Chapter 23
Free Will versus Destiny
Disclaimer: I donÆt own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.
I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave. If you find any, let me know, and I will correct them and repost the chapters.
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Kaoru looked over the landscape, having spent most of the evening sitting there in the park, holding the sleeping form of the woman who had come to mean so much to him.
He didnÆt look at her now. He had made the mistake of doing that several times, only to quickly turn back as his heartache began to grow worse.
Pain of the heart was nothing new to him. After all, he was the Angel who had spent the most time among the lilim, understanding them in ways none of his siblings could. He had seen them at their best and at their worst; the latter having more to do with his former caretakers than where he was now.
He was happy.
He felt complete.
And he was going to have to give it all up.
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I understand them more as time progresses, as I progress.
That is not to say I understand it all; a fact I am certain even Lilith would never make. They seem to be a species built on contradictions, both of the laws they live by outside of themselves, and the laws that they themselves make upon their own souls.
I have asked as well as debated this subject with Shinji-kun. During our conversations, I have learned much about the so-called ôhuman conditionö. It is a debate that I am quite certain I would never finish, despite what the theorized life expectancy of an ascended is.
Love? Hate? Anger? Joy? Passion? Angst?
To one such as me, these terms were as alien to me as the Commonality is to the lilim ... at first.
But being here among them, piloting beside them against my brethren, my bonding with Hoshoni, and my relationship with Mayumi Yamagishi; each has changed my opinions of the species, revising them constantly, as new data became available.
I know it would seem ôcoldö to them to view this all as an experiment. And do not misunderstand me, I see them as worthy heirs to this world ... at least those that I know now. I am not foolish enough to forget the petty desires of the lilim group known as SEELE.
But the souls I have come to know here in Tokyo-3 are quite worthy, and I admit with no hesitation that should they have their existences ended, I would miss them.
I have recently become aware of a saying, ôA leopard cannot change its spots.ö It was after I watched a show with Kensuke-kun, about a star trek in some quadrant. It had a tale about a scorpion saying it couldnÆt change what was in its nature.
I do believe people can grow beyond their nature. I myself have done so. My nature demands I find and merge with the All-Father.
But I have suppressed the nature, even the strange hatred I seem to have for Lilith. After all, if I am to hate her, should I not know why I do so?
It is strange to me, this hatred between Adam and Lilith. This is also something I have spent many hours debating with Shinji about. If what he says is true, and both were created by the same race, then does that not make them siblings? Should we not act like family, or are there events between the two Seeds that we children are not made aware of?
This is what this war could be seen as: children fighting for the love of a parent. Which one of us is the favorite.
Is that all we are: pawns for them to use in their battles against each other? Do they even know why they have such hatred?
But those thoughts seem far from me as I stare at MayumiÆs sleeping form. I feel the pain still, but I want to remember her.
I hope the others donÆt tell her what really happens to me. If I succeed, she will survive, and I find that is what matters most. Without that fact, I am uncertain I could follow the path laid before me.
But she will be safe. Whether I kill Lilith or join with Adam, she is already beyond their grasps for remaking the world.
This is the infamous lose-lose situation I have heard discussed.
I can only hope that if Mayumi ever hears of what I must do, that she can somehow understand, and even forgive me.
The sad thing is ... I am not certain I can forgive myself.
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A lone man walked towards Tokyo-3 via the road, smiling as he went along. Nature was his true home, even before he felt the calling of the duty he now performed.
Smiling, he looked over what he could see of the city from the road-side, enjoying the conflicting beauty between nature and science.
ôSo this is where you have fought, my student,ö he said, smiling.
His attention was caught by a passing bird, which seemed to glide to him, landing on his arm.
ôBe well, my student,ö said the man. ôFor your greatest test is at hand.ö
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ôHeÆs been like that for days,ö muttered Asuka, staring at the roofs of the junior high, seeing Shinji sitting on it, staring into the sky.
ôThat sword must have really meant a lot to him,ö said Toji, looking up, before returning to the meal Hikari had brought him.
ôWas there a story behind it?ö asked the Class Rep.
Rei nodded. ôIt was a gift from his most influential sensei. It was all Shinji had of him, other than the training.ö
ôSo with it broken,ö said Mana, ôhe had lost that last connection.ö
Rei nodded. ôAt this time, NERV has been unable to locate the man. He was supposed to train us, in the hopes it would allow us to be better pilots.ö
ôThey think heÆs dead?ö asked Hikari.
ôIt is a possibility,ö said Rei. ôFor him to avoid detection for this long would lend credence to such a hypothesis.ö
Hikari nodded, a bit fearful that Rei had sounded like her old self, the self before ShinjiÆs arrival.
ôHey,ö said Kensuke. ôWhereÆs Kaoru and Mayumi?ö
Asuka snorted. ôThe happy couple wanted to eat by themselves today.ö
ôNothing wrong with that,ö said Toji. ôBut I wonder whatÆs up with him. I mean, heÆs been distancing himself from us.ö
ôPerhaps heÆs afraid of the last Angel,ö said Mana. ôI mean, what happens to us when we defeat it? What happens to the Evas and the JAs?ö
ôIt is unknown,ö said Rei. ôBut at this time, it is doubtful that either Commander Ikari of the JSSDF would order their destruction. Popularity of them has made such a decision a bad PR action.ö
The others looked at her as if she had gone mad.
ôWhat the fuck is wrong with you, Wondergirl?ö asked Asuka. ôYou sound like the damned doll I thought you were when I came here.ö
ôWhen Shinji was cured, I ... I am uncertain. But I fear it may have ... done something to me,ö said Rei, only the barest amounts of fear were entering her voice.
It wasnÆt that she believed his knowledge of her pastùof what and who she wasùwas affecting him. He knew that she was no more Yui Ikari: the progenitor of zero-point-one-one percent of her DNA, than Gendo Ikari was. She may have the womanÆs appearance, but she was not Yui. She was Rei Ayanami and no one else.
It was more a combination of things. Her past, the secrets of his dreams, and the loss of his senseiÆs gift all added to his weight and burden. It is not the straw that breaks the camelÆs back, but the collection of hay he is forced to carry that does. ôIn the last few days, many facts have become known to him that are influencing how he will interface with reality.ö
ôYou mean our pains,ö said Asuka, not wanting to admit her own unintentional part in the whole affair.
Rei nodded. ôHowever it occurred, the result has changed him, even if the threads of those memories do not encase his soul with the force they had before.ö
ôThat sucks,ö said Toji. ôI mean, it ainÆt like we wanted them, but it wasnÆt like we wanted to share them with him ... not like that.ö
Rei nodded. ôIt does not change what has occurred.ö
ôShould we talk to him about it?ö asked Hikari. ôI mean, who better to help him with those memories than the ones they belonged to.ö
ôIt will not be that simple,ö said Rei, looking up towards Shinji. ôIt depends mostly on the patientÆs desire to talk, and he is far from that at the moment.ö
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Shinji stared at the cloudless sky, his lunch long since eaten.
While he may have finished the food quicklyùa meal prepared by a worried Reiùit did little to quiet his mind.
His heart was still in pain from the loss of the clones. He could tell they were different from each other, no more an exact copy than what one got from a copier. While each had ties to the one soul they seemed to share, those ties differed.
To understand, one had to think of a soul as a ball. No matter how you turn it, it is still the same ball. But with the clones, those turns changed the ôangleö at which the soul was perceived.
Following that, one would then use the analogy to view each Rei as ôconnectedö to this ball via a string; each string would be connected to a different part of the ballÆs surface.
With that, each Rei would still be the same soul. But the parts they are connected to would ôinfluenceö how that particular Rei would be perceived.
Each Rei would have been unique, since no two strings would have connected to the same spot on the ball. But each Rei was still the same Rei.
It was what made the most sense to him; if anything about this war could be made to make sense. In a way, it both diminished and elevated the sacrifice of the clones. They were Rei; both a part of her and the whole. They were dead, but not dead.
It was confusing.
His eyes slowly drew upwards, catching sight of the moon in the sky, the large area he had blasted still visible. Though it had long since cooled, the now undisturbed and unmarked surface was very new and also very frightening. That attack was the very definition of overkill. For some reason, after it left his hands, it expanded outwards in a cone, until the diameter reached about half a kilometer, before it continued on as bar of energy.
The fact it had done its intended job and left nothing of the angel-fused human for him to evolve and adapt, was a bonus. The fact it had smoothed out an area on the moon large enough to be seen by the unaided eye ... that was something on its own.
Something that would make people more afraid of him.
It was already bad enough that he seemed to be the only one to generate eight wings. None had even come close to generating a second pair ... that was assuming he knew what the signs were in the first place. In the eyes of the uninitiated; those with no real clue what and who he was, it was just another sign that he was more dangerous than before.
ItÆs times like this that I really miss Sensei. I mean, he always knew ways to help whatever was bothering me.
ôI heard you broke the sword I gave you, Student.ö
ShinjiÆs eyes opened wide, slowly looking to the middle of the roof.
Before him, stood a man of near two meters in height, hair as white as snow. His grey eyes could pierce your soul with one look, but that was disarmed by his ever-present smile. Though his figure was usually obscured by a long, light coat he wore; Shinji had fought him enough times to know that the body underneath of it was strong and fast.
Despite ShinjiÆs abilities, he had never once defeated the man before him, let alone tagged him with a punch, kick, or attack.
ôSENSEI!ö screamed Shinji like a little kid, as he tackled his teacher.
Despite the joy and power in the move, the man showed no signs of having endured any of it, not even a slight movement of his form.
The smile remained, as the man hugged Shinji as well. ôI missed you as well, Student.ö
ôWhere have you been?ö asked Shinji, pulling back a bit to look at his teacher. ôWeÆve been trying to find you for months!ö
The man just patted Shinji on the head, smiling. ôNow that my Student, is a story all its own.ö
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ôSo where have you been?ö asked Misato, standing beside Senseiùshe hadnÆt been able to get his name from either Shinji or the man himselfùas Shinji performed a new kata the man had just shown him.
ôHere and there,ö he replied. ôShinji, tighten up that spin!ö
ôYes, Sensei!ö yelled the happy boy.
Misato sighed. The man was harder to get an answer out of then getting Asuka to cook. ôHe hasnÆt been this happy since his caretakers came by last month. He wonÆt let them come back now; too dangerous.ö
Sensei nodded. ôThat is his way; putting others before himself. They love each other like a real family should. Probably hurting him a lot.ö
Misato nodded, wanting to say he had a family here as well. But she knew that would just make it sound empty. ôWhy didnÆt you come sooner? We could have used your help training the other pilots.ö
ôI simply wasnÆt needed then,ö said the man, watching happily as he noticed how improved his studentÆs form was. ôNice to see you fixed that flaw, Student.ö
ôYes, Sensei!ö
ôHow would you know that?ö
ôThat his form has improved?ö
ôNo; that he didnÆt need you.ö
ôJust because I was not here in form, did not mean I was not observing him in spirit.ö
ôSome new martial arts technique?ö asked Misato in a disbelieving voice.
ôNo,ö said Sensei, ôitÆs called the news. You were broadcasting the battles, remember?ö
ôOh,ö said Misato. ôBut thatÆs still not a valid excuse forùö
ôMiss,ö interrupted Sensei, ôI cannot hold his hand every day of his life. Eventually, he will need to learn to develop on his own as well as stand on his own.ö
ôThen why come back now?ö
ôA feeling that he will need me soon.ö
ôThatÆs it?ö
ôYes, thatÆs it.ö
Shinji heard all of this, his ears picking up the conversation. And while it was nice that Sensei had so much faith in him, it would have been nice to know that his teacher was still alive. Plus, there was only so much he could teach the others on his own.
