THE ASCENSION
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION
By Larnir W. Haigh
From the author:
Spoiler- this is a Shinji/Rei story. If you are primarily an Asuka fan, you may find here less then you expected. She is treated with deep respect and plays her role here, but doesn't get the boy :)
For those of you who read "NGE-The Source", the fic cannibalized for this project here, I hope there will be more twists, more explanations, more characters getting a part in the action and a new ending - that is, no ending at all.
********************************************************************************
Part 1.
Nursery Tales/ The Egg of an Angel
The lights embedded in the floor tiles dimly illuminated the dark and low ceiling of the hall. The great Sephirotic Tree, reflecting from itself, was hardly visible in the shadows enveloping the hushed talk of two men.
-It is a good thing we kept that override in the system. It served us well against Unit 03 and helped feeding the military spies false life support data. For them Rei is dead. So if they do find out, our circle of suspects will be narrowed down to Major Katsuragi and Doctor Akagi.
-Very well, but what do you think about the thing itself, Professor? - asked Commander Ikari.
-I'm at a loss, Commander. Dr. Akagi's report on the dummy plug... I had reasons to suspect foul play on her part, so I went for a look myself. Yes, Gendou, she had right. The dummy plug of Unit 00 was burst from the inside and the pilot...
-I have seen Rei, don't you think I haven't? She is okay, Kouzou. She is almost all right, both physically and mentally. I'd rather have her dead and so close the matter off. The only possible explanation is the existence of personal AT fields.
-Was it not predicted, Gendou?
-I have my reasons to criticize what SEELE says. I have always been suspicious of the mumbo-jumbo part,- Gendou poked a finger towards the ceiling, - just letting them play with all those cool names half the alphabet long... before it happened. It's all nursery tales, there can be no place for it here in NERV where electronics and genetics are the only things that count!
Now, Professor, I feel the ground slipping from under my feet. A personal AT field strong enough to withstand an explosion that killed an Angel. What next, Kouzou, pray tell me? The Red Earth Ceremony? The Black Moon rising? The Tooth Fairy?
-Whatever it be, NERV needs your guidance, Commander Ikari. You must not let your...
-Guidance?! I'm afraid I've guided myself to hell, Kouzou...
The alarm sounded.
The cold lamps shone without mercy, bathing the small room with gray walls, floor and ceiling in unnatural white light. Facing each other over a table strewn with papers, two women argued.
-Pray tell me what are you struggling for, Misato? So you can put Rei in bed with Shinji and tuck in the blanket? Don't tell me you are concerned for Rei's battle skills. Don't think they are worth the trouble - I'd sooner take a try with Asuka.
Misato's face flinched but she never broke eye contact.
-Cut this crap! I need Rei to be the person she... she has earned the right to be. The kids may love each other or not, but tell me, Ritsuko-chan, do you love Gendou?
Ritsuko turned away, her hands nervously fidgeting with the porcelain kittens on the table.
-No, you do not. Do you want him to control Rei like he did before? Do you want him to have another toy?
-I am not his toy!
-I didn't mean you. But if you insist, prove you are not.
-I will not do it.
-You will. Ritsuko, you've been my closest friend. You broke me out of my reclusion, taught me to be human. You did what I intend to do for Rei. For whatever she has become. But... Since we started working here I never trusted you enough.
-Don't simplify things like that, Misato. You're the commander of operations all right, but as to what lies beneath - The Sephirothic Structure, The Room of Guf... you are pretty ignorant.
-Me ignorant?
A faint smile appeared on Misato's lips.
-Tell an ignorant Major, for example, what killed the angel? So you do not know. I do. Conscience.
-What?
-If an Angel unknowingly attacks and endangers the life of its superior... what does it do next? Goes kaboom. I may not be a doctor of biology and stuff, Ritsuko, but I am not limited to fighting idiotic Angels with idiotic mecha! I can think, too. Arrange facts, make conclusions... you know. Where do you keep IT?
-Keep WHAT?
-About two months ago you gave Rei a series of injections. Then some sort of manipulation she told Asuka about - what did you tell her? To check whether she might be fertile? And you said no? You said no after you got what you wanted from Rei. So where is it? Where is the ovum? The egg of an Angel?
-Never underestimate an old friend, -whispered Ritsuko. She looked broken. The white kitten fell from the table, smashing to bits on the cold tile floor of Ritsuko's cold room.
