[Strike the Iron]
As Shinji, Asuka, and Rei all exited Rei's room, Shinji and Asuka's hands on Rei's shoulders, they came to find Daniel and Eleanor looking expectantly at them. After a moment of silence regarding each other, Rei stepped forward, nodding to Eleanor. "You were correct. It was undue of me to worry about my friends. About…" she looked at Shinji. "My family." that word had a new meaning, now.
Daniel nodded and stood. "I'm glad that things worked out well." he said with a smile. It dimmed as he continued. "However, the point still stands that you three need to be able to protect yourselves from the Revenants, and whatever else decides to come at you from beyond this Echo."
The light of the rising sun at his back almost silhouetted him, giving him an imposing aura as he put his hands on his hips. "Congratulations, Initiates. You are about to tap into the most powerful resource in all of Reality. You aren't ready yet. But we can at least start to get you there."
. . .
As the Children followed them into the blue stone room, Eleanor elbowed Daniel softly. "Rasczak? Really?"
Daniel shrugged. "It leaves an impression. You clearly remember it as well as I do."
Eleanor bobbed her head from side to side. "Point taken. It's hard to forget your first instructor when it's her."
They came to rest in the center of the room. Being a Sunday today, they had nothing to worry about in terms of school, and it would be a while yet before the cleanup of the battle with Zeruel was finished, and NERV turned back to giving at least Rei anything to worry about when it came to piloting. That meant they didn't even have to isolate themselves from time.
Daniel and Eleanor turned to face the Children, and they slowed to a stop. Without a word, five chairs, simple stools really, appeared behind Daniel and Eleanor, and in a row in front of the Children. As they sat down, the Children made their way to the surprisingly comfortable stools.
"Alright." Daniel said, dramatically pausing to look at each of them in turn before Eleanor gently elbowed him. "So, first things first. You are technically already able to Interface. The problem is finding enough Metos to do it with."
"Why so?" Rei said, her head tilted slightly.
Daniel nodded. "Good question, Rei. Essentially, a soul acts as a sort of passive generator for Metos. It's what allows you to grow a Frame in the first place. However, growing Frames beyond that takes strengthening a soul, linking it to a greater source of Metos. In this case, that is Pneumaity, the source of all Metos. Linking someone's soul without the help of another Interfacer is usually accompanied by a substantial amount of trauma or extremely powerful emotions. Enough so that most don't live long afterward."
As he let them ponder that silently for a moment, Eleanor cut in. "However, the process that we've undergone, and that you three will go through, is… if not painless, then merely odd and slightly uncomfortable."
There was a slight gust as all three pilots exhaled after a moment. "Good." Asuka said. "Glad that we don't, in fact, have to go through something even worse than what we usually go through as Eva pilots."
Daniel nodded. "Of that, I'm sure." Daniel took a deep breath. "Alright, now. If you all can close your eyes, we'll begin."
The Children closed their eyes and waited in silence for a moment. Asuka decided to break it. "So, when are we-"
They felt something... familiar. Like a presence that was everywhere around them, and yet not present at all. It took them a moment to realize that it was Daniel, reaching out to them with his soul.
"So," he said without speaking, "what comes next can be a little… overwhelming. Just brace yourselves and ride it out. It won't take as long as you think."
They wondered for a moment what he meant before the process began. Then, the sound of their breathing started to become louder in their ears. Their nightclothes, light as they were, somehow became heavier, and they could feel every fiber that touched them. Their last meal came to haunt their taste buds with a vengeance, and they tried to not get too dizzy from the overstimulation of simply breathing in.
It lasted for what felt like hours before the stimulation started to recede. "Alright," Daniel said, his voice seeming a little louder than it was before, "the worst of it should be over. Open your eyes slowly."
They did so, and as they did, the dimness of the room seemed diminished from what it was, and they looked at Daniel. He seemed… sharper now. More defined than he once was.
He stood and walked over to them, examining them critically. "There will be some lingering effects, but you will go back to mostly normal within an hour or two."
Shinji tilted his head. "Mostly normal?"
Daniel nodded as he moved on from Shinji to Rei. "Yes, mostly. Even without having to do anything, your senses have been sharpened slightly, and your reflexes and strength have received a similar minor boost."
He stepped back, and spread his arms dramatically. "Congratulations, you three. You have been successfully plugged into the rest of Reality."
Rei nodded slowly. "Plugged in?"
Daniel nodded back at her. "That is correct. You have now been connected to the Pneumaic realm, which is the source of Metos. In your case, Rei, because of your Angelic heritage, you just needed to be plugged in the rest of the way." he paused for a moment. "Can you see our souls?"
Rei nodded after a moment. "Yes. I mainly perceive them as masses of light. It is… mesmerizing." she looked over at Shinji and Asuka. "Especially looking at Shinji and Asuka's souls."
Asuka leaned past Shinji. "Can you see our souls through the walls, Wondergirl?" she said, her eyes narrowed.
A small smile passed across Rei's face. "Yes, I can." she said, without inflection.
Shinji and Asuka blushed as Daniel quietly chuckled. Asuka continued to stare back at a cool, collected Rei. "You are…" Asuka said. "A pervert." she finally decided.
"My apologies, Asuka." An odd look crossed her face. "It is… mesmerizing to watch you two. To watch love. Beautiful, even."
Asuka leaned back, looking forward. She recognized that look, the tone of voice. It was envy. She… she envied what they had. It was silent for a moment. "So," she said, "when do we get to start lobbing fireballs?"
Daniel smiled slightly. "We'll get there. But first, we want to make sure that you have the basics down that we talked about a few weeks ago. Better to be safe than sorry."
NERV Meeting Room, Geofront
Gendo Ikari did not look forward to this evening. He was more than a little annoyed at how they had pulled him away from his vigil. But when the old men called, one answered. Especially when one told them of the events of yesterday's battle with the Angel.
So he sat silently, hands tented in front of his face as always, as the Human Instrumentality Committee appeared in front of him.
Chairman Kihl, hidden behind a black monolith labeled 'SEELE-01', was the first to speak. "Commander Ikari, as I'm sure you can surmise, we have many, many questions concerning the encounter with the Angel."
Gendo nodded imperceptibly. "And you may ask them at your leisure."
