Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Final War Evangelion ❯ Chapter 01: The End of One Story ( Chapter 3 )

Final War Evangelion

By: B.C. Sealey

Proof reading by: Cheese and Ghost man

Prologue: The End of One Story

 

Tokyo 3 Regional Hospital, Room 303….

Somewhere, in the broken war torn metropolis of Tokyo Three, a young boy around 15 with brown chestnut hair looks upon a patient in a bed.

The patient was a girl around his age with lightly pale skin and fiery red hair cascading down her the back of her slender body, who is oblivious to his presence. Her complexion was silent, almost dead. The boy's eyes, a deep ocean blue, never left the gaze of the girl. He couldn't bear to see her like this, not when she use to be so filled with life and energy. Even if she wasn't nice to him-in fact she was for the lack of a better word a complete arrogant “bitch”- he still thought she was a great person. He always found himself wishing that he had her strength, her energy, her courage.

Now. Now she was nothing more then a lifeless statue, a mere shell of her former self.

As this thought entered his mind, the boy felt them coming. He shook, strained and held back, hoping that he wouldn't. It was more or less a wasted effort and the boy did the one thing that he knew she would have laughed at him for.

He started to cry.

He tried to stop, but just like before, it was futile. Eventually, he stopped resisting and let them fall down his face. It was depressing and he knew it. Would it solve anything? No, it would not. Yet this was all he could do, cry about what had happened in the events of the past year: a year filled with more hell and nightmares then anyone should have to bear.

He cried for her. He cried for his friends, including the one's he ruined and the lives he took. He cried for his mother and father, the ones who had abandoned and left him to this cruel fate, to be alone, to never be loved. More importantly, he cried for himself because he wasn't good enough to save anybody.

As he did this, he felt the sudden drop of guilt. This was his entire fault. It was always his fault. If he only he hadn't been born a coward, a spineless nobody, then maybe things could have been different. Then maybe he could've saved everyone.

The boy considered suicide. It would be so easy to end the pain, so much easier to run away from it all for could. After all death can't be all that bad, can it? It's far better then living in this world where all you received was pain. It's just like sleeping…you just don't wake up.

He soon shook that thought. No. No he couldn't do that. What if he woke up in a new place? A place far worst then the place he had left. What if the nightmare didn't end with death?

That only left one option. The one that he had taken so many times before. It was cowardly yes, but there was no other option outside of death. There was no place left to go, but far from here. And there was nothing left to do, but to runaway.

With his mind up, the boy, Shinji Ikari, moved his way towards the door. Echo step was heavy, almost like walking on the stairway to heaven in a more dramatic sense. He looked back one last time at the girl, Asuka Langley Soryu, before turning away.

“Goodbye… Asuka.”

Shinji said nothing more and even if he could, what good would it actually do. With that done, the third child opened the door and moved quickly down the hall and into the elevator. After a few moments, when he made it to the first floor, he broke into a slight jog, which became a full out run as he passed through the double doors of the hospital and into the rainy night, desperate to escape once more.

 

 

Another event was taking place elsewhere in the Geofront. In the area known as Terminal Dogma, beyond the door known as Heavens Gate, young women in her early teens, roughly around 15 entered the room. Her soft silhouette outlined the ground as she approached the center where the only light in the carven like room existed.

There a many great things that were odd and wrong about this situation, though for the most part the girl was unaware or just didn`t care. Most had to do with the girls appearance. Her skin, a pale white, seemed to glow in a mysterious unexplained way not of this way. Unnatural cyan blue hair cropped her hair, hanging an inch from touching her shoulders. However none of these physical attributes were as strange- or perhaps even terrifying- then her eyes; they were red like the color of blood.

She also didn't seem to care that she was completely naked.

She slowly looked up to stare at the image before her: a massive red colored cross, easily the size of a small skyscraper, maybe even bigger then that. However attached to it is something the no human would ever have expected existed.

A massive white creature that was just as big as the cross hung from it, crucified as if it were mocking Jesus Christ himself. Its body was somewhat shaped like a human, although it was impossible to tell if it was a male or female. Its gargantuan arms are nailed into place through the wrist with truck size bolts of steel. It bore a large purple mask on its face with seven staring eyes which bore down at the girl, silently.

