woman at the front of the class dispelled any thought of protest with sheer force of will.
"Come now," she continued on, with a mild 'hmph' directed at the would-be slackers. "Or if you're really so displeased with the prospect of playing The World during class hours, do let me know, and I can begin lecturing on Second Impact as your old professor did."
At the threat of not being allowed to play the popular MMORPG for credit anymore, the class immediately fell silent, their expressions changing to rapt anticipation. So, their assignment was going to be another field trip in The World? This could be rather interesting.
"Up until now, I have asked you to look in the root towns and fields for aspects influenced by the Epitaph, but another focus of this class is on how this online world can shift the personality of individuals, whether by helping them build up a layer of ego, or having the slough off their inner Mirage of Deceit," she commented, alluding to their past work she had assigned, as well as what she had promised to teach when she had first arrived. "So today, we are going observe two matches in the Arena, at Ω Warring City State Lumina Cloth. Take note of what happens and how it differs from the attitudes of adventurers in root towns and in dungeons, as I will expect a detailed reflection in your journals."
Ω Warring City State Lumina Cloth
Unlike the last time when the class had taken an in-world class trip to Molasses Mansion Sif Berg at Θ Hidden Forbidden In Heat, Morganna had not given the students any special instructions beyond watching two Arena matches. Thus, it was only natural that most of the students would disperse themselves to the four winds, scattering all over Lumina Cloth as they sought to find rare items and tasty morsels of gossip to sate their refined infovore palettes.
As for Morganna herself, after waiting to make sure the entire class had turned up (with none deciding to go off on a sidequest), she had vanished, claiming that she had something important to take care of. When Lycoris had inquired as to the nature of Morganna's errand, the Shadow Warlock merely smirked, dragging the silver-haired girl away rather insistently.
This left four figures standing at the Chaos Gate, each a bit anxious due to their upcoming battles today: Adept Rogue Skari, Flick Reaper Tomoyami, Tribal Grappler Aruna, and Shadow Warlock Arano, the sole member of Team Dark Evangel, and the entirety of Team Aida, respectively.
"I was wondering how we were going to be able to make our scheduled matches today," Tomoyami said idly, tossing her head and shaking out two lustrous pigtails of black hair. "But as it turns out, I didn't even have to worry, as Aranami-sensei has decided to make it a spectacle of it. Do you think she knew both of our teams would be fighting today?"
"Probably," answered Skari, whose eyes drifted over to the Arena Lobby where they would be shortly. "She did used to work for C.C. Corp, and probably still has connections, considering our…mutual friend."
He looked at over at Tomoyami, wordlessly pleading with her to avoid mentioning the name "Helba" in front of Arano, as the little blond boy tended to get excited by three things: military organizations, anything to do with hacking, and women. Helba, being the greatest hacker of legend, definitely qualified under at least two of those three. 'Now if she happened to work at NERV, then Kensuke would be a raving fan boy…'
"Heh, so why didn't you ever tell us who you were in The World?" the bare-chested Aruna asked of the Adept Rogue, using the speed inherent in his class to headlock Skari and give him a noogie. "We taught you how to play, didn't we, after you almost got PKed by that bitch Eris? So come on, don't give me disrespect."
Shadow Warlock Arano coughed disapprovingly, looking pointedly at his partner.
"Really, Aruna, stop that. What have I told you about not thinking before you act?" he admonished, obviously annoyed. Though he was dressed in a fool's ensemble, with jester's cap, breeches, and other similar vestments, he was looking particularly unhappy today. "Does Tomoyami really have to teach you a lesson about being a man again? I swear, you two are like a married couple or—AHHH!"
Unfortunately for him, neither of the other members of Team Aida enjoyed teasing very much, and so were now shaking him like a rag doll, while shouting: "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL!"
To which Tomoyami appended "He's not my boyfriend!" in unison with Aruna's "She's not my girlfriend!", and a "We don't even like each other that way", again, in unison.
At their flustered expressions and denials, Arano simply laughed in their faces, a devilish cast taking over his features.
"Tsk, tsk, denial, such a primitive defense mechanism," the Shadow Warlock lectured in a mock holier-than-thou voice, attempting to imitate Morganna's tone and not doing a particularly good job at it. "Didn't we learn about how dangerous of a defense mechanism that is just last week?"
