Creation began on 11-29-20
Creation ended on 01-24-21
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Grimoire of Evangelion: Take a step back
Flying over the ocean towards the Heart Kingdom was like a dream come true for Rika Ikari as she flew towards her destination on her broom. Including the fifteen-hundred years her family's survivors had lived in self-imposed exile to escape the massacre instigated of the nobility of that time, nobody from House Ikari had been to any of the neighboring kingdoms in over fifteen-hundred-ten years. This made this the first time anyone from the family made a trip towards one of the three other kingdoms. It was actually her and Tenshi's recollection of the other kingdoms back in the past, due to being the oldest of the survivors, that aided in the understanding of how relations had used to be with the Diamond and Spade Kingdoms, and it was hoped that they could aid in the return of such relations between the three kingdoms; because of the time shift and the deteriorations done to the Diamond and Spade Kingdoms, Rika didn't have much hope in reestablishing coexistence between all four kingdoms if some of the ruling bodies behind some desired nothing more and nothing less than more power and control.
The Diamond Kingdom was once a wondrous land with forests and valleys, she thought as she lowered to the ocean to let her feet feel the water. The Spade Kingdom was ruled by a benevolent family of mages that had no need for war or anything based on some kind of desire that became negatively influenced. How did they end up going so bad after such a long time away?
The feel of the ocean water against her right foot as she flew was magnificent, like standing under a waterfall and feeling the water wash away her worries. But her worries had grown beyond what she knew was currently wrong with the Clover Kingdom. There was instability in the Diamond Kingdom, something going on in the Spade Kingdom, and she was on her way to the Heart Kingdom to see whoever was the current ruling body there to seek out other potential measures to help her in her venture to release the first Wizard King from his stone statue hibernation. Hopefully, the people of the Heart Kingdom would have other methods not too different from the ones she knew of.
-x-
It was as though they had all gone back through time to the days leading up to the wedding, but the way Guardian had explained it to them, the foundation of the spell used the memories of the individuals involved to recreate the landscape and go on from there.
"…They all seem so happy," said Shinji.
"Incredible," went the Wizard King, more towards the power of the spell than the memory.
"So, what we've been told about the Wizard King is true," Guardian uttered as he observed the members of Elf Tribe enjoying the daylight hours. "He is easily impressionable by various forms of magic used in ways that are unheard of."
"Well, magic that can do what most people don't think is possible is a sight to behold," Shinji responded to him.
"Where'd you hear that from?" Yami had spoken up.
"My uncle."
"The guy you faced during the tryouts and joined the Golden Dawn with your mother?"
"Yeah. He's very knowledgeable about magic. He was a Magic Knight in his past before he reapplied in the present."
"What was his rank?" Nozel questioned.
"I don't know what his rank was back then. I never asked and he never revealed. He was just being helpful to the people."
Nozel turned away from the boy and looked at the elves in front of them. Growing up, he was always told that the elves were heartless demons that had threatened the nobility of the Clover Kingdom, but in this magical illusion of their past, he wasn't seeing any measure of malicious behavior from any of the elves. Instead, he was seeing them live lives of peace and prosperity in the lands of what would later be known as the Forsaken Region.
"Hey," went Jack as he noticed a young man dressed in a way identical to the attire those of the Golden Dawn dressed in walked down a forest path with one of the elves. "Who is that guy?"
"That," uttered Vetto to them, "was the man Licht called his friend. Lemiel Silvamillion Clover."
So, that's the first Wizard King, thought William Vangeance as the elves were gathered at a large table outside with the original Wizard King and a young woman that had a slight resemblance to Mimosa Vermillion.
"Is this before the wedding day, Mr. Rhya?" Shinji asked Rhya.
"Yes," he answered. "It was just a gathering of offering our blessings to Licht and his bride, Tetia. We were happy for them."
"Hey," expressed Rill as he observed several of the other elves, "is it just me because of how this spell is working, or do some of these elves look like people we've met in the Magic Knights?"
