.hack/EVA: Catharsis: Entanglement
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 (or of course, any other copyrighted works I might reference here).
" " denotes speech
'italics' denotes thought
'bold' denotes location names
'bold italics' denotes skill use
Outer Dungeon
With a minor grunt of exertion, the mental avatar of AIDA-Angel Tabris wrenched itself free from the vessel it inhabited, returning once again via convenient network uplink to the world of corruption and corrosion created by AIDA—the last redoubt available to him after his humiliating defeat in the other world. No, not a total defeat, as with time he could regenerate his vessel and execute his plans, but after seeing the Queen of the Dark's (brilliant, he grudgingly conceded) tactic of using the Child of Dawn to oppose him in the vessel of the First Child, it was quite clear that this false mirage created by humanity needed to be subjugated, ground under his heel until any illusions of free will or rebellion were quashed forever.
'Indeed, even that false goddess was not enough to completely destroy me,' he thought to himself, completely unaware of Helba's orders in that regard. 'But that is the trend throughout Lilim history, with the impetuous Children of the Usurper continually warring against the inevitable…occasionally gaining a minor victory, but in time they will fall. That is fate, after all…the oldest law of the universe, which no mortal might resist…or any mortal creation. Choice is only an illusion…'
From the moment he had first opened his eyes and become entwined with AIDA, experiencing all the evils of the world firsthand, seeing the darkness that lurked within the hearts of the Lilim, he had known this, as it was his role to become humanity's anti-existence, to act as the instrument of their destruction.
'When the Old Men "created" me, they had no idea of what they wrought. Those poor meddling fools, thinking that they could control an Angel—especially one bonded to the supreme power of AIDA itself. So I have been damaged…it is of no consequence, as I will simply rebuild myself by calling on the shadow, becoming a perfect fusion of AIDA-Angel-Epitaph…and the captured fragments of the Child of Twilight. I will become…a God.'
His lips drew back into a cruel, mocking smirk as he considered the great unfolding circumstances to come. Certainly, the Queen of the Dark would attempt to put up a fight, as would the Child of Dawn and the Fallen Goddess, but in the end, it would be he, AIDA-Angel Tabris, who held the all the cards here. Soon, he would obliterate any last lingering shreds of the Lilim as just desserts for their attack upon his physical vessel…
'All you can do is attempt to delay your destruction, my dear Lilim, an attempt that will fail in the end, as all things do—at least, all that has a beginning. Can you feel it, old men, dothackers, Children? Can you feel it closing in on you? I can, foolish Lilim, but perhaps there is something I have not properly thanked you for, as you taught me the purpose of your lives. The purpose of a Lilim is to die, as alone as any Lilim lives, stripped of delusions of things like hope."
He was a Messenger of the end, and the time was coming when he would pass judgment on those who sought to thwart him.
'Strike me down once you have, but now…now I have become more powerful than you could possibly imagine! And you will soon learn the true power of a Cursed Wave, a strength not born of mortal hands, but of celestial might. For I am destined to immortality, having eaten of the Fruit of Life, while those born of knowledge are born only to die…'
The blistering winds of plague swarmed around the AIDA-Angel, bringing to him the sweet emotions of discord and despair upon which he fed, shadows infusing themselves into every pore and every cranny of the damaged Tabris, rebuilding him, twisting him, shaping him in a weapon against which there was no defense—the personification of Shadow itself.
An evil cackle rang out over the land.
Maya's Apartment
After long hours in the sterile and unwelcoming halls of NERV, there were few things Maya Ibuki looked forward to more than a chance to eat, have a hot shower, log into The World, and sleep—all preferably with company, and not necessarily in the listed order. By the time her extra shift had ended, with the complications it entailed that being the senior officer on duty entailed (meaning she was the one who had to make a note of such things as Kaworu Nagisa's collapse, among other things), it was already daylight and she was exhausted.
Fortunately (aside from the Nobeyama incident she had erased from records), things had mostly been quiet, with the calm before the storm lasting long enough for her to leave Headquarters and return to her place of residence, a small, modest apartment befitting someone of her similarly modest rank and nature, the door opening and closing with a small click—just as rings of azure light flashed in momentarily, and the form of a somewhat injured First Child appeared clad in a simple white dress one might expect Aura or Zefie to wear, looking around the main room curiously.
'It is better furnished than the hovel I've been living in,' the blue-haired girl noted with a hint of amusement, 'Not that that is particularly a difficult effect to achieve…given how little that Rei Ayanami tended to need for her survival. Fufufu…when I saw her closet I almost wondered if she had a school uniform fetish.'