It was probably for the best that no weapons could be drawn in Lumina Cloth outside the Arena, or Arano's body would probably have been reduced to a shredded carcass in the next few seconds. As it was though, his fellow team members settled for grabbing him and dragging him away to the Arena Lobby, for their match was about to start.
"Dark Evangel Skari," Tomoyami called over her shoulder. "Good luck today. I'll see you after the matches to discuss our topic of interest."
"Understood," the Adept Rogue acknowledged with a curt nod. "Best of luck to you as well, Tomoyami of the Shadow."
Arena, Ω Warring City State Lumina Cloth
"Ladies and gentlemen," a voice boomed out into the screaming masses, as the Commentator began his pre-match routine. "Today we have a special treat, to kick off the second round of the Holy Palace Tournament. Rumor may have had it…and rumors are right, today, we have the double the action, double the excitement…today, we have back to back matches!"
Like the crowds gathered in the ancient Coliseum crying out for blood, the fans flew into a wild frenzy at this announcement.
"Joining me today are our two special guests, who were once legends in the first version of The World…" he hyped, pausing for a brief moment for dramatic effect. "Would you believe it? They are…the legendary sage Morganna! And the flower of the World, Lycoris!"
One section of the audience doubled over in shock. 'This was the pressing business she had to take care of? I wonder who is fighting in the Arena today to make her go through this much trouble…'
As much as they might have thought otherwise, the two guest were not doubles of the people they knew, as the presence of the feared sorceress clad in black, with flowing purple-black tresses and dark violet eyes, as well as the crimson-robed Child of Twilight proved otherwise. Together, they almost looked like…sisters, if divinely good looking ones.
"Come, show me your strength!" intoned the Shadow Warlock, gazing down at the field of battle with a look of...anticipation. "For who shall win is undetermined—destiny is not decided on the whim of a goddess."
"May victory be borne to the worthy upon the wind, and the true Shadowed One be known," added Lycoris, her enigmatic words sowing confusion in the crowd.
"Well said," continued the Commentator, narrowing his eyes as rings of azure light flared into existence on the platforms above the floating isle in Arena's center, signaling the arrival of the combatants.
"Both teams of the first match have now entered the Arena!" bellowed the man. "We have with us today the fearsome shadows of the wasteland, demons of the sea, the personification of the night: the mighty Team Aida!"
The crowd grew silent with rapt anticipation, as they had seen the ferocity of this team before, and longed to see it again, as the Flick Reaper, Shadow Warlock, and Tribal Grappler appeared on the center of the middle of the floating isle battle.
"After their dominating victory over Team Hetero, Team Aida has moved onto this match of the Tournament with blazing skill! Led by Tomoyami of the Shadow, the fiercest of Chaotic PKs, notorious for slaying over 20 PKKs in one battle alone, they are a force to be reckoned with, especially alongside her companions, the Invincible Perverts Aruna and Arano."
'Didn't anyone protest to the Commentator about the name after the last battle?' the trio thought in unison. 'Being associated with the name Invincible Perverts is so embarrassing…'
"And what's this?" the Commentator bellowed on, unaware (or if aware, uncaring) of the emotions of the combatants. "A single player dares to stand against the full might of Team Aida! But this, ladies and gentlemen, is no ordinary player, but a claimant to the title of Chaotic PK Queen. The purple clad angel of death, the ruthless predator of Dol Dona, I give you the sole member of Team Darkness…Kaotin in the Shadows!"
'That…that title-stealing BITCH!' was what raced through Tomoyami's mind as the challenger materialized, a slender female Lord Partizan with short golden hair and fake angel wings, wearing a purple gown that looked remarkably like what Lady Subaru had worn in the days of the old World. In her hands was brandished a mighty Dream Snake, a modified lance that would automatically cast sleep if the opponent struck with normal attacks. 'I am the only one who can use the name of Shadow!'
"Today's match pits Tomoyami of the Shadow against her rival Kaotin in the Shadows! Who will be the true heir of darkness worthy of the name?" the Commentator shouted out into the crowd. "Who shall prove victorious on the killing field today? Ladies and Gentlemen, and everyone else, are you ready? Let the match begin!"
"Aruna, Arano, stay back!" the Flick Reaper muttered quietly, "I have a score to settle with this one…Heavenly Wheel! Vak Don!"
