Chapter 20: End of Line

Our knowledge of "the way things should be" had, in some capacity, served us well. Granted, deviating from that knowledge was gratifying to the extreme, especially when it was for the better, but there were still many who wanted to stick to "the script", SEELE notwithstanding.

But then, a few others got a hold of the script. And Armisael came down from heaven.

Evangelion Cages, Geofront, NERV-HQ, Late January 2016

Gendo Ikari walked into the Evangelion cages quietly, his shoulders slumped slightly, and his face without the usual orange-tinted glasses that he usually wore. He had lost them… somewhere. It didn't matter, anyway.

The message… simple words could not describe what had gone through him when she spoke to him for the first time in years. Her voice was like that of an angel from heaven, soothing his soul.

And yet… what she had said… it had left him awake for days. And he knew she had meant it. He knew she was right. About every single word. About him. About Shinji. His son. 'Yui. I… I did that. To our boy. The one that was a miracle. I'm sorry.'

That thought, and hundreds, thousands of others, whirled through his head still as he emerged onto the catwalk, the vast purple mask of Unit-01, the giant that had swallowed the woman he loved, seemed to leer at him with one eye.

On the catwalk, Captain Theisman stood, and he turned as he noticed his entrance, revealing beside him… Shinji. He knew the look in Shinji's eyes. He had ignored it before. The resentment. The hate. Now, it was mixed with shock, as his son took in the dark bags under his bloodshot eyes and the tired expression that he had hidden so well behind the dark orange glasses. "Father…" Shinji finally said.

"Shinji." Gendo said quietly, and the right side of his chest twinged slightly. Adam was still in pain. The Angel attack had left Gendo writhing on the floor of some out-of-the-way apartment in Tokyo-3, knocking around the beer bottles and cans that he had carelessly tossed aside in his attempts to numb the pain of his soul.

Captain Theisman regarded him with a neutral expression. "I see Mrs. Ikari was not undue in her hope that you would come, Commander."

Gendo nodded. "Yes. She would know that." he looked at his head of engineering for a moment with narrowed eyes. "How are you-"

Captain Theisman raised his hand, stopping whatever Gendo had to say next. "Sir, I'm sure you have questions. But for right now, I'm only here to facilitate your communication with Mrs. Ikari."

As Gendo stepped over to Theisman's side, Shinji stepped forward. "Before you talk to mother," he said quietly, "I want to do something. Just once."

Gendo sighed quietly, then nodded. "You may do what you wish, Shinji. If it is what I think it is…"

A swift punch to the gut drove the words out of Gendo's lungs, along with whatever breath he had, as he sank to his knees. Shinji stood above his father, and breathed deeply, seeming to try and get himself under control. "That… doesn't even begin to make up for what you've done to me. To Rei."

Gendo nodded as he tried to catch his breath. "And… and I'm sorry…" Shinji's eyes widened as he said this.

Gendo finally got to his feet again as he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry that such is the case. I…" Gendo trailed off for a moment. "I… recognize what I have done more fully, now. To you. My son. And to Rei. And to everyone else here."

Gendo chuckled softly. "Yui's words made me have… a revelation, of sorts. One that… well, humbled me, to some extent."

He looked at his son, and Shinji saw the raw want, the near desperation in his eyes. "You have no idea how much I've envied you, Shinji."

With those words, Gendo looked to Captain Theisman. "Now, Captain, I want to talk to my wife." he said those words with a finality that brooked no argument.

Captain Theisman nodded. "Very well." he said as he put a hand on Gendo's shoulder. "Now," he said, "before I begin, you are about to experience a… change in vision. Are you prepared for that?"

Gendo looked over at Captain Theisman. "Captain, I have been dreaming of a moment like this for years. Yes." he said simply.

Captain Theisman nodded slowly. "Very well."

Gendo waited, then the world around him began to blur slightly, and as he looked around he saw, deep within the depths of Unit-01, a point of bright light shone sharp and clear.

Without physically moving, Gendo's sight seemed to drift over towards the light, until it resolved itself into… a sculpture of glowing, intertwined branches, surrounding a radiant core. "Is… is that…" Gendo said, dumbfounded.

"Yes." Captain Theisman said. "That is Yui Ikari's soul."

Gendo stood silently for a moment as he marveled openly at the sight. Then, Captain Theisman spoke again. "Alright," he said, as Gendo watched a branch that was likely from his own soul begin to reach out, "I'm establishing the connection between you and Mrs. Ikari. You won't need to physically speak. Just think of the words you wish to say."

Gendo nodded, and the connection was made, and he felt… her. "Yui?"

"Gendo."

. . .

Daniel stepped back from Gendo as he sank to his knees, turning to Shinji. "Let's give your father some privacy, shall we?"

Shinji looked at the conversation between his parents as it began to happen, watching through the Sight as their souls lit up. His eyes furrowed as he saw… something else. A patch of familiar dark, jagged lines rested over his father's right chest. Those lines belonged to… an Angel.

Before Shinji could say anything, Daniel put his hand on Shinji's shoulder, and Shinji looked up at him as he nodded to the side, the message clear without a single word being spoken.

As they walked, Shinji linked himself to Daniel's soul. "Did you see that? The Angelic Frame that was in my father?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes. I did see that. It means that he's already implanted Adam as part of his plans for Instrumentality." he said.

Shinji's eyes widened. "Adam? You mean..."

Daniel sighed as he nodded. "Yes. That was part of his plan. Adam, containing the Seed of Life, the S2 Organ, and Lilith herself, would fuse, with Rei as a go-between, in order for him to direct Instrumentality and get Yui Ikari back. But now..."

Daniel looked back at Gendo, and Shinji looked with him, as they both beheld Gendo on his knees, his head buried in his hands.

"Plans may be changing." Daniel said aloud quietly.

