Answers:
ANON: Yui and Kyoko leaving would mean deactivating the Evas...and that kills the possibility of a sequel!
Ch. 30 Guest: The series or movies never tell what would happen if Kaworu ever reached Adam. I took a clever guess and built off of it.
Fleight and Fanus: You guys have been keeping up from the start, thank you.
Disclaimer: See Prologue
Chapter 30: Finale
10 days after Fourth Impact.
"I'm definitely not complaining, but what exactly did you do to get yourself like this?" Mari was rubbing Kaworu's shoulders and marveling over his new deltoids and trapezius muscles.
"Adam, Mari, when alive, was the ultimate being in persona and physicality. I am the vessel of Adam's soul. I chose to absorb the physical strength of the living fossil, but kept my general appearance. Adam's 'real' appearance is that of an unarmored Unit-00 or 02, and with good reason; they're essentially unintelligent clones of the First Angel. I am what they would be if they had a heart and mind...Come with me, Mari, I have a group of individuals to speak with, and I'd like you to meet them."
"...Okay...what are you planning, Kaworu?" She asked as they left Kaworu's assigned quarters at NERV's HQ.
11 days after Fourth Impact.
She opened her eyes and saw a svelte, brown haired boy sleeping in the hospital bed across from her, an intravenous bag dripping a red liquid into his arm.
"...Shinji?" She croaked out, her voice dry and broken.
"Rei?" Dr. Akagi's voice entered the room before the doctor herself arrived. "Yes, Shinji's here with you. He's the one making sure you recover, you're actually ahead of schedule...I didn't expect to see you awake for two more days." Rei gave her a confused look from the bed. "I'll explain everything tomorrow when Shinji's awake."
"...I need to use the washroom."
"You do?! Rei that's fantastic news, your kidneys are filtering your blood properly! I'll help you in." Ritsuko stated in surprise as she helped Rei weakly move to the nearby bathroom. "When you're done in there, go back to bed and rest, I'll be checking on you regularly."
"Yes, Doctor."
"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING UP THERE!?" Misato had Kaji cornered in the exemplary sub-Commander's quarters, cowering from his woman's hairtrigger temper.
"Come on, Misato, it's not a big deal! You know I'm a pilot and I have the UN clearance to act as a flight liaison! The Germans offered their fighter support when they heard Asuka was in danger! I entered their flight as their Japanese escort; it's not that difficult!"
"And? How do you think I'd react if you got yourself blown up!?"
"Probably how you're reacting right now!" He looked up and over at Misato's raised palm, she grumbled and lowered her hand, pulling him up from the ground.
"If we're going to make this work, we have to start acting like adults. I won't fly off at you anymore; I just want something normal to happen. No more danger, no more insane heroics. I have a desk job now-"
"Misato, you're asking me to settle down while you're the head of a special operations branch. I don't want you to trade what you've got for anything, but you're asking me to give up investigating."
"I want you to give up getting yourself killed!"
"Me and the Eva pilots have something in common, Misato. We're at our safest when we're on the job. Having me just lying around doing nothing just makes me more likely to get shot. That's what happens when you're a professional rat like me. SEELE's little gunman proved that to you; I wasn't in any danger then and I'm definitely safe at the controls of my plane." He looked at Misato's concerned expression. "You know what you've always wanted, Misato? A happier home than your mom and dad gave you." He held a hand over her mouth. "Don't even try to argue, you know I'm right. After this blows over and NERV's organized, I'll fly you and me out anywhere you want to go, just the two of us." He gave her one of his best ladykiller smiles.
Misato blushed red and lost the strength in her legs. = Dammit why does he have to look so good! = "That-That can't happen for a while, Kaji. Even if none of this recent crap officially happened, I still have to reorganize this place and select a new OD...I have no idea who's available for it, either!"
"Well, there is one close-to-18 year old girl that hasn't had her own Eva since she left Russia...A year of training and I'd bet she'd be fine for the job. She's as messed up as you are off the clock and just as determined as you are when she's fighting. She'd make an excellent successor, Colonel."
"You're suggesting Mari?!"
"She's fought three Angels so far, she's friends with the pilots, but she doesn't have a ride of her own. I'd say she's the perfect new OD."