To fight someone with a weapon enchanted with counter spells, one could not simply strike—one must use the special combat arts inherent to one's class. So with a cry, the Chaotic PK of Team Aida leapt into the air accompanied by meteors of flame, demonic scythe Heine's Zero singing as it sliced the air, homing in on the Lord Partizan.
"Ha! Taking this personally, are you, Tomoyami, fake shadow user?" the other taunted. "Piercing Heaven!"
The Dream Snake shot up into the air, lancing for a victim's heart, but a swing of Heine's Zero deflected it, using it as a pivot for Tomoyami to push off of and flip back, pulling her body out of range as fireballs pined the other down.
Or it would have, had Kaotin in the Shadows worried about such things as the mediocre damage from a spell, instead of rushing forward, spear raised with a cry of "Scarlet Thrust!"
The pigtailed girl barely defended herself in time with a "Wicked Strike", the two weapons glancing off each other with a sharp metallic clang. She didn't say anything, simply holding her weapon ready and biding Kaotin to come at her, as her lustrous black hair and flowing white dress rustled with the wind.
"Going on the defensive so soon?" Kaotin sang out, staying just out of range of the Flick Reaper's weapon. While excellent at fighting large groups of individuals or dealing with threats at medium range, said class depended on "flicking" enemies and pushing them away before they got close enough for melee attacks. Thus, one of its natural enemies was a Lord Partizan, with strong armor-piercing attacks that could be launched from just outside a Flick Reaper's range. "What kind of Chaotic PK are you anyway, to rely on those newbie helpers for backup? You act arrogant and superior on the field, so full of yourself…but in reality you're weak. You can't win without someone else helping you, can you? You're not worthy of the—"
"Gan Bolg!" The more evil and arrogant one's foe was, it seemed the greater the chance that they would be caught flat-footed while delivering a Hannibal Lecture, as happened here, boulders shot up into the sky, as Tomoyami spun past like a top, invoking "Reapers Dance" as she drew blood. Just as she passed, the rocks hurtled back down from the sky, screaming towards the Lord Partizan and impacting one after another.
"You're only someone in the Shadows," Tomoyami mused out loud, "I am a being of the Shadow, the elemental darkness rising in the absence of the Gods of this World! Heavenly Wheel, cretin!"
"Heavenly Rage!"
Their weapons came together once more, with both Chaotic PKs deep within the other's effective range—so far, in fact, that neither of them could properly bring their weapons to bear. Eye to eye, the two glared daggers at one another, each refusing to back off, as that would mean becoming vulnerable to the other's arms.
"Hehe…did I make you mad, Tomoyami?" the Lord Partizan giggled disturbingly. "Did I hit a nerve when I called you a useless Chaotic PK, a would-be, a has-been? Ever since you joined up with those two you've grown weak…you disgust me."
Kaotin in the Shadows delivered a vicious kick to Tomoyami's stomach, throwing her back just far enough for the Dream Snake to let fly with "Thorn Dance", piercing her in the chest and eating at her life.
"Ugh! Is that the best you can do?" the Flick Reaper crowed with bloodlust, lips pulling back into a snarl. "What a pathetic excuse for a Lord Partizan you are if you can only do this little to me, I who am of a class you are strong against. Come at me then, with everything you've got! Lotus Flower!"
Into the air once more Tomoyami rose, scythe weaving complicated motions as they slashed toward and away quicker than the eye could see, even as she met with the wrong end of Kaotin's "Air Raid"attack, interrupting her attack skill with the force of a metal lance in her gut and knocking her to the ground.
"I'm sorry, you're just so cute I want to destroy you," teased Kaotin with an evil cackle. "In fact, I'm just compelled to destroy you, you know, to grind your beautiful figure into the dust. Rue Kruz!"
Orbs of water emerged out of the aether, hurtling towards the stricken Flick Reaper, who made as if to evade, but could not, as one after another, they struck, hammering her into the ground until her life was almost gone.
To the side, Arano and Aruna shivered, finding this display rather disturbing. They remained simply watching, as their leader had said that she would handle it herself (and the consequences for disobeying her in either world were rather severe), though they were worried about how the match was going.
'Could it be that…she might lose?'
