This is my first one-shot depicting a character from Evangelion. I hope you like it or at least intrigued by it.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to Evangelion and Evangelion has shown me that I may have no rights at all.

The Morning Star Brings Light To The World

2004 A.D.

He had been one of the products of Second Impact. But that which had caused the death of billions gave rise to His new life. And ironically, He would have preferred to be among those who had died.

He had been kind, caring to those He had thought of as his friends. He had known love and returned it. He had known companionship and returned it. He had had a family He cherished. He did everything for them.

But all that changed with one incident. One incident that brought Him down despite His power and intelligence. Whatever was left of His strength deserted Him and He closed himself from the outside world. Feeling abandoned, He was left with despair and a desire to leave. Just to leave. To run. To be away from the catastrophes that had befallen Him.

But He couldn't run away. To run was to leave behind all that He had cherished, even if all that was left was the ashes. So instead of running, He let himself be carried away. But this time, He was as a closed shell, carried by the tide but hiding itself. He let Himself be used and in turn He used others. Just for one purpose.

And those that had not been burned by the catastrophe, He himself burned down. His mentor tried to bring Him out of misery, but could not. So instead, the old man decided to help Him. And in so doing, knowingly damned himself.

It was then that He started all the chain of events that would eventually come full circle.

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2015 A.D.

Ikari Shinji stepped onto the platform the Evangelion Bay. Near him, Captain Katsuragi and Dr. Akagi were waiting for orders. As Shinji raised his head, he saw the figure, and a single word was uttered from his lips.

"Father."

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He had used His son; giving him unto the world for His own Love, a Love that could not be surpassed by any others. A Love that He would sacrifice anything and everything for, including Himself. He asked for nothing more from the people around Him than what He would have given Himself. And so He ruled, controlling the lives people far and near.

Some would say He played God. But they were only half-right.

He didn't play God. He was God.

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2016 A.D.

As the sounds of JSSDF and NERV exchanging fire was heard, Ikari Gendo stood in Terminal Dogma, about to decide the fate of the world. In front of him stood, or rather floated the creation of his own design; a Nephilim that should never have existed.

"Rei . . ."

She looked so much like the woman he had created her for.

"It is time."

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"Gendo. . ."

"Gendo. . ."

A female voice, soft and caring carried through His consciousness.

"Yui. . .", He replied. It was the moment for which He had shaped everything. It was the time for which He had spent a decade planning for. It was the meeting He had desired since the very beginning of His plans. There was only one thing he could say.

"I'm sorry. . ."

"Gendo. . ." The face of His Beloved appeared in front of him, wearing a sad smile. "You should be sorry."

"And I am." He felt as if He wanted to take a deep breath. "This was what I had wanted but. . ."

"Was this really what you wanted?"

"Not this way. . . This is not right."

He would have been crying at that point.

"But it's too late."

"No, it's not."

His surprised face looked at hers and He was further surprised to find that He had a face at all. Sapphires peered into emeralds, which suddenly seemed to sparkle.

"No. . . It isn't too late."

His voice began to rise with every word.

She looked back at him with both happiness and sadness.

"Go. . ."

He looked at her and His face hardened one last time.

"Wait for me."

"I have always waited. And even if I had to wait again. . ."

Her hands went up to His face as her brown curls swirled, framing her face.

"I'm very glad that I could see you."

Her kiss on His lips was the last thing he remembered before waking up.

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He broke the surface of the LCL lake. And he knew.

He knew that with the separation on of his own consciousness from the mass of souls, the others would soon follow. He had taken the single step and that was all that had been needed.

Looking to the shore, He saw two figures lying on each other. And as soon as He saw them, He knew what to do.

He would be God again. But this time, He would keep Paradise without destroying it.

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2025 A.D.

Ikari Shinji stood at the top of a hill facing a gravestone. It was not very large, nor intricate, and Shinji knew that there were a lot of people in the world who would want to have it destroyed.

"Papa?"

A child's voice sounded from behind his knees and he knelt down to pick up the little girl who had been hiding behind him.

"Don't worry Rei, there's nothing to be afraid of now."

The child had blue eyes just like Shinji's but her hair was a brilliant red that flowed around her shoulders. At eight years old, she already had the signs of the beautiful woman she would become.

"Is that Grandpa, Papa?" Rei asked in wonder.

"Yes dear, that's your Grandpa."

"I miss him."

"Me too." Shinji answered. 'I never thought I'd say that someday when I first came here.'

"Let's go back now, before your mother and Aunt Misato starts to tire of waiting."

"Okay, Papa." Rei chirped.

As Shinji turned back to head down the hill, he gave one last thought to the person on the marker. "Rest in Peace, Father."

A breeze swept over the hill, blowing a few leaves over the marker. On it, the picture of a figure with sixteen wings could be seen. Below it was the inscription that echoed Shinji's thoughts.

Here lies Ikari Gendo
1968 – 2019
In life, he gave death
In death, he gave life
Our serpent
Our Savior
Rest in Peace