Epilogue
It was the tenth day of the first month of the hundred and third year of the fourth age of humanity: 01/07/105/4 by the Vodarac Calender. At the United Federations International building, formerly the 1st branch of Gehirn, the testimony of Captain Dewey Renton Novak III and Captain Asuka Langley Soryu was concluding.
A large panel of elderly gentlemen sat next to each other across a raised table. The room might have been a court, or a Chamber of some Government entity. It was filled with news cameras, press, military officials, and a significant number of Vodarac clergy.
The man seated at the center of the panel spoke. "Is there anything you would like to add? Anything that this court should be made aware of, Captain?"
Dewey stood when addressed. "No, Overseer." He sat.
The old man eyed him dangerously, but nodded. The court officer raised is voice: "All rise." Everyone in the room rose to their feet, including Asuka, who was by Dewey's side. The handcuffs upon their wrists and ankles were now completely visible.
"The final verdict of this International Investigation Committee, in the matter of the illegal Organizations, Seele and Nerve, respectively, concerning one Captain Novak and one Captain Soryu: on the charge of treason, unanimously, we find the defendants: Guilty as charged. We here by sentence them to time already served. . ."
The rest of the verdict couldn't be heard over the uproar made by the throngs of onlookers. Afterwards, Dewey and Asuka were ushered out of the room, followed by the Vodarac priests.
Three months later, hundreds of miles away, outside the metropolis of Ciudades del Cielo, Shinji Ikari stood in the midst of endless rows and columns of graves. He was dusting off his suit after laying the last of his flowers in front of a grave.
Misato Katsuragi
71/04-101/04
Flowers lay on over twenty graves in the same row as this. Shinji could see the names of some.
Ryoji Kaji
71/04-101/04
Ritsuko Akagi
71/04-101/04
Maya Ibuki
77/04-101/04
Makoto Hyuga
74/04-101/04
Shigeru Aoba
75/04-101/04
"I guess that's all I can do for you now." Shinji began to walk away, back toward his car. "I hope you all like the flowers." They had blue petals and white stems.
He drove back to his apartment, and, as he did each year, he began to think of all that had past since he received that letter from his father, about five years ago. He couldn't believe he was living a 'normal' life after all that.
He made his way up the elevator, back to Misato's old apartment, where he now lived. Someone was sitting by his door. Shinji scratched his back, and felt under his suit jacket for his gun, tucked in the back of his pants. He stopped a few steps from the door. He looked down and saw that the reposed man had a rucksack and was wearing camouflage scrubs. He put his hands back at his sides.
"Is that anyway to greet a friend?"
"No," Shinji agreed. "Not a friend." He held out his hand to help Dewey up.
"Thank you," Dewey said as he picked up his ruck sack. "I thought you'd be home. Guess I forgot that it was the anniversary." Shinji walked passed him to open the door, and Dewey followed him in. "I'm sorry," Dewey noticed that he had offended his friend in some way– or, he just caught himself miss-speaking. "I just meant that it took a while to get here, and I lost track of the days."
"Where's Asuka?" Shinji asked, taking out a couple of beers, and passing one to Dewey.
"She got tired of waiting." Dewey looked around the apartment, but his expression was inscrutable. "Why did you stay?"
"Why did you leave?"
Dewey smiled. "Asuka's from Warszawa. It all worked out for the best."
"What's been happening?" Shinji asked urgently.
"No, you first," Dewey insisted. The two stared each other down. Shinji sighed heavily, and downed the rest of the beer.
He took a breathe and began. "I don't know what you know, but here's why we stayed. When Orange hit Nerv, it destroyed the rest of the U.F. fleet. After we got out of the Pit, and I saw what was left of Unit-02, I thought. . .I didn't know you and Asuka were alive till I saw the Investigation on TV. In all the aftermath and confusion– and the U.F.'s death grip on the Republic gone– the Vodarac's cut all diplomatic relations with the other nations of the United Federations. The Republic's now a safe haven for the humanoid Coralians. The Coralians: they split apart and–"
"I know," Dewey smiled. "They've been found everywhere– not just in the Republic. All over the Earth: that's what launched the Investigation. Public outrage, y'know? They all love the Coralians. Ironic, huh?"
"Your turn," Shinji insisted.
Dewey nodded. "Well. . .Asuka and I walked. We walked right of Ciudades del Cielo. We slept on a hill, and stole food. After a few days, we were picked up by a black sudan."
"Nerv security!" Shinji couldn't believe it.
"Not quite."
Dewey went on to explain that Vice Commander Fuyutsuki– now, just Prof. Fuyutsuki, again– was sent away from Nerv HQ on orders: Gendo Ikari's orders. With him was every document from, about, or pertaining to Nerv over the past ten years. He had everything needed to take Seele down. The countries that Seele had set up nearly one hundred years before were self-sufficient– and Fuyutsuki had dirt on them as well, supplied of course, by Gendo Ikari.
