Chapter 14 - Kaworu


Asuka was first to cross the new pilot´s path.

Kaworu Nagisa stood seemingly lost in front of the security gates, ID-card with indision
in hand. His hair was grey, his skin was pale and his eyes were red, at first Asuka felt
tempted to looked for other similarities between him and Rei. He turned around and smiled
friendly.

"Hi. Could you please help me? ... eh, say, you don´t happen to be Asuka Langley, the
Second Children, do you?"

Asuka was surprised, it was the first time somebody was recognizing her. At the same time
she felt flattered and stroke a sexy pose.
"Yes, that´s me, pilot of EVA-02."

"My name´s Kaworu... Kaworu Nagisa. I was send to NERV to replace the pilot of unit...
ah... unit three."

"I know. Pleased to meet you, Kaworu."

"I´m pleased to meet you, too."
He bowed slightly.

"Where are you from?"

"Osaka-2, I feel lucky to have my way up to this point."

"Did nobody wait for you at the station?"

"My train... I took an earlier train."

"Oh. Come, lets enter."
Well, he´s nice...


***


The next day school started again as the holidays were over.

Shinji and Rei sat side by side and hand in hand, never to be seperated again.

Behind them Touji sat, a black leatherpatch covering his empty eye-socket. The artificial
hand that poked out of his sportjacket´s arm was pale. He kept steady eye-contact with
Hikari who stood by the door talking to her girl-friends a bit insecure.

Asuka entered class, when she saw Touji her face lost all colour. With eyes cast down she
hurried to her desk.

Touji broke the eyecontact to his girl-friend, looked sorrowfully at Asuka who did´t meet
his gaze, looked at Kensuke who sat behind him.

Aida shrugged.

The girls by the door started moving, hurried to their desks, Hikari standing next to her
desk.

The teacher entered, it wasn´t the old sensei who had spent the lessons with memories
about the Second Impact, but a man aged between fourty and fifty with snowwhite hair and
icegrey eyes, wearing shirt and jeans, jacket over his shoulder, briefcase in the other
hand, a friendly smile on his face, no one from Japan but a European.

Hikari fulfilled her duty as class-representive by having the class stand up, bow and
sit down again.

The new teacher placed his briefcase on his desk and the jacket over the chair.
"Good morning. Your old teacher retired early, I am his replacement for the next weeks,
the name´s Winter diArgio."
He wrote his name in hiragana at the board.
"If this is too difficult Sensei should be enough. Well, and now I´d like to know about
the subjects you talked about last year. Class-representive..." he looked at his notes,
"Hikari Horaki... would you please give me the information?"

Hiraki got up again.
"Yes, Sensei. We´ve talked about Second Impact."

"And what else?"

"Uhm..."

He smiled, touched his throat.
"If I am not speaking loudly enough please tell me, my voice is not as well anymore as
it was once."

"No, that´s not, but Second Impact had been the only subject."

"Oh... well, lets improvise... I guess you all can see that I am not from here. I think
we start working with your knowledge and move on to the years following the impact, the
years of war and rebuiling."

Shinji´s desktop screen told him that he got mail.

Does he look familiar in your eyes, too? - Kensuke.

Somehow... a bit...

And even the name, like the wizard in this anime.

You are watching something like this?

Eh... research.

Yes, sure.

Strange coincidence. He even whispers the same way.

Maybe...
Shinji felt the shadow cast upon him and the sudden silence within the room.
He looked up, right into the new teacher´s eyes.
"Uhm..."

"Mister... Ikari, correct?"

"Yes..."
He jumped to his feet.

"If you happen to be not interested in my lessons please at least pretend."

"Uhm... Sensei, I am sorry. I will pay attention now..."

"Good."
The teacher turned around and returned to his desk.

The further lesson went without incidents. Sensei diArgio made it interesting and alife,
a welcome change compared to the monologues of the old teacher, crowned by him giving no
homework for the next day.


***


"Tell me... didn´t the new... teacher... seemed fimiliar?" Shinji managed to say while
exchanging kisses with Rei, both sat on the couch snuggled up to each other.

"Somehow..."

"Kensuke has..."

"Now you think about Kensuke?" she asked with pretended indignation.

"No..." he whispered and pulled her backwards.


***


Winter opened the door to his small apartment at the edge of Tokio-3 even before his
visitor had touched the bell-button.
"Please, come it, Brother Shan."