With Sensei, it was like the guy knew exactly how to teach anyone anything. For Shinji, he found it difficult to maintain the programs while detailing it for all of the pilots and the occasional Section 2 Agent who wanted to be useful and the best at his job.
Of course, that may have also been the fault of his constant trips to Intensive Care or the resulting comas and insanity.
Add to that the classes on how for the neo-humans to fly, as well as NERV, classes, and friends; he found his time was stressed too much to be an effective teacher. And if he knew one thing, it was that students often needed much in the way of personal attention from their sensei in order to truly advance.
He even wondered if perhaps there was more once again to Sensei. He had been the only person that had been a constant challenge to him before he ascended to his second form.
Was Sensei perhaps the first result of this ôevolutionary fieldö that Shinji seemed to inspire? Was Sensei able to suppress the wings as Shinji had been able to do?
But he couldnÆt help but wonder something else. He couldnÆt help but desire to know if the fact Sensei had chosen now to reappear perhaps meant something worse was on the horizon.
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Kaoru looked over towards Mayumi, the girl leaning against his side, reading one of the new books that had caught her attention. It was moments like this he found himself treasuring so much, more than anything else he had experienced to this point.
He had to wonder if it was because of both what they were and what had been planned for them by others, that seemed to form the connection of souls between them. Both were tools for SEELE, though he had yet to have definitive proof that such had been the desired fate of the young girl. But the question of who could have created the AngelÆs core that had resided in could only produce one answer.
But they were both more than that, no longer tied to either the destiny of the Two Angels.
But that was far from a perfect situation. He could still hear LilithÆs Call, and the feeling that even Adam was around further tempted him.
He knew he would be forced to answer the call, as his brethren had been. It was a SirenÆs Song that none of the Children of Adam could resist. He often wondered if Rei heard the call; being that she was as close to the First Seeds as he himself was. Perhaps even Mayumi heard it, at least on a subconscious level.
Then again, if such were true, should not the Ascended hear the call? If they didnÆt, then why did he? Was it because he had originally been an Angel, had been Tabris?
He mentally snorted at how his destiny was being controlled even now. Though he was supposed to be the being of Free Will, he found himself being forced to choose a path not of his liking, and not of his will. If he had his option, then the attack of the Seventeenth Angel would not occur.
ôYou lost in thought, Kaoru-kun?ö asked Mayumi, looking up from her book.
ôA little,ö he said. ôI find myself faced with quite a quandary.ö
ôSomething you can tell me?ö she asked, putting her book away.
He loved when she did it. Kaoru knew how much her reading meant to her, and the simple act of putting the books away, meant she valued him more. ôNo. I fear this dilemma is something I must deal with on my own. I appreciate the offer.ö
Mayumi nodded. ôJust as long as you know you can come to me with anything, at anytime.ö
He nodded; his smile still present that seemed to melt her heart. I fear that this problem may end with you forever hating me; no matter what decision I make.
As she leaned back and began to return to her book, Kaoru took in a deep breath, wanting to memorize the moment as much as he could. One way or another, he felt that his moments with such an Angel of the Heart were coming to an end, sooner than he desired.
But he found things were quickly approaching a point where denial was no longer an option.
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Kaoru sat at his desk in the school, the bell having long since rang and dismissed the student body.
Mayumi had to head to the library to retrieve some newly arrived books and put them in the system. Her after-school position in the library earned her a few yen, and allowed her to be in her own private heaven. He could remember just sitting in the library, doing his homework, and catching the look of joy on her face as she wondered around doing her work.
But today he was holding back, preparing to deposit his last testaments into the desk of his best friend as well as the woman he could openly admit to love.
It was a curious moment for him when he realized that fact. He had long seen others claim to be in love, but were merely suffering the effects of hormones. Very few could honestly be called as those lucky enough to have a connection that traversed the bonds of humanity into the realm of souls.
It made him feel ... human.
But those times were soon at an end. Looking at the sole letter in his hand, he placed it inside ShinjiÆs desk, with a note that it was to be opened when he was dead. He had no thoughts of surviving this encounter.
Turning towards MayumiÆs desk, he thought to what he had written in the letter he had placed in her desk when she had left the classroom. It had outlined his feelings as well as his reasons for doing what he was about to do. He wanted her to remember him as he was with her, and not how he was about to die.
Either way that the confrontation would turn out, she would be safe.
That was enough for him.
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ôWhere are you going?ö asked Rei, looking at the pale skinned male that had started to pass her.
ôI go where I must.ö
ReiÆs eyes narrowed. ôYou wish to challenge Shinji now?ö
KaoruÆs face replayed her own facial features. ôI would not need to nor desire to if Lilith would desist her activities.ö
Rei turned to the side, refusing to look at him again. ôI am no more responsible for her activities than you are for your own progenitors.ö
ôYet you still feel justified in passing judgment over me for what you know is beyond my control to affect.ö
Rei slowly turned back to face him. ôYour actions will affect Shinji-kun in a negative way. I cannot allow this.ö
Kaoru snorted. ôDo remember sister-dear, that it is your Mother that causes him the most harm. The All-Father has yet to make any moves for or against Shinji-kun.ö
Rei refused to answer that comment.
ôThough I suppose the fact that all of her closest children had turned against her to stand with him, as I have done against my brothers and sisters in arms, speaks more of her worth to all than anything I could do.ö
ôYou chose that path as we did.ö
ôAnd yet a path is forced on me, with no choice. Yet in your eyes, I am as guilty as if I have made that choice of my own free will.ö
Rei looked at him, sadness in her eyes. ôWhat are your intentions?ö
ôI wish to face Shinji alone and away from Eva. We will battle by ourselves, as he did with the Sixteenth. That battle alone shall determine the end. I owe him that much, even as an Angel of the White Seed.ö
ôYou wish to kill him?ö she asked, anger hinted in her voice.
ôI wish to determine which path is the correct one. If I am to be forced to choose this engagement, then it shall be done for my own reasons more so than the call of a decrepit Black Seed.ö
ôAnd if death results from that?ö she asked, her hands clenched into fists.
Kaoru shrugged. ôThe path is not mine to lay out. I am the representation of Free Will according to the scrolls.
As he walked past her, he paused for a bit, placing his hand on her shoulder. ôFor what it is worth, I do envy you. You will continue to be one of them, even if the truth of your birth is revealed. I shall not fare as fortunate, I feel.ö
As he walked on, Rei could not help but feel some pang of sorrow for the former Angel. It wasnÆt like she could wish him luck, or even try and change his mind. The Lure of the Call was engraved into him, as much a part of whom and what he was now as it had been before he ascended. Even now, he had not attacked due to his own ambivalence about such an act, his desire to remain ... human ... in the eyes of those who knew him.
ôI hope he finds what he truly desires, and not what others assume he desires,ö said Rei, before moving off.
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ôMust we do this, Kaoru?ö asked Hoshoni, standing impassively in the Eva bay.
Kaoru nodded, speaking only in thought and only so that Hoshoni could hear him, as the Eva had done. I fear that I must do this, my friend. I will not insist you help me; I understand your feelings on this.
ôI promised to stand by you always,ö said the soul of Unit 04. ôI would indeed be a poor friend if I abandoned you now, would I not?ö
Kaoru smiled sadly. I would prefer if you did not accompany me on this. I am uncertain that I may survive. If you come with me, the odds are neither of us will return from this ... attempt.
ôBe that as it may, I would still follow you. We are partners, friends in battle and in life. I shall not forsake you, even now.ö
Kaoru lowered his head, tears flowing down his face. He knew it was happening; he had cried before whenever one of his teammatesùbe they Eva, human, or JAùwas injured. For him, they were all the same thing: they were family.
Raising his head, he smiled as Hoshoni. ôCome my friend, let us begin this show.ö
With that, HoshoniÆs eyes lit up.
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Central Dogma had been full of tension lately. From what they had been told, there was only one more Angel remaining.
Of course, none of them believed it would be that easy or that simple. There very being told them that even if the Seventeenth Angel was destroyed, the mysterious backers who had assisted the Jet Alone projects, who had sent mercenaries after both Shinji and Sub Commander Fuyutsuki, who had sabotaged their power systems during an Angel attack; these forces would not simply disappear with the threat of having their planet rebooted for another species.
ôAll this worrying wonÆt help,ö said Ritsuko, handing her friend a fresh cup of coffee.
ôWe have one left,ö said Misato, ôand no idea whatÆll show up next to attack us.ö
ôNo need to lose to ourselves,ö Ritsuko said, sitting down beside Misato. ôAs things stand, weÆre in near perfect shape. Just as long as the next Angel is something we can deal with.ö
Nodding, Misato took a sip of her coffee, before she glanced up towards the Command Level, where Gendo was sitting with the Sub Commander. ôWhat do you think he has planned?ö
Ritsuko shrugged. ôBest guess, heÆs discussing the new upgrades. WeÆve been able to start synthesizing the alloy based off the anti-AT Field weaponry. With any luck, if those bastards send some more of those armored idiots to attack us, weÆll be able to cut them down.ö
ôUnless they find out a way to copy what Shinji did,ö said Misato, remembering the reports of how ShinjiÆs AT Field shifted from orange to white, reflecting the bullets away from himself.
Ritsuko was about to counter that point, when the alarms sounded.
ôUnit 04 just activated, maÆam!ö yelled Makoto.
Maya screamed. ôA virus is attacking the MAGI! Bakelite is being poured into the Eva cages!ö
ôThe JSSDF systems are locked down!ö yelled Sanada. ôWe canÆt launch the Icarus or the Goliath!ö
ôIs this an attack?ö asked Rara.
ôWhoÆs piloting Unit 04?ö yelled Misato.
ôNo one!ö yelled Maya. ôThe entry plug isnÆt even inserted. The spare Dummy Plug system is reading as offline!ö
ôBlue AT Field pattern detected inside Central Dogma!ö yelled Makoto.
ôWHAT?ö yelled Fuyutsuki, as both him and Gendo looked on.
ôMAGI have identified the pattern ... as ... as Kaoru NagisaÆs!ö came the shocked announcement of Ritsuko.
Sanada fell back into his seat. ôHeÆs an Angel!ö
Rara shook his head. ôBut ShinjiÆs vision said an Angel would side with us. Why is he attacking now?ö
Gendo sighed. So Lilith, even now, you continue to pursue your own aims. But to what ends will this lead?
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Mayumi had been walking about the park, trying to understand what KaoruÆs letter had meant. He asked her to meet him here, but he was running ten minutes late.
ôThatÆs not like Kaoru-kun,ö she whispered.
She would have been blind not to see he was changing the last week they had been together. He seemed distant at times, even suffering from nightmares when he had fallen asleep with his head in her lap, as she had read a new book.
ôWhy wonÆt you tell me what troubles you, Kaoru-kun?ö she asked no one in particular.
She knew he was in trouble. Something deep within her, in a place she had formerly associated with the pain she often felt before she ascended, told her he was in trouble.
Turning slightly, she felt a ... calling ... back towards the city, something calling to her that her boyfriend was in trouble.
ôNo,ö she whispered, as she began to run towards the feeling. She had finally found a boy who seemed perfect for her, who seemed to truly understand her, who forced away all of the loneliness she had ever felt.
