The Final Chapter
Rei Ayanami was God.
It was not hyperbole, or a blasphemous boast. Rei made the ultimate sacrifice by merging with Adam and Lilith. The union between such holy forces granted her a grander perspective, one far beyond any human being in history.
Then again, Rei was never a human being, was she? She was a clone, created from Lilith to fulfill Gendo Ikari's wish. She was to bring back his wife, and create a world where all human beings slept a wonderful dream.
Fool.
She was not his doll, not any longer. Now, with her essence broken and reformed into a proper deity, she would fight for her own wishes.
Her first act as God was to wish the survivors away from the base. Misato, Maya, the rest were left safe outside. Even Kaji and Gendo, much as she loathed them, did not deserve to die. She felt their change of heart, so they were spared. On the other hand, the JSSDF soldiers that killed and slaughtered so many… they found themselves drowning within Lake Ashi.
It was mercy for them, really. They would have been tried and executed for their crimes anyway.
Next, Rei spread her AT-Field over NERV HQ, her glistening white growing and rising beyond the man-made facility into the clouds. To be confined in such a small space would only hamper her. Rei needed to feel the air around the Earth, to see the beauty of the planet…
She smiled with an almost maddened joy. She was overwhelmed with exhilaration, the power at her fingertips addicting in its scope. Rei forgot about all else, as she allowed her mind to expand and grow.
A billion images flooded her vision. She saw everyone and everything. Countless people, innocent and evil, small and large, young and old, collectively representing the eighteenth Angel. Rei found herself loving all of them. She admired their ability to persevere, to find reasons for living despite the cruel hardships they suffered, the ways they would help each other, as well as their justifications for hurting others.
All without mentioning their hidden potential, lying dormant within their genes. If only they could see themselves the way she did. Rei felt awful for them. They are so alone, isolated, some so ruled by fear they attack those who were different. She wished to relieve them of their suffering, for them to truly be one…
Rei blinked.
How could she forget? Such thoughts were what lead to Instrumentality. Eroding their AT Fields would only destroy all the things she loved about humanity. Seeing into the future, Rei could see union coming one day. They did not need God to give them paradise. Anywhere can be heaven, so long as you have the will to live.
But there was still much loss in the world…
Even just hours ago, the innocent people of NERV were wiped out by the JSSDF. Japan only saw further death, from Shinjuku's destruction to the deaths of thousands due to Dr. Akagi's horrible rampage.
Did they not deserve to live? Why should they remain dead, while God lived?
Rei sought to correct this mistake. She reached with her hands across time and space, trying to find their souls. She could feel life brewing within…
"Foolish girl. You don't know what you're doing, do you?"
A voice, whispering in her ear… Rei did not think she would hear anyone within this cosmic void.
"Who are you…?"
"I've seen you once before. You killed yourself a hundred times."
A hooded figure appeared in Rei's line of sight. The dark robes hid all, except for the being's lower jaw. She scowled at Rei.
"You trespassed on my domain." The hooded figure whispered. "A naive goddess you are, Rei Ayanami. You are far too comfortable escaping me."
Rei was confused. "We have met?"
"You begged for me, once. You longed for my sweet release, after your first form died. Yet you found a way to reject my presence. I create nothing, but all creation leads to me some day."
Upon hearing those words, Rei's eyes widened.
"You are… Death…"
"Indeed." She growled. "I should end your life right now, for your insolence!"
"An unnecessary action, Lady Death. You would be punishing her for her ignorance, not malice."
Rei heard another voice. She wondered who it was, if they caused Death to shake her head in anger.
"Of course, you would interfere."
Rei turned her head… and gasped.
It was a man, but also something more. He went beyond reality. Within his majestic robes lied a thousand galaxies. The stars, moons, planets, all of space could be seen floating and moving within the man. The sight was so mesmerizing to Rei, that she couldn't help but humble herself before greatness.
"I am sorry."
"You are fine, child. You did no harm." The man turned to Death. "I will speak with her. She will trouble you no more."
In spite of massive reluctance, Death complied.
"You are lucky, girl. Eternity wishes to speak to you. I look forward to the day your soul becomes mine."
She then disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving Rei alone with the man called Eternity. She swallowed a lump in her throat.
"Eternity… are you… God?"
Eternity smiled.
"Not at all. The One Above All gave us life. I am the living universe, and all the beings in it. It is not our right to interfere with the cosmos, for good or ill."
"I see… but…" Rei wondered. "I can feel everything on this planet… All the suffering of humans… if you are a person, why…?"
"Why do we not interfere?" Eternity sighed. "There is a balance to the cosmos. Infinity, Death, and I are embodiments of concepts that make it up. You interfere with one, you disrupt the balance. To change destiny as a god only leads to destruction."
Rei tried to argue, but her expanded mind stopped her. Her thoughts raced to find all arguments to be used, only to feel Eternity answering them before she voiced them. She then sighed.
"To not be able to change anything… It is unfair."
"It is. But such is life." Eternity shook his head. "You were given leniency by my sister. Death is not usually so kind, especially to suitors."
Rei Ayanami was not God. She was not even a god. In the grand scheme of the cosmos, she could change nothing and do nothing to change the balance. Being an embodiment of a concept was a miserable existence. Especially without Asuka…
"Your existence is hell to me, Eternity. I wish to go back."
"A wise decision." Eternity said. "If I may say so, there is one thing you can do."
Rei realized what he meant before she even asked. "I may restore the planet to what it was?"
"Humans may have stabbed the Lance into Adam, but he is still a creature of the Celestials. You may undo it, and nothing else."
Rei nodded. "I see. It shall be done, Eternity."
Eternity frowned. He sensed something more within the girl.
"Remember, Ayanami. Anything more will come at a cost. The fate of your world, and your life, is in your hands."
Much like Death, he disappeared. It was when he did, that Rei turned her attention back to Earth.
"I see… I know what must be done."
