It moved through the halls of NERV, moving with intent but without rush. It was invisible to everyone, not caring if it passed in front of security cameras or even people, even its footsteps silent to everything but itself. It observed people go about their day, discussing the previous night's events, the destruction of half of Mount Futago, the latest episode of their favourite show, or their relationship troubles. Human problems.

It took in the sights of the building, never straying from the path in its head but still letting itself rubberneck the more impressive parts of the headquarters. They found most of it sterile and dull, so even a ride up an escalator wasn't rushed through. How it would have been if anyone else was aware they were there. They were almost tempted to let the illusion drop just to see how others reacted to their presence. Almost.

Eventually it found what it was looking for. It wandered through the medical wing, passing doctors and nurses as they moved through the halls unaware of its presence, and coming to a stop at a large metal door. With a thought the door slid open, revealing the unconscious body of Kazuki Saito.

It walked closer, finally getting a better look at him. He was covered in bruises, his lower lip stitched shut, a bandage around his forehead, and his right arm in a sling. Next to him the machine he was hooked up to beeped at a steady rate, ready to pump a sedative into his bloodstream should the need arise, though that was hardly an issue with this particular patient. It wasn't exactly an impressive sight, but it hadn't expected it to be. He was still weak, and there would be a time when he would grow beyond anything in this world. The first of the Nahobino, and a human teenager. It appreciated the dichotomy.

It moved to the bedside table, where a glass of water waited for him to awake. As with everything else in the building, it was dull and brutalist, existing for a purpose, not the comfort of its patients. It outstretched its hand, fingers curled into claws. Darkness and light mixed in its palm, recoiling and flickering, trying to escape, but it forced the power into a corporeal form, solidifying the contradicting energies into brass. Finally, it held the object in its hand, weighing it. It felt mundane to the hand, but heavy on the soul. It placed the object on the table, stepping away from the resting boy. The delivery was complete. Now, to see what he did with it. A small smile played on its lips.

There was an unexpected hiss behind them as the door opened once again, making it spin in surprise. It was a girl. She walked right up to the boy, forcing it to move to prevent collision. The door was still open and wouldn't close for a few more seconds, the perfect time to leave, but instead it chose to observe. The girl covered her mouth, horrified by the conditions she found Kazuki in but relieved that he was still breathing easy. She placed her hand on the bed, fingers digging into the sheets. It paused, moving around the bed to get a better look at her, finding guilt completely dominating her expressions. It moved its gaze between the two, their own expressions muddled. Was it compassion or hatred towards them? Pity, or empathy? Joy, or envy? Maybe it didn't matter in the end.

The girl whipped around as the door opened, but there was no one there. She looked out the hallway, but there was no one there. Apparently, the door had opened on its own. She turned back to Kazuki, still resting. Scanning the room for a chair, she pulled it up next to his bed and sat down, watching his chest rise and fall. She didn't know how long it'd be until he woke up, but she could wait.

Everything hurt.

Absolutely everything.

It hurt like shit.

This was how Kazuki woke up. The first thing he realised was how much everything ached and stabbed and burned. Whatever he had done this for had not been worth it. He groaned, slowly forcing his eyes open. The ceiling he saw was dull and sterile, not one he was used to. As his brain kicked into gear, there was one thing he needed to say.

"Owch."

He frowned, trying to remember how he got there. He remembered NERV, and the ugly giant robots they used, and… had he let himself get shot? That was dumb.

From his side a glass came into his line of sight, pressing against his lips and slowly letting water into his mouth. "Take it easy," said a familiar voice. He blinked, trying to place the voice. Swallowing the last droplets of water he turned his head, squinting as his vision took a moment to focus. It was a dark haired girl in a light blue jacket. He frowned.

"Tao?"

A weak smile played at her lips. "Hey." He instinctively tried to sit up, something he clearly wasn't ready for as he collapsed into his pillow hissing in pain. She sighed. "Didn't I just tell you to take it easy?"

"Sorry," He mumbled through pursed lips.

"Stop that. I'm just glad you're ok." Tao's gaze dropped to the floor. "I was really worried, you know."

He went to apologise, but no words came out. He exhaled, then sunk back into his pillow, unable to look her in the eye.. "It needed to be done," He muttered weakly.