And she would not give that or him up without a fight. She knew she wasnÆt as strong as him. He had faced Angels. She had never done that.
But for him, for her heart, for their love; she would fight harder than she could have ever done before.
She was quite lucky no one else was in that part of the park as she took off to the skies. As such, they would have seen a small trail of shadows appear to be forming around her legs.
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ôHeÆs past the fourth defensive layer and still descending!ö yelled Makoto.
ôWe canÆt cut the power to the linear carriage!ö yelled Sanada.
ôEvacuate all personnel!ö yelled Fuyutsuki. ôSeal all bulkheads and shutters in Central Dogma! We have to buy ourselves as much time as we can!ö
As they performed his instructions, he fell back a bit. ôIs this part of SEELEÆs plan?ö he asked.
Gendo nodded. ôIt would appear that he is either still in their sway, or Lilith has found a way to overcome his wishes.ö
Kozo looked upon the man. ôAre you saying he might not be under his own control?ö
ôThe prophecy of my son has been too specific for this to be the will of the Fifth Child. Given what Section 2 has reported on his relationship with the suspected sleeper agent that we believe the old men have sent; we must assume that Kaoru is not doing this of his free will.ö
Kozo nodded. ôStill doesnÆt sit right; the Angel of Free Will being controlled.ö
Gendo nodded. ôThere is another possibility,ö he said, motioning to his console that always displayed the Eva cage of Unit 01.
It was the lone Eva not currently sealed in Bakelite. ôI believe he wishes to fight Shinji. He is inviting him to stop his acts.ö
ôLetÆs hope to God that he can.ö
Gendo snorted. ôI would rather trust Man than God.ö
ôOr in this case, your son?ö
Gendo nodded.
Kozo couldnÆt help but smile. ItÆs about time you acted the part you used to, Ikari.
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Shinji ran as fast as he could to his Eva, hoping he wasnÆt too late.
ôWhy, Kaoru?ö he kept muttering.
Was he possessed? Was it planned all along?
Was he being forced?
ôIÆll have my answers, one way or another.ö
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ôTarget has made it past the fourteenth barrier!ö yelled Makoto.
ôWhere is Unit 01?ö yelled Misato.
ôOn his way,ö said Sensei, walking into the room.
Misato whirled to face the man. ôDid you know this was going to happen?ö
Sensei shook his head. ôI had a feeling that I would be needed to restore the inner light of my student. If I have done my job, then we have nothing to worry about.ö
ôAnd if not?ö asked Ritsuko.
The man closed his eyes. ôThen humanity in its unascended form will end today.ö
ôUnit 01 has reached the Fourth Layer!ö yelled Makoto. ôItÆs about to reach the target!ö
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Kaoru looked up, spotting the descending form of Unit 01 above him. Smiling, he glanced towards where he knew the internal cameras would see him the best. ôI have been waiting for you, Shinji-kun.ö
ôKAORU-KUN!ö came the yell from the loud speakers built inside the purple EVA, as it reached them.
Hoshoni snapped towards them, the two mecha testing each otherÆs strength, hands locked.
ôWhy are you helping him?ö yelled Yui.
ôI will not forsake my friends, no matter the paths they may take!ö
ôThen I am sorry,ö said Yui, as both she and Hoshoni withdrew their Progressive Knives.
Kaoru looked on as the two battled, wondering what would happen to his friend once this was done. His betrayal could be explained. If he failed, he doubted very much he would be around for them to punish.
Hoshoni could very well be left for dead. At the very least, the Eva might be forever sealed away somewhere as punishment for going against the wills of their Masters.
ôKaoru, stop! Why are you doing this?ö yelled Shinji.
Kaoru shook his head. ôThe Call is beyond the means of any Angel to resist, Shinji-kun,ö he calmly replied. ôI thank you for ascending me. It is because of that, that I have been able to resist the Call for so long.
ôEven though I know it is not Adam who reaches out to me, but Lilith, I still must answer it.ö
ôI donÆt understand!ö yelled Shinji, as the two knives pushed against one another.
Kaoru shook his head. I wish I did, Shinji-kun.
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Misato leaned over MakotoÆs shoulder. ôIf Shinji fails, if his signal is terminated, or any other changes occur...ö
ôI know,ö said Makoto. ôI have the Self-Destruct program all ready. But I still have faith in that kid.ö
ôTheyÆre entering Terminal Dogma!ö yelled Maya.
ôThis is bad,ö said Ritsuko. ôThe shielding in that place will cut us off from talking to them.ö
ôThen how the hell will we know if Shinji loses?ö asked Rara, not wanting to be dead if someone got fearful of the unknown battle and tried to end his life. ôI donÆt wanna die! I finally got my credit score up!ö
Sensei looked over at the bald and stocky man. ôIf he fails, we will all know.ö
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As the two units slammed into the barren landscape under the portal, they slowly rose, continuing to strike at each other.
ôI wish we could have parted on better terms, Shinji-kun,ö said Kaoru, looking at the battle, before he turned away, deciding to walk the rest of the way. ôBut I fear this is where we part.ö
ôOne problem with that,ö said Shinji.
Kaoru turned around to the voice, only to receive a fist to the jaw, sending him through several of the massive pillars.
ôYou assumed I was inside 01,ö said Shinji, cracking his knuckles, his eight wings deployed. ôMother is just as strong as Hoshoni. She doesnÆt need me to pilot her.ö
Almost as if an unseen signal had been given, the two Evangelions released their own wings. But without Shinji, Unit 01 was forced to rely only on its own two.
Kaoru slowly raised himself up from the rocks, his AT Field sending them off of himself. ôA brilliant move, Shinji-kun.ö
ôI donÆt understand, Kaoru,ö said Shinji, walking towards the new Angel. ôWhat is the purpose of this. You just admitted you are heading to Lilith. Why?ö
Smiling, the Fifth Child dusted his shirt off. ôNormally, I would be going there because I would assume it was Adam calling out for me. But I know what really awaits me there.ö
ôThen why?ö
ôBecause I will kill her,ö said Kaoru. ôShe is an enemy of Adam, for what reasons, I cannot say because I do not know. But with her gone, humanity will either die or be ascended by you. Either way, her attacks on you, on all of us, will end. This senseless war will end as well.ö
ôYou expect me to believe this is all for me? For humanity?ö
ôMy reasons are of little comfort to either of us,ö said Kaoru, slipping into a stance Shinji had taught him. ôThe truth of the matter is that I can no longer ignore LilithÆs call. So I will try and justify it as best as I can.ö
He looked towards Shinji, tears in his eyes. ôNo matter what occurs now, Shinji-kun, promise me that you will try and not blame me for this. I truly was happy to be ... human. But this battle cannot be put off, and must occur. Even with Free Will, there are things even we cannot interfere with.ö
ôIf thatÆs what it takes,ö said Shinji. ôThen IÆll just have to knock your ass out and drag you to your senses, kicking and screaming.ö With that, the Grey Seed darted forward with as much speed as he could, intent on knocking out his friend before matters became worse.
But they did, as Kaoru caught ShinjiÆs strike with a minimum of effort. ôJust so you know, Shinji-kun, I am as strong in this form as you are in that form. I was long manipulating the light of my soul before you understood what it even was.ö
With that, Kaoru returned ShinjiÆs earlier attack, sending him towards HeavenÆs Gate. ôI face you now as an equal, Shinji-kun. This should be an excellent fight.ö
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ôAnother AT Field has been detected!ö yelled out Shigeru.
ôWhat now?ö yelled Misato.
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Mayumi tore through the doors that tried to hold her back from her love. She didnÆt know where she was, as Kaoru had never taken her to these parts of NERV.
But she did know that the feeling that Kaoru was in danger increased as she went further into NERV.
She didnÆt question what this feeling was, or how she seemed to be able to get to him through what she had been told was the best security available.
All she knew was that someone dear to her heart was in danger.
And nothing would stand in her way.
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ôWhat is that girl doing?ö yelled Misato.
ôIsnÆt it obvious,ö said Sensei. Seeing their looks, he elaborated. ôShe is going to protect her love. Quite likely, it will be from himself.ö
ôThe MAGI have classified her as the Eighteenth Angel!ö yelled Ritsuko.
ôWhere are you, Kaoru?ö came the security feed of Mayumi.
ôWe might be in luck,ö said Sanada. ôI think sheÆs not hearing the call.ö
ôItÆs possible only one Angel can hear it at a time,ö said Rara.
ôWhat happens if he comes into contact with Lilith?ö asked Misato.
Ritsuko shook her head. ôMisato, the two are incompatible. He wonÆt merge with Lilith, heÆll kill her. Without Lilith, no normal human can survive. And ShinjiÆs nowhere near strong enough to ascend the entire planet.ö
ôThe Angels would win by default,ö said Fuyutsuki. ôFor now, we need her alive.ö
Misato nodded. Of course, that made the self destruct a bad idea. But if Kaoru made a move that Adam was his next target, she might not have a choice. I just hope enough people survive to spread out. Shinji might not be around to evolve everyone, but we could save as many as we can.
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While the two titans continued to battle on the barren landscape of Terminal Dogma, the two Children continued to fight as hard as they could, several large dents and tears on the door separating LilithÆs Chamber from Terminal Dogma testified to the strength they were fighting at.
The two were not holding back, strikes flying at speeds unseen by human eyes, shock waves from missed strikes tearing across the landscape. Already several craters and gouges dotted the hallway.
But the fight was still as intense as before, both men looking for an opening to exploit.
While Shinji had trained in combat and martial arts for years, Kaoru had the advantage of his heritage. When SEELE had decided to send him early, he had studied what information they had had on the young Ikari. Even to the point where Kaoru had watched several fighting style practiced. Add to that the piloting and information placed into the Commonality by the Thirteenth Angel, and you had a very well-prepared boy.
Of course, that also included what he could see on television. As he thrust his hands forward, cupping them as if to strike, Shinji moved to deflect the attack.
It was the opening the Angel had been waiting for. Concentrating his AT Field into his hands, he allowed it to surge forward, launching Shinji not only through the battered doors of HeavenÆs Gate, but across the LCL pond inside LilithÆ Domain, and into a small battleship that had been set up there for some odd reason or another.
Smirking, Kaoru floated over the threshold, the doors now laying on their sides. As he wiped some blood from his mouth, he tried to smirk, not showing how much damage he had already received from their fight. ôI do hope you have more than that, Shinji-kun.ö
His response was the LCL below him to surge upward slight, as Shinji flew from it, delivering a shot to the gut, followed by a spin kick that sent Kaoru into the wall surrounding the room. ôI wonÆt lose to something like this, Kaoru.ö
The Angel slowly pulled himself back to standing, coughing a bit. Noticing the small amount of blood now on the hand that had covered his mouth during the cough, he smiled once again. ôI will say this for the Grey; if nothing else, we shall really know what the better path for the development of all is.ö
With that said, the battle was joined once more.
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Rei continued to follow Mayumi as she made her way to an access tunnel for Terminal Dogma. The other pilots had not yet decided to try and engaged Kaoru.
Of course, that may have been more due to the fact they were isolated and locked up, separated from the facility and thus unable to engage in hand-to-hand combat with Kaoru.
It had taken a lot of work, but even she knew it had to be done this way. The others would only have interfered with the battle, and maybe have been killed. If so, then Shinji may fall into an unending rage, and the last hope for humanity would be destroyed.
