Record That
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN EVANGELION, NOR ANY OF THE SONGS! DON'T SUE ME!
Chapter 11: Changes
Rei tried another AT-Field attack on the barrier. These blasts of pure concentrated electric energy usually leave an average person mutilated beyond repair. With parts of their body completely blown off, or if focused even more. Reduced to nothing, but LCL. Yet, even the girl's most powerful blast couldn't even leave a scratch on the invisible wall.
The girl started to feel tired at the amount of attempts she tried on this thing. Yet, she needed to get to Shinji. Right now, it was clear that the Reflection had multiple motivations surrounding the events happening right now. And if she were to figure any of them out, she would have to talk to the Third Child. The literal shadow of this God-like entity.
"Why ask him your questions? He knows just as much about the situation as you." The Reflection said, appearing right next to Rei as if out of nowhere.
Rei screamed and nearly jumped out of her skin at that. When she turned to face it, she wanted to strike it with an AT-Field attack. Or maybe just a punch or kick, but that look it wore on its face. That toothy grin, uncanny skin complexion, near identical stature to Shinji, and worst of all. It's eyes, windows into it's soul that almost seemed impossible to look into and find any emotion yourself. Yet, when it looked into your eyes, it saw everything it wanted to know about you.
It was even worse for the girl. As not only could it look at her and tell what her weaknesses were mentally. But it could now do it physically as well. Something that Rei felt huge amounts of shame about for the first time in her life. Yet, she knew that if it were to offer the opportunity to her again. She'd take it out of pure curiosity and lust.
"Well then, would you like to?" They asked her.
"What?"
"Let's do it, right here. I can see it in your eyes. Answers aren't the only thing you want from Shinji."
To say that Rei was left stunned would be an understatement. She was absolutely breathless in the presence of this devilish handsome psychopath. What she wanted more than ever right now was for it to rip her plug suit off. And for it to satisfy her just as much as it did before, but even in this lustful state that she found herself in. She was able to notice how the Reflection's attention was on something else.
While gazing into her eyes, the Reflection, every once in a while. Would glance to look off towards the body of the Angel. It's smile slowly fading, but once it took notice that Rei was catching on. It leaned in close to her, kissed her on the lips, then pulled back with another sinister smile.
"Seems my time is short. How about this? I'll answer three questions, with no strings attached. They'll be one-hundred percent honest, so go ahead and ask."
Rei stood there silent for a second or too. She wanted to ask if it could kiss her again, but she knew better. This thing did not mess around like that, everything it did was deliberate, even though it played it off like it was just messing around. So, she made her first question the most important one she could think of.
"What are you here to do?" She thought that one would at least get to the Reflection. Due to it being so vague in the past.
"To kill myself." It answered, with a humble yet cocky smirk.
The question didn't faze it at all.
"What…what…what…." She was slipping, but she caught herself before the Reflection could take advantage of the fact that she was technically answering a question. So, it could answer in a typically vague style.
"What does that mean…for all of us?"
"That's better. It means you'll be safer. Without me, the world will be a much brighter place."
Rei didn't know how to respond. The feeling of staring down the barrel of a gun was more accurate than asking questions. Though, this gun wasn't to be used on her. Why?
It's with this metaphorical idea that she came up with her last question. Though, her tone was definitely befitting her. Her nervousness mixed with a sudden chill filling the air made her tremble. Something the Reflection was clearly enjoying watching. It reminded them of a few minutes ago.
"How….how do you plan to kill yourself?"
The Reflection was surprised by this, but still kept its wicked smile. It leaned back, placing its hands in its pockets. Looking up into the sky to the moon. It seemed to be fascinated by it, that or it was reminiscing something.
Rei was growing impatient though, especially with how silent it had become. Especially with it still looking over to the body of the Angel every couple of seconds.
"Are you going to answer the question!?" She nearly shouted.
The Reflection raised its index finger to silently tell her to wait. "Only three questions." It responded. Then it soon looked back at her.
"I choked on Shinji earlier. That's why I was only able to whisper during our love making. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got other things to attend to."
It turned and walked towards the city, but Rei soon grabbed its arm.
"Wait! No! You didn't answer my question."