As the girl continues to stare up at this horrifying display, question began to plague her from. Images of things she had never seen were fragmented in her mind. They were of people she had met and known-in particular, the ones that interested her was that of her co-pilot, the Third Child, Shinji Ikari, but they were She felt as though she experienced them before. But how? And from where?

Then there were these feeling she was experiencing, which were so alien, yet so familiar to her. Every time she thought of the third child, Shinji Ikari, she felt happy, sad, angry and at the same time, confused. Why did he make her feel that way? Where they connected in some way?

These images as well as the questions that they had brought about hat have plagued her for the past nights since she, the third Rei Ayanami awoke. The fragile memories had become annoying, but they were also in a sense intriguing. She wished to understand them and maybe they could give her answer to these questions that now swam in her head.

`Why do I exist? What is my purpose? What should I feel? What do I desire? Who am I?'

“Rei.”

The girl turns to see a taller man in his early forties with chestnut brown hair dressed in a dark black military uniform and wearing white gloves to cover his hands. His face was cold in the way it is formed, almost as if it were chiseled out of hardened steel. His eyes and the stare he had gave off a kind of glacial freeze, but were somewhat tempered due to the pair of orange tinted glasses he was wearing.

“I knew you would be here. It's time for you to perform the purpose that you where created for.”

The man, also known as Gendo Ikari, supreme commander of the secret organization NERV, removes the glove from his right hand and glances down at it. There grafted surgically in his palm was a tiny strange creature known only as Adam that lay curled in a fetal position that was grafted in to his hand. Adam's single eye was frozen in a twisted and empty glance that observed him with a frozen stare.

Gendo smiled thinly. It was amazing and ironic that this was the same creature that nearly wiped out humanity in the event known as the Second Impact fifteen years earlier. Now, it would be responsible for an even greater impact, one that would free them the iron clasp of mortality.

“You will now perform the fusion of Adam and Lillith. Rei, release you're A.T. field, the barrier of your mind and disregard your human form. Unite all human souls into one. Then…take me to my Yui's side.”

`This is my purpose? ' she thinks with doubt. `It is what I was created for, but is this what I …desire?'

She scolded herself mentally. Her purpose was the Commander's, nothing more. That was what she was born, no what she was created to do. To bring about the ascendancy of mankind to another plane and become God.

Or was it?

Regardless, Rei closes her eyes releasing her field as he had instructed. The man inches his right hand towards her breast. He made contact, bringing a painful burning sensation with it that caused all of our being to scream in anguish silently. She cringes and once again begins continues to ponder the questions from earlier. It is then she sees the image of a smiling Shinji Ikari form inside her head.

`Ikari… again…Why is it that his image haunts me so? How are we tied together?'

Meanwhile, Gendo Ikari, the Commander of NERV smiles. The moment he had longed for so long had finally arrived. He would once again be united with the women he loved. Nothing could stop him now.

Suddenly, he felt something cold, hard and metal press it's self to the back of his skull. Surprised slightly, but not showing it, he turned his head to the gun's source, an attractive woman in her thirties with raven black hair and piercing brown eyes that were narrowed in anger.

She speaks to him, marking each word with stinging hatred. “Don't even think about it you stupid fucker.”

“Major Katasuragi, I don't believe I invited you here.” Gendo replied with no emotion.

“Shut the hell up Ikari or I pull this trigger right here and now. And god knows I should because you deserve to go and rot in hell for what you have done and what you are planning to do.”

Though Misato couldn't see him, she knew he was smirking with sick amusement as he gave a mirthless laugh. “So you know. Perhaps I should have been more cautious about you after I ordered the death of Ryoji Kaji.”

“I believe I told you to shut the fuck up” Misato snapped, putting a lot of emphisis on the `F' word. “Considering all the hell you put the children through and the fact that you took away the only man I have ever loved, I would say that I'm being pretty damn generous. You should be a little more grateful considering that I could take your life right here and now.”

For a moment, there was silence, but it was then replaced by a tiny chuckle of amusement. The laugh grew louder and louder, more insane sounding with every passing second . He almost seemed to be happy that he was threatened by her. It was something the Major in a thousand years would never have expected of seeing, not from the cold hearted emotionless Commander.

He stopped and looked at her, a smile just as insane as his laugh was now evident, and replacing the cool mask he once wore. He seemed to change into a different person at that very moment. It was at this moment Misato wished he would turn back to the icy hearted bastard he was.