The young monk bowed with unmoving face, casted a short glimpse at the symbol above the
door.
"I am honored to be allowed into your sanctum, Magus."
He wore Jeans and a wide T-shirt to better join anonymity.
"The ancient one sends me."

"Of course."

"I shall assist Thou."

Winter frowned.
"Well... so the situation must be even more earnest than I estimated when the Brotherhood
risks one of it´s few students left..."

"The ancient one has talked to the other master."

"He has contacted the other side of the Tempest?"

Yes, using the Akasha."

"I see... Hm, at the moment I have no use for thou here except as a messenger between this
place and the temple."

The other one nodded, looked around within the main room of the apartment, that resembled
a monk´s cell.
"Did thou make progress?"

"I entered the geofront. The chi-lines all end below the pyramid of NERV. I am guessing
that at least part of earth´s living energy is used to power the EVANGELIONs."

"We already guessed after the first appearance of these... beings... that they might be
constructs made of science, technic and magic."

"They are, there is no doubt left anymore. I think them to be made by a Son of Aether,
please asked the Sifu if the Brotherhood still has contact to the Technomancers."

"I will, Magus."

"Thanks."

"But I can already tell thou, that there´re only a few members of this Tradition left
within all Japan. As far as I know they´ve sought out no new students since the death
of Doctor Yui Ikari more than ten years ago."

"Ikari?"

"Yes. Our informations tell us that she had founded the project: EVANGELION but couldn´t
harvest the fruits of her work anymore."

"Hm... Alas I couldn´t enter the pyramid itself without the use of quintessence to cloak
my presence, security within the headquarters is way to strong. My magic is handicapted
within the presence of too much tech."

"Yes."

"During the last angel attack I learned the identity of the being who called the umbrood
to earth."

"Who is it?"

Winter´s face darkened.
"My son..."

"Your..."

"Not by blood, but by adoption... a failed apprentice of mine, a former student who has
turned nephandi and serves the Powers Below now."

"The ancient one must know..."

"Yes, Thou will tell him. And tell him that I will call the Traditions to arms again
soon..."

Shan looked into the other´s face, saw no emotions or mercy, only determination, saw the
general of the Ascension War standing before him.

The mage´s face didn´t change expression when he started to speak again.
"I have assumed a new identity as a teacher to get into contact with the EVA-pilots. And
I found something truely interesting - about twenty potential apprentices, all of them
nearly Awakened..."

"Students? And in such numbers?"
Shan´s eyes widened.

"So, did I manage to surprise thou?! Yes, the three pilots and their fellow students
all have the potential to work true magic... just a little push would be enough to Awaken
their gifts... And it seems that they were brought together by purpose since the other
classes are only containing sleepers."

"I... I have to tell the Sifu. Twenty students..."

"Enough to secure the Brotherhood´s future... enough to revive two, no, three Traditions
with fresh blood. Shan-san, in the name of the Order of Hermes I have to claim a part of
the students, I am not allowed to ignore such an opportunity."

"Yes..."
The monk sounded cold as ice, but he felt cold since the temperature´s within the room
were next to the freezing point, emanating from the whitehaired´s body.
"I will bring the Sifu your message."

"Yes, do it. I´m sure that he will understand my reasons."


***


Shinji was inside of the changing room and just put on his plugsuit.

From across the curtain came a low happy humming.

"Asuka?"

The humming stopped.
"Yes?"

"You sound happy."

"I am! Did you already meet the new pilot - Kaworu?"

"No. How is he like?"

"Very nice, I showed him the city yesterday."

"Ach, that´s the reason you came home late."

"Oh, did you wait for me?"

"Uhm, yes."

"Had I known I would have told... but I thought you be busy otherwise."

At this moment he was lucky about the curtain between the changing areas since he blushed
deeply.
"Uhm..."

"Maybe we could do something together once, all four of us, I mean."

"Hm, yes... that..."

"Pilot Ikari, please come to the Commander´s office, Pilot Ikari, please..." it came
out of the speakers.

Shinji stiffened, drawing loudly breath.

"Oh dear... now comes the big thunderstorm..." Asuka mumbled.

"I... I am going... if... if anything should happen..."

"What are you talking about?"

"I... ah..."
He was afraid, terribly afraid...


***


His father stared at him while doing his hand thing.

Shinji stood in front of the Commander´s large desk, forcing his knees to stop shaking.
"Father, you wanted to talk to me?" he finally managed to say after the silence had
become unbearable.

"Yes. I know of you and Rei... and her state."

"Uhm... yes..."

"Do you even know what you have done?"

"Father, I love her and I..."

