See Chapter 1 for disclaimer.
THE IKARI IDENTITY
Chapter 3: Uprising
Asuka slowly awoke into the darkness of her temporary room. As the grogginess left her, she noticed a couple of odd things. One, she was head-to-toe sore. The other was that she was lying on something warm. Running a hand over the surface, she could swear it felt like…skin.
A groan nearby caused her eyes to snap open. Asuka suddenly realized the object had been someone else. Then she remembered the night before. 'Oh no,' she thought.
Fumbling for the light switch on the wall near the bed, Asuka flipped it. As the florescent lights flickered, she was met by the sight of Shinji, lying in her bed and rubbing his eyes. He had several bruises she could see on his shirtless torso, evidence of the training last night that had become a real fight. Both looked at each other, their expressions ones of slight shock. "Uh…Asuka…" he started, his face as red as her hair.
Asuka slowly rose from the bed and sat up, hanging her legs over the side. Her heart pounding, she spoke up. "D-did we…" she tried to ask, unable to free the words.
"Y-yeah," Shinji managed to answer, his throat tight.
"Oh God," Asuka repeated several times, her head in her hands.
Shinji sat up, his shock becoming sadness. "I'm sorry…" he said, curling himself up and holding his arms around his legs. "I'll go."
Asuka looked back at him, trying to hold in a few tears. "No," she said, "you aren't the only one to blame for…this."
"What?" Shinji asked, turning his head towards her.
"I mean…" Asuka looked for the right words, shaking her head. "It wasn't like you took advantage of me, we were both willing." She dropped her gaze, staring at the floor. "I shouldn't have even gone to your roo-"
She was cut off as Shinji placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Asuka…" he started, "I want you to know something." As she looked up at him, he continued. "I don't regret it at all."
Asuka cast her sight downward again. "Of course you don't," she said in a quiet voice. "You're male, you got laid-"
"No, that's not it at all," Shinji interrupted, his tone serious. "I don't regret it because…it was you."
Asuka felt a knot in her stomach form, but she stayed quiet and turned away from him.
"I was always interested in you…I just never found the words," Shinji said, edging over to her and placing his arms around her neck, leaning against her. "But last night was something special. Something I'll never forget. But the main reason I couldn't possibly regret this is because…" He leaned in and whispered the rest in her ear, just barely audible to her.
Asuka felt tears run down her cheek, but she made no effort to stop them. "Idiot…" she said, "you can't take back saying things like that."
"I don't want to," Shinji replied, leaning his head against the side of her neck. "But…we were kinda reckless. I don't think either of us could help it, though."
"I know," Asuka said. "With all that's happened lately, and the both of us high on adrenaline and looking for an outlet…"
A long silence settled in the room. "So…what now?" Shinji asked.
"I…I don't know yet," Asuka answered. "It's just all so…sideways. I mean, it's not like I hate you or anything…ah damn it to hell, I'm confused!" she said, sighing heavily.
As Shinji was about to open his mouth, the sound of the door opening brought their attention to it. "Come on Asuka," Misato's voice came, "you can't just sleep all da-" Her words left her as she saw the two of them. Blinking a few times, she slowly exited the room, closing the door.
Asuka and Shinji sat in the awkward silence for a moment. "You…think she knew?" the redhead asked.
"I don't see how she couldn't," Shinji answered while moving back to the spot he'd been in, his face beet-red, "you're…um, still naked."
Asuka suddenly realized this fact, yelping and wrapping the sheet around her body. "And why the hell didn't you tell me earlier?" she asked, annoyance and anger in her tone.
Shinji didn't reply, looking away from her. "I should go now," he said after a minute of silence. Pulling his shorts and shirt back on, he rose from the bed.
As he was about to step towards the door, Shinji felt Asuka grab his wrist. "Hey, wait a sec," she said, making him turn back to look at her. "I…don't regret it either," she said with a small smile. She seemed like she wanted to add something else, but the words seemed to not be able to flow, before she turned away and added, blushing, "I..."
Shinji returned the smile as best as he could. "It's alright, you don't have to say anything," he said, face flushed again.
"I think I just need some time to figure this out, okay?" Asuka asked, shaking her head. "It's just…confusing."
Shinji continued to smile at her, taking his hand from her wrist and giving her own hand a small squeeze. "Take as long as you need," he said, releasing her hand.
As he stepped out of the room, Asuka felt the tears resume again. 'All I wanted,' she thought, 'was for him to hold me and not leave me alone. And then he goes and says something like that…' Shaking her head, the Second Child stood from the bed and headed for her shower…
Out in the hallway, Shinji was returning to his room when he caught sight of Misato waiting near his door. "Um…hi," he managed weakly.
Misato turned her head towards him, her face serious. "Okay, I don't think I have to," she began, "but I'm going to ask anyway: was that what it looked like?"
Swallowing hard, Shinji prepared himself. "Yes," he answered.