Shinji looked on as he heard the seemingly impossible: a quiet sob from his father. In his Sight, his mother's Frame glowed with barely checked anger, and his father's… there was grief and remorse and joy all swirling like a stormcloud within his father. He never would have guessed such things were possible for his father. And yet…

"You wouldn't have believed this if you hadn't seen it, I'm guessing?" Daniel said through the link.

Shinji looked at Daniel, then back at Gendo. "Honestly… I'm not so sure."

Daniel looked at Shinji intently. "And what makes you say that?"

Shinji sighed quietly. "Because… because I would probably act the same, if Asuka and I were in my parent's place." he paused for a moment. "I would say I wouldn't do the things he did to get her back, but…"

Daniel nodded slightly. "You could if you were pushed far enough. Is that right?"

Shinji sighed quietly. "Yes." he said, resignation evident in his mental voice. He continued to look at his father as they conversed. "He doesn't deserve this." he said, bitterness evident in his tone.

Daniel sighed again. "I don't doubt it." Daniel said aloud, causing Shinji to look back at him.

Daniel shook his head. "But, Shinji, I have found in my long, long years of life that deserving something and needing something can be two vastly different things." he looked at Gendo as he continued. "You're right. Your father does not deserve this after what he's done. But he's needed it. He's needed his family more than anything in the world. Someone who will welcome him home with open arms, show him that he can be better than some drunken pub brawler who has to be kicked out of every single bar he's in."

Daniel sighed. "In that same vein, I cannot say that I deserve Eleanor's love. Or even yours. Not after what I've done." he paused as Shinji looked back at him in shock, then crossed his arms over his chest. "But… I still need that love. From you. From Eleanor. From Asuka and Rei and all the rest. Even if only…" he looked down and to the side. "Even if only for me to know that I can still be loved at all."

It was silent for a moment as Shinji processed the emotions behind Daniel's words. How similar they were to what he saw his father feeling at this very moment. Then, he quickly embraced Daniel tightly, causing him to jump slightly before slowly unfolding his arms and returning the hug.

He felt Shinji's unflinching support, his gratitude, his love, and a tear slid down Daniel's cheek as he processed these things. Then, after a moment, he looked over at Gendo and found him looking over at them silently.

In his face, Daniel saw Shinji. Who he could have been. Who had appeared on that television screen what seemed like forever ago. His expression filled with sadness, confusion, hurt. Envy.

After a moment, Daniel extricated himself from the hug, and walked over to Gendo, linking himself to both the Commander and Yui. "Commander. Mrs. Ikari. Your time is running short, I'm afraid. It's time to finish things up."

"Very well." Yui said. "Gendo," she said after a moment, "please, remember what I've said. Don't forget this like you've forgotten before."

"Always, Yui." Gendo said with utter conviction. "I'm sorry I forgot in the first place. I'm sorry I forgot at all."

An impression of a sigh escaped from Yui. "Oh, Gendo. I've missed that about you. Your conviction. Use it to do good. To be good. To our son."

Gendo was quiet for a moment. "I will, Yui. I… I have to make up to him for what I did. You've shown me that. I just… I just don't know if I can do it."

Patience and calm from Yui. "Try, Gendo. For me. For him."

"I will, Yui. I love you. I always have."

"And I love you, Gendo. Now, get out there and save the world for us."

Gendo's attention turned to Daniel. "Alright. I'm ready, Captain."

"Very well." Daniel said, and slowly cut the connection between Yui and Gendo.

Gendo Ikari stood up, seeming to all the world a different man as he wiped at the welling tears in his eyes and the tears that had already rolled down his cheeks. "Thank you, Captain." he said in a husky voice. "I… I don't know what else I can do."

"Do what Yui says." Daniel said simply. "And I believe a good place to start," he said as he turned to look at Shinji, "is to talk to your son. You have a lot to make up for."

Gendo sighed. "I know. And, more than likely, I will never fully be able to make up for what I've done."

"That is more than likely the case. But you can at least start." Daniel said simply.

As Gendo walked forward, Daniel grabbed his arm, and Gendo looked back at him in surprise. "And if you ever need someone to talk to who knows what you are going through, sir… I am here." Daniel said quietly. Then, he let go of Gendo's arm.

Shinji and Daniel stood still as Gendo walked from Daniel's side, coming to a stop an arm's length away from Shinji. It was an awkward moment of simply looking at each other before Gendo spoke. "Shinji."

"Father." Shinji said simply, his tone as guarded as the look in his eyes.

Gendo sighed quietly, his eyes closing. "I… am sorry for my actions. I was… blinded by grief. By my desire to see Yui again. And now… I can only try and make up for the time I wasted."

It was quiet again for a moment. "I do not expect your forgiveness. I do not even expect you to understand fully why I did what I did." Gendo paused, then sighed. "Can we… just sit down and talk sometime?"

Shinji was tempted to refuse. What had his father ever done to warrant this? Why should he give to his father what he had never received for most of his life? Then Daniel's words came back to him, and he pondered for a moment.

"Very well." Shinji finally said, the guarded look not fully leaving his expression. "I'm guessing that I'll have to work around your schedule?"

Gendo shook his head. "No, Shinji. I… I haven't had a schedule for a few days. You have my number. Call me when you're ready."

Shinji nodded slowly. "Alright. I will."

Gendo sighed and was silent for a moment as Shinji walked past him to Daniel's side. "Shinji." Gendo said as he turned, causing Daniel and Shinji to stop and look back at him. It was silent for a moment. "Thank you." he said simply.

Shinji looked back at his father with surprise. Then, he turned, and soon after, Gendo was alone in the shadow of Unit-01.

The Infinity Box, Early February 2016

Rei stood across from Kaworu and marveled at the progress he had made in so little time.

As it had turned out, in the aftermath of Arael's attack breaking much of Kaworu's Frame, Eleanor, possessing the proper skills, decided to take some… liberties in how she put Kaworu's soul back together.

Which was how she had received a clearly excited text a week ago. 'I CAN CREATE!' it read, and Rei did not have to be physically present to feel the jubilation and triumph in those words.