“If you intend to kill me Major, then you will need something a lot better then that.” Gendo said, his eyes gleaming with malice.

The commander raised the hand with Adam toward Misato. Before she could tell him to stop, something suddenly slammed into Misato's body, quickly sending her flying back with a mysterious force. Shocked, but still on her feet and in possession of her gun, Misato fired a round at Gendo. The bullet flew right for his face, intent on putting a hole through his skull.

However, before it could, something else happened. A hexagonal field of orange sprang up in front of the commander. The bullet hit the field with a loud ping before clattering to the field, landing harmlessly at his feet.

“No way.” Misato whispered in a shocked voice. “How could you have gained control over Adam's AT field?”

Gendo said nothing, but held Adam up to Misato, unleashing his newly acquired power once more. Misato was lifted and sent crashing into a nearby wall 10 feet away before sliding and coming to a rest on the cold concrete. Her gun glides to a stop in front of Rei, who observes the entire situation with an emotionless stare.

Hurt, but not unconscious Misato glances up as she grasped the back of her skull. Somehow Gendo had managed to gain control of Adam's AT field. How could that be possible, Misato didn't know, but things were not looking good at the moment. Though that would be enough to set off the detection units that the MAGI controlled, it would be too late before help arrived. By then, Gendo will have killed her and chances were the rest of the human race would be following in line.

Cursing herself, Misato looks up from the ground and sees one last ray of hope. The first child, Rei Ayanami, was looking right at her with a stoic, yet perplexed look on her face. She makes a last ditch to accomplish her mission, or for at least buy them some time before help could show.

“Rei! Get out of here! You don't have to obey him! You're not a doll! You're not his puppet-”

Before she can finish, Misato was snatched off the ground once more. She was sent sprawling across the floor landing in front of Lillith, nearly falling off the edge into the pool of LCL a hundred feet below her.

Misato hears footsteps against metal and glances up to see the Commander looking down upon her, the insane smile never leaving his face.

“I am sorry, but I cannot allow you to interfere with my life's work. Not after I have worked so hard and sacrificed so much.”

Gendo reached into his jacket and drew his weapon, a polished snubbed nose revolver, from his jacket and points it down at the fallen Major. Though this was a surprising annoyance, the Commander of NERV knew that the situation was well within his control. Paradise was well within his grasp. All Gendo had to do was pull the trigger and then this minor problem would be taken care of. Then, he would be with Yui shortly.

 

As this was going on, Rei's mind begins to think about what the Major had just said. 'Am I a doll? No, I am not. I am me. I am myself and I exist as myself.'

`Then why do you fellow his orders so blindly?' a voice asks.

`Because it's my purpose.'

`No. You only think that is your purpose.'

`But if I don't accomplish my purpose, then why should I exist?'

`To live to find a purpose. To be human. To be with him, the one we call brother.'

She's sees Shinji smiling at her again and then. It was then, right then and not a moment too soon or late, that Rei realizes the truth. A truth that was so far away yet was so close to her the entire time.

`Ikari…Shinji! Shinji's my brother!'

`Yes. He is. This is what you have known from the beginning, but couldn't bring yourself to accept. This is what you desire. To be with your brother and to be happy.'

`Ikari…my brother.' Rei thought.

And it was then, Rei Ayanami, the angelic half breed who had never known what it was to be human, made her decision.

 

Misato glanced up as the Commander drew his gun, remaining defiant in the face of death. She was clutching her ribs almost certain that she had at least fractured something.

“You think that you can just order us all to our deaths because of your sick ambition to play God? Your wife will never forgive you Ikari for what you done! Who gave you the right to be humanity's overseer? Who gave you the right to play god?”

He laughs insanely at her, showing no remorse or feeling for his actions, all the while sending a shiver down her spine. “I see no reason why I should tell you, so therefore I won't. “

Misato curled her lips and snarled defiantly. “You bastard! You're getting ready to become the murderer of the rest of the human race. And all so you can see your wife! She'll never forgive you for this Ikari! You used your own son and daughter for your own means! Don't you have any remorse at all for what your about to do?”

Gendo was still smirking, but the cold glare that Misato was use to seeing was back. “I wouldn`t even call that weakling my son. He's nothing more then useless DNA from my gene pool. However, he has severed his purpose in my scenario as did you and the rest of NERV. For that, I am much grateful. So consider this my reward for you obedience and hard work, Major.”