She peered into the planet. Shinji once told her a lesson he learned from his teacher. With great power there had to come great responsibility. It seemed even gods held that to a standard. Rei kept it in mind, as she placed her hands over the planet. She did not possess a concept of time, but she was aware of the changes being made.
The damage to the Arctic was undone.
Water levels and weather returned to pre-Second Impact levels.
No longer trapped between dimensions, NERV America would be restored to its rightful place.
Anyone else would have left it alone. However, Rei forgot a crucial detail about herself. She was not merely a clone of Lilith, but also a clone of Yui Ikari. Much like her human donor, Rei couldn't help herself. She had to meddle beyond the scope given to her. Having seen past the future, she made one final addition, unlocking the hidden potential…
The next stage of evolution begins early. Everyone will have enhanced abilities to defend themselves-
A burst of pain erupted over her. She began to dissolve, her form collapsing into a trillion black dots. Her mind began to close in, cut off from the holy sensations she had only just discovered. Godhood had been stripped from her, forever.
Rei saw the past, present and future. She saw Shinji when he first arrived to Tokyo-3. She saw her brother and Naoko lied collapsed within NERV, but alive. She saw the future, where he confronted… himself? Rei did not know what it meant, only that it was important somehow.
She closed her eyes, her last wish before the end being to become more like Shinji and Asuka…
"Rei… REI!"
She heard her voice before all else. Rei could not see nor move, but the pained scream of her name brought her to a halt all the same. Her eyes, open and wide, began to burst with tears over the possibility of seeing her again.
"Asuka… Asuka, please…"
Her own voice cried out, pained and throaty. She hadn't had to raise her voice in a long time. It was imperative that Asuka knew she was alive, that she was well.
"Where…" Rei forced out. "Where are you…?"
Rei heard rustling in the distance. Asuka was near. She tried force her body to move, only to find it trapped. Metal plates were blocking her way.
"Damn…" She said in a hoarse whisper. "I need to leave… I have to…"
"Rei!" Asuka cried out once more. "I'm coming for you, but you gotta give me as sign! Speak higher than a whisper for a change, will ya?!"
She had to get out of here. She had to see her, she had to leave here, she had to…
With force she never knew was possible, Rei started pushing the plates off of her. They were but a mere obstacle to her now.
"Like, I'm fine with your voice, it's really cute and all, but it's a real problem when I'm trying to save your ass!"
A chuckle escaped Rei's lips.
"Haha… I am… I am here Asuka!" Rei yelled, as she still pushed on. "I'm trying to… get out of… THIS!"
In a move that surprised even her, Rei shoved the plates to the floor. It caused a loud crash that vibrated across the room. It annoyed Rei's ears to no end, as she tried to block it with her hands.
On the other hand, the effort was worth it. Her ears heard footsteps coming to her direction.
"Rei! REI!"
A splash across from her. Rei turned her head to face Asuka.
"… Rei…?"
"Yes…" Rei smiled. "It is me… you… you came back for me…"
"So, it's you…" A sniff. "Of course, you friggin' idiot! I couldn't just leave you behind."
More footsteps. Rei flushed at the touch of hands on her cheeks.
"I love you." Asuka said. "I needed you to know that… despite anything else I've said."
Godhood was nothing compared to hearing those words.
"… I love you too."
Rei embraced Asuka in her arms, refusing to let go. For the first time in a while, she allowed herself to cry. She needed Asuka, now more than ever.
"I am so glad you're here…"
"Me too." Asuka tenderly rubbed Rei's hair. "I'm gonna miss the blue hair, though."
Rei raised a confused eyebrow. "… What do you mean?"
"You don't know?" Asuka said. "Wait, you were trapped here for days. Shit… well… you don't look like you. You used to have blue hair, but now it's all brown. Your eyes are green too."
"Hmmm…"
"Yeah. I can show you a mirror if you'd like."
Rei frowned. She took a step back, still crying in front of Asuka.
"… I am afraid that will be impossible."
"How come?"
Asuka raised her hand to Rei, only to watch her turn her head away.
"I can hear you, but… I don't see you… I can't see you."
"Oh…" Asuka let out a pained gasp. "Oh, fucking hell… what happened?!"
Rei tried to find the words to explain what she had experienced. An elaborate explanation would be all too confusing for their simple reunion here and now. Instead, she simply smiled.
"I chose you over Godhood."
Asuka couldn't help but smirk. "You fuckin' better."
Rei felt a jacket wrap around her naked body. "Why do you give me this?"
"Well…" Asuka darted her eyes away. "It's a bit cold outside."
Asuka lied. The air was freezing out in the field.
Snow, not seen in Japan for a decade and a half, covered destroyed remains of NERV from the grass to the toe. Even the heavy jacket Rei wore only did much to cover her, as her feet touched felt frozen piece of the land. She was grateful that Asuka took her hand to guide her, or she would have been lost for sure.
Lucky, it did not take long for Asuka and Rei to find their way back to camp. Men in uniforms were scurrying through the debris, in search of something. Rei felt them, and needed to know.
"What happened?"
She nearly stumbled over a rock, before Asuka held her. Asuka sighed, her breath visible in the environment.
"Well, first you were a giant, naked version of yourself for about a day. Then you exploded. Suddenly, the entire world started experiencing severe weather changes. Over here, we got our first snowstorm in years. I assume that was you."
Rei had the decency to blush. "Maybe."
"I should have guessed." She continued. "Anyway, during your twelve days of beauty sleep, these S.H.I.E.L.D. guys- they're the guys Kirishima was working- came in. They quarantined the whole area, so no one leaves, no one gets in. The stooges had a field day with that. They wanted to help find Shinji."
"I would like to help too." Rei blinked. "You have not found him yet?"
"No. We're still trying. Trying to dig through a megaplex like NERV is a pain in the ass, and if you don't mind me saying so, you're not in any condition to help anyone."
Rei pouted. "I can do it."