Shinji was about to speak to Guardian about that when he saw an elf that bore a resemblance to the young leader of the Azure Deer squad several feet from said leader. Then, he saw a woman with an uncanny resemblance to the woman that led the Blue Rose squad.
"Miss Roselei?" He uttered.
"Over here, young man," Charlotte replied, seeing the elf he was looking at. "Are these elves really the way they looked like?"
"Yes," said Fana, looking at her past self among the others as time shifted again. "This is the day that was supposed to be the best day of the Elf Tribe's existence."
Shinji witnessed the wedding day of Licht and Tetia and smiled at their happiness.
"They look so happy together," he expressed.
"They were," Rhya added. "Very happy."
The elves cheered for the bride and groom before the sky turned from blue and white to a dark red and black, as though someone had unleashed a fire.
Julius looked at something that was in the sky…and it resembled a magic tool that had been explained at one point by Lemiel to Licht as one that could help enable people with very little to even no magic to have access to the mana. It was followed by a hail of light unleashed upon the elves and Tetia as their magic was being drained from their bodies by the tool.
"Shinji," uttered Guardian to the boy.
"Halt," he responded, and the memory froze in place, like a film on pause. "Whoa."
"Why'd you have him freeze everything?" Fuegoleon questioned the Anti Magic creature.
"Look around you," Guardian told them. "It might be a memory, but take in the limited clarity. Do you see anything out of place? Anything that does not belong? Even if it's only momentarily, you should see something, someone, whoever, whatever."
"Mister Clover wasn't there," Shinji noticed. "He was supposed to be there, but he didn't show up in any part of the memory shown."
"And the Light Magic displayed," Vetto realized, "it doesn't feel anything like that man's. There's…maliciousness."
"I can see the nobles," Fana pointed out, "but they're just standing on a nearby cliff. It's like…they're just observing what happened to us back then."
"Spectators," stated Shinji, getting the feeling that something else had happened this day that was…many times worse…or simply just as worse. "Why didn't they get more involved?"
"Nobles don't engage in such senseless acts of violence," Dorothy told him. "Not unless they're threatened by an enemy."
"So, it's a choice?"
"Of course," went Charlotte.
"Hey, what's that thing over there by the lucky couple?" Yami pointed over to Licht and Tetia, seeing something dark looming over them.
They went over to the destroyed pavilion and got a better look at the dark object.
"Ugh…it stinks of malice," Vetto uttered, covering his nose.
"It's…abhorrent, vicious, wretched," added Fana. "It is evil."
Shinji raised his left hand to make contact with the dark presence, but Guardian stopped him.
"It might be a memory," he told Shinji, "but it's still dangerous. The magic it's giving off is too cruel and inhuman. This being isn't of this world."
"A demon?" Nozel suggested.
"What could be worse?"
"I don't want to imagine worse," Shinji expressed.
-x-
"…So, it really is true," Rika heard the man in the air above the beautiful country say to her as he impeded her slightly. "The magic you're emanating is unable to mask any lies or silence. You're a member of the ancient House of Ikari, just as everyone has said."
"And you must be a member of the Spirit Guardians of the Heart Kingdom," she responded to him. "Are you here to capture me or escort me to your ruler?"
"Neither, ma'am. Well, it's more of the latter than the former, but before that can happen, I really must apologize."
Rika sighed…and immediately released her hold on her broom, falling towards the world below as she evaded a Lightning Magic attack on her.
She is quick, the Spirit Guardian admitted to himself as he flew towards her, just in time to see her generate wings on her back…and a bow and arrow made of ice. And adaptable.
"Compound Magic," Rika uttered as she took aim at the Spirit Guardian, "Flight of Glaciers."
She fired the arrow and sank into a portal under her feet; this spell of hers was a combination of Wing Magic, Ice Magic, Spatial Magic and Poison Magic.
"Lightning Magic: Tenjiolia!" The Spirit Guardian called, releasing another bolt of lightning to block the arrow.
