Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Shinji's Decision ❯ Repercussions/ Tying up loose ends ( Chapter 6 )

Shinji's Decision - Part 6

1st pre reader draft: 27/10/2000

2nd pre reader draft: 07/11/2000

Version 1 completed: 04/12/2000

Version 2 completed: 22/10/2001

By Jeff Mullier

Email: jmullier@idl.net.au

Copyright notice

Neon Genesis Evangelion and associated characters are copyright Gainax and associated companies.

Author Notes - version 1

I hope I haven't made any of the characters act wildly out of character. Also this fic contains spoilers. It takes place after episode 24 and ignores events in episodes 25,26 & the movies.

Any comments and suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks to Greg Thomas, Leonard Chee and Phillip Penty for pre reading this part.

Further notes for version 2

Well I have changed the writing style of this part. This is the last part that needed rewriting , so all of the story has now been rewritten in prose format. Also reworked several areas, especially the scene in Rei's apartment..

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Shinji's Decision

Part Six - Repercussions/ Tying up Loose Ends

Nerv Hospital room 107

Misato walks back into the room, she is carrying a small bag which she gently places on top of the chest of drawers next to Shinji's bed. Rei, Asuka, Touji, Kensuke, Hikari and Kaji are still all gathered around Shinji's bed. Misato turns to them and asks, "Could I please have a moment alone with Shinji, I have something important to tell him."

Puzzled and slightly worried about why Misato would want to speak to him alone, Shinji tells Misato. "Don't worry about it Misato, everybody here is my friend. I don't have any problems with them hearing what you are going to tell me."

"All right then, I have some bad news for you Shinji." 'I am not sure how he is going to take this.'

Puzzled by Misato's reply Shinji asks her, "What is it?" 'Everyone who cares for me is here. Unless...... no......he never cared for me after mother......'

"Your father is dead. He apparently shot himself after taking steps to ensure that all this was actually at an end by eliminating all the members of SEELE. For they had plans to deliberately start an third impact."

After hearing this Shinji hangs his head and softly whispers, "Father..........Why? I .....I……."

A look of surprise briefly appears on Kaji's face as he realises, 'Well today's events just keep on becoming more and more surprising. With both SEELE and commander Ikari gone there just might be a chance that all of this madness is actually at an end.'

Rei lets out a quiet gasp which goes unnoticed by everyone. 'Commander Ikari is gone......' Unseen by anyone else in the room Rei blinks and a single tear falls down her cheek.

Misato gets the letter that Gendo wrote to her out of the bag and tells Shinji, "Commander Fuyutsuki gave me this letter that your father left for me. I think that you should read it as well." She then hands Shinji the letter.

Shinji starts to read the letter and as he reads it his eyes widen in amazement 'Father..... you actually admitted that you were using us all. What you have written agrees with what mother told me.... Your reason for acting the way you have was to be reunited with mother.' When he has finished reading the letter he hands it back to Misato and tells her, "I.....I don't know what to say after reading that. I would have never thought that he would admit that he was manipulating everyone, much less say that he was sorry for what he has done. As for his reasons for doing what he has done...... I.... I ....don't know how I feel towards him now."

"Yes it is a rather surprising letter." 'Well I suppose this is a good as time as any to give him the photo.' Misato then reaches into the bag that she was carrying and pulls out the framed photo that Fuyutsuki gave her and hands it to Shinji and tells him, "This was found on his desk as well. We both thought that you should have it."

Shinji hesitantly takes the photo from Misato and studies it. His eyes widen in surprise when he sees what it is a photo of and he then starts crying. "Mother....." He then almost whispers, "...father." He then stops crying as he continues, ".... he told me that he didn't even have a photo of mother ........ but he had this all the time...... Before Ritsuko gave me the photo that she had, I couldn't even remember what mother looked like. Why didn't he show this to me?.......Why?.....why father?"

Curious to what the photo is of and concerned by Shinji's reaction to it, Asuka asks Shinji, "What is it Shinji?" She then leans over and looks at the photo. 'So wondergirl is a clone of Shinji's mother! Is that why he always has had something for her?' ".......Your mother.... Rei does look like her."

Shinji sniffles and then replies, "Yes."

Touji leans over so he can see the photo. 'So what you told me was right Shinji. Not that I doubted you, its just that you were a little messed up at the time.'

After seeing the photo a thoughtful expression appears on Hikari's face as she considers, 'Rei does looks just like Shinji's mom, other than for the hair and eye colour.'

Kensuke's eyes widen in shock after seeing the photo, 'So Rei is a clone of Shinji's mom! I found it hard to believe when Touji told me, but after seeing this photo there is no doubt.'

After quickly studding the photo, Rei asks herself, 'Commander Ikari, Shinji and his mother look so happy. Is that what it is like when a family is together?'

While the children's conversation is going on Misato turns to Kaji and whispers to him, "Kaji, commander Fuyutsuki wants to see both of us tomorrow morning."

A slightly worried expression appears on Kaji's face as he replies, "What for?"

"I am fairly certain that he wants to discuss what Nerv's future is now."

"It is almost guaranteed that it will be a rather interesting discussion." 'I think that one of the things that you will find out Misato is the full extent of what Shinji actually stopped.'

"Yes, I am not quite sure of what is Nerv's purpose now."

Shinji gives a big yawn and a rather tied look appears on his face. Misato notices Shinji's state and orders, "Come on everybody it is getting late, Shinji needs some rest. Hikari and Kensuke, you two can stay at my place overnight if you need to. Kaji, could you please take Touji back to his hospital room?"

Hikari smiles as she thanks Misato, "If it is no problem Misato."

Kensuke grins as he replies, "Thanks Misato." He then leans over to Touji and whispers, "Excellent! I wounder if she will wear the skimpy clothes that Shinji always seems so embarrassed about?"

Touji whispers a warning in reply, "Remember who else is going to be there, I wouldn't let either of them catch you perving on Misato or you know what will happen."

Kensuke looks worried when he realises what Touji is referring to, "Gulp, you're right when the class rep and the she devil are together it is a bad enough combination, but when they are both angry........"

Touji grins at Kensuke as he tells him, "Have fun!"

Kensuke mutters in reply, "Thanks."

Kaji walks the short distance to Touji's wheelchair and grabs hold of the handles. "Come on mister Suzahara, time to return you to your room. Goodbye Shinji."

Before Kaji starts to wheel him out of the room Touji farewells Shinji, "See you later Shinji."

Shinji returns their farewells, "Goodbye and thanks Kaji, Touji." Kaji wheels Touji out of the room.

Misato then tells the remaining children, "Come on lets get going."

Both Rei and Hikari farewell Shinji at the same time, "Goodbye Shinji."

As he prepares to leave the room Kensuke tells Shinji, "See you later Shinji."

Shinji looks at his friends and gives them a tied smile as he thanks them, "Thanks everyone."

Rei, Hikari and Kensuke walk out of the room followed by Misato. Asuka however stays and leans and gives Shinji a quick kiss on the cheek. She then stands up and smiles at him as she tells him, "I will come in and see you tomorrow."

Standing in the Misato doorway Misato sees this and smiles while she tells Asuka, "Come on Asuka."

Asuka replies in an annoyed tone, "Yeah, yeah Misato, I am leaving all right." Asuka walks out of the room and Shinji falls asleep almost straight away.

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Asuka's bedroom - Misato's Apartment

Both girls are sitting on the floor reading some magazines with their backs resting against the bed. Hikari puts her magazine down and turns to face Asuka. She then tells Asuka, "You surprised me Asuka, by kissing Shinji like that."

Asuka blushes slightly as she replies, "......Well....I had to get it into that thick skull of his that I do care for him and that I was glad that he wasn't killed."

Hikari grins as she teases Asuka, "But you never told me that you kissed him before."

Asuka blushes even more as she replies, "Well..... at the time would you have believed me?"

"I am not sure Asuka. Probably not, but it wouldn't have entirely surprised me either."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"At the time I suspected that something had happened between you two, exactly what I wasn't quite sure. You were avoiding him more than normal but I did see you sneak little glances at him in class. I also remember the afternoon before Touji's accident that when I mentioned that Shinji seemed sensitive in a nice kind of way, you reacted a little too quickly and called him a big fat dork and said that he wouldn't know how to relate to another person if you gave him a manual."