The commander pressed the cold barrel to her head, ensuring that when it did fire he would crush her head like a squashed watermelon. “I knew you were nothing, but the cold hearted bastard Shinji always said you were. I just didn`t know you were this insane as well. Your really are going to damn the rest of us so you can see her again.” Misato shouted.

“Like I said before, you wouldn't possibly understand what I am attempting to accomplish. All of us will much happier once it is through and there is no more pain. No more sorrow that comes with this painful living. ”

Gendo fingered the trigger, preparing to fire the powerful iron into her skull. “Farwell Major Katasuragi, I hope you get to see Kaji again.”

Seeing that the final hour had struck on her life, Misato can do nothing more, but accept the end. She felt the defiant fire she had start to die out and with it she can do nothing but curse her failures. She grieves over her failures again and again. Her failure to Shinji, to Asuka, to Rei, to Kaji, to everyone else and to herself.

`Shinji, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you away. I should have been there and held you close. I should have helped you with your pain. I love you kiddo.'

`Asuka, I'm so sorry. I should have not let you push me away. I should have pushed back like I should have with Shinji. I should have helped you. You, me and Shinji…we made one hell of a family, and I would give anything to be like that again.'

`Kaji, I'm sorry for letting you down. I screwed up again, not only with this, but with you. I shouldn't have run away from you. I shouldn't have left you. I'm...a coward. A fucking coward'

A single tear runs down Misato's cheek. She heard Gendo click back the hammer on his revolver and she knew that it was over. She closes her eyes and waits for the hand of death to lay its cold hand on her shoulder.

All the while, Misato was praying somewhere, deep within. She was praying heart and soul to a God she stopped believing in long ago.

Little did she know that with the pull of a trigger, God answered.

 

A single gunshot filled the air and rang through the room. Time stands still as it echoed through the room, sound bouncing around on walls. It continues and continues, stretching the time out beyond imagination. Then, slowly it comes to an end and in its wake, there is only silence.

Realization started to dawn on Misato as she began to process the situation and comprehend it. `Am I dead? No, this can`t be right. There is no pain and if I was dead, then I wouldn't be thinking …right?'

Misato finally dares herself to open her eyes, partially afraid that she would awaken in the beautiful plans of Heaven or the fiery land of Hell. The thought of winged beings with harps or horned demons with pitchforks terrified her, but she knows she can't keep her eyes closed from the truth forever either.

Fortunately as light passed through her eyes, she finds neither, but something just as shocking and unexpected. The Commander of NERV no longer had the cold, insane look in his eyes or the mirthless smile that had graced his lips. That was replaced by a look of pain and utter confusion on his face as he was clutching his right shoulder, which was now soaked with blood.

`What the hell?'

With that thought, Misato followed his line of vision and soon, could see why he is so shock. There, standing in her nude form, Rei, the commander's creation/daughter and most loyal servant, was holding Misato's gun in her hand. Her finger was on the trigger as a small thin cloud of gun smoke was coming from the end of the barrel. She had the same unreadable look on her face as she always did, which made the situation all the more surprising.

Though injured, it didn't take long for Gendo to react to this change in his scenario. “You little…bitch!” he gasped in fury.

Gendo lifted his hand to use Adam's AT field, but soon found something was very wrong. He could feel the power of Adam flowing through his right arm, but it was being repressed by something unknown. Gendo looked at Rei a moment with a look of surprise and awe as he realized what was wrong.

Rei was using her AT field to suppress Adam's. It was one of her abilities, but it didn't make sense to Gendo. The power of Lillith, the second angel, was weaker then Adam's. How could this be…unless!

Rei smiled coldly. “This is not the power of Lillith. This power is of my own will.”

Gendo was confused. “But how? You have a false soul. You shouldn't even be able to hold you own body together let alone use your AT field to hold back Adam's.”

Rei smiled even more coldly. “You're wrong. I have a soul, I have a life. I have always had these, but because of the power you held over me, I was never able to find the truth. I was blind, but now I can see. My existence is mine, not yours. And you won't take it from me again.”

Gendo's face grew angry and fierce with insane fury. He had enough of this insolence. He was so close, so very close to being with his beloved wife once again. And he would not be stopped, not by this thing…this doll.