In her weakened state, it was an easy matter for Kaotin in the Shadows to kick away her rival's weapon, stalking over to Tomoyami's wounded body, and leaning over her with spear in hand.
"You know, I hate it when people say I copied your title, since I had mine from the very beginning as a Chaotic PK," Kaotin spat bitterly. "And yet everyone always talks about Tomoyami of the Shadow, never Kaotin, or if they do, they heckle me, saying I copied you. Well get my revenge, Tomoyami…any last words?"
The Flick Reaper could find nothing more appropriate than the words of author Herman Melville, raising her hand weakly as she croaked out the last lines of Captain Ahab, who had wasted away his life chasing the white whale.
"To the last, I grapple with thee. From Hell's heart, I stab at thee," she managed to get out, breaths shaky and uneven. "For hate's sake, I…"
"You what?" sneered the purple-clad Lord Partizan, humiliating her by kneeling down beside her form and whispering in her ear. "There's nothing you can do, so tell me, and I'll make your death quick."
"I…" Having lured her opponent into range of a gambit, Tomoyami thrust her hand up against Kaotin's chest and finished her lines. "…spit my last breath at thee. Zan Rom! Vak Don!"
At point blank range, the tornado unleashed by the Flick Reaper was unavoidable, the tempest seizing hold of Kaotin's frail body and hurling her to the very edge of the Arena's isle of battle, where great balls of fire rained down on her, causing the purple one to scream in wordless rage.
Silhouetted by curtain of fire, a figure out of nightmare approached with an unflinching walk, as Tomoyami crunch–crunch-crunched to killing range, and with one blow of her scythe, decapitated her rival.
As victory music blared in the background, the entire Arena froze, stunned by the vicious battle that had just transpired. They didn't understand why Tomoyami hadn't allowed her teammates to help her, or how she had actually won against an opponent that by all rights should have destroyed her.
Unsurprisingly, the first to recover his voice was the Commentator.
"What an unbelievable turn of events! Team Aida is the winner!" the blue-clad admin roared, grinning ear to ear. "Did we not promise an unstoppable, action packed event? Did we not promise heart pounding action that would leave you on the edge of your seats? And today's battles are only half over, with our next combatants about to take the stage. But first, a word from our guests!"
"Strength alone does not win battles…know yourself and master your fear before you seek to master others," spoke Morganna, clapping her hands politely for her triumphant student.
"There is the level of a character, and the level of a player," Lycoris added, eyes closed as she clutched her hands to her chest. "True power comes from a union of both worlds."
Arena Lobby, Ω Warring City State Lumina Cloth
Rings of azure light flared into existence, bearing with them the victorious trio who had just shown their strength in the Arena—or rather, the victorious Flick Reaper and the two petty freeloaders in her party. All three of them were quiet, the first from fatigue, while the others were simply still paralyzed by how brutally the two combatants had fought.
On materializing, they came face to face with a patiently waiting Adept Rogue, who managed a smile for the weakened Tomoyami.
"I saw your match," Skari said quietly, brushing aside a few stray strands of hair from the Flick Reaper's face. "You … you are very skilled, and stronger than you let on."
The pig-tailed girl smiled gently in reply, placing a hand over his, and holding it to her cheek.
"And you are stronger than you know, Skari," she whispered firmly. "Never forget that…and good luck. I'll be watching."
She let her hand drop and stepped away, motioning for her teammates to join her as they made their way to the observation galley of the Arena.
'Well then…it is time for me to take the stage…'
And azure rings of light whisked him away to war.
Arena, Ω Warring City State Lumina Cloth
After letting the crowds have their time of celebration and discussion, it was time for the show to go on, with the second match of the day scheduled to begin.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the Commentator boomed out once again, living up to expectations of the over the top style of his. "You've seen the strength of two Chaotic PKs in the last match, but now, the second match in this round of the Holy Palace Tournament is about to begin! With us again are the legendary sage Morganna, and the flower of the World, Lycoris!"
"Sometimes, true strength is simply the courage not to run away," the Shadow Warlock murmured enigmatically. "To defeat the enemy within, not bowing one's head to fate."
"And sometimes…it is acceptance, and the willingness to take a chance," Lycoris added as a supplement.