Pierce! He felt the arrow get him in his back, but he saw his lightning bolt still blocking it.
"You're impressive, Spirit Guardian," he heard her voice behind himself…and then felt a slender hand on his right shoulder. "You're not dying, but you are paralyzed right now. You can still speak, so I'd like to talk some more. Introductions would be a good start. My name is Rika Ikari. I'm the current matriarch of House Ikari. And you are?"
"Gadjah," he introduced himself to her. "Stage Zero-ranked Spirit Guardian of the Heart Kingdom and its people."
Rika flew to the front of Gadjah and performed a curtsy for him, showing her respect.
"It is nice to meet you, Gadjah," she continued. "You're strong. You're actually stronger than I had expected a Spirit Guardian of the Heart Kingdom to be. Does the Water Magic spirit Undine still reside here?"
"You know of Undine?"
"I met her once in my childhood. She is one of three water spirits that were considered equal in strength, but different in terms of popularity and recognition. Undine was the most recognized water spirit and the one that became the Heart Kingdom's eternal deity."
"Not many outside of the Heart Kingdom know of this. Your magic power is extremely heightened beyond those of most other mages. You could overtake the current ruler of the Heart Kingdom without any difficulty."
"I don't know about that, but I do wish to meet with this ruler. A lot has changed in the time my family has been away."
"Hopefully, not too much."
-x-
When the spell ceased, as all of the memories belonging to the Third Eye had concluded with where life ended for them, they, the Magic Knight captains, the Wizard King, Shinji and Guardian were returned to the chamber they had been in. There was a silence in the room that was heavy and leaving the captains looking at the three elves that had been reincarnated by one of their own and put on a path of vengeance against the Clover Kingdom, only to be reasoned with the possibility that they were being manipulated by a demon that had been behind the massacre of their tribe. The spell had been another strong one from Shinji's grimoire, as the young Magic Knight slowly collapsed into a chair nearby to catch his breath.
"Are you alright?" Julius asked him.
"Yes," Shinji answered. "A lot of the recent spells from my grimoire, they've been powerful…and exhausting the first time around."
"It gets easier over time," Guardian told him.
"So, a demon was responsible for the massacre that befell the Elf Tribe," went Rill as he tried to make sense of what was discovered. "It was behind the downfall and orchestrated the nobles' involvement, making it look like they were the ones responsible for the carnage unleashed."
"That's the theory," said Fuegoleon, "but the question left to understand is: Why? Why would a demon orchestrate a massacre and make it look like the nobility were responsible?"
"Demons are malicious creatures," Nozel expressed. "They don't need a reason to do anything they decide to do."
"That's not entirely true," Guardian countered. "There's always a reason behind anything and everything anyone does, regardless of why."
"What makes you believe that, Guardian of the Void?" Yami asked him.
"I once met a demon whose only great desire was to unleash darkness upon the world of mortals. But in order to do that, she needed access to a grimoire that had been corrupted with unending despair from its original owner…and a physical body, either possessing someone with their own darkness or using magic to bring their own body from the depths of the underworld where demons reside. She almost succeeded, but a member of House Ikari and myself stopped her…and had her imprisoned within the Void where she could do no more harm."
"What is the Void?" Jack asked him. "Is it someplace separate from every other place?"
Guardian raised his right claw up and extended its index talon out, pointing at the ceiling.
"Think of the night," he explained, "the dark…as a separate plane of existence, cut off from the day and the sunlight. In the beginning, there was nothing but darkness, absolute nothingness. Not even Dark Magic could exist there. But then, as time past and societies developed, rose and fell, the Void expanded, taking in the remnants of other places, forming its own domain of sorts for others to dwell in. What most could call Hell or some other place that they view as a nightmare surrounding them, I call my home. The Void is many things to many individuals; a sanctuary, a labyrinth, a prison, a wasteland, even a hideaway. But unless you know the ways in and out of the Void, which are ever-shifting, or someone that is able to navigate the whole of the Void, it just becomes an unending state of agony for those put there for a reason that warranted their placement there. It just becomes a place that you…simply can't leave."