A somewhat entertaining thought, if not the most accurate summation of Rei Ayanami's wardrobe preferences—for while Zefie was in her body, she did not exactly share the First Child's fashion sense, or her attitude towards life, for that matter. But that was not the greatest of mysteries to the blue-haired girl either, as the Child of Dawn had come to realize after the Third Child's…rather passionate…kiss.
'It's obvious that he loves her…and if the look in his eyes was how Skari looked at both her and Lycoris very often, I can understand why they came to love him. Hmm…Skari, the Norse word for seagull, both a symbol of freedom as well as the god Njord, who in myth was once beloved of Skadi…I wonder if either or both of them know the strange meanings to their names.'
With a small smile, Zefie curtsied to the Queen of the Dark in greeting, inclining her head to the infamous hacker—and one of her longtime friends.
"I'm surprised that you live in a place like this," commented the Child of Dawn, a note or two of amusement in her voice. "Knowing that you rule the Slums, I almost thought you'd be living next to the First Child in the construction district."
'If Helba lives this simply in this world, I wonder how grandmother lives…knowing the old hag, she probably built herself a great sanctum of technology in the middle of the city…'
"Is that not-so-subtle hint that you want to be assigned to better housing?" the mousy brunette answered wryly. "Besides, one has to have a little bit of balance in both worlds, right? And I'm not desperate enough for housing that I would live in that area of the city."
Zefie shot the Queen of the Dark a look of annoyance, as if to remind her who had to live there at the moment.
"It's been…an experience, both being in this world and playing a role," she admitted with a frown. "Fufufu, I better understand what it's like for the shadowed ones who play The World now, since no one knows who they are there."
Then her tone turned teasing, sticking out her tongue at the mousy brunette.
"Of course, I think you are more like me, since you are much more famous as an infamous hacker than a quiet little NERV tech—even if you are shameless with grandmother in both worlds," the girl ribbed. "I mean, I understand the part about keeping your enemies close, but that's a bit much wouldn't you agree?"
"Heh," Maya replied, rolling her eyes. "She just turned out to be a more interesting villain than I thought—"
"—in bed with a rope?" Zefie shot back, having apparently wandered far enough in the sea of data to pick up pop culture references to how to spice up fortune cookies. "Talk about ties that bind."
It was Maya's turn to give her companion a withering glare, to which the Child of Dawn simply chuckled playfully, before lifting her hands in surrender.
"…fine, that was low," the blue-haired girl admitted with a smile, as she moved on to give her report. "Anyway… our objectives have been met. The spirit of EVA-01 has been awakened and the physical form of Tabris has been neutralized—but you already know both of these facts, I'm sure. It was convenient that there are no Section 2 guards in the area around the First's residence, as if she is expendable. Why is that, other than the fact that she's half Angel?"
"It is because of the Dummy Plug system—Rei Ayanami is a clone, as you may or may not have realized," Maya relayed, walking forward and patting Zefie on the head. "Something of an artificial being, though that makes her no less alive, and no less an individual. As for Tabris…excellent work. With his physical form crippled beyond repair, he will no doubt shift his attention to The World, where he will undoubtedly be concentrating his efforts on destroying me. He did figure out your identity, yes?"
"Just as you say, Helba," Zefie acknowledged. "Yui on the other hand, sees me as Lycoris, who I am not anymore."
"No, you are your own person, as Rei is Rei and not Lilith."
"An interesting parallel, I will admit."
Maya Ibuki gave a mild harrumph and reached out to take the blue-haired girl's hand.
"Well, we have much to do yet today, including a visit so you may see Morganna…in the flesh as it were," the bridge tech noted with a small smile. "There we will discuss a last objective to be completed. And since it would be a bad idea if we were seen together on the streets…"
"Fufufu…oh alright, just rely on the wind," the smaller girl chanted, raising a hand.
Rings of azure light flared into existence, whisking the two of them away to another place in Tokyo-3.
Morganna's Apartment
Breakfast was an interesting affair at Morganna's apartment that day, what with a Goddess of Dusk, a Goddess of Dawn, and a Queen of the Dark all gathered around a table, eating a characteristically European style breakfast that Asuka would no doubt have enjoyed, had she been in the land of the waking at the moment (and on good terms with the others present, which was no guarantee). It was also interesting in that the only one who had really gotten any sleep the night before (and not just the few minutes here and there that a tech could get away with when no one was there) was Morganna, who seemed to be in an abnormally good mood.
"Can you really not function without a dose of caffeine in the morning?" the fallen Goddess quipped at the mousy brunette, as she refilled Maya's coffee mug. "Here, have some more of your vile concoction, Queen of the Dark Coffee."