The African Union representative, the voice of 'SEELE-02' spoke first. "Our reports from your Magi speak to a breathtaking level of destruction within and without the Geofront, as well as the Angel's apparent ease in breaking into the Geofront. How was this allowed to happen?"
Gendo regarded the faceless voice for a quick moment before responding. "The Angel, who has been designated Zeruel, has proven itself to be the most durable and powerful so far, save for the Angel Ramiel. It struck quickly, breaching the defenses surrounding Tokyo-3 before we were prepared to sortie the Evangelions outside the city limits. We were thus forced to deploy Unit-01 under the command of the First Child, and Unit's 00 and 02 under Dummy System control."
"And we can see how well that went for them, Ikari." The Frenchman, 'SEELE-04', said in a deadpan voice.
Gendo was silent for a moment. "Indeed." he finally said, in the same deadpan. "Unit-00 and 02 were disabled. The First Child was able to wound the Angel, but it too was defeated on the surface, and pushed through one of the Main Access points to the Geofront."
Gendo considered carefully how to phrase what he said next. "Circumstances were such that the Second and Third Children were temporarily reinstated as pilots, and Unit-03 and Unit-04 were activated to combat the Angel. Unit-01, along with Unit-03 and Unit-04, were successful in destroying the Angel."
"Don't take us for fools, Ikari." SEELE-05 said. "We know from the data that we received that the Second and Third Children were both in Unit-03. And Unit-04…" the room fell silent for a moment. No one knew what to make of an Eva that seemed to move, use its AT Field in such spectacular fashion, and do all of this… with no pilot or Entry Plug. "... was there any sign of Angelic contamination present on Unit-04 which could explain its sudden autonomy?"
Gendo shook his head slightly. "No. In fact, our studies of Unit-04 so far have shown that it is clean of any Angelic contamination. Far more so than Unit-03." Gendo paused for a moment. "Perhaps Unit-04's involvement in this battle will remain shrouded in mystery."
"Mystery is a dangerous thing when it concerns the Evangelions, Commander." SEELE-05 said.
"Moreover, you were confident in your dismissal of the Second and Third Children, Ikari." SEELE-04 said. "You gave us your assurance that the Dummy System would be a more than serviceable replacement. This is clearly not the case."
"Therefore," Kihl said, in a voice that expected no argument, "you will reinstate the Second and Third Children as Evangelion pilots. It is clear that the Dummy System requires far more time and effort put into its development. Time that cannot be consumed with the Evangelion sitting empty and idle."
Gendo was silent for a moment as he struggled slightly to get his temper under control. That boy, willful and ignorant, and the hotheaded, angry girl… would have to do. He would ensure their compliance.
"Also," SEELE-06 said, "the retrieval of the Fourth Child in the aftermath of the battle raises many questions. How did the Second and Third Children manage to release her from the core?"
'I've been asking that myself, you doddering fools. Among many other things.' Gendo spoke up. "We currently only have speculation when it comes to questions related to the Fourth Child's retrieval. Her connection with the Second and Third Children seems to have played a part in it. How significant, we cannot tell."
'But I want to find out. More than anything they could ever know. If I can get her back…'
Gendo blinked. "However, the Fourth Child has been isolated in case of any lingering Angelic contamination. Her memories of her time inside of the core are vague at best, and she is uncertain of the circumstances of her return. After she has been cleared, she will resume her duties as the pilot of Unit-03."
"Until such time as the Fourth Child is released," SEELE-02 said, "the Sixth Child will hold the position of pilot of Unit-03. And after such time, he will remain as a reserve pilot in the event that your pilots- any and all of them- are incapacitated. He will be arriving tomorrow."
Gendo nodded imperceptibly. 'Even though I'd only ever recognize him as a spy, a cog in your machine. I'll ensure he serves his role in the Scenario. And nothing more.' "Very well. I look forward to his arrival."
"See that you do." SEELE-01 said. "And do not think this will be the last time we speak in the near future."
The monoliths disappeared, and Gendo sat in the darkness for a moment. Then the door opened, and the shadow of Fuyutsuki passed over him. "What news, Ikari?"
Gendo stood. "The Sixth Child will be arriving tomorrow. Ensure that Section 2 surveillance on the Child is strengthened from what we first set in place. I'll not take any chances on him." he paused for a moment. "I'll be speaking to the Fourth Child again."
Fuyutsuki shook his head. 'Speak' wasn't a strong enough word for what he had put the poor girl through. And his interrogation had probably made the Child more unwilling to answer his questions, not less. 'But that doesn't matter when it means you can get that much closer to getting her back, does it?' "Very well, Ikari. I'll see to it."
Tokyo-3 Municipal High School
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei all looked around themselves with a new view of the world. They were still somewhat shocked at how effective the room, which Asuka decided somewhat in jest to call 'the Infinity Box', instead of leaving it nameless, was at making sure that they could get the training they needed to do done in a single morning.
Today, they had gotten past the basics and moved on to Perception. Daniel had shown them how to 'change the view', so to speak, and tune their sight to how things looked on the level of the soul.
"It's a rather mesmerizing view. You can find yourself caught in the beauty of it all if it's your first time looking. So, we'll get that out of the way here. You'll get your first lesson in how to create new Frames right along with it."
"Firstly," Daniel said, "You're going to see how I can see all of you. That way, you can not worry about staring for too terribly long when you start doing it yourselves."
They looked at Daniel for a moment and tried not to fall off their chairs as their vision began to blur for a moment, then… they saw themselves. And not only did they see themselves, but… it was like looking at a piece of modern art, thin, slightly glowing branches radiating from a more brilliant core, stretching out from the center of their chests. Near the core, the branches twisted and spiraled, each in a noticeably different, deep pattern. It was silent for a moment as they looked on themselves with no small amount of awe.
Asuka blinked for a moment before focusing on Rei's soul. It was similar to theirs, but some of the branches seemed different, more tightly wound compared to theirs, and they split and combined in ways that weren't found on either Shinji or her's souls. "So, what's up with Rei's?"
Daniel nodded slightly. "It's part of her Angelic heritage, of course. But looking at it, Rei, you didn't expect your soul to be this... human, did you?"
Rei shook her head. "No, actually. I…" she paused, and they could see the embarrassment actually spring into existence within her. "My soul comes from Lilith. It was part of the process used to create me."