"Yes I did and that is still partly true, but my treatment of him hasn't helped. I am not much better at relating to others. I am amazed that he does actually care for me after the way that I have treated him."

"He does care for you deeply Asuka. When I saw him the morning before he tried to commit suicide one of the things that he was upset about was that he couldn't help you when that angel attacked you. Just like he said in that note he wrote you."

Asuka just hangs her head in shame after hearing this.

"Anyway I am glad that you have finally admitted to yourself that you do care for him. And that you did get the chance to show him your true feelings after all."

Asuka just quietly replies, "Yeah, thanks."

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Rei Ayanami's Apartment

Rei is laying face down on her bed with her arms folded under her chin. She is starring at the nearby wall deep in thought. 'Commander Ikari is dead. I am truly free from him now. I have prayed for the day that the commander would abandon me, but now that he is gone I am now afraid. So what is my purpose now? For what reason do I now exist? I have continued to exist because he has needed me, but now he is gone.'

Rei then remembers the argument that Asuka had with her just before the fifteenth angel when Asuka called her a doll and accused Rei of being willing to die if commander Ikari ordered her to. ' I would have killed myself if the commander ordered me to, as he would just make a replacement. Did he care for me at all? If he did was it because of whose image I am made in? Or was it because of the purpose that he made me for?'

Rei then glances at her hands which still have the small cuts on them caused by breaking Gendo's glasses, she then looks at the twisted remains of the glasses sitting on the top of her overflowing garbage bin. She then gets up and gets them out of the bin and sits down on the bed and starts looking at them deep in thought. After a while she remembers the image of Gendo after he opened the hatch of Unit 00's entry plug after the failed activation test. 'He injured himself when he was trying to rescue me after my accident in Unit 00. Why did he do that? Why did he seem so concerned, he knew that he could replace me if I was killed......... So what was I really to him? Why did I follow his orders so willingly? Yet from what I have found out, when I killed myself to save Shinji it was against the commander's orders.'

'Why did the commander kill himself? Was it because of what happened to his son? Was it because he had lost the chance to be reunited with his wife, or was it for both of these reasons? From Shinji's reaction to the letter that commander Ikari wrote to major Katsuragi, the commander must have shown some regret for his actions. ......Shinji Ikari, the commander's son, yet the commander showed more concern towards me and took more notice of me than he did of his own son. Yet despite this fact Shinji does not hold this against me. After the death of the second he avoided me and his actions towards me changed, but that was because of him discovering the truth behind my origins.'

'From what Shinji has told me thanks to Doctor Akagi I can no longer be replaced. So am I now unique but at the same time I am now the same as those around me, if I die it will be the end of me. ....... Shinji he is the only person who would miss me if I was gone. .....he is the only one who managed to get close to me and call himself my friend. He is the only person who cares for who I am, not what I am or because they had a purpose for me. I don't know what I would have done if he was killed, especially since I helped send him against the angel so soon after he tried to kill himself. What is this feeling I have towards him now? Pilot Sohryu appears to care for him quite deeply and he seems to have similar feelings towards her now. Am I jealous of pilot Sohryu? But Shinji does still care for me I know it.'

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Nerv Hospital Room 107 the next morning

Shinji is laying in the bed awake staring at the ceiling. The door slides open and he turns to see who has come to visit him. It is Asuka and she is carrying his SDAT player. He smiles and greets her, "Hello Asuka."

Asuka gives Shinji a warm smile in return and replies, "Hello Shinji. So how are you feeling today?"

"A little sore, but a lot better than yesterday."

"Do you know how long you will have to stay in hospital?"

"Another four days. By then my wounds should have healed enough for me to get out of here. My shoulder and arm will take a little longer to heal fully though."

Asuka hands Shinji his SDAT player back and tells him, "Here is your SDAT player back. I thought that you might want it to help pass the time in here."

"Thanks Asuka."

"So Shinji did you mean what you said on the note that you wrote me?"

"Yes I did. I just wish that I could have told you in person, as well as telling you earlier."

"In a way am glad that you told me now. If you told me anytime in the last few weeks before I fell into a coma, I probably would have told you that were a perverted baka and that I hated you. Mainly due to the way I was feeling about myself at the time."

Shinji frowns slightly as he tells Asuka, "Well all have gone through hell these last two months."

In a weary tone Asuka replies, "Yeah, you are certainly right there."

An awkward silence falls for a few moments; Asuka breaks the silence by hesitantly asking Shinji. "So what changed your mind? Why did you decide to pilot again after you ...... tried to......... um ...... well.... you know?"

"I thought that you would more angry at me than that for trying to commit suicide Asuka."

Asuka turns away ashamed, not wanting to look Shinji in the face as she softly answers, "…....Well...... was what I did any different?"

Asuka's answer and reaction puzzles Shinji so he asks her, "What do you mean Asuka? It wasn't your fault you fell into a coma, you were still suffering from what the fifteenth angel did to you."

With her voice quivering slightly Asuka softly replies, "That is partly the truth, so you don't know what happened to me after I couldn't help Rei against the sixteenth angel?"

"No, I don't. You never went back to Misato's after the attack of the sixteenth angel. I heard that you couldn't sync with your Eva during the attack of the sixteenth angel. I would have tried to find you, but I was too devastated by Rei's apparent death caused by her sacrificing Unit 00 to save me. That afternoon after I found out that ...well Rei was alive, I wondered where you might be. However due to what Ritsuko showed me soon afterwards, I was too shocked to do anything. I wasn't told where you were until after ......Kaworu, by that time you were already in your coma. By that time I didn't know what to do, I was too afraid of Rei to talk to her. Misato was the only other person left who I could have talked to and because of what happened after Kaworu, I didn't feel like I could talk to her about it. I was rapidly falling apart and withdrawing deeper into my shell. I soon got to the stage where........ um... I decided that it all was too much and...... well you know what I tried to do ........"

Asuka frowns at Shinji, at his mentioning of his suicide attempt, "Yes, I still can't believe that you actually did that."

Shinji hangs his head slightly in shame as he replies, "Yes, I am not particularly proud of trying to do that."

'You're not the only one crazy enough to try to do something that desperate.'

'She didn't react like I expected she would to that. She has changed, but I still expected some sort of comment out of her. Just what happened to her when she disappeared? Well I can only ask.' Shinji then hesitantly asks Asuka, "...Umm...So what actually happened to you after you disappeared Asuka?"

Asuka looks down at the floor in shame as she replies, "I .....ran away and wondered around the ruins in a daze for a week. Eventually I decided to .........."

'What! You didn't ... try to.......' "No….. Asuka, you didn't try to ...... commit .......suicide as well, did you?"

"Yes…. I did, but those goons from the second section of intelligence Division found me before I could do anything to myself. Everything after that was just a blur, soon after they got me to the hospital I just collapsed and fell into a coma."

"Why....Asuka, what happened to you, for you to want to do that....... you have always been so strong.……."

Still looking down at the floor Asuka almost whispers her answer, "...It was all just a facade.....it was my way of stopping anyone from getting to close to me. Doing this made it easier to hide the real me."

"And after what the fifteenth angel did to you could no longer keep the barriers around you up."

"No I couldn't, but it... it.... wasn't just what the fifteenth angel did to me. .....Making .....me remember...... my most painful memory, the.... one that I have tried the hardest for all of these years to forget. Having that happen so soon after losing against the thirteenth 13th and fourteenth angels, took me to the brink. My inability to synchronise with my Eva during the attack of the sixteenth angel is what pushed me over the edge, I lost any feelings of self worth that I may have still had. Eva has been my life, my purpose, ever since ....... It was my way of proving myself to the world, as well as helping me to forget .........."

'She isn't going to like me knowing this.' He then hesitantly tells her, "…. How your mother ......... died."

Asuka stares at Shinji in shock because of his knowledge of her mother's fate, and stutters in surprise, "…..Wha." She quickly recovers and frowns at Shinji while angrily asking him, "And just how do you find out about what happened to my mother? Did Misato tell you?"

'I was afraid of this happening. Asuka is probably going to go ballistic at me. The only thing that will probably stop her trying to beat me into a pulp is the fact that I am already in hospital.' Shinji then gulps before nervously replying, "No, Misato didn't tell me. Um..... Asuka, well....... when they tried to see if I could sync with Unit 02, I.... I could ....could sense your...... your.....memories through Unit 02."