"Yes, I did. As clearly as I deemed it so. After all, it would be less entertaining if you knew everything about me from the start." It answered.
Rei sighed.
"There you go, lying again." She said, solemnly.
"That's the thing though. I haven't lied in years, not since I turned into this."
It raised its hand and looked at it with a faraway look. Rei noticed that its palm was scarred. A deep gash was left behind that went far down to metacarpals (the bones in the palm). Not only that, but it also didn't seem like it fully healed yet. It was as if there was still some blood emerging from the cracked skin.
Rei was suddenly distracted by a loud noise in the distance. It was coming from the dead Angel, which had now begun twitching. The sight of this started to make the Reflection laugh.
"Of course it's you." It said, with its ear-to-ear grin.
At first the Central Dogma was dead quiet as they waited for the music to fade. Though once the two giants hit the ground, everything went back to emergency status. Gendo commanded the engineers to recover the EVA. Kozo and Ritsuko wanted to know the status of the pilot. While Misato made it clear that she was going to accompany the cleanup crew to see Shinji's current condition with her own eyes.
Except, once she started towards one of the elevators. She found herself back at the control panel. At first, she thought it was a bad sense of perception, but made sure to keep her senses on full alert. For she had a feeling someone familiar was nearby. When she moved towards the elevator again and ended up back at the controls. She stiffened up but kept her calm demeanor.
"Well, are you going to join them?" Ritsuko asked, wondering what she was still doing here.
"Let's listen to what it has to say first." Misato said, in a suggestive tone that made the main leadership turn silent and start looking around.
The Bridge Bunnies didn't know what she was talking about though.
"Listen to who?" Makoto asked, breaking the silence.
"Who do you think?" Said the Reflection.
Everyone spun around to see the Reflection. Laying on its side with a sly smile on its face. For the higher ups, this was surprising, but now all too familiar. For the Bridge Bunnies, all three of them nearly had heart attacks.
The Reflection even gave Maya a look of interest. Something she didn't expect to see from the shy and quiet young boy. Though, this wasn't the same boy, hell, it wasn't even a boy anymore. At least according to the theories of Ritsuko.
The 'boy' switched to sitting in crisscross style. Something hard to pull off even at its age. As it looked around and noticed how surprised everyone was. It decided to mess with them, by levitating off the desk. As soon as everyone's mouths started to fall to the floor, except for Gendo's of course. It revealed its intention with them.
"I'm here to answer all of your questions. Well, at least one per person. No strings attached, with one-hundred percent honesty. So, make it count." It said, pointing to the main staff.
At first, no one knew what to say. Gendo on the other hand stood up right away.
"What is the true extent of your power?" He asked.
"My true form would be so massive and intangible. That it would drive everyone on this Earth mad." It responded.
No one could tell if that was a true answer to the question. Or if that was actually the truth. Though the way it responded to the question so casually scared everyone. Even Gendo was a bit visibly taken back by this. And the Reflection seemed to enjoy the sight of their borderline panic even more.
"What…What are you?" A terrified Kozo asked.
"I'm Shinji, or at least, I was."
This gave Misato an idea.
"Then if you are future Shinji. Show us how much you know about me, and don't just show me my dead friends or relatives. You've already tried that trick." Misato said.
She was willing to expose her secrets if it meant to expose the Reflection's knowledge. As well as possibly showing a personality trait that showed weakness, like how it showed sympathy for her earlier.
For a couple seconds the Reflection stayed silent, but it didn't break its smile. Then, in the blink of an eye it was right in front of her. Floating to keep eye contact with her like it had done with Gendo. Though this time, it didn't turn into someone familiar like Kaji, as she requested. Though, the sudden closeness did make her jump.
The woman began to tense up and wanted to pull away. Though the Reflection's face and hand softened a bit, gone was the psychotic smile. In place was now a sympathetic neutral look. Making it so that when it laid a hand on her scar across her chest. It touched with such delicacy, indicating that it wasn't trying to molest her, but trying to prove a point. It kept it like that for a good couple of seconds, until it leaned in for a kiss. Something that Misato didn't entirely protest against, it felt genuine and warm.
Then, it disappeared and reappeared on Gendo's desk. Looking down on everyone, but especially her.