The countries sold their makers down the river, but not for nothing. Fuyutsuki had one last bargaining chip: the theory, the plans, and all the backdoor codes for the Magi system. The full system was destroyed along with Nerv, but the bones– the prototype– resided in Warszawa. It could be rebuilt.
And so, co-operating with the Professor, Dewey and Asuka testified. They were acquitted of all charges, save treason, and were sentenced with time already served. In order to avoid any hostility, or assassination attempts by some unknown, still living faction of Seele, they were both sent to the Vodarac Republic because, like Rei, it was the only safe place for them: a haven.
The second Dewy had finished, there was a knock at the door, then a yell. "I'm coming in, stupid Shinji!"
"Oh, I forgot to mention," Dewey said, but there was no need. Asuka rounded the corner, but before Shinji could greet her he was struck dumb.
"Who's that?" Launching out from behind Asuka, came a small boy with silver hair and red eyes. Dewey picked him up and brought him over to meet Shinji.
"Don't talk like he's not here," Dewey scolded Shinji, once again. "Ask him."
Shinji gave in. "What's you name?"
The boy had the same confidence as his father. Without skipping a beat, he extended his hand and said, "Kaworu Nagisa." Shinji shook his hand, and looked questioningly at Asuka.
"He was the first humanoid Coralian found after Third Impact. Prof. Fuyutsuki asked if we would look after him. He could talk by the time we met him, and somehow knew his own name."
"Mama can't have children of her own," the silver haired boy said brazenly.
"Kaworu," Dewey scolded.
"It's okay, Dewey." Asuka's hands were across her abdomen, and she spoke to Shinji. "The stress from piloting."
The silver haired boy had climbed down off his father's arm, and hugged Asuka's knees. "Don't be sad, Mama."
Asuka smiled and picked him up. "I'm not sad, honey."
Kaworu looked at Shinji. "I said I would be Mama's child."
"That was very good of you," Shinji complimented, shaking Kaworu's hand. The door bell rang. "And I think," Shinji said as he went to answer it, "I have a present for you."
Kaworu climbed down once again, and followed Shinji to the door. Asuka and Dewey were right behind them, watching the scene with joy in their hearts.
"Shinji, we're hom–Oh!" Rei put down her bag, exclaiming when she saw Kaworu standing confidently beside Shinji. "And who may I ask are you?"
"I'm Kaworu Nagisa," the boy held out his arm, "I'm their son," he pointed with his free hand back to Asuka and Dewey. "Pleased to meet you." Rei shook his hand and smiled, but the boy was no longer paying attention. He was peering passed Rei, trying to catch a glimpse of the elusive, small creature behind her.
"I have a friend I'd like you to meet," Shinji said. "Kaworu, this is Yui Ikari: my daughter." The girl peeked out from behind her mother's legs, but shot back into hiding almost immediately.
For a few seconds, the four former pilots watched the game of tag between the two kids. Kaworu ran behind Rei, but Yui had already retreated to her front. When Kaworu pursued further, Yui was already behind Shinji. Back and forth they went till Kaworu finally caught Yui by the hand.
Kaworu took a good look at her. Yui was the spitting image of her grandmother and mother. She had short, brown hair with white skin. But the most striking thing was her eyes: one was lavender but the other was blue. As Kaworu stared into those eyes, Yui tried to throw him off, looking pleading up at all the grow-ups, as if to say: "Why won't you help?"
Then Kaworu turned Yui around, grabbing her arm with his other hand, and made her shake. "I'm Kaworu Nagisa. You can call me Kaworu." Yui shook willingly, and Kaworu let her go.
"I'm Yui Ikari." Yui finally looked Kaworu in the eyes.
"Can I call you Yui?" She nodded, embarrassed. "You have pretty eyes." Yui stood still for a moment, swaying on the spot. Suddenly, she darted back to her papa, and Shinji agreed to pick her up.
"Say 'thank you'," Shinji whispered. Yui buried her face into Shinji hair.
Rei walked over to Dewey and Asuka, leading them into the kitchen. Kaworu stayed rooted to the spot. "Yui," Rei spoke to her daughter. "Do you want to show Kaworu the family room while mama and papa talk to Aunt Asuka and Uncle Dewey?"
"Aunt and Uncle?" Yui looked apprehensively at her mama. Rei nodded. The knowledge that the strangers were family seemed to ease Yui's nerves. Shinji let her down. Yui walked over to Kaworu. They stood looking at each other for a few seconds, neither knowing exactly what they were feeling about the other.
Yui smiled. "Come one," she said, as she pulled Kaworu along by the hand.