Asuka is surprised by this and yells out, "......What!"

Afraid by how Asuka may react as well as because of his discomfort at knowing this fact about Asuka's past, Shinji almost whispers his answer, "....Asuka ......I ..... never would have thought......I wish I didn't find out."

Afraid of what Shinji's answer may be Asuka shakily asks him, " ......What do you mean?"

"I...I....knew that....that....your real mother was dead but.....finding out how......... and especially the... way... that you found out how she died."

Asuka's face pales after hearing this, 'He knows everything.'

"….... Asuka .......I am sorry. I didn't want to find this out......but I had no choice in the matter. I know that it is something that you don't like remembering yourself much less anyone else knowing about it."

Asuka's voice quivers as she replies, ".…..Just don't tell anyone. I won't hold this against you, as we share something in common in that regard Shinji."

As he was expecting a much angrier reaction, Asuka's statement confuses Shinji, so he asks her, "Huh?"

"I never knew why my mother had that breakdown. Yesterday Misato also told me the cause of my mother's breakdown. You aren't the only pilot who lost their mother to their Eva."

Astonished by the implications of what Asuka said, Shinji yells, "What!"

"My mother met a similar fate to yours, she was the test pilot for Unit 02 and it suffered problems during an activation test. Unlike what happened to your mother, mine physically survived the test, however she suffered from major mental contamination from the incident. The theory is that most of her soul was transferred into Unit 02."

"...I .....I don't know what to say Asuka."

"Don't worry about it. At least I know what really happened to her now and why they were always wanting me to be Unit 02's pilot."

"Yes, I also realise now why they were always so anxious to get me to pilot Unit 01."

"Because your mother was in Unit 01?"

"Yes."

Asuka hesitantly asks Shinji, "Shinji....... Misato ....told me that ...you actually saw your mother's disappearance."

"Yes...I had locked the memory away due to it being too painful. It… was like......you know… the time when they tested me in Unit 00 and it went berserk?"

Asuka shudders at the memory, "Yes."

Shinji tries hard to hide his discomfort at the memory as he continues, "It....... was like that….. but much worse."

Seeing Shinji's discomfort Asuka awkwardly replies, "Errr sorry for mentioning that."

"Don't worry about it, I think that I have come to terms with it now. Anyway we are now even since I know about what happened to your mother."

"......Yeah. You still haven't answered my question on why you decided to pilot again."

"While I was unconscious I realised that I was only running away again. I am tired of running away, I have finally realised that running away gains nothing."

"Yes you are right there."

"After I recognised that fact, the reason I decided to pilot again was the same that made me change my mind and decide not to leave Tokyo 3 and Nerv after the fourth angel. This was also the same reason why I piloted Unit 01 against the fourteenth angel, even after I had sworn never to pilot it again."

"While you absorbed in Unit 01, I did wonder why in the world you came back, especially after what had happened. So what was the reason you decided to continue piloting Unit 01?"

"I realised even though I hated myself, I would hate myself even more if I did nothing and someone was hurt. I would never be able to live with myself if either you, Misato or Rei was hurt. This is actually the very same reason why I piloted Unit 01 that first time against the third angel."

"What do you mean Shinji? I never did find out what happened during that attack, other than you piloted Unit 01 without any training."

"It all happened in a rush, I actually arrived at Tokyo 3 and Nerv during the attack of the third angel. Once Misato and myself managed to get to headquarters, Misato then managed to lose her way and had to have Ritsuko paged so she could come and rescue us. Once Ritsuko found us, we then made our way to supposedly to meet my father. We eventually came to a large darkened room and once the lights were turned on I was suddenly confronted with the face of a giant 'robot', which was Unit 01. My father then ordered me to pilot it, when I hesitated he had Rei brought in to pilot it. She arrived on a stretcher, covered in bandages and when she started to get up off the stretcher she cried out in pain. The angel then started to attack Nerv headquarters and the blast knocked some girders lose from the roof. Unit 01's hand come out and protected me, the shock wave from the blast also knocked Rei off her stretcher. I then ran over to help her, it was then I saw just how badly hurt she already was. She was bleeding and was obviously in great pain, and my father was going to make her pilot Unit 01 in that state. I couldn't just stand there and let him order Rei pilot Unit 01, so to stop him doing that I decided to pilot Unit 01. I later realised that he never intended for her to pilot, she was just a means of convincing me to pilot Unit 01."

"I.....I never would have imagined that was what happened." 'No wonder you were so reluctant in piloting originally Shinji.'

"So now you know why I kept on piloting even though I have never liked it."

"Well that's a better answer than the one you gave me before."

Shinji gives Asuka a small smile as he replies, "Yes it is."

"So why me Shinji? Especially after the way that I have treated you. Anyway I thought that you always had a thing for wondergirl."

Shinji shakes his head slightly as he replies, "Like I said in the note Asuka, the first time I saw you I thought that you were the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen. As for Rei, I have always had this feeling about her, almost like I had seen her before. I suppose that it was because she looks like my mother. I still care very deeply for her, but I feel more like she is family, which you could say she is considering her origins."

Asuka then asks Shinji, "But if you felt for me from the beginning why didn't you tell me earlier?" She then looks down ashamed and asks him, "Were you afraid that I would hit you?"

"Partly, I was more afraid that you would reject me. For being hurt emotionally by others is the reason why I avoid getting too close to anyone. In fact before I came to Tokyo 3 and Nerv, I didn't have anyone that I could have called my friend. I didn't even have a family as such."

'......Have I been any different?' "But I thought that you lived with your uncle?"

"Yes I did, but he only put up with me because father was paying him. Not that he mistreated me, he just wasn't interested in me."

"So having friends here is one good thing to come out of coming to Tokyo 3?"

"Yes, Touji, Kensuke and even Hikari are good friends. Rei and Misato are virtually family, and of course I never would have met you."

Asuka's face blushes briefly as she replies, "Thanks."

'Well I suppose that this is a good as time as any to ask her.' "I will ask you the same question you asked me earlier, why me Asuka? By the way you acted towards at times, I thought that you hated me."

"I am not sure of when I really started to have positive feelings towards you. Probably from after you jumped unprotected and against orders, into the volcano during the attack of the eighth angel to save me. Its times like that, and when you came back during the attack of the fourteenth angel despite you having vowed never to pilot again due to what happened to Suzahara. But at other times you can be so damn annoying, constantly apologising for little things even if it wasn't your fault. Because of that at times I could almost swear that there are actually two Shinji Ikaris."

Baffled by Asuka's statement Shinji asks her, "Huh? What do you mean by that Asuka?"

"Well most of the time you are avoiding conflict and apologising, but when you are really pushed you release your anger and there is no stopping you. Like how you piloted Unit 01 against the fourteenth angel before you lost power."

Wondering how Asuka knew what happened in the battle against the fourteenth angel after Unit 02 was disabled, Shinji asks her. "How did you see that? They wouldn't have had time to retrieve your entry plug by the time that happened."

"Misato showed us the video of the whole battle. What Unit 01 did after it lost power was terrifying, but when you were in control it was still the fiercest that I have ever seen you fight in your eva."

The expression on Shinji's face darkens as he replies, "I was mad and not just at the angels, I was mad at myself for not being there to help you and Rei. I had just seen your Eva's head nearly demolish the shelter that I was in and Rei had just tried to blow it up with a N2 mine before the angel cut her eva to bits." His expression darkens even more as he continues, "I should have been there to help the two of you."

"But you came back and that's all that matters."

Embarrassed Shinji replies, "Yes I did."

"Anyway your constant apologising is not the main reason I never told you my true feelings. For I was afraid that you would leave me."

'I can understand that.... for my reason for the way I act towards others is much the same.'

"My mother's accident and my father's reaction to her condition afterwards especially his almost total ignorance of me, was what started me dealing with other people the way I do. When....... mother killed herself, I promised to myself that I would never rely on anyone again. For anyone who I had let get close to me abandoned me."

With a serious expression his face Shinji tells Asuka, "I may have tried to runaway from everything including you before Asuka, but not now. I am through with running, I will stay here with you and my friends."

Asuka smiles and holds Shinji's hand as she replies, "Thanks...."

After a few minutes silence Shinji looks at Asuka and notices that there is something different about her appearance. He asks her, "Asuka what's happened to your hair, it looks different."

