Sekhmet: So we're splitting the epilogue up into three parts: Resolution, Reunion, and Future.
Susano-o: There's a lot we need to cover before the sequel...oh yeah did we mention this will be getting a sequel at some point?
Sekhmet: And a side story. And smut fics. I'm working on a couple AUs for EVA as well. They're not going too well right now, so it's a side project.
Susano-o: This Epilogue is more focused on explaining what happened since we're not using the same logic (Whatever little bit existed) as to how Third Impact was triggered and controlled.
Sekhmet: And we still have to go over 3.0 specifically for one of the AUs and the side story because I like nursing kicked puppies and if I have to suffer through 3.0 Susano-o has to too.
Susano-o: ...Soka.
Sekhmet: It's part of the co writing experience. But for now, here's Epilogue 1.
Epilogue 1: Iced Over
The next day was just as much of a shitshow as the last, the UN was screaming for answers, the JSSD was being dragged through the wringer, and all of SEELE's plans were out in the open but the culprits were dead and couldn't answer for their crimes.
"Everyone shut up!" Commander Misato screamed. "You should be grateful considering we just prevented every person on Earth from being turned back into primordial goo, despite certain organizations that attempted to stop us," She ranted with a dark glare at the sweating JSSD representative.
"Be that as it may," The UN representative said. "There's still the matter of-"
"No here's how it's going to work," Misato interrupted. "You will continue our funding, the JSSD will be dissolved and absorbed into NERV, we will then forget this whole mess ever happened and I won't be forced to order Dr. Akagi to use the MAGI to crash the world economy to keep this base operational." The UN representative turned red but before he could retort Misato interrupted again. "You have 24 hours before we start turning the stock market to swiss cheese to pay for repairs, good day gentlemen." She said cutting the feed.
"Quite a power move for your first decree," Fuyutsuki said chuckling. "You youngsters don't like to play fair."
"All is fair in love and war," Misato replied sitting down in her new seat and steepling her fingers, a gesture she quickly stopped when she remembered the man who used to sit here doing that, opting to rest her head in her palm instead. "They'll capitulate, they always do."
"Yes, even with the threat of the Angels gone, NERV's reach is as long as ever," Fuyutsuki said sighing. "I'm getting too old for this."
"We offered you a retirement package old man," Misato said rolling her eyes in jest.
"And as I told you before, I will take it once I'm sure you and Mr. Kaji are settled into your new roles."
"So you'll be here till you either die or I have Section 2 drag you out and put you in a nice home with a set of calligraphy brushes to occupy yourself with?" Misato asked, Fuyutsuki just chuckled again.
….
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad to finally go back to school." Mari sighed, leaning back in her chair.
"Tell me about it. I'm happy to be in a calm environment again." Adelise agreed.
"But it's so boring! It's the same lecture as when we last left!" Asuka groaned.
"It makes no difference, we know the truth." Rei replied.
"Blue I love you, but that in no way helps the situation," Isabelle sighed, setting her head on the desk. "I could be getting exotic pets right now."
"The exotic animals won't go anywhere." Ray said. "Besides, look at how much fun those two are having without the need to pay attention."
He pointed to Mary and Shinji, who were playing paper football across their desks. It was another one of Mary's experiments, but the spirit of fun overrode any actual interest in the results.
"Uuuugh," Isabelle moaned. "Why does this even matter? It's not like we don't all have job security already, all our current career paths don't require anything we don't have."
"It doesn't." Asuka muttered.
"But it's nice to have a calm environment, no?" Adelise asked.
"No I want to be exploring jungles and ancient ruins," Isabelle mumbled. "Or saving/adopting animals."
"You are going to give me grey hairs, Girlfriend Isabelle." Rei said.
"Aww, I'm your girlfriend?" Isabelle teased.
"Reluctantly." Rei said.
"Awww, big sister has a girlfriend!" Ray teased.
"I will eat you." Rei said with conviction. At that, everyone laughed, because they knew she was kidding, and for once in a very long time, there was no cloud of death over the pilots.
…
"So can you explain to me what happened like I'm an idiot," Isabelle asked at the meeting table they were all seated in NERV.