Misato looked at the floor. "What the hell were you two thinking?" she asked.
Shinji shifted his weight between feet, feeling very nervous. "I know, but I never intended for any of it," he started, "it just started as a practice fight, and then…I don't know. That's just what happened."
"You're both going to make me old before my time," Misato said, trying to smile a little.
"I know, I'm really sorry…" Shinji said. "I'm willing to take responsibility, if that's what you want me to say."
"I know you are," Misato said, leaning against the wall. "Just as long as you're willing to admit it."
As Shinji walked into the room, Misato spoke up. "And I can't really judge you fairly as children. You've both been through more than almost anyone, let alone any adult. I'm sorry I couldn't stop them from taking that away…" Standing from the wall, she walked towards her own room. The Third Child stripped and stepped into the shower, turning the water on and feeling it run over him. The previous night had opened his eyes to a lot…and not just about Asuka. He had laid in the dark after she fell asleep, thinking about his father's plans and his place in them. He knew what he had to do now…he just needed the right approach.
Having dried and dressed himself, Shinji left the room and walked into the large center room to see the other three sitting about the large table. "Morning," he offered. Asuka gave him a weak smile, which he returned. Turning to Kaji, he continued. "Hey Kaji?" he asked with a serious face.
"Hmm?" Kaji said. "Something you need?"
Sitting down to the table, Shinji took a long breath before answering. "I think…I'm ready to finish this. It's time."
Kaji's smile gave way to his own serious look. "You sure about that?" he asked. "This is going to get pretty hairy from here on out…"
Shinji nodded, his own expression unwavering. "I understand. But…the Commander needs to be stopped. No matter what."
Misato gave the boy her best smile. "I'm proud of you, Shinji," she said. "But this is some deep water we're treading."
"I know," Shinji told her, "But I meant that…no matter what."
"I'm glad to hear that," Kaji said. "We've had the beginnings of an operation for a week now. But then we heard from Rei that you'd been spotted, so…"
"…so you've been waiting for me, then," Shinji finished.
"Yes," Kaji replied. Standing and walking over to one of the consoles, he inputted several sets of keystrokes. As he punched in the last few, the large table lit up with a diagram of NERV headquarters. "Okay, this is what we've got so far," he began. "We'll have to get back into the city, for one. Then the best way down into the Geofront would be this one," he said, punching in a few keys to pull up the elevator that was nearest to headquarters. "After that, it'll have to be kept as quiet as possible. Or we'll be swarmed by whatever security is left…"
"What do you mean?" Shinji asked.
"NERV's mostly down to a skeleton crew now," Misato explained. "With the Committee gone, the Commander doesn't need more than what's needed to protect the main areas of headquarters and run maintenance. Security's only about twenty or thirty, and only the main bridge crew and what's needed to maintain Unit-01 remain. Section Two would be a worry, but they're currently stretched thin throughout Tokyo-2 and Tokyo-3 looking for you."
"That's one small mercy for us," Kaji mused. "But, of course, there's still the Fifth…"
"Yeah, him," Shinji said. "He'll be protecting father."
"And as far as we know," Kaji said, pointing to Shinji and Asuka, "he's trained the same as either of you."
"He'll be a hell of a challenge," Asuka spoke up.
"Well, there's always Rei, in case things go south," Misato said.
"What about surveillance?" Shinji asked. "I mean…they'll have to see us coming."
"That's actually the easy part," Misato replied. "Ritsuko's taking care of that. She's got a little something in the MAGI's programming that'll knock out any bit of video around Tokyo-3."
"Doctor Akagi is in on this?" Shinji questioned.
"Of course," Kaji said, "she'd like to see him burn just the same as us. She did destroy the Dummy Cores, right?"
"I guess," Shinji said, "I just don't understand why the Commander's still keeping her there after that…"
"You know why," Misato said. "The Commander still needs her to finish his plan."
"And as long as she's willing to go along, he won't dispose of her," Kaji said. "And we'll still need to get her out of there, too."
"Huh? I don't understand," Shinji said.
"Regardless of whatever secrets between us," Misato began, leaning back in her seat and looking sad, "she's still an old friend to me and Kaji. We can't leave her to that fate."
Shinji remembered when he'd nearly said those same words to Asuka in the apartment days ago. "I see," he replied. "But what about the last Angel?"
The table fell silent at that. No one really had a clue when it would show. "I guess…the only thing we can do is stop the Commander's plan and then take back control of NERV," Misato finally said. "Then after it shows up, we can take care of it and then we'll just wash our hands of it all."
Shinji nodded. "I only have one thing to ask of you all, though…"
"What's that?" Kaji asked.
"When we get back inside headquarters," Shinji began in a cold tone, "I'll be the one to take care of the Commander. I want none of you involved."
"You need revenge that badly?" Asuka questioned.