Asuka rolls her eyes and sighs after hearing this, she then tells Shinji, "Gee it took you long enough to notice. I haven't got my hair held in place by my interface clips."

"But you never take them out other than when you are washing your hair."

"Well...... the ones I had on met with a little accident and I haven't had time to get new ones."

"An accident? What happened to them?"

"I took them out and threw them against the door when I thought that you were dead. I was angry that I wasn't able to help you." Shinji just sits there surprised at what happened to Asuka's interface clips. Asuka then sternly tells Shinji, "Just never do anything like that again."

"I won't Asuka. Hopefully we wont have to worry about it, as supposedly that angel was the last one that we will have to fight."

"Yeah, both the angels and the evangelions have really messed up our lives."

"They certainly have. But it should hopefully all be over now."

"Yeah, I hope so." 'Although I would like to prove to myself that I can still pilot Unit 02.'

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Kouzou Fuyutsuki's office 10:00 hours

Kouzou is sitting down at his desk reading some paperwork when there is a knock at his door. Fuyutsuki looks up from the papers and orders, "Come in." Misato and Kaji then walk into the office. Fuyutsuki greets them, "Colonel Katsuragi, Agent Kaji, please sit down."

Upon hearing the rank that Fuyutsuki addressed Misato by, Kaji turns and looks at Misato with an amazed look and asks, "Colonel Katsuragi?"

Misato rolls her eyes and tells Kaji, "Later Kaji, just don't tell anyone all right."

Kaji gives Misato a mock salute and playfully replies, "Yes sir!" Misato just glares at Kaji for this comment. Both Misato and Kaji sit down on the other side of Fuyutsuki's desk

Fuyutsuki smiles at Kaji's reaction to Misato's promotion, he then asks him, "Agent Kaji, I take it that colonel Katsuragi hasn't told you about her promotion, and that she is now the vice commander of Nerv?"

Kaji glances at Misato with a look of awe on his face as he replies, "No, sir she hasn't."

"We will discuss this further later on. You have probably been wondering why I asked you two to come here. We need to plan where we take Nerv from here now that the immediate threat of either the angels or SEELE trying to start third impact is now over. Commander Ikari may have dealt with SEELE and the Instrumentality Committee, but there are still some loose ends to be tidied up."

Kaji nods as he replies, "We had assumed as much sir."

Misato then asks Fuyutsuki, "But why us sir? Shouldn't higher authorities make these decisions?"

Fuyutsuki replies, "Normally yes, but the higher authorities that Nerv would normally answer to, such as the secretary general of the UN were members of SEELE. Because of this at the moment there are no higher authorities, so we have a free hand to do as we wish in relation to the angels and preventing third impact. To prevent any future problems with their replacements I want to have a sound case to do what ever we decide to do. Commander Ikari may have eliminated the members of both SEELE and the instrumentality committee, but their underlings may still survive."

Kaji quickly understands Fuyutsuki's aim and tells him, "And we don't want them to try to continue their superior's obsession do we? Or to give them any reason to reject any recommendation that we may make."

"Definitely not. And that is the first and most vital reason why I think that Nerv should be kept intact."

Curious to what other reason that Fuyutsuki may have for keeping Nerv intact Misato asks him, "What is the second?"

"The second is for the very slim chance that the may be more angels, as the partial copy of the Dead Sea scrolls that Nerv holds is somewhat open to interpretation in places."

Startled by even the possibility of more angels, considering what has just happened with Unit 01, Misato yells, "More angels?"

"I wouldn't concern myself about it; it is only a very slim chance. As I said, Nerv's copy of the Dead Sea scrolls is a little vague in spots, and open to several interpretations. We may find out more if we locate SEELE's full copy of the scrolls. Anyway the first problem that we have to worry about is what to do with the nine mass production series Evangelions."

Misato is surprised at hearing of state of the mass production series, so she then asks Fuyutsuki. "They are finished? I knew about them, but never realised how close to being finished they were. Just why were so many still under production though when we were so close to the end?"

"Seven are finished, the eighth is ninety five percent complete and the ninth is seventy nine percent complete." Fuyutsuki looks at Kaji as he continues, "As for their true purpose and why so many were still under production, we were rather lucky in that Adam 'escaped' when he did. As in another two weeks all nine would have been finished and SEELE would have used them to attack us directly and take Adam and Lilith by force."

Shocked at hearing how SEELE intended to use the mass production evangelions, Misato yells, "Attack Nerv directly!"

"Unfortunately yes, and to make that task easier SEELE had convinced certain factions of the Japanese government that Nerv was going start third impact. So to stop Nerv carrying out this task the government was going to issue an A801 order and have the JSSDF to take Nerv by force. And it was going to be a rather bloody takeover, as the orders were to attack Nerv with maximum force, with no prisoners to be taken, and the pilots were priority targets for liquidation."

Misato gasps in shock after hearing this, she turns and gives Kaji a rather dark look as she asks him in an annoyed tone, "Did you know of this?"

Kaji quickly answers, "I had heard that they were planning something, but I had no idea they were going to go that far. I can even guess who in the government would readily have gone along with this drastic plan. With only a slight distortion of the facts they could have easily convinced the rest of the government to agree to send the in JSSDF to take Nerv by force. But to take no prisoners and to kill the pilots......... I guess it was lucky that interior minister and myself came up with the idea of stealing Adam. But even then certain parties decided to meddle with it so they could try to harness its power for their own glory."

Fuyutsuki nods his head sadly as he comments, "That has always been the problem with people in power and project E"

"Unfortunately yes that has been the case."

Misato then asks Fuyutsuki, "So what would have happened if we managed to stop both the production units or the JSSDF from gaining control of Adam and Lilith?"

Fuyutsuki replies, "Unfortunately that wouldn't have been the end of SEELE's attempt of starting third impact. Because even if we stopped SEELE and the JSSDF from overrunning Nerv and obtaining Adam and Lilith, they still had one last means of obtaining their goal. They would have then used the mass production units to start third impact by using both Unit 01 and the lance of Longinus."

Shocked by this totally unexpected information Misato asks, "What! How?"

"This was SEELE's method of getting what they wanted even if commander Ikari made it impossible for them to use Adam and Lilith. The true purpose of the nine mass production units was to either to gain control of Nerv and Adam and Lilith by force or to start third impact by this other method."

"!!!!!!...How? What do you mean?"

"Unit 01 was the only successful evangelion made using material from Lilith, all the other evangelions use material from Adam. Unit 01 was also special due to its actually having a human soul trapped inside of it, coupled with the fact that it has a working S2 engine. These facts combined meant by attacking Unit 01 in a certain fashion using the lance of Longinus and all nine mass production units, SEELE could make third impact happen even without gaining control of either Adam or Lilith."

'So that's just one more reason why Unit 01 has always been the key to everything.' "So who were SEELE going to get to pilot them? Had they found more pilots?"

"No, apparently they had their own dummy plug system."

Misato shudders as the image of the tank of Rei clones flashes into her mind. She then asks, "Who did they use, not Rei again?"

"No, they didn't use Rei as the basis of their system. Although you will be disturbed on who they used though."

Worried by the possible answers to Fuyutsuki's answer Misato asks him, "Not one of the other children I hope?"

"In a way yes they did. They used the fifth child."

Misato is shocked by this information and she yells out, "What!!! Were they totally insane, he was an angel."

"SEELE were fully aware of his abilities when they sent him to us."

"They were expecting him to betray us?"

"Yes, for that is why they sent him to us."

"Why?"

"SEELE were rather displeased with the commander due to him using the lance and removing it from their reach. They wanted to strike while Nerv was at its lowest strength, with both the second child's disappearance and Rei's destruction of Unit 00; there was only Shinji and Unit 01 left. This gave them an excuse to send the fifth to us earlier than what we had prepared for. For his arrival had been planned before the second child's problems and disappearance. His original purpose wasn't that of a replacement for the second child, for he was going to be the pilot of the next Evangelion once it was completed. It was just easier for us to get him to pilot Unit 02 at the time, due to his evangelion not being completed at the time."

"What do you mean by his evangelion wasn't completed? But there are no more units other than the mass production series. So he was going to pilot one of the mass production units?"

"No he wasn't. Nerv actually has been working on one other Eva unit and it has been kept under rather tight security."

Surprised by this news Misato asks, "Nerv has been working on another evangelion?"