"I faked having no memories of my past to trick Gendo into letting me fuse with Lilith," Rei explained. "From there I waited until I was fused and then refused to let him use our power."
"So what happened with me then?" Shinji asked.
"Unit-01 was made from the flesh of Lilith, not the flesh of Adam like the other EVA's," Rei answered. "So when you pulled the spear out that was restricting us, you became the only one who could control the impact besides me due to Unit-01's S2 organ."
"And all of us being crucified in the atmosphere?" Mary asked.
"The opening rites of the impact," Rei explained. "Any beings with S2 organs were taken into the sky to be heralds of the impact before they too were returned to the primordial sea," Rei said. "With the spear inside us only the people on Earth would be turned to LCL and made into a collective conscious, when the spear was removed we could reopen the Door of Guf and turn every Lilin soul in it into LCL, pulling them into the collective as well."
"So we nearly avoided a Tanging?" Mari asked.
"Yes, but because of Shinji and I controlling the impact we were able to successfully prevent it, while also removing a few certain….problematic people….from attempting to do this again," Rei said smirking.
"Is that everything?" Misato asked from her place at the head of the table.
Rei nodded. "The only other things of note are Ray and me seem to have lost our Angel abilities when we reformed, and Lilith has been returned to Terminal Dogma, spear and all, to continue her duty of being the Earth's door of Guf for souls to leave and be born."
Misato let out a sigh of relief. "Ok, thank you."
"It is no problem mother," Rei said looking around. "At least I didn't have to explain the fact I was once a genetic clone of Yui Ikari as well."
"..."
"Did I say that outloud?" Rei asked. "My inner monologue has been off since my rebirth."
"...What?" Shinji squeaked, Rei sighed and started explaining again.
…
(2016 AD)
As the graduation ceremony came to a close, cheers and students erupted from the front doors to start summer vacation before they went to college. The pilots were among the first out, and they grouped up out front.
"Ah, no more second impact lectures!" Asuka cheered.
"Yes!" Isabelle yelled jumping up and down hold Rei.
"Now we all get to go to the college of our choosing," Rei said, not bothered at all by the shaking.
"Agricultural school here I come!" Mary cheered.
"Yeah, I can't wait to go to cooking school!" Shinji agreed.
"Fashion design won't know what hit it when Adelise Mercier hits the floor!" Adelise said happily.
"Hotel management is the place for me," Mari smirked.
"Public Diplomacy," Askua said. "I'm finally going to whip the UN into shape."
"NERV," Rei and Ray said together.
"And I'm going for...anthropology." Isabelle sighed. "I didn't WANT to, but Blue convinced me it was 'wholly necessary'."
"You can spend your time exploring and I'll support you, but not without knowing what you're doing." Rei said.
"Aww so cute," Adelise cooed.
"...So are we all going to different schools?" Shinji asked. A silence descended over the group as they quickly started comparing schools, realizing immediately that not one of them was going to the same college as another.
"How could this have happened?" Mary asked.
"Did we never have a conversation about where we were going?" Asuka asked, seemingly horrified by the realization.
"I guess not," Isabelle said scratching her head.
"So what do we do now?" Mari asked. "Is that it? Do we never see each other again?"
"Obviously no," Ray said. "We have phones, webcams, cars, and trains to keep in touch with each other."
"I can see you every weekend." Mary said.
Adelise scrunched her face. "I have an idea too," She said after a second. "Jackets and hats here everyone!"
Everyone handed over their jackets and hats, a bit confused. Aselise took out a sewing kit, ripped the buttons off all the jackets and hats, grouped up the buttons and sewed one of each back onto the jackets. "There! Now we all have each other's buttons to remember each other!"
"Adelise… this is so thoughtful…" Shinji murmured, almost crying.
"You put Blue's next to my heart…" Isabelle said, tears in her eyes.
"Of course! Everyone has their boyfriend and girlfriend next to their heart, it is custom!" Adelise said. When she said that, everyone pulled together in a giant hug. When they parted ways, it was heart wrenching, but also exciting.