Daniel, and thus the Children, watched as surprise, then understanding pulsed one after the other in Shinji and Asuka, and relief pulsed from Rei. Watching the interplay of emotions was almost more mesmerizing than looking at the souls themselves. "That's the thing. The soul is informed by the body and mind, as much as it informs both in turn. It can and does change somewhat to suit its environment. But it will not become something it isn't. You are part Angel and part human. Your soul recognizes that. Therefore, it has the properties of both."
After a moment, their vision faded, and they looked at Daniel through their own eyes once again. "So," he said, a small smile on his face, "how were your first moments of honest to goodness soul searching?"
As they sat down in class, all three of them, at one point or another, noted Hikari's continued absence. She was still in the Medical Center, due to some nonsense with 'potential Angelic contamination'.
They watched as Toji filed in. He had been by her side for the past two days, and like them, he swore up and down that Hikari was fine. But, in the end, they were only pilots. They didn't make the decisions. Even still, Toji was far more relaxed than he had been as he sat down at his desk. Having Hikari back in the physical world helped all of them.
"Now, before we begin," the old sensei said, drawing most of the student's attention back to him, "we have a new transfer student entering our class. Please, introduce yourself to the class, young man."
All eyes turned to the door as a slight, pale-faced young man walked in, with a messy head of grey hair and piercing red eyes, as a delicate hand drew elegant kanji on the board behind him before he turned. "Hello. My name is Kaworu Nagisa." he scanned the classroom, and his eyes settled on each of the pilots in turn. "I'm happy to be able to join this class. It will be a pleasure to make your acquaintances."
. . .
Rei watched as the new boy walked to an empty seat and sat down as the old sensei's lesson began. Something was off about the boy. Something fundamental that grated at her unlike anything else had before. He was… wrong, somehow. Unconsciously, her left hand began to clench and unclench. She recognized where she had gotten it from, now. Shinji. Her… her brother.
She breathed in, then breathed out. She needed to focus, but the boy kept pulling her attention. It didn't help that his gaze wandered to Shinji every once in a while, setting off her alarms even more. She had to know what he was.
So she closed her eyes and followed Daniel and Eleanor's instructions.
"Alright now," Eleanor said, getting to her feet, "we'll go ahead and get you three started on making your first Frames."
She walked over to Rei first, putting a hand on her head. "Alright. Rei, close your eyes for a moment."
Rei nodded slowly. "Very well."
After a moment, she felt… a presence, not unlike Daniel's from before, but more focused, different in a fundamental way which she couldn't quite place. In fact, if she pushed enough…
"I wouldn't try going down my end of the link without some experience, Rei." Eleanor said through the link between their souls. "Right now, we're going to get you started developing the Sense."
"The Sense?" Rei thought, conscious of the capitalization of the word.
"Yes. The Soulsense, the Sense, the 6th Sense, whatever. It's the thing that allows you to be cognizant of your own soul. It's pretty important in Interfacing."
After a moment, there was a feeling of growth that was slow, but steady, then… a sudden connection. A deepening of perception. "Alright then. Put your hand out in front of your face."
She did so. "Now focus. Like you're trying to synchronize with the Evas."
Rei did so, and for a moment, there was nothing. Then, a hazy blur appeared in front of her, her focus slowly sharpening until she saw… her hand. As it was on the level of the soul.
"Alright." Eleanor said out loud, clearly satisfied. "Now, open your eyes."
Rei did, and the Frame of her hand seemed like a dimly glowing overlay, and she looked down at herself, marveling that she, herself, could see this thing that helped make her… who she was.
She looked over at Shinji and Asuka, who similarly marveled at their newfound sight.
"Very good." Daniel said with a slight smile. "You've just found out what it's like to grow your Frames. Now, let's get started on allowing you to see other Frames as well."
Rei looked over at the boy, Nagisa, and focused.
Daniel nodded. "So, you've felt the way your Frames grew as you became connected to the Sense, correct?"
The Children nodded. "Good. As we've said, you can instigate and direct that growth. So, in order to see other things on the Pneumaic level beyond your own souls, focus the growth into… well, the best description would be lenses of a sort. Think of the principle, the absolute truth, of seeing something for what it is. Then focus, and channel that thought and concept into the growth of the Frame. Your souls… well, they know how to do the rest."
They focused and felt their Frames all grow. After a moment, the growth subsided.
"Alright." Daniel said, nodding slowly and smiling. "You've done it. Each of you will create slightly different Frames. No two Frames are ever alike. But the image of the lenses still stands. Now, you just need to energize them. And for that, just think of letting the lenses drop across your eyes."
Rei let the lenses drop across her eyes, and the soul of Kaworu Nagisa was laid bare to her.
It was immediately obvious to her that he was not fully human, the almost clashing scribble of lines threatening to give her a headache. While part of the Frame of his soul was similar to one found on any other human, the other part was almost… dark, growing at hard angles and sharp points compared to the more flowing, curving lines of a human Frame. Why did it feel… familiar?
An Angel, her instincts cried a moment later. He was part Angel, just as she was. That thought stayed for a moment in her mind until the other part of the truth came to her. Not only was he part Angel, but his Angelic side also came from… Adam. The enemy, that self-same part of her instincts seemed to shout, and her concern grew.
She blinked, the lenses 'coming off', and began to use a feature which had, for the most part, escaped her use in school before now.
Shinji and Asuka blinked as they received a message over their school chat boxes from Rei. 'The new boy is like me. Part Angel. I will deal with him.'
Shinji nodded but did not reply. Asuka, on the other hand, gave Rei a sly look, Rei glancing over and blushing as she noticed.
Asuka received another message. 'It's not like that.'
Asuka nodded slowly, and typer her reply. 'Sure, Wondergirl. Have at him.'
She heard Rei sigh quietly, then typed again after a moment. 'He's like you. I would have never guessed that would even be possible. That… that means something. If you're thinking what I think you're thinking… then just go for it. It'll work out. I mean, look at Shinji and me.'
Rei blushed even harder. 'It's not like that, Asuka. At all. He's a danger to us, to the world. Even if he… no. No. We will not be going there.'
. . .
As class ended, and people began to file out for lunch, Rei walked over to Shinji and Asuka. "I will be up to the roof for lunch after I have talked with Classmate Nagisa." she said, curtly, then turned back to walk over to the boy in question as they glanced at each other.