"You seemed surprised by this fact. I take it that your digging through the classified data banks hasn't yet revealed this evangelion's existence?"

"No, it hasn't. So what is this unit like then? Is it like Unit 02 or is it more like the mass production units or is it something totally different?"

"Oh, you will recognise this particular evangelion when you see it. For it isn't strictly speaking a new Evangelion, for it has been rebuilt since you saw it last. I did question Ikari about the wisdom of rebuilding it. Especially regarding this particular unit's history and how the children would react to seeing it once more."

Misato quickly realises what evangelion Fuyutsuki is referring to and a look of horror appears on her face as she asks, ".......Oh no...... you don't mean ...... Eva Unit 03?"

"Unfortunately yes."

The room briefly falls silent while Misato sits there with a shocked look on her face trying to come to terms with the disturbing information that Fuyutsuki has just told Kaji and herself. 'I can see why he would keep the true reasons behind SEELE's attack secret. But why the attack itself, we could have planned to defend ourselves against it. Unless....no he wouldn't have....' She then shakes her head at that thought and continues, 'Yes he would have, if all was lost, plus there were no longer any reasons for him not to do it....' She then hesitantly asks Fuyutsuki, "Sir, how long have you known this information about the possible attack on Nerv?"

"Some of it, like SEELE using the mass production series, commander Ikari informed me about that a little over two months ago. Although I have only learnt about the proposed JSSDF attack recently, and from two sources."

"If you don't mind sir, just what were the two sources?"

"I learnt of the actual attack from the discussion that I had with the Japanese prime minister soon after commander Ikari's death. As for the attack being carried out with maximum force, I only learnt of that after I dug deeper into the commander's classified files. I suspect that not even the prime minister knew of the true reason and of the methods of the attack, for a senior member of his cabinet was the person behind this rather drastic measure."

Kaji then asks Fuyutsuki, "Let me guess, the defence minister was the member of the cabinet behind this drastic measure?"

"Correct."

Misato asks Fuyutsuki, "But why?"

Fuyutsuki replies, "The defence minister was rather embarrassed by the lack of success that his forces had against the third angel. Apparently he also secretly held a large number of shares the builders of the 'ill fated' jet alone units, the Japan Heavy Industrial and Chemical Corporation."

"And he probably isn't the only person in power who was close to SEELE either."

Kaji adds, "He was the only one that I have found so far, but I would say that you are correct, there will be more like him."

Fuyutsuki then tells Kaji and Misato, "Yes unfortunately you are most likely correct, so I want the two of you to try and track down any other high ranking people who were close to SEELE so we can keep track of their activities. Use the MAGI to search for any relevant information. Commander Ikari had several files that you may want to use as a starting point."

Realising something Misato then asks Fuyutsuki, "But how are we going to do that sir? My security clearance isn't high enough."

"This may come as a surprise to you, both but I am going to give you two the same security clearance as myself."

"Huh? Why?"

Kaji also asks, "Yes why? Is that wise, especially considering my 'other' employers?"

Fuyutsuki gives Kaji a smile as he tells him, "Oh, I think that I can trust you agent Kaji. Prior to your sudden departure from Nerv, your reason for searching for the truth was more for your own curiosity than your other employers at the Ministry of the Interior, am I correct?"

Kaji answers, "Yes you are."

"Your digging into the most secure files in Nerv is well known agent Kaji, where as colonel Katsuragi's search for the truth, by delving into Nerv's darkest secrets is less well known."

Embarrassed by having her supposedly secret research discovered Misato tries to reply, "Errrrrr."

"Don't worry about it colonel. I know you have a rather personal reason behind finding out the truth about second impact."

"Yes I do......"

"Don't worry about it, either of you. I know that both of you were only after the truth behind second impact and the purpose of the human instrumentality project. This may surprise you but trying to carry out a similar task was the actual reason behind me originally joining Gehirn."

Curious about Fuyutsuki's reason for joining Gehirn, Misato asks him, "What do you mean sir?"

"My reasons for joining Gehirn were those of personal survival, for Gendo Ikari managed to convince SEELE that it would be more beneficial for me to work for him and join Gehirn instead of them eliminating me. This was due to me uncovering enough facts by August 2003 to reveal the truth of second impact and SEELE's and Gehirn's part in it. As you could imagine SEELE could not let this happen and this is why SEELE wished to eliminate me. To confirm my suspicions I went to see Gendo Ikari and confronted him with what I had found. He then showed me the geofront and the Evas and offered me a job with Gehirn, for my own protection, due to SEELE also finding out what I was planning to do. He also revealed to me that it was his and Yui's intention to prevent SEELE carrying out their warped version of third impact. It is rather ironic actually, Ikari told me that the files and information that he was releasing to the public yesterday, were actually based on those facts that I had gathered back in 2003."

"Well that is rather surprising sir. I never would guessed that as your reason for joining Gehirn."

Kaji responds to Fuyutsuki's statement about his reason for joining Gehirn, "Well I partly knew of you reason sir, but I never would have thought of you and the Ikaris trying to outwit SEELE at that early stage. I thought that it was something that commander Ikari only did after his wife had her 'accident'."

Fuyutsuki replies, "Well it was something only the three of us knew. So do either of you have a suggestion on what we can do to continue that plan and stop anyone trying to find a way of starting third impact with what is left?"

Almost straight away Misato replies to Fuyutsuki's question, "I have one regarding the angel Lilith. It will definitely help us in making it near impossible for anyone to ever attempt to initiate third impact."

"Yes, what is it? I have been giving some rather serious thought on what we should do with her. I have not yet decided what do with her, considering that she is the last angel left."

"I suggest that we destroy the angel using Unit 02. By destroying the last remaining angel we will hopefully reduce the chances of anyone attempting to continue this madness."

After hearing Misato's suggestion Fuyutsuki nods. "Agreed, I have no problems with that suggestion. However I will still have to get permission to carry it out. SEELE and the committee may be gone, but that doesn't mean that we can carry out something of that importance without getting approval. Not that I see any problem in getting permission. In fact I think that agent Kaji may be able to help us there." Fuyutsuki then looks straight at Kaji and asks him, "Do you think that we will be able to convince your 'other' superiors to go along with this suggestion?"

Kaji replies, "Yes, especially after what happened with the first angel. When I gave it to them I told them that they should destroy it, but they had obviously already decided to carry out tests on it. And we all know what happened when they started to meddle with something that should have been left well and truly alone."

"Yes, it came a little too close to being able to start third impact. If it wasn't for the thir...." He shakes his head and corrects himself before he continues, "Shinji's sacrifice in destroying Unit 01 and the angel with it."

"This actually leads me to a suggestion that I would like to make. It involves a way of removing the problem member of the cabinet."

Suspecting what Kaji's suggestion is going to involve, Fuyutsuki tells him, "Go on."

"Do you have any problems in giving me copies of the details of the exact nature of the proposed JSSDF attack on Nerv, to the prime minister and other parties?"

"No I don't, as I can see what you are going to do. You are going to let the truth expose him and let the government do the dirty work for us."

Kaji gives a grin as he replies, "Correct."

"I will gather the necessary paperwork then. So do either of you have any more suggestions?"

"No sir."

Misato asks Fuyutsuki, "There is one more thing. How much of this will we tell the children? I think that after all that they have been through they deserve to know at least some of the truth."

Fuyutsuki answers Misato's question, "Yes they do. I was planning to visit Shinji after we had finished here, and talk to him regarding his father and mother and what he actually stopped by destroying Unit 01. As for the other issues that we have discussed, I will leave that up to your discretion regarding what you tell the children."

"Understood sir."

Standing up from his chair Fuyutsuki tells them, "I think that we have covered everything for the moment. Agent Kaji I will have the information that you asked for ready by 1300 hours."

Kaji replies, "Thank you sir."

Fuyutsuki then nods at Misato and Kaji and tells them, "If you will excuse me I am going to see Shinji now."

As she stands up to leave Misato asks Fuyutsuki, "Sir, could you please not mention to Shinji that I have been promoted. I would like to tell him myself, the same goes for you agent Kaji."

Fuyutsuki gives a small grin at hearing Misato's request and replies, "I understand 'major'."

Kaji has stood up by this stage and he turns and gives Misato a cheeky grin and a mock salute as he addresses her, "Yes sir!"