She remembered ringing his doorbell once, then twice. She could not hear anything inside. After a moment, Kaworu had opened the door, a wide, excited look in his eyes and a wide smile on his face that Rei couldn't help but smile back at. "Rei!" he nearly shouted. "Come in! You got my text message!"

Rei stepped in with a chuckle. "Yes. I don't know how I could have missed it, Kaworu. Especially when you say that you could do something that was seemingly impossible for you before."

Kaworu led her to the kitchen table, where papers were strewn all across its surface. He picked one seemingly at random. "It started with this musical piece about a week ago."

Rei's eyebrow rose slightly. "That long ago?" she said.

Kaworu nodded. "Yes. I was practicing on my own, and I made a mistake." he said this with the utmost satisfaction. "Then, I decided that the mistake sounded better than what I was supposed to play. So, I went back and marked down this note, like Shinji does." he pointed at a line and dot a little higher on the page than its printed companion.

"Then…" Kaworu's eyes looked at that singular note with wonder. "It was like a gate had opened. My mind… it took what I already knew, and it put them together in different combinations, ones that I knew sounded good from other pieces that I'd played before, and…"

He looked back at the table. "Well, this is the current result."

Rei studied some of the sheets of music, then picked up one that held a small doodle in a once clear corner. It was an approximation of a tree, with a surprising amount of detail. "I did not know you could draw, Kaworu."

Kaworu blushed sheepishly. "I found that I have a knack for it only a few days ago. Getting my hand to make what I saw in my mind was a challenge at first, but then it just… came to me. I'm not sure how."

Rei smiled as she shuffled through some of the small piles of papers, music sheets turning into drawings of various things. A parked car. A street lamp. Then, her eyes widened slightly as she found a picture of… herself. She looked at the remarkably detailed image of her in a sweater and pants, her preferred garb for training with Interfacing, as she held a slim blade to the side in a fencer's pose.

Rei looked at Kaworu, then looked past the physical. Her Sight revealed that, as opposed to the clashing, almost overpowering mess that his soul was before Arael, Eleanor had… well, pruned back the parts of his soul that were Angelic, and seemed to have encouraged the human side to grow more as well. His Frame had become… unified. It was impossible, the ancient part of her said. No force of mere men, even as seemingly magical as this, should be able to make what was, in essence, the Forbidden Union.

But Eleanor had done it.

Rei's focus shifted back to the present, and to Kaworu, as he formed a spear with his Grip, settling into a ready stance as Rei raised a blade that seemed made of stained glass. It would still be hard as steel, however, the Plasm changing only into the image of the object.

As they clashed, weapons changing from spear and sword to pistol and shield to daggers and onward, they settled into a familiar rhythm. She had, against all odds, come to enjoy the training sessions that Kaworu so often wanted them to have. It was an escape from the world, a moment where it was just the two of them, their skills, and their wits, pitted against each other.

And, far from whatever Asuka's imagination cooked up, these were not dates, in any way, shape, or form. She had just… come to look forward to them, is all.

After a surprisingly intense sparring session where Kaworu won again, which was good to see, Rei and Kaworu regarded each other silently for a moment before Kaworu blinked. "I think…" he said in between breaths. "I think I can tell you."

"Tell me what?" Rei said, fighting not to have her cheeks flush more than they were from the possibilities.

"About what happened in the beginning." Kaworu said, and the Box went silent for a moment. "What happened to Adam."

Rei looked at him intently as she dismissed her weapon, then walked over to one of the walls, where a bench held towels and water. Kaworu followed behind, accepting the bottle proffered by Rei and drinking deeply from it as she sat down. "I believe that we are two sides of the same story." she said quietly, as Kaworu sat down next to her. "I believe that we may need to tell both sides in order to have the… complete picture, as it were."

Kaworu nodded. "Indeed." Kaworu paused for a moment. "Perhaps we can see what the other saw, should we link our souls together."

Rei's eyebrow rose fractionally. They had never done that before, had they? There was the concern she held that their Angelic halves might react… violently, should such a thing occur. But, they wouldn't know unless they tried. Rei said as much to Kaworu, who nodded in response. "I guess that makes sense." he said after a moment. "But, I'm assuming, we're also at the point where we are strong enough to break off contact before anything happens. As well as being in the Infinity Box, separated from the rest of reality and all."

Rei nodded slowly. "Very well. We shall try."

It was quiet as they linked their souls together, tentatively at first. Then they waited for… something. Whatever that 'something' was.

When nothing, in fact, happened, Rei and Kaworu both released a quiet sigh, looking at each other and chuckling slightly before solidifying the connection. It was… different, somewhat than connecting to the others. Rei felt a simmering hostility. Likely, that was the Angelic part of his soul screaming out at the connection. Hers was doing much the same.

They focused on the beginning.

. . .

They both saw a world in flames. It was not consumed by petty things such as material needs. The Super Solenoid Organ, the Fruit of Life, had dispelled that from their world, right alongside age and sickness. No, now it was consumed by ideologies and wants and allegiances. The world was dying. And its people were dying with it, consumed by the Soul Arts which had made the Fruit of Life possible. The Soul Arts which now consumed… everything. And now, nearly everything was gone. The quiet that was left was the anxious, scared, resigned repose of the dying.

And now, the scientist desperately searched for a way to save his people. He had run through every possible way to preserve their world. But the sheer, immutable fact of the now seemingly ever-present geological instability, making itself known at an increasing rate through the tremors that were being felt more and more powerfully, showed that whatever else happened next, their world would not persist.

Then, one day, he had an idea. It was wild. Ridiculous, even. But it had to be tried. They had not learned how to manipulate their souls over the course of centuries for nothing. Perhaps within such things could be found their salvation.

So, the scientist proposed his idea before the council. An idea that was filled with an optimistic, desperate hope.

The councilor was drawn to that hope. She saw the spark that it lit inside him, the idea that, should those who were willing to be transformed, body and soul, to undertake long, lonely journeys to other worlds, go through with the plan that he had made, then though their people might perish, their legacy, the legacy of a people who had seen miracles, made them with their own hands, might live on. His hope, the desperate, unsteady smile that went with it, was nearly intoxicating. As he spoke, she had fallen in love with that smile.