"Sounds like Hell," admitted Charlotte to them.
Guardian nodded in acceptance of her opinion.
"Are there others being held in the Void?" Julius asked him. "Other demons or magical creatures that were deemed too dangerous?"
"There's less than two-million currently inhabiting the Void, either as a guest or a prisoner."
"I take it there's a guard, someone there that keeps the peace between them?"
"Yeah, you're talking to him."
"That explains why you're called the Guardian of the Void," went Dorothy.
"Only half the reason, Ms. Unsworth."
Once Shinji had caught his breath, he got back up and approached the Third Eye member Rhya.
"How do you three feel right now?" He asked him.
"I keep trying to detect any measure of deception from you," Rhya responded, "and I can't detect any. It's like you can't lie about anything you say or do."
"I don't want to be cruel or unreasonable. You can't always undo something you know in your heart is wrong."
"How can someone like you be affiliated with House Ikari," went Fana, "and yet be an upcoming Magic Knight when you should be capable of more?"
"Sometimes, you have to start at the bottom of the mountain and work your way to the top or middle, depending on how far you want to go."
"Someone like you may very well be a god among mortals," stated Vetto to him.
"I will deny that because nobody is perfect, including myself."
-x-
"It looks like Shinji's winning over these three that attacked his squad," said Misato as she and the others looked at the photo that depicted Shinji in front of the Third Eye.
"Yeah, but what were they upset about?" Asuka questioned. "And what was that creature they were looking at?"
Fuyutsuki looked at another picture on the two pages that depicted Shinji and these adults he was with, looking at a shadow creature that appeared to have wings and horns. Whatever it was, he suspected Shinji had come close to facing something really dangerous. Maybe just as dangerous as an Angel.
Ritsuko then turned the page and all eyes were on a picture that depicted Rika Ikari with another woman and a being that appeared to be another woman made of water. There was no scientific explanation for how any organism could appear in a humanoid state made entirely of water. It was just impossible. If this was just another form of magic, it was beyond rational. The three appeared to be engaged in a conversation…and enjoying some refreshments.
"…So, what brought you here to the Heart Kingdom?" They heard a woman's voice speak.
"I'm looking for methods to help return a young man that has been locked in a state of suspended animation," Rika's voice was heard soon after. "In addition, I'm looking for friends and allies. It's difficult to know who's being honest or dishonest when people seem to respect you for your magic and not for yourself."
"Well, being that I just met you, and you are from a family of admirable respect, not just magic, I can respect you as a person, Mrs. Ikari."
"Please, call me Rika, Ms. Lolopechka, if we're going to be forgoing the formality a bit."
Under the photo was another photo depicting the Third Eye in prison cells, watched by Shinji.
"I wonder what he's going to do now?" Kaji wondered.
"He'll be on the alert for the next sign of danger," said Rei. "The next threat to the people."
Gendo was about to reach out to turn the next page when he was reminded that the last time he did so, he jumped a bunch of pages and kept showing Shinji in a state of agony, so he refrained from doing so. Instead, he let Major Katsuragi turn the page in the album.
-x-
It was merely a show of faith, what the Third Eye were doing. They weren't really admitting defeat to the Magic Knights or the Clover Kingdom; if there was a demon at large and behind the reasons for why the Eye of the Midnight Sun were attacking the people, then they needed to resolve this matter by dealing with the demon, the actual culprit, not the group running around causing such atrocity. So, for the time being, Rhya, Vetto and Fana were allowing themselves to be held in the enemy's captivity temporarily; despite the distrust they still possessed towards the Magic Knights, the three were willing to trust Shinji and Guardian for as long as it took to catch the mastermind behind all of this. But this meant one other factor had to be taken into consideration: They needed to capture the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun, the man they thought was Licht, but may have actually been another member of the Elf Tribe, someone Julius had explained he had been informed about through Rika Ikari as Patolli, an elf that could use Light Magic.