"Right, 'cause the blind girl will really do much in finding him." Asuka rolled her eyes. "At least let's get you some clothes first! You're naked under that jacket, you need shoes."
"I happen to find the snow wonderful."
"A cope if I heard one."
Rei stuck out her tongue at Asuka, who simply laughed.
"You're such a cutie, you know that?"
"I could say the same for you."
Rei heard the march of feet around her. Asuka could see further activity from the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, rigging up satellites and computers for further surveillance of the area. Finally, the couple reached the makeshift command center for the quarantine zone, really a large RV with equipment hooked up to a generator.
Inside the RV, two people were arguing. Misato Katsuragi- who wouldn't be ripped away from this site if they tried- and a bald headed black man, wearing an eyepatch over his left eye. Asuka shook her head.
"Oh great, it's the asshole in charge."
"What did he do?"
"He's the head of these circus clowns. Right now, he's arguing into an argument with Misato."
Rei chuckled. "An unwise decision."
"Yeah. Fury's a real idiot that way."
Misato Katsuragi wasn't having any bullshit now.
"You don't have the right to override my command! Who gave you that authority?!"
"Well, first, I'm the director of S.H.I.E.L.D." Director Nick Fury said. "The U.N. sent me here with the specific purpose of taking over from you. By all accounts, you're here as a courtesy. Try not to abuse it."
Not even a day after the destruction of NERV HQ, S.H.I.E.L.D. swooped in to take charge. They arrested Kaji, along with the Shiraishis and the few remaining soldiers left to be prosecuted. Everyone else was called in for questioning regarding the attack. Makoto and Maya had been cleared, while Ritsuko remained to spill the details on her involvement with SEELE. Maya chose to stay behind and be with her.
Misato couldn't say she envied either of them.
The biggest surprise during questioning was seeing the real Shigeru Aoba again. Apparently Kaji had been telling the truth to Asuka for once. Aoba went off the grid, but came to S.H.I.E.L.D. for help in stopping the attack on NERV. Makoto and Maya were relieved to see him alive and well.
By the time she was let out, Misato used her authority as the Commander of NERV to control the quarantine, telling the teams make locating Spider-Man their top priority. Today, she received an order to be removed, passing command over to Nick Fury.
"NERV is my authority." Misato said. "You're violating our jurisdiction with your actions!"
"It used to be your authority." Director Fury tapped his eyepatch. "It ain't no more. NERV's just been dissolved hours ago by order of the United Nations. As we speak, your other facilities are being taken apart, piece by piece. Frankly, the U.N. never liked the amount of money spent on you, anyway."
So quickly? The U.N. never had much faith in NERV, even willing to fund a useless toy like the Jet Alone for a cheaper option, but even Misato was taken aback by how quickly they were shutting everything down. She guessed that Naoko's actions, along with the revelation of SEELE's involvement, provided the necessary excuse to do so.
"You're not going to throw me out that easily." Misato said. "I'm not going to rest until-"
"I assure you, we're doing everything possible to find your boy." Director Fury waved her off. "We've been keeping an eye on him for months. We're not going to lose a potential asset for the future because of a pile of rocks."
"Asset?" She frowned at him. "So, that's what this is about…"
Director Fury raised an eyebrow. "And what, pray tell, do you mean by that?"
"You're thinking of using him, aren't you?" Misato crossed her arms. "Spider-Man, Scarlet Spider, anyone you can get your hands on to be your perfect weapons."
"Last I checked, NERV was perfectly fine with using the pilots as tools against the Angels."
"We were wrong to do so, but we had no choice. The Evas needed them-"
"Just like we'll need these kids for the future." Fury took out a can of Yebisu from this trenchcoat. "Unless you really think it's all over from here?"
"…"
"Katsuragi, the world's about to become more dangerous. SEELE had a lot of contacts, most of them went missing. They're going to stockpile, maybe try to render us into goop again, or go for their own agenda. We're the only things keeping you safe from the monsters under the bed. We know what we're doing, and these children need to ready for what's to come."
Misato shook her head. "You're no different from the Committee."
Director Fury eyed her, taking a sip of the can.
"That remains to be seen."
In that moment, that a gust of wind burst through the room. Papers scattered, as Mana Kirishima, draped in a red coat a bit too large for her, stepped through the door. She greeted the adults with a salute.
"Director Fury. Katsuragi."
"At ease, Kirishima." Fury nodded. "Anything new to report?"
"Nothing yet. We haven't found traces of Lilith or Adam anywhere. The base is… empty, for the most part."
Misato glared at her. Mana swallowed a lump in her throat, but continued.
"We haven't been able to find Sp- Shinji, I mean." Mana turned to the Director. "You.… remember the deal, don't you sir?"
Fury raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"
"I spied on NERV for you, in exchange for the release of me and my comrades. We're grateful that you saved our lives from the program, and I've been more than happy to help you. But I kept my end of the bargain. I need to know if you're… going to…?"
Mana trailed off. She couldn't continue, not with Nick Fury staring at her like a hawk analyzing her every move. For a long, terrible moment, Mana felt like a deer in the headlights, that if she said anything she'd be run over and scattered along the snowy pavement.
Her heartbeat skipped when Fury took out a piece of paper. He simply signed it, and handed it to her
"You did your job. We all deserve to go home every now and then."
Taking the paper in her hand, Mana looked at Fury in shock. Misato was just as surprised at Fury's gesture, even taking a step back.
"… thanks." Mana said. "I… I don't know what to say, I… I…"
Freedom. She hadn't felt it in so long, having been sent away by her own mother. To be given freedom, just like that, sent her through a strange loop of joy and worry, as if it were a dream that could burst any second. There had to have been a catch Mana simply couldn't believe it. Yet she inspected the paper, and found nothing. Musashi and Keita were free. She was free at last.
Well, almost. She had one more mission, one she had to do her own peace of mind. She turned to Misato.
"Shinji told me about you. I promise to do everything I can to find him. You and him… you deserve the best in the world."