He turned to look at her, smiling slightly. "Ah. You would be Ms. Ayanami, the First Child, correct?"
Rei's face was serious, her expression hard as stone. "Yes, Classmate Nagisa. Follow me. I wish to speak with you. Privately."
An ashen brow rose slightly. "Very well. I shall follow you."
The two of them found themselves in a part of the school grounds that was secluded during lunchtime, surrounded by trees and away from most anyone else. As they arrived, Rei stopped and turned suddenly, making Kaworu stop similarly quickly. "You are part Angel." Rei said, without preamble.
Kaworu's eyes widened slightly, then closed as he bowed his head and spread his arms. "Very well. Your deduction is uncanny. I believe that we are alike in this way, Ms. Ayanami."
"We may both be part Angel," she said, as she turned her Sight back on, once again looking at the soul of the boy as she looked at him in the flesh, "but that is where the difference ends. You are, in part, an Angel of Adam. How?"
Kaworu opened his eyes and looked at Rei with no small amount of surprise. "I have a part to play in far larger events than you know of. Events that require you, and Shinji, and Ms. Soryu, and the other Children. Especially Shinji Ikari..."
Rei's hand clenched into a fist. "You will stay away from them. I will not allow you to harm them."
Kaworu smiled slightly. "We are the Children, are we not? To stand apart from them would be detrimental to our cause. And I want to see him more closely. It would be wise of you not to interfere. There would be many questions. And something may happen to you. Or to them."
Rei's eyes widened as she saw how sure he was in such a statement. "You will not harm them, Kaworu Nagisa." she said, with a voice that could rival the Arctic in how cold it was. "I will not allow it."
Kaworu raised his hands. "I have no intention of hurting any of them. If anything, I am fascinated by them. Especially Shinji Ikari. I thought he would be alone here." he paused for a moment. "The human heart is a strange thing, is it not? So strong, and yet so fragile. Like glass, I believe."
Rei's head tilted as she regarded the rather confusing Child before her. Was that… wistfulness that she heard, that she saw within his soul? "What does that mean?"
Kaworu shook his head as that seemingly telltale smile came back again. "Firstly, I will assure you once again that I mean no harm to any of the other Children. You seem very concerned about such a possibility. Now, my interest in Shinji Ikari is in his pure heart, and how it has survived its circumstances. It is stronger than I thought it would be." he paused for a moment. "Perhaps you have some insight as to how his heart is so strong?"
Rei resisted the urge to shake her head in wonderment. He was genuinely curious as if he expected something else to be the case. She debated simply not answering him. "Love, Classmate Nagisa." she finally said after a moment. "He is not for you to toy with as you please. He is Asuka's alone, and beyond that, he is for those that truly love him. The bond between Shinji and Asuka is… sacred. You will not interfere in it. You will not pain them with your… advances."
Kaworu sighed. "Pain is a part of life, Ms. Ayanami. It will never leave us. We must experience it each day, endure it as it presses upon our hearts. For some, it presses so heavily, that they assume that the sum total of life is pain."
Rei blinked. There was bitterness hidden under those words, so well hidden in his speech that she would never have heard it otherwise. He continued after a moment. "Do you feel such pain, Ms. Ayanami?"
Rei was silent for a moment. "Yes. I do. But the pain is lessened by my bonds. By my love, and my knowledge that I am loved. I can bear each day now. I am not alone."
Kaworu nodded slightly, and Rei saw… envy. He envied her. There were too many questions and not enough answers. Kaworu continued after a moment. "I see. Do they know what you are?"
Rei nodded. "Yes, they do. And they do not care. They love me regardless. They know you are at least somewhat like me, too."
She saw surprise bloom within Kaworu's soul as he regarded her for a moment. "Then you are quite brave. And they have been put in far, far more danger than they have ever seen before. There are many who would prefer that what we are not be known. Who would kill to keep us secret. And have done so for far less. Those who would become the new gods of Lillim will not tolerate any leaks in their plans that would put them in danger of not coming to pass."
Rei blinked. He held genuine concern as he said this. A concern apparently born from the knowledge that what he said was completely true. "And who would they be? SEELE? And would you obey their wishes?"
Kaworu shrugged. "They believe themselves to have control of me. And they send me as they please. Or at least they make a display of it."
Rei tilted her head. He held no love for them, and their will was simply aligned with his for this moment, it seemed. "So they do not control you?"
Kaworu smiled. "They control all of us. Or, at least, they aspire to have such be so. They control enough as is to ensure that, if they found out about the knowledge that you and the other Children possess, that they would kill them."
Rei squared her shoulders even as she saw the concern the boy held. "Then I will protect them. I have promised myself that their lives, their bonds, will not be endangered so long as I live."
Kaworu smiled, and Rei saw that he was genuinely touched by her concern. "And all this because of love? What a powerful thing it must be." he paused for a moment. "There is much that I have not experienced. Perhaps I should love Shinji as you do? Or perhaps both him and Ms. Sory-"
A crack echoed between the trees, as Rei's smack propelled Kaworu in a complete revolution before leaving him on his back with an audible 'ooph'. Kaworu looked into the sky for a moment, trying to regain the breath that had been driven out by his impact, then looked back at Rei as he tenderly poked at his cheek. "Ow." he said, with more than a little shock and confusion.
Rei blinked as she looked at him. She saw the obvious surprise and pain, but she also saw… wonder, and curiosity, and even a growing sense of…
She blinked and blushed as she finally turned off the Sight, and Kaworu's soul faded from view. They stood there awkwardly for a moment, blinking at each other. Kaworu got to his feet after a moment. "I believe that's the word. I haven't really had a word for it before now. Is that correct?"
Rei wanted to scream at him, rail on him, continue to emphasize how important protecting Shinji and Asuka's love was to her. But, as she looked at her arm and saw the glow of her Frame there increased, along with the size of the Frame itself, she tried to make sense of the emotions that she had seen in the Sixth Child, and those that she continued to feel herself.
She turned after a moment. "You will not disrupt their bond in any form. Even I do not dare to do such a thing." she said in as level a voice as she could manage.
Kaworu walked back to standing in front of her. She could see the impressive welt that was forming on his face. "May I at least speak to them? To not do so would be rather suspicious, I gather, seeing as we are supposed to be fellow pilots."