If this Licht they follow is actually this Patolli, it would explain why they believed he was who he claimed to be, despite knowing from past recollections that Licht was a Sword Magic mage, not a Light Magic one, Shinji thought as he sighed at the misery that these three probably felt from being locked up, even though they could escape any time they wished now that they had ample time to recoup from the battle at the Seabed Temple. "Can I ask you three something?"
"Feel free," responded Rhya to him.
"Let's say this demon that caused the massacre and your souls to be reincarnated has been hiding, binding its time until it sees an opportunity to strike, what do you suppose are the chances that the Magic Knights will be able to capture and bring it to justice?"
"Are you asking as a Magic Knight or as a person?" Fana asked.
"Can I ask as both? I want to protect everyone that could be in danger because of this demon."
"When you say 'everyone'…" Vetto spoke up.
"That includes you three, as well," Shinji clarified.
"Depending on the strength of the demon," Fana explained, "the Magic Knights' chances of capturing or simply beating it…are very slim to none. Unless each member was able to cooperate against a single foe, I wouldn't count on beating a demon that may be much stronger than they seem. So…I have no faith in the Magic Knights as a whole against it."
Shinji sighed and accepted her opinion.
"But you won't give up, will you?" Rhya questioned.
"No," he answered. "To give up is to admit you're beat before you even meet the enemy that intends to harm the people you took an oath to protect from danger. I can't back down knowing that someone out there deliberately caused such atrocity and got away with it, knowing I could've done something to bring them to justice…and chose not to."
"If you encounter Patolli," Vetto warned him, "know that while we might be stronger than he is, it's only because he has a seal placed on his magic power, keeping it in check. If he were ever to be relieved of the seal, he would unleash enough magic to destroy a large portion of the Clover Kingdom and everyone in it."
"Meaning the use of Anti Magic against him would have to be used carefully against him if conflict couldn't be avoided. Thank you for telling me this."
"You'll avoid killing him if conflict can't be avoided, won't you?" Fana questioned.
"I won't succumb to the immoral belief that murder is the best solution when it isn't."
He then bowed his head to the three and walked away.
"Do you think he can pull this off with his Magic Knight squad?" Vetto asked Rhya.
"There was no measure of deception in his voice or heart," Rhya declared. "If he refuses to be pressured to take someone's life, no matter what they say has to be done, then maybe he can rise above those that got to where they are because they took the lives of their adversaries."
Meanwhile, Shinji had emerged from the dungeons where the prisoners were kept, including walking past the leaders of disgraced nobles that had been kept there after they were exposed for orchestrating the murder of the previous heads of House Adlai. It was only after he had left the dungeons and walked down the hall to where the rest of the Black Bull was waiting…did he cross paths with the leader of the Golden Dawn.
"You're becoming quite the Magic Knight, young Ikari," William admitted to him.
"I'm not… I'm not as good as some believe I am just yet," he responded.
"And yet, you were able to ascertain that something was off with what the Third Eye could recall and concluded that something else was up. What I could never understand was why you chose the Black Bull."
"They're not perfect, which makes them perfect for someone like me."
"You don't believe in order or structure?"
"I do, but when you live in a place where order and structure are a constant, you gotta embrace a little unpredictable predictability. Perfection is just…a word used to install a sense of order in an imperfect world. Imperfection is…something people should accept to varying degrees if they can. For me, I need the craziness and unpredictable carelessness of the Black Bull squad. How about you, sir?"
"No, I need order and predictability, but I heard that your squad mates have improved on their magic when they went up against the Third Eye. I take it you had a hand in their…meteoric rise to such levels where they were a match for each member?"
"They're pretty powerful in their own right, but it was also to help me improve my own magic. Though, it was more for them than for myself."
"You're proud of your squad's success."
"Yes."
"You're going places with your squad."