No, this was a battle the two would have to work out on their own.
Truthfully, she did hope it ended without a death from either person. Though she may have no love for the former Angel, it did not mean she would not miss him. He was a comrade, and perhaps even the only true family she had on this world.
Cousin. She had a damn cousin that she was being forced to fight.
It did sadden her that in the end, she might not have anything, friends, family, and purpose.
But it would be for the best now. Shinji would face Kaoru, and the two would settle the fact of whether the Path of Grey was the correct one not only for them, but all humanity as well.
She paused for a bit, looking at the one agent who had been foolish enough to get between Mayumi and her search for her love. ôBe glad she did not kill you. I would have thought you would have learned that getting between two beings in love was a bad idea.ö
As she walked on, the lone agent finally got the air back into his lungs, which had previously been thrown out by the shadowy figure that had tossed him like a rag doll. æSign up for NERVÆ he said. æItÆs much safer than New LAÆ he said. Damn you, Riggs. ôIÆm getting too old for this shit,ö mumbled the elderly black man, a fresh transfer from NERVÆs Second US branch.
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By now, the two ascended beings were rapidly trading, blocking, and receiving blows. The Lair showed many signs of the size of their battle. The former ship that had been placed within the underground LCL lake now at the bottom. Many of the walls were cracked, if not sporting large gouges and holes in them. The former armor plated doors that had once been designed to take several N2 blasts at point blank range before failing, now resided torn, warped, and embedded in the walls as well when the two had used them as projectiles.
ôKAORU!ö screamed Shinji, his fist pulled back for a strike.
ôSHINJI!ö screamed the last Angel, as he reciprocated the act.
As the two fists met their intended targets; the otherÆs face, a shock wave was produced, sending LCL tsunamiÆs around the room.
The two looked each other in the eye, blue meeting red, as they flew apart, dashing back to resume their assaults. They rarely spoke to each other, choosing to let their battle do the speaking for them.
Normally, Kaoru would still be at a disadvantage. Shinji had more skill and experience than Kaoru, even if the Angel was the now sole user of the data within the Commonality of the Angels. But there was something to said for being the original. But KaoruÆs little AT Surge trick did give him the needed edge to hang in there against Shinji.
But he could sense something coming from the Grey Seed, something powerful, which was growing stronger.
He had seen it before, if only at a glimpse, as Shinji had fought the Sixteenth. There were even some records before, showing that Shinji had to be tapping into the same primal forces that the Seeds and their children drew their power from.
He was certain that Shinji was starting to tap into it, his eyes slowly changing to red, his hair going full white.
If he can do this, then he will be proven an Angel, a Seed.
As ShinjiÆs power levels began to sky-rocket, Kaoru almost smiled. His dreams and faith were being proven.
Now, he could die happily.
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Hoshoni found himself in a worse position than his partner. While in theory, the two Evas were evenly matched, that was before Unit 01 had absorbed Shinji.
More importantly, that was before Unit 01 had been in direct contact with the soul of the Grey Seed. The very direct contact had allowed the EvaÆs power to grow. If it had kept the soul inside of it, it would have been a God.
Well, Goddess, actually.
But that was beside the point. The point was that it was stronger and faster than Unit 04 could ever hope to be, unless it too allowed its soul to come into direct contact with the soul of a Seed.
As such, the white unit sported more wounds than the purple counterpart. ôGive up now, Hoshoni!ö yelled Yui. ôI donÆt want to destroy you over this petty fight.ö
ôI could no more give up on Kaoru than you could on your son,ö came the gentle reply from the white unit. ôI will not stop, until I am asked to by my partner. Please understand that. It is who I am at my core.ö
Yui sighed, resigning herself to the fact that she would be forced to perhaps end the existence of Hoshoni in order to stop Kaoru. She knew the longer the fight dragged out, the longer the S2 organs would have to regenerate damage. Sure, a quick fight would always overcome the ability. But the longer it dragged out, the more time the opponent had to regenerate any damage.
As she prepared to make one last strike to immobilize the giant mecha so she could go after her son, she failed to notice two forms exit the opening in the ceiling.
One was the partially transformed Mayumi, her body covered in shadows. The other was the curious Rei, following to see what would occur, planning to intervene when necessary.
And she did not find it necessary to step in as Mayumi blew through the fighting Evas, sending them tumbling along the ground.
Rei simply glided past them, at a slower pace than Mayumi had gone, as she looked at the two injured and nearly unconscious Evangelions. ôSorry, but I must be going. Carry on.ö
Yui could only turn her head partially at the floating First Child. I swear, she has my motherÆs sense of humor. That is the only thing that makes sense.
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Kaoru coughed up a small amount of blood as ShinjiÆs punch struck him hard in the gut.
By now, Shinji had once again entered his Seed Mode. His hair was now fully white, his eyes as red as ReiÆs or KaoruÆs. And though his wings remained the sameùtorn between black on one side and white on the otherùhe had not lost his determination, as he continued to pummel the challenger before him.
Soon, the Angelic boy was struck hard enough to send him to the solid ground against the walls of the Lair, a small pit forming from the impact.
Shinji looked with sadness down upon his friend. He knew Kaoru would not stop, even if Shinji beat him to a pulp. It would take Mayumi or a miracle to stop the boy at this point.
And Shinji knew he didnÆt have the time to find the Fifth ChildÆs girlfriend.
Gathering a small amount of energy in his hand, he prepared to finish Kaoru. With luck, the time it would take Kaoru to regenerate would be enough to find Mayumi and get the grey-haired lug to stop this foolish maneuver. That of course would be followed by knocking Lilith around until she stopped ôtemptingö Kaoru with the call.
Worst case: he was about to end the life of one of his best friends.
Sadly for him, that was when a blurry black tail struck him across the front hard, sending him careening into the wall behind him, producing a sizable impact crater.
ôOwie.ö
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Kaoru slowly opened his eyes, expecting to see whatever awaited all sentient beings that left the supposed mortal coil.
What he saw was a true angel in his eyes. ôM-Mayumi?ö he coughed out, his body battered from ShinjiÆs attack.
The girl smiled, tears falling from her eyes, which had turned completely black. ôYes, my love, it is I.ö
Kaoru slowly looked down her frame, seeing what else may have changed, and wondering exactly how Mayumi had made it down into Terminal Dogma.
He found his answer.
While her physical body was the same, below her waist appeared a near-solid black shadow, resembling more what one would expect from a Naga. Even now, it had coiled protectively around him, supporting him from further injuring himself.
ôThe ... the angelÆs core. This is what effect it had?ö he asked.
Mayumi nodded. ôWe are still ... uncertain of what and who we are. But we know what we desire, and that is your continued existence.ö
Kaoru could only smile. For the moment, it was Heaven, and he did not want to let go.
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Shinji slowly pulled himself from the wall, having come to soon enough to see and hear the conversation between the converted Angels. ôDonÆt see that everyday.ö
He would normally have found it very touching ... had not the neo-Angel girlfriend batted him into the wall with her tail. ôWould it have been so damn hard for her to have showed up and asked us to stop fighting? No, she had to smack me into the wall like dart.ö
Shaking his head as he tried to gain some form of mobility, he turned towards the massive figure of Lilith. Ever so slowly, as Mayumi was busy fussing over her boyfriend, he floated before the Second Angel, the Black Seed of Individuality. ôIt ends now, Lilith. The war ends here. You will no longer send out the call; the last of the Angels has been defeated,ö he said, deciding he could call it a win. After all, it wasnÆt like Mayumi had any interest in the war.
I will be victorious. This world has been mine before your species even had the faintest hints of a beginning. Neither you nor Adam and his servants will change that.
ôBit of an ego you have there,ö said Shinji with a smirk. ôTell you what, you silence this Call, and I wonÆt spend the rest of my energy seeing if I can silence you ... permanently.ö
To do so would doom the rest of humanity to a singular death. Is that what you wish?
He shook his head. ôIÆm willing to bet that IÆll be able to ascend all of humanity before that ever becomes a problem. At this point, your life is simply a luxury; one we can easily do without.
ôOf course, if you need more motivation,ö said Shinji, touching the Lance that protruded from her chest, ôthen I can grant that as well.ö With that said, he concentrated, sending energy into the Lance as he had done with his former sword. While his levels were nowhere near strong enough to make it another focus for an Armageddon Cannon, it was enough to make his point.
The scream of the Second Angel rang out across Terminal Dogma, its head whipped from side to side as it tried to fight the pain it felt.
ôShinji?ö
Stopping the assault, he turned to see Rei behind him, floating as he had been. ôYes?ö
ôI can stop the Call.ö
ôHow exactly?ö
Rei lowered her head. ôAs Kaoru is a child of Adam, so to am I a child of Lilith.ö
ShinjiÆs eyes narrowed. ôDoes that mean you wish to fight me as well?ö
ôNo,ö she said. ôIf anything, I am the Child of Black that has sided with you, as Kaoru is the Child of White that turned against his kin.ö
Shinji nodded, trusting Rei. Even after all that had occurred, he could trust Kaoru. It would be hypocritical not to extend to Rei the same courtesy. ôThen how do you plan to silence her without killing her?ö he asked, doubting Lilith would allow such a thing.
He was still half tempted to finish Lilith off now. He had no idea why she hadnÆt simply attacked him again, now recalling where those seven eyes had once been. Shinji vividly recalled the red forest where she had attacked him, and even the attack beyond that point. Why she was not doing so now, even at this range, was a mystery to him.
Rei floated towards the mask, placing her hand on the center of it, and closed her eyes.
I will win, traitorous daughter. It will only be a matter of time.
ôThat may be so,ö said Rei. ôBut that time is not today. Eventually, humanity will be beyond even the controls and tamperings of you and Adam. And on that day, you will be judged for how you have acted in this battle for control over one world.
ôBut for now, you will be silent!ö she rose to a yell, as her hand seemed to glow.
For a moment, LilithÆs scream was heard, before it seemed to fade into echoes.
Smiling, Shinji turned from her towards the others.
ôWhat will become of them?ö asked Rei.
Shinji shook his head. ôIÆm not certain. Confinement is almost certain after all of this. But I think his past actions and LilithÆs Call will work in his favor.ö
ôThat is good,ö said Rei. ôI do not wish to see him or Mayumi terminated. They seem ... human.ö
ôMore then that, Rei,ö said Shinji. ôThey seem happy.ö
Nodding, Rei placed her arm around ShinjiÆs waist.
ôAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!ö
Too bad some of his ribs were still broken.
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Sensei looked upon the monitors, observing the images they showed.
One was of a worn Shinji, floating in his regeneration tubeùit now even had a plaque as a joke and gift from the workers of NERV stating it was ôShinjiÆs Lovely Suite, Economy Editionöùas the girls in his life and other friends took turns watching over him.
The other showed the beaten and bruised form of Kaoru, no longer under guard due to GendoÆs orders and ShinjiÆs request. The battle was over, the fate decided, and Kaoru could no longer hear the call of Lilith or feel the presence of Adam.
ôWhat strange battles we find ourselves in, where brothers in arms must fight to decide the true path meant for them.ö
Shaking his head, he turned back to his room, glad that they had learned not to bug it this time, or observe him in other ways. Despite everything, they were still curious as to how he had been able to elude them all this time in their attempts to find him.
He shook his head, removing his outfit. ôWhat fools these mortals be; assuming that a secret is easily made public.ö
The outfit slid down, revealing his bare back.
On it was a large tattoo: a giant of light.