Shinji felt himself getting poked in the arm; the painkillers had worn off. = Ah! No! Not more shots! AAh! = He looked up at Ritsuko with pleading eyes.
"Don't look at me like that and stop being a baby, Shinji. It's just an immunization; it's to keep you from getting sick as these blood samples get put in and out of you...There, done."
Shinji choked back a gag and looked over at Rei. "Ritsuko, is she any better?"
"Better than she was, yes, but we'll need to discuss some things, together. The blood we've been cycling between the two of you is helping her get her strength back, but her actual treatment hasn't started yet...The good news is that Rei's not being held responsible for anything that happened while the JSDF was invading: the Commander scapegoated the entire Japanese Military before the UN, and with the security videos of some JSDF assholes shooting up our hospital, NERV's been given diplomatic immunity and a funding increase. With that, she's free of all the shit we've put her through...that includes the things I've done. I really must've been sick to be jealous of a 15 year old girl..." Shinji noticed as Ritsuko's face fell.
"You're helping her now, Ritsuko, and Rei's said she isn't angry at anybody.
Hey, wait, when did she turn 15?"
"Technically never. Rei doesn't have a birthday...However, her current body has passed the point in puberty that a 15 year old girl would be at. Her physical growth is the best measurement we have for her."
"...I've got to get her somethin-"
"You are too weak to get out of bed, young man. Go back to sleep."
13 days after Fourth Impact.
"I should have known it was in here from the beginning...Only took us a few days of wasted time to find it."
"What the hell is this place?!" Mari had watched as Kaworu walked into the Commander's quarters, pressed a hidden panel on the wall, and walked into a cubic room with lighting and audio equipment on the walls.
"This is where the Commander's puppeteers pull his strings. I have a message for them." He opened a terminal on the desk in the room and activated the holodeck. The floor, walls, and ceiling dissolved into an infinite expanse and towering stone slabs encircled the desk.
SEELE-01 SOUND ONLY: What authority do you think you have to summon us, Fuyutsuki?
"A god does what he likes."
SEELE-01 SOUND ONLY: What!? You should be-
"You fully expected Kaworu Nagisa, the Final Angel, to be killed in action, didn't you? You fully expected your little toy Evangelions to complete your Impact, am I correct?"
SEELE-01 SOUND ONLY: You will not disrespect us! You exist because of SEELE-
"I exist because I choose to, Lorenz. The problem with expecting the Angel of Free Will to serve you is forgetting that I think for myself, something you fools can't handle. You're not capable of controlling anything more independent than a puppet; I've been serving myself for as long as you've had me, you're just too blind to have seen that."
SEELE-01 SOUND ONLY: Your choice to mock us will not be forgotten-
"Really, Lorenz, you're an old man. You're filthy rich, why not just retire and enjoy your money? Trust me when I say that godhood is boring."
SEELE-01 SOUND ONLY: We exist to achieve Completion! We will not stop until we have evolved into godhood, and we will destroy all those that fail us. Ikari is gone, your new Commander is too weak to resist us, and we will destroy you without hesitation.
"I consider your hatred of me a compliment. We're done here. If you think you can harm me and those I value, you are a bigger fool than I expected. I'm looking forward to the day you act on your foolishness, Lorenz." Kaworu cut the holodeck feed and turned to Mari. "SEELE's associates think they can exact retribution against those that don't follow them like lost sheep. The old fools are so arrogant that they're blind to their own weakness."
"Is picking a fight with them a good idea?"
"They would have brought the fight to us; instead, we scored the first victory by letting them know that they don't have surprise on their side."
"Kawrou, I wouldn't have guessed you'd be so…bloodthirsty-"
"I've had three lifetimes to suffer SEELE's foolishness. We're closer than we've ever been to peace and security. I won't allow the old fools to eliminate that."
"Well then, if there's anything I can do to screw them up, you let me know."
"Don't worry, Mari, together, those that give us our strength cannot be overcome."
18 days after Fourth Impact.
Shinji was stunned awake by the feeling of a pair of warm, moist lips against his own. He struggled under the 60 Kilograms on top of him until he got oriented enough to notice that not resisting would be much more pleasant. She broke the kiss and rested on his chest.