"Heh," allowed the Commentator, unknowing copying the reaction of many in the crowd. "Now for the action! First in the Arena is our grim reaper…formidable Team Dark Evangel, who defeated the Tournament favorites in the last round! Down to only one member due to unexplained circumstances, can the Adept Rogue Skari hope to stand against his mysterious opponents?"
Rings of azure light flared into existence on the floating isle in Arena's center, signaling the arrival of the Dark Evangel's only member, who watched expectantly with Bayonet in hand for his enemies to arrive.
The rings flared once again, and this time…
'What…Father? And two Dr. Akagis?'
The Commentator was continuing with his description, but the Adept Rogue hardly paid attention, unnerved by the appearances of his foes: an unshaven Steam Gunner wearing orange sunglasses, a blood red tunic, black trousers, and a flowing black overcoat, a Macabre Dancer dressed in a blue and white formal kimono, and an Edge Punisher in white leather armor, chestnut colored hair streaked with blond in a braid that fell to the small of her back.
To those in the know, they indeed resembled Gendo Ikari and twins of Dr. Ritsuko Akagi, a fact that had Skari shaken even before the fighting started. 'What…but why?
"Not much is known about Team Angst, except that they handily defeated their opponents in the last round of the Holy Palace Tournament. Led by the Steam Gunner Gendor, this trio seems to have appeared only recently in The World, frequenting fields alone for training, with a single-minded devotion to victory. But what lies under the mask of those orange sunglasses? The hunger of a burning fire, the frostiness of a cold dark heart?"
"This should prove…interesting," commented Morganna, on seeing the Adept Rogue frozen in place, seeming already defeated just by Gendor's appearance.
"They outnumber Team Dark Evangel 3-to-1, but the Dark Evangel has proven more than capable in the past of overcoming odds at the Inverted Castle, one of the hardest field runs known in The World. Will Angst prevail in this confrontation, will Skari lose his nerve? Or will he somehow find a way to pierce the heavens with his will?"
"I will undertake this battle alone," Gendor ordered, with a glance back at his compatriots Balthasar and Casper. "You two remain here."
He warped down to the battle isle alone, coming face to face with Skari, his own Bayonet drawn and ready.
"If you cannot overcome your fear, Skari, then feel free to run away," the Steam Gunner rumbled gravely, "as you nearly did on the day I called for you. After all, you…are useless to me."
"Father…" the Adept Rogue whispered tonelessly, paling as he confronted the oldest wound in his heart, reliving every scrap of pain the other had dealt to him through the years.
"What's this? The mysterious Gendor has elected to take on Skari in a one-on-one match, and our tournament favorite appears to be shaken!" the Commentator observed, his voice cutting through the crowd's mutterings and wild speculations on why Skari seemed so very afraid. "Once again, the scythe of the reaper is hungry for new blood. What kind of chemical reaction will we witness today? Quietly, ever so quietly, this battle is about to begin!"
But the combatants simply stood there, one simmering in his fear and hate, while the other regarded him with a critical eye.
"I'm not used to being liked, Skari," the black Steam Gunner voiced, light glinting from his orange sunglasses as he held his gunblade ready. "Being hated, on the other hand, is quite familiar. So will you run away again, as you have so many times?"
Coming from a trusted figure, the verbal jab critically wounded the heart of the Adept Rogue, whose anger began to rise from deep within himself.
"And do you run away too?" inquired Skari, his own gunblade held defensively, waiting for his opponent to come on. 'I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away…for this is the only path. Running away will mean only others getting hurt.'
"Driven out of paradise, human beings fled to the earthly world," the other replied cryptically, charging with a sudden burst of speed, only for his weapon to be deflected. "Created by those weakest of living things, created by the sapience acquired by that weakness was a paradise of our own."
Crack! Crack! discharged shots from Skari's modified Wrath Bead, only for the nimble Gendor to dodge with a 'hmph' of disdain.
"It's been three years since the last time we spoke alone at mother's grave," the Adept Rogue growled, "when you ran away from the past. I don't feel like I know you anymore, I don't feel I know my mother's face, and all you have you have to say to me is this? Chaotic Strike!"
In a blink, he switched over to wicked Dual Swords called Heine's Invasion, the proof of his victory over the fearsome doppelganger, charging forward with a flurry of strikes from his vorpal blades, as the other whirled and ducked and parried, metallic clashes thundering one by one, as not a single blow was landed.