She ran out before Misato could say anything in response. Fury sighed, before drinking more from the can.
"Ah… Children shouldn't be fighting our battles. It's the one part of war etiquette I hoped we all agreed on. As usual, it tends to get ignored in the worst of places."
Misato turned to him. "Sir?"
"None of our hands are clean, Katsuragi. The world's a long, long line of messes passed down by the past generation. The best we can do is make sure the future looks brighter for our kids. Shinji Ikari isn't a normal boy anymore. He's the hero of Japan. We have a vested interest in keeping him alive, for the good of the world."
Misato frowned. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep my children away from you. They, and Kirishima, are none of your business."
"A mighty fine idea."
Fury took out another Yebisu can, handing it over to Misato.
"Want some?"
"Hahahahahahaha, I never thought I'd live to see this…"
Marie Vincennes waved her hands up and down, forming a snow angel in the terrain. It was the most relaxed she had been in days, not having to transform into her other self, or fight dangerous people out to kill her. She could just be herself, amulet around her neck, her natural blond hair getting dirty in the snow.
Of course, there were always certain people who hated fun.
"Useless brat." An agent called out. "You're interrupting our work."
Marie stuck out her tongue. "Not my problem! Don't you have better things to do than whine about lil old me?"
Agent Hill rolled her eyes, before marching off. Marie sighed in relief, watching the other agents scour the ruins.
"Mana wasn't kidding… these guys are super professional." Marie whistled. "Hmmm, some of them even a little cute~"
She ran up to a boyish, shy agent digging through the ground. He had name tag that read BENCH, and a wallet in his back-pocket. Upon hearing the whistling, he turned his head to stare awkwardly at the girl. She smiled.
"Don't mind me! Just checking things out here." Marie patted his back, sliding it down to his pants. "You're doing great sweetie!"
Bench gave her a thumbs up, and Marie went off on her own. She chuckled upon hearing Bench argue with his friend, probably about how much of a worthless waste of space she was. Marie chuckled, pilfering through the wallet before throwing it backward.
She didn't drop it too far from him. Marie was sure he'd pick it up soon.
Probably.
Definitely.
To be a thief was a gift and a curse especially when your condition compels to take something.
It wasn't that she didn't worry about Shinji. She was just as concerned over his survival as everyone else. However, she also knew how resilient he was. What backstory she knew, the way he fought and comforted twice, it showed what a remarkable boy he really was. Shinji survived way worse, so he should be alive. They'd find him eventually.
The lack of urgency drove the other agents mad. Understandable, both their bosses made clear he was the person to find, and she was just running around seemingly without a lack of care. Seemingly, because Marie actually cared a lot. She held up the amulet to her eyes.
"You've always brought me bad luck, and yet, you also give back. What are you…?"
Marie learned about NERV America's restoration several days ago. She had hesitated on contacting anyone from the base, such as Reed or Sue. Not only did she blew them off before, but based on the report it seemed they had aged and went through so much between worlds. What did they think of her? Would they even remember? What did it mean for her now, in Tokyo-3?
"I don't know if I can go back…" Marie said to herself. "Too much time away, they're unrecognizable and… and…"
It was horribly irrational, she knew, but Marie still had nightmares of that night. NERV America vanished at the same time she receive the amulet that took other people's luck (among other things). She blamed herself for so long, finally had help and now they were just… back.
"Ah, but I'd have to confront them eventually." Marie chuckled. "I wonder if Makinami's still the same after all this time. Heck, I wonder what Franklin and Valeria look like nowadays…"
Suddenly, she felt something pelt her head. Disoriented for a second, Marie realized it was a snowball, and it came from her.
"Look at you!" Asuka smirked at her. "Lazying around the place, huh?"
Marie smirked back, reaching to the ground to form another snowball. "I'm just taking a break. Same as everyone."
"That's not what Misato told me." Asuka said. "I'm taking you down!"
"Not if I get you first!"
Like small children, the two girls threw snowballs in an epic battle to determine who was better. Asuka was a beast, throwing as hard she could at Marie, who was simply fast and nimble. About two minutes passed, and both were covered in snow, falling to the floor with laughter.
"Hahahahaha," Marie wiped a tear from her eye. "Thanks Asuka, I needed that."
"No problem. Go tired of you being mopey." Asuka said. "I get enough of that from Rei."
The mention of her name caught Marie's attention. "Wait, you found her?! Why didn't you start with that, I wanna see her!"
"She's around here, just…" Asuka turned her head. "Hey! Rei! I found the kitty cat here!"
"Oh really?" Rei came up in Marie's view. "It is nice to see you again, Vincennes."
Marie was quite confused when a girl walked down. Brown hair, green eyes, a skin hue closer to her and Asuka's, all wrapped in a huge blue jacket. Really, if it weren't for the sound of her voice, Marie wouldn't able to tell this was Asuka's girlfriend.
"… Rei? Is that really you?" Marie asked. "Sorry I'm just a little surprised. Your hair is… much less blue now."
"It is a long story." Rei smiled. She then wrapped Marie in a hug. "Thank you for saving me, before."
On one hand, Rei's sudden change of appearance was incredibly weird for Marie. On the other hand, she couldn't refuse hugs, so Marie returned it with gusto.
"Don't mention it. I'm always here to rescue a pretty lady." Marie winked. "You know, when Asuka isn't around to do the job."
Asuka flipped her off.
"Hmmm…" Marie gave Rei's face a good, long look. "Come to think of it, you do look a lot like a girl Shinji."
Rei blinked. "I do?"
"Now, that's a load of bull…" Asuka also stared at Rei's face. Her eyes widened a little. "Holy shit you're right.
"I'm never wrong!" Marie said. "Then again, she has his mom's DNA in her, right? That's what I remember?"
Asuka blinked. "Yeah. It makes perfect sense, actually."
"Don't I always?"
"No."
"Come on, you love meeeeee~"
"I don't."
