Chapter 18: Heavenly Peace
Music soothes the soul, shaping it as much as any words or Interfacing can. Such has been the way of things since people found rhythm in beating two rocks together. There are many things that can spark the creation of music. That the revelations that would come at what seemed to be Shinji and Asuka's most anticipated moment was almost a given.
We were all anxious, in one way or another. But in the end, the hardest of hits come from the most unexpected of places.
Pribnow Box, Geofront, 1 Week Later
Asuka Soryu-Langley, the Second Child, and, once again, the pilot of Unit-02, tried hard not to bounce too much in her seat in the Entry Plug. Of course, she could allow herself to show some excitement. After all, she was right back where she was supposed to be, in the Entry Plug of her Unit-02. But there was more than that. 'I… I finally get to talk to mama again…'
A part of her reminded herself to thank Daniel and Eleanor for expediting repairs to the point that they could even think of doing these synch tests. And she would, after she talked to mama.
She thought back to what he had said to both her and Shinji. 'There's a better than good chance that both your mothers are going to be overjoyed to be able to talk to you again. It's going to be very easy to connect your souls quickly. But…'
Shinji nodded. 'That's going to look weird for the technicians who are monitoring us. Maybe even enough to stop the test.'
Both of their eyes had widened at that. Daniel nodded. 'Yeah. Your mother in particular, Asuka, might try and make the connection immediately. Do your best to take it slow. If nothing else, you'll both be excited to talk to each other again. You'll be going first, then Shinji will step in.'
He put his hands on their shoulders and smiled. 'Good luck, you two.'
Now, as she heard the chatter in the observation room rise to a crescendo she had surprisingly missed, a somewhat familiar voice broke through the chatter. "Alright, Asuka," Doctor Akagi said, "we'll be starting shortly. I can assume that you're still familiar with the process?"
Asuka gave a haughty sniff. "Doctor, if I had forgotten, I wouldn't be the best pilot NERV has, would I?"
A quiet sigh on the other end of the line. "Point taken. Prepare for Stage 1 connection."
Asuka didn't try to conceal her smile. The ones monitoring her would make their assumptions anyway. 'I'm going to talk to mama! I'm going to tell her so much! I can tell her I love her again!'
Inside the observation chamber, Misato looked up at the display showing Asuka's excitement with a small smile of her own. It was good to see her so excited again. She had heard how it had nearly crushed her, but it comforted her that she seemed to have a support net in Daniel and Eleanor, and, as Misato was sure she would be embarrassed to admit, Shinji. 'When are you two just going to bite the bullet and tell each other how you clearly feel? You two are so cute together, and you just can't seem to realize it.'
Someone joined her side, and she looked over to see Daniel. "I see she's taken like a fish to water, getting back into the swing of things like she is." Misato said.
Daniel nodded and chuckled slightly. "It is Asuka, like she said, after all. She's been looking forward to this all week."
Misato nodded in turn. "I know that much. Even Shinji seemed somewhat excited to get back into the plug."
Daniel's expression lost a little bit of its lightness. "Well," he said quietly after a moment, "can you blame them?"
Misato nodded slowly after a moment. 'No, I guess I can't.' she sighed quietly. 'Ever since they found out about their mother's souls, they've probably been chomping at the bit to get back in. That's what made Commander Ikari's dismissal so… evil. Even without him knowing they knew. Now… I just hope everything goes well.'
Maya cut through Misato's thoughts as she called out. "Beginning stage 3 connection. 0.75. 0.80. 0.90. 0.95. Mark. Absolute borderline crossed. The Eva is online."
Asuka nodded, focusing her Sight towards the end of the Entry Plug, and ultimately, the core. In the distance was… nothing. 'Wait. No, there is something.'
In what seemed like the far-off distance, she saw a light, flickering and dim like a lonely star in a black night sky. Slowly it came into focus, and she saw the connection, a Frame that stretched out towards her, connected to her own soul. She strengthened her connection with it, and she felt the wholeness that she had experienced from that first day piloting Unit-02 all those years ago.
She further strengthened the connection slowly. It was almost odd, seeing how the connection between her and her mama worked. Her mama's soul still flickered oddly, seemingly out of sync with itself. Why?
As the connection grew stronger, she began to make out emotions. Patience. Boredom. Surprise. Wonderment?
Asuka tried her best to hold back her own emotions from overwhelming her as the connection continued to grow. "Mama?"
Joy. Joy. Love. Want. "Asuka!"
"Mama!"
Outside of Asuka's perception, the synch rate rose slowly, but steadily. "35%. 45. 50. 60. 75. 80. 90%. Holding steady so far at around 95%" Maya said.
Ritsuko keyed into the Entry Plug. "You've just blown past your personal best. Good job."
Asuka's eyes flickered over to the camera, trying to hide the annoyance in them, along with the tears that welled up in their corners. "But of course. Now, let me focus and see if I can beat it."
She focused her gaze again as Ritsuko tried her best not to roll her eyes. "Mama! Mama, I'm so glad to be able to see you again!"
"Asuka! I-I've missed you! And… you've found m-me. I-In here of all places. Ho-How?"
"Someone told me you were here! That you've been with me this whole time!"
"I-I have been here! And n-now, yo-you're her-ere too!"
Asuka's chest tightened slightly with concern. What was going on with her voice? And why was the flickering getting more intense? She could almost make out the details of her mama's soul...
"Mama? Are you okay? What's wrong with your voice?"
"Asu-Asuka! Pl-Please, Sta-ie with m-me!"
"What?"
"S-Die with me. Die with me!"
Asuka saw her mother's soul in its entirety. And a portion of that soul reached out and grabbed at hers.
. . .
Maya's display went wild, and her eyes went wide. "Her synch score is going crazy!"
Ritsuko looked over with similarly wide eyes as the Eva began to jerk and spasm in its restraints. "Send the shutdown codes!"
Maya shook her head. "It isn't responding!"
. . .
Asuka desperately tried to pull away from the other half of her mother's soul as it wrapped itself around their connection, seeming to squeeze like a constrictor snake around the link. Other tendrils seemed to rise from that half of her mother's soul towards her like grasping hands.
"Die with me! Please! I miss you!"
Asuka could not help but remember her mother in her final days. "This is that part of her soul… the part of her that was left behind. I have to get out!"
With no small amount of effort, she focused on breaking the bonds which the insane part of her mother's soul held her with. It seemed to writhe and twist, until finally, she broke free.
As she retreated she called back to her mother. "I'm sorry! I love you!"
"I'm sorry, Asuka! I love you. I love…" Love. Sadness. Desperation. Then nothing.
. . .
Outside of the Entry Plug, alarms continued to blare as the inside of the Pribnow Box went dark.
"Power has been cut! 30 seconds on the Eva's batteries!" Maya said. She looked back at her screen, and her eyes widened after a moment. "Synch rate is lowering steadily. We're regaining control. Shutting down now." She sighed in relief. "Eva will deactivate in approximately 15 seconds."
The entire process had taken less than 2 minutes. Shinji was at a loss for words, and his fear was only lessened as he felt the presence of Daniel and Eleanor close by, as well as Misato's hand gently squeezing his shoulder.
