Before I begin….FAQ time!!
DandyDoo: Trust me, that won't happen for quite some time.
NICKNACK: Our favorite commander is only taking potshots in the dark ^_^.
bride_of_lister: I get that often. ^_^
Disclaimer: Refer to previous chapters.
The smell of smoke and sulphur reached his nose as Tabris sat on his throne with his eyes closed and posture lax. The flickering flames of the numerous torches lit the room to a bare minimum, its light faintly illuminating his pallid features. His wicked looking sword lay a few feet away from him, embedded deeply in the cold granite floor. His hand held a mug of iron with a amber liquid within, reflecting light from its amber depths.
This was probably only time when he could have some quiet time to himself, since the Baron of Hell himself also had his limits. Not to mention, his invasion force had been put down by the realm defenders. He found out again that it was futile to go against what had been written in ages past.
There were others like him; many planes of existences which were also keenly interested in the Plane of Dreams and the Plane of Mortals, as he had been. All of them had waged countless wars upon each other for as long as he could remember, each one vying for these two prominent realms while its inhabitants are unbeknownst to their situation. He knew this for a fact as he himself headed a few campaigns to gain a foothold in these two energy rich trophies.
He was also rather glad that the first Death had sealed off the planes from all of them; if he couldn't get, no one will. Still, he had a few dimensions under his control so it was not too much of a big deal. Patience was one key quality he had over the other warlords. Many of them perished during the resulting turmoil caused by that damned action which denied them from the planes. From what had been a hundred, dwindled to a mere five.
Still, the barriers won't last forever. The one on the Plane of Dreams was already proof for that matter. He decided he already pondered enough on the subject, turning his thoughts towards the newly appointed Twilight bringer.
He had already examined the boy; knowledge is power as one would put it. Potential-wise, the boy was limitless. But in present terms of power, he was relativity average, perhaps even weak. His speed could make up for that fault, if properly channeled of course. Ah, but his most redeeming point is that Thanatos accepted him as its new 'master'…for now. Of course, the weapon wasn't like any other, possessing free will and an almost unlimited magick potential. Sadly, he knew that it would adjust its power to that of its current master, thus making it only a pitiful shadow of its true self…for now. But an entire army could be wiped out within minutes at its current power level.
But the superiority of it wouldn't convince those who knew of its price to its power. Slowly but surely, it takes control of its wielder, it is merely a matter of time before its reins on the boy is set in. It also induces a rage which blinds the wielder to the world, sowing the seeds of insanity. Only those who are true undead could possibly hope it use it and live to tell the tale.
A ridiculous price to pay for power, for what good would power be if you are not able to use it?
With all that taken into consideration, he didn't really need to destroy the boy by his hand; Thanatos would do the deed. Still, it would be amusing to watch how long the boy could hold out against it. He glanced at the now warm liquid in the mug, and with a look which could only be described as disgust, his hand crushed the metallic mug.
'After all,' he thought, watching the blood red liquid seep. 'Thanatos wasn't cursed for nothing.'
~~~~~~
Paths & Choices: Treading on Flames
Silence.
He hated the silence…always.
It gave him time to think. To think about his decisions.
A dark void surrounded him where threads of every color and size were located within. All of them were someone's bond to the world. How he knew, he didn't really know. But all that matter was that he knew. He eyed a golden one; it belonged to a child no more than four years, suffering from a rare disease, a burden he would gladly remove . He held it gently in his grasp, before cutting it in one swift motion with Thanatos. The thread fell lifelessly to the ground as its light seeped into the dark. From there on, he became a series of movements. Methodically, he cut each one by one; every one of them lost their glow before being assimilated into the dark.
For some reason, he felt…pained. He knew he was releasing them from their pain. But he couldn't understand why his heart hated every moment of it. The ritual left him with an unearthly feeling; another reason why he thought he detested it so. He couldn't decide whether the impersonal taking of life or the whole situation made him uncomfortable.
He looked at Thanatos with doubt, as if expecting it to answer his questions; the great scythe was silent, surely mocking him with its translucent glow. He looked around, only darkness made his view. His expression was a sad one.
'Was this what I wanted…?' He thought as he faded into the darkness.
~~~~~~~
Morning had come, the darkness which lingered on only existed as shadows during the day, waiting for the night to embrace them once again.
Asuka walked down the empty street, heading towards the place she called school. The road was rather empty because it wasn't linked into main sections of the city, only to the more rural and residential parts of the city. If one would pass by her, they would only see a girl whose focus was on her thoughts. Her thoughts were centered on the boy she knew as a former roommate and pilot. Shinji, whom she thought would pull through any shit the skies could throw at them. She felt the unexpected tinge of loss from then to now, and she was angry that she had become so damn emotional thanks to that baka.
And damn, today was too sickening bright for her taste.
But she wouldn't let her feelings get in the way of life. Not now, or ever. The weak die and the strong will live; it was the rule of life as she had always known it. She was assured of her superiority; she was one of the EVA pilots! A savior of Humanity! She was the best there was!
'Was.', Asuka bitterly reminded herself. 'a past tense.'
With that, she continued on to school, feeling bitter and resentment at herself for letting herself care.