But it seemed that their world held one last conflict in store for them. The council bickered, piddled, twiddled, and resolved back and forth, back and forth. It was a miracle that none had yet come to blows.

"Abandon the Fruit of Life? Are you mad? What would be left of us then?"

"Look around you! See what the Fruit of Life, what all the Soul Arts, have done to this world! You would have that be our legacy? You would have our descendants reenact our tragedy?"

"And what of it? We have failed, but you would see the chance that immortality, that the miracles we have wrought, be swept away from the face of the universe? That those that follow after us be denied these things because of our follies?"

"What of it? What of it? If we had your way, if we had his way, the galaxy, nay, the very universe, would be barren in short order!"

And so the discussion, the argument, went round and round. And the scientist's smile began to waver. The councilor couldn't bear that, somehow.

And so, with trepidation, she added her voice, her fledgling idea.

"Two Seeds!"

Silence rippled through the chamber as the councilor spoke for the first time. "What?" one of the other councilors said incredulously.

"Two different Seeds." she said, gaining confidence as she continued. "We give the Seed of Life, the ability to create the Fruit of Life. to those who will not have the desire, the mind, to use it to do what we have done. And we make a Seed of Knowledge, based somewhat on what we were before. Ones that might have the intelligence to come up with the theory of the Soul Arts, but not the power to tap into them without help. Without the Seed of Life's help. That way, when they meet, perhaps they will be more ready than we were."

It was quiet again in the council chamber. Then, one by one, voices began to state their agreement, and from her idea, her idea, they made a plan.

She looked at the scientist. And his smile had become steady. He was smiling at her. She smiled back. But behind that smile was no small amount of sadness. They would not work. They couldn't. Not with the end of the world, and their flight from it, so imminent. So the smile was only ever that.

Time passed, and the final preparations were being made. The councilor felt… bigger. Hundreds, thousands, had willingly sacrificed themselves, their souls, to become one soul. Her soul. The soul of a Progenitor. Memories of a thousand lifetimes, a thousand struggles, and the chance to be a part of preserving their legacy, thrummed through her in the moments before they unified with her.

And as she searched in the memories of those souls, the last rite before she passed into the depths of space, she found a conversation between two souls from before they had been interned within her now vast body.

"You saw the way he looked at her while everything was getting ready, right?" one soul had said.

"Of course I did. Who didn't?" the other said. "If we weren't so hellbent on getting out of here like this, I would have started a betting pool on how long they would take before getting together. But now…" she felt the distinct impression of a shrug as dread and guilt at what was sure to come next began to spread within her. "I guess we'll never know, will we?"

Sadness echoed through the part of the councilor's soul that was originally hers. And, within the scientist, that sadness was reflected. That they missed, for even a moment, to find some comfort before the end… but it was too late. They would go their separate ways. He carried the Seed of Life, she the Seed of Knowledge. They would never, could never, cross paths again.

The last sight either of them saw before falling asleep was the quickly receding grey and green dot that would no longer be their home.

Time untold passed as they drifted in space, a black egg and a white egg adrift in a sea of stars.

The one who was once the scientist landed and awoke first, upon a world that was rich and pure, a far cry from the wasteland that they had left behind. The tiny, tiny part of his soul that was once his own was jubilant. It was hard not to be. Then, before he started his work, he looked up at the night sky from whence he came. And he saw a familiar sight. One that filled him with dread.

The one who was once the councilor stirred as she sensed that she was close to a planet. And, as she awoke, she marveled at the world before her, the blue oceans and the green that was the plants beginning to bloom.

Then she sensed another presence. One like hers. One that was bearing the Seed of Life.

It was him, she realized with a stab of fear. She had followed him here, and now… she put everything in jeopardy. All because… she loved him.

'I'm sorry.'

That was the last thing she thought before she crashed. She felt the failsafe he had designed as it rendered the scientist dormant. And then, almost on instinct, she got to work.

Kaworu and Rei pulled back from each other, and the connection was severed, as they found themselves once again in the Infinity Box. They looked around and then looked at each other, both surprised by the tears in each other's eyes.

"That was…" Kaworu said after a moment.

"Sad." Rei finished. "I believe the proper term for it is 'tragic'."

Kaworu nodded. "Yes."

It was silent for a moment. Then, Rei and Kaworu both blinked and looked at each other again. "Something's different." Rei said with certainty.

Kaworu nodded. "Yes. It feels like something within me has… changed…"

They looked at each other again, their eyes wide in surprise. "The Call…" they said simultaneously. It was… different now, somehow.

1 Week Later

Daniel, Eleanor, and Rei ate dinner together quietly. The family dinners had become a staple of the house, now. The conversation was light most times, but tonight, they both sensed that something had happened recently. Something that flustered the usually calm young lady.

For one, she had stayed out one night and had a sleepover with "a friend" with little notice. For anyone else, that would be perfectly normal. But Rei was not normal, sad as it sometimes was to admit. She was not the sort to just do something with little reason as to why. And when she had returned afterward, she seemed… well, flustered was still the right word for it. The only explanation that she had given them was "I had an enjoyable time."

They had dropped the matter for the time being. They respected her privacy. But they still wondered. Especially if it might have concerned one Kaworu Nagisa.

So, it was a quiet moment before Eleanor spoke. "Rei?" she said, pausing as she looked over at her. "What's been going on this past week? You've been… out of sorts. Did something happen?"

Rei paused, then her cheeks turned a shade of pink as she continued to stay silent.

"Rei?" Daniel said slowly. "Is something wrong?"

Rei quickly shook her head. "No. No, nothing is wrong, father."

Her seeming embarrassment became pensiveness. "Kaworu and I… we… found out a few things, over the past week."

"Found out a few things?" Daniel said. "Like what?"