"Not revenge," Shinji replied, shaking his head, "closure. It has to be done." He had already made peace with that fact since the other night. But it still had not settled in his mind well. 'I can't stop hating him for any of it,' he mentally noted.
"I understand, Shinji," Kaji said, walking over and placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I just hope you do." Turning towards Misato, he spoke again. "Gather what we need, it's going to be a long night."
Nodding, Misato unseated herself and headed for the hall near her room. Asuka followed her after a second, stopping to give Shinji a ready-but-weary look. He smiled to her as best as he could given the room's atmosphere. Turning towards Kaji, he nodded. "What do you need?"
"Follow me for a minute," Kaji said, "gotta gather some gear for one last mission…"
Several hours later, the four of them were piled into Misato's car and heading back towards Tokyo-3. Kaji, Misato and Asuka had opted to wear black fatigues, while Shinji remained in his old school uniform.
"Why wear it?" Asuka had asked him.
"So I'll stand out," Shinji had answered. "That way, there'll be no doubt it's me."
Now the two sat quietly in the back seat of the car, mentally preparing themselves for what was to happen. There would have to be blood and death. How could they avoid it this time? It was kill-or-be-killed. No mercy would be shown, so no quarter would be given.
Asuka was snapped out of her reverie by a warmth on her hand. Looking over, she saw Shinji's hand on hers and a smile on his face. "We'll be just fine, right?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah…" Asuka replied with a whisper, squeezing his hand a little. She wasn't really convinced, but his faith in them did help her a bit.
After making it to the edge of town, Misato pulled the car into the forest to hide it. From here, they were going on foot. "Everybody put these in," she said, giving the others earpieces. "Two-way mic, just press the button on it to talk."
Placing the item in his ear, Shinji opened up the trunk to find what they'd gathered at the bunker's armory. Taking a submachine gun and a handgun, he slung the larger weapon around his shoulder and put a couple of clips for the smaller one in his pockets. Handing out the same to the others, he walked over to where Kaji was standing. "Okay, now what?" he asked quietly.
Nodding, Kaji pressed the button on the earpiece. "You there, Rits?"
Deep inside of NERV headquarters, Ritsuko Akagi sat in her office. She heard the voice coming from her own earpiece. "Ready when you are," she whispered. After his reply, she pulled the chair over to the computer. Removing a disk from a drawer, she placed it into the machine an entered a set of keystrokes. "Let's put the blinders on," she thought aloud, making the final presses. As the machine executed its command, she walked out of the office and back to the bridge, awaiting whatever they had planned…
Inside of his office, Commander Ikari took a call. "I see…" he said into the phone. "No, there is no concern…continue watch." Placing the device back in its place, he turned to the others in the room. "It seems video is down around headquarters," he said. "Technical error."
"It is him," Kaworu Nagisa said.
"Of course," Gendo replied. "I knew he would be back."
"Should I go?" Rei asked.
"No," Gendo answered. "I'll need you nearby if we are to start it."
"Then it is time?" Rei asked.
"Soon, it seems," Gendo replied. Turning towards Kaworu, he spoke. "Find and stop him. But do not kill him."
"I shall stop just short, then," Kaworu said, turning and leaving the room.
As the Fifth Child went out of earshot, Rei spoke up. "You do not trust him."
"He worked for the Committee," Gendo said. "I have all the reason I need to watch him closely." He turned his chair around to look out the window. "Follow him, Rei. Eliminate him if he deviates even slightly," he ordered.
"Yes sir," Rei said with a bow before exiting the office herself.
The Commander could only smile as the pieces began to come together for his scenario…
The four intruders exited into the Geofront, the elevator trip long and silent. Stepping out into the underground area, they made a beeline for the entrance to the NERV pyramid. After some time, they made it into the hallways inside. But there, they began to find security officers dead, their necks snapped by great force.
"There's someone else besides us here…" Misato said, her eyes darting between hallways. "Everyone watch your backs."
"You think it was Rei?" Shinji asked.
"Not sure…" Kaji said, looking at the injuries. "This wasn't quick and clean, whoever did this wanted pain."
"Okay, bridge is this way. That's where they'll be waiting," Misato said, motioning down one of the halls.
Readying their weapons, they began to head down that way…until Asuka noticed Shinji had stopped in his tracks. "What are you waiting for?" she asked.
Shaking his head, Shinji looked back at the three of them. "No, I'm going the other way."
Asuka shot him a puzzled look. "But that way goes to the cages. Why-"
"That's where he'll be," Shinji said in a quiet voice. "I just know it."
Misato looked on with a pained expression. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Shinji said. "You guys go ahead and get to the others. You know what I've got to take care of…"
"Sometimes, a man's gotta bury his own demons," Kaji said to Misato.
Asuka turned to Misato and Kaji. "You guys go ahead, I'll catch up." Nodding, the two of them continued down the hall. The redhead then turned back towards the boy. Hanging her head to hide her face, she quickly grabbed Shinji by the collar and pinned him against the nearby wall.