~~~~~~
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Shinji groaned as he dragged himself towards the bathroom. Upon reaching his destination, he caught sight of his reflection. Azure orbs stared back.
'Good, it's not red….yet.' He sighed, turning to the digital clock on the bathroom wall. 7.15 Am, it showed in a bright green through a quartz screen.
He was supposed to leave for school 15 minutes ago, but he didn't care. All he registered was the numb feeling in his body. He had not forgotten last night, and his body ached as if tired or had the life sucked out of it. He didn't know how it came to this but he definitely didn't enjoy the…sensation, if one could call it that. Forcing his reluctant body to move, he dragged himself back to his room to change as his muscles screamed in protest. He winced as he grabbed the shirt from the open cupboard, having moved too suddenly for his arm's comfort.
Buttoning his shirt slowly to try avoiding any more unwanted pain, Shinji glanced at Thanatos, which was at his bedside, glowing softly in its semi translucent state. He didn't really notice it before but it was taller than him, his bed barely supported the seemingly unwieldy weapon. He regarded it coldly before grabbing his school bag and ID card. He didn't feel like himself today, somehow he knew that Thanatos had a part in it.
"Let's go, Shinji." He murmured to himself, placing his green contacts on. He glanced at his reflection before turning to leave with his bag in tow. "Green eyes, brown hair. Just wonderful." He muttered before closing the door.
~~~~~~
Rei Ayanami walked down the streets, deserted with only a few cars passing by. She enjoyed the silence for it allowed her to think. A breeze blew, making her hair stand. She paused for a moment, rubbing her hands to gain heat for her cold body. While her facial features didn't betray her feelings of cold, her body shivered ever so slightly.
'So cold…'
Surprisingly, the only time she felt like this was when Ikari's death reached her. She wondered whether if she genuinely nurtured her feelings towards him or was it due to the remaining feelings of materiality from the soul she held.
But she could not know now.
And, she banished her thoughts as she continued towards school, for once hating the silence.
~~~~~~
The students chatted noisily before class had started. Word had passed around that a new student had transferred to their class. While there had been one class of 15 year olds during the previous year, more and more people shifted back to Toyko-3 once it was apparent the Angels weren't coming back. Though the previous attack proved them otherwise and discouraged some from returning, the majority flocked back to the city fortress, hoping for new job and business opportunities, often bringing their children along for convenience. And in turn, it had increased the school's student population fairly quickly.
The class quieted as the old sensei entered, walking laboriously towards his desk. He seemed disconcerted as he quickly got out the class register.
"Well, firstly I would like to introduce a new transfer student here today." The old sensei said in his monotonous voice, his discomfort hidden while motioning for someone to come forward.
The student, about the same height as the rest of the males in the class, had rather light brown hair which seemed to overshadow his features. His brownish hair was a bit long compared to the other boys in the class, though it only could cover his eyes. But it still allowed his emerald eyes to be visible to the outside world. Most of the female population gave him attentive stares, much to the displeasure of the boys.
"Hello, I am Iraki Fujin," He said in an icy cool voice, which spoke in volumes that he wasn't here by his own accord. "I transferred from Osaka-2 to Toyko-3 just a few days ago. I hope we can be friends."
His tone, however, suggested otherwise.
"Okay…Mr Iraki, you are to sit in the empty seat next to Koyobashi." The sensei said, adjusting his glasses. "Koyobashi?" The request came expectedly.
The youth in question raised his hand in a bored fashion. The empty desk was next to a window. Shinji, or Fujin as otherwise known as, promptly maneuvered himself towards his seat.
Seeing that the new student was seated, the sensei began yet another lecture on the Second Impact.
~~~~~~
"Now when the Second Impact occurred, many people like myself and your parents…."
Shinji sat dully in his seat, listening to the teacher drone on about the Second Impact; something which he detested like the rest of the class. How the sensei managed to rehashed the same topic over and over again was beyond him.
'Probably scripted, perhaps.' He thought, fiddling his blue pen. The clock above the black board showed that he still had a few more hours left before school ends, much to his displeasure. The droning went on.
'Enough was enough.'
He decided to tune out the monotonous voice with the rest of his classmates. However, unlike them, he wasn't thinking about idle thoughts.
He tried to think about what to do now, and it all came crashing back to the request that Sargaus asked of him. 'Why ask me to come back here,' He thought, frustrated at his plight. 'What would you have me do here now that I have arrived?!' The more he pondered about it, the angrier he became at his late-mentor.
He felt a tingly feeling.
'What…?'
The warm and painful sensation exploded at full force, gnawing at the back of his mind like a deseperate vulture. It took all his will power to resist shouting out and doubling back in pain, the clenched fists and sweating was already attracting attention. Instinctively, he took a sharp intake of air to calm down. Within a moment, he relaxed as he exhaled a sigh, the pain vanishing once more. He focused his thoughts once more onto his predicament.
He could only wait for something or a sign to come out, and it meant that he had to be reactive. He hated being reactive; it just gave fate more chances to screw things up for him.
Questions like 'What to do now?' or 'Where do I start?' again swirled around in his mind, this time anger not present. While pondering, he failed to notice the voice calling out for his name.