He had Seen what had happened. How fractured and broken Asuka's mother's soul was. How a darker part had nearly caught her. And even from this distance, he knew Asuka, the woman he loved more than almost anything, struggled to contain her confusion, her sadness, under the veneer of haughty annoyance that she would show to the other staff members. He didn't even need to look at the monitor or her soul to know such was the case.
As the Entry Plug ejected and Asuka made her way to the locker rooms, Daniel turned to Misato and Shinji. "She'd probably appreciate you being there." he said quietly.
Misato and Shinji both silently turned and made their way to the locker rooms, as Ritsuko began to coordinate the diagnostics and transfer of Unit-02 out of the Pribnow Box.
. . .
Asuka stood with her face towards the showerhead, the water running down her face. It almost hid the tears that she shed. 'I didn't break my promise to you again until now, Mama. Not since the night I found my brother. But… I made that promise that I'd never cry to someone I thought was dead. And now… you're alive. You're alive!'
She let the water continue to run down her for a moment before finally turning the shower off. 'But is what you're doing living? Cut in half like that? What can I even do?'
She didn't really know. And the frustration and anger and helplessness that coursed through her provided no easy answer.
She finished dressing and stepped out of the locker room to find Misato and Shinji waiting for her. She stepped into a hug from Misato, putting her arms around the Major and squeezing. She wanted a hug from Shinji, desperately wanted him to comfort her. But the thought of doing that in front of Misato awakened old fears. She didn't know about this, about them, for a reason.
After a moment, she stepped out of the hug. "Thanks, Misato. Seeing my mother like that…"
Misato blinked. "Seeing? What do you mean?"
Both Shinji and Asuka blinked. They hadn't told her about their training in Interfacing, did they? With both Misato and Kaji finally actually coming home only a few days ago, and the excitement of the upcoming synch tests, it had slipped both their minds.
Shinji scratched the back of his head. "Well… since Asuka and I weren't pilots anymore, Daniel decided to make good on his promise to train us in Interfacing."
Asuka nodded as Misato's brow rose. "Yeah. Rei happened to join in too, seeing as her Eva was pretty trashed after the Angel. So far, he's taught us how to see other people's souls, and a few other things as well." she rolled her eyes. "Still waiting for him to teach us something really exciting." she said under her breath.
Misato shook her head. "So… what does that look like?" her eyes narrowed as an impish grin came across her face. "Is it like staring at someone without their clothes?"
Asuka and Shinji blushed. "It's not like that, Misato!" Asuka said hotly. Her annoyance became introspection as she went quiet after a moment. "It's like… looking at a sculpture, kind of."
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. And it isn't just being able to see the soul itself, too. You can see and understand the emotions someone's feeling too. It's… beautiful, really."
Misato nodded, and the hallway was quiet. "It sounds interesting. Maybe I should ask him to teach me that, too." she said after a moment. 'And I wonder if you two have seen how you dance around each other, finally. Maybe you've finally admitted it to each other.' she smiled slightly. 'It would take looking right at each other's feelings to admit that, wouldn't it?'
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. It's been… interesting."
Misato stepped back. "I'm going to supervise Unit-01's transfer into the Pribnow Box. It'll be about 45 minutes before your test starts, Shinji." she paused for a moment. "For what it's worth from me… I hope seeing your mother again goes well, Shinji."
Shinji looked up at her as a small smile crossed his face. "Thank you, Misato."
Misato nodded. "Of course, Shinji." she turned and walked away, leaving the two of them alone.
After a moment, Shinji stepped forward to finally give the woman he loved a hug. Asuka put a hand up in front of her before he could though. "Wait." she said, quietly. "She's waiting around the corner of the hall. Probably trying to see if we've finally admitted our feelings to each other." she chuckled slightly.
Shinji was confused for a moment, then figured that Asuka was probably using the Sight. He nodded and stood waiting. After a moment, Asuka nodded and held her arms out. "Okay, you're good."
Shinji stepped in, and hugged Asuka tightly. She shuddered slightly. "Shinji…" she said after a moment. "She… I don't know what to do. I want to fix her, but…"
Shinji shushed her quietly. "We'll ask Daniel and Eleanor. Maybe they can think of something."
Asuka nodded, and it was silent for a moment. "Daniel's probably going to teach her about the Sight if she asks."
It was quiet again for a moment as Shinji processed this, his eyes going wide as he came to the inevitable conclusion. "So we can't keep ourselves secret for much longer, then."
Asuka sighed quietly. "Yep. So, now the question becomes do we tell her sooner or later."
She stepped back slightly to look at Shinji's face, then sighed. "We'll come up with something." A small, uncertain smile flickered across her face. "After all, if we work together, we win, right?"
Shinji smiled and chuckled slightly. "Yeah. We win, Asuka. You're smart enough to come up with something, and I'm smart enough to follow your lead."
Asuka raised a hand to lightly flick Shinji's nose. "Don't sell yourself short. If you come up with something good- and you have before- you know I'll follow your lead."
Shinji chuckled after a moment. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. I guess I just forget that sometimes."
Asuka's smile widened slightly as she gave him a quick kiss. "And I'm here to remind you when you do." she stepped out of the embrace. "Go. They'll probably expect you to be ready soon."
Shinji nodded. "Alright. See you on the other side." he turned, and walked towards the men's locker room to get ready.
. . .
As Misato walked back into the observation room of the Pribnow Box, the window in front of her showing the back wall swung away to allow another gantry room, she came to rest beside Daniel and Eleanor. "So," she said quietly, but conversationally, "I see you've been expanding my pilot's skill sets."
Daniel nodded. "Yes, I have. I told them I would help them keep themselves safe. And I'm following through on that." he paused for a moment. "If you're going to get on my case for not including you in it, then I ap-"
"No, no." Misato said. "You've got nothing to worry about there. I've been busy for the last little while, and with these Scions that you've talked about… well, if they are as bad as you say, then I'd rather they be safe."
After a moment's silence, Misato spoke again as a wry smile crossed her face. "Though if you can hook me up with that soul vision thing you've apparently got going on, I'm sure that would save me a lot of time trying to understand some of the orders that I get around here sometimes. Not to mention Asuka and Shinji."
Daniel nodded slowly. "Well… whenever you and Kaji are free, we can get you up to speed."
Misato nodded, looking back out the Box as the purple and lime form of Unit-01 began to slide into place. 'He's not telling me everything. Have Shinji and Asuka already hooked up? And why would Daniel know, but not me?'
. . .
Shinji stepped into the Entry Plug of Unit-01, and tried not to appear too jittery. He would be talking to his mother soon. The mother that had disappeared in front of his very eyes so many years ago. What was she really like? What did she think about being in the Eva? How would she react to this sudden, far deeper contact? And how would she react if she found out his father wanted to get her out?
All those questions and more swirled through his head as he ran through the preparations for the synch test. The chatter in the Entry Plug was white noise as he focused, giving token replies as he prepared himself for what was to come. The only words that mattered to him were soon spoken.