Misato and Kaji then leave Fuyutsuki's office. Fuyutsuki is right behind them and heads for Shinji's hospital room.

------------------------------------------------------------------ ---

Nerv Hospital room 107

Shinji has just finished his lunch and is sitting up in bed listening to his SDAT player while idly looking through a magazine. Asuka had left fifteen minutes ago to get her own lunch from the Nerv cafeteria. The door to his room slides open revealing Kouzou Fuyutsuki who walks in and stands beside the bed. Seeing that someone has entered the room, Shinji drops the magazine he was reading, he then turns off his SDAT player and takes the earplugs out off his ears and looks up to see who has come to visit him. As soon as he sees that it is commander Fuyutsuki a surprised expression appears on his face and he greets Fuyutsuki, "Commander Fuyutsuki!"

Fuyutsuki nods and returns Shinji's greeting, "Shinji. I take it that you have heard about your father?"

"That he shot himself .........yes... I have."

"I know that you and your father were far from being close, but I would still like to pass on my condolences."

"Th...thank you............. Commander, you knew father better than anyone, so why did he kill himself?"

"He believed like everyone else that you were killed when you self destructed Unit 01. With both Unit 01 and Adam destroyed, everything he had been working towards had came to a rather abrupt end. I think that he then realised that he had sacrificed too many things in his pursuit of his ultimate goal. Perhaps what is on this security tape will help you understand your father's reasons for killing himself." He walks over to the video machine for the room's television set and places the tape into it. "This tape is of your father's office, it was taken not long before he shot himself." He then presses play on the video player. The security tape plays Gendo's last meeting with SEELE and what happened afterwards. It finishes and turns into static just before where Gendo shoots himself, once the tape has reached the end Fuyutsuki turns the television off and retrieves the security tape.

Shinji sits there momentarily stunned by what he has seen, especially by the last thing that his father said. After a few moments Shinji recovers enough to ask Fuyutsuki, "........I ....I...... so.. he did feel sorry for what he had done......"

Fuyutsuki replies, "Yes, but too late. You know that despite how he may have acted towards you he was still proud of you. Although I think that he fully expected you to return when you left after what happened to the fourth child. The manner of your return and the way you fought against that angel until you lost power impressed him. Although what happened afterwards suited his plans."

"I know, Misato showed me the letter that he wrote her."

"I see."

"So what is going to happen to father's body?"

"He is going to be buried tomorrow morning. Both the UN and the Japanese government debated for some time to decide wether to give him a quiet private funeral or one with full honours. They finally decided to give him a low key formal burial."

"I imagine the reason why they took so long was that they had trouble trying to work out exactly what their opinion of father is now considering what he did yesterday."

"Yes, they are trying to decide if your father was a hero or a villain."

"Yes, I can imagine. I am still trying to come to terms with my feelings for him."

"After all that has happened I can understand you felling that way."

"So where they are going to bury him then?"

"They easily agreed on that subject. It was decided to grant your father's wish for his burial site."

"So where did he want to be buried then?"

"He asked to be buried next to your mother's grave, but with his unmarried name of Gendo Rokubungi."

"Why not with mother's surname?"

"He felt that after all the pain he had caused everyone, especially for you that he no longer deserved Yui's surname."

A determined expression appears on Shinji's face as he tells commander Fuyutsuki, "No. I would like him buried with Ikari on the headstone."

"I must admit that you surprise me by saying that after all that he has done to you."

"While I may never be able to completely forgive him for what he did to me and my friends, I now know that both him and mother still loved each other deeply. I now also know his reasons for doing what he has done. It may sound a little strange, but the reason I know this is because while I was unconscious I sensed mother. She explained to me her reasons for creating the Evangelions. She even told me that that her involvement with them was the reason why father started dating her. Once he married her, his reasons soon changed and he was soon working towards the same goal as mother was. But when mother was taken into Unit 01 he changed totally. I cannot clearly remember back that far, but mother said that he was a caring man before that day. She said that everything that he has done since then was to reunite both him and myself with her. That is the reason why he has been so determined to win the war against the angels no matter the cost."

'So Yui did suspect his initial reasons for dating her after all.' "Ah yes, Yui..... I have been informed that your mother was the reason for your survival, I wasn't surprised when I heard that you gave her as your reason for surviving."

"Yes she was the reason for my survival. She was still in Unit 01, she has been all that time...... I was there the day she was taken into Unit 01. I had forgotten all about that day, but mother made me remember it."

"Yes 'THAT' day..... I had warned Yui about the dangers of piloting, but she decided to pilot for you."

"Yes I know, my mother showed me her memories of the day that you warned her. It was by the banks of the lake, I was in a stroller. You came along after apparently giving my father some information that you had gathered."

'So it seems that Yui must have told him quite a bit about her and 'Ikari's' reasons for doing what they have in the name of project E.' "Ah yes the day I was forced to join Gehirn for my own survival."

"That was when she told you that she was going to be Unit 01's test pilot for me......".

"Yes it was."

"I got the impression from mother that you knew her before you become involved with Gehirn."

"Yes, before second impact I was a professor of bio engineering at the university at Kyoto. I was asked to take on your mother as a research assistant. She was brilliant, her research was right on the very leading edge of the science. Her knowledge of most areas easily surpassed my own, but despite her obvious talent she was willing to give it all up to have a family."

"But she changed her mind after I was born."

"Yes she did. So did she explain both her and your father's reasons for being involved with the Evangelions?"

"Yes, to ensure that only the true third impact happened, to take mankind to a higher level. Also to stop SEELE carrying out their twisted version of third impact."

"She wouldn't have told you the full extent what you actually stopped by destroying Unit 01?"

Shinji is puzzled by what Fuyutsuki could be referring to and asks him, "What do you mean? All I did was destroy Adam and with it any chances of it being used to start third impact."

"No, by destroying Unit 01 you also completed your mother's and father's main goal. That is to stop SEELE's attempt to start their twisted version of third impact."

Fuyutsuki's answer just further confuses Shinji, so he asks, "Huh? Just what do you mean by that? What has Unit 01 got to do with it? I thought that only angels could cause third impact to happen?"

"Unfortunately that was not the case. As there was one way of starting third impact without Adam or even Lilith, and it involved Unit 01."

Shocked by this answer Shinji yells out, "What!!!!!"

"Yes I know that it sounds shocking. Unit 01 was the only Eva to be made using samples from Lilith, all other Evas were made using samples from Adam. If SEELE attacked Unit 01 using all nine mass production series Evas as well as the lance of Longinus they still could have started their twisted version of third impact. By destroying Unit 01 you took that last method away from them."

Stunned by this piece of information Shinji just sits there for a few minutes before shakily saying, "I...I don't know what to say or feel after hearing that...."

"Shinji, both your mother and your father would have been proud of what you did."

"I know that mother was, as for father........ I am not sure. ........I don't know how he felt for me. .....I am not sure of how I feel towards him now. But I have decided one thing, commander ..... I would like to able to go to father's funeral if possible."

"I will see what I can do. It all depends on whether the doctors think that if you are well enough to go. I don't know if they let you go, you did loose a lot of blood, and remember that we had to rush you out of this very room and into Unit 01 against the angel before you had the chance to recover fully from your.... little incident. I will let you know if the doctors will let you go to the funeral or not. Well I best let you get some more rest Shinji. I will be back latter with the doctors' answer."

"Goodbye and thank you commander."

Fuyutsuki turns and walks out the door, it slides shut behind him. Shinji sighs and slumps back down on the bed and stares at the ceiling deep in thought.

--------------------------------------------------------------- ------

Misato's Office

Misato is sitting down at her desk which as usual after an angel attack has large piles of paperwork sitting on it awaiting her attention. She is too busy sorting through the paperwork and muttering to herself that she doesn't notice Fuyutsuki enter her office. Annoyed with having to deal with all the paperwork Misato mutters, "Damn this paperwork. Do these idiotic bureaucrats think I have nothing better to do with my time?"

Smiling at Misato's cursing, Fuyutsuki tells Misato, "You could promote someone to deal with this now you know."

Startled by Fuyutsuki Misato looks up from behind the stack of paperwork and in a surprised tone of voice addresses Fuyutsuki, "Sir!"

"I just dropped in on the way back to Shinji's hospital room, to pass on the answer to a request that he made. I am going to tell you as I will leave it up to you to make the necessary travel arrangements."