Rei looked at both of them in turn. "We have seen what happened to Adam and Lilith. What made them come to reside on this world."

Daniel and Eleanor's brows both rose slightly. "Really?" Eleanor said. "That seems interesting, to say the least. What happened?"

Rei took a deep breath. "The first thing we both saw was a burning world…"

. . .

As Rei concluded her story, it was silent for a moment. "Wow." Daniel said, breaking the contemplative silence. "That was… tragic."

Rei nodded. "You have summarized Kaworu and I's thoughts and feelings on the matter most succinctly. It seems that Interfacing, in one form or another, was known in this universe, leading to the creation of the S2 Organ, among other things. The Fruit of Life, as it was called, and the Fruit of Knowledge, the intelligence required to use Interfacing, were kept separate as Adam, whom we assume was the scientist, intended. They seemed to call it 'the Forbidden Union', should the two come together prematurely. But now..."

Rei began to blush as she continued. "It seems the Forbidden Union has been achieved."

Daniel and Eleanor both blinked. "How?" Daniel said. "It took Unit-01 consuming an S2 Organ in the Receptor records that we've seen to come close to that. So what happened?"

Rei looked at Eleanor intently. "You did. Or, at least, your healing did."

As the dining room went silent, Rei explained the situation to her shocked foster parents. "Kaworu Nagisa, like myself, is a fusion of humanity, the children of Lilith, and a member of the… what we have termed the First Ancestral Race. Unlike myself, however, Kaworu's line comes from Adam. The Adamic part of Kaworu's soul, the part that technically made him an Angel… attacked itself. It was likely in the middle of consuming the portion of his soul that made him human."

"Then, Arael attacked." Rei said after a moment. "His Frame was shattered, and the part of his soul that was Angelic was… broken? Set back? I am still unsure of how to term it."

"With your ministrations," Rei continued as she looked at Eleanor, "you balanced out the Adamic part of his soul, and encouraged the growth of the human part. You… unified them, somehow."

Eleanor nodded slowly. "Okay. I've had some experience with other people with mixed-origin souls. That was sometimes part of ensuring that they were able to do what they needed to do, making sure that one side wasn't trying to eat the other. It's a rare thing, but I've seen it happen before."

Rei nodded. "Regardless, you created a being that possessed the Seed of Life, in this case, a miniaturized S2 Organ, and the Seed of Knowledge, the ability to use Interfacing to its fullest extent. The Forbidden Union. It took Kaworu and I linking our souls after one of our training sessions to recognize this. And I don't believe we were the only ones who noticed such a development."

Daniel's brow rose slightly. "You mean, Lilith and Adam might have seen it as well?"

Rei nodded. "Yes. We are linked, in one way or another, to them. The Call is evidence enough of that."

Rei blushed slightly. "And… speaking of the Call…" she paused for a moment. "It has… changed. Rather dramatically."

Rei fell silent, and Daniel and Eleanor quietly connected the dots in their head, a quiet 'ah' escaping Daniel's lips. "It isn't a hostile Call, anymore, is it?" Daniel said with a level expression.

Rei sighed explosively, slightly startling the two adults. "Yes." she said with an air of resignation. "In fact…" she began to blush even deeper. "It is quite the opposite."

Rei's head dipped down as she sighed again, then she looked back up at Daniel and Eleanor with a look of annoyance. "Lilith seems to now find the prospect of… merging… with Adam a pleasurable concept. That feeling has bled over into my link with her. Adam seems to feel the same, and it seems that the same has occurred with Kaworu."

She was silent for a moment as she tried to find what to say next, her frustration seeming to build within her as it finally released with another explosive sigh. "I just want to be normal. Kaworu just wants to be normal. But when we're getting these… urges for each other it becomes increasingly difficult to do! Especially when I had some of those urges concerning him in the first place!"

She shouted the last sentence and then fell silent as embarrassment radiated from her.

It was quiet for a moment, then Eleanor spoke again. "I could help with muffling the Call, if it's like that…" she said slowly.

Rei shook her head. "No, no, mother. We'll… we'll manage. The urges from Lilith seemed to have died down somewhat recently."

Daniel's eyebrow arched. "That wouldn't happen to coincide with that mysterious sleepover that you had a few days ago, would it?" he said.

Rei was silent, then sighed as she blushed more deeply than it seemed she had before, thinking about that night… that passion. "Yes. Having a… release valve was especially helpful."

Daniel nodded knowingly, Eleanor shortly following his lead as she connected the dots. "Were you at least safe?" Daniel said softly.

Rei nodded quickly. "Yes, we were. Even so, with our… divergent ancestries, I am not sure we are even capable of bearing children." she said. An odd look came to her eyes as she finished speaking.

It was silent again for a moment. "Rei," Eleanor said, deciding to change the subject, "are you going to tell the others the story as well? I think that they'd be more than a little interested to hear it."

Rei bobbed her head from side to side. "Perhaps. The only one whom I can think of that would be genuinely excited to hear such a tale would be Ritsuko, perhaps Maya as well. As for the others…" she shrugged.

"They would be supportive, and listen attentively if nothing else." Daniel said, smiling slightly. "What is there to lose?"

Rei considered this silently for a moment, then nodded, a slow smile growing on her face. "Yes. You are correct. Thank you." she looked at the two of them in turn. "For both of your words."

Daniel nodded as he smiled back. "Of course, Rei." his smile became a little more sly. "And, if you really want to go on a date with Kaworu, the Infinity Box can serve as more than just a training room."

Rei shook her head. "Daniel…" she said, embarrassed even as her smile never wavered.

. . .

Infinity Box, 1 Week Later

Shinji and Asuka walked into the Infinity Box and took a moment to marvel at what had gone on in the last few days.

Rei, to Asuka's smug delight, had finally confessed to being interested in Kaworu ("You see, Wondergirl? I told you you two could understand each other!"), and then, the two of them had followed it up only a day later with perhaps the wildest story they had ever heard.