"Prepare for stage 3 connection. 0.5. 0.65. 0.7. 0.85. 0.9. Absolute borderline passed. The Eva is online."
Shinji focused on the other end of the Entry Plug, and after a moment, a pinprick of light appeared in the distance. He focused as he had so many times before, and the pinprick of light seemed to become closer, more focused. He blinked. He had almost not realized he was using the Sight. That made this easier, though, as the connection between him and his mother's soul came into focus, and became strong enough to sense emotions.
Patience. Serenity. Surprise. Happiness.
'Is that what mother feels whenever I activate the Eva?' Shinji wondered as he strengthened the connection still further.
At the edges of his focus, he heard Doctor Akagi. "Well done, Shinji. You've blown past your best score. Any anomalies thus far?"
"Thank you, Doctor. And no, nothing that feels out of the ordinary right now." Shinji absentmindedly said, missing the part where she said that they would be ready to shut down in the case of any anomalies similar to Unit-02. Instead he further strengthened the connection.
Surprise. Interest. Happiness. "Shinji?"
"Mother…"
"Shinji… how are you doing this?"
Shinji smiled slightly. "It's a long and complicated explanation. All that matters right now is… I get to talk to you again. I have so many questions."
Outside of the silent conversation, Ritsuko nodded. "Alright. It looks like he's settled into a score of about 90%. No wild fluctuations like with Unit-02, but..."
Misato looked back at Ritsuko with slightly narrowed eyes. "But…"
Ritsuko sighed quietly. "But this is only a reactivation test. I'll let it go for a little while longer, but I can't risk having something similar to what happened to Unit-02 happen again."
As all of this transpired, Shinji felt a wave of joy sweep over him from his mother, as he looked at her soul. It was as beautiful to see as any of the other souls that he had seen before, and yet… this soul was one he would always remember.
"Shinji…" his mother said, "I had hoped that your father would protect you from having to do this for as long as possible. But even still, it made me so glad to be able to see you when the Third Angel appeared. I know he wouldn't have asked this of you unless it were absolutely necessary."
An old ember of resentment flared to life in the deepest parts of Shinji's stomach. "I don't want to think about my father right now. Right now… why? Why did you do this? Why did you leave me?"
It was silent in Shinji's mind for a moment. Then he felt what could best be described as a mental sigh. "I had to, Shinji. I truly wish I didn't. I'm sorry for that. They knew that I opposed their plans. So I had to take the chance to be in here. To secure the bright future that I promised you from them. So now, I'm in here, waiting for the right time to be in the right place to completely derail the plans that they've made. To make sure that they don't take your future away from you."
"They? You mean SEELE?"
Shinji saw the spike of fear pulse through his mother's soul at the mention of the name. "How do you know that name?"
"My guardian told me about them. How they started Second Impact. How they want to end the world. And how my father's going along with them to try and get you back." The last thought still stung with how recently he had realized it from making the connections to Hikari's questioning by his father, and he studiously made no mention of the other things that he had learned about the past, from Misato and Daniel both.
"What? Why… that knowledge of Second Impact, Shinji, that's what made me object to their plans, that's what drove me to be in here, to escape from SEELE's displeasure, but… Gendo… why?" confusion and sadness swirled through her soul like a tempest, and Shinji couldn't help but feel sad along with her.
Before Shinji could respond, the voice of Ritsuko seemed to ring into his physical ears. "Everything alright, Shinji? Your synch score took a drop suddenly."
Shinji nodded. "Yes. Something unpleasant just came to mind, and I lost focus for a moment."
"Alright then. Don't worry about adjusting. This is just an activation test. And we're concluding it. Prepare to desynch."
"Yes, ma'am." Shinji turned his focus back to his mother as the connection between them began to go out of focus. "Because you are the only person he seems to care about. Not even I matter to him more than you."
"Gendo…" Sadness. Confusion. Anger. Guilt. Then nothing.
. . .
As Unit-01 finished deactivating, Ritsuko walked up to Misato. "Alright. I noticed some very similar patterns between Unit-01 and Unit-02. I'm not worried about Shinji, but with what happened with Asuka… I'm going to want to talk to her."
Misato nodded. "Alright then." she paused, then sighed quietly. "The pilots know about their mother's souls, Ritsuko." she said, just as quietly.
Ritsuko's eyes widened slightly, then closed as she sighed. "They do, don't they? That probably explains the wild synch scores." she paused for a moment. "I'll still have to talk to her. To both of them. It's going to look odd if I do nothing."
Misato nodded. "I'll talk to them before they talk to you. That way we can mug properly for the cameras." she gave Ritsuko a meaningful look. "I'll also want to be in there. They're my pilots, and I am their guardian."
Ritsuko nodded. "Done."
. . .
Shinji and Asuka sat across from Misato and Ritsuko in the small, plain debriefing room. A single camera peered down at them from the corner of the ceiling as Misato cleared her throat. "This is being recorded," she said, as the beginning of their 'debriefing' began, "so keep that in mind as you speak, and make your answers as brief as possible while still being at least somewhat comprehensive."
Shinji and Asuka nodded. Misato nodded in turn. "Alright. So, let's start with you, Asuka. You experienced perhaps the most severe rise and fall in synch score during your test."
Risuko nodded. "Much of this can likely be attributed to something that happened core-side, likely as a result of the extensive repairs that had to be made in the aftermath of the last Angel attack. So, go ahead and explain how it felt on your side."
Asuka took a deep breath, managing not to jump as Shinji's hand discretely squeezed hers below the tabletop before retreating, out of sight of both the adults and the camera, and nodded. "Well, I didn't do anything different from what I've done in the past. The connection just seemed sharper. More clear, I guess. Everything else started normally enough as well…"
After their 'debriefing' concluded, Misato leaned back with a long, quiet sigh, then turned to Ritsuko. "This room is monitored by the Magi, right?"
Ritsuko nodded as Shinji and Asuka gave Misato looks of confusion at the seeming non-sequitur. "Yes. All automated Geofront security is managed by the Magi." she paused for a moment, then shook her head slowly. "If you're asking what I think you are… then I'm sure mother can do us a favor."
Shinji and Asuka were thoroughly baffled now. "Your mother?" Asuka said in an incredulous tone.
Misato nodded. "I'll explain somewhat later. For now… you're able to talk freely."
Asuka's gaze locked onto Ritsuko with laser-like speed. "Why?"
Ritsuko blinked as it went quiet for a moment, then sighed. "I wish I could have been able to tell you. But information like that is- was- confidential. If I revealed it to you…" she trailed off, looking down and to the side.
Asuka leaned back in her chair, silent for a moment. "All my life," she said, "I've lived without knowing what happened to my mother. What made her change so drastically. What made her…" she trailed off, and silence filled the room again. "So, again… why keep something like that from us if we can be better pilots?"
Before Ritsuko could reply, Shinji's voice, cold and clear, rang out into the room. "It's because of my father, isn't it?"
Silence battered its way back into the room, as surprise, shock, and no small amount of fear flashed across Ritsuko's face. Then, she seemed to deflate as she sagged slightly in her chair. "Yes." she said morosely. "He is very particular about operational security. Among other things."