"And what? You are not even sixteen yet as well as Rei is. Do you think, I cared for her
all her life..."

"What? Cared? I have seen where she had used to live! You threw her into a hole! And what
about me? No, father, not this time... I love her... I´ll always stay by her side... I
will always support her... and our child. And I will marry her."

"Marry?"

"Yes, as it has to be, as I want it to be, whatever, with or without your permission."

"Shinji, what are you talking about?" Gendo whispered, seemingly confused by his son´s
words. In front him no longer a shy boy stood he could manipulate but more of an image
of himself as he had been long ago, an image of what Yui seen in him...

"I am talking about, father, if you care for your grandchild to be born legal or illegal,
that´s all. And don´t even think about separating Rei and me..."

The older Ikari only nodded.
"I... you can go now."

"Yes."
Shinji turned to leave.

"Wait."

Shinji stopped. Within his father´s voice wasn´t the usual cold, not the usual roughness.
"What?"

"I just wanted to tell you... I won´t place any obstacles within your path."

"Good."

"And... that will be only one more angel, then it will be over."

"Just one angel? Only one more enemy and we will be free?"

"Yes, my son."

"Thank you, father."


***


After leaving the bureau Shinji leaned at the wall and stared at his shaking hands.
He had withstood his father, had shown strenght... for Rei, for their child...


***


"Professor..."

"Yes, Ikari?"

"It´s over soon."

"Yes, Ikari."

"Yui will be free... just one more angel, the angel of free will, the Dark Savant."

"Ah, are you sure about this part of the translation? The text had been damaged there."

"The prophecy talks about fourteen angels angels and the angel of humanity, who elso
should the Dark Savent be, if not the final messenger?"


***


Again furniture had been move inside the Katsuragi apartment, Asuka had moved into Shinji´s
room while he and Rei were moved together into the bigger room of the two,
Misato wasn´t seeing any sense in forbidding it, since she would have had to throw on
of them out of the apartment or stay virgil all night long on the corridor.
And as Kaji had said when he had appeared to help, the damage already had happened.

Shinji would soon turn sixteen and Misato conspired with Asuka to surprise him with a
party.

Asuka was feeling quite happy, she had become close friends with Kaworo, alas, she had
listened to Misato giving her the talk and had taken it to heart.

Rei´s state slowly got obvious and couldn´t be hidden below wide clothings anymore.
Ritsuko Akagi examinated her regularly but found no complications.

Seven month were gone since Zeruel´s attack, each day Shinji had been hoping for the
final angel to come so the whole story would come to an end, he felt motivated like never
before. During the last weeks he had met his father several times within the NERV- corridors,
three times Gendo Ikari had asked him about Rei, the last time showing him a
document signed by him explaining that Rei whose guardian he was, was allowed to marry
Shinji after she had turned sixteen. All in all Shinji felt to better get along with his
father slowly...


***


"Ahhh..."
Rei stretched, her large belly was quite visible.

Shinji softly caressed her belly, planting a soft kiss just above the navel.
"Go to bed again, beloved, it´s still early in the morning", he said while putting on
his trousers.

"No, I´ll come with you... The Commander wants to speak with me."

"Father... so..."

"Don´t be afraid, yes?"

"Yes."

Misato drove them and Asuka, even caring for tempolimits and traffic-rules. When they
reached the NERV-pyramid the sirens just started wailing - angelalarm...


***


Two large ravenbirds followed Misato´s car, one white as snow, the other one coalblack.
When the car was loaded at a cartrain they landed on the bumper.
While the white feathered Tymael started cleaning his master stood completly still.
So Winter diArgio, having taken on the form of his familiar, reached NERV-headquarters...


***


"What did happen?" Misato shouted when they arrived at the EVA-hangargates, among them
a heavy breathing Rei with deeply red-turned face.

Akagi directed Hyuga and Aoba who were using heavy machines to break open the locked door.
"We´ve been locked out, the electronic doesn´t work, the whole computersystem is down
with the exception of the MAGI."

"And the angel?"

"The MAGI sensed a blue pattern within the hangar."

"Goddamned... between us and the EVAs..."

"Nagisa was inside the hangar..."

"Kaworu!" Asuka terrified. "Lets hope that he´s okay!"

"Asuka", Ritsuko turned towards the redhead, "Kaworu was the only one inside... Probably
he is the angel...!"

"No! That can´t be! Kaworu can´t be an angal..." Asuka whispered. "I have to get in,
he might be in danger!"