-Looks like if your little story goes public, SEELE will... give you trouble.
-Cruel. Cruel, Misato. Would you give me up? It was my own idea, Misato. A safeguard against their plans, a safeguard against Gendou.
-So would you do what I'm asking?
-I am afraid not.
-What?
-Don't snarl at me. Don't you remember the first reactivation experiment? The fight where Touji was wounded? The cross-compatibility test? If Rei has such sides to her nature, won't it be better to leave things as they are? What horror do you want me to release?
-The Angels are against us. The time is against us. The kids... may be dead any day.
-Back to the blanket-tucking story? Trying to save the world with a little love?
Misato stood up and pushed her chair out of the way. Ritsuko shrunk in her seat, as if expecting to be struck or worse.
-You're pathetic, Dr. Akagi. Whatever you do, no matter how and with whom. Manipulating people and ending up deserted. Living with a man you don't love and who doesn't love you. Exploiting the cloned brains of your own mother. Tormenting a child you mother already killed. Why don't you just give up, Ritsuko - one like you just cannot win!
Ritsuko struggled to stop tears and failed. In all her mistakes, Major Katsuragi was right about the ovum. A tiny speck of flesh compared to which Adam was a piece of pet chow. She'd never... she'll always... just one more time... Tear after tear fell on the table, taking away her resolution - drop by drop, drop by drop. If she does it... at least someone will be on her side. Maybe Rei will pardon her for a life of an abomination, too.
-And I thought you liked your job here, - said Ritsuko in a vain attempt to divert the conversation.
-Job? Silly, Ritsuko, how silly of you!
Major Katsuragi's voice sounded unnaturally deep as if she was trying not to scream on the next phrase:
-I hate Angels! Ones that come from whatever hell they do come from and ones NERV cranks out, Ritsuko! I am...
Then she did scream.
-I LIKE USING THEM TO KILL EACH OTHER!!!
Misato gave Ritsuko's chair a push that rolled it to the far wall, rose, turned around, walked out and slammed the door.
After a long while Ritsuko opened the top drawer and took out her gun. Looking at the futile piece of metal with a bitter smile, she put it in her lab coat pocked. As she reached for her PDA, the alarm sounded.
End of part 1.
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION
By Larnir W. Haigh
From the author:
Spoiler- this is a Shinji/Rei story. If you are primarily an Asuka fan, you may find here less then you expected. She is treated with deep respect and plays her role here, but doesn't get the boy :)
For those of you who read "NGE-The Source", the fic cannibalized for this project here, I hope there will be more twists, more explanations, more characters getting a part in the action and a new ending - that is, no ending at all.
********************************************************************************
Part 1.
Nursery Tales/ The Egg of an Angel
The lights embedded in the floor tiles dimly illuminated the dark and low ceiling of the hall. The great Sephirotic Tree, reflecting from itself, was hardly visible in the shadows enveloping the hushed talk of two men.
-It is a good thing we kept that override in the system. It served us well against Unit 03 and helped feeding the military spies false life support data. For them Rei is dead. So if they do find out, our circle of suspects will be narrowed down to Major Katsuragi and Doctor Akagi.
-Very well, but what do you think about the thing itself, Professor? - asked Commander Ikari.
-I'm at a loss, Commander. Dr. Akagi's report on the dummy plug... I had reasons to suspect foul play on her part, so I went for a look myself. Yes, Gendou, she had right. The dummy plug of Unit 00 was burst from the inside and the pilot...
-I have seen Rei, don't you think I haven't? She is okay, Kouzou. She is almost all right, both physically and mentally. I'd rather have her dead and so close the matter off. The only possible explanation is the existence of personal AT fields.
-Was it not predicted, Gendou?
-I have my reasons to criticize what SEELE says. I have always been suspicious of the mumbo-jumbo part,- Gendou poked a finger towards the ceiling, - just letting them play with all those cool names half the alphabet long... before it happened. It's all nursery tales, there can be no place for it here in NERV where electronics and genetics are the only things that count!
Now, Professor, I feel the ground slipping from under my feet. A personal AT field strong enough to withstand an explosion that killed an Angel. What next, Kouzou, pray tell me? The Red Earth Ceremony? The Black Moon rising? The Tooth Fairy?
-Whatever it be, NERV needs your guidance, Commander Ikari. You must not let your...
-Guidance?! I'm afraid I've guided myself to hell, Kouzou...