“You're nothing, but a useless doll! You're my creation! I own you and your soul! I gave you life and I can take it away!”

With out another rational thought, Gendo let an animalistic scream and charged the blue haired girl. Not scared, but filled with cold determination, Rei leveled the gun and emptied three quick rounds from the clip. The first hit his right hand, reducing the embryo of Adam- as well as his entire right hand- to nothing, but bloody useless flesh. The other two caught Gendo in the chest, one piercing his heart, dropping him where he stood.

The commander dropped to his knees, clutching his heart in pain. In his last moments of futile consciousness, Gendo fought to stay awake, his breathing ragged. His body was cold and shaking, as start to go into shock from the bullet wounds. More of his blood was pouring out of him with every passing second, forming a puddle of crimson around him. The vision of his eyes was growing dimmer and dimmer, until it was just a struggle for him to stay awake.

No. He couldn't die. Not now. Not when Yui was so very, very close to him. Not when he could almost feel her touch or smell her scent. Not when her lips were almost lingering near his own. It just couldn't be…..not when she was standing over him.

However, with the last of his rational thinking, Gendo realized that it wasn't not Yui standing over him, but Rei, the daughter he had made in her image, that was looking down at him with the same cold look in her red eyes. It was then, with his last breath, that Gendo asked the final question of his life.

“Rei…why?”

Rei looked down at the man who she once obeyed unconditionally without question, her creator, her father. Feelings of redemption anger and yes, even sorrow, feelings that she never in her life understood until this moment, were released at last. Tears, something she never understood, ran down her cheeks. To every one around including Misato who still stood in complete shock, Rei's answer did not come as a monotone response. It came as a declaration, filled with emotion never before seen in the albino girl.

“I am not a doll for you to control anymore.”

Gendo heard this, but it came as a far away whisper. He was close now. Close to being release from this painful life at last, just not in the way he had intended. His only regret was that he wouldn't see her, his beloved Yui, and this seemed worst then the hell he would soon be entering.

Glancing up at her with glazed over eyes, he mumbled his final words. “Yui, I…”

And with that, Gendo Ikari, the man who tried to destroy the world and bring about Mankind's rise to God died.

Misato, still shaken, willed herself to stand of the ground. She approached the dead Commander look down. She checked his pulse to see that he was really dead. He was, though Misato had no doubts about that. Even if they had managed to get him to the medical equipment to save him, Gendo probably would have died in surgery.

After a moment, Misato walked over to Rei, who was now sobbing like she never sobbed before. In a sense, this was true and in a sense ironic. Asuka had spent all that time saying that the first child didn't have a heart and that she would kill herself for her commander. In a strange twist of fate, the opposite had happened.

Rei looked over at Misato, trying to gain control over herself, which she found frustrating and confusion when she couldn't. “Why? Why am I crying? Is this what it feels like to be human?”

Misato hesitated, not knowing what to do or say. She had already taken away the gun from Rei, who was now starting to wipe away the tears in desperate effort to stop herself from crying and struggling against her newly found emotions. The Major had seen two other children she cared about suffer and failed to do anything to save them. Children were never her strong suite after all.

However, after a moment of pondering, Misato made a decision. Hesitantly, she drew Rei into an embrace. The girl was dead still, not knowing how to react to this. Never before had anyone given her affection or compassion. All she had known was pain and enduring the pain that came with being nothing more then a tool.

It was then Misato whispered. “It's okay Rei. Its okay to cry. You don't have to be afraid anymore. You're human now. It's okay to feel this way. ”

Rei was still unmoving as the Major's words came to her ears. And for some reason that she could not understand, she felt comforted. Maybe because for the first time in her life, Rei found the answer to the question she had just asked.

It was then Rei was able to let herself go. She cried her heart and soul out into the Major's red jacket. Misato continued to soothe her with kind words until finally, Rei fell asleep in her arms. And with that, Misato smiled.

`Maybe I'm not the best guardian in the world' she thought. `But maybe, I can learn. Ands just maybe, helping these children will be enough to redeem me. I wonder, is this what you meant Kaji? Is this what you meant about trying to move ahead with my life?'

Banishing the thoughts out of her mind, Misato pulled out her cell phone and called for help. She got Vice Commander Futusky on the other end who, as the new Commander, sent help right away. Misato hung up the phone and stared into silence, still holding Rei quietly.