"There's your answer, I know about that. And how about this, I'll tell a fun fact about everyone. If that's what you truly want." The Reflection said with its malicious smile returning. Making sure to signal out Misato.
"No!" Misato cried.
First, he looked at Makoto: "You've had an attraction to the Major here for a while now. And let's be honest, who wouldn't?"
Next Shigeru: "I'm sure your friends already know about you being able to play guitar. What they don't know is that you love nu-metal."
Then Maya: "You are thirsty for your Senpai. It surprises me that no one could tell. I mean, it's so obvious. Granted….." The Reflection paused for a second and looked down. "I'm not better."
It quickly looked to Ritsuko: "You're fucking my dad. You can do better." It then nodded to Maya.
It spun to face Kozo and Gendo.
"You have an obsession with my mother. When you know that even if she did come back. She'd never go for you. You're old enough to be her dad, maybe even her grandpa." It said to Kozo.
Then it looked to Gendo, who unlike everyone else. Was not the least bit phased, and when the Reflection stood there in silence. He smirked, knowing that if it said anything about him. It could very well endanger the lives of everyone else. Something it seemed to have a weakness for.
"They're still alive." The Reflection eventually said, softly, but maniacally. With a sick smile once it found something.
"Who?" Gendo asked at first.
"You know who. They were so loving to you, weren't they?"
Those words put the fear of God into Gendo. The man stood up wide eyed, knocking over his chair.
"No." He whispered.
This made the Reflection laugh.
"They're watching…. even right now. Along with them all."
After a little bit of watching Gendo shiver in fear. The Reflection spun back towards a horrified and angry Ritsuko.
"Sorry, I missed you, what's your question?"
The woman seriously considered pulling her gun on it. Though she knew that it would do nothing, so instead, she asked the first question on everyone's mind. That no one had the guts to ask. Or at least it felt that way to her.
"How do you live with yourself?"
The Reflection stared at her in silence for a little bit. Never breaking eye contact, taking in the frightened and crying Maya behind her. Just out of the corner of its eye. Until it eventually just started to take off its shirt. After it unbuttoned its white long sleeve collared uniform. The observers could see long, horrific scars across its arms. Claws, sharp metal objects, and even signs of needles had all pierced this thing's skin.
Then, it took off its undershirt. How it still had a body was beyond human comprehension. By all scientific laws, this clumping up of scar tissue on top of scar tissue shouldn't have been possible. It would mean that this thing had been cut open time and time again and lived to tell the tail. And worse, no knife or scalpel did this, there were clear signs of bite marks.
And even some left behind teeth that had gotten left in the skin. Everyone besides Gendo, Misato, and Ritsuko began to feel sick. They were so perplexed by this, they didn't even notice the Reflection had a scalpel in its hands. To which it began to cut open its skin and pour its guts out onto the floor.
As the wet slapping sound of intestines hitting the floor, alongside the ungodly smell. Everyone began to throw up, even Gendo threw up a little in his mouth. The Reflection pulled out its heart, let the blood shooting from it squirt across the room and in its face. Then, it snapped its fingers, and all the viscera and gore vanished. Even everyone's puke completely disappeared, and the skin on the Reflection changed to an average looking athletic build.
Yet the heart still remained in its hand. The Reflection looked to the heart, then back to Ritsuko. Whose color had completely left her face. A stark contrast to the redness of anger and embarrassment from earlier.
"I don't. Because I don't really exist." It said, then threw the heart to her. Which dematerialized into dust in her hands.
"Alright, three more questions from the bridge bunnies and then I must be going. Ladies first, what's your question Maya?"
Maya was still shaken up by what just happened. She sat there in horrified silence for a little bit, until eventually Ritsuko looked at her. To which she turned away in embarrassment.
"Please, just leave us alone." She begged.
"That's not a question." The Reflection said, appearing right next to her.
She shivered but didn't look up at it. Ritsuko tried to shout at it to tell the reflection to leave her alone. Yet, every part of her collectively agreed for her not to do that. Less she invokes the wrath of this horrible child. Instead, she settled for laying her hand on Maya's shoulder. The familiar presence helped the young woman calm down. Eventually, she simply blurted something out.