"It's nice to see you too." He joked, committing the taste to memory. "Don't we have standing orders to stay in bed?"
"I've learned that disobeying orders can have a much more...thrilling outcome."
He broke down laughing, working his fingers through her hair. "Okay," he said between laughs. "I would've never believed this: Rei Ayanami, synthetic human, perfect soldier, kind of a perv when you get down to it."
"Only for a certain male friend of mine that's earned it-" She gasped when he started massaging her back, only for a blond scientist to come into their view, and she was (not) happy about their current position.
"AM I NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE YOU TWO ALONE FOR FIVE MINUTES!?"
"Actually, Dr. Akagi, I believe that you have been absent for the last two hours and fifteen minutes."
The exasperated woman buried her face in her hands. "You know I was being facetious, Rei. Since you two are awake, I can give you a debrief, if you'd have the decency to untangle yourself from the teenage boy under you. He is in no condition to engage in any activity that would raise his blood pressure." She gave a glare to Rei who reluctantly returned to her own bed. "Now that you two have been dealt with...Rei, how long have you been out?"
"...I suppose it's been a while?"
"Shinji, do you know?"
"...I lost track of time..."
"All right then, it's been 18 days since Lillith died. Rei, you've been in a medical sleep for the vast majority. Shinji's been awake for six of them."
"How did we get like this?"
"For you specifically, Rei, you managed to survive getting absorbed by an Angel, getting stabbed with a Lance, and finally exploding. When Lillith died, your alien body was destroyed and only your human percentage remained. It's been healing faster than we expected, but we have a few things to go over...In fact, try knocking over that instrument cart." She nodded over the tray of syringes and drugs across from the gurney.
Rei started to climb out of the bed. "No, no, I mean with a field." She raised her hand and furrowed her eyebrows...nothing happened.
"Just as I suspected. Lillith is gone and only Rei remains. Now, down to business. Shinji's responsible for your recovery thus far, but your anemia is back because of Lillith's death. You and Shinji have compatible blood, so for the past 18 days, you've been receiving transfusions of Shinji's healthy bloodstream- you two have compatible types, after all -and you back to proper iron levels and blood cell counts because of it. However, you are suffering from malabsorption and weak tissue.
For that, you're going on a diet. Rei, I know you're a vegetarian, but you need to start eating grass-fed beef liver. It's an animal's treasure chest for absorbed nutrients, and I'll bet Shinji will know how to cook it so it's appetizing enough."
"If it's required for my health, I can eat meat dishes."
"It is, for now at least. You also need to eat rich plants: spinach, carrots, dark tomatoes, blueberries, blackberries and pomegranates, just to name a handful. You're going back on your anemia medication until further notice and you'll receive vitamin, mineral, and fiber supplements. Last but not least, until your skin and bones condense, you're not doing anything strenuous."
"She has that much wrong with her, Doc?"
"Going from Angel to human by exploding did a number on her body, Shinji. The fact that she didn't die from it is a real-life miracle. She's healing and improving- slowly -she still can't have children. You two've practically switched bodies with the volume of blood you've had to exchange, but it's worked to the point that she'll only need diet changes and medication for the foreseeable future."
"And I've only been awake every third day to keep me from hurting myself?"
"Eh, sort of. We've kept you sedated to keep you from blood sugar and pressure changes, Rei's thin blood weakened you, after all. After you created healthy cells, we'd have to get them out of you and back into Rei, and that left you tired and at risk for tachycardia. We're going to keep you both one more day, then you'll be released into Misato's care."
"Ritsuko," Shinji cut in, "is Misato really the best person to act as a nurse?"
"Not at all, Shinji, but you are. You're going to be responsible for Rei's diet and safety. She can keep up with her prescriptions; she's been doing it all her life."
"Sounds like it's going to get crowded..."
"Actually no, you'll find out later, for now, go back to sleep. In. Different. Beds."
"Well, Commander, I have a candidate for OD; she'll need at least one year of training and a probationary period after that."
"Her name, Colonel?"
"United Nations Special Agent Mari Illustrious, Order of the British Empire. The first English Eva pilot."