"What the hell?" Shinji said with a start.
Asuka looked up at him with eyes full of anger and worry. "You listen to me and you listen good," she said, her voice cracking. "You'd better make it back, alive and in one piece, or I swear…I'll hunt you down and kill you myself!"
Shinji smiled, pulling the girl into a tight hug. "I promise…" Releasing her, he quickly pressed his lips to hers and held them there for a few seconds. "For luck, okay?" he said, the faintest hint of tears in his eyes.
Asuka nodded, holding in her own tears. "Sure thing," she replied, running silently down the hall to catch up to Misato and Kaji.
Taking a long and deep breath, Shinji began his leisurely walk down another hall, the gun in his hand darting around the corridor. "Come on, father," he said to himself, "let's finish this."
The other three had crept down several similar hallways, finding more dead security officers and noticing the lack of any noise or activity. Opening the door to the bridge, they were met by the sight of Ritsuko Akagi and the rest of the bridge crew. "Good, you've made it," she said.
"You alright?" Misato asked her old friend.
"About as good as you'd expect," Ritsuko replied. "Why? What's happened?"
"Somebody's already here," Kaji answered. "All the way from the entrance, we've been finding dead security."
Ritsuko's expression hardened slightly. Walking over to one of the consoles, she typed away madly. On the screen, a video feed from one of the deeper parts of NERV was shown. "Bypassing my program a little to see what's happening," she explained.
The video feed showed a view of two security officers keeping watch over the area near Unit-01's cage. From down the hall, Kaworu approached. As he neared the men, he quickly took hold of one man's neck and snapped it.
"The Commander was right not to trust him," Ritsuko mused.
Misato, Kaji, and Asuka just watched the scene unfold further. As the other man reacted, he fired on the Fifth Child. But the bullets were stopped by a familiar shape forming around him. "Oh my God…that's an AT field!" Misato shouted.
Ritsuko watched the footage with a horrified look. "No wonder the Committee placed him here…" she said. "Taking security offline did the same to the Angel alarm."
Asuka watched the footage again, her face a mask of terror. "Shinji…" she whispered.
"Well at least we know where the last one is now," Misato said, turning towards the crew. "How soon can Unit-01 be prepped?"
"It's been locked down in Bakelite," Makoto said. "We can still get things started, though."
"Shit!" Misato fumed. Pressing the earpiece, she hoped she could get ahold of Shinji before it was too late…
Shinji had traveled down the myriad of hallways within headquarters, searching for his targets. As he neared the cage leading to Unit-02, Misato's voice came from his earpiece. "Shinji, come in!"
"What is it?" Shinji answered, opening another door and finding another dead guard on the other side.
"We've just hit a bit of a serious problem," Misato said. "The Fifth…he's the final Angel!"
Shinji's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"
"Ritsuko hacked into the video feed and found him," Misato explained. "He's the one who's been killing security."
"Do I have time to get to Unit-01?" Shinji asked.
"Unit-01's still in lockdown. It's gonna take some time," Misato replied.
But Shinji had run out of time. As he rounded the next corner, he caught sight of Kaworu. The Fifth Child was dressed in that now-familiar black plug suit and a malicious grin on his face. "Ah, Shinji," he said in a soft voice. "I just knew it was you."
Shinji placed his handgun under his belt and raised the submachine gun in the other boy's direction. "And you're Nagisa," he said, trying to remain calm despite what was happening.
"Ah, then there are no introductions needed," Kaworu said. Noticing the gun pointed at him, he laughed a little. "I assure you, that will not work," he said. Shinji ignored him and fired a burst in the Angel's direction. As the rounds bounced harmlessly off the now-visible barrier, the boy dropped the gun in defeat. "I told you…a futile gesture," the Fifth Child continued.
Turning and running back down the hall he'd come from, Shinji rounded the corner and leaned back against the wall, trying to calm his breathing. 'Gotta make it back to the EVA cages,' he thought, going over the routes to there in his head. "Why not just get what you came to do over with?" he asked. "Why go through all the song-and-dance with the Commander and SEELE?"
"Ah, because it was fun," Kaworu said. "I quite enjoy how Lilim deceive and hurt one another."
"What?" Shinji asked, edging down the hall a little.
"The Committee saw fit to train me in all manner of ways to hurt and kill others," Kaworu explained, "and all the while, they knew of what I was. I can thank them for one thing, though."
"Oh yeah? What's that?" Shinji questioned.
"The enjoyment of human death," Kaworu said with an evil smile. "It is quite exhilarating…looking down at someone while the life drains from them."
"Are you insane?" Shinji asked.
"No…I just enjoy such things," Kaworu said. "Who do you think killed those guards?"
"Why did you do that?" Shinji asked. "They weren't even after you…"
"I became bored awaiting your arrival," Kaworu answered. "I had not killed since the Committee was undone. Besides, they would die after I was through with you, anyway."