It was silent for another moment, then Misato stood. "Alright then. Let's go ahead and go home, you two. You obviously need the rest."
Asuka and Shinji nodded, standing and walking out the door, leaving Misato and Ritsuko alone for a moment. Misato looked down at Ritsuko, and a small, winsome smile crossed her face. "So, Ritsky, want to go out drinking tonight? Might help with things."
Ritsuko blinked, looking up at Misato in surprise, then smiled slightly. "Not tonight, Misato. I still have a lot of work to do. I'm having to do it at home just to keep up, and that's with Maya coming along."
Misato looked at Ritsuko for a silent moment, then her smile started to become a smirk. "Well, far be it for me to interrupt a dinner date."
Ritsuko chuckled as she rolled her eyes. "I would say something about it not being like that, but…"
Misato chuckled as well. "You and I both know it's like that now. And… it's good for you. I haven't seen you this happy since…" she shrugged slightly.
Ritsuko nodded. "Yeah… it has been a while since someone has made me happy. Or at least, that happy."
Misato nodded, then made her way towards the door. She stopped and turned before she left. "Have fun with your work tonight. And tell your mother thank you for me." then, the doorway was empty, and Ritsuko was alone.
It was quiet for a moment as Ritsuko pondered on the words that she had heard over the past week. "Yeah, Misato." she said to the thin air. "I will."
Shinji and Asuka rode home in silence, with the backdrop of the setting sun broken up by the buildings that they passed by.
Shinji was deep in thought as he pondered on the words of his mother. 'She must have been a part of SEELE if she was opposing their plans for Second Impact. And my father… he married into SEELE. Looking at her soul, she felt… very familiar with SEELE. Like she had joined them early in her life. Or… she grew up with them. Oh god… I'm the latest in a line of people looking to end the world, aren't I? Am I… cursed? Is my family cursed?'
He felt a connection, not unlike the Eva's or Daniel and Eleanor's, and he was confused for a moment until he saw in his mind the vivid mental image of a punch in the forearm. "Hey, that's enough." Asuka said through what Shinji now knew was a link between their souls.
"What?" Shinji had to struggle not to say it out loud.
In the seat beside him, Asuka silently rolled her eyes. "Enough about cursed family trees. I don't love you for your heritage, Shinji Ikari. I love you for you. Compassionate and courageous and willing to go out and save the world, and… kind enough to love me."
Shinji glanced at Misato, who was focusing on the road, then looked at Asuka for a moment. "Asuka, I… I love you more than anything. But… I've also started to realize what I would do to get you back if I lost you."
"What would you do?" Asuka said, concern slowly growing within her.
"Anything. The whole world could burn, and I wouldn't care. I'm just like him. My father." Shinji's chest was tight, like the bitterness and fear and guilt would burst out of him at any moment.
Asuka glanced at Misato again to ensure that she was still focusing on the road, then discreetly reached out and squeezed his hand for a moment. "Shinji, I'm glad that you would do anything for the people that you love. For me. But that alone doesn't make you like your asshole of a dad. Would you manipulate anyone else around you, break them so you can use them better?"
Shinji's eyes widened slightly. "No! I would never do that. I would do anything, but… I can't expect that from anyone else. We've both seen what that does because of my father."
Asuka sighed quietly. "Then you're already different enough from your father that it shouldn't matter. Like you said, you would do anything to help the ones you love. You simply have a greater, better list than Commander Asshole does."
Shinji pondered on Asuka's words quietly as they parked at the building, Shinji nodding slightly as the door to their apartment opened. "But how does a bigger list than my father's really make me any different?"
Asuka sighed quietly beside him as Misato went ahead to grab a beer from the fridge. "Shinji, I thought we went over this already. You care about people. Not just me, but those around you, too. You care about Rei and Toji and Hikari and, hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted to keep the new scribble safe, too."
Shinji nodded after a moment as they both went to the living room, making sure to sit separately, much as it pained both of them to do so. "I guess I should have known that you would be there to give me the shake I needed."
Asuka smiled slightly. "Of course. I'm here for that, just like you're here for me. We wouldn't want it any other way, would we?"
Shinji nodded again as a slight smile of his own began to appear. "Yes, dear."
Asuka nodded self-assuredly, and the connection between the two of them faded.
The apartment was quiet for a moment, save for the gulping of Misato drinking her beer, perhaps her second one, Shinji got an idea, standing and walking towards his room as Asuka's eyebrow rose.
Shinji came back out a moment later, cello case in one hand and folding chair in another.
As Shinji began to set up, Misato looked through the entryway from the kitchen to the living room with a sly grin. "Ooooh, Shinji, looking to make some music for Asuka, are we?"
Asuka sighed, shaking her head. "I mean… with everything we've learned… maybe we both need it."
Misato's expression became sombre for a moment, then relaxed as Shinji began to play. She rose from her place in the dining room, sitting down close to Asuka's beanbag on the couch. "So, what did you two learn?"
Asuka sighed. "Well, not only is my mother's soul in two pieces still… but… Shinji's mom… apparently, she's either closely involved with SEELE, or she's been a part of SEELE since she was born. It hit Shinji pretty hard."
Misato nodded slowly as the music continued, and all present missed the quiet swish of the door. "Wow…" she looked over at Shinji, whose eyes were closed as he swayed slightly to the music he made.
As Shinji finished his music with a slight flourish, Asuka and Misato clapped. "Good job Shinji." Misato said with a smile on her face.
Before Shinji could reply, another voice made its presence known. "Yes, Shinji. Good job as always."
All in the living room turned to look at Daniel, who held a guitar case in one hand as he leaned on the doorway between the kitchen and the living room smiling, with Rei close behind them. "I see that we both figured that music would be helpful to soothe the inevitable revelations of the day."
Shinji nodded as he smiled. "Yeah, you're right."
Daniel's smile shrunk slightly. "How are you two holding up?" he said quietly.
Asuka sighed. "About as well as we can."
Daniel nodded, walking over to sit down on the couch, leaning the guitar case against it as he did so, Rei sitting on the last available beanbag. Asuka nodded down at the guitar. "I'm glad that you decided to cheer us up with your guitar skills, but I'm not sure a cello and a guitar go terribly well together, Daniel."
Daniel looked at Shinji, and both of their eyes began to gleam as Daniel turned back to Asuka, grabbing the guitar case and setting it on his lap. "You want to bet on that?"
As Asuka and Misato's brows both rose, Daniel looked back at Shinji. "How much do you remember of when we played together?"
A smile grew on Shinji's face. "Enough that if you started playing something, I could pick it up fairly easily."
Daniel nodded as he checked the tuning of his guitar. "Good, good." finding the tuning satisfactory, he pondered for a moment on what to play.
After a moment, he nodded, a smirk crossing his face. "Alright, I have an idea. You'll know it when you hear it."
Shinji nodded, readying his bow. "Alright, then."
Daniel nodded, and mouthed 'Three, two, one.'
He began to strum, and Shinji caught on immediately, coming in at his part only a second late.
As their music came together, they swayed slightly, and the other occupants of the living room watched in wide-eyed silence as they played.