Free Will versus Destiny
Disclaimer: I donÆt own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.
I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave. If you find any, let me know, and I will correct them and repost the chapters.
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Kaoru looked over the landscape, having spent most of the evening sitting there in the park, holding the sleeping form of the woman who had come to mean so much to him.
He didnÆt look at her now. He had made the mistake of doing that several times, only to quickly turn back as his heartache began to grow worse.
Pain of the heart was nothing new to him. After all, he was the Angel who had spent the most time among the lilim, understanding them in ways none of his siblings could. He had seen them at their best and at their worst; the latter having more to do with his former caretakers than where he was now.
He was happy.
He felt complete.
And he was going to have to give it all up.
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I understand them more as time progresses, as I progress.
That is not to say I understand it all; a fact I am certain even Lilith would never make. They seem to be a species built on contradictions, both of the laws they live by outside of themselves, and the laws that they themselves make upon their own souls.
I have asked as well as debated this subject with Shinji-kun. During our conversations, I have learned much about the so-called ôhuman conditionö. It is a debate that I am quite certain I would never finish, despite what the theorized life expectancy of an ascended is.
Love? Hate? Anger? Joy? Passion? Angst?
To one such as me, these terms were as alien to me as the Commonality is to the lilim ... at first.
But being here among them, piloting beside them against my brethren, my bonding with Hoshoni, and my relationship with Mayumi Yamagishi; each has changed my opinions of the species, revising them constantly, as new data became available.
I know it would seem ôcoldö to them to view this all as an experiment. And do not misunderstand me, I see them as worthy heirs to this world ... at least those that I know now. I am not foolish enough to forget the petty desires of the lilim group known as SEELE.
But the souls I have come to know here in Tokyo-3 are quite worthy, and I admit with no hesitation that should they have their existences ended, I would miss them.
I have recently become aware of a saying, ôA leopard cannot change its spots.ö It was after I watched a show with Kensuke-kun, about a star trek in some quadrant. It had a tale about a scorpion saying it couldnÆt change what was in its nature.
I do believe people can grow beyond their nature. I myself have done so. My nature demands I find and merge with the All-Father.
But I have suppressed the nature, even the strange hatred I seem to have for Lilith. After all, if I am to hate her, should I not know why I do so?
It is strange to me, this hatred between Adam and Lilith. This is also something I have spent many hours debating with Shinji about. If what he says is true, and both were created by the same race, then does that not make them siblings? Should we not act like family, or are there events between the two Seeds that we children are not made aware of?
This is what this war could be seen as: children fighting for the love of a parent. Which one of us is the favorite.
Is that all we are: pawns for them to use in their battles against each other? Do they even know why they have such hatred?
But those thoughts seem far from me as I stare at MayumiÆs sleeping form. I feel the pain still, but I want to remember her.
I hope the others donÆt tell her what really happens to me. If I succeed, she will survive, and I find that is what matters most. Without that fact, I am uncertain I could follow the path laid before me.
But she will be safe. Whether I kill Lilith or join with Adam, she is already beyond their grasps for remaking the world.
This is the infamous lose-lose situation I have heard discussed.
I can only hope that if Mayumi ever hears of what I must do, that she can somehow understand, and even forgive me.
The sad thing is ... I am not certain I can forgive myself.
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A lone man walked towards Tokyo-3 via the road, smiling as he went along. Nature was his true home, even before he felt the calling of the duty he now performed.
Smiling, he looked over what he could see of the city from the road-side, enjoying the conflicting beauty between nature and science.
ôSo this is where you have fought, my student,ö he said, smiling.
His attention was caught by a passing bird, which seemed to glide to him, landing on his arm.
ôBe well, my student,ö said the man. ôFor your greatest test is at hand.ö
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ôHeÆs been like that for days,ö muttered Asuka, staring at the roofs of the junior high, seeing Shinji sitting on it, staring into the sky.
ôThat sword must have really meant a lot to him,ö said Toji, looking up, before returning to the meal Hikari had brought him.
ôWas there a story behind it?ö asked the Class Rep.
Rei nodded. ôIt was a gift from his most influential sensei. It was all Shinji had of him, other than the training.ö
ôSo with it broken,ö said Mana, ôhe had lost that last connection.ö
Rei nodded. ôAt this time, NERV has been unable to locate the man. He was supposed to train us, in the hopes it would allow us to be better pilots.ö
ôThey think heÆs dead?ö asked Hikari.
ôIt is a possibility,ö said Rei. ôFor him to avoid detection for this long would lend credence to such a hypothesis.ö
Hikari nodded, a bit fearful that Rei had sounded like her old self, the self before ShinjiÆs arrival.
ôHey,ö said Kensuke. ôWhereÆs Kaoru and Mayumi?ö
Asuka snorted. ôThe happy couple wanted to eat by themselves today.ö
ôNothing wrong with that,ö said Toji. ôBut I wonder whatÆs up with him. I mean, heÆs been distancing himself from us.ö
ôPerhaps heÆs afraid of the last Angel,ö said Mana. ôI mean, what happens to us when we defeat it? What happens to the Evas and the JAs?ö
ôIt is unknown,ö said Rei. ôBut at this time, it is doubtful that either Commander Ikari of the JSSDF would order their destruction. Popularity of them has made such a decision a bad PR action.ö
The others looked at her as if she had gone mad.
ôWhat the fuck is wrong with you, Wondergirl?ö asked Asuka. ôYou sound like the damned doll I thought you were when I came here.ö
ôWhen Shinji was cured, I ... I am uncertain. But I fear it may have ... done something to me,ö said Rei, only the barest amounts of fear were entering her voice.
It wasnÆt that she believed his knowledge of her pastùof what and who she wasùwas affecting him. He knew that she was no more Yui Ikari: the progenitor of zero-point-one-one percent of her DNA, than Gendo Ikari was. She may have the womanÆs appearance, but she was not Yui. She was Rei Ayanami and no one else.
It was more a combination of things. Her past, the secrets of his dreams, and the loss of his senseiÆs gift all added to his weight and burden. It is not the straw that breaks the camelÆs back, but the collection of hay he is forced to carry that does. ôIn the last few days, many facts have become known to him that are influencing how he will interface with reality.ö
ôYou mean our pains,ö said Asuka, not wanting to admit her own unintentional part in the whole affair.
Rei nodded. ôHowever it occurred, the result has changed him, even if the threads of those memories do not encase his soul with the force they had before.ö
ôThat sucks,ö said Toji. ôI mean, it ainÆt like we wanted them, but it wasnÆt like we wanted to share them with him ... not like that.ö
Rei nodded. ôIt does not change what has occurred.ö
ôShould we talk to him about it?ö asked Hikari. ôI mean, who better to help him with those memories than the ones they belonged to.ö
ôIt will not be that simple,ö said Rei, looking up towards Shinji. ôIt depends mostly on the patientÆs desire to talk, and he is far from that at the moment.ö
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Shinji stared at the cloudless sky, his lunch long since eaten.
While he may have finished the food quicklyùa meal prepared by a worried Reiùit did little to quiet his mind.
His heart was still in pain from the loss of the clones. He could tell they were different from each other, no more an exact copy than what one got from a copier. While each had ties to the one soul they seemed to share, those ties differed.
To understand, one had to think of a soul as a ball. No matter how you turn it, it is still the same ball. But with the clones, those turns changed the ôangleö at which the soul was perceived.
Following that, one would then use the analogy to view each Rei as ôconnectedö to this ball via a string; each string would be connected to a different part of the ballÆs surface.
With that, each Rei would still be the same soul. But the parts they are connected to would ôinfluenceö how that particular Rei would be perceived.
Each Rei would have been unique, since no two strings would have connected to the same spot on the ball. But each Rei was still the same Rei.
It was what made the most sense to him; if anything about this war could be made to make sense. In a way, it both diminished and elevated the sacrifice of the clones. They were Rei; both a part of her and the whole. They were dead, but not dead.
It was confusing.
His eyes slowly drew upwards, catching sight of the moon in the sky, the large area he had blasted still visible. Though it had long since cooled, the now undisturbed and unmarked surface was very new and also very frightening. That attack was the very definition of overkill. For some reason, after it left his hands, it expanded outwards in a cone, until the diameter reached about half a kilometer, before it continued on as bar of energy.
The fact it had done its intended job and left nothing of the angel-fused human for him to evolve and adapt, was a bonus. The fact it had smoothed out an area on the moon large enough to be seen by the unaided eye ... that was something on its own.
Something that would make people more afraid of him.
It was already bad enough that he seemed to be the only one to generate eight wings. None had even come close to generating a second pair ... that was assuming he knew what the signs were in the first place. In the eyes of the uninitiated; those with no real clue what and who he was, it was just another sign that he was more dangerous than before.
ItÆs times like this that I really miss Sensei. I mean, he always knew ways to help whatever was bothering me.
ôI heard you broke the sword I gave you, Student.ö
ShinjiÆs eyes opened wide, slowly looking to the middle of the roof.
Before him, stood a man of near two meters in height, hair as white as snow. His grey eyes could pierce your soul with one look, but that was disarmed by his ever-present smile. Though his figure was usually obscured by a long, light coat he wore; Shinji had fought him enough times to know that the body underneath of it was strong and fast.
Despite ShinjiÆs abilities, he had never once defeated the man before him, let alone tagged him with a punch, kick, or attack.
ôSENSEI!ö screamed Shinji like a little kid, as he tackled his teacher.
Despite the joy and power in the move, the man showed no signs of having endured any of it, not even a slight movement of his form.
The smile remained, as the man hugged Shinji as well. ôI missed you as well, Student.ö
ôWhere have you been?ö asked Shinji, pulling back a bit to look at his teacher. ôWeÆve been trying to find you for months!ö
The man just patted Shinji on the head, smiling. ôNow that my Student, is a story all its own.ö
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ôSo where have you been?ö asked Misato, standing beside Senseiùshe hadnÆt been able to get his name from either Shinji or the man himselfùas Shinji performed a new kata the man had just shown him.
ôHere and there,ö he replied. ôShinji, tighten up that spin!ö
ôYes, Sensei!ö yelled the happy boy.
Misato sighed. The man was harder to get an answer out of then getting Asuka to cook. ôHe hasnÆt been this happy since his caretakers came by last month. He wonÆt let them come back now; too dangerous.ö
Sensei nodded. ôThat is his way; putting others before himself. They love each other like a real family should. Probably hurting him a lot.ö
Misato nodded, wanting to say he had a family here as well. But she knew that would just make it sound empty. ôWhy didnÆt you come sooner? We could have used your help training the other pilots.ö
ôI simply wasnÆt needed then,ö said the man, watching happily as he noticed how improved his studentÆs form was. ôNice to see you fixed that flaw, Student.ö
ôYes, Sensei!ö
ôHow would you know that?ö
ôThat his form has improved?ö
ôNo; that he didnÆt need you.ö
ôJust because I was not here in form, did not mean I was not observing him in spirit.ö
ôSome new martial arts technique?ö asked Misato in a disbelieving voice.
ôNo,ö said Sensei, ôitÆs called the news. You were broadcasting the battles, remember?ö
ôOh,ö said Misato. ôBut thatÆs still not a valid excuse forùö
ôMiss,ö interrupted Sensei, ôI cannot hold his hand every day of his life. Eventually, he will need to learn to develop on his own as well as stand on his own.ö
ôThen why come back now?ö
ôA feeling that he will need me soon.ö
ôThatÆs it?ö
ôYes, thatÆs it.ö
Shinji heard all of this, his ears picking up the conversation. And while it was nice that Sensei had so much faith in him, it would have been nice to know that his teacher was still alive. Plus, there was only so much he could teach the others on his own.