Rei and Kaworu had decided to gather them, along with the other Children, Misato and Kaji, and Ritsuko and Maya, within the Infinity Box. Daniel and Eleanor had tagged along and bore witness to the rest of the group's reactions to an epic tragedy of star-crossed potential lovers.

The Children reacted in awe at its telling, and even the normally stoic Toji was moved to near tears. Misato and Kaji were much the same, and there was much holding of hands and hugging.

Ritsuko and Maya, on the other hand, were focused, almost frantically writing notes next to each other. Well, Asuka had thought, some kinds of love look a little weird.

But now, as Shinji and Asuka emerged into the Infinity Box proper, their brows rose as they took in the comfortable looking theater that it had become. A long couch stood in its center, and a long coffee table filled with snacks and drinks stood in front of it. It was dim, but they could see that Rei and Kaworu were conversing with a woman. A very tall woman, with dark hair that glinted red as it caught the lights from time to time, and who wore an ephemeral, almost mist-like dress.

That woman also looked over at them, green eyes glinting similarly in the scarce light. "And you must be Shinji and Asuka." she said in a quiet, but resonant voice.

Asuka nodded slowly. "And who might you be, ma'am?" she said, just as slowly.

The woman chuckled. "I am Amaya, daughter of Gwynevere. I am a resident aboard Daniel's ship, the Val."

Asuka and Shinji nodded. "Oh, yeah." Asuka said. "He mentioned you and Vert… Vert? Vordt, pardon me, when he talked about when he was on your world."

Amaya nodded. "So, he told you about his time with us, then?" her smile grew slightly wider. "It was well when he was with us in Irithyll. He became…" she chuckled slightly. "A bright light in a darkening world, uplifting us with his strength and wisdom." her slight smile started to become a smirk. "Along with a wonderful singing voice."

Asuka and Shinji's brows rose, and Rei began to chuckle softly. "Yes. And as the master bathroom has none of the similar protections his bedroom has, his singing is sometimes quite evident."

A chuckle rippled across the room before dying down. Shinji looked around, then looked back at Amaya. "So, what has you in here right now, Amaya?"

Amaya's face fell. Before she could speak, Rei stepped forward. "It has to do with our date tonight. Well, a date might no longer be the correct term for what we wish to experience together."

Shinji and Asuka looked at Rei as their eyes widened slightly. Rei had called the both of them for a double-date, which was an exciting prospect, to say the least. They would have to do it in the Infinity Box, so as not to tip off SEELE that their end of the world plan was now actively trying to be a real boy instead. But she had remained mysterious as to what their date was actually going to be.

"So, what's up with our date tonight?" Asuka said.

Rei sighed quietly. "Tonight is movie night, as one would expect. However…"

Amaya looked back at Rei with no small amount of concern in her expression. "I still believe that what you wish to do is unwise." she said.

Rei shook her head. "No, Amaya. If we can help Daniel better by doing this… it will be worth it."

Asuka and Shinji began to connect the dots. "Wait a minute…" Shinji said.

Rei nodded. "Yes. We will be watching…" she held up what appeared to be a DVD case. "Neon Genesis Evangelion."

Shinji and Asuka's eyes widened. "But why?" Asuka said. "If Daniel's right, our lives have changed so much that knowing what some perverted director might have seen is the next best thing to useless."

Rei looked at Asuka with a determination that was surprising Asuka less and less by the day, a fact that she was profoundly grateful for. "Asuka, our personal lives may have changed radically, but from what Daniel has said, history itself, and the larger picture of the near future, remain, for the most part, unchanged. And if we can better help Daniel and Eleanor, Misato, NERV, by watching this and having at least an idea of what comes next, then I don't see why we shouldn't take it.

It was quiet in the room. Then, Shinji nodded slowly. "I understand where you're coming from. And… if it gives us even the slightest edge on the Angels… on SEELE…" he looked around at his friends and Amaya with a look of determination. "Then Rei's right. It will be worth it."

It was silent again, then Amaya sighed. "Very well. But know this." she said, a serious look on her face. "The story you are about to witness is a tragic one, even a horrifying one. And that is before you get to the fact that, in essence, it is a show about yourself."

It was silent again as the Children considered this. Then, Kaworu nodded. "That will not deter any of us, it seems. Myself included."

Amaya sighed. "An admirable determination." she squared her shoulders. "I will also say, if you wish to watch all of it, the total time of the television show, along with the film that completes it, will total to about 15 hours."

Asuka exhaled quietly. "That's… a long date."

"Perhaps." Rei said. Then she smiled slightly. "But a double date with the people I love has been a long time coming, in my estimation."

Asuka and Shinji both smiled slightly. "Yeah." Shinji said after a moment. "I guess it has been."

They settled on the couch, taking what snacks and drinks they wanted, as Amaya walked out of the room. "The screen is, as all things are in this room, controlled by your thoughts." she said before exiting completely. "Volume and speed should be especially pertinent."

She turned back, and almost smiled at the four Children. "Good luck." she said quietly. Then, the children were alone.

They were quiet for a moment, then Asuka shook her head. "Alright. Let's get this show on the road, get it over with." As she said this, she felt the telltale sign of the Infinity Box removing itself from time

The others nodded, and with a thought, the screen lit up, a pinprick of blue light becoming a ripple as a woman's voice began to sing, backed by a chorus.

. . .

1 (Relative) Hour Later

"Well, so far so good." Asuka said. They had decided to break up the viewings for now, with three episodes each before a short break being the current consensus. "I mean, it's been a terrible few days for you, Shinji, but other than that, we know what we're looking at."

Shinji nodded. "Yeah… Sachiel and Shamshel were… stressful, to say the least."

Kaworu nodded slightly. "And to think that these would be considered some of the least of my brethren."

All other eyes turned to Kaworu, an awkward silence falling over them. "Kaworu…" Rei said, her eyes filled with concern. "Is watching the Angels be defeated…" she trailed off, unsure of what to ask.

