Chapter 12: Yui


Rei found herself sitting in a chair on a seemingly endless green meadow at a picknick
table, a small teacup in her hand.

Opposed to her sat a woman with a strangly familiar face, it was her own face, just older.
The woman was pouring tea into her own cup.

Rei stared at her older copy... No, not a copy, the original, the model she had been patterned
after.
"Where are we?"

"Inside EVA-01. You have been absorbed."

"You are... Yui... Yui Ikari..."

"Yes, that´s me... or that was me before I was absorbed by EVA-01."

"Yes."

"And you are Rei."

"Yes."

"Shinji often thinks of you."

"..."

"I can hear his thoughts when he pilots EVA-01. You mean a lot for him."

"Yes."

"So... What are your feelings for my son?"

"He´s my world."

"Isn´t this a little less?"

"No, it´s enough for me."

"And what if something happened to him?"

"I don´t know... I want to be with him..."

"I see."

"Thank you, Ikari-san."

"Ah, call me Yui, since you are part of the family now."

"Family..."

"I just can´t have my grandchild´s mother call me by my family name."

"I don´t understand..."

Yui smiled.
"Within your belly a new life is growing."

Rei place a hand upon her belly.
"That´s... strange..."

"Hm... I can see your memory, it doesn´t seems to be that strange. Shinji did to happen on
a similiar way himself..."

"I... I must be by his side..."

"Yes."

"But... I remember... he..."

Yui seemed to listen to a voice only she was able to hear.
"He´s alive..."

"I am... happy."

"Yes. But you are right, he needs you."

She looked Yui directly into the eyes.
"He needs you, too, Yui-san."

"But only one of us can return. Unit one will give free only one soul."

"Yui-san..."
Rei lowered her head, closed her eyes.
"Take the chance."

"You do love him that much?"

"... yes."

"Rei, I want to return... to my husband, to my son... but I can accept this. I can allow
you to bring this kind of sacrifice!"

"I do it for him."

"But you have to think about your child."
Yui shook her head.

"You know who I am..."

"I know who you are... and I also know what you are not."
She got up, walked around the table, stopped next to Rei, placed a hand upon her shoulder.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Rei. And I wish to give you a gift..."


***


Four weeks had gone since Rei had been absorbed by unit one.

Either Shinji or Asuka, one of them had always been there at the hangar, even sleeping in a
sleeping bag on one of the catswalks.
Sometimes even Gendo Ikari had appeared inside of the hangar, to watch EVA-01 in silence,
while Doctor Akagi had made a plan to save Rei...

"Needles inserted, connections installed. Electromagnetic pattern at 0, -3 fixed!"

"Ego-borderpulse connected!" May reported.

"Understood. Start salvaging!"

"Signal-1 sent and recieved. Signal-2 und -3 sent. No resistance by EVA-01!"

"Start phase 2!"

"Ego-border is inside a loop!" Maya shouted.

"Try to synchronize all patterns! There is an error..."

Misato stepped up to Akagi.
"What does this mean?"

"Failure."

Shinji turned around from his viewpoint at the large window.
"What...?"

"Do not disturb now! Maya, try to correct!"
She entered several commands into the computer.

"Corepulse at plus 3."

"LCL-temperature increasing. 36°, 38, 41, 58, 76, 97, 106..."

"Stay at this point." Ritsuko ordered before entering further commands.

"Values are critical. Plus 0,5. 0,8. I can stop the increase!"

"What does this mean?"
Akagi stared through the window.

"EVA resists all signals! Pressure increases within the entryplug! Rei´s egoformation
is shifting! Like we had an echo... or a second impulse... wait, make that three..."

"Stop everything! Interrupt energy transfer to EVA-01!"

"Entryplug is ejected!"