"I am glad to hear it." Rei smiled. "I feel a little closer to my brother knowing this."
"Awwwww~" Marie's heart skipped a beat. "We gotta work together! Come on, Spider-Clan, we got a hero to save!"
Marie began to run off to a random part of the base. Asuka rolled her eyes.
"Look at her go. Does she ever take things seriously?"
"She does." Rei shrugged. "She does not want us to see her doubt."
"Really?" Asuka raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"
"I know someone like that." Rei looked at her. "She is quite arrogant."
Asuka smirked. "I don't know. Is it really arrogance if she can back up her skill?"
"Yes, actually." Rei leaned, kissing her nose. "But she makes it endearing."
A flush came over Asuka, stood in the snow like an idiot. Rei had to chuckle at Asuka's reaction, just as Marie ran back to them.
"You girls coming, or are you just gonna make goo-goo eyes at each other all day?"
Asuka glared at Marie, while Rei waved her off. "We should probably get going, I suppose."
"Yeah…" Asuka glanced back at Rei. "I guess we should."
Before they could start to walk, however, they heard furious, marching boots burying themselves in the snowy terrain. Marie turned around, to find a familiar face staring at her.
"You!"
She was quite confused. Agent Bench seemed shy when she saw him, but he practically steamrolled in her direction, even pushing through other agents. When he arrived close, he jabbed a finger into her jacket.
"I know you did something, bitch. Where'd you put my wallet?!"
Marie shrugged. "I dropped it a few meters away from you. You couldn't find it?"
"Bullshit." Bench was getting angrier. "You have it somewhere. I know what kind of girl you are."
"First of all, no you don't." Marie wagged a finger at him. "Second, I'm sorry, I'll help you find it so you can-"
Suddenly, she was pushed to the ground. Marie looked up in shock over Bench's aggression. Asuka and Rei moved to calm the fight clearly brewing between the two.
"Okay, knock it off." Asuka told him. "She said she'd help you find your stupid wallet."
"She's lying!" Bench said. "You're going to give it back to me, now!"
Rei felt a headache come over her. She clutched her head trying to manage it, as Marie lifted herself from the ground.
"I told you, I don't have it!" Marie said. "Like I said, I know where it is, I'll help you look for it. It's not a problem. I don't keep what I steal anyway."
The headache intensified each passing second. Asuka saw her girlfriend's plight, putting a hand on Rei's shoulder.
"What's going on with you?
"I don't-" Rei groaned. "I don't know."
"So you did steal it!" Bench wasn't having any of it. "I'm going to report you to Fury and get your ass tossed in a cell!"
"I don't think we need to do any of that." Marie waved her hands. "Just calm down-"
"Calm down?" Bench laughed. "Not until I see you cuffs on those grubby little hands-"!
A gut instinct over came Rei. A stab of danger raced through her, as Bench was about to push Marie again.
"Marie!"
In an instant, his hands shifted into a geyser of water that blasted Marie backwards. She was left shivering in the snow in fear, as Bench looked at his hands in shock.
"What... what the heck?!"
Bench, for his part, had no idea what he had done. He could already feel the rest of hid body shifting, transforming against his will into a creature made of water. He was already afraid of what it meant for him. He didn't know what he could become, and it terrified him.
"N-No! Stay back!"
Despite her own trepidation, Asuka raised her hands.
"Look, I don't know if you fell into a radioactive water puddle or whatever, but you need to calm down. Attacking anyone else is just going to make it worse-!"
"Back the fuck off!" Bench screamed, his arm morphing into a watery fist. "I said, BACK OFF!"
The headache pulsed. Rei raised her hand toward Asuka-
THWIP!
- and managed to web her away from another harsh stream of water. Asuka recovered, Bench began to shift back and forth between flesh and water.
"I… What the hell am I!?"
The agent ran. He didn't know where to go, or what he'd do, but he had to leave the base. He didn't want to accidentally hurt anyone else, but more importantly, he didn't want to be caught. Bench needed to get out, before anyone wondered-
Zap! He was blasted from behind, body knocked out cold on the ground. Asuka lowered her arms, their glow ceasing. She was thankful that she didn't accidentally turn him into a puddle.
It was convenient for the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as well, as they began to surround Bench to examine him. In particular, a female agent was staring at Bench, clearly confused by today's events.
"We're going to take him into custody." Agent Hill said. "We need to find out what happened to him."
"Y-You mean he didn't have those powers before?" Marie got up from the ground, shivering due to the water. "Like, are you sure he wasn't some random secret project you guys had or…?"
"No." Hill shook her head. "He was a recent recruit with a thoroughly checked background. We had no knowledge he could do… that."
Marie was given a blanket for her troubles. Meanwhile, Asuka ripped off the webbing on her back. She was quite surprised, and turned toward Rei for questioning.
"What the hell, Rei?!" Asuka was quite jubilant. "How'd you do that?! You saved my ass back there!"
"I… I don't know." Rei answered honestly. "It just… happened."
"Some sacrifice you made." Asuka smirked. "You downgraded from Godhood to spider-powers. How cool is that?"
Rei rubbed her own hand, getting a feel for where the web came from.
"Very cool… yes…"
There were two conflicting emotions forming inside of her. On the one hand, Rei felt the joy of discovery. She had dreamed of fighting alongside her brother and Asuka for some time, especially after the encounter with the final Angel. With minor setbacks, she was once step closer to making it a reality. She felt stronger, more confident than ever.
However, the joy slowly gave away to worry. Rei knew exactly what caused the agent's mutation, and wasn't happy about it. When she saw the hidden potential within humans, Rei wanted to give them a gift to protect themselves. She hadn't considered how said gift could so casually destroy their lives randomly. How many future mutants will suffer a similar outcome?
With great power there had to come great responsibility. Rei was only now beginning to grasp the sheer scale of what she had done. Mutants may have existed before, but a sudden wave of them coming all at once?