Kaworu shook his head. "No. I will be fine. The other Angels are… I am unsure of how to state my relation to them. But as it is, watching them be defeated…" he sighed quietly. "It's still complicated."

Silence fell again, and they started the next three episodes

. . .

"Man, I almost forgot that we had to use all of Japan's power to just even crack Ramiel." Shinji said, shaking his head slightly with wonder.

Asuka nodded with just as much wonder in her expression. "And to think that Zeruel was even more powerful than that. It took two Evas with S2 Organs, one of whom was being piloted with the help of Interfacing, just to take it down."

Kaworu looked over at Asuka as she said this. "One of you already knew Interfacing?"

Asuka shook her head as she smiled. "No, actually. Daniel somehow went into the core of Unit-04 itself. He managed to do some pretty wild things, too." the smile dimmed as she went silent for a moment. "He took one hell of a beating though, too."

She shook her head after a moment. "But I'm getting ahead of myself."

. . .

Asuka swelled with pride. "And here I come to save the day!" she said, a smile on her face even as she rolled her eyes. "Kind of weird that the Over the Rainbow was just a regular aircraft carrier here. And that they had to carry Unit-02 on a barge." she harrumphed. "A barge! For my mama."

Rei shook her head as a slight smile came to her face. "Even still," she said after a moment, "we are already seeing the realities of what would likely happen if Daniel and Eleanor were not in our lives."

She looked at Asuka. "You were far more combative and closed off, unwilling to express your gentler emotions to other people. Should this course continue unchanged, you… or at least the version of you that we are watching right now will more than likely isolate herself from everyone with her abrasive personality."

Asuka nodded slowly. "Yeah… I can concede that. Daniel really did help file off a lot of my rough edges."

Rei nodded. "It seems he did."

Shinji chuckled. "And that's to say nothing of the mess I seem to be at the start of all this."

They winced as the Shinji on the screen turned away from Asuka in the night, and Shinji and Asuka silently found each other's hands, giving each other a squeeze of reassurance.

. . .

Shinji, Asuka, and Rei all smiled slightly as they relived, imperfectly as it was, some of their better days when it came to teamwork.

"Man." Shinji said. "Matarael was even more of a pushover there than he was here."

"Sahaquiel, too, from what I've seen of the mission files that I've gotten access to." Kaworu said. "My… my brethren, shall we say, seem… lesser in this version of reality."

"Yeah. Still good to see all of us smiling together though." Asuka said. The quiet conversation that was going on was then silenced as they took in the likely fact that, somewhere, out in the greater Reality, this was what had happened to them.

. . .

At the end of the next hour, the two couples sat silently, processing with no small amount of sadness what had happened in the last episode that they watched. "We…" Asuka said, trailing off. She settled on hugging Shinji as close to her, and as tightly, as possible. "I don't know about you two, but I don't think I can do this in one sitting."

Shinji nodded slightly, an almost vacant expression in his eyes. "Yeah." he said, numbly.

Rei dipped her head, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I understand." she said quietly. All of them had been hit hard by the seemingly sudden downturn of events.

"Shall we continue tomorrow?" Kaworu said, looking at his friends with no small amount of concern.

Shinji nodded again. "Yeah. That… that sounds good."

"Very well." Rei said, standing up. The others stood with her. "I will see you all tomorrow. Good night."

"Thanks, Wondergirl." Asuka said.

. . .

The Next Day

As the Children filed into the Infinity Box, they found Hikari and Toji looking around them at the theater space. "Oh, hey, you two." Shinji said, drawing Hikari and Toji's attention. "What brings you here?"

Toji nodded back at the wall that now held the screen. "Well, we were planning on doing some training, but, uh… we found this pad instead."

Hikari nodded. "Were the four of you watching something recently? We noticed the snacks."

Rei nodded slowly, along with all the others. "Well…" she said slowly. "We were watching the show that Daniel mentioned that he first saw our world in."

Toji blinked. "Run that by me again?"

Asuka sighed quietly. "Well, jock, when we do something or say or think something, what happens afterward does something to transmit itself across the vastness of Reality and tumble into the heads of creatives on other worlds. Daniel watched a TV show that was based on another version of our world before he came here."

Asuka scoffed. "Pretty messed up world, too, from what we've seen so far."

Hikari tilted her head slightly. "So… why are you watching it then?"

Kaworu smiled slightly. "We were hoping to both compare notes on what has happened thus far, and perhaps gain a strategic advantage by seeing what the future might hold in store for us."

Hikari and Toji both ahhed as he said this. "I can certainly understand wanting a leg up for the future." Toji said as he nodded.

"Yes." Hikari said. "Perhaps we could join you? If it is as messed up as you say it is, maybe you could use some support."

The four Children looked at each other, then nodded after a moment. "I don't see why not." Rei said, a slight smile on her face. "Thank you, Hikari, Toji."

Hikari nodded. "We're more than happy to help."

. . .

Hikari was seriously reconsidering her previous statement as she watched the shockingly violent attack made by the singular Bardiel. And its aftermath, as she clutched tightly to Toji, whose own eyes were wide in silent shock.

Everyone was shocked to one extent or another. Everyone expected the fight to go wrong after the others had caught Hikari and Toji up, but no one expected the sheer brutality of it all.

"Toji…" Shinji said as he looked over at his friend with remorse in his eyes.

Toji met his gaze levelly. "Hey. Don't worry about it. It didn't happen here. Besides, even your dad wasn't evil enough here to activate that Dummy whatever."

They all shuddered to one degree or another. Toji was right. Commander Ikari seemed… somehow even more callous in that version than he was here. And that was saying something.

Shinji pondered on his father silently for a moment. On what they had talked about several days ago. 'I still hate what he's done. To me. To my friends. To seemingly everyone around him. That will never change. But… he's going to be better than… that. Mother saw to that.' he smiled slightly at that last thought.

. . .