A chuckle passed through her lips. "I know, I know. You did the right thing. I… I'm proud of you, Kazuki."

He frowned. "Proud?"

"Well, yeah?" Tao laughed nervously, her face hidden behind her hair. "You protected those kids. You risked your life for everyone. You did something no one else could have."

Kazuki groaned. "I don't know, I was just doing what I was told. It almost killed me."

"But it didn't. And I'm very happy you're still alive."

He went quiet, mulling his words over. "If… if your offer still stands…" He swallowed nervously. "Once I'm out of here, could we go and get tea together?"

Tao's face lit up. "Of course! It'll be my treat."

"No, I can pay for myself."

"Don't be silly. After everything you've gone through, just think of it as a little reward." She paused. "Though it might be a bit much to bring my friends, so maybe just the two of us?"

In spite of his situation, he found himself smiling. "I'd like that."

"Alright then," She stood up and flashed him one last radiant smile. "Then you better get better soon, ok? I'll be waiting for you."

He waved to her as the door slid shut, leaving him alone with nothing but a strange warmth in his chest. It was a new feeling, but he didn't particularly mind it, especially compared to all the pain. Speaking of which, it still hurt to exist.

"Ugh."

He looked around the room in an attempt to distract himself from the consequences of doing the right thing, but in a room designed by NERV it was a losing battle. There were white walls, white ceiling, a slightly darker shade of white on the floor but still white, and white furniture. Honestly he questioned the logic of having a medical facility completely white since it seemed like the sort of place where mess was inevitable, but he really didn't care enough to think it through. He looked to the side table and reached for his glass of water when he saw something. It stood out for multiple reasons, the first being that it wasn't white. No, it was bronze. With a groan he sat up to get a better look at it.

It was a candle holder. One made of bronze, with seven spaces to place the thin sticks of wax, the middle one standing just slightly taller than the other six.

Kazuki's brow creased. It didn't seem like the sort of thing NERV would use to spice up the decorum, but why else would it be there? Grunting in pain he tried his best to ignore, he reached out and grabbed it to have a closer look. It was cold to the touch, unnervingly so. He turned it over, observing it critically. It was expertly made, but had a pragmatic design. No engravings, no curves or bends. It was made to hold candles, and it wasn't going to waste its design on anything else.

It seemed harmless enough, but there was something about it that filled him with concern. Just as it stuck out against the alabaster room, it felt like it didn't belong. It seemed wrong.

Tentatively he placed the candle holder back on the table and pulled his hand back, watching it as if it was rigged to explode. After several minutes he finally looked away, though it remained in his mind. If there was one thing he had learnt in the past few days, it was to trust his instincts.

It was a few hours later when the door slid open once again. Dr Akagi walked through, not so much as looking up from the clipboard in her hand, and without so much as a knock on the door for courtesy. Kazuki tried to look over to her, but was stopped by a sharp pain in his stomach.

"Don't move," She said, still without looking to him. "Unnecessary movements will only delay the healing process."

"Ugh." Kazuki collapsed into his pillow, too tired to respond or apologise. Ritsuko took another few moments to analyse the clipboard before finally taking off her glasses and looking at the boy. He looked pale and sickly, but he was still alive.

"How much do you remember of yesterday?"

Kazuki licked his lips. Dry. "... Fighting angel," He muttered. "Ayanami was hurt, Ikari needed more time. I drew attention, and got hurt. That's about it."

Ritsuko nodded. "That about sums it up. The damage you took seems to have been distributed between you and Aogami, which means it's not as severe as it could have been."

"Aogami." He tried to sit up again, only for a knowing look from the doctor to make him settle back down. "Is he alright?"

"As I said, the damage was distributed between you both. For you that resulted in bruised bones, a mild concussion, and first degree burns across your body."

Kazuki swallowed quietly. "How bad is that?"

"Relax. Those are all low risk injuries, and we already checked to make sure your concussion wouldn't cause any lasting damage. Your head should clear up within the next forty eight hours."

"Oh." He felt a bit embarrassed, but was too tired to really show it. "But what about Aogami?"

"From what I hear, he's undergoing repairs." He tried to hide it, but the look of guilt was impossible to mask from her. "He seems very important to you."