"Th-that's…you're sick!" Shinji yelled.
"Be that as it may," Kaworu said with a shrug, "I did rather enjoy how the Commander set the Committee against themselves. Your father does very good work." Shinji didn't reply, only making a break for the door and back into the bowels of NERV, hoping to get back to Unit-01 and take care of the last Angel. "And now the chase is on," Kaworu said, his pace never increasing from a slow walk…
"Is it ready yet?" Misato ordered. The bridge crew had worked double-time to prep the purple EVA to combat the 17th Angel.
"Entry plug is partially inserted, but we can't free Unit-01," Maya answered. "Shinji's going to have to get it out of there."
Asuka watched the feed from the cage with a worried expression. "Shinji…just make it there, please."
As Shinji ran through what felt like the thousandth hallway that night, he was at a loss to figure out how to finish things up. The final Angel was stalking him down the halls, never getting in a hurry to finish the job. A couple of more corners later, he found himself passing the pilots' locker rooms. 'Getting close,' he thought, following the hall to the end. Opening the door at the end, he was greeted by the sight of the machine he'd been seeking, the entry plug sticking out of its neck. "Made it, Misato," he said.
"Okay, just get inside," Misato ordered. "You'll have to free it, though."
As Shinji began to climb the side of Unit-01's head to reach the plug, a sharp pain knocked him back down onto the catwalk. Looking over, he saw the glow of a familiar barrier around the Fifth Child.
"If you can use an AT field offensively, why not just finish me with it?" Shinji asked, gritting his teeth.
"Ah, but that would deprive me of the fun of the hunt," Kaworu said, slowly moving down the catwalk.
"You really are a sadist, you know?" Shinji joked, trying to find a way to Unit-01.
"The old men taught me very well," Kaworu said. "I don't want to make it quick for you," he explained, walking towards the Third Child in short steps, "you are the last thing between me and returning to Adam, what with the Second unable to use Unit-02 and the First without Unit-00. And I intend to make good use of our time."
Shinji began to slowly edge away from the grey-haired boy, feeling that death was imminent.
"I am looking forward to crushing the last breath from you," Kaworu said, standing less than two feet away. Shinji closed his eyes in preparation of the end.
But this was not to be the case as more than two dozen bullets ripped through the Fifth Child's body. A look of horror on his face, Kaworu dropped to his knees and pouring blood from the many wounds in his body. "W-what?" he choked out, spitting up more red liquid.
Shinji looked past him to see Rei, dressed in the black plug suit and holding the submachine gun he'd dropped in the hallway. "Rei…" he spoke, feeling more glad to be alive than he ever had.
"I am glad I made it in time," Rei said, dropping the empty gun.
"Ha…I knew y…you couldn't be trusted," Kaworu managed.
"Be slient," Rei said, getting the Fifth Child to his feet. "The same could be said of you, Nagisa."
"W…what are you-" his words were cut off and replaced with pained screams as Rei plunged a hand through his wounds and into his torso.
Shinji silently watched the spectacle, feeling sick to his stomach.
Rei ignored the screaming and reached deeper into his body, finally finding what she was after. Placing a foot on his back, she pushed it in while pulling her arm out. With one solid jerk, she loosened a faintly glowing red orb from his form.
"Th…that's…" Shinji tried to form the words.
"Correct," Rei said, "his core. He will not last long separated from it."
Looking down, Shinji could see the life drain from the last Angel. As it did, the core stopped giving off its faint glow. "Then it's over?" he asked.
"No," Rei said, tossing the dead core down. "There is still Commander Ikari. Shall I call him down here?"
"Not just yet," Shinji answered. Reaching for his earpiece, he spoke. "Misato, Nagisa's dead."
"Yeah, we…can see that," Misato's voice said. "Remind me not to shake Rei's hand anytime soon."
Shinji shook his head at her choosing a time for joking. "That's just terrible…"
"Well, you saw it happen…" Misato shot back.
"Misato…take everyone and get out of here," Shinji said in a more serious tone.
"Are you sure?" Misato asked.
"It's only father left," Shinji answered. "I can take care of this from here. Just get them out of here."
"You're certain?" Kaji's voice questioned.
"I…I don't know," Shinji said. "But whatever happens, I'm not going along with his plan."
"What are you talking about, idiot?" Asuka's voice came in.
"Just what I said: he won't take me alive…" Shinji said in a quiet tone. He then turned to Rei. "Alright, do it."
Rei nodded, taking a cell phone out of a pocket on her leg and dialing the Commander's office. "I have him," she said. There was a pause as she listened on the other end. "Understood," she replied, hanging up. "Get on your feet," she told Shinji, upholstering her own handgun and pointing it at him. "Are you armed?"
Shinji nodded, removing the weapon from his belt and held it by his side, ready for the final performance…
Misato's face didn't betray how she felt internally. She knew well what Shinji had meant. "Okay…" she admitted. "You just take care of yourself."