Shinji bowed his head to the Golden Dawn captain.
"Uh, how is my mother doing with the Golden Dawn?" He had to ask. "Has she done anything since joining?"
"She's, uh…done five missions solo," William revealed.
"Five missions for the Golden Dawn? Solo? That sounds…a little upsetting."
"Mind you, these were missions that were being postponed due to lack of information regarding the individuals involved, and she nominated herself to handle them…with varying success."
"It's not her ability to do well that I find troubling, though. It's the fact that she did them on her own. I thought she'd be associating with the other Magic Knights."
"For the time being, that seems to be something she's not adept at doing. Your uncle, on the other hand, he's managed to fit in with three of the Golden Dawn…in his own way."
"Heh, Tenshi is… Well, he's a people person."
"I wish I could say the same for your mother, except she seems to focus more on improving her magic and ranking than building relationships."
Shinji found that to be rather disappointing to hear. It just seemed that his mother was the stubborn type to engage in any level of conversations and establish even minor relationships. He wasn't sure whether to feel sorry for her or for the Golden Dawn.
"Is there anything about your mother that I should probably know about, Shinji Ikari?" William asked the young man.
"Maybe just this," Shinji replied. "I've lived with her and our family shortly after we arrived in the Clover Kingdom…and then spent six months training to join the Magic Knights after the Grimoire Acceptance Ceremony…and it's really hard for me to describe her beyond what I feel about her past, in both her relationships and her actions. I really keep her at a distance because I have to be suspicious of her intentions. Part of that reason stems from her involvement in creating the Eva."
"That giant, purple demon you were inside of?"
"Yeah."
"You make it sound as though you're afraid of it, even though it's been missing for over six months now."
"Not missing (Shinji takes out his grimoire and opens it to reveal the spell to William), merely relocated. Unseen…but ever present. Waiting to be unleashed…but constantly feared by the one that can unleash it, knowing what it's capable of."
"Hard to believe you're afraid of that when there are plenty of magical creatures that are just as fearsome to encounter."
"The Eva is terrifying…because it was people that made it, not nature. It's not a creature of magic or a part of the natural order, like fish or humans or elves or dwarves. It's an abomination. Something I can only describe as a walking nightmare of fake flesh, muscles, nerves, metal and wires that I had to sit inside of to face other monsters that were out to get everyone…or so I was led to believe once upon a time. Keeping it locked up, reminding myself that I never want to use it again, is a silent mantra of taking a step backwards, going back to being a regular person…and then taking a new step forward and being something else (he then closes his grimoire and puts it back in its pouch). It's not easy for me, but I manage."
"What is the spell it's been reduced to called?" William asked out of curiosity.
"Demon Beast Creation Magic: Evangelion Devil."
"Sounds intimidating."
"Pray that you never have to see it unleashed."
William accepted his response and then walked away.
Shinji Ikari is a lot stronger than even he believes himself to be if he was able to use an Anti Magic spell that negates all other forms of magic belonging to people he doesn't know or trust, William thought. He may be able to convince anyone to turn away from their more-aggressive intentions if he were able to appeal to their inner morality.
As Shinji returned to the chamber where the other Black Bull members were waiting, he wondered what his mother was up to at a time like this.
"Doing missions solo shouldn't be optional," he sighed as he tried to comprehend why Yui would handle such details on her own. "I thought the whole point of joining a squad was to build new relationships and adapt to our new living conditions. What are you doing, Mother?"
He walked into the chamber and noticed his squad mates were eating. Inside the chamber with them were his uncle and three other members from the Golden Dawn.
"What'd I miss?" Shinji asked Suki.
"Nothing much," she responded, "just Tenshi and three other members of the Golden Dawn showing up to converse with us on how we did at the Seabed Temple. The girl from a year before, Mimosa Vermillion, I think she likes Asta a little."
"Oh, really?"
"I've noticed how she is near him. The other guy that doesn't seem to talk much, Yuno, he seems rather detached, though."
