Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1.
Chapter 33: Nehemiah
Gendo stared up at Unit-01 from the catwalk that also served as a restraint for the powerful demon. Yet deep within this abomination of steel and flesh lay a woman whom the Commander of NERV knew very well. A woman who, regardless of his infidelity, he had never once stopped thinking about. It was the reason he had struggled so hard to have this organization in his hands, after all. Why he was willing to perform the unthinkable just for the chance to see her again.
"It has been a long road," he spoke clearly to the Eva, as if it were an old friend of his. "...But soon the 12th Angel will reveal himself. And after that happens, there will be nothing that will stand between us."
"Yui...Please be patient."
Rei rubbed her eyes as the sun's light, filtered through half-shut blinds, fell upon her. She wasn't sure how much sleep she had actually gotten, but considering how tired she was, it couldn't have been a lot. Her fatigue left her as she recalled what she had been planning that night, the whole reason that she hadn't slept at all.
The Fifth Child...
Rei's initial dislike of Kaworu had grown into a deep loathing over the course of 24 hours. But it wasn't necessarily because he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Or that he was an Angel. It was because she reminded him of everything she once was and what she no longer wanted to be. He had a wider range of emotions he displayed, but that was irrelevant. He was just a doll like her, used by madmen in their quest to play God.
But I...I am not a doll. Not anymore.
With that thought, Rei silently got dressed in her school uniform, though why she chose that she could not explain. Afterwards, she quietly opened the door, walking softly so as not to wake up her fellow resident. Fortunately, Shinji was still asleep on the couch, right where she had left him. Rei was going to walk right past him and to the door, but stopped as her eyes fell on the boy resting peacefully. She then smiled at him as she paused, taking him in for what she thought might be the last time she ever saw him. She opened her mouth to whisper goodbye, but then she remembered something Shinji had once told her. He had said not to say 'goodbye' when she left on a mission, because it made him sad. So Rei leaned in closer and whispered into his ear the words she meant only for him to ever hear.
"...Thank you."
She looked at him for a few more minutes before she mustered up the courage to leave.
Kaworu stared off into the distance, his mind far away from the toast and fruit on his plate. Asuka managed to stop her ravenous eating long enough to notice that her friend had something on his mind. It wasn't normal for her to be concerned about someone else, but then, her relationship with Kaworu wasn't exactly normal to begin with. Not that she minded a bit, though.
"Kaworu?" The silver-haired boy didn't respond, he merely began to poke at his slice of melon absentmindedly. Now Asuka knew that something was up. "...Kaworu!"
"Hmm?..." He glanced in her direction, then his eyes widened as if he suddenly remembered who she was. "Oh-- forgive me, Asuka, was there something you needed?" His smile returned to its proper place on his lips, which satisfied Asuka a bit, but didn't entirely shake her feeling of discomfort.
"Well, it just...It seems like there's something on your mind." Kaworu's grin began to slip, but he managed to catch it before it fell entirely.
"Don't worry, Asuka. Everything's fine." To his surprise, she reached her hand across the small table and put it on his. He stared at it, his mouth slightly open as she gently squeezed his hand.
"Kaworu..." She forced his eyes to meet hers, a look of genuine concern written on her face. "...Tell me, what is it? We're friends--you know you can trust me, right?" The boy tried to keep his eyes fixed on Asuka, but his guilt made it impossible.
"...It's nothing," he said quietly as he bored his eyes into the laquered wood. Asuka understood then that he simply didn't want to talk about it, so she reluctantly moved her hand back to her side of the table.
"...All right..." An uncomfortable silence filled the room, making Asuka shudder slightly. After a few moments Kaworu put his dishes into the sink, then headed for the door. The redhead looked up and furrowed her brow slightly as she saw him walk. "...Where are you going?" Kaworu stopped where he was standing, with his back to Asuka.
"...I have to go to NERV. I was asked to come in for a few tests." The half-German girl stood up and took a few steps toward her friend.
"Well, here, I'll come with you." Kaworu slowly turned around until he was facing her, and Asuka paused when she saw the sad smile on his face.
"...I'm sorry Asuka...you can't come with me." Asuka's face darkened at Kaworu's rejection, but she nodded as if she understood.
"O-okay...Then...I'll see you later, right?"
Kaworu didn't answer as he walked out the door, leaving Asuka behind and with a troubled, confused heart.
The last Angel...The 12th...
Misato stared blankly into space as the memory of her conversation with Ritsuko went through her head. She was supposed to be paying attention to the current sattellite surveillance of the area surrounding Tokyo-3, but all she could think about was Kaworu's true identity.
If Ritsuko knew...then that must mean that the Commander knows as well. But why would they allow SEELE to drop an Angel to our doorstep? And why are they letting him roam free?
The Major wanted nothing more at this moment than to kill Kaworu, or at the very least place him under solitary confinement where he could hurt no one. But would that really do any good?
If he is an Angel...then all we have to do is wait for his pattern to change.
She sighed to herself as she reached for her mug of coffee sitting on a nearby console. She nearly spit it out as the thick black liquid ran down her throat. She stared at her cup as though it were an old friend who had betrayed her.
Cold, as usual. Damnit.
Kaworu stood on the retractable catwalk in the cage for Unit-02, staring at the behemoth spellbound by the human magic known as science.
Such a horrible thing. To think that the lilim would employ that which they fear the most to fight us.
Suddenly he became aware of a presence only a few feet to his right, though he had heard no sound to alert him to the interloper's arrival. He smiled coldly at the Eva before turning his attention to the pale girl now standing at the other end of the Cage.
"Hello, Rei. I knew you would come."
Shewas silent for a few moments, then slowly moved forward with a determined expression on her face.
"It's just as well that you're here," Kaworu said calmly. "...I was hoping we would have the opportunity to speak."