With Sensei, it was like the guy knew exactly how to teach anyone anything. For Shinji, he found it difficult to maintain the programs while detailing it for all of the pilots and the occasional Section 2 Agent who wanted to be useful and the best at his job.
Of course, that may have also been the fault of his constant trips to Intensive Care or the resulting comas and insanity.
Add to that the classes on how for the neo-humans to fly, as well as NERV, classes, and friends; he found his time was stressed too much to be an effective teacher. And if he knew one thing, it was that students often needed much in the way of personal attention from their sensei in order to truly advance.
He even wondered if perhaps there was more once again to Sensei. He had been the only person that had been a constant challenge to him before he ascended to his second form.
Was Sensei perhaps the first result of this ôevolutionary fieldö that Shinji seemed to inspire? Was Sensei able to suppress the wings as Shinji had been able to do?
But he couldnÆt help but wonder something else. He couldnÆt help but desire to know if the fact Sensei had chosen now to reappear perhaps meant something worse was on the horizon.
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Kaoru looked over towards Mayumi, the girl leaning against his side, reading one of the new books that had caught her attention. It was moments like this he found himself treasuring so much, more than anything else he had experienced to this point.
He had to wonder if it was because of both what they were and what had been planned for them by others, that seemed to form the connection of souls between them. Both were tools for SEELE, though he had yet to have definitive proof that such had been the desired fate of the young girl. But the question of who could have created the AngelÆs core that had resided in could only produce one answer.
But they were both more than that, no longer tied to either the destiny of the Two Angels.
But that was far from a perfect situation. He could still hear LilithÆs Call, and the feeling that even Adam was around further tempted him.
He knew he would be forced to answer the call, as his brethren had been. It was a SirenÆs Song that none of the Children of Adam could resist. He often wondered if Rei heard the call; being that she was as close to the First Seeds as he himself was. Perhaps even Mayumi heard it, at least on a subconscious level.
Then again, if such were true, should not the Ascended hear the call? If they didnÆt, then why did he? Was it because he had originally been an Angel, had been Tabris?
He mentally snorted at how his destiny was being controlled even now. Though he was supposed to be the being of Free Will, he found himself being forced to choose a path not of his liking, and not of his will. If he had his option, then the attack of the Seventeenth Angel would not occur.
ôYou lost in thought, Kaoru-kun?ö asked Mayumi, looking up from her book.
ôA little,ö he said. ôI find myself faced with quite a quandary.ö
ôSomething you can tell me?ö she asked, putting her book away.
He loved when she did it. Kaoru knew how much her reading meant to her, and the simple act of putting the books away, meant she valued him more. ôNo. I fear this dilemma is something I must deal with on my own. I appreciate the offer.ö
Mayumi nodded. ôJust as long as you know you can come to me with anything, at anytime.ö
He nodded; his smile still present that seemed to melt her heart. I fear that this problem may end with you forever hating me; no matter what decision I make.
As she leaned back and began to return to her book, Kaoru took in a deep breath, wanting to memorize the moment as much as he could. One way or another, he felt that his moments with such an Angel of the Heart were coming to an end, sooner than he desired.
But he found things were quickly approaching a point where denial was no longer an option.
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Kaoru sat at his desk in the school, the bell having long since rang and dismissed the student body.
Mayumi had to head to the library to retrieve some newly arrived books and put them in the system. Her after-school position in the library earned her a few yen, and allowed her to be in her own private heaven. He could remember just sitting in the library, doing his homework, and catching the look of joy on her face as she wondered around doing her work.
But today he was holding back, preparing to deposit his last testaments into the desk of his best friend as well as the woman he could openly admit to love.
It was a curious moment for him when he realized that fact. He had long seen others claim to be in love, but were merely suffering the effects of hormones. Very few could honestly be called as those lucky enough to have a connection that traversed the bonds of humanity into the realm of souls.
It made him feel ... human.
But those times were soon at an end. Looking at the sole letter in his hand, he placed it inside ShinjiÆs desk, with a note that it was to be opened when he was dead. He had no thoughts of surviving this encounter.
Turning towards MayumiÆs desk, he thought to what he had written in the letter he had placed in her desk when she had left the classroom. It had outlined his feelings as well as his reasons for doing what he was about to do. He wanted her to remember him as he was with her, and not how he was about to die.
Either way that the confrontation would turn out, she would be safe.
That was enough for him.
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ôWhere are you going?ö asked Rei, looking at the pale skinned male that had started to pass her.
ôI go where I must.ö
ReiÆs eyes narrowed. ôYou wish to challenge Shinji now?ö
KaoruÆs face replayed her own facial features. ôI would not need to nor desire to if Lilith would desist her activities.ö
Rei turned to the side, refusing to look at him again. ôI am no more responsible for her activities than you are for your own progenitors.ö
ôYet you still feel justified in passing judgment over me for what you know is beyond my control to affect.ö
Rei slowly turned back to face him. ôYour actions will affect Shinji-kun in a negative way. I cannot allow this.ö
Kaoru snorted. ôDo remember sister-dear, that it is your Mother that causes him the most harm. The All-Father has yet to make any moves for or against Shinji-kun.ö
Rei refused to answer that comment.
ôThough I suppose the fact that all of her closest children had turned against her to stand with him, as I have done against my brothers and sisters in arms, speaks more of her worth to all than anything I could do.ö
ôYou chose that path as we did.ö
ôAnd yet a path is forced on me, with no choice. Yet in your eyes, I am as guilty as if I have made that choice of my own free will.ö
Rei looked at him, sadness in her eyes. ôWhat are your intentions?ö
ôI wish to face Shinji alone and away from Eva. We will battle by ourselves, as he did with the Sixteenth. That battle alone shall determine the end. I owe him that much, even as an Angel of the White Seed.ö
ôYou wish to kill him?ö she asked, anger hinted in her voice.
ôI wish to determine which path is the correct one. If I am to be forced to choose this engagement, then it shall be done for my own reasons more so than the call of a decrepit Black Seed.ö
ôAnd if death results from that?ö she asked, her hands clenched into fists.
Kaoru shrugged. ôThe path is not mine to lay out. I am the representation of Free Will according to the scrolls.
As he walked past her, he paused for a bit, placing his hand on her shoulder. ôFor what it is worth, I do envy you. You will continue to be one of them, even if the truth of your birth is revealed. I shall not fare as fortunate, I feel.ö
As he walked on, Rei could not help but feel some pang of sorrow for the former Angel. It wasnÆt like she could wish him luck, or even try and change his mind. The Lure of the Call was engraved into him, as much a part of whom and what he was now as it had been before he ascended. Even now, he had not attacked due to his own ambivalence about such an act, his desire to remain ... human ... in the eyes of those who knew him.
ôI hope he finds what he truly desires, and not what others assume he desires,ö said Rei, before moving off.
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ôMust we do this, Kaoru?ö asked Hoshoni, standing impassively in the Eva bay.
Kaoru nodded, speaking only in thought and only so that Hoshoni could hear him, as the Eva had done. I fear that I must do this, my friend. I will not insist you help me; I understand your feelings on this.
ôI promised to stand by you always,ö said the soul of Unit 04. ôI would indeed be a poor friend if I abandoned you now, would I not?ö
Kaoru smiled sadly. I would prefer if you did not accompany me on this. I am uncertain that I may survive. If you come with me, the odds are neither of us will return from this ... attempt.
ôBe that as it may, I would still follow you. We are partners, friends in battle and in life. I shall not forsake you, even now.ö
Kaoru lowered his head, tears flowing down his face. He knew it was happening; he had cried before whenever one of his teammatesùbe they Eva, human, or JAùwas injured. For him, they were all the same thing: they were family.
Raising his head, he smiled as Hoshoni. ôCome my friend, let us begin this show.ö
With that, HoshoniÆs eyes lit up.
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Central Dogma had been full of tension lately. From what they had been told, there was only one more Angel remaining.
Of course, none of them believed it would be that easy or that simple. There very being told them that even if the Seventeenth Angel was destroyed, the mysterious backers who had assisted the Jet Alone projects, who had sent mercenaries after both Shinji and Sub Commander Fuyutsuki, who had sabotaged their power systems during an Angel attack; these forces would not simply disappear with the threat of having their planet rebooted for another species.
ôAll this worrying wonÆt help,ö said Ritsuko, handing her friend a fresh cup of coffee.
ôWe have one left,ö said Misato, ôand no idea whatÆll show up next to attack us.ö
ôNo need to lose to ourselves,ö Ritsuko said, sitting down beside Misato. ôAs things stand, weÆre in near perfect shape. Just as long as the next Angel is something we can deal with.ö
Nodding, Misato took a sip of her coffee, before she glanced up towards the Command Level, where Gendo was sitting with the Sub Commander. ôWhat do you think he has planned?ö
Ritsuko shrugged. ôBest guess, heÆs discussing the new upgrades. WeÆve been able to start synthesizing the alloy based off the anti-AT Field weaponry. With any luck, if those bastards send some more of those armored idiots to attack us, weÆll be able to cut them down.ö
ôUnless they find out a way to copy what Shinji did,ö said Misato, remembering the reports of how ShinjiÆs AT Field shifted from orange to white, reflecting the bullets away from himself.
Ritsuko was about to counter that point, when the alarms sounded.
ôUnit 04 just activated, maÆam!ö yelled Makoto.
Maya screamed. ôA virus is attacking the MAGI! Bakelite is being poured into the Eva cages!ö
ôThe JSSDF systems are locked down!ö yelled Sanada. ôWe canÆt launch the Icarus or the Goliath!ö
ôIs this an attack?ö asked Rara.
ôWhoÆs piloting Unit 04?ö yelled Misato.
ôNo one!ö yelled Maya. ôThe entry plug isnÆt even inserted. The spare Dummy Plug system is reading as offline!ö
ôBlue AT Field pattern detected inside Central Dogma!ö yelled Makoto.
ôWHAT?ö yelled Fuyutsuki, as both him and Gendo looked on.
ôMAGI have identified the pattern ... as ... as Kaoru NagisaÆs!ö came the shocked announcement of Ritsuko.
Sanada fell back into his seat. ôHeÆs an Angel!ö
Rara shook his head. ôBut ShinjiÆs vision said an Angel would side with us. Why is he attacking now?ö
Gendo sighed. So Lilith, even now, you continue to pursue your own aims. But to what ends will this lead?
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Mayumi had been walking about the park, trying to understand what KaoruÆs letter had meant. He asked her to meet him here, but he was running ten minutes late.
ôThatÆs not like Kaoru-kun,ö she whispered.
She would have been blind not to see he was changing the last week they had been together. He seemed distant at times, even suffering from nightmares when he had fallen asleep with his head in her lap, as she had read a new book.
ôWhy wonÆt you tell me what troubles you, Kaoru-kun?ö she asked no one in particular.
She knew he was in trouble. Something deep within her, in a place she had formerly associated with the pain she often felt before she ascended, told her he was in trouble.
Turning slightly, she felt a ... calling ... back towards the city, something calling to her that her boyfriend was in trouble.
ôNo,ö she whispered, as she began to run towards the feeling. She had finally found a boy who seemed perfect for her, who seemed to truly understand her, who forced away all of the loneliness she had ever felt.