"What's your favorite color?"
The Reflection was about to answer, but then paused for a minute. Visibly pondering the question.
"You know, I never gave that much thought. I guess it's because every color invokes horrible memories. Red with the seas, orange with LCL, yellow with your old hair style." It gestured to Ritsuko. "Blue with Rei's destroyed EVA. Indigo…. Violet, a.k.a purple with my EVA. Huh, I guess Indigo, because it's that happy in between. Just like your hair, Misato."
Its expression seemed genuine. As if it was really human at the end of the day. Or if this was all an act. An illusion made to make them feel something like before.
"But enough about me, how about you Shigeru? What's your question?"
"Can you go fuck yourself?" He asked with an angry straight face.
The Reflection smiled and gave him a thumbs up.
"Nice." It responded. "But finally, you, what's your question?" It pointed to Makoto.
The man tensed up, but eventually calmed down and asked point blank.
"If you're so powerful, then why don't you just snap your fingers and make the Angels all go away?"
"I could, but I already tried that. And the Third Impact still happened. Now, if you'll excuse-"
The Reflection stood up on the desk where it had first appeared. Though, it was interrupted by the sound of the dead Angel making a loud noise, followed by twitching.
"Of course it's you." It said, then a white light began to shine out of the Angel's core. Followed by long white tentacles. "And still with that same old angry octopus look. How many times do I have to make the same Hentai joke?"
The Reflection teleported past the horde of people and started walking off into the distance. As the adults looked around, confused on where it disappeared too. It was wandering off towards where the EVA and Angel had fallen over. Though before it could make it very far, it was being hounded by its four new super fans. Who managed to spot it before it got too far.
"Wait, where are you going?" Sakura shouted.
It continued walking, though it soon slowed down because the sound of footsteps could be heard behind. The Reflection let the kids catch up with it. Once they were by its side, they started asking a boatload of questions.
Sakura asked about how to pull off more complex riffs. Toji asked how it taught his sister to play the guitar in such a short time. Kensuke was asking about what other cool things the Reflection could do. And Hikari asked about what other genres of music it wanted to play. Along with praising it with its sheer skill and power. Though, one question kept on popping up.
"What made you want to do this?"
After what felt like the hundredth time, they asked this question. The Reflection stopped and spun around them to face them. It looked at all of them, their faces so familiar it could recreate them in every little detail. The memories it had with them, the good and the bad. Started to bring a tear to its eye.
Something that shocked all four of them. Sakura especially, to which she started to feel incredibly bad.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." She said, with her lack of experience with people showing. She was only seven after all.
This made the Reflection smile, to which it ruffled her hair. She giggled at this, though she started to cry as well. Toji tried to comfort her, but looked up to the Reflection.
"Seriously man, what's wrong?" He asked.
It stayed silent for the next few seconds, before pulling a boombox out of nowhere.
"Whoa! Where did you get that!?" Kensuke said.
As the Reflection placed the thing on the ground. It looked at all of them.
"Here, this is the answer to your questions."
(Changes - Black Sabbath)
(0:00 to 0:07)
It hit play; Hikari plugged her ears. Expecting another loud heavy metal song, but instead. She slowly lowered them when she heard the sound of….a piano playing.
(0:08 to 1:03)
I feel unhappy, I feel so sad.
I've lost the best friend that I ever had.
She was my woman, I loved her so.
But it's too late now, I've let her go.
I'm going through changes.
I'm going through changes.
(1:04 to 1:32)
The Reflection's voice, mixed with the hypnotic somber music. Made it feel like time had slowed down or stopped. There weren't even any big flashy images like before. It was just the Reflection playing off of an imaginary piano. While it had a somber look upon its face.
(1:33 to 2:26)
We shared the years, we shared each day.
In love, together, we found the way.
But soon, the world had its evil way.
My heart was blinded, love went astray.
I'm going through changes.
I'm going through changes.
(2:27 to 3:13)
The three older kids were all too hypnotized by the song. Though Sakura did notice a few things slightly off. The world had indeed slowed down. Wind breezes blew past the grass and trees slowly. Along with that, she could see that the Reflection's gestures were too precise to be faking piano. The instrument was there, just no one could see it.