Rei regarded him for a moment. 'At least the mark matches with his eyes. And if there's anything I've learned from Asuka, it is that wearing something should make one's eyes 'pop' as it were.'
Rei nodded and walked past him. "Very well. You may join us for the remainder of lunch. I will be watching your interactions with them. Do not do anything stupid."
. . .
As Shinji, Asuka and Toji all sat on the roof together, remarking on the disappearance of not only Rei and the new kid, but Kensuke and who they were slowly becoming sure was his two girlfriends, Shinji and Asuka received a text message from Rei. 'Look at him with the Sight when we get here.'
After a moment, a far tenser and… was that her being upset?... Rei nearly slammed the door open, seeming to march over to them, and sat down across from Shinji and Asuka, unwrapping her lunch silently. "Rei?" Asuka said after a moment of silence. "Is everything… alright?"
She glanced up at the two of them, and they could see the confusion behind the seemingly apparent anger in her eyes. "No." she said simply and turned back to her lunch.
All three pilots blinked as they heard the door to the roof swing open and shut somewhat more calmly, as the new boy Kaworu came to sit down by Rei, a handprint clearly visible on his face.
Shinji and Asuka were now nearly completely confused. What in the world did the boy do to deserve that from Rei? "Hello, Classmate Nagisa." Shinji said slowly. "Did, uh… did Rei slap you?"
"Yes." Rei replied tersely. "He and I had words together. He is the Sixth Child."
All three of the other children blinked, then slowly nodded. Then Shinji and Asuka glanced at each other and began to use the Sight to properly look at Kaworu.
As Rei had seen before, they looked at a soul that seemed disjointed, parts of it seeming to be smashed together, seeming for all the world like a toddler's scribble. Shinji particularly noticed the interest that the boy had in him. Then Kaworu spoke. "It is true. I look forward to working with you all."
Asuka nodded slowly. "Alright then. Welcome to the team, Nagisa."
They saw the pleasure of being at least somewhat accepted bloom into being the instant before he gave a soft smile. "Thank you, Ms. Soryu. And please, call me Kaworu."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Likewise, it's Asuka. And he's Shinji, he's Toji, and she's Rei." she said, pointing to each of the other pilots in turn. "Though… I'm not sure that Rei will let you call her that right now."
Kaworu nodded. "I understand. Regardless, I am pleased to meet all of you. I have heard much about you all." He looked over at Shinji. "I have heard a great amount about you especially, Shinji Ikari."
Rei shot a warning glance at Kaworu, and they could both see Rei's defensiveness and Kaworu's genuine interest in Shinji. "So, Kaworu," Asuka said after a moment, "where were you before coming here?"
Kaworu nodded slightly. "I was in NERV-3, in Neue Berlin."
Asuka nodded once. "Huh. Did they find you recently? I never saw you there, and I basically grew up in the Stahlturm."
Kaworu shrugged. "I was a rather lonely child, Asuka. Even if we were physically near each other, I doubt that I would have been seen."
Asuka nodded slowly as she and Shinji both saw the bitterness and sadness hidden under the glib statement. "So, you're here now, anyways. I'm guessing you'll be taking Hikari's place until she gets out of the hospital?"
Kaworu nodded. "Yes, I will be. At least until Ms. Horaki regains her active status as a pilot."
Shinji nodded. "Well, I'm sorry to say, Kaworu, but I hope your term as the pilot of Unit-03 is somewhat short. We would like to have our friend back in her Unit."
Kaworu smiled slightly. "Of course. I am not surprised that you would rather have a friend in the Entry Plug than a stranger you had just met." he paused for a moment. "It is good to be with friends, is it not? The bonds of the human heart can be so strong." he said with a somewhat distant look in his eyes.
Shinji and Asuka had to resist the urge to shake their head at the near overload of information that they had received from Kaworu's soul. There were many different emotions tied up in that one statement, but the strongest of all of them was… loneliness. He was almost unbearably lonely.
As they reeled internally, Kaworu blinked and looked around. "I seem to have forgotten that I need a lunch to go with the lunch period. How foolish of me."
Rei glanced sideways at Kaworu. "The cafeteria should be open for another 10 minutes. You have until then to find lunch. Be quick."
Kaworu nodded as he stood. "Thank you, Ms. Ayanami." he looked over at the rest of the pilots, his eyes lingering on Shinji for a moment. "And I hope to become a friend, in time." he walked back towards the door, and with a quiet clang, the four pilots were alone again.
Asuka and Shinji blinked, deactivating the Sight, as they turned with questioning glances towards Rei. "What did he say that has you so… unsettled?"
Rei shook her head as she set aside her lunch and crossed her arms, a look of embarrassment slowly beginning to come over her face. "He… he said things that made it clear that he would be willing to interfere in your relationship. I took offense to it and… I reacted."
Asuka blinked, a frown beginning to crease her brow. "Did… did he make a pass at me?"
Rei shook her head. "No, actually. His interest seemed more focused on Shinji."
It was Shinji's turn to blink. "Really? Why would he be interested in me?"
Rei shrugged. "I think he expected you to be… different from what you are currently."
Toji shook his head. "Man. I almost forgot how weird some of us Eva pilots could be." he looked around at the group. "Am I the only normal one here right now?"
Shinji shrugged. "You and Hikari seem to be the most…" he thought for a moment. "Adjusted, out of all of us." he settled on.
The rest of lunch was spent quietly, as three of the Children pondered on what they saw. Soon, the bell rang, and they all began to stand to get back to classes. Toji shrugged. "Ah, well. Guess the new kid doesn't get lunch today."
"So it would seem." Rei said.
. . .
Classes that day went as they usually did, but as the last school bell rang, and everyone prepared to leave, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei received a text from Daniel. He would be taking them to the Geofront.
As they filed into Daniel's car, Asuka climbed into the back with Shinji. "So, what gives with us going into the Geofront instead of home?"
Daniel sighed quietly as he began to drive. "Commander Ikari wants to speak to you, Shinji and Asuka."
A tense silence fell over the car. "He'd better be doing what I think he is." Asuka said after a moment.
Daniel nodded. "I believe he will reinstate you as pilots. You proved yourselves enough against Zeruel that even the Committee has probably taken notice. The Dummy Systems here will likely be a thing of the past, now. Hopefully."