"Mr. Iraki! Would you please answer my question!?" The sensei's yelling broke Shinji away from his concentration. He found that most of the class staring at him upon his arrival back to the present.
Shinji managed to smile sheepishly despite his troubling thoughts. "What?"
~~~~~~
School ended. Students poured out of the compound, going off to the mall or home. In all, a normal day. The afternoon sun glared upon the city, making Shinji wince as a bright light shone upon his face as he exited the shade of the building and into the fraying afternoon sun.
The sound of hard leather made him stop. He already knew who was behind him.
'Section-2', he thought smugly. 'About time.'
He flipped around, seeing the foreign yet familiar black dressed man with shades.
"You are to report to NERV immediately," The agent said, no emotion whatsoever in his voice. "The Commander detests waiting."
Shinji nodded blankly and turned back. Satisfied, the agent stalked out of sight and into the shadows. Without looking, he already knew that he would be followed anyways.
Oddly, he felt a numb pain on his mind as he proceeded
~~~~~~
Misato Katsuragi was getting over her charge's death pretty well considering her methods.
Well, if you could call getting drunk every other night a method. Though, the third Child's demise wasn't the only thing which was enough reason to be hung over every other morning..
The fact that she was indirectly using them to get revenge on the Angels never at all crossed her mind, until now. If confronted to the question, she would deny them outright. But she knew better. Deep down inside, she knew she used the Children for her petty, if not insignificant revenge against the Angels. She developed bonds with them during that chaotic time, helping her forget her guilt.
Until recently.
The loss of Shinji was a rough shove to reality. It showed her that if she was not careful, she could lose Asuka too. Even though the red head was not as close to her as Shinji had been, she had considered her family. But what caused her to be depressed was the fact that she still wanted the Angels dead at the risk of Rei or Auska. The guilt she had buried resurfaced again.
" Major, I would like you to meet the Sixth Child." The blonde haired scientist said coolly, who currently was holding a checklist of sorts.
The Sixth Child was a stunning addition to the already ill matched pilots, he wasn't pale like Rei but it was enough to pass off as fair. The brown mop of hair was fairly overgrown and unruly, hiding his eyes from her view. His lips were straight, not showing any hint of anxiety or nervousness.
She forced a smile. "Misato Katsuragi. Pleased to meet you."
The Sixth extended his hand, a cool smile curving. "Iraki Fujin. Pleased to meet you, Katsuragi-san."
It was then she caught a glimpse of his eyes.
Cold and calculating were what she saw.
~~~~~~
From all corners of the world, a select group of businessmen, politicians and world leaders met in secret. They were divided but united with one goal. The Instrumentality of Humanity.
They were SEELE. The group who had manipulated the world from the shadows since ages past.
As one by one the huge monoliths appeared in the bleak room, SEELE -01 also know as Keel, waited patiently as the last monolith blinked into existence.
"I trust you know the reason why we are here today," Keel calmly stated. "I would like your views on it."
Grunts and voices of acknowledgement filled the air momentarily, before quieting down.
"The scenario didn't speak of a new child to be found." SEELE-07 broke the silence. "Ikari is pushing his luck to think that we will only idle at this…development."
"You forget that he is already deviating away from the original scenario as we speak." SEELE-02 said, irritation present in the cool digital voice.
Keel quickly interjected to avoid the oncoming war of words. "Enough of that, we all know the reason why we let him do as he please…for now. Any suggestions to this problem?"
"I propose that we find more about this 'Sixth Child," SEELE-02 said. "His records are obviously fabricated recently."
"From my sources, its seems that the Sixth is actually the Third." SEELE-05 added gravely. Silence reigned for a moment. The calm before the storm ,one might say.
"Absolute nonsense!"
"The Third is dead as we all know!"
"You think Ikari is a god? We are giving him barely enough funds to just survive an air strike, let alone create a new set of clones! "
"Clone? The skies know how much time he invested to create the First."
The situation in the room heated up, before Keel promptly silenced them by clearing his throat. Seeing that he had their attention, he began.
"Whoever he may be, Third Child otherwise," Keel said, letting tension settle in the air. "We must get rid of this…obstacle in our plans. We vote now. Yay or Nay?"
The room chorused in approval.
"Very well. This meeting is adjourned."
And the monoliths faded out of existence, until they were needed again.
~~~~~~
Author's notes:
First of all, I would like to apologize for the lengthy delay I posted this chapter up but school seems to take up quite a lot of my time. Secondly, I would like to thank everyone who has read or reviewed this. Without you all, I would have given up long ago. I already have the layouts for the next couple of chapters, so *hopefully* I would stop slacking and post them up on time.-_-
Looking back upon the previous chapters, I cringed. You got it. I cringed. I have decided to edit the whole lot of them. Which very likely won't begin until I post the next chapter up. I am a perfectionist, so sue ^_^.
I know I have Anubuss and Jonathan Shim for the prereader thing but I need your email, Jonathan. For anyone else interested in prereading…please leave an e-mail address if you are interested.
Lastly, on a reminding note, read and review please!
Until next time,
legacyZero.