Their faces were set in concentration, Daniel's head bobbing slightly in time with the music. Shinji plucked at the strings of the cello, and the melody seemed to almost make the air itself move with the tune.
Then, Shinji set bow to strings, short, but smooth movements replicating the sound of a human voice. Daniel's guitar was almost, but not quite overshadowed by the cello, as they seemed to dance without moving from where they were.
They reached the chorus, Daniel's flourishes complimenting Shinji's as the chorus seemed to pound like a beating heart, the beat pulsing through Asuka, Misato and Rei.
Daniel's head swayed as they reached the end of the chorus and moved on to the second verse, and he mouthed the words as he played. 'And nothing else matters…'
They moved back into the chorus, then, as they finished, they seemed to dive into what would have been the main instrumental, Shinji now fully swaying as the volume toned down and Daniel's fingers moved deftly across the strings as he leaned back slightly from seeming to almost stand up.
Then, the song began to quiet again, as they moved into the last portion of the song, the two players stilling as they reached the finale with a slowly drawn bow, and a last few notes plucked on the guitar.
Shinji and Daniel both finished with a small flourish, and it was silent for a moment before Asuka, Misato and Rei clapped. "Wow," Asuka said, with no small amount of amazement in her voice, "I wouldn't have ever figured that someone could play that on just a guitar and cello."
Daniel chuckled slightly. "You would think that. But then you would underestimate Shinji's musical ingenuity."
As Shinji blushed slightly at the outright praise, Misato chuckled. "Man, if only Asuka and Rei had instruments. We could have a whole orchestra in here."
As she said that, Daniel glanced sideways at Asuka with a small smile. "I seem to recall packing a slightly dusty violin case and music stand when we made our way here from Germany, Asuka."
Asuka blinked, then her eyes widened as she stood up. "Of course! It's probably around here somewhere."
She almost bolted towards the back rooms as Daniel turned to Rei. "So," he said, pausing for a moment as she looked over at him, "what did you think of the show?"
Rei nodded, her eyes still wide. "It was… beautiful, in unexpected ways. Watching how you two interacted with the music you made was… inspiring."
A soft smile came to all those in the living room as she said this, when, with a triumphant cry, Asuka emerged from the back bedrooms with a small case in hand. "Well, here you go, Shinji. I can add music of my own to this odd little string trio."
She set the case down, unlatching it and opening it to extract a violin and bow that seemed in decent condition. Shinji's brow rose just a fraction. "And how long has it been since you played?"
As Asuka was about to set bow to string, she paused. "Well… I don't think I ever played it when you were around, Daniel."
Daniel nodded sagely. "Then I would recommend taking it slow at first."
Asuka nodded as her brow furrowed in mock annoyance. "Yeah, yeah."
Asuka slid the bow across the strings, and everyone, Asuka included, tried their best not to wince at the near screech that came from the violin.
Asuka lowered the violin from her cheek with a slightly embarrassed expression. "Sorry. I should probably find some rosin for the bow. And maybe replace the strings. That might help somewhat."
Shinji nodded. "I have some rosin you can use in the meantime, and there's a music store close by where we can find some strings."
Asuka put her hands on her hips as best she could. "Why, thank you, Shinji. I have no intention of staying behind for very long, so be ready to play the hardest pieces you can find with me!"
Misato tried, and failed, to hide a smirk. "Oooh, Asuka, looking to make music with Shinji, are we?"
Shinji and Asuka predictably turned red in the face. "Misato!" they said at the same time, with the same indignation evident in their voice.
Misato chuckled. "Oh, come on. You two are just too easy to tease." her face became just slightly more serious. "However, if you are going to practice at night, please do it before I go to sleep. I would like to be able to wake up in the morning at least slightly well rested. To say nothing of Kaji."
Daniel looked over at Misato as the front door swished open and shut, announcing the arrival of the man in question. "I wouldn't worry too terribly much, Misato. They'll be soundproofed before she starts practicing."
As Misato nodded gratefully, Kaji leaned on the entrance to the living room with a slightly bemused look. "Well, well, I didn't know it was concert night tonight."
Everyone looked over at Kaji as he ambled into the living room. "Well, we were kind of depressed after talking with our mother's souls in the Eva," Asuka said, "and Shinji had the idea of getting his cello out and playing it, while Daniel apparently had the same idea with his guitar. And they wowed us enough with the music they played together, it jogged my memory that I had a violin that I have had far too little practice with recently."
Kaji nodded sagely as his bemused expression became more prominent. "Ah, so you're making music with Shinji, eh?"
Shinji and Asuka both rolled their eyes. "Nice try, Kaji," Shinji said, "but Misato already got us with that one."
Kaji nodded as he sighed slightly. "Oh, well." he looked down at Daniel. "It's been a while since I've seen one of your guitars out."
Daniel nodded. "That it has been, Kaji." he said as he stood, beginning to pack his guitar away. "But it's time for me to get going and put on dinner for when Eleanor gets home." he looked at Rei. "So, will you be dining with us tonight, or here with Shinji and Asuka?"
Rei nodded at Daniel. "I'll be dining here tonight."
Daniel nodded in turn. "Alright then. We'll see you after dinner and homework are done, then."
Daniel said his goodbyes to the others, and as he left, a collective growl filled the air as stomachs rumbled at the thought of dinner.
"You know, now that he mentions it…" Misato said, glancing meaningfully at Shinji.
Shinji nodded, and began to put his cello away. "Let me get this put away and I'll go ahead and start."
1 Day Later
Rei walked into a familiar part of Tokyo-3, and pondered on change.
She had brought up her concerns with Kaworu quietly to Daniel and Eleanor as they walked back from releasing Hikari from quarantine, and their words still echoed in her memory.
"Rei, I understand why you feel so… antagonistic to him." Daniel said. "It's literally hard baked into your instincts to fear any of Adam's spawn."
Rei nodded. "Yes. But…"
As Rei fell silent, Eleanor finished the thought that she seemed unwilling to voice. "You understand him. More than you ever thought you would."
Rei sighed. "Yes." she said, in an almost defeated tone. "I want to hate him, to ensure that he will never be a threat to the people that I love. And yet I know what he has gone through. Not as an Angel, but as an almost human being. A Child."
Daniel nodded sagely. "The well-being of Kaworu will play a great part in future events. Not just in the Scenario of SEELE and Gendo, but in the world at large." he paused for a moment as Shinji and Toji glanced back at them. After a moment, he nodded, as if coming to a realization. He looked down at Rei. "Shinji and Asuka have helped show you what it means to be human, correct?"
Rei nodded slowly, beginning to piece together what Daniel had in mind. "Yes…" she said, just as slowly.
Daniel sighed quietly. "Kaworu Nagisa has spent his entire existence, meagre though it may be, in isolation. Nothing but files on NERV personnel and a violin to occupy his time. He could use someone to help him become… adjusted to what 'normal' human life is."
Rei's expression was deadpan. "And that someone is me."