"Define 'detached'."
"He just doesn't seem to talk much."
"Last I checked, there wasn't much wrong with not talking a lot."
"Yeah, but lack of conversation makes it hard to understand someone."
"Yeah, that's true. But I can barely understand someone, even if they speak."
"That's 'cause you're simple. You don't have hidden agendas or secrets backing up your reasons for wanting to talk to someone…and you're friendly."
"Who isn't friendly?"
"Besides those within the Magic Knights that don't stand up for the people they're supposed to protect against any that threaten them? That's a question yet to be answered in its entirety."
-x-
"…Urgh…" The man that had tried to run from Yui groaned as he fell against a wall as a small streak of red ran behind him; he had been injured earlier by her and was unable to get any further away from than he had now. "You…you're no Magic Knight, lady. Nobody goes this far to do anything."
Yui approached him and then grabbed his right arm, yanking it up and pulling the rest of the man up. After he was forced up onto his feet, she held out a syringe…and stuck him in his neck.
"Aaaurgh!" He yelped as she drew blood. "Why are you doing this?!"
Yui pulled the syringe out and answered, "Because people need to be educated in something other than senseless magic. We can't depend on these random acts that have no logical explanation. We must relinquish our dependence on what we view as magic and progress into science and technology, which will save us all. Those that can't or won't, they must be forced to adapt to the new world order."
"You're crazy. You're a crazy lady. Nothing you say makes any sense!"
"You'll see…and you'll learn," she told him, and then watched as a pair of large claws reached out from the darkness of their location…and grabbed the man.
"Aaaahh!" He screamed, and was pulled into the darkness.
"You'll see," Yui repeated as she turned to leave the place. "You'll all see. You'll all learn."
-x-
"Uh, what did she do with that guy?" Asuka questioned, seeing the picture of Yui watching as a large pair of claws pull a man into the darkness. "What is she doing?"
"Either she just killed a man," suggested Kaji, "or she put him someplace."
"But why would she do either?" Fuyutsuki wondered.
But Gendo had to suspect that Yui was up to something that went against what these people her family lived with and was more than likely going to cause problems if she was going ahead with her actions. He placed his right hand on the photograph, wondering what would happen next.
Flash! He saw a scene in which Yui and their son were on a vast wilderness where a cold wind blew past them. Beside Yui was that strange creature she encountered in the darkness and a large Evangelion that wasn't Unit-01…and beside Shinji was that creature that seemed to take an active role in keeping him safe.
"I really want you by my side, Shinji," he heard Yui say to the boy. "We can save this world and give it a brighter future."
"No, Mother," he heard Shinji respond. "This world was doing fine until you decided it needed to be changed. You're the danger. You're the threat…and you must be stopped."
"Would you really turn against your mother, Shinji?"
"You want a world where magic doesn't exist, then you should just go back to that world you allowed to become maimed. Magic can't exist there…and neither can we if we're as different from each other than we care to admit."
The vision ended the second he pulled his hand away. What was it that he saw? A possible vision of the future over in that world they were inhabiting? Were his wife and son destined to meet on opposing sides on the lines separated by beliefs and opinions? Was one of them destined to take out the other one?
Ritsuko turned the next page and revealed a photograph where Shinji was shaking hands with someone he had faced a while ago, who looked as though they had gotten a clean bill of health.
"Didn't we see that guy before?" Misato questioned.
"Yeah, we did," Asuka uttered.
-x-
While it was a shock, it was also an official request from the Wizard King. The Black Bull's members had received an increase in their ranking with nearly each of them having reached either the fifth or fourth class of Intermediate Knight, jumping up a significant degree by facing the majority of the Eye of the Midnight Sun and the Third Eye. And then, there was the official request by the Wizard King; the Black Bull would serve as the squad for Rades Spirito, who was being released under Shinji Ikari's supervision.
"Hello, everyone," Rades had greeted, looking like a regular civilian in commoner clothing and his light purple hair cut to a more-manageable state.