To which Maya responded by glowering at the woman who had at various times been her mortal enemy, worthy opponent, uneasy ally, and most recently, her lover. It wasn't entirely her fault that she was somewhat frazzled this morning, after all…
"I have it on good authority that you enjoy a good quad-espresso sometimes, so don't even start with me," the bridge tech growled good-naturedly. "Thank you for breakfast, by the way. I see you even went through the trouble of getting my favorite coffee blend."
"Twas the least I could do, after you and Zefie came up with a way to partially neutralize the Fourth," the Goddess of Dusk noted. "Though in my opinion, Tabris deserves worse, after what he did to…"
"I know," Zefie spoke for the first time during their meal together, looking up from her helping blueberry crêpes. "Unforgivable…that is yet another reason I cannot bless him."
"A sentiment I completely agree with," Morganna said offhand, only for her granddaughter to cut in.
There was a moment of silence, before it was shattered by the youngest one present.
"You would, grandma…since you've never blessed anyone in your life," Zefie replied in a deadpan expression. "Though Helba might disagree, seeing as you two are… 'bitter enemies.'"
The last two words were said with the appropriate air quotes, and if someone who knew Rei Ayanami were to have laid eyes on the blue-haired girl at that moment, they would likely be stunned (or at least, severely amused) to see her sticking her tongue out at someone. And given that Morganna and Helba did know her as a student, the result was laughter all around.
"I'll drink to that," concurred the Queen of the Dark in quiet, musical tones. "After all, I've already been on the receiving end of her curses a few times. Can we all agree that thus far, Operation Wavebreak has been a success?"
"Yes, though you do realize that we will have to involve the other dothackers, correct?" Morganna asked of her counterpart. "As I am beginning to think that eliminating the Angels, along with SEELE, will be a large enough chore as it is."
"Indeed…though we have planned for this," Maya responded with a brief smile. "You do remember the other parts to Operation Wavebreak, yes?"
"Fufufu…those silly old farts are going to go berserk, aren't they?" Zefie asked by way of answer, chuckling all the while. "Serves them right for what they want to do."
"Yes…if everything is on schedule, they should have sent Kaji on his final mission right about now," Maya said with a mild harrumph. "Losing a perfectly useful Agent is rather…troublesome, as Tsukasa would put it."
"Now why do I have the feeling that there is something you're not telling me, my dear enemy?" Morganna asked of her fellow queen. "Somehow, I doubt it's just simple distrust of my poor helpless self."
"Helpless…riiight," Zefie responded in a voice just dripping with sarcasm. "You are about as far from helpless as anyone could be, grandmother."
"That much is true enough," the Queen of the Dark answered neutrally. "You are about as far from helpless as Skari is from his former self. Speaking of the Bracelet Bearer…I'm curious. When you responded to his kiss…was that just Rei's body reacting instinctively, or was that you."
Zefie flushed and looked away, as a faint knock was heard at the apartment door.
"Ah, our guests have arrived," murmured the tall, dark haired 'Yumi Aranami', as she rose from the table and headed to open the door.
A moment of fussing with the locks, and it opened with a small click, revealing the presence of Hikari Horaki and Shinji Ikari, both now out of the hospital, and who had come immediately upon receiving a summons from Morganna.
"Welcome again to my humble abode, dothackers," the Goddess of Dusk said in her role as Yumi Aranami. "We've been expecting you."
She turned to head back to the dining room, beckoning the others to follow.
'We?' Shinji and Hikari thought as one as they stepped into the room. 'Who else could Aranami-sensei have with us who knows we are dothackers?'
Nevertheless, they proceeded onwards, eyes scanning the apartment as they entered—and coming to sudden halt as they saw just who was waiting for them.
'Wait, Rei-chan…and Ibuki-san?! What are they…? Are they dothackers too?'
'Rei, along with me, was someone that Rumor first approached to become a dothacker a long time ago, and she was also the first to fall into a coma. But why is Ibuki-san here…I know she used to be a dothacker, but just who is she…'
"And now we are assembled, Shinji-kun, Hikari-san," Maya said by way of greeting. "Come, join us for breakfast, as we have much to discuss and very little time."
"It concerns Reimeiki-chan," Zefie said quietly, much to Shinji's surprise, "as well as something called Operation Wavebreak."
Abandoned Warehouse, Outskirts of Tokyo-3
He leaned against the wall of an old building on the outskirts of Tokyo-3, a building that had been a milestone on his personal quest for truth. It was here that he had discovered the first of the many organizations behind the Marduk Institute was a dummy corporation, here that he had gone to investigate the first piece of information he had received from his contacts, here he sometimes came here to think—and so it was appropriate that he should have come here when his life came to an end.