Perhaps she and Yui were not so different…
Within the bowels of NERV, someone dreamed.
There were flashes of memories. Kokoro. Bitten by Spider. Criminal Let Go. Police Around The House. Dead Teacher. Criminal Found. Red Eyes. Spider-Man. Fights. Naoko Akagi. Father. More Fights. Dead Girl. Broken Heart. Broken City. Tokyo-3. Angels. Dead Boy. Broken Heart. Mother. Too Many Fights. Friends. Enemies. Doctor Octopus.
They blended together into a web that formed the whole. Every experience made up a large tapestry of a boy, who grew into a man he could be proud of. He hated himself, but found contentment in helping and loving others, even when he was hurt in the process. Through this, he found a way to love himself. With great power came great responsibility, and he wielded that with pride.
A pair of eyes opened.
"Disgusting. These aren't my memories."
Naoko Akagi slapped herself awake, She had been dreaming these same memories for days. The consequences of her failed attempt to kill Spider-Man. By destroying his mind, she wound up absorbing memories. They were the only things she had to look forward to in dreams. Now, she was fully awake, and never wanted to see them again.
She shook herself, remembering the last thing was detonating the charges in her chamber, causing the room to collapse. The plan should have killed her along with Spider-Man. Somehow, she survived.
"Gah, fuck!"
In unbearable pain, which only proved she was alive. Turning her head, she could see how her body lied trapped beneath massive debris. Only her flesh and blood arms were left hanging free, while the rest of her was in horrible agony. Her mechanical arms would have easily broken the rubble, but alas, a certain someone destroyed them.
She sighed.
"The Superior Doctor Octopus, dead of starvation. How horrible…"
Seeing nothing else to do, Naoko inspected the area around her.
She instantly recognized the remains of the MAGI Chamber she constructed, equipment and monitors left in shambles around the room. The engineers did a wonderful job building it to her specifications.
To see it wasted like this was almost as bad as losing the arms, not helped by the LCL leaking into the room. It already flooded the while floor, so Naoko was stuck with the scene of death on her nostrils, and the reflection of scarred, ugly face staring back at her. Naoko punched the liquid, the ripples destroying her image.
Asuka ruined her face, before Shinji thoroughly destroyed her souls. Spiders were nothing but trouble.
"I hate it here."
All of that, before she saw him.
His face was submerged in the LCL, away from her view, but there was no mistaking the costume for anything else. Shinji Ikari, the so-called Amazing Spider-Man, was trapped in the debris, just like her. From the way he was breathing, he was still alive.
Naoko HATED it here.
"You have got to be kidding. I couldn't kill him either?! What kind of cruel god would mock me like this?!"
Her failure was complete. Even though she wiped out the old men, Fuyutski, Yui, and countless people, she still hadn't accomplished her true goal. She hadn't killed her most important nemesis, father and son Ikaris, she hadn't reset the world to live life by her own design, hell, she hadn't even blown up Japan in revenge. Naoko had lost in every way that mattered.
Perhaps she should have called it quit months ago, back when she was first arrested. Naoko should have spilled the beans on Spider-Man's identity, let him suffer the way she had and always will. Maybe she should have thrown herself off that balcony after murdering the First Child.
Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing.
"Is my life truly worthless?" Naoko somberly noted. "Is this my destiny? To be humiliated a thousand million ways, before I finally die? Am I so insignificant, gods would ignore me? Am I truly alone?"
She lived in a cold universe, one where she had to fight tooth and nail to just to keep living. All her enemies prospered, while Naoko suffered. Now, she would perish alone in the metallic walls, the smell of blood everywhere, while her nemesis lived just a few meters away.
Naoko Akagi closed her eyes, breathing solemnly. Her life was over. Her enemies had won long ago, any more resistance would be meaningless.
….
…
…
…
…
…
… No. Not yet. Her eyes snapped back open.
"I refuse to die like this." She said. "If he can survive, so can I…"
She refused to perish before Shinji did. Not in this hellhole, not where the world turned without a care for her. If she were to die, then Doctor Octopus would rather do it by forcing the world to its knees. She will make them see her at last.
With no greater motivation than spite, Naoko placed her hands on the debris, and began to push.
"Maybe I can… live…" She groaned. "Maybe my life can have greater value…"
It was hard. No, it was impossible. She took her mechanical arms far too much for granted. They made life so much easier. In the end, she was glad no one else had them.
"That's right. I want to be… me… I want to continue existing in this world, at least until I can truly love myself…"
Naoko had the proportional strength of a spider, courtesy of Shinji. She had to fight. If Spider-Man had the strength and self-love to come back from the dead, so can she. She had to prove her existence wasn't an aberration.
"My life… is worth living here! COME ON!"
With much effort, and with no shortage of pain, Doctor Octopus finally pushed the debris away. They collapsed into a pile next to her, but it didn't matter to Naoko. She climbed, finally catching her breath.
"I made it out…" She said. "Somehow, I am alive. Congratulations."
She was free now. She could do anything.
Naoko spotted Shinji Ikari, still unconscious beneath the rubble. He was entirely within her mercy.
Her hand was ungloved.
She began to march toward him, her footsteps forming ripples in the LCL.
Her Spider-Sense was tingling.
What else could it be? Rei just learned she could launch webs from her hands, and she was strong enough to lift metal. The headaches came and went as danger did, just as Shinji said they would.
However, there was more to it this time. A web formed in her mind's eyes, one where she could see Asuka, Marie, Kirishima, the agents…
Plus two others, deep within the wreckage. They were alive, but one was moving.
"I… sense him…" Rei's eyes widened. "Shinji! We have to hurry!"
She surprised the others by how fast she began to move. Asuka chased behind her, with Marie in tow.
"Hold up, Wonder Girl!" Marie shouted. "Why are we running?"
"Shinji is alive, but he is in danger!" Rei shouted back. "He is alone with Doctor Octopus!"
"What!" Asuka couldn't believe. Yet, she could. Rei wasn't a liar, after all. "Lead the way!"