"I owe her a personal debt of gratitude. Your choice is excellent, except for her age-"
"Hence the long probationary period. By the time she's fully active, she'll be 20."
"Very good, I'll write the permanent station orders and the promotion immediately, Colonel."
"You want me to be WHAT!?"
"Interim Operations Director with a candidacy for a permanent assignment."
"Your old job? The Eva squadron commander?"
"Yes. You don't have a Unit of your own, but you do have combat experience and you know Eva procedures by memory. Don't worry, you're going under a year of training and two years of probation."
"Colonel, does that me that I am being permanently assigned to Japan, as well? Technically, I also report directly to the United Nations."
"We've already taken that into consideration, Kaworu. Unit-02's getting yanked back to Germany, so we need both Unit 01 and 06, otherwise Japan is alone with one Eva Unit. Considering the excellent press we got from the JSDF's failed attack, we can demand pretty much anything we want."
"Wonderful, I'm in no hurry to go back to Tabtha."
19 days after Fourth Impact.
"Let's see, we're dressed, you've got your first round of medication, Misato should be at the surface-"
"They letting you two off the hook that easy?!" A grating teen boy's voice entered Shinji and Rei's room. Touji walked in with a cane in one hand and leaning on Hikari with another.
"Hi, Shinji, Rei. Misato let me visit Touji, today. What a surprise to see him learning how to walk again!"
"Touji...That's Awesome!" Shinji felt pride at seeing his best friend fighting for his strength back.
"Pilot Suzuhara...Your willingness to hold onto life is heroic in itself."
"Come on, guys." He said "It's just physical therapy. Me and Hikari heard you two were in here after that last fight; we had to see if you were worse off than I was...I wasn't going to let you live it down!"
"Shinji is far too capable of a pilot to allow that to happen, Touji." Rei argued.
"Says the one from the wheelchair-"
"This isn't from the fight, Touji." Shinji cut in.
"Oh, sorry. Then whatever it is, get better soon, Rei. I'm gonna take Hikari and introduce her to Sakura." The hobbling boy left with help from his girlfriend.
"Pilot Suzuhara is recovering."
"So are you, Rei." He leaned down to kiss her cheek and wheeled her out of the room.
"So, just so you two know," Misato said as she missed a red light, "I'm more than happy to have Rei with us from now on. Ritsuko's already given me Rei's new diet and prescriptions, and I'm working to make the apartment a little more accessible-"
"MISATO, SLOW DOWN, You've got a patient in here!" Shinji was trying to cradle Rei as Misato did less driving and more skidding on their way back home.
"Why? The sooner I get you home, the sooner you get out of the car." She swerved around a minivan and Shinji gagged as Rei tried to look indifferent, and failing.
"...What is all this stuff?!"
"This 'stuff' is Mine, Shinji!" Asuka shouted from her mostly-empty room. "It's going back to Germany, maybe now you understand how bare and empty this apartment is!"
"Have you done all this packing alone, Asuka." Rei asked, glancing around at the boxes stacked high.
"No, the movers are helping me."
"You aren't leaving because I'll be staying here-"
"Although I have no desire for you as a roommate, Wondergirl, I wouldn't leave because of you. Unit-02 belongs to Germany and I have to go with it."
"...Asuka, do you...hate me for what's happened?"
Asuka tilted her head. "...I guess...didn't it happen because of what Bastard Ikari did to you?"
"In a way...yes."
"Then it'll be a lot easier to just hate him! So no, Rei, I'm not mad...You take care of Shinji, okay..."
"It's Shinji who's agreed to take care of me."
"Yeah. I heard that. You know I always wanted a guy capable of fighting back with me? I never considered how good it would be to have a family man, so you have me beat there. You're getting my old room. It's plenty big for whatever you've got."
"I do not have much..."
"What?! Come on, Wondergirl, we're loaded! Get your boyfriend to take you shopping or something!"
"I'm not in the condition to carry heavy packages or-"
"God you're sheltered! You make him take you and he has to carry the stuff and pay for it all!"
"That seems rather unfair-"
"It's not supposed to be 'fair', it's about the girl being in charge!" Asuka stood proudly with her hands on her hips.