An almost tangible air of relief settled over the occupants of the car. It couldn't quite cover up the tenseness and confusion over Kaworu. Daniel seemed to pick up on this. "So, I believe the new pilot just had his first day of school here, correct?"
"Yeah…" Asuka said after a moment. "He's something, that's for sure."
Daniel looked over at Rei, who had tensed up slightly at the mention of Kaworu. "He's half-Angel, right?"
She nodded stiffly. "Yes." she paused for a moment. "Not only is he half-Angel… his Angelic part comes from Adam. The Angel who initiated Second Impact. The progenitor of every Angel we've encountered and defeated."
Asuka and Shinji audibly gasped. "You mean…" Shinji said. "You mean that there's a possibility he might…"
Rei shook her head. "I am unsure. The part of me that comes from Lilith tells me that he is an enemy, regardless of what he says or does. But…"
Daniel nodded slowly. After a moment of consideration, he strengthened his connection with Eleanor. She was driving behind them with Toji. He smiled slightly. He would be in for a surprise later today.
Shaking his head slightly as he refocused, he spoke to Eleanor. "Should I tell them about Kaworu?"
He felt the deliberation happening in Eleanor's mind. "Well, if he truly is an agent of SEELE, then we run the risk of just making it harder for them to work together. People are going to notice that."
"True," Daniel said, "but on the other hand, they have the Sight now. They've more than likely seen his soul. The conflict within him. They would know that there's something more to him than what rests on their surface perceptions."
Eleanor was quiet for another moment as Daniel entered the accessway to the car lifts. Then he felt the mental equivalent of a shrug. "Alright. We'll chance at telling them. Like you've said, they've all more than likely seen his soul. Now… now they just need the rest of his story."
Daniel nodded, and the link was weakened, as the car began to rattle gently with their descent into the Geofront proper.
Asuka watched Daniel, then poked him in the shoulder. "You know something more about the new kid than we do, Daniel. So spill it. What is up with Kaworu?"
Daniel was quiet for a moment. "Kaworu, like Rei, is part-Angel, descending from Adam. This much should have been evident from looking at his soul." he paused for a moment. "I'm assuming you all took advantage of the Sight you so recently gained?"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. It was like… looking at a child's doodle on a sketchbook pad. Or like looking at two different sets of scribbled lines that don't quite fit together."
Daniel nodded. "Indeed. Most beings whose heritage includes multiple species have souls that are like that. Usually, the result is more unified, less… clashing. That comes from a natural union. When it's forced together, as it has been in Rei's case, the result is more like what you've described. For Rei, it's less noticeable, seeing as Lilith is the progenitor of all life on Earth. But like Rei said, Kaworu is also partly Angelic, on Adam's side. Because Angels and humanity are so fundamentally different, the soul… clashes with itself. One part or the other trying to establish dominance." He looked over at Rei. "One part trying to dominate the other is something that is familiar to you, I would imagine, Rei."
Rei nodded. "I do sometimes feel a… a sort of pull to… reunite with Lilith."
Asuka and Shinji turned to Rei with shock. "So you're saying that if you get too close to Lilith, you…" Shinji said, trailing off.
Rei shook her head. "No. And, at least, the feeling is lessened now. Being with the people that I love helps. Thank you for your concern, Shinji."
Asuka nodded, then looked back at Daniel. "That doesn't answer our questions about the new scribble in town. We know what he is. We just don't know who. You more than likely do. You…" she scoffed slightly. "You watched an entire television show about us. He's probably in it, I bet. So, who is Kaworu Nagisa?"
Daniel was silent for a moment as they came into view of the Geofront. "Kaworu Nagisa is… the final Angel."
All three Children's eyes went wide, and Rei's instinct screamed at her to do something about the boy at the mention of it. "You mean…" Shinji said, fear evident in his eyes. "We'll have to fight him at some point?"
Daniel sighed, and bowed his head. "In the show that made its way to my world, Kaworu Nagisa comes in the aftermath of the next Angel attack." he blinked after a moment. They would need to prepare for that. And soon. He focused back on the topic at hand. "He would come to Tokyo-3 and find a Shinji Ikari who has been… completely and utterly broken."
The car was silent for a moment before he continued. "He became Shinji's only friend at that time. Misato mourned the death of Kaji, who dug too deep in search of the truth," he paused for a moment as Asuka gasped quietly, "you, Asuka, never admitted your feelings for him. You grew apart, and you spiraled into depression as Shinji became a better pilot. After defeat after presumed defeat at the hands of the Angels, you eventually… sank into catatonia."
Asuka didn't even gasp this time, finding Shinji's hand and squeezing it tightly. Daniel shook his head. He hated to hurt them like this. But it was the only way to have them understand what Kaworu was. He looked over at Rei. "And you, Rei… the Angel attack which sent Asuka into catatonia… killed you."
Rei's eyes went wide. "And I was presumably replaced, and the drug regimen reinstituted."
Daniel shook his head. "You never went off it in the first place, or you were so different that there were no drugs involved. I can't entirely tell. But Asuka only ever saw you as a rival in that world. She would have never interacted with you enough to find out either way." Daniel shook his head again. "But I digress."
Daniel took a deep breath. "Kaworu was sent to pilot Unit-02 in Asuka's absence. As I said, he bonded with that Shinji, became perhaps the only person in his life at that point who showed him unconditional love. Then..."
"The urge that all Angels share became too strong, I presume." Shinji said quietly.
Daniel nodded. "Yes. And he made it all the way to Terminal Dogma. Where he found Lilith. And at that moment, he recognized what he would do would extinguish Shinji's life. So, in the end, Shinji had to…" he trailed off.
Shinji's eyes went wide. "I… I had to… kill him?"
Daniel nodded. "Yes. He had to nearly beg that version of Shinji in order to do it, to stop him from going through with what the Angels were trying to do. It was his choice. And he lived up to his Angelic name, in the end. Tabris. The Angel of Free Will. He recognized, in the end, that he was a tool for SEELE, and did his best to stop them in the way that he knew how. By trying to exercise his own free will."
It was silent as Daniel stopped talking. All in the car pondered what they had heard. Rei thought especially deeply, her thoughts crystalizing into three words. 'He's… like me.'