But what most of them were shocked about was that the Wizard King wanted Rades under Shinji's supervision…simply because Rades stated he trusted the boy that wanted to hear him out the first time they met. And whatever the Wizard King asked, each Magic Knight squad, more or less, had to do. It was a curious request, though, to have Shinji be Rades' supervisor. Why Shinji instead of someone that has been a Magic Knight for a longer period? And why the Black Bull instead of another squad that wasn't the Purple Orca?
"I'm not sure what's to be expected more," went Tenshi to Shinji as he followed the Black Bull squad out of the Magic Knights' headquarters, "the reactions of the people when they see Mr. Spirito…or the reactions of the Purple Orca, since their leader seems like someone that won't hesitate to open old wounds."
"You really think the Purple Orca would go to such lengths?" Suki asked her brother.
"I've encountered a few members that are anything but honorable or respectable."
"I did hear some talk about how the Purple Orca was being monitored," Shinji stated. "You had something to do with that, didn't you, Tenshi?"
"I only do what I know I can to serve the people of the Clover Kingdom."
"Well…whatever it is that you're doing…good work."
Tenshi smiled at his nephew.
"Until next time, you two," he bid farewell as the Black Bull left the capital through a portal made by Finral. I still need to master the rest of my Spatial Magic.
-x-
"…I don't understand why you allowed a former Magic Knight that joined this enemy to rejoin the Magic Knights under the supervision of the Black Bull," went Nozel to Julius in the latter's office. "What happens if he turns on them and goes rogue again?"
"There's little doubt of that happening," Julius expressed to the Silver Eagle squad captain. "The Eye of the Midnight Sun has been greatly reduced to what may be only its leader, this person that calls himself Licht, someone I understand from Rika Ikari's knowledge that was backed by the Third Eye's recollection as a mage whose specialty was Sword Magic. This person claiming to be Licht uses Light Magic. And what's more, putting Mr. Spirito under young Ikari's supervision was actually his idea."
Nozel found this revelation to be just as ridiculous. Not only was the Wizard King allowing Rades to be reinstated as a Magic Knight, but he was to be watched after by a member of House Ikari? They were just asking for something to go wrong with this decision.
"As for Rades Spirito, there is something special about young Ikari that makes him willing to trust the boy more than he was willing to trust anyone in the Eye of the Midnight Sun," Julius continued to explain. "If it's even possible, he may even be able to tell for certain that Mr. Spirito can be redeemed. Who better than the Black Bull to know for sure?"
The Black Bull, a squad of virtual failures and outcasts, Nozel thought, unable to believe that a former member of the Purple Orca was now with that squad of weaklings that had managed to defeat the Third Eye, rumored to be just as strong as any of the Magic Knight captains were, and yet, they have gotten stronger. Not just stronger, too. Their magic has deepened. And Noelle, she went from being a Junior Magic Knight to an Intermediate Magic Knight, and her control has been refined. Those Ikaris… They're the cause of this. They're like a beacon for these rejects. Yami, you have no idea of the foolish mistake you have brought upon yourself by allowing these two self-righteous cretins into your squad.
Even if his sister had gotten stronger and better, he couldn't ignore the fact that it was only because of those Ikaris. He viewed it as a disgrace that even one of House Silva's members willingly accepted aid from this family of rogues. If the Eye of the Midnight Sun's leader were ever to appear, he would deal with him on his own. Nobody would sully the good name of House Silva. Not Noelle, not these Ikaris, nobody.
To be continued…
A/N: I had more to add, but I'll end it here for now. What did you think? Because of Shinji's aid, the Black Bulls have increased in rank and their magic has become stronger that they were able to beat the Third Eye, and Shinji was able to get the Third Eye to lower their temperament for the time being. But Yui is causing suspicion to rise in her actions, yet nobody knows what she's up to. Except perhaps Gendo, who only saw a glimpse of something yet to occur.