And she would not give that or him up without a fight. She knew she wasnÆt as strong as him. He had faced Angels. She had never done that.
But for him, for her heart, for their love; she would fight harder than she could have ever done before.
She was quite lucky no one else was in that part of the park as she took off to the skies. As such, they would have seen a small trail of shadows appear to be forming around her legs.
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ôHeÆs past the fourth defensive layer and still descending!ö yelled Makoto.
ôWe canÆt cut the power to the linear carriage!ö yelled Sanada.
ôEvacuate all personnel!ö yelled Fuyutsuki. ôSeal all bulkheads and shutters in Central Dogma! We have to buy ourselves as much time as we can!ö
As they performed his instructions, he fell back a bit. ôIs this part of SEELEÆs plan?ö he asked.
Gendo nodded. ôIt would appear that he is either still in their sway, or Lilith has found a way to overcome his wishes.ö
Kozo looked upon the man. ôAre you saying he might not be under his own control?ö
ôThe prophecy of my son has been too specific for this to be the will of the Fifth Child. Given what Section 2 has reported on his relationship with the suspected sleeper agent that we believe the old men have sent; we must assume that Kaoru is not doing this of his free will.ö
Kozo nodded. ôStill doesnÆt sit right; the Angel of Free Will being controlled.ö
Gendo nodded. ôThere is another possibility,ö he said, motioning to his console that always displayed the Eva cage of Unit 01.
It was the lone Eva not currently sealed in Bakelite. ôI believe he wishes to fight Shinji. He is inviting him to stop his acts.ö
ôLetÆs hope to God that he can.ö
Gendo snorted. ôI would rather trust Man than God.ö
ôOr in this case, your son?ö
Gendo nodded.
Kozo couldnÆt help but smile. ItÆs about time you acted the part you used to, Ikari.
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Shinji ran as fast as he could to his Eva, hoping he wasnÆt too late.
ôWhy, Kaoru?ö he kept muttering.
Was he possessed? Was it planned all along?
Was he being forced?
ôIÆll have my answers, one way or another.ö
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ôTarget has made it past the fourteenth barrier!ö yelled Makoto.
ôWhere is Unit 01?ö yelled Misato.
ôOn his way,ö said Sensei, walking into the room.
Misato whirled to face the man. ôDid you know this was going to happen?ö
Sensei shook his head. ôI had a feeling that I would be needed to restore the inner light of my student. If I have done my job, then we have nothing to worry about.ö
ôAnd if not?ö asked Ritsuko.
The man closed his eyes. ôThen humanity in its unascended form will end today.ö
ôUnit 01 has reached the Fourth Layer!ö yelled Makoto. ôItÆs about to reach the target!ö
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Kaoru looked up, spotting the descending form of Unit 01 above him. Smiling, he glanced towards where he knew the internal cameras would see him the best. ôI have been waiting for you, Shinji-kun.ö
ôKAORU-KUN!ö came the yell from the loud speakers built inside the purple EVA, as it reached them.
Hoshoni snapped towards them, the two mecha testing each otherÆs strength, hands locked.
ôWhy are you helping him?ö yelled Yui.
ôI will not forsake my friends, no matter the paths they may take!ö
ôThen I am sorry,ö said Yui, as both she and Hoshoni withdrew their Progressive Knives.
Kaoru looked on as the two battled, wondering what would happen to his friend once this was done. His betrayal could be explained. If he failed, he doubted very much he would be around for them to punish.
Hoshoni could very well be left for dead. At the very least, the Eva might be forever sealed away somewhere as punishment for going against the wills of their Masters.
ôKaoru, stop! Why are you doing this?ö yelled Shinji.
Kaoru shook his head. ôThe Call is beyond the means of any Angel to resist, Shinji-kun,ö he calmly replied. ôI thank you for ascending me. It is because of that, that I have been able to resist the Call for so long.
ôEven though I know it is not Adam who reaches out to me, but Lilith, I still must answer it.ö
ôI donÆt understand!ö yelled Shinji, as the two knives pushed against one another.
Kaoru shook his head. I wish I did, Shinji-kun.
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Misato leaned over MakotoÆs shoulder. ôIf Shinji fails, if his signal is terminated, or any other changes occur...ö
ôI know,ö said Makoto. ôI have the Self-Destruct program all ready. But I still have faith in that kid.ö
ôTheyÆre entering Terminal Dogma!ö yelled Maya.
ôThis is bad,ö said Ritsuko. ôThe shielding in that place will cut us off from talking to them.ö
ôThen how the hell will we know if Shinji loses?ö asked Rara, not wanting to be dead if someone got fearful of the unknown battle and tried to end his life. ôI donÆt wanna die! I finally got my credit score up!ö
Sensei looked over at the bald and stocky man. ôIf he fails, we will all know.ö
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As the two units slammed into the barren landscape under the portal, they slowly rose, continuing to strike at each other.
ôI wish we could have parted on better terms, Shinji-kun,ö said Kaoru, looking at the battle, before he turned away, deciding to walk the rest of the way. ôBut I fear this is where we part.ö
ôOne problem with that,ö said Shinji.
Kaoru turned around to the voice, only to receive a fist to the jaw, sending him through several of the massive pillars.
ôYou assumed I was inside 01,ö said Shinji, cracking his knuckles, his eight wings deployed. ôMother is just as strong as Hoshoni. She doesnÆt need me to pilot her.ö
Almost as if an unseen signal had been given, the two Evangelions released their own wings. But without Shinji, Unit 01 was forced to rely only on its own two.
Kaoru slowly raised himself up from the rocks, his AT Field sending them off of himself. ôA brilliant move, Shinji-kun.ö
ôI donÆt understand, Kaoru,ö said Shinji, walking towards the new Angel. ôWhat is the purpose of this. You just admitted you are heading to Lilith. Why?ö
Smiling, the Fifth Child dusted his shirt off. ôNormally, I would be going there because I would assume it was Adam calling out for me. But I know what really awaits me there.ö
ôThen why?ö
ôBecause I will kill her,ö said Kaoru. ôShe is an enemy of Adam, for what reasons, I cannot say because I do not know. But with her gone, humanity will either die or be ascended by you. Either way, her attacks on you, on all of us, will end. This senseless war will end as well.ö
ôYou expect me to believe this is all for me? For humanity?ö
ôMy reasons are of little comfort to either of us,ö said Kaoru, slipping into a stance Shinji had taught him. ôThe truth of the matter is that I can no longer ignore LilithÆs call. So I will try and justify it as best as I can.ö
He looked towards Shinji, tears in his eyes. ôNo matter what occurs now, Shinji-kun, promise me that you will try and not blame me for this. I truly was happy to be ... human. But this battle cannot be put off, and must occur. Even with Free Will, there are things even we cannot interfere with.ö
ôIf thatÆs what it takes,ö said Shinji. ôThen IÆll just have to knock your ass out and drag you to your senses, kicking and screaming.ö With that, the Grey Seed darted forward with as much speed as he could, intent on knocking out his friend before matters became worse.
But they did, as Kaoru caught ShinjiÆs strike with a minimum of effort. ôJust so you know, Shinji-kun, I am as strong in this form as you are in that form. I was long manipulating the light of my soul before you understood what it even was.ö
With that, Kaoru returned ShinjiÆs earlier attack, sending him towards HeavenÆs Gate. ôI face you now as an equal, Shinji-kun. This should be an excellent fight.ö
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ôAnother AT Field has been detected!ö yelled out Shigeru.
ôWhat now?ö yelled Misato.
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Mayumi tore through the doors that tried to hold her back from her love. She didnÆt know where she was, as Kaoru had never taken her to these parts of NERV.
But she did know that the feeling that Kaoru was in danger increased as she went further into NERV.
She didnÆt question what this feeling was, or how she seemed to be able to get to him through what she had been told was the best security available.
All she knew was that someone dear to her heart was in danger.
And nothing would stand in her way.
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ôWhat is that girl doing?ö yelled Misato.
ôIsnÆt it obvious,ö said Sensei. Seeing their looks, he elaborated. ôShe is going to protect her love. Quite likely, it will be from himself.ö
ôThe MAGI have classified her as the Eighteenth Angel!ö yelled Ritsuko.
ôWhere are you, Kaoru?ö came the security feed of Mayumi.
ôWe might be in luck,ö said Sanada. ôI think sheÆs not hearing the call.ö
ôItÆs possible only one Angel can hear it at a time,ö said Rara.
ôWhat happens if he comes into contact with Lilith?ö asked Misato.
Ritsuko shook her head. ôMisato, the two are incompatible. He wonÆt merge with Lilith, heÆll kill her. Without Lilith, no normal human can survive. And ShinjiÆs nowhere near strong enough to ascend the entire planet.ö
ôThe Angels would win by default,ö said Fuyutsuki. ôFor now, we need her alive.ö
Misato nodded. Of course, that made the self destruct a bad idea. But if Kaoru made a move that Adam was his next target, she might not have a choice. I just hope enough people survive to spread out. Shinji might not be around to evolve everyone, but we could save as many as we can.
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While the two titans continued to battle on the barren landscape of Terminal Dogma, the two Children continued to fight as hard as they could, several large dents and tears on the door separating LilithÆs Chamber from Terminal Dogma testified to the strength they were fighting at.
The two were not holding back, strikes flying at speeds unseen by human eyes, shock waves from missed strikes tearing across the landscape. Already several craters and gouges dotted the hallway.
But the fight was still as intense as before, both men looking for an opening to exploit.
While Shinji had trained in combat and martial arts for years, Kaoru had the advantage of his heritage. When SEELE had decided to send him early, he had studied what information they had had on the young Ikari. Even to the point where Kaoru had watched several fighting style practiced. Add to that the piloting and information placed into the Commonality by the Thirteenth Angel, and you had a very well-prepared boy.
Of course, that also included what he could see on television. As he thrust his hands forward, cupping them as if to strike, Shinji moved to deflect the attack.
It was the opening the Angel had been waiting for. Concentrating his AT Field into his hands, he allowed it to surge forward, launching Shinji not only through the battered doors of HeavenÆs Gate, but across the LCL pond inside LilithÆ Domain, and into a small battleship that had been set up there for some odd reason or another.
Smirking, Kaoru floated over the threshold, the doors now laying on their sides. As he wiped some blood from his mouth, he tried to smirk, not showing how much damage he had already received from their fight. ôI do hope you have more than that, Shinji-kun.ö
His response was the LCL below him to surge upward slight, as Shinji flew from it, delivering a shot to the gut, followed by a spin kick that sent Kaoru into the wall surrounding the room. ôI wonÆt lose to something like this, Kaoru.ö
The Angel slowly pulled himself back to standing, coughing a bit. Noticing the small amount of blood now on the hand that had covered his mouth during the cough, he smiled once again. ôI will say this for the Grey; if nothing else, we shall really know what the better path for the development of all is.ö
With that said, the battle was joined once more.
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Rei continued to follow Mayumi as she made her way to an access tunnel for Terminal Dogma. The other pilots had not yet decided to try and engaged Kaoru.
Of course, that may have been more due to the fact they were isolated and locked up, separated from the facility and thus unable to engage in hand-to-hand combat with Kaoru.
It had taken a lot of work, but even she knew it had to be done this way. The others would only have interfered with the battle, and maybe have been killed. If so, then Shinji may fall into an unending rage, and the last hope for humanity would be destroyed.