Eleanor looked at Rei with understanding. "You know, it doesn't need to be you if you don't want to. Shinji or Asuka could help him too-"
"No." Rei said, more forcefully than she meant to. "No." she said again softly. "I… I am the only one who understands what he is going through to any reasonable degree." she paused for a moment. "And… you have described to me the concept of 'paying it forward'."
She looked at her friends. Her family. She nodded. "Perhaps I can pay forward their generosity to me. Their patience and understanding."
Rei smiled slightly at the thought, then her smile dimmed as she came to face the housing of one Kaworu Nagisa.
She had phoned ahead, saying that she looked to apologize for her rude and inconsiderate behavior at their first meeting. Kaworu was polite, and gave her the address for his housing. They had avoided speaking to each other for the most part since that first day, aware of each other's instinctual enmity.
She recognized the location, deeper in the heart of the now seemingly ancient Ayashibahara district than even she once was. As she stared up at an apartment block that somehow seemed even more in shambles than she remembered hers, she steeled herself, doing her best to suppress the Lilithian part of her that screamed at her not to do this, not make herself so vulnerable to the enemy, as she began to ascend the stairs that were the only alternative to the broken elevator.
She came to his front door, and with no small amount of hesitation, reached for the doorbell, stopping short when she realized that if what was her own doorbell once was broken, it was much more certain that this one would be too.
After a quiet, deep breath, she knocked on the door. "Come in." a familiar, somewhat irritating voice answered, and Rei, only slightly out of practice, found the inevitable crack in the door and physically pushed it aside.
As she stepped into the tight confines, their dilapidation mirroring the exterior that encased them, she could hear the rattling hum of a disused air conditioning unit as it seemed to fill the absolutely tiny space.
It was a one room apartment, with a single window in the center of the back wall, a bed on one side taking up the entire wall, with a nightstand by its side nearly covering half the back wall, a dresser completely covering the other half. In a corner, a standing shower unit with an opaque curtain and a sink and toilet beside it comprised the entirety of the bathroom, while the entryway, like what was once her own, held the kitchen unit.
As she marveled silently at the state of her surroundings, the bed's occupant cleared his throat slightly. Rei suppressed the urge to jump as she looked at the pale haired, red eyed boy. 'Eyes so much like mine, and yet so different.'
"I must admit," Kaworu said quietly, that damned slight smile on his lips, "I wonder why you didn't simply apologize over the phone."
Rei's brow furrowed. "To apologize to you face to face is a courtesy that has been something that I have been avoiding for some time now. It is simply… polite. So, I offer my apologies for my coarse behavior towards you."
Kaworu's brow rose a fraction. "I am glad that we can be civil to each other, despite our circumstances."
Rei nodded. "Indeed." she paused for a moment, glancing around the apartment. "This habitation is… lacking."
Kaworu shrugged slightly. "I have few possessions, no neighbors, and little need for extra space. I am content here."
Rei shook her head slightly. "I once accepted such accommodations too. Then, my friends became aware of my situation, and lifted me up into better circumstances. You are a pilot, and one of the Children, the same as I or Shinji or Asuka." she paused again. "I will speak to Major Katsuragi, and see if she can have you moved to better accommodations."
Kaworu chuckled softly. "All this, for someone who you esteem as a mortal enemy." his smile disappeared, and he regarded her intently, wonder evident in his gaze. "Why do you do this?"
Rei was silent for a moment as she searched for a word that was appropriate for the complicated mess of emotions she was feeling as of this moment. "Compassion." she finally settled on. "As I have said, I lived in similar circumstances, isolated from those around me, until one of the people I least expected reached out and offered a chance at something better. I cannot turn away from a similar situation and still feel worthy of the compassion that was shown to me."
It was silent in the small space for a moment, then another, as both Children processed what was just said. "Compassion." Kaworu echoed, seeming to turn the word in his head to try and find the concept it was attached to. "Isn't that at least somewhat related to the love that you say that Shinji Ikari and Asuka share? Why would you offer it to someone you regard as a rival or an enemy?"
Rei smiled slightly. "It is a human thing to do. Even I do not fully understand how the human mind and soul works. But I have learned some. If you so wish… I can teach you more of what I have learned about humanity."
Kaworu's eyes were wide with near shock now. "Why?" he said in a whisper.
Rei was silent, then spoke as quietly as Kaworu did. "Because I once esteemed myself as simply a tool in the hands of others. Then… I was shown that I have a choice."
She turned, beginning to walk back towards the door, pausing for a moment. "We have not been heard having this conversation, have we?"
Kaworu's slight smile returned unseen by Rei. "The seven Section 2 Agents, and the listening devices that they have placed in this apartment, have heard nothing but static. Our conversation is unheard." he paused for a moment. "They will still see your arrival and departure."
"That is not an issue." Rei said. It was quiet for a moment as she considered what she might say. Then, an old film sprang to mind. "Good night, Nagisa. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning." she said without fully thinking, then became profoundly grateful that her position hid the massive blush on her face.
Kaworu simply tilted his head. "And why would you say that now, when we seem to have made such progress?"
Rei was silent for a moment. "It is a reference to a piece of human artwork. I may yet show it to you sometime." She walked to the doorway. "Good evening, Nagisa."
Then, she closed the door behind her, and vanished into the night.
Kaworu leaned back against the wall, pondering on what had transpired. He felt mildly surprised that, as they had spoken, the Call, that thing that had gnawed at him since his inception, that had only grown stronger here, had quieted somewhat. 'How interesting. Perhaps being around Ms. Ayanami will have more benefits than simply being an educational experience.'
2 Days Later
Asuka looked back across at Rei as she began to type again. She hit enter, and Asuka's eyes darted forward, as Kaworu, similarly intent on his laptop, began typing after a moment. They were acting… strange. And she couldn't entirely figure out why.
During the school day, between classes, she would sometimes catch a glimpse of Kaworu leaning over to whisper something in Rei's ear. She would ponder on the answer for a moment, then lean back and whisper in his ear, Kaworu's eyes widening slightly as he ahhed quietly and nodded.
As lunch came around, and the pilots (along with Kensuke and what was, apparently now, his two girlfriends) went to the roof, Rei and Kaworu were late. Again.
Before they arrived, the other pilots felt their phones vibrate. 'Before you ask, Nagisa is currently weathering some particular biological urges.'
The pilots needed no further explanation.
After a moment, the two pilots in question walked out of the doorway onto the roof, sitting down next to each other. Kaworu was slightly blushing and seemed… flustered. Rei was only somewhat more composed.
"So… how are you liking Tokyo-3 so far, scribble?" Asuka said after a moment of awkward silence.
Kaworu blinked. "Scribble?"
Asuka blinked herself, and tried hard not to blush at her slip-up as Kensuke, Sayaka and Kyoko looked quizzically at her. "Uh… your hair." she said, trying her hardest not to sound lame. "It just reminded me of someone scribbling the outline. It's stuck with me for some reason."
After another moment of silence, Kaworu shrugged, his trademark slight smile on his lips. "It is no problem, Asuka. I have not had a nickname before now. I suppose now is as good a time as any to gain one."
Asuka tried, and mostly succeeded, at hiding the sigh of relief that threatened to burst out of her chest. "Alright then. Hell of a childhood, not even having a nickname, Kaworu." she said conversationally.