Something pounded heavily against the gate from the other side.

"Back from the door!" Misato shouted and pushed Asuka aside.

Shinji grabbed Rei and pushed her behind himself, while Makoto and Shigeru hurried to the
other side.

The gate was thrown from it´s angles.

EVA-03 moved through the opening. And in front of him Kaworu Nagisa hoovered...

"Kaworu!" Asuka shouted.

The greyhaired boy looked at her for a moment, said with a voice that seemed to come from
the botton of a deep shaft: "Don´t try to stop me!"
The union of EVa and angel turned towards the central shaft.

Misato stared at them with eyes wide open.
"Asuka, take unit two and follow him!"

"Kaworu... er ist... wieso?" Asuka whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Ich dachte...
er wäre mein Freund..."
(trans.: "Kaworu... he is... why?" / "I thought... he was my friend...")

Misato grabbed her shoulders.
"Asuka, calm down! If you don´t stop him it´s all over, do you understand?"

"I... yes..."
She blew her nose, pressed the lips together and ran into the hangar, towards the red
EVA-02.

Out of a side-corridor Gendo Ikari appeared.
"I´ve already been informed about the situation. The angel mustn´t reach the Terminal
Dogma."

"Yes, Commander", Misato agreed.

"Unit one is to be unfrozen at once. - Shinji, are you ready?"

"I..." He looked at Rei, knew that he had a reason to fight, nodded. "Yes, father."

"Good. Do your best."

"Father..."

"Good luck."

Shinji nodded again, squeezed Rei´s hand and followed Asuka.

Gendo Ikari turned towards Rei.
"Follow me."

"Where?"

Her question took him by surprise since he was used to her following his orders immediately.
"Into the Terminal Dogma... I´m sorry..."
And it sounded honestly...


***


EVA-02 had followed EVA-03 into the shaft shortly before EVA-01 had left the hangar, it´s
armor was still covered with frost and it´s were movements still stiff, but it had also
climbed into the shaft.
Unnoticed within all the chaos two ravens descended into the deepth with elegant movements...

Gendo lead Rei to his personal express elevator, the only connection to the Terminal
Dogma beside the central shaft. While they were waiting for the doors to open, gunfire
was heard.

Men in black combatsuits entered NERV-headquarters, shooting at everything within their
paths. The still disabled security systems didn´t react.

The elevator doors opened the same time three of the intruders spotted Ikari and Rei.

"Watch out for you and the child, good luck", Gendo whispered and pushed Rei into the
lift, turned towards the armed men.

"Comman..." Rei´s shout was cut off by the closing of the doors.


***


At his bureau Major Ryoji Kaji loaded his official gun and a second weapon while watching
the intruders´ advancements on the screens.

"Clever plan... Nagisa disables the securysystems, distractes the guards and baits the EVAs
into the shaft, while several BlackOps-teams enter the headquarters... really clever... so
it begins..."

The only things the intruders didn´t calculated into their plan were the several addional
cameras Kaji had installed and connected to the MAGI-computer Melchior he controlled partly
since the energy-failure and the following reboot.

Kaji put his official weapon into the shoulderhafter and the other gun into his pocket,
equipped himself with a headset.
"Melchior?"

Ready.

"Keep informing me about the invaders´ movements."

Understood.

Then he climbed on top of his chair, stretched for the ceiling, removed a part of it,
pulled himself into the crawlspace, placed the part of the ceiling back into it´s place
and entered the labyrinth of the pyramid´s maintenance shafts.


***


The other side of the world, ODIN-headquarters, Wolf Larsen´s bureau:

Wolf Larsen closed his eyes when a light on his table turned red.

"What does that mean?" his visitor asked and finished his cigar.

"Director Kiehl just deleted my connection to HEIMDALL. I guess that within the next
minutes a team of assessins will storm this bureau. You should leave."

The other lightened a new cigar.
"No."

"Are you sure?" the cyborg asked while getting his gun out of the desk´s top drawer and
checked the clip.

"Completly." the other man said and drew his own gun, placing it on the table.
"That´s the way I have always imagined my final day... not dying on my bed of age or illness
but standing with my boots on."

"I see. I guess that´s Kiehl´s reaction at me sending ODIN´s raven to eleminate the members
of SEELE."

"So you made a decision."

"There was no other way. SEELE´s plan might reunite me with my wife, but what about all
the other human? People I have sworn to protect due to the ODIN agenda?"

And so they awaited their murderers...


------


next: prepare for blood, guts and all the other icky-stuff...