Daniel shook his head after a moment, a small smile on his face. "Now that I've brought the mood down to where it is right now, as penance for my sinful actions, it is my distinct pleasure to have to ruin that mood."
As the other Children looked at him, he nodded over towards the surface from where they came. "Eleanor is bringing Toji down to check in on Hikari and Sakura. What he doesn't know is that Hikari has been cleared to exit quarantine."
As the Children's faces lit up, Daniel put up a hand. "Now, that doesn't mean that she's back on active duty as of now. She's still in reserve and having Kaworu pilot Unit-03. But she can come back to school. A fact I'm sure that everyone will find equitable. Rei and I will go and be part of breaking the news to Toji while you two are meeting with Commander Ikari. We'll be waiting for you."
The Children, now in a much better mood, now awaited, whether eagerly or not, what would come next.
. . .
Shinji and Asuka stood in front of the door to Commander Ikari's office and tried not to appear too anxious to their bodyguards, now at least somewhat lesser in number than before. As the doors opened, they stepped in, alone again.
As they walked towards the singular desk in the middle of the room, Shinji couldn't help but feel some small anxiety. What if Daniel was wrong? What if fat-Commander Ikari had just called them in to punish them for commandeering Unit-03? As they came to a stop at what was still a ridiculous amount of space away from Commander Ikari's desk, Shinji breathed in quietly. 'Whatever comes, Asuka and I can handle it. We win together. And that's just the truth.'
Commander Ikari regarded them silently for a moment before speaking. "Your actions have been noticed and commended by the Human Instrumentality Committee. They have recommended that your status as pilots be reinstated. Therefore, as of this moment, you are once again pilots to your respective Evangelion. That is all. You are dismissed."
As Shinji and Asuka turned, Ikari spoke up again, causing the two of them to pause. "But know this. Any further insubordination will not be tolerated."
Shinji and Asuka continued to walk out after a quick moment to process what was just said, and the doors shut behind them. They walked a little way before Asuka turned to Shinji. The look in her eyes was exultant, and she seemed to want to hug him. Shinji wondered why she didn't just do it, then remembered the fact that this hallway was probably heavily monitored. "We…" she said quietly. "We can do it. We can talk to our mothers. Finally."
Shinji's eyes widened. Of course. He had almost become so enamored by the new world of Interfacing presented to him, that the thought of finally being able to speak to his mother again had almost slipped by him. But only almost. His eyes widened in turn, as tears began to well up in them.
They continued to walk on, quietly marveling at the fact that they were, in fact, pilots again, and both wondered when their next synch test would be. That would be the best time to do it, after all. But the Evas were still being repaired. That would be a little ways off, for now. But now… for what seemed like the first time in… well, ever, Shinji was anxious to get into the Entry Plug of Unit-01.
Eventually, they reached the open air, sharing a tight, long hug as they finally felt comfortable doing so, and walked a path that led towards the NERV Medical Center. As they came to reach the doors that led inside, they opened, and Hikari, hand in hand with an absolutely over the moon Toji, walked out, followed by Daniel, Eleanor, and Rei, all of whom had bemused, but happy smiles on their faces.
As Hikari noticed Shinji and Asuka, she waved excitedly at them, and Asuka and Shinji waved back, Asuka stepping forward into a hug. "So, they finally let you out!" Asuka said, taking Hikari in with a smile.
Hikari nodded. "Yes, Asuka. But I'm not back on active duty just yet. I've heard that they found the Sixth Child and that he'll be taking my place for a little bit. Is that right?"
Asuka rolled her eyes and put a hand on Hikari's shoulder. "Oh, boy. You don't know the half of it." she looked over at Toji. "I know you two have been waiting for each other, but could I steal your girlfriend for some girl talk for a little while?"
Toji nodded his head as he rolled his eyes. "Well, I guess I should've seen this coming. I'm not gonna try stopping you. I like my arms without bruises, thank you very much."
Asuka shook her head as she smiled. "Thanks, jock."
As Asuka and Hikari walked ahead and talked in low voices, Shinji made his way to Toji's side. "It's good to see you so happy, Toji." Shinji said with a smile.
Toji nodded, looking ahead at Hikari as he smiled. "It's good to be this happy, Shin-man." Toji looked over at him with a sly smile, elbowing his side. "And talking with Hikari… man, of all the people that I thought would have better game with the ladies than me, I almost would have never guessed it would be you!"
Shinji blushed, and Toji chuckled. "Don't sweat it, Shin-man." He went quiet, his smile becoming more thoughtful. "I mean, lately, whenever I've wondered what would make Hikari smile… I've thought of what you might do." he chuckled softly. "And that was before I figured out you were dating Asuka Soryu-Langley, the mysterious, hot transfer student."
Shinji's blush deepened slightly. "Wow. It's funny you say that. Because, especially early on, whenever I had trouble feeling confident… well, I'd think of you. Brave and patient and sure of himself. You've helped me as much as I seemed to have helped you."
Toji looked at Shinji with surprise, then his smile returned as he patted Shinji's shoulder. "Look at us. A couple of stooges, and we managed to get this lucky? The universe must be feeling nice to us, man." They chuckled quietly, and the next few moments passed in companionable silence.
Shinji looked over at the girls as they walked in front of them, then looked back at Toji. "So, will you be taking Hikari out later?"
Toji nodded slowly. "Yeah. But…" he looked back, and Shinji looked back with him to look at Daniel, Eleanor, and Rei all quietly talking a little ways behind. "Daniel promised that when Hikari got out, he would answer our questions. Like how our mother's souls are in our Evas. That's happening first thing today." Toji looked back at Shinji with a small smile. "Then it's date night with Hikari. School day tomorrow be damned. We've been looking forward to it since she got back from the Eva core. We've got a movie and dinner in mind…"
Shinji and Toji idly chatted as they made their way back towards the cars. Eventually, they all arrived at the cars, and after a much happier drive out of the Geofront, the Theisman residence door opened to a slightly tired, but happy group of pilots and head technicians.
Daniel turned to Hikari and Toji. "Alright. I promised I'd answer your questions. And that answer… is going to seem a little strange, especially in the beginning. Shinji, Asuka, and Rei have already heard the whole spiel."
He looked over at the Children in question. "Do any of you three want to skip out this time?"
They all shook their heads, Asuka smiling as she did so. "Are you kidding? I don't want to miss their reactions when they see this."