"...I prefer seeing Shinji and myself as equals."
"God, Wondergirl, you're going to set feminism back a decade all by yourself!"
"...Since when is feminism an outlet for acting vain and self-absorbed? It is a movement that celebrates the differences that men and women possess and notes that those differences shouldn't separate us."
"So? You don't get any advantages from being 'equal'! It's about being better!"
"Being equal, not 'better', is how I want to be seen by Shinji."
"You're hopeless-"
"Asuka! The van is here!"
"Coming, Misato!" She ran into the main room where she started ordering the moving crew to load their truck 30 minutes ago...The burly men vaguely ignored the bratty half-pint.
"So, this is goodbye, Asuka?" Shinji asked her.
"I have my orders, Shinji, and I've got a dad and stepmom that I need to connect with. I didn't do it when I was growing up, so I'll fix it now. Besides, I'm an heir to 220,000 Euros, I've got my degree already, and I'm the sexiest woman alive! Japan couldn't handle me and Germany won't be able to either!" She proclaimed, at the top of her lungs.
= Things are going to get quieter, at least. =
"Happy Housewarming!" Mari giggled out as she squeezed Rei at their dinner table.
"How...did you...know I moved?" Rei said as she fought to breathe.
"Me and Mr. Hunk over here went to see you and Shinji in the hospital. Ritsy told us you'd been released! We had to come see you, I'm happy you're all better!"
"I'm not 'all better', I just need less invasive treatment. Shinji's responsible for me until I'm taken care of..."
"That's as just a cause as can be, Shinji." Kaworu looked over to him.
"Yeah, it is. Kaworu, how did you get...big, anyway?"
"I absorbed the being your father used to try and destroy the world. From it, I gained its ancient strength. I can't say I'm offended by the result."
"Me neither!" Mari gushed, arms wrapped around one of his own.
"Rei, Kaworu, just so you know...I'm still weirded out by having two half-Angels in my dining room, but we're friends, so I don't care 'what' you two are. So, Miss Director, what do you think of your new job?" Misato asked.
"Well...I'd have loved to keep piloting, but this is the next best thing! I'm going to give Shinji and Kaworu a living nightmare!" The boys suddenly looked sick.
"Misato," Rei spoke up. "I'm no longer a pilot...Am I expected to leave NERV?"
"Actually, Rei, yes. But not for the reason you think. I just happen to know that you're technically a high-school grad, and I've managed to get you a scholarship! How'd you like to go to Tokyo-3's campus of Tokyo University in the fall? The city's being rebuilt double quick, and that means the schools are opening back up! Granted you have four months to think it over-"
"Yes. I'd be happy to...I never would've believed that I could be so privileged..."
"Don't act like that. You're just as valuable as any of us. I know that our ex-Commander did all that crap to you. It's his fault, not yours. You're part of this family, too."
Rei wheeled herself over to where Misato was sitting. She wrapped the older woman in a hug and barely whispered into her arms. "Commander Ikari was the closest I've ever had to a family...I've never felt like I have a mother before-"
"You do now." She said as she returned the affection.
"Rei," Misato called, "Need any help?"
"No, ma'am, I'm dressed for bed and I've taken my new prescriptions."
"Okay then, the room is now yours."
After their late dinner with the new Squadron Commander and her better half, the new Katsuragi household turned in for the evening.
Shinji was already asleep when the women went to their rooms, only to be startled awake at the sound of squeaking wheels rolling into the room.
He felt a hand over his mouth as she laid down on his futon beside him.
"I can't wait to get out of that wheelchair. It makes too much noise."
"...Rei." He peeled away from her hand. "Didn't Ristuko say something about strenuous activity?"
"Yes, and we won't be doing any. I only want to be feel your warmth."
He pulled her to his side, they wrapped their arms around each other and Rei rested her head on his shoulder. "Shinji, thank you for saving me all those times. Now that I know what it feels like to be loved...I don't want to go back to the way things were."
"You can't thank me, Rei." He answered as he held her. "You're the one who saved me." The kiss that followed lasted until neither of them could withhold their breathing.
A/N: I have maybe one or two more things in store for the adorable couple, but this story has pretty much reached a happy ending!