Misato ran to the window, stared at the hissing entryplug looking out of EVA-01´s neck.
The visual transmission still showed an empty plug.
"Ritsuko with all you science, aren´t you able to rescue her?"
The plug started moving.
"EVA throws out the entryplus!"
Misato ran to the door, down the stairs, into the hangar, climbed upwards the ladder leading
to the catwalk where the plug lay, with Shinji close behind her.

The plug had opened, hot LCL-fluid was everywhere.

Shinji stopped, leaned against the railing and started to cry.

Misato slowed down, nearly stumpled into the still growing puddle of LCL.
"No... Rei!"

The fluid started to move, drew itself together, formed a body...

Misato opened her eyes widely.
"Shin-Shinji!"

Next to the entryplug laid a nude bluehaired girl, Rei Ayanami...


***


Rei touched her face, followed the lines with his fingertips, oblivious to her surrounding.

Only when Shinji shouted her name and embraced her with his good arm, the other one still in a
sling, she reacted.

"Shinji..." she whispered, slowly raising a hand an d caressing his cheek. "It´s you... it´s
really you..."

"Yes, Rei... you are back..." He looked over his shoulder. "Misato, Ritsuko really made it!"

"Yes..." Misato whispered, whipping away the tears from her eyes.

At this moment Gendo Ikari stormed into the hangar, abruptly stopping when he saw the girl
within his son´s embrace, when he saw the loving expression on Rei´s face, the love she felt for
his son. He frowned, pressed the lips together and turned around.


***


"Fuyutsuki?"

"Yes, Ikari?"

"It seems that Rei isn´t useful anymore for the scenario."

"I saw it on the screen. Shinji and Rei truely seem to have come closer."

"That never should have happened. I should have never listened to Akagi!"

"Ikari, Rei still can pilot unit zero."

"But if she devellops too many... too strong emotions... she won´t participate willingly during
the scenario´s endphase."

"What are you planning, Ikari?"

"Rei is replacable."

"Ikari..."
Kozo Fuyutsuki´s face expressed the terror he felt at this moment.

Gendo did his hand thing, staring across his knuckles at the main-screen...


***


Misato entered Ritsuko Akagi´s bureau.
"You wanted to talk to me, Ritsuko?"

"Yes..."
Without further words Akagi pushed a file across the table.

"What´s that? Rei´s medical files?"

"Read the last report. It was written this morning, right after we got her out of unit one."

"Yes... physical status... oh, my god... Ritsuko, did you check on this?"
Misato turned chalk-white.

"Three times. While a wrong diagnose is still possible in this early state the chance of three
misleading test is..."

"I didn´t expected something like this..."

"I did, in a way, Misato."

"Is Rei still able to pilot EVA-00?"

"It´s just the second month, I´d say that her state will start to affect the synchronisation
in three to four month. Of course I will have to change the LCL-mixture..."

"Ritsuko, you should listen to yourself... we are talking about a fifteen year old girl, not a
lab rat. Can we even take responsibility..."

"Misato, don´t tell me anything about responsibility! You never disagreed with us making children
pilot the EVAs and sending them into battle!"

"Yes... you are right... I didn´t... I didn´t because of my own cowardice..."

"Hm, who tells the Commander that his own son made his precious Second Children pregnant?"

"Are you sure, that Shinji is..."

"I already said that there might be some misleading informations but you did see the two of them
yourself... who knows how long that´s already going on... just remember the morning after your
little victory party. You wanted to give him the talk, didn´t you?"

"I did tell him..."


***


"Pregnant?" Gendo Ikari roared.

Misato pulled the head between the shoulders while Ritsuko took a step back.
"Yes, Sir."

"How could this happen, Major? Why did you let it happen? I´ve placed Rei in your care - and
now?"
He threw some files to the floor, Rei´s medical report among them, and got up, with sparkling
eyes behind his dark glasses.
"Go! Leave my bureau! Ou of my eyes, both! I will decide later about the consequences of
your... failure..."

Katsuragi and Akagi used their chance and ran.

Gendo clenched the fist, smashing them again the massive table-top until they were screaming
with pain.