Puzzled by what Shinji would have requested that would he would need travel arrangements made, Misato asks Fuyutsuki, "For what sir?"

"Shinji surprisingly wishes to go to his father's funeral tomorrow."

'What!' "Now that is surprising sir."

"It was rather, but it didn't entirely surprise me. He has become stronger due to what he has gone through the last few days and especially due to what his mother told him."

"Yes he has changed. So what time is the funeral?"

"Nine thirty at the cemetery where his mother is 'buried'. Dress will be full dress uniform."

"And what do I say if the other pilots wish to go?"

"If they wish to come they can. But I can understand if they don't want to go."

"I think that they will be going." 'Asuka because of Shinji, Rei because of commander Ikari.'

------------------------------------------------------------ ---------

Nerv hospital room 107

Fifteen minutes after Fuyutsuki left Kaji walks in. Shinji is still staring at the ceiling deep in thought trying to come to terms with what commander Fuyutsuki just told him. Kaji greets Shinji, "Well hello there mister Ikari, so how are you feeling today?"

Startled by Kaji's voice, Shinji looks around the room with a dazed expression, "Huh?" He then sees that the source of the voice was Kaji and he then answers him, "Much better today thanks Kaji."

"You seem a little distracted Shinji, what were you thinking of?" A grin appears on his face as he teases Shinji by asking him, "Was it Asuka?"

"N..nnnn no! .......Commander Fuyutsuki came and visited me not long ago. We talked about why father killed himself. He showed me a security tape of father's office when he was confronting SEELE. But that's not entirely what is worrying me. What the commander told me next shocked me and I have been trying to come to terms with exactly what it all means."

'So commander Fuyutsuki did tell the full extent of what he stopped.' "I take it that he told you about it being possible to start third impact using Unit 01?"

"Yes, and although lately I had suspected that Unit 01 was special by the way that father acted towards it. I never would have thought that it was that special."

"Would you still have destroyed Unit 01 if you knew that your mother was trapped inside of it?"

"Yes, for mother said it was like a prison for her. She was trapped in there for eleven years with no chance of ever leaving. The only way for her to be freed from that prison was for it to be destroyed. From what commander Fuyutsuki told me I also completed the main task that both mother and father were working towards by destroying Unit 01, that being to stop SEELE carrying out their version of third impact."

"Shinji, like I said yesterday, not many people would have the courage to do what you did. After doing what you did with Unit 01, I hope that you still don't consider yourself a coward or a wimp. Despite what you may have thought about yourself during your time in Tokyo 3 you never have been a coward or wimp. Well I best be leaving then."

"See you later Kaji."

Kaji starts to walk towards the door, before he reaches it he turns back, smiles and faces Shinji once more. "One more thing Shinji. Congratulations on finally admitting your feelings for Asuka. I thought that no one would ever be able to get through her defences."

Shinji blushes as he replies, "It was more of Asuka's doing. I would have never expected her to kiss me like that. Prior to that I was never quite sure of exactly how Asuka really felt towards me."

"You know, she was quite upset when you destroyed Unit 01 and it looked like you had been killed in the process."

"I gathered that, especially due to the way that she looked and reacted when I woke up. She has also told me about how she smashed her interface clips as she was angry with herself because she couldn't help me against the angel."

"Yes she was in quite a state when we went to take her home from her hospital room. I don't know what she may have done if you had been killed."

"I never thought of that, but I had to stop that angel."

"That you did. So what is your impression of her now?"

"She has definitely changed. She is calmer, her reaction when I woke up certainly surprised me."

"Well some good had to come of all of this. After all that the two of you have been through, you both deserve to find some happiness. You seem to have come to terms with your feelings towards her as well Shinji."

"Well after all that has happened over the last few days and with the talk that Asuka and myself had earlier on this morning, I think that we understand each other a lot more now. We talked about why I agreed to pilot Unit 01 once more after what I tried to do to myself. She did told me what she did after she couldn't sync with Unit 02 during the attack of the 16th angel and the reasons why the fifteenth angel affected her so much. Which is when I told her I knew why she has acted the way she has because of what happened to her mother."

Kaji is surprised after hearing that Shinji knows the truth of what happened to Asuka's mother. He the asks Shinji, "How did you find that out? Its not something that Asuka would talk about very freely and I am sure that Misato didn't tell you."

"From when they tried to get me to pilot Unit 02 the other day. I could sense some of Asuka's memories while I was synchronised with Unit 02."

"I see. Well I best be leaving you then mister Ikari."

"See you later Kaji."

Kaji starts walking towards the door but before he reaches the door, it slides open revealing Kouzou Fuyutsuki. Kaji steps back to let the commander of Nerv enter. Kaji nods and tells Fuyutsuki, "Commander, don't worry I was just leaving." 'What's he doing back here?'

Fuyutsuki replies, "Agent Kaji, don't bother leaving as I am only going to answer a request that Shinji made earlier on."

"Very well then." 'What could have Shinji requested from the commander?'

"Well Shinji, I managed to convince the doctors to let you go to your father's funeral tomorrow morning. You will have to stay in a wheelchair, and come back here straight afterwards."

Kaji is quite surprised after hearing this. 'Shinji actually wants to go to his father's funeral! I guess that the events of the last few days and what his mother told him has changed him more than I suspected.'

"Major Katsuragi will handle any the arrangements of transport etc. Goodbye Shinji, agent Kaji."

Shinji replies, "Thank you sir."

Kaji answers Fuyutsuki's farewell, "Commander."

Fuyutsuki turns and walks out of the room. The door has no sooner slid shut when it opens once more, and Asuka walks back in after having her lunch. Having just seen commander Fuyutsuki leave Shinji's room she wounders, 'What in the world was the commander seeing Shinji for?' She then sees Kaji and greets him with a hug and a large smile, "Kaji!"

Kaji simply replies, "Asuka." He then quickly disentangles himself from Asuka and tells Asuka, "Asuka, I will leave you two alone then." He then grins at the two of them as he tells them, "Don't get up to any funny business you two." He then quickly walks out the door before Asuka can react.

Asuka is momentarily stunned by what Kaji just said and just blurts out, "Wh......." She then recovers and asks Shinji, "What did commander Fuyutsuki want Shinji?"

Shinji replies, "He was giving me the answer to something I asked him earlier on."

"So what did you ask him?"

"I asked him if it would be possible for me to go to father's funeral tomorrow."

Asuka is stunned by this news, 'I thought that you hated your father Shinji, especially after what you said to him before you ......destroyed the angel and Unit 01. So after everything he has done to you, you still don't entirely hate your father.' She then asks Shinji in an obviously surprised tone of voice, "You actually want to go to his funeral, after all that he has done to you?"

"I still am not quite sure of how I feel towards him now, but he was still my father."

'You are more forgiving than I would be Shinji.' "Do you mind if I go to the funeral with you?"

"No, but why do you want to go?"

"I thought that you might want a friend there during the funeral."

Shinji gives Asuka a warm smile as he thanks her, "Thanks Asuka."

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Misato's office

Misato has finished the paperwork that was cluttering up her desk and is preparing to leave when the door to her office slides open and Rei walks in. Surprised by why Rei would want to see her Misato asks her, "Hello Rei, can I help you with something?"

Rei asks Misato, "Major Katsuragi, I wish to go to commander Ikari's funeral tomorrow."

'Now this is no surprise, I expected that Rei would want to go.' "I don't see that being a problem Rei. I will pick you up on the way to pick Shinji from the hospital. You will need to wear an operations division formal uniform. Do you have one?"

"Yes, I do."

'Well I will ask the question but I think that I already know the answer.' "So why do you want to go to the commander's funeral Rei?"

"For Shinji."

'Well that is certainly a surprise!'

------------------------------------------------------------- --------

Japanese Prime Minister's office Tokyo 2, 17:00 hrs

In the centre of the room the prime minister is sitting in a lounge chair which is one of several placed around a small coffee table with some cups of tea sitting on it. Sitting in chairs on the opposite side of the coffee table facing the prime minister are the defence and interior ministers. There are also several other chairs set back slightly and at right angles to the coffee table. The door to the office slides open and Kaji walks in, he is holding several folders in his hands. Kaji greets the prime minister, "Prime Minister," he then turns and faces the defence and interior ministers and nods, "Sirs."