"He's not a machine," He murmured. "I know you don't think much of him, but Aogami is-" He trailed off, remembering the advice the Proto-fiend had given him regarding the doctor. "... I'm not used to having people care about me. Or trust me."

"I see." Ritsuko sat down and fell silent for a moment, caught up in her own thoughts. "I owe you an apology."

Kazuki blinked. "You do?"

"Yes, I think so at least." She met his eyes and for the first time there seemed to be some sympathy in them. "I didn't trust you. No, I had dismissed you entirely. When you first ran, I thought you were a coward only for you to put your life on the line for Shinji."

"I was just… I did what I needed to."

"Did you expect to survive?" Kazuki said nothing, no longer able to meet her gaze. "I see. Then you're very brave, and very lucky. Try to avoid putting yourself in situations like that again, alright?" Kazuki grumbled in acknowledgement, still not looking up, and she felt she wasn't wanted around. She stood up and placed a small container on the table next to him. "Here are some painkillers. Take them with some water if the pain becomes intolerable."

"Thanks for putting it on the side with the working arm," He grumbled. As she removed her hand, his eyes drifted to the candle holder. "Hey, who put that there?"

"What do you mean?"

"That there," He gestured to the metal object. "It doesn't seem to match the, uh, decorum."

Ritsuko frowned. "That doesn't look like anything NERV would bring in. Perhaps it was your classmate, miss Isonokami, correct?"

"No, no." Kazuki shook his head. "It can't have been her, she would have said something."

"No one else has been in to see you since you were brought in. You were unconscious when she arrived, it's not unlikely."

Kazuki stared at it, licking his lips. He knew that it couldn't have been Tao, but if it wasn't her then he was very, very worried. "Yeah," He lied. "I guess you're right.

Ritsuko eyed him unconvinced. "I'll take my leave." He heard the door hiss open and shut as she left, once again leaving just him and the candle holder. Pursing his lips, he closed his eyes and tried to reach out with his mind. He could feel the baleful presence of the candle holder, but he ignored it. He was told he need only to think, so he did.

Aogami?

There was silence. No response.

Are you there, Aogami?

Again there was nothing. He sighed and pressed his back to the bed in defeat. Even if he had the power of a god, there were limits to what he could achieve.

Aogami?

Golden eyes blinked open, taking a moment to analyse his surroundings. A dark room, lit with dull green lights. Yes, this was where he had been sent for repairs last time, after returning to the underworld. He sat up, startling the man in a lab coat typing away at the computer.

"Ah!" He yelped, scrambling to catch his glasses. "Proto-fiend! You're not supposed to be online, we're still undergoing maintenance."

Yes, the battle with the entity designated Ramiel. A small mercy that his memory had not been corrupted this time. He slid off the table and unplugged himself from the various wires, ignoring the objections of the lab coat wearing man. "That will not be necessary," He said flatly as he stood tall. "I have run a full internal diagnostic, and I am functioning at full capacity with only a 9 percent drop in combat capabilities." He tapped the fin where an ear should have been. "I have sent the report to your systems, if you wish to look at them yourself. Now, what is the condition of Kazuki Saito?"

"The boy? I don't, I'm not high up enough to know that," The man stuttered. "I'm just here for maintenance."

"I see." Aogami walked over to the man's computer and pressed his hand against the screen. It flickered as Bethel's database was tapped into with ease, filtering through the information in a matter of seconds. Even if he wasn't a Proto-fiend, demons in general had an aptitude for technology. "Kazuki Saito is currently recovering under the care of NERV. I will head to Tokyo-3 to oversee him."

"What?" The man tried to stand in front of Aogami only to be ignored entirely. "This needs to be run by the director-"

"His safety is my primary concern," Aogami's voice expressed nothing. "You need not worry about being blamed. I will ensure that responsibility for my actions will not fall at your feet."

"Mr Proto-fiend-"

"Thank you for your assistance. I will take my leave."

The demon marched out of the room without looking back, leaving the poor man dumbfounded and completely at a loss.

"Young man."

Kazuki blinked the sleep from his eyes, groaning as he sat up. It took a moment to recognise the figure standing at the end of his bed, motionless as a statue. "Aogami?" His eyes shot open the moment his brain started working. "Aogami! You're alright!"