"Ikari..." Fuyutsuki whispered startled.

He looked up.
"The scenario is breaking apart. We wil have to replace Rei by another clon."

"You can´t be serious."

"Why not? The prophecy is of greater importance."

"It is the child of your son... your grand-son, or grand-daughter!"

"A necessery sacrifice."

"No." Fuyutsuki looked Gendo directly in the eyes. "Don´t do it. Don´t throw away the last of
your humanity. Do you truely want to meet her at the day of the prophecy carrying that kind of
guilt?"

"Fuyutsuki, I... the scenario..."

"The endphase can wait. The prophecy talks about twelve angels, three still to appear."

"And the old men? They won´t accept a delay... on the other hand... we might find a reason...
the scrolls are still quite open for interpretation..."

"Good, Ikari. So Rei and her child will live?"

"Yes."
He supported himself on the table´s edge.
Suddenly he smirked.
"I will become a grandfather..."


***


In Misato´s company Rei returned to the apartment.
"Why didn´t Shinji come?"

"He´s quite busy, Rei." Misato grinned. "He was at the hangar every day."

"I... know..."

"Yes?"

"I think... I could feel his presence, like a light in the darkness..."

"You two did get really close."

"Yes."

"The Commander wasn´t quite happy about that fact."

"I know."

"Good... no, not good. Why couldn´t you keep you fingers from each other?"

"After... after what had happened to Suzuhara-kun... Life can be over anytime..."

"I guess I understand..."

They arrived at the door, that was opened from inside, in the doorframe Shinji stood and
beckoned them to enter. Misato grin grew broader and broader.

In the corridor a banner hung, declaring in huge letter: Welcome back, Rei! And exactly these
words Asuka, Touji, Hikari and Kensuke were shouting who stepped into the corridor like
following a secret command.

Shinji embraced Rei and whispered the welcoming words into her ear.

Rei smiled, stepped away from him to embrace each one of the others in turn, stopped before
Touji.
"Suzuhara-kun..."

Touji grinned, showing his left arm.
"They gave me the artificial limb three weeks ago, it nearly feels like the original."
Demonstrating he clenched and unclenched the fist, bowed and straightened the arm, finally
placed it casually around Hikari´s shoulders.
"Without our class-representive´s support I maybe didn´t make it."

"Uhm..." Hikari said and smiled sheepish.


***


The party was over, the guests had left. Asuka did already go to her room.
Just Shinji, Rei and Misato still were at the living-room, Shinji holding Rei´s hand.

Misato got up, stretching her back.
"Ah, time to go to bed."

"Uhm, yes." Shinji mumbled, exchanged a long look with Rei, let go of her hand, gave her a kiss
on the cheek and left for her room.

Rei looked down to the floor.
"I will leave, too."

"Wait, Rei." Misato whispered. "Listen, I know of your state..."

Rei looked up with surprise on her face.
"What..."

Misato placed a hand on Rei´s belly.
"I am talking about this."

"You... you know?"

"Ritsuko checked you up and did a pregnancy test. As I already said, the Commander wasn´t quite
happy."

"That... that..."
Rei started to sob.
"Now I am useless for him... he will replace me..."

Misato didn´t know what she was truely talking about, only sensed her despairation. So she sat
down next to Rei and placed an arm around her shoulders.
"I am here for you."

Eternity seemed to pass until Rei reacted.
"Thank you..."

"Shinji doesn´t know, does he?"

"No, I had no opportunity to tell him."

"You have to tell him."

"Yes. How will he react?"

"I don´t know... The old Shinji, like he was when he first came to Tokio-3 over a year ago,
always ran way when facing problems. But he has changed... and you are the reason... I think,
he really loves you, not just your face or your body but you."

"My soul..."

"Yes."

"I will tell him. May I...?"

"Yes, just go... and, Rei... if I had been in a similiar situation... and Kaji... ah, I only
want to say they I am able to understand you..."