The alarm sounded.
The cold lamps shone without mercy, bathing the small room with gray walls, floor and ceiling in unnatural white light. Facing each other over a table strewn with papers, two women argued.
-Pray tell me what are you struggling for, Misato? So you can put Rei in bed with Shinji and tuck in the blanket? Don't tell me you are concerned for Rei's battle skills. Don't think they are worth the trouble - I'd sooner take a try with Asuka.
Misato's face flinched but she never broke eye contact.
-Cut this crap! I need Rei to be the person she... she has earned the right to be. The kids may love each other or not, but tell me, Ritsuko-chan, do you love Gendou?
Ritsuko turned away, her hands nervously fidgeting with the porcelain kittens on the table.
-No, you do not. Do you want him to control Rei like he did before? Do you want him to have another toy?
-I am not his toy!
-I didn't mean you. But if you insist, prove you are not.
-I will not do it.
-You will. Ritsuko, you've been my closest friend. You broke me out of my reclusion, taught me to be human. You did what I intend to do for Rei. For whatever she has become. But... Since we started working here I never trusted you enough.
-Don't simplify things like that, Misato. You're the commander of operations all right, but as to what lies beneath - The Sephirothic Structure, The Room of Guf... you are pretty ignorant.
-Me ignorant?
A faint smile appeared on Misato's lips.
-Tell an ignorant Major, for example, what killed the angel? So you do not know. I do. Conscience.
-What?
-If an Angel unknowingly attacks and endangers the life of its superior... what does it do next? Goes kaboom. I may not be a doctor of biology and stuff, Ritsuko, but I am not limited to fighting idiotic Angels with idiotic mecha! I can think, too. Arrange facts, make conclusions... you know. Where do you keep IT?
-Keep WHAT?
-About two months ago you gave Rei a series of injections. Then some sort of manipulation she told Asuka about - what did you tell her? To check whether she might be fertile? And you said no? You said no after you got what you wanted from Rei. So where is it? Where is the ovum? The egg of an Angel?
-Never underestimate an old friend, -whispered Ritsuko. She looked broken. The white kitten fell from the table, smashing to bits on the cold tile floor of Ritsuko's cold room.
-Looks like if your little story goes public, SEELE will... give you trouble.
-Cruel. Cruel, Misato. Would you give me up? It was my own idea, Misato. A safeguard against their plans, a safeguard against Gendou.
-So would you do what I'm asking?
-I am afraid not.
-What?
-Don't snarl at me. Don't you remember the first reactivation experiment? The fight where Touji was wounded? The cross-compatibility test? If Rei has such sides to her nature, won't it be better to leave things as they are? What horror do you want me to release?
-The Angels are against us. The time is against us. The kids... may be dead any day.
-Back to the blanket-tucking story? Trying to save the world with a little love?
Misato stood up and pushed her chair out of the way. Ritsuko shrunk in her seat, as if expecting to be struck or worse.
-You're pathetic, Dr. Akagi. Whatever you do, no matter how and with whom. Manipulating people and ending up deserted. Living with a man you don't love and who doesn't love you. Exploiting the cloned brains of your own mother. Tormenting a child you mother already killed. Why don't you just give up, Ritsuko - one like you just cannot win!
Ritsuko struggled to stop tears and failed. In all her mistakes, Major Katsuragi was right about the ovum. A tiny speck of flesh compared to which Adam was a piece of pet chow. She'd never... she'll always... just one more time... Tear after tear fell on the table, taking away her resolution - drop by drop, drop by drop. If she does it... at least someone will be on her side. Maybe Rei will pardon her for a life of an abomination, too.
-And I thought you liked your job here, - said Ritsuko in a vain attempt to divert the conversation.
-Job? Silly, Ritsuko, how silly of you!
Major Katsuragi's voice sounded unnaturally deep as if she was trying not to scream on the next phrase:
-I hate Angels! Ones that come from whatever hell they do come from and ones NERV cranks out, Ritsuko! I am...
Then she did scream.
-I LIKE USING THEM TO KILL EACH OTHER!!!
Misato gave Ritsuko's chair a push that rolled it to the far wall, rose, turned around, walked out and slammed the door.
After a long while Ritsuko opened the top drawer and took out her gun. Looking at the futile piece of metal with a bitter smile, she put it in her lab coat pocked. As she reached for her PDA, the alarm sounded.
End of part 1.