"Correct." He looked down at Kazuki. "Regrettably, it seems you have not fared as well."

The boy settled back into his bed with a tired chuckle. "It's fair, I suppose. Considering I got us hurt in the first place."

"I would prefer if I was the one incapacitated. Your safety is my priority."

"That's not what I…" He sighed. For as much as he connected with Aogami, he still wasn't human. "I appreciate the sentiment. I'm just glad we're both ok."

"Indeed."

"Did Koshimizu allow you to come see me?"

"I believed it was unnecessary."

Kazuki tilted his head. "You did? Won't you get in trouble."

"I am simply following my order of priorities, of which your safety takes primacy."

"Even if that means disobeying Bethel?"

Aogami paused. "Last night, you presented a contradiction in my directives. It is… difficult to find the best course of action."

Kazuki laughed. "Welcome to humanity. It doesn't get easier." While Aogami didn't laugh, he could feel the Proto-fiend's expression soften, if only a little. It was good to know that Aogami was someone he could trust, and with that considered he looked back to the table. "Hey, what do you make of that?"

Aogami followed his gaze. "The candelabra?" Kazuki nodded and he walked over to pick it up. "Hmm. It appears to be made of brass, and the candles of wax, but I believe it is magnetite."

"Magnetite? What's that?"

"Just as all things in reality are made of atoms, that from the world of demons is made of magnetite. It is a pseudo form of matter, neither true matter or antimatter, and as such exists on both physical and metaphysical levels."

Kazuki thought for a moment. "So it's from the netherworld. So what is it, if it's not a candle holder?"

"I do not know," Admitted the Proto-fiend. "I find nothing in my internal records about such an item, and for unknown reasons I cannot analyse it properly. The fact it is magnetite is all I can state for certain, but I can sense a deep malice from within." Kazuki frowned. The more he learnt about this thing, the less he liked it. "Perhaps," Aogami continued. "Director Koshimizu or Archangel Abdiel would be more knowledgeable on such an item."

Kazuki immediately shook his head. "No. Ever since I've come to Bethel everyone seems to want something from me. I don't know why I was given this, but I don't trust them enough to ask them about this." He shuddered. "Especially not Abdiel."

"Then we are at a loss."

"Not quite." Aogami looked to the boy, who seemed to have resolve in his eyes. "There's one person we can ask that wouldn't give all our secrets to Bethel. And she's probably the one that would understand something like this better than anyone else."

Understanding dawned on Aogami. "Ah. Then, to the World of Shadows?"

Kazuki nodded. "To the World of Shadows."

I was going to add a bit more but this seems like a decent enough place to end things. Don't want to keep you waiting too long between chapters because I am actually useless.
The prior chapters were more or less just massing the existing plots into each other, but now I'm trying to focus on how these different stories would influence each other more drastically rather than them happening at the same time in the same place. I'll focus a bit on the SMT side next, the prior chapters have been a bit more Evangelion focused so I'll even it out a bit.

I've been a bit worried I was villainising Ritsuko a bit too much. Like she's not perfect but I don't want to give the impression I dislike her. It's difficult because you have to look at things from the perspective of the character and as a writer you have to put your story first, but like there are some things I've planned that I want to say now might seem like I, the author of this work, an having a rant or something, but please understand it's unlikely to be a 100% representation of my thoughts, ideas, or how I would act. We all have the benefit of hindsight and all that, so you know.

Also part of the reason I wanted to get this out today is because it's an anniversary for me! That's right, 3 years ago today on the 21st of November 2020 I had my first mental breakdown! Woohoo! I had also been watching Evangelion at the time so that's most of the reason why I haven't watched past episode 20 or gone back to finish it since that year.

Anyway I thought it was funny.
Also, I wonder if the title would be better as "Evangelion Megami Tensei - Of Knowledge and Life" rather than "Neon Genesis Megami Tensei - Of Knowledge and Life". I don't know feels like I'm cutting out the main thing from the Eva series name here. I also don't want to just delete the previous rant, but I don't really like it breaking up the chapters as it is. Let me know what you think I should do for both the title and the rant.