"Yes."
She got up, did a last look back, saw Misato´s encouraging smile before entering Shinji´s room.

Misato´s smile vanished, was replaced with thoughtfulness...


***


"Rei-chan?" Shinji whispered when the bluehaired young woman entered his dark room.

"Yes, it´s me. Shinji, we have to talk."
She was completly earnest.

"Uh, yes, just a moment."
He turned on the lamp and moved aside.

Rei sat down on the bed, blinked before laying down next to him.
"Shinji... do you love me?"

"Yes. More than my life."

She looked into his eyes, saw only love and honesty.
"Maybe that will change after I told you what I have to tell you..."

"What, Rei-chan, what do you want to tell me?" he asked startled.

Without words she took his hand and placed it on her belly.

"Rei-chan?"

"Shinji..., our night together... before the angel attacked... there were consequences..."

He withstood the urge to pull back the hand.
"What... Rei-chan... do you want to tell me that... we will have a child?"

"We... you did say we..."

"Yes... I should have been more careful..."
He embraced her, caressed her hair.
"We... our child..."

"Do you regret it?"

"No... It´s just... I never thought about... we are still young... I have never thought about
becoming a father... I am just fifteen... you are, too..."

She cramped.
"You don´t want our child..."

"But I want it... I just have to get used to the thought."

"I was afraid..."

"I won´t let you alone... never... I had fear to have lost you when EVA-01 did absorb you... but
now you are back... the two of you..."

She kissed his lips, disheveled his hair.


***


Misato stood within the dark corridor in front of Shinji´s door and peaked her ears. She felt
relief when she heard a soft long moan, but then she once again had to face the difficulty and
the earnestness of the situation - and the fact that her coinhabitants were having more sex than
she had herself...


***


At the next day´s afternoon Kaji asked Asuka for her cellphone, connected it to his lapton and
dialed the first of the saved numbers. It took an eternity until somebody answered.

Larsen... Asuka?

"No, Commander, it´s me."

Yes.

"Is the line secure?"

Yes.

"I am sending you the results of my investigations."

Good.

"Sir, the situation is earnest. I have to ask for support."

I... I will send you somebody...

"Thank you."
He transmitted the data.

Major, you are using Asuka´s phone.

"Yes, Sir."

She shall call me back, I have to talk to her.

"I will tell her. Is it important?"

Yes. My wife died this night.

"I... Sir, I am sorry."

Thanks... just tell her that I have to speak with her.


***


"Yes, uncle..."
Asuka interrupted the connection and let herself fall unto her bed.


***


"Kaji?"

"Yes?"
Ryoji Kaji put the wateringcan aside and turned toward his visitor.

Shinji Ikari stood at the edge of Kaji´s small garden.
"Can you talk?"

"Of course. - You didn´t tell anybore about this place, did you?"

"No, that´s our secret."

"Good. Look, Shinji, if anything should happen, say, if I had to leace quickly... could you look
after my melones?"

"I... what should happen?"

"Nothing, I just want my work not to be in vain if anything should happen to me."

"Uhm, I don´t understand, but yes, I will look after your plants."

"Thanks. So, what´s on your heart?"

"I... Kaji... I have a problem..."

"Ui, that sounds serious!"

"Rei and I..."

Kaji grinned.
"Between the two of you sparks are flying quite hearty, aren´t they?"

"You know...?"

"You weren´t quite discreet... ah yes, if only I could be your age again... The first love, the
first kiss..."

"Kaji, it´s more serious between her and me."

"Nice... so I´ll have more women for myself, eh?"

"You don´t take me serious."

"But I do, that´s just my way, sorry."

"No, please... uhm... Kaji, I need your advise... Rei is... we did..."

Kaji frowned.
"You did... and she is...?"

"She... I... I am going to be a father..."

"Oh, dear... didn´t you use protection?"

"N-no."

"Hm, I see. And now you want to ask me if I knew a doctor who..."

"No, no!"

"Good. That soothes me."