"You're not really gonna leave him here, are you?" Asuka yelled at the major.
Misato looked at the redhead with her most serious expression. "Asuka…" she began, "I trust him to take care of it."
Kaji placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder. "Have faith in him," he told her. "He's going to make it."
"He'd better," Asuka said under her breath.
Misato then turned towards the last few NERV employees. "Alright, everyone follow us."
The seven of them worked their way back to the entrance of NERV headquarters and out into the Geofront. As they approached the elevator, Misato turned back towards the pyramid. "Shinji…be careful," she whispered before boarding…
Back in the EVA cage, the First and Third Children remained in the positions they were in. Her pointing a gun at him, and him awaiting the Commander.
"Shinji…" Gendo's voice came from behind Rei.
Shinji raised the weapon in the man's direction, no waver in his hand. "Father…" he said though clenched teeth.
Looking down at Kaworu's body, Gendo smiled coldly. "It seems the Committee had left a Trojan Horse of sorts as their last act of desperation," he said, turning to Rei. "Very good work."
"Yes sir," Rei said, her gun trained on Shinji.
"Enough of this nonsense," Shinji said. "I will not go along with your insane scenario."
"And what do you know of it?" Gendo asked his son.
"I know just what you're after," Shinji answered. "Mother's still inside this damned thing…" he said, referring to Unit-01.
Gendo was not taken aback in the least. "So you knew…"
"Since it absorbed me," Shinji answered, "but then I was told of what you were planning…"
"Ah yes, the Second had failed to eliminate Major Katsuragi," Gendo said.
"I will not do it," Shinji repeated, releasing the safety on his gun.
"I did not say you had a choice," Gendo said, removing his own weapon from his coat. "The only choice you have is whether it will be willing or not."
"I have made my choice," Shinji said, his voice low and angry.
"Very well then," Gendo said. "Rei."
Nodding, Rei took the safety off her own weapon…and pointed it at the Commander's head. "Drop your weapon. Now."
Gendo couldn't hide the surprise on his face. "What is this?" he asked angrily.
"This is your chance to surrender," Shinji replied. "I'd take it."
Ignoring him, Gendo stared at Rei. "You have been helping them…how dare you do this to me, I raised you-"
"…to be a weapon," Rei interrupted, "a tool for your plans. I am done."
"Why?" Gendo asked, feeling his scenario fall apart.
"I am…tired," Rei spoke in a quiet voice, small tears falling. "Tired of killing, tired of being used. I wish to be free of this…"
"Rei…" Shinji said softly.
Gendo closed his eyes and calmed himself. There was still time to put this back on track. "If that is what you wish…"
Shinji saw the slight turning of his gun towards her. Acting fast, he quickly shot the arm holding the gun. The Commander grunted in pain, dropping the weapon. Another shot after that hit his leg, causing him to drop to his knees. The boy walked over and placed the gun against the man's head while sliding the dropped weapon away with his foot. "Move again and I'll take my time," he said in a voice like his father's.
"Ikari…" Rei spoke quietly, lowering her weapon and dropping it.
"Rei, get out of here," Shinji said, his voice normal.
"What are you going to do?" Rei asked. Silence hung in the room, the answer already known to all. "You are going to kill him."
"Yes," Shinji replied quietly.
"Why?" Rei asked.
"Because we'll never be free," Shinji explained. "As long as he's alive, you or I or Asuka will always be looking over one shoulder…wondering if he's going to come for us."
"Are you certain of this?" Rei questioned.
"I wish there was another way…" Shinji answered. "But this is how it must be."
Rei remained silent, looking down at the man who had raised her. She felt sadness at what was to happen to him, but also anger at being used for his plans. But if it was necessary to be free…
"Help me, Rei," Gendo spoke up.
Rei considered his words for a second. "No," she said, walking to the door and leaving the room.
As the door closed, Gendo spoke up. "You won't kill me."
"Keep telling yourself that, father," Shinji replied, pushing the barrel closer to him.
A long tense silence fell across the room for several minutes. "Then why do you hesitate?" Gendo asked, laughing a bit. "Are you waiting for some kind of confession, something redeeming I could say and absolve me?"
"No," Shinji answered. "There is nothing you can say that will redeem you. I'm thinking of what the last thing I will say to you will be."
"And what is it, then?" Gendo asked, feeling light-headed from the blood loss.
Shinji stood in silence as he contemplated what they would be. So much to say, so much hate for this man. But there was one thing above all of it. Something he had to say. Closing his eyes, a few tears fell as he found the words. "I forgive you." Gendo turned his head to look at Shinji, who lowered the weapon and placed it under his belt. "Even after everything…I can't do it. You should pay for what you've done. But not by death…"
As his son walked away, Gendo reached over for his own weapon with his unhurt arm. "Get…get back over here," he said through clenched teeth. "You can't take everything apart and just walk away from me." Pointing the gun at him, he concluded, "You're still a coward."