Kaworu nodded. "I had no one around with which to give me one. It has been what it has been."
Rei nodded as he said this, and looked over at Shinji and Asuka. "I believe tonight is our movie night." she said, hoping to change the subject. "I hope you do not mind, but I would like to invite Nagisa over, to show him his first movie."
Everyone's eyes widened. "Your first movie?" Toji said incredulously. "You haven't even watched a movie?"
Kensuke nodded. "Man, that's crazy. What did you do, grow up in a lab?"
Rei winced slightly at how unknowingly accurate Kensuke's statement was, then focused as Shinji chuckled somewhat uneasily. "Well, actually, we were planning on practicing together tonight. Misato's putting together a Christmas party that'll be in the next week and a half, and she thought that a cello and violin to play a few songs seemed appealing."
Rei nodded slowly, a glum look seeming to cross her face. Kaworu's eyes however, were intent. "Would there happen to be room enough for a second violin? I have not played with another person before, let alone as part of a group."
Shinji and Asuka looked at each other for a moment, then shrugged. "I mean, I guess. As long as you can come over and practice on a regular basis."
Kaworu's smile grew slightly wider. "Thank you, Asuka. I'm glad that I could offer my skills, meager though they may be."
Shinji nodded. "And thank you for offering, Kaworu."
Kaworu's face seemed to blush slightly deeper as Shinji said this, and he shifted around for a moment before stilling.
Rei said nothing, seeming to be deep in thought. She was silent as lunch continued, and Kaworu continued to present a polite, courteous face to those he was slowly coming to consider his friends.
As lunch concluded, and the children stood to go to their classes, Rei walked up to Asuka, who waved Shinji ahead, Kaworu joining his side as they made quiet conversation. "What do you need, Rei?" Asuka said, only a slight amount of annoyance evident in her tone.
Rei shifted her eyes downward, clearly somewhat embarrassed. "I… I have been thinking of the performance from earlier in the week, and… I want to take part in that. In the upcoming performance. I want to make my own music. Make music with you and Shinji."
Asuka's eyebrow rose as they both descended the stairway from the roof to the rest of the building. "Well…" Asuka said slowly, clearly not missing the double entendre, unintentional as it was. "I mean, a week and a half is a really small amount of time to learn an instrument, even for only one song. It took months, years of practice for me to get where I was before I dropped it for a while."
Of course, she left unsaid that the process of shaking off the rust by practicing with Shinji had become a thoroughly enjoyable process, especially when practice came after passion. That last part bought a slight smirk to her face before she refocused on the surprisingly determined gaze of Rei.
"I have done considerable research within the last three days to determine the type of instrument that would best compliment your violin and Shinji's cello. All I ask…"
Rei blushed slightly. "All I ask is that you might accompany me to the music store to make an acquisition of the instrument in question."
Asuka blinked as they approached their classroom. "So, which instrument were you thinking of?"
Rei smiled slightly. "The viola has become my final choice. As I have said, it compliments the cello and violin in a three-piece ensemble." her smile dimmed somewhat. "Or, now, a four piece one."
They entered their classroom and made their way to their separate seats, and Asuka pondered on what she had heard. 'Man. And here I thought I was the most excited to start learning… or i guess, relearning my instrument. But how do I help Rei learn an instrument like that? There isn't any way possible to just drop the knowledge into her brain.'
She examined the last thought for a moment, seeming to turn it in her head as she pondered on the problem. 'Or is there…?'
After some discrete questions to the head of the music club, and a viola player that happened to stick around, that yes, a violin and a viola were functionally similar instruments, Asuka walked out of the school building at the end of the day surprisingly separate from her friends, at least for now, as she pulled out a phone, texting a particular number, then dialing it when she was satisfied with the answer she received. "Hey, Daniel. I have a question…"
. . .
Shinji and Kaworu stepped into the Theisman's apartment, which was their practice area for the day, as Shinji looked over at the ashen-haired boy who carried a violin case. He was very interested in Shinji's life, and was cheery and courteous as well, seeming to make a great effort to be his friend. Shinji, for how wary he had been of Kaworu's evident status as not only an Angel, but the final Angel, was starting to warm up to him. "So," Shinji said with a small smile, "how did you come to learn the violin?"
Kaworu nodded. "It was one of the few options that I had. Otherwise, it was endless boredom and dreariness. The music helped to dispel some of it. It… called to me, in a sense."
Shinji nodded. From what Daniel had told them, he probably wasn't exaggerating when he said that. As they made their way into the living room and began to set up, the door swished open and shut, and Daniel stood at the entrance to the living room, eying the setup, and Kaworu in particular, with no small amount of discernment. "Mr. Nagisa." he said after a moment, walking over to Kaworu as the boy turned to face him.
He extended a hand. "I'm Captain Theisman, head of Engineering for the Evangelion. But seeing as we'll be working together, at least for the short term, just call me Daniel."
Kaworu cautiously reached out his own hand, grasping at Daniel's, unprepared for the firmness of the shake. "A pleasure to meet you, Daniel."
Daniel nodded with a smile. "Likewise. So, you've arrived to turn the duet into an ensemble, huh?"
Kaworu nodded. "I simply asked for the chance. Shinji was kind enough to accept my request. I'm honored to be able to be useful to those who would be my friends."
Daniel nodded, then turned to Shinji. "Where are Asuka and Rei?" he already knew the answer. The question came from whether Shinji knew as well.
Shinji shrugged. "Asuka said she had something to do with Rei that involved the music store. I'm not sure when they'll be back."
Daniel nodded slowly. "Alright then." he walked back towards the kitchen. "I'll be making dinner tonight, for when Eleanor gets home. There'll be more than enough for all four of you as well for if practice stretches that long."
Shinji smiled as he nodded. "Thank you, Daniel."
Daniel looked back at the two of them as they opened their cases and readied their instruments. "Of course, Shinji. Make the hills come alive for me."
He turned into the kitchen and out of sight as Shinji and Kaworu both looked at each other with no small amount of puzzlement. "What do the hills coming to life have anything to do with our practice?" Kaworu said.
Shinji shook his head slightly and shrugged. "Whenever I don't understand what he means, I assume he's making some reference or another. You'll get used to that if you're around him for long enough."
Kaworu nodded as he shouldered his violin, checking the tuning for a moment, then twisting the tuners slightly. "How long have you been around him?"
Shinji nodded after a moment as he finished tuning one of his strings slightly. "Well, he was there for me from when I was about 9 until I was 12, then he left for Germany, and… Asuka, I guess." he chuckled quietly.
At noticing Kaworu's questioning glance, he waved it off. "Oh, it's nothing. Just making a connection. Anyways, then he came back to Japan after I had turned 15 and started piloting Unit-01."
Kaworu nodded slightly as he finished tuning his violin. "So, he has been a point of stability within your life?"
Shinji finished tuning his cello, then fell still as he pondered the question for a moment. "Yeah, actually. That's a fairly accurate way to put what he's been. Like… an older brother, of sorts." he smiled softly, and Kaworu nodded knowingly, as if a great mystery had been solved with the answer to his question.