They raced to find Shinji, running past S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and more debris. The further they went, the more wreckage there was. Mana saw them run in her direction.
"What's up with you three?" She asked them, as they approached."
"Rei seems to know where Shinji is!" Marie told her. "Wanna come?"
Mana snapped to attention. "Say no more!"
She joined them, only stopping to report the news to Fury and Misato. Together, they reached atop the largest wreckage left of NERV HQ.
Who knows what Doctor Octopus would do to their friend…?
" I hate you."
Naoko spoke to Shinji's unconscious form. It didn't matter to her if he listened or not. She needed to get her feelings out, all of them.
"You are an annoying, stupid child. The son of the Commander who ruined my life, the boy who stopped my revenge against Yamagishi, and the obnoxious hero who humiliated me again and again."
In the back of her mind, she could almost hear the whirl of her tentacles. She missed them terribly.
"I could kill you right here and now. No one would ever know. Or if they do, I'd be long gone before they realized it."
She crouched to Shinji's level, raising her ungloved hand to the boy's head.
"Remember. You're at my mercy, today."
Naoko gently rubbed his hair, feeling the soft locks between her fingers. With a devious smirk on her lips, she placed both hands on the rubble surrounding Shinji and began to push.
"Grrrrrrr… so… heavy…"
Despite her complaining, this was nothing compared to the debris she had to lift earlier. When she removed the wreck, the boy slipped from the hole, landing face-first into the LCL.
Bubbles formed atop the liquid. It seemed he had finally woken up. Shinji gurgled and soon forced himself upwards, away from the LCL. He was drenched from head to toe, trying to catch his breath. Naoko kept her smirk on.
"You didn't give me much thought." She said. "Not when you had so much else to look forward. I don't, not anymore. At least we'll both be leaving here with scars."
He turned his head. "N… Naoko… what did you…?"
The sight of his face gave her pause. His blue eyes blinked in confusion as she paled.
"… Really… y… you weren't affected at all… pffft… bwaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
She began to laugh like a mad woman. For several minutes, Naoko kept laughing and laughing at her ultimate humiliation. The last straw of sanity seemed to have left the poor doctor when confronted with Shinji's face.
Of course, it was completely fine. Despite her best efforts, his perfect angelic face was virtually untouched, save only by minor scarring on the sides. Even those scars may pass with time.
"You're mocking me, without even meaning to! Your face healed, while mine is scarred forever! I truly do hate you!"
For his part, Shinji was startled at her laughter and commentary. He touched his face, realizing that Naoko was right. Somehow, he had healed during the time he was unconscious. He could only guess that he had spent more time out in the chamber than he thought.
"… If you hated me, why am I still here?" He had to ask. "You could have killed me with that power of yours."
Naoko's laugh grew softer. "I don't know. Maybe I didn't want to kill you. Maybe you're the only person I have any amount of affection for, and I can't live without you. Or maybe I'm just insane. Don't bother guessing."
"… I see…"
"What would be the point, anyway? You already survived my two great death traps. Might as well let you off on your happy ending, while it lasts."
"You don't think it will?" Shinji raised an eyebrow. "I'm much better off than you, right now."
"Happiness never lasts, Shinji." Naoko shook her head. "I've lived longer than you. My marriage failed, I kept Ritsuko at such a distance we drifted apart, everything with your father. I can't even claim the MAGI, since their work became my nightmare. You'll succumb to despair, some day."
"I already did." Shinji said. "I lost two of the people I loved over the past year, so close to each other. I know what heartbreak is. I know I'm not always going to be happy. The truth is, I don't know where it'll eventually lie. All I know is that I'm me, I'm myself. So long as I'm alive, there's something that can make me happy, even if I'm sad too."
"… Spoken just like your mother." Ruefully, Naoko sighed. "Maybe I'll find that optimism some day. For now, I'm just glad my playmate is still around."
"Playmate? You play extreme games, given you nearly killed me."
"Nobody's perfect. If nothing else, I'm done trying to kill you. Too much trouble for its worth."
"…"
"I'll be back, one day." Naoko stated. "After I do some thinking. I have to find out what I want out of my limited life, and change my plans accordingly."
"Oh really?" Shinji glared at her. "When that day comes, I'll be there to stop whatever you're up to."
"I expect nothing less from my nemesis."
Nothing more was said. What else could they say? Even if their futures change, even if one falls while the other rises, their fates lay with each other.
In only mere minutes, Rei, Asuka and the others found the pair, still in the same spot. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents readied their guns at Naoko.
"Stand down, Doctor Octopus. You're under arrest for wanton acts of terrorism and violence."
She raised them with no hesitation, only glumly sighing. "At least you got the name right."
Meanwhile, Rei was the first one to greet Shinji. She caught him in a fierce hug, grateful to see her brother alive.
"I am so glad… to see you, Shinji!"
"… Rei?" He wondered, hugging her back. "What happened to you?"
"I changed." Rei smiled. "You are still the same."
He shrugged, also smiling. "I guess I am."
She separated from him, only for Shinji to be greeted by a hug from Marie. He patted her head.
"Nice to see you, Marie."
"Me too! I was worried sick about you." Marie said with a grin. "Misato's been searching for you all this time!"
"I want to see her too." Shinji looked at Asuka. "It's good to see you, Asuka."
She punched his shoulder, before hugging him. "We were worried sick, idiot!"
"Really?" He smirked. "I thought with me dead, you'd have a shot at being the main spider."
"I'll earn that legit." Asuka smirked. "Not have some crazy doctor kill you first."
He glanced at Mana, who looked at him nervously. He smiled.
"Thanks for coming, Mana. Are you and your friends free yet?"
Mana nodded. "We just retired, today. Thanks for asking."
"Maybe we can all meet up after this is over."
"Yeah." Mana smiled at him. "We should."
He gave her a thumbs up, one she returned.