Shinji turned around to face the Commander, his face blank. "No," he spoke up, "I'm just not as willing to discard everything as you are."
As Gendo's finger moved to the trigger, an unearthly roar erupted from the once-silent machine nearby. Seconds later, a huge purple hand dislodged itself from the Bakelite and came down on the walkway, giving the structure and the Commander a death-grip.
Shinji, having been knocked off his feet, stood back up and looked at the scene. Unit-01's hand now covered most of the walkway, blood running between its fingers. "Mother…" Shinji said softly, closing his eyes. Walking over to the hand, he spoke up. "I meant it, you know," he said, "I do forgive you." He then moved towards the head of Unit-01. "I'm sorry, mother. But you know it had to be this way." He ran a hand over the cold metal of the machine. "Goodbye…" he said softly. Walking away, he looked back at the sight behind him. Blood and death, the only way it could've ended…
Back outside, Shinji decided to sit near the lake created by Unit-00's destruction. He then removed the gun from under his belt and tossed it into the water. His thoughts were a mess, but he felt no anger anymore. "Is it done?" a soft voice shook him from those thoughts.
Opening his eyes, Shinji saw Rei standing near him, dressed in her standard school uniform. "You heard it, too?" he asked sadly, wiping fresh tears away.
"Yes," Rei said. "But it was not something you could have prevented. It was her will, not yours."
"I know," Shinji admitted. "And we know it had to be done. But still…"
"It will weigh on you forever, will it not?" Rei asked, feeling some sadness herself.
Shinji nodded, feeling the tears come again. "I'll just have to live with it…" he said with a cracking voice. As he began to cry again, he felt arms wrap around him. Opening his eyes, he saw Rei holding him. "Rei…"
"I am not practiced in consoling others, but…I will do what I can to help for now," the First Child said, small tears of her own forming. Shinji returned the hug, crying into her shoulder.
His tears under contol again, Shinji released the girl. "Thank you, Rei. You're a true friend."
The same smile he'd seen after the 5th Angel crossed her face. "You are welcome," she said, standing up to leave. "Where will I go? I have only known this place…"
"It doesn't matter," Shinji told her, shaking his head, "just get out there and…live. That's what I'm going to do."
Walking away, Rei turned back towards him. "Will we meet again?"
Shinji smiled widely. "It's a wide world out there," he said, mirroring Mathieu's words, "you just never know."
Rei nodded, the smile leaving her. "Goodbye…Shinji."
By himself again, Shinji settled into the quiet of his thoughts for almost three hours, watching the sun rise. He knew he'd have to live with what happened that night. But to trade some personal sanity for the fate of the world? That was a fair enough tradeoff for him. Getting to his feet, he walked back out into the forest. He figured he's stay out there for a few days, needing a little time alone for now…
*****One week later*****
"It's such a beautiful day…" Asuka's musings were certainly accurate. Osaka was a much more active and lively place than Tokyo-3 was. She had arrived a few days ago, needing a break from the bunker's stale atmosphere. Staring at the clouds, she felt genuinely at peace. Well, almost.
Shinji's fate was still unknown to them. All they knew was that all had been quiet from NERV, so that was a good sign. But the internal storm within Asuka had not quelled even slightly. That night they had been together…she smiled at just how strong yet gentle he had been with her. 'Idiot,' she thought, none of the usual tone behind the insult. 'I want to see you again.'
Sighing, Asuka resumed her walk down the busy street. She was dressed in a red bikini, a slightly see-though skirt and shirt covering her and a pair of sandals on her feet. The most striking thing, however, was her change of hair color. Misato suggested that the Second Child hide her identity until they knew Shinji was alright, and neither felt that it was a bad idea. The major had offered that she dye it, something the redhead was vehemently against. So she had chosen a brunette wig, long enough to cover her fiery locks. Her eyebrows were dyed to match, a pair of brown contacts to complete the look. Sure, her features didn't exactly look Japanese, but it would take someone studying her closely to realize that. That, or someone that knew her.
Walking past a vendor selling sunglasses, Asuka tried several pairs on. 'None of these really complete the look,' she mused, searching through the options. Picking up a sleek black pair, she decided these were the best she would find. After paying for them, she resumed her walk again.
Another five minutes of travel later, Asuka stood in front of a fountain near the center of town. She stared into the clear water, her reflection looking back. She smiled a sad smile, her thoughts returning to her roommate. "I hope you're okay, Shinji…wherever you are."
"Hello? Can you help me? I'm looking for someone," a voice came from behind the former Second Child.
"And what makes you think I can help?" Asuka asked back, not turning around. She had been talked to by a lot of guys using this approach already. 'Just another one on the pile,' she thought.
"Because you look a lot like her…" the voice said.