Not only that, but she thought that there were shadows behind it. Playing classical instruments. Though, she couldn't get a good look at them. Before the Reflection started singing again.
(3:14 to 4:43)
It took so long to realize.
And I can still hear her last goodbyes.
Now all my days are filled with tears.
Wish I could go back and change these years.
I'm going through changes.
I'm going through changes.
(End)
As the song faded, the Reflection looked back to its audience. It became a little embarrassing at how slack jawed they were.
"That…was so beautiful." Hikari said with tears in her eyes.
"Thank you." The Reflection said softly. "I can understand if you don't fully comprehend how that answers your question, but I assure you. In time you'll know. You will….all know."
It sighed, showing a strangely human side. Soon though, it was interrupted by another familiar sight. As the dead Angel made a loud sound and started twitching. The Reflection gave its full attention, though occasionally looked back to the kids with a sly look on its face.
"Of course it's you." It said, then a white light began to shine out of the Angel's core. Followed by long white tentacles. "And still with that same old angry octopus look. How many times do I have to make the same Hentai joke?"
Soon, the tentacles began to grow longer until they were the size of the buildings.
"Alright, it's an oldy, but a goodie. How many tentacles-AUGH!"
In an instant, faster than any human eye could track. The tentacles pierced right through the Reflection's body. It not only impaled it right in front of the kids on the hill. They found the Reflection where it was talking to Rei. As well as down in the Central Dogma, where the large tentacle pierced through multiple layers of metal and concrete. Just to find its target.
Blood splattered across anyone who was too close to the Reflection's multiple images. Then whatever was controlling the tentacles withdrew them and dragged the Reflection along with them. The multiple copies of the Reflection squirmed and cried in pain. Not only were there just the three talking to the ones it knew.
Other limbs had found where other copies were across the city. Totaling out to nearly a hundred. Soon though, the tentacles were joined by a massive head that emerged from the body of the Angel. As if it's now ripped open body was a portal to another dimension. Though it was no octopus or fish head. It was a massive bald human head, whose tentacles were like a beard.
Its body was glowing pure white, while its eyes were soulless and black. And it made all those who looked at them scream in terror. As it took in the new surroundings. Though, it soon looked back to the squirming little Reflections.
"Enough." It said in a deep commanding voice.
The tentacles started to vibrate, as the Reflection copies exploded into more blood and viscera. Covering the white head in red, though it did not blink once. Soon, it turned to the biggest crowd it could find.
"Children of Lillith of this dimension, I am Diligentia."
I think I should end it here. I could go on, because I like my chapters to be long, but not too long. Though I think it's better if we end it here for dramatic effect.
Not going to lie to you guys, I originally wrote this up as a Shinji went mad with power fic, but then I realized that would turn the Reflection into just a straight up villain. A sympathetic one, but that's not what I wanted. So, I brought in a group that's never really touched upon in the main series. Though if you're an Evangelion lore master, this is your final hint before the next chapter.
Hell, I'll even give you one more. Tall imposing figures, black eyes, basically Gods. Have you figured it out yet?
Whatever, it's just fanfiction at the end of the day. And I'd like to apologize for how long this one took to get out. I've had so many ideas for what to do with the latter half of the Sachiel arc. And I felt like it was a good time to introduce the proper main antagonists. Though that isn't an excuse for me to just play Rock Band 2 and mess around all day.
Anyway, I'll try and get the next chapter out by next week. I greatly appreciate everyone's support. Especially Prototype-27-F, RealRemainder, and whoever my mysterious guest reviewer is. Despite me asking you all for unfiltered criticism. You guys keep telling me I'm doing good.
Thank you, though if you still want to rip me to shreds, please do so.
Anyway, that's it, see you next week, hopefully.
P.S. I'm thinking about starting (a certain website that begins with a P and helps with independent fundraising, for some reason won't let me post the name) though I don't think I have the clout to be independently funded at this point. Though if you guys would really like to kick my ass into gear and let me know you want to see more. Money is without a doubt a good motivator.
Don't take that as me trying to be greedy. If you guys start funding me, I'll make it my life's goal to make sure you all get your money's worth. Even if it's for five dollars. Let me know over Private Messenger.