It didn't take long for everyone to march out of the cave. With Naoko's hands locked in Adamantium cuffs, there was no way she could escape. The group walked all the way back to the command center, where they were soon met by Misato and Director Fury. Misato rushed to meet Shinji, as Naoko was brought to Fury. He smirked at her.
"The übermensch, hm? Looks like you were brought down by the obsolete people."
"Only for today." Naoko grinned. "Take me away, coppers."
Fury nodded his head, the agents marching Naoko to a containment cell. At the same time, Misato wrapped Shinji in her own bear hug. She spent many nights worried for him, and now, she finally got to see her boy again.
"Oh my god, thank god you're alright! I was so worried."
"I know…" Shinji smiled. "I'm home."
"… Welcome home." Misato said. "I'm so happy you're back."
"I promised you didn't I? I'll always find my way to you."
Author's Notes:
Naoko Akagi had to be Doctor Octopus. I knew going into this fic that she was perfect for the role. Not only did she have the technical knowhow to create A.I. technology given the MAGI, she had a compelling motivation and connection to the series that made her insanely interesting to write. What would it be like for her to have lived past killing Rei? Considering they were both thrown away by Gendo, what would she and Shinji think of each other? What would it be like if they were enemies?
Granted, the execution was probably limited by the fact she had to be a supervillain for Shinji to fight. If I regret anything with Naoko, it was pushing her too far into insane territory instead of exploring more of her psychology. I had a ton of fun writing her as a villain, and I hope you still found her an interesting character regardless. Originally, Shinji was going to recreate the famous rubble lifting scene from ASM#33 (in fact, I was THE scene I was looking forward to writing for years), but since he already chose life over death in the last chapter it felt right to do something different and gave it to Naoko. I wouldn't say this chapter is a redemption for her, so much as she realized she needed to change and find a new reason to live.
It's been years since this fic started huh? We're almost at the finish line. I'll save the self-congratulations for the last chapter. Years of writing can give you perspective on an ongoing work. In hindsight, there were many things I wish I handled better or did differently:
1) The Holy Goblin fucking sucked and I hate him. Literally a last minute villain, Tachiageru was more threatening as Mayumi's abusive father than he ever was a a lame knock off of a much better villain. I wish I kept the Silver Samurai as the Big Bad (maybe make it so that Mayumi was his daughter), or at least made it so Mayumi was the actual Goblin that her father tried to control. Either would be better than this atrocity of a character.
2) I feel like I didn't have the best grasp on Asuka and Rei until much later. I liked the road they ended up on, especially with Asuka becoming Scarlet Spider, but I think I could have worked them into the stories better. Asuka especially felt too nice at the start. There was an arc in Untold Tales of Spider-Man where Sally Avril became a superhero and got into trouble, and I can't help but feel like something like that for Asuka would have been appropriate. I gave her and Rei spider-powers partly so they be more involved in the future Spider-Verse fic.
3) I don't haaate the crossover characters perse, but in hindsight, they really don't feel needed. My plan was for the setting to start out as normal and grounded as Eva, and we see it transform into the Marvel universe as time went on, but the Wolverine chapter left a bad taste in my mouth as I wrote it. I tried to keep my promise to you readers while downplaying the crossover stuff (you'll actually get to meet a certain team next time), but I can't say I loved all of it. I would have preferred to keep this a solo Spider-Man story. On the flipside, after recently watching the Netflix Daredevil series I wish I did include his character in there somewhere.
4) Mana Kirishima may have been planned from the outset, but in practice she didn't feel as fleshed out as she could have been. Author0fntent suggested a Marvel Team-Up series to work her in better, and I'm seriously considering it.
5) I didn't need to make the Vulture a cannibal. Like, no man. Definitely not again.
6) Kaji being the Chameleon was an inspired choice. Him being so malicious was not. If I were to redo the fic, I'd play him off as more of a gray character. He could still be an antagonist to Shinji while otherwise doing shady things for the greater good rather than outright collaborating with crazy supervillains.
7) I don't regret killing Kaworu, as he would have broken the story severely with his survival, but I want to write a fic that explores him more as a character. I especially one to write a story (not one set in this universe, mind you) where he's in a relationship with Shinji. I always liked those two as a pairing.
8) In general, I feel like I should have taken more swings rather than adhere to canon. RealRemainder was right when Ch. 15 was really just a direct copy of an episode or two. I would have liked to explore- say- the Lizard mutating some of the people into half-lizard freaks and how they try to blend back into society. Or have Shinji be interesting in Yui's legacy before meeting her inside the Eva. Or have OCs like Kotei more involved with the canon storyline. Make it more my own story.
Ah well, hindsight is 2020. Or is it 2023? :P Let's look at reviews:
Author0fntent: Might be more mellow than you expected. Hope you like it!
Z-King: It might be necessary to do something like this, given Naoko's potential future ahead. It ain't looking pretty.
RealRemainder: Don't sweat it. I loved reading your reviews and your nitpicks, as they helped me improve the fic overall. Even if you didn't agree with some decisions I made, I'm still grateful you stuck reading it to the end. Thank you for being here from the start.
triscythe59: How much cash did you have riding on that?
TheSpiderFlash: It was intended to be a flash step rather than an invisibility power, though I do think it'd be appropriate power for him. Hmmm, I'll think about it. Yeah, the final fight of the first Raimi Spider-Man is my favorite in any superhero movie, and I tried channeling a lot of that brutality, this vicious hatred between rivals that finally blows up in a major way for the chapter. It seems it worked!
NameEntry25: I mean, I kind of can, since she appeared in at least two chapters before that point :p
If anyone has things to say, post them now. Next week will be the end of Spider-Shinji (for now) in…
FINAL: The First Day of the Rest of Your Life.
P.S. Could someone fix the TV Tropes page so it says "Shinji Ikari: The Amazing Spider-Man" instead of Shinji Ikari: Amazing Spider-Man? It bothered for so many years, bro, but it felt awkward to say anything.