The six Children were silent for a moment as they finished the next three episodes. Zeruel was almost as bad as they were expecting. Then…

"Mother…" Shinji had said, as Unit-01 went berserk, tearing into Zaruel with a ferocity that unsettled even Kaworu. As it consumed the S2 Organ. As Shinji became trapped in the core of Unit-01 for a month and experienced the mind-bending sights that Shinji saw.

"Hikari," Asuka said slowly as she looked over at Hikari, "was that what it was like? Being in the core with your mother?"

Hikari shook her head. "No, not at all. It was…" she shook her head again. "I don't know. I was kind of out of it for most of the time I was in there. But it was… not that." she said.

They all reflected on what they learned about Gendo Ikari. Shinji especially, comparing and contrasting his father's life as he told it here to what he saw on the screen. It was close. But it also had its differences. A point that stuck with Shinji as they continued to watch.

They looked over at Rei. After the last episode… she was hanging on tightly to Kaworu now, the tears in her eyes threatening to fall as she experienced the first Rei's death without the comfort of Eleanor's presence.

It was… suffocating was exactly the right word for it. Watching as Naoko Akagi strangled her. But the feeling passed, with the help of Kaworu's embrace.

. . .

Arael passed in shocked silence, with Asuka hanging on tightly to Shinji, not bothering to stop the tears that were flowing down her face. She was… she was… horrible.

No. No, no, no. That wasn't her. She was better than that. She recognized Shinji. How she would almost be nothing without him. She wouldn't isolate herself, or leave Rei in her lonely state.

Shinji squeezed Asuka in an embrace, filling her with warmth and strength as he whispered into her ear. [It's okay, Asuka.] he said softly, in German that was far, far better now than it was on the Over the Rainbow so long ago. [That's not you. That can never be you now. Because I'm right here.]

Asuka chuckled softly. [It's a wonderful life…] she said, just as quietly.

As Shinji looked at her with a puzzled look in his eyes, Asuka chuckled again. "It's an old movie quote that Daniel liked to say whenever things got tough." she said quietly in Japanese. "And… he's right. It is a wonderful life I have." She snuggled close to Shinji. "Especially because it has you in it."

. . .

The Children were all intent as they watched Armisael appear. It was an odd thing, even for the Angels that they had seen thus far. An interconnected double-helix that seemed to create waves with its body as it rotated comprised the entirety of the Angel. And the two Evas sent out to stop it seemed lacking for such a task.

They watched silently as it seemed to turn into a singular ribbon of light, coiling and writhing like a snake as it struck at Unit-00.

They gasped as it connected with Unit-00, and Armisael began to invade Unit-00, and Rei's mind.

It was silent as the grave as they watched Rei.

"So, I can't go…"

The screen went white, and Unit-00 disappeared. And Rei went with it.

"Rei…" Shinji said quietly as the aftermath played out, and the episode ended. "I can't… we can't-"

"No." Rei said, determination in the gaze that she leveled at all of them. "You all now know that I am a clone. That I have other bodies prepared in the event that I die. If there is any person who is able to make the sacrifice that seems to need to be made, it is me."

Determination was soon joined by desperation. "Please. When the time comes, let me make the sacrifice." she paused, as tears began to well up in her eyes. "At least… at least I know I'll be able to see you again if it's me."

It was silent again. Then, the others nodded. "Alright." Asuka said slowly. "The only reason I'm doing that is because you're sure, Wondergirl. But if you are sure that it'll work like that… then I'm with you."

"Rei." Kaworu said.

As Rei turned to face him, she saw the pain in his eyes. The desperation. So she connected her soul to his, and channeled her surety, her calm, into his soul. "Kaworu. It's going to be okay." she said quietly.

She shared a kiss with him, soft and tender. After a moment, she pulled back, determination in her eyes as she looked at the others. "Alright." she said. "We have one more episode to watch before the series finale and the feature film that goes along with it. Let's watch that one, then leave the finale for… after."

It was quiet for a moment, then the others nodded. "Alright." Shinji said, sighing quietly. "Let's get this over with."

. . .

Kaworu nodded as he finally seemed to make his appearance. "I wondered when I would enter the story, as it were." he looked over sympathetically at Asuka. "It's a shame it had to be in response to your struggles."

Asuka shrugged. "Don't sweat it, Kritzeln. We're glad we got to know you this early here. Besides, the way it was… here," she said, waving her hand at the screen, "it was only a matter of time."

Kaworu nodded, and turned his attention back to the screen.

As the episode progressed, the Children became quieter and quieter. Some of them seemed hesitant to even breathe, as they watched Kaworu's fateful meeting with SEELE. As they watched him take over Unit-02, driving into Terminal Dogma with an ease that belied his power. As Shinji, broken and fighting the only other person that he considered a friend still, who had betrayed him in the end, defeated Kaworu in front of the crucified giant that was Lilith.

As Shinji held Kaworu in the hand of Unit-01, and with anguish, simply squeezed.

As the episode ended, with a shattered, lonely young boy beside a new lake, Asuka squeezed a slack-jawed Shinji tight with a hug. Rei soon stood, walking over towards Shinji and enveloping him as well.

Shinji simply stared at the now dark, blank screen. "I… I…"

"No, Shinji." Rei said quietly. "That is not you. Please, remember that. As strong as the version of you we've watched is, for going through all of that and still fighting, remember, you are stronger than that. You have… us."

"Yeah, Shinji." Asuka said. "You have me. And the rest of your family here. You are not alone."

It was silent again for a moment. "Thank you." Shinji said quietly. "I… I love you all. Please. Remember that, in case I ever forget."

"You never will, rookie." Asuka said. "But we'll hold you to that."

"Right?" she said, looking meaningfully at the other three Children.

They nodded. "Yeah, Shinji." Toji said. "We've got your back. To the end of the world and beyond." Hikari simply nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Shinji." Kaworu said with a smile. "To the end of the world. And if it does try and end, well... who's to say we can't stop it?"

Shinji nodded. "Yeah." he said. "We know what we have to do now. It's simply a matter of making it happen."

Apotheosis Echo will continue after the break.