As they began to play, Kaworu watching intently whenever he marked the pages with different notes and reminders for later, they heard the door swish open and shut, and looked up as Asuka and Rei entered, Asuka having a satisfied look on her face, and Rei, who held what looked like a slightly larger violin case, looking absolutely radiant with joy.
Asuka had every right to be satisfied, as she walked towards the music store with Rei, psyching herself up for what she was about to do. Daniel had run her through the steps as clearly as he could over the phone. What he had said to end the conversation was at least a little consolation. "You'll be able to figure it out. I'm certain of it."
After a moment to check that no one would be around to witness what she was about to do, she looked at Rei, who looked back at her. "Alright, Wondergirl," she said, causing Rei's brow to rise a fraction, "you're about to get your first music lesson."
Before Rei could ask what she meant, Asuka linked their souls together, causing whatever question she was going to ask to die on her lips.
Asuka focused, taking all her memories, all the understanding, of learning music: how it was read, how it was played, and what differences between her violin and the viola she was able to get from the head of the music club and the viola player… Sasako, wasn't it?... that had been there. She had to thank them later.
Regaining her focus, she took the understanding that had come to the surface of her mind, mentally bundled it all up, and pushed it through the link between their souls.
It was a surprisingly exhausting effort, thanks to the burst of Flux Daniel said would come with it, but watching Rei's eyes light up the way they did… it was all worth it.
Rei grabbed one of the folding chairs, and sat down between Kaworu and Shinji as they made room, bending down to unlatch the case, and smiled as she picked up the viola. It was a little heavier than she expected, but not unduly so. The store owner nodded appreciatively. "You have a good taste, young woman," he said, his words piercing the quiet of the otherwise empty store, "to pick an instrument such as this one. Do you have any previous experience?"
Rei looked over at Asuka. The link between them was still open, and she had since connected back to Asuka's soul. It was an interesting feeling, to say the least. "Some," Rei said, brushing aside the rather inconvenient truth that much of that experience wasn't her own, "but it has been a while since I have last played. I am thus just a little out of practice."
The store owner nodded again. "Of course, young miss. And there's no time like the present to… shake the rust off, as it were, correct? Go ahead and give it a try."
Rei shouldered the instrument, taking the bow in her hand, and pressed down on the strings gently, but with a little more force than Asuka needed for her violin. Then, the fingers of her left hand pressing down the strings on the neck just so, she slowly began to saw the bow.
It was slow going at first, as she got used to moving from one note to another, and moving the bow to be able to saw across the strings further back. But as she went, she felt the support, the surprise, and the confidence that Asuka felt for her. Rei's playing slowly became faster.
Though she wasn't going at the fastest speed that she had heard an instrument like this go before, as she finished with a slight flourish, Asuka and the store owner both clapped. "For being out of practice, you've readjusted to it quite quickly," the store owner said, a warm smile on his face, "but, as every musician does, you still require a little more practice."
Rei blushed slightly and nodded. "Thank you, sir." she said, as the store owner picked out a few booklets with a discerning eye.
"These should help you get back up to speed." he said, handing them to her. "Would you like to purchase the instrument?"
Rei smiled slightly as she nodded. "Yes. I would."
Asuka and Rei walked out of the store a few minutes later, Rei holding the case that now held her new instrument, Asuka holding the bag that held Rei's booklets.
As they walked home together, Rei did the unexpected, and reached out for Asuka's hand, who jumped as she felt Rei's grasp.
Asuka turned to look at Rei, who looked back at her with utter happiness, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. "Thank you." Rei said quietly, and Asuka felt the gratitude, the warmth, the almost overwhelming love that poured through their link as she said those words.
After a moment of looking at Rei with wonder and amazement, a smile grew on Asuka's face. "Of course, Wondergirl."
As Asuka took her seat beside Kaworu, Shinji looked at Rei. "So… how good are you at playing?"
Asuka looked at Shinji with a gleam in her eye. "You'd be surprised, Shinji."
Rei nodded. "I can play slowly. But I can play."
Shinji looked over at Asuka, then back to Rei, a smile growing on his face. "That's great, Rei. We're mostly doing a slow piece anyways. Here let me show you…"
As music began to fill the apartment, slowly but steadily, Daniel nodded as he sliced the vegetables for dinner. "Yes." he said quietly. "The hills are alive... with the sound of music."
. . .
As practice ended, and Shinji and Asuka went back to their apartment, Kaworu and Rei sat in the quiet living room, Daniel and Eleanor in the kitchen studiously (perhaps a bit too studiously this time) pouring over reports.
After a moment of silence, Kaworu looked over at Rei. "How does he do it?"
Rei looked back at him with a quizzical look. "What do you mean? And who do you refer to?"
Kaworu's gaze fell off her, sliding over to the far wall that separated the apartments. "Shinji. He… he takes what was set in stone, what someone declared finished, and he…" he grasped at the air slightly, seemingly at a loss for words.
"Changes it?" Rei said quietly, as Kaworu's gaze came back to her. "Makes it something different, something… uniquely his?"
Kaworu nodded, a rare look of… excitement in his eyes. "Yes, that. How?" he seemed almost desperate for an answer.
Rei thought for a moment. "Creativity." she said simply. Kaworu's eyes widened at the word. "It is perhaps the greatest trait humanity possesses." she continued. "The ability to take emotion, thought, understanding… and channel it into expression. Into something that holds meaning for others."
Kaworu pondered silently on this, looking at his hands for a moment. "I… I do not believe I possess creativity, as you have described it." he said quietly. Rei did not even have to look at his soul to see the envy, the want, that seemed to thrum through him. "As a son of Adam, I do not possess the Fruit of Knowledge. Only the Fruit of Life."
As Rei's eyes widened at this seemingly blase statement, Kaworu stood, turning to look at her as she sat. "You have the fruit of knowledge, as a child of Lilith, correct?"
Rei blinked, then nodded slightly. "Yes." she said.
Kaworu's slight smile crossed his face. "Then… I look forward to seeing what you might create. Good night, Ms. Ayanami."
He turned, and walked out of the living room, a farewell to the Theismans and the swish of the front door opening and closing marking his passing into the night.
Rei was silent as a blush glowed to life, despite her best efforts. 'Was… was he flirting with me?'
. . .
As Kaworu Nagisa walked home, he felt the Call, the pull that wanted to drag him down into the depths of what he knew was the Geofront. But… it was a distant thing. And now, he had some idea as to why. 'It is them. My… well, friends still seems a strong word for them. But it was her most of all.'
He smiled slightly at the moon as he remembered her smile. It seemed to leave the radiance of the moon a seemingly inferior thing comparatively. 'I… I liked that. When she smiled.' his vocabulary, his understanding, was growing exponentially, and it was mainly her help that made it so. His feelings for her… to his mind, they were a complicated puzzle. There were so many facets, so many different things that he didn't even have words for.
His body, on the other hand, seemed to have already made up its mind, as he looked down at himself. He really hoped it would go away soon. Whatever it was. Maybe Shinji could shed some light on what was going on…
Apotheosis Echo will continue after the break.