The prime minister returns Kaji's greeting, "Good evening agent Kaji, please take a seat."

"Thank you sir." Kaji then walks over and sits in one of the chairs that are set back slightly. He makes sure that he has a clear view of the defence minister. He places the folders that he was carrying on the floor next to the chair.

Once Kaji is seated the prime minister then tells Kaji, "The interior minister informs me that you had a meeting with Kouzou Fuyutsuki this morning, agent Kaji."

The interior minister adds, "I would imagine that several interesting items were discussed."

Kaji smiles slightly as he replies, "Yes, it was a rather interesting and thought provoking meeting."

The prime minister nods after hearing this. "I can imagine. The phone call that I received from him yesterday was rather startling. So what did he talk to you about?"

"The first item of interest is that the pilot of Unit 01, Shinji Ikari somehow miraculously survived the self destruction of his evangelion."

The prime minister and the two ministers stare at Kaji in surprise after hearing this startling piece of information. The prime minister is the first to recover and comments, "He is a very lucky brave young man. Does Nerv have any idea of how he managed to survive?"

"No they don't at this stage. How he managed to survive is still under investigation ."

"So is the rest of the information that you have obtained as surprising?"

"Not as far as Nerv's actions are involved. The only action of any importance taken by Nerv so far has been that commander Fuyutsuki has promoted major Katsuragi to colonel and she is now the vice commander of Nerv."

The prime minister then says, "That does not surprise me at all. I have no problems at all with that decision."

The defence minister nods his agreement, "Yes for all of her personal excesses she certainly has still handled her position of Nerv's Director of Operations rather effectively."

The prime minister agrees, "Yes she has."

The interior minister then asks, "So what else was discussed?"

Kaji picks up the three folders that he was carrying off the floor and then addresses the ministers, "Commander Fuyutsuki then told us the full extent of what was stopped when Unit 01 was destroyed. I thought that I had uncovered all of the plans of both Ikari and SEELE regarding third impact. But what Fuyutsuki told us was totally unexpected and shocking. We all know that Ikari was behind the release to the public of the information regarding SEELE and related events. However Ikari didn't release all the information that he had gathered. Mainly what action SEELE was going to take against Nerv."

Wondering what other action SEELE was going to take against Nerv the prime minister states, "But we already know that SEELE were going to attack Nerv directly using the mass production evangelions."

The interior minister turns and looks at the defence minister as he adds in a irate tone of voice, "Yes, and some of us were suggesting that we should have taken control of Nerv by force ourselves before SEELE had a chance to carry that out."

The defence minister quickly replies in an angry tone of voice, "Look I already explained my reasons. Remember I did agree with your suggestion to steal the first angel."

The interior minister coolly replies, "Yes you did."

Kaji stands up and walks around and hands out the three folders that he carried into the meeting. While he is doing this he tells the three politicians, "Ikari had obtained additional information about what actions were going to be taken against Nerv by SEELE and its allies. I was rather disturbed by what he had uncovered. This is a summary of that information, I suggest that you read it now."

The prime minister, interior and defence ministers start to read the information. The interior and prime ministers' expressions darken as they progress in their inspection of the contents of the folders. They both occasionally glance at the defence minister as they progress. The defence minister initially has a look of shock on his face which soon turns to anger. After fifteen minutes all three have finished reading the information contained in the folders. The prime minister frowns and stares at the defence minister, and comments, "Yes, it is rather disturbing." He turns back and looks at Kaji and asks him, "How accurate do you think that this information is?"

Before Kaji can reply the interior minister adds, "I would imagine that it is correct. Just what would Fuyutsuki gain by releasing disinformation at this level? He is not like Ikari."

Kaji replies, "It is 100% accurate. I cross checked Ikari's files, as well as doing a little digging into the defence department files myself."

His voice raised in anger the defence minister asks the prime and interior ministers, "This is all lies fabricated by Ikari! You don't believe this garbage surely?"

The interior minister calmly replies, "You were the one who wanted to go in with guns blazing and wipe Nerv of the face of the earth. You stated your wish in this very room while we were debating what actions that we could take to stop either Ikari or SEELE from starting third impact. Fortunately we decided to take another course of action. We now know the true reason behind your suggestion to attack Nerv."

Fuming at what the interior minister has just said the defence minister angrily responds, "I still stand by my reasons, we should have done it. Do you really understand what Ikari's son stopped? Any chance of mankind had of gaining the benefits from a controlled third impact occurring, has been destroyed."

The interior minister angrily yells at the defence minister, "The only people who would have gained from SEELE's twisted version would have been SEELE themselves and perhaps their closest underlings."

The defence minister yells back, "You are fools! Do you think that I am the only person in authority that supported SEELE?"

The defence minister starts to reach under his coat for a pistol, but Kaji already has his pistol aimed at the defence minister's forehead. Kaji smiles at the defence minister as he orders him, "I wouldn't do that if I was you. Now slowly remove the gun and holding it by the barrel place it on the table." The defence minister follows Kaji's instructions and places the pistol on the table. Kaji then walks over and takes the pistol and removes the ammo clip checking that there isn't a round in the barrel. He places the ammo clip in his pocket and places the pistol back on the table.

The defence minister turns and looks at the prime minister with a look of hatred on his face and angrily asks him, "So what are you going to do with me? Dispose of me like Ikari would?"

The prime minister calmly replies, "No, you are to resign from politics and you will be placed under close surveillance to ensure that you don't try to follow in SEELE's footsteps. Other than that you will be free to do as you wish within reason, of course at least one of our agents will always be with you."

The defence minister defiantly asks, "And if I refuse?"

The prime minister replies, "As much as I would like to keep your involvement out of the public eye, I will just release the full details of your involvement in this proposed attack." He then smiles at the defence minister as he continues; "I would imagine that members of the public especially those who either work for or have family working for Nerv would be rather interested in this information. And it would be a shame if due to other commitments that the security forces were unable to provide adequate protection from the angry mobs that would literally be after your head."

After hearing this the defence minister pales and shakily asks, " .........You wouldn't?"

The prime minister grins at the defence minister as he replies, "Would you like to call my bluff?"

The defence minister just sits there with a resentful look on his face as he comprehends the outcome of the prime minister's question.

"So what is your decision?"

The defence minister sighs in defeat and answers, "....All right you win."

"I thought that you would see it that way. If you could remove the former defence minister please agent Kaji."

Kaji replies, "With pleasure sir." Kaji then walks over to the defence minister and grabs hold of his arm and then leads him out of the room.

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Misato's Apartment that night

Misato and Asuka are sitting at the kitchen table having just finished dinner. Asuka says to Misato, "Misato, Shinji's father's funeral is tomorrow and Shinji is going to attend it."

Misato answers, "Yes I know. How did you find out?"

"Commander Fuyutsuki was leaving Shinji's hospital room when I returned from having lunch. I asked Shinji what the commander wanted and he told me about his request to go to his father's funeral. I was rather surprised at him deciding to go."

"Yes, I was surprised by his decision as well."

"I then asked him if he would mind if I went to the funeral with him. When he asked why I told him that he may want a friend with him during the funeral and he then said yes."

'You didn't disappoint me Asuka, you have certainly changed for the better. Both you and Shinji have grown up over the last few days.' "I thought that you would probably want to go so I picked something up from the stores at headquarters."

"What is it?"

"Wait here for a sec, I will go and get it." Misato then walks off to her bedroom.

Curious to what Misato could be getting Asuka wounders, 'What in the world did she get?'

Misato walks back to her bedroom and comes back with a Nerv operations division dress uniform in Asuka's size. Surprised that Misato is holding up a dress uniform that is obviously in her size, Asuka stares at the uniform and asks Misato, ".....We actually have a dress uniform?"

"Yes."

"So who is going to the funeral?"

"Commander Fuyutsuki, some of the higher ranking Nerv officers, representatives of both the Japanese government and the United Nations. And of course Shinji, myself, you and Rei."

"Wondergirl is going as well! I should have thought so, she was always the commander's favourite."

"No, she is going for the same reason as you. She is going to the funeral as a friend of Shinji's."

Asuka just sits there surprised by the reason why Rei is going to Shinji's father's funeral.

************************************************

Well that's it for part 6.

Again any comments etc appreciated.

Stay tuned for part 7 - Farewell/ The Gift