Asuka's eyes widened as she recognized the voice. Spinning around, she came face-to-face with Shinji Ikari. He was dressed in khaki shorts and a blue t-shirt, his feet in sneakers. Her mouth suddenly found itself unable to form the words, her eyes wanting to water. "Hey there," he said in a casual tone, his smile wide and arms open.
"Shinji…" was all Asuka could manage before she stepped into the embrace. The two held onto each other tightly, both tearing a little. "You kept your promise," she said, resting her chin on his left shoulder.
"Of course I did," Shinji said, leaning against her. "I just needed to be alone for a while. Had a lot to think about, you know?"
"But you still suck for being gone like that," Asuka whispered in his ear, teasing him.
"I'll make it up to you," Shinji told her, his face turning slightly red. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Good to know," Asuka said, releasing him a small bit, but not fully. "I hope you brought a present, though," she said in her usual attitude. "It'll be a start on 'making it up'."
Shinji gave her a nervous smile. "There is this one thing…" he offered.
"Oh? What's that?" Asuka asked. Her question was immediately answered as Shinji wrapped his arms around her again and kissed her deeply, his tongue just barely in her mouth. The girl shivered slightly, the sensation making her a bit dizzy. She returned the affection as best as she could. The two of them stood by the fountain in that position for what felt like hours until he pulled away slightly, blushing and smiling brightly.
"That answer your question?" Shinji asked, thoughts still a little hazy and his breathing heavy.
"Very…much…so," Asuka said, leaning against him. "I'd like presents like that more often," she told him after catching her breath.
"As much as you want, Asuka," Shinji said, kissing her forehead. "You have me for as long as you want."
Asuka gave him her purest smile, a look of contentment she rarely showed. "Idiot…" she said sweetly. "But just as long as you're my idiot…"
"So what would you like to do today?" Shinji asked after a long silence.
Letting him go, Asuka kept hold on one of his hands. "Wherever's fine with me. Didn't have anything to do, anyway."
"Yeah, that sounds good," Shinji agreed.
The two teens began to walk back into the busy city, ready to begin a much quieter life than they had left behind…
*****To be continued…*****
A/N: Oh my, that was kind of a sad and violent chapter…with a nice, light finish. Odd combo, I know. But if you know me well enough, it's oddly fitting.
Yeah, I gave Rei a chance to be in some touching scenes and kick some serious ass in this fic. Someone once said I underutilized her. They can't accuse me of that this time…
And now, only the epilogue left to go. It's more like the ending to this part, so stick around if you're a fan of 'em.
And sorry to any Kaworu fans, I just figured I could tweak him into something darker. Besides, you know I'm part of your demographic, anyway (see Nephilim, for example).
*****Omake time!*****
The camera pans into the familiar room, the author putting the final few touches on this chapter.
Bard: (to himself) Three down…almost done. (notices the camera) Oh, hi there. Back again, are we?
Mitsumi suddenly pops out from thin air into the room.
Mitsumi: (grinning) Hiya!
Bard: (wide-eyed) Wha-…when did you learn how to do that?
Mitsumi: Oh…a while back, while you were on hiatus.
Bard: (sighing) That figures…
Mitsumi: Next one's done?
Bard: Indeed it is. Would you like to look over it?
Mitsumi: You DO need someone to pick it apart…
Bard: (nonplussed) Oh really?
Ignoring him, Mitsumi takes a seat on the author's shoulder and looks closely over the above chapter.
Mitsumi: (some time later) I see where you fit in the last one's end…and it ends on such a sweet note. A little violent in spots, though.
Bard: Necessary evil, my dear. Just as the sex was.
Mitsumi: I only have one real quibble, though… (begins crying) WHY'D YOU HAVE TO KILL KAWORU-KUN?
Bard: (surprised) Eh? Never pegged you for a fan…
Mitsumi: (grabbing his collar and shaking his head back and forth) I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, BAKA!
Bard: (shaken and dizzy) Uh…my bad?
Mitsumi: (calmed down but glaring) Not gonna work, mister!
Bard: Okay, okay…how about to make up for it, I'll perform with the others next chapter?
Mitsumi: (releasing him and smiling) That'll work for me, baka-author.
And with that, Mitsumi disappears again.
Bard: (sighing) Oh dear… (looking at the camera) Time for you to be going, I think.
*****End Omake*****
Pre-read for this chapter was again done by the team of Dark Machine, Eric Blair, gesser87, and JimmyWolk. Good work as always, gentlemen.
Small note: this chapter and all previous/following it were written around late June/early July last year. So a quick "sorry" to everyone who may have been waiting for something after TLaWR. Revisions and pre-reading can take quite a bit of time, it would seem…
For any of you who are new to the community, all of my older (2004-2006) works have undergone a small bit of tweaking (as of the 14th of June 2010). So go take a look, tell me what you think. And review! Even if it's not positive, review!
As usual: good comments will be appreciated, bad ones will be ignored (or kept for firewood). But I do favor good/helpful criticism, so send it my way!
-AngelNo13Bardiel-