No, this was a battle the two would have to work out on their own.
Truthfully, she did hope it ended without a death from either person. Though she may have no love for the former Angel, it did not mean she would not miss him. He was a comrade, and perhaps even the only true family she had on this world.
Cousin. She had a damn cousin that she was being forced to fight.
It did sadden her that in the end, she might not have anything, friends, family, and purpose.
But it would be for the best now. Shinji would face Kaoru, and the two would settle the fact of whether the Path of Grey was the correct one not only for them, but all humanity as well.
She paused for a bit, looking at the one agent who had been foolish enough to get between Mayumi and her search for her love. ôBe glad she did not kill you. I would have thought you would have learned that getting between two beings in love was a bad idea.ö
As she walked on, the lone agent finally got the air back into his lungs, which had previously been thrown out by the shadowy figure that had tossed him like a rag doll. æSign up for NERVÆ he said. æItÆs much safer than New LAÆ he said. Damn you, Riggs. ôIÆm getting too old for this shit,ö mumbled the elderly black man, a fresh transfer from NERVÆs Second US branch.
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By now, the two ascended beings were rapidly trading, blocking, and receiving blows. The Lair showed many signs of the size of their battle. The former ship that had been placed within the underground LCL lake now at the bottom. Many of the walls were cracked, if not sporting large gouges and holes in them. The former armor plated doors that had once been designed to take several N2 blasts at point blank range before failing, now resided torn, warped, and embedded in the walls as well when the two had used them as projectiles.
ôKAORU!ö screamed Shinji, his fist pulled back for a strike.
ôSHINJI!ö screamed the last Angel, as he reciprocated the act.
As the two fists met their intended targets; the otherÆs face, a shock wave was produced, sending LCL tsunamiÆs around the room.
The two looked each other in the eye, blue meeting red, as they flew apart, dashing back to resume their assaults. They rarely spoke to each other, choosing to let their battle do the speaking for them.
Normally, Kaoru would still be at a disadvantage. Shinji had more skill and experience than Kaoru, even if the Angel was the now sole user of the data within the Commonality of the Angels. But there was something to said for being the original. But KaoruÆs little AT Surge trick did give him the needed edge to hang in there against Shinji.
But he could sense something coming from the Grey Seed, something powerful, which was growing stronger.
He had seen it before, if only at a glimpse, as Shinji had fought the Sixteenth. There were even some records before, showing that Shinji had to be tapping into the same primal forces that the Seeds and their children drew their power from.
He was certain that Shinji was starting to tap into it, his eyes slowly changing to red, his hair going full white.
If he can do this, then he will be proven an Angel, a Seed.
As ShinjiÆs power levels began to sky-rocket, Kaoru almost smiled. His dreams and faith were being proven.
Now, he could die happily.
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Hoshoni found himself in a worse position than his partner. While in theory, the two Evas were evenly matched, that was before Unit 01 had absorbed Shinji.
More importantly, that was before Unit 01 had been in direct contact with the soul of the Grey Seed. The very direct contact had allowed the EvaÆs power to grow. If it had kept the soul inside of it, it would have been a God.
Well, Goddess, actually.
But that was beside the point. The point was that it was stronger and faster than Unit 04 could ever hope to be, unless it too allowed its soul to come into direct contact with the soul of a Seed.
As such, the white unit sported more wounds than the purple counterpart. ôGive up now, Hoshoni!ö yelled Yui. ôI donÆt want to destroy you over this petty fight.ö
ôI could no more give up on Kaoru than you could on your son,ö came the gentle reply from the white unit. ôI will not stop, until I am asked to by my partner. Please understand that. It is who I am at my core.ö
Yui sighed, resigning herself to the fact that she would be forced to perhaps end the existence of Hoshoni in order to stop Kaoru. She knew the longer the fight dragged out, the longer the S2 organs would have to regenerate damage. Sure, a quick fight would always overcome the ability. But the longer it dragged out, the more time the opponent had to regenerate any damage.
As she prepared to make one last strike to immobilize the giant mecha so she could go after her son, she failed to notice two forms exit the opening in the ceiling.
One was the partially transformed Mayumi, her body covered in shadows. The other was the curious Rei, following to see what would occur, planning to intervene when necessary.
And she did not find it necessary to step in as Mayumi blew through the fighting Evas, sending them tumbling along the ground.
Rei simply glided past them, at a slower pace than Mayumi had gone, as she looked at the two injured and nearly unconscious Evangelions. ôSorry, but I must be going. Carry on.ö
Yui could only turn her head partially at the floating First Child. I swear, she has my motherÆs sense of humor. That is the only thing that makes sense.
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Kaoru coughed up a small amount of blood as ShinjiÆs punch struck him hard in the gut.
By now, Shinji had once again entered his Seed Mode. His hair was now fully white, his eyes as red as ReiÆs or KaoruÆs. And though his wings remained the sameùtorn between black on one side and white on the otherùhe had not lost his determination, as he continued to pummel the challenger before him.
Soon, the Angelic boy was struck hard enough to send him to the solid ground against the walls of the Lair, a small pit forming from the impact.
Shinji looked with sadness down upon his friend. He knew Kaoru would not stop, even if Shinji beat him to a pulp. It would take Mayumi or a miracle to stop the boy at this point.
And Shinji knew he didnÆt have the time to find the Fifth ChildÆs girlfriend.
Gathering a small amount of energy in his hand, he prepared to finish Kaoru. With luck, the time it would take Kaoru to regenerate would be enough to find Mayumi and get the grey-haired lug to stop this foolish maneuver. That of course would be followed by knocking Lilith around until she stopped ôtemptingö Kaoru with the call.
Worst case: he was about to end the life of one of his best friends.
Sadly for him, that was when a blurry black tail struck him across the front hard, sending him careening into the wall behind him, producing a sizable impact crater.
ôOwie.ö
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Kaoru slowly opened his eyes, expecting to see whatever awaited all sentient beings that left the supposed mortal coil.
What he saw was a true angel in his eyes. ôM-Mayumi?ö he coughed out, his body battered from ShinjiÆs attack.
The girl smiled, tears falling from her eyes, which had turned completely black. ôYes, my love, it is I.ö
Kaoru slowly looked down her frame, seeing what else may have changed, and wondering exactly how Mayumi had made it down into Terminal Dogma.
He found his answer.
While her physical body was the same, below her waist appeared a near-solid black shadow, resembling more what one would expect from a Naga. Even now, it had coiled protectively around him, supporting him from further injuring himself.
ôThe ... the angelÆs core. This is what effect it had?ö he asked.
Mayumi nodded. ôWe are still ... uncertain of what and who we are. But we know what we desire, and that is your continued existence.ö
Kaoru could only smile. For the moment, it was Heaven, and he did not want to let go.
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Shinji slowly pulled himself from the wall, having come to soon enough to see and hear the conversation between the converted Angels. ôDonÆt see that everyday.ö
He would normally have found it very touching ... had not the neo-Angel girlfriend batted him into the wall with her tail. ôWould it have been so damn hard for her to have showed up and asked us to stop fighting? No, she had to smack me into the wall like dart.ö
Shaking his head as he tried to gain some form of mobility, he turned towards the massive figure of Lilith. Ever so slowly, as Mayumi was busy fussing over her boyfriend, he floated before the Second Angel, the Black Seed of Individuality. ôIt ends now, Lilith. The war ends here. You will no longer send out the call; the last of the Angels has been defeated,ö he said, deciding he could call it a win. After all, it wasnÆt like Mayumi had any interest in the war.
I will be victorious. This world has been mine before your species even had the faintest hints of a beginning. Neither you nor Adam and his servants will change that.
ôBit of an ego you have there,ö said Shinji with a smirk. ôTell you what, you silence this Call, and I wonÆt spend the rest of my energy seeing if I can silence you ... permanently.ö
To do so would doom the rest of humanity to a singular death. Is that what you wish?
He shook his head. ôIÆm willing to bet that IÆll be able to ascend all of humanity before that ever becomes a problem. At this point, your life is simply a luxury; one we can easily do without.
ôOf course, if you need more motivation,ö said Shinji, touching the Lance that protruded from her chest, ôthen I can grant that as well.ö With that said, he concentrated, sending energy into the Lance as he had done with his former sword. While his levels were nowhere near strong enough to make it another focus for an Armageddon Cannon, it was enough to make his point.
The scream of the Second Angel rang out across Terminal Dogma, its head whipped from side to side as it tried to fight the pain it felt.
ôShinji?ö
Stopping the assault, he turned to see Rei behind him, floating as he had been. ôYes?ö
ôI can stop the Call.ö
ôHow exactly?ö
Rei lowered her head. ôAs Kaoru is a child of Adam, so to am I a child of Lilith.ö
ShinjiÆs eyes narrowed. ôDoes that mean you wish to fight me as well?ö
ôNo,ö she said. ôIf anything, I am the Child of Black that has sided with you, as Kaoru is the Child of White that turned against his kin.ö
Shinji nodded, trusting Rei. Even after all that had occurred, he could trust Kaoru. It would be hypocritical not to extend to Rei the same courtesy. ôThen how do you plan to silence her without killing her?ö he asked, doubting Lilith would allow such a thing.
He was still half tempted to finish Lilith off now. He had no idea why she hadnÆt simply attacked him again, now recalling where those seven eyes had once been. Shinji vividly recalled the red forest where she had attacked him, and even the attack beyond that point. Why she was not doing so now, even at this range, was a mystery to him.
Rei floated towards the mask, placing her hand on the center of it, and closed her eyes.
I will win, traitorous daughter. It will only be a matter of time.
ôThat may be so,ö said Rei. ôBut that time is not today. Eventually, humanity will be beyond even the controls and tamperings of you and Adam. And on that day, you will be judged for how you have acted in this battle for control over one world.
ôBut for now, you will be silent!ö she rose to a yell, as her hand seemed to glow.
For a moment, LilithÆs scream was heard, before it seemed to fade into echoes.
Smiling, Shinji turned from her towards the others.
ôWhat will become of them?ö asked Rei.
Shinji shook his head. ôIÆm not certain. Confinement is almost certain after all of this. But I think his past actions and LilithÆs Call will work in his favor.ö
ôThat is good,ö said Rei. ôI do not wish to see him or Mayumi terminated. They seem ... human.ö
ôMore then that, Rei,ö said Shinji. ôThey seem happy.ö
Nodding, Rei placed her arm around ShinjiÆs waist.
ôAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!ö
Too bad some of his ribs were still broken.
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Sensei looked upon the monitors, observing the images they showed.
One was of a worn Shinji, floating in his regeneration tubeùit now even had a plaque as a joke and gift from the workers of NERV stating it was ôShinjiÆs Lovely Suite, Economy Editionöùas the girls in his life and other friends took turns watching over him.
The other showed the beaten and bruised form of Kaoru, no longer under guard due to GendoÆs orders and ShinjiÆs request. The battle was over, the fate decided, and Kaoru could no longer hear the call of Lilith or feel the presence of Adam.
ôWhat strange battles we find ourselves in, where brothers in arms must fight to decide the true path meant for them.ö
Shaking his head, he turned back to his room, glad that they had learned not to bug it this time, or observe him in other ways. Despite everything, they were still curious as to how he had been able to elude them all this time in their attempts to find him.
He shook his head, removing his outfit. ôWhat fools these mortals be; assuming that a secret is easily made public.ö
The outfit slid down, revealing his bare back.
On it was a large tattoo: a giant of light.