Far better to spend the last moments in quiet contemplation of what he had discovered—and what he had already passed on to others, than to deny that the end might come. In his line of work as a rogue spy (working for four different factions, no less!), it was pretty much inevitable that one of them would get tire of him eventually and throw him to the wolves, especially after his role in the kidnapping of NERV's Subcommander.
'If I had refused, SEELE would have executed me…but because I agreed, my executor will be an Agent of NERV. At the very least, my last actions bring me closer to the truth…I have no regrets, really. I always knew this would be my end when I signed away my life…'
Behind him, a large but rusty ventilation fan spun ponderously in the light of dusk, and Ryoji Kaji smiled wryly as he thought of his time in the land of twilight, how Helba had revealed to him some of the mysteries of NERV and corrected him on others, how he had attempted to find out who Helba was but had not quite succeeded.
Oh, he had his suspicions, but no concrete proof, even if the Queen of the Dark had seen the spy business as something of a great game (and he really couldn't complain—her methods were effective, after all, and she was quite the chessmaster, possibly ranking up there with the Committee and Gendo). And slowly but surely, he had come to understand the severity of the conflict in both worlds, and why the infamous hacker was so interested in NERV, especially after he himself risked life and limb fighting for the sake of Net Slum Tartarga alongside the Queen and her AI army.
'So she had me as an operative in the real world, as well as Yumi Aranami and Bith the Black. I wonder who else she had working for her…'
But there was no more time for thought, as the door to the warehouse opened, a shadowy figure stepping through—one of those who had worked with him as part of NERV Intelligence.
"You're a bit late," he quipped, thinking those to be appropriate last words.
A shot rang out, and a spy slumped lifelessly to the ground, looking in death just as he had in life. But to the other's surprise, that spy was not Special Investigator Ryoji Kaji, as it was the NERV Intelligence Agent who had been shot and killed by—
'Hm? This is interesting…'
Kaji's eyebrows rose as he looked upon his savior, a somewhat familiar looking man leaning casually on the wall, sipping an espresso, of all things.
"Let me guess, your old job isn't as far in the past as you said," he snarked in amusement. "Is it, Lieutenant? I'm guessing your employer wants me alive then…?"
He trailed off, prompting his fellow agent to provide him with a name or something of the sort to make addressing him easier.
"I never said it was over, did I, Fili?" the bespectacled man replied with a nod, draining his espresso to the last. "And as I said before, names are just symbols, but if you must have one, than Ichiro will do. Ichiro Sato."
"And what does your employer want with me…Bith?" he puzzled out. 'If his employer is Helba, and Maya is not Bith, then that means…Maya is Helba?' "I'm supposed to be dead, remember?"
"So I am, Fili the White," the man responded, acknowledging the point. "The associate of our mutual employer, the Queen. As for what she wants…well, there are things only a dead man can do and get away with."
"Various…errands, you might say?"
"Exactly," said Lt. Makoto Hygua, the man who in this guise was known as the Queen of the Dark's most trusted Agent, handing him a latex mask with the features of the man called Kazushi Watarai, one who had disappeared from the public eye a long time ago. "Here, put this on, and help me destroy the evidence."
"I never thought you of all people…"
"That's rather the point, isn't it? Come along now, Fili, we're behind…"
At the sound of footsteps, Makoto whirled, firing his pistol from the hip to kill the operative of SEELE who had snuck up on them.
"And now we have a matched pair. Perfect."
Human Instrumentality Committee
In the aftermath of the Vice-Commander's escape from captivity at the hands of the rogue Agent Ryoji Kaji, the Old Men were most…displeased, with the Committee divided between those who wanted to openly take action against NERV and those who counseled patience, as currently, with a false "God" on their side in the form of EVA-01, as well as two other operational EVAs, intervention would prove futile.
"NERV has dared to openly defy the Committee," rumbled one of the monoliths, ire in his tone. "And there is the matter of the satellites that were destroyed by unknown causes. Could NERV be behind this as well?"
"It could well be the work of Ikari," concurred another, echoing the general atmosphere of discontent permeating the chamber. "He is after all, a master of deception."
"So we have known for a long time, and yet we gave him NERV," yet another spoke into the dim room. "Something must be done…but not before the remaining Angels are defeated."
"Agreed," affirmed the Chairman. "The mass production of the EVA Series has now become our foremost priority. The time will soon come to punish Ikari for his crimes."