"I love Rei... with all my heart... I finally have a reason to pilot EVA-01, to walk into
battle... and a reason to live... and I love our child... I know, it sounds strange, I don´t
even know if it´s a boy or a girl... but it is my child... and Rei´s... how could I not love
it already... but..."

"But?"

"I´m afraid."

"I guess that´s quite okay. You are both still young, and a child is the great responsibility...
and the burden in these times... well, on the other hand... I feel a bit of envy for you..."

"Why?"

"I would like to have children by myself, but I haven´t met the right one, yet... that means
I´ve met her already, but, hm..."

"You are talking about Misato."

"Yes, Katsuragi..."

"Why don´t you asked her?"

Kaji laughed.
"Yes, why not... maybe... no, not maybe... I am afraid, too, afraid of the answer... of being
pushed back..."

"Kaji, that... I am afraid of becoming like my father... that I might leave our child alone one
day..."


***


Gendo Ikari lowered the medical file doctor Akagi had brought him.
"And that had been checked?"

"Yes, Gendo. I can´t explain, but Rei´s DNA-sequence was changed drastically in some parts. It
seems that EVA-01 did not let go of the Lillith-DNA, that might explain the problems we had with
salvaging Rei."

"You have no other explanation?"

"No, nothing."
She shook her head.
"Even the human part has been modified..."

"But, why? And way did you do the tests?"

"I know whose clon Rei is... It was because of the child´s state but on the other hand I dare
to say that there won´t be any complications."

"How heavy are the changes?"

"That´s not Yui anymore. She might be her cousin of the third degree now. And I simply can´t
explain it."

"Ritsuko, before Rei can be put on duty again I want some more tests... and the child shall not
be troubled."

"So we lost Rei as a pilot."

"Yes... we lost her."

Ritsuko had troubles to suppress a satisfied smile
"I will think of it."

"How are the EVAs?"

"Unit one has been put on ice, after it absorbed the angel´s S2-organ the readings are unstable.
EVA-01 seems to have an unexhaustible source of energy now."

"As expected..."

"Unit zero has regenerated completly, as has unit two. Unit three needs another week until
the damages are fully regenerated, there was quite a lot of contaminated tissue."

"Yes, yes..."

"A strange ironie... four EVAs and only two pilots..."

"And still three angels... You are right, it´s an ironie. - or how would you call it that the
comitee will send us a new pilot?"

"Oh... as if they knew it..."


***


Asuka was at the fitness center, beating at a punching ball when she was called to the hangar.
A short time later Blue Alarm was given - Angelalarm...

EVA-02 was already ready. Asuka was equipped with one of the new assault-positronrifles and send
to the surface.

The angel looked like a phonix, the legendary bird of fire.

"I got it..." Asuka whispered. "But it is too far away."

"You must be patient." Misato explained.

"Of course." She sat back, stared angryly at the zoomed-up angel, projecting her complete anger
at the image.
"Come, you lame angel! Move so I can kick you sorry ass! You are even slower than a slug!"

It didn´t help, the angel made no move to change it´s position.

"Misato, any ideas?"

"I am thinking about it."

"If he doesn´t come to us we will have to come to him."

"But within the air EVA-02 would be unprotected."

"Yes." Again she angryly looked at the angel. "Could take some time. And not replacement. Where
are Rei and Shinji?"

"EVA-01 is still on ice. And Rei is not fit for service."

"Ah, why didn´t you tell me earlier?"

In this moment the angel acted. Suddenly EVA-02 was bathed in bright light, that also filled out
the entryplug. Very loud music, a Hallelujah coming from countless throats, dampened the voices
coming out of the radio.

Asuka clenched her teeth until it hurt, squeezed the eyelids shut.
The angel had come closer...
"Die!" she screamed, pulling the trigger. Again the positronbullets couldn´t pierce the passive
AT-field.
She pressed the hands against the ears and turned her eyes away, but the light was directly
shining right into her soul.

"No!"