The Steam Gunner Gendor was smirking, unwounded by Skari's sudden barrage of attacks.
"In this world, people continue to live by forgetting things," he intoned, locking the sights of his gunblade to the blue-haired Adept Rogue. "Nevertheless, we have something inside ourselves that we cannot forget…I know my indispensable truth. What is yours? Tempest Blast!"
A fierce gale of incendiary force howled from the muzzle from Gendor's bayonet, as Skari leapt up to avoid it, countering with the aerial "Ghost Falcon", his blades driving towards the jugular of his foe once more, only for said foe to dive into a roll, evading the blades and striking him in the back with a powerful roundhouse kick, knocking the wind from the Adept Rogue and driving him to the ground.
"You cast everything away, didn't you?" Skari asked uncertainly, crimson eyes narrowing with barely repressed rage, as he got back on his feet, switching once more to gunblade and switching to continuous fire, the Blam! Blam! Blam! of the weapon marking the rapid discharges of azure bolts towards his foe.
"Heh…everything is in my mind," the older Steam Gunner replied, launching a"Thorn Shot", an area-dispersal blast, to halt the pinpricks from his opponent's weapon, kicking up a cloud of dust as the wave of power washed over Skari's position with a roar. "I am satisfied with that. Now, are you done trying to fight me? Are you not aware that it is futile?"
'I will not surrender here! Not to you, after you've already thrown me away!'
After a few seconds, the smokescreen cleared, revealing the untouched form of Adept Rogue Skari, a man who stood tall, blades in hand, eyes blazing with defiance.
"Even so," the teenage warrior spoke with determination, clutching his Lit Honeysuckle blades as he remembered all those who had helped him, all those who had stood beside him when he was alone. 'Remeiki…Rei…Hikari…I won't let you down!' "I will fight. I won't let myself lose, not here, not when I've come so far."
"Oh?" the black-clad Gendor inquired, now wielding his bayonet as a blade. "Well then, shall we?"
"I'm going to finish it now!" Skari roared, as the two figures rushed full force at each other, bodies blurring as they struck with all their might.
When they reappeared to view, they had passed one another, breathing hard—and then Gendor collapsed to his knees, putting away his blade.
"Heh heh…well done," the enigmatic adversary spoke, bowing his head in defeat.
'What the…? He opened himself up on purpose!'
"It's over! The match is over!" Blared the voice of the Commentator. "This extreme battle of wits and wills was won by the unstoppable Dark Evangel!"
"Gendor…you bastard," Skari spat, robes fluttering as he turned to face his foe.
"Become strong, Shinji. Strong enough to stand upon your own two feet, strong enough to do what I could not and destroy the memory of me," replied the Steam Gunner, as he warped away. "Strong enough to take unyielding fate into your own two hands and forge a miracle. I wish you the best of luck."
'Father…'
NERV HQ
"Down 0.3 more," Sub-commander Fuyutsuki ordered, looking at the aberrant data resulting from the sync test of the Fourth Child with EVA-00. To say the least, there had been no incidents occurring, with the prototype unusually stable, not even attempting to reject him. It was…almost too perfect, too routine for a first test.
'About the only shot of humor was when Kaworu Nagisa whimsically stated that the soul of EVA-00 was afraid of what the waiting EVA-02 might do to it if it were to act out,' recalled Maya with a smile. Most of the bridge techs had chuckled at that, and even the Second Child had cracked a smile.
But nonetheless, the test had continued, and the monotony was wearing.
"Yes sir," Lt. Ibuki replied, making the desired changes, with no effect whatsoever on the desired sync ratio.
"Is there any mistake in this reading?" the old man asked, convinced that something must be wrong, as a mere human should not be able to generate the results he was seeing. And in his long lifetime of research, aberrant data was usually attributable to equipment error.
His convictions were dashed when Makoto Hyuga gave his reply.
"Sir, the testing system is operating normally."
And further with Maya's.
"No data error detected by Magi."
"It is…frankly," the former professor said, "amazing that this boy synchronizes with Unit Zero before the core is replaced."
"Indeed," answered Maya with a trace of a frown. "That…should be impossible."
'So the one behind Siarl of the Seven Eyes shows his face at last...'