`Soon' she thought. `Soon the whole world will know everything. About NERV, about EVA, the Angels, about all of this. What's going to happen now? Is it really over?'

 

Elsewhere wondering the exact same thing, Shinji looked back at the city one last time from the bus station. He was no longer crying, mainly because he couldn't find the strength to do so anymore. In a sense, he felt like an old man who had his life drained from; weary, weak and tired.

However, he had come to at least one conclusion. He was now prepared to end this portion of his life. No more EVA. No more NERV. No more father. No more Misato, Asuka, Rei or anybody to cause him harm. No more hurting people he cared about.

What was going to happen next? Could he find a place to call home? Could he really go one living? Only God really knew…if he ever existed at all.

“Hey kid. You coming or not?”

Shinji turned around. The bus had shown up while he was in thought. The door to the bus was opened, the driver staring intently at him. This was his ticket out of hell. Would he take it?

Could he really this behind, this time for good?

“Sorry, I was just saying goodbye, that`s all.” Shinji replied slowly and quietly.

“Well hurry your goodbyes up. I hate this God forsaken town. I wanna go home.”

The former pilot muttered another apology. Shinji walked over and started to board the bus, turning around one last time. The rain had stopped, but the dark sky gave the ruined city an eerie feeling. It felt more like a city of the dead instead of the former metropolis it use to be.

“Goodbye… everyone.”

 

Hours later, unknown to the world following, a dark figure stood in a circle. The circle was made of 12 monoliths, which surrounded him like the ancient ruins of Stone Hinge. Upon each of these monoliths, the German word for soul, "SEELE", was written in red along with a corresponding number.

“So, it is has you have foreseen. Ikari's life has been taken by the first child.” A voice from SEELE number 1 said.

“We can no longer use her to complete the project.” SEELE 2 said.

The figure in the center of the room, who was garbed completely in a black hooded robe, made a slight noticeable nod and replied to SEELE 1 in a smooth voice. “Considering who I am, would you have reason to not judge my information Chairmen Keel.”

“We shall be the judge of that in due time.” Chairmen Keel retorted.

SEELE 5 cleared his voice. “We have more pressing concerns at the moment. Once NERV has gone public with this information, it will be easily traceable to us and then we will be finished. Our forces are not yet complete. ”

“Then we must all disappear. Fortunately, our contacts from within the Government we allow for that easily.” SEELE 7 said.

“Agreed.” SEELE 6 replied. The others followed suite in giving their agreement.

“However, we must do something about NERV. They must be punished for their interference. ” SEELE 8 hissed

SEELE 9 agreed. “Yes. If left unchecked, then NERV could become a torn in our side and the plans we have for humanity.”

The figure in black laughed. “All in good time. Do not despair my friends. For my brethren and I have come to help you. After all, we have a common enemy.”

“Are you sure that the information you have given us entirely accurate?” SEELE 11 asked. “Is this really going to happen?”

The figure nodded. “Of course, it has been written since the dawn of time ever since the Great Fall. Yes. Three years from this very day, they will appear. And then everything I have just told you will be set into motion.”

“And by doing what you say, we can complete our project?” SEELE 4 replied.

The dark one smiled. “Trust me my friends. All shall come full circle in time. . And we shall both have our revenge as well as what we want. This… I promise”

Author's notes: Hello once again. Its amazing that this story is over three years old now. In some ways, it seems like it was yesterday and in others, a lifetime ago. I must confess that I never intended to be working on this now. I always hoped it would be finished.

Nevertheless, I really want to finish what I started. This story was my first and I hope one day it will be completed the way I wanted it. To my mind, this story will be close to a hundred chapters once it is finish. This goal is a hard one, but hopefully, one that is very attainable.

For those who have read this, yes this is the original prologue. Now it's the first chapter. The reason for this is that many of my friends who have not seen Evangelion liked the story, but had no idea about the background story. I hope that as a summary, the new prologue gives these readers a chance to understand what is going on, despite it being very much incomplete I hope to have the next chapter completely fixed up by next week. This will be the final chapter I'm making changes to and it will have some plot changes. It isn't anything that will affect the story yet, but in order to finish this story the way I want to, it needed to be done. Do not worry; everything from the former Chapter 2 (now 3) on will not change. They are going back up when I finish the chapter.

Until we meet again,

B.C. Sealey