Toji looked at Asuka, then at Daniel with raised eyebrows. "What kind of explanation are we talking about? And why is Asuka so excited?"
Daniel smiled slightly. "Well, follow us and find out."
As Daniel led the Children into the depths of the Infinity Box, separating them from time as he did, he turned to Hikari and Toji, the other three Children making an expectant cluster to the side of them. "So, Hikari, Toji. You've wondered how we know about the things we know. How I went into battle in Unit-04. Well, to start things off…" he paused dramatically and caught Asuka rolling her eyes out of the corner of his own. "I am Colonel Daniel Theisman, and this is Colonel Eleanor Theisman. And we are not from this universe."
It was silent for a moment. Then Toji scratched the back of his head, the disbelief in his eyes warring with what he had already seen. "You know, I'd ask if that was a joke, but with what's been going on in the last few minutes…" he trailed off as he looked around the room again.
Hikari raised her hand slightly, then remembering that she wasn't in class right now, lowered it. "So, are you from a different version of NERV, then?"
Eleanor shook her head. "No, this is still our one and only NERV, where I am still a First Lieutenant, and Daniel is a Captain. We are Colonels in a different organization, and to explain that… well, we'll have to start from the beginning."
The room dimmed and then darkened. Then, the Worldsea was revealed all at once, and the Children each had a satisfied smile on their faces as they watched wonder and awe bloom on the faces of Hikari and Toji.
Eleanor stepped forward, spreading her arms as if to take in the entirety of what was around her. "Behold." she said in a nearly reverent voice. "Reality."
Ritsuko's Apartment, Geofront
Ritsuko Akagi typed at her laptop as she absentmindedly ate her dinner. It was a nice night tonight to work on, or with now, she supposed, the Magi and her mother. The fact that Maya was there too was really supposed to be an unintended bonus.
Going out for drinks went well. Better than expected, really, and Ritsuko had seriously, or at least as seriously as 3 drinks in her system could make it, considered just bringing her back home with her that night.
She would have accepted, but… it would have been too much far too quickly. People would notice. He would notice. He'd have another lever to pull to get her to dance the way he wanted her to. And besides, she didn't want to take advantage of her student. As sad as it was to see Maya's face when she said she needed to go home. And going home alone… well, last night was a restless one. She saw Maya's face in full in her dreams now.
So now, Ritsuko sat at her dining room table at home, doing work that clearly needed to be done, while Maya had decided to come over and graciously assist her in completing that work. The fact that she stayed long enough to make dinner that they ate as they worked was an aside, really.
Their work progressed, and soon, the most relevant parts of it were finished. That it was timed to coincide with finishing dinner was just one more of tonight's little coincidences.
Ritsuko nodded at her protégé. "Alright, Maya. I can finish the rest of this on my own tonight."
Maya nodded as she stood. "Okay, Senpai. Thank you for having me over."
Ritsuko smiled. "Please, Maya, we've worked together long enough. Just call me Ritsuko."
Maya was quiet for a moment as she blushed slightly. "Okay, Se- uh… Ritsuko."
Ritsuko fought not to have a blush show up on her own face as she nodded. "Thank you, Maya. I'll see you tomorrow."
Maya nodded, a small smile growing on her face. "Likewise." she turned, and with the quiet swish of the door opening and shutting, she was alone once again.
Or, at least, she would have been, when an eerily familiar voice finally decided to make its presence known. "You know, dear, if you wanted to have a dinner date with her, you didn't need to let me get in the way."
The heat in Ritsuko's cheeks became embarrassment. "Mother… it's not like that."
"Oh, is it?" Naoko Akagi said, and Ritsuko could almost see the arched eyebrow on her mother's face. "I have a camera that I can access on this laptop, dear, and a working brain to go with it. You were smiling at her the whole time you two were working. You like her. Go get her."
Ritsuko felt a small spike of fear stab into her heart. "It's not that simple, mother. There's the fact that she's still my student at the end of the day. And… that he's…"
As she trailed off, her laptop whirred, and she could feel the heat emanating off of it for a moment. A part of her marveled silently at it. 'Her emotions are affecting the physical hardware that she finds herself in. Fascinating.'
The laptop stopped whirring. "He…" her mother said in a voice filled with anger that slid down into resignation and regret. "He has you in his bed, doesn't he?"
Ritsuko was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Yes." a note of bitterness entered her voice even as it became quiet. "One more way I happen to be just like you..."
It was quiet for a moment. Then Naoko spoke again. "If only I had kept my grief in check… maybe… I could have spared you from-"
"No, mother. The past is the past." Ritsuko said, a little more forcefully than she intended to. "There's nothing to gain from 'could have beens'."
It was silent again. A sigh came from the speakers of the laptop. "Even still, what Gendo's doing with you, toying with you to keep you on his leash… that's not love. You know that as well as I do. What you have with Ms. Ibuki… that's love. So do something about it."
Ritsuko shook her head. "Didn't we just go over the fact that it's far more complicated than that? Not only in putting her in danger, but even just entering into that sort of relationship, even post-Second Impact… suffice to say, like I've said, it's complicated."
Naoko chuckled. "The thing I've found about death, dear, is that it greatly simplifies things. For example, my feelings on love. Do you want to be different from me? I never loved your father. I never loved Gendo. And when all was said and done… my love for you was sorely lacking. In the end, I died without love. You have the chance to be with someone who loves you, without condition, for who you are. Not for what you can do for her, not for what happens to be in your brain, but just for the person you can be. Who she believes you to be. So… why wait, anymore?"
Ritsuko was silent for a moment as she considered her mother's words. 'She's… she's right. What am I doing, dancing around this? Making the same mistakes my mother made? But… no. No more but's or beside's or what about's. I'm going to do… something.'
"Mother…" she said quietly. "Thank you." she would have never guessed that she could have ever said those words to her mother and have her hear them. Even now, it felt like she was just talking to the computer, the Magi, again.
Then the machine answered. "Of course, darling. If I can help you, then… perhaps there's hope for me, as well."
Next Time on Apotheosis Echo...
The Children continue to prepare, both as pilots and as freshly initiated Interfacers. A moment of peril delivers a confession, and it seems like it will be a quiet, yet eventful Christmas. Next Episode: Heavenly Peace.