NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: THE CHILD OF LOVE
NINTH MONTH
Written by Axel Terizaki (aterizak@club-internet.fr, axelt@fanfiction.net).
ICQ# 34301980; IRCNet: #teri-chan
ASUKA's Notebook: http://asuka.notebook.eu.org/
Retooled by Dave Watson from Terizaki's second draft, 1999 5 13-14, which he augmented further using Terizaki's final version, 1999 5 18. Further polishing and correction of own mistakes by Watson, 1999 5 21-23. Even more polishing and basic HTML by Watson, 1999 11 02-05 and 2000 1 13. No, he just can't leave well enough alone!
HTML Version 2.0.
SPOILER WARNING
This Month contains many spoilers, including one for The End of Evangelion. Well, more than throughout the rest of this series, anyway. If you haven't seen the entire Eva series yet, well, I don't know what I can do to help you...oh, never mind. Just read this, and take any spoilers you see as my own inventions. ;)
LAST CHAPTER:
Our two lovers reconciled their relationship problems under a tree near their school, and now they seem to be happy together. But there's a giant rift between their actual life and the trials that awaits them--especially Asuka and Teri. The unavoidable seems to be coming up. And Ikari Gendo isn't back yet. Asuka's chances for survival are slim, and it seems that nobody can do anything to help her. Misato finds herself unable to bring herself to tell her, or even Shinji, about the Commander's dark plans! All she can do now is pray...
Will the gods listen to her? Can faith change the fate of a young mother facing death? Is there any solution to save Asuka? Or will she manage to do it by herself by deciding who the master is of her own fate, her or Ikari Gendo? Is Pen-pen preparing a super counterattack in order to make Gendo's plans fail?
Please wish them all good luck! They'll need it.
NINTH MONTH:
A Final Purpose, a Final Promise
Terminal Dogma. Kaji stands in front of Gendo's desk.
Kaji: "I hope you have a good explanation for the mess you've made, Ikari."
Gendo: "I don't see why I should explain anything to you."
Kaji: "Well, there's destroying two lives at the same time. Three, if we count your son."
Gendo: "I'm not destroying any lives. I'm just giving the mother the chance to participate in mankind's evolution."
Kaji: "Is that so?"
Gendo: "And besides, I need 'her' to destroy any opposition by SEELE."
Kaji: "I don't think you'll need her anymore."
Kaji hands a small stack of papers to Gendo.
Gendo (surprised, but still calm): "...How did this happen?"
Kaji (smiling): "Let's just say that I gave them a hand."
Gendo (putting the papers down on his desk): "So...SEELE is no more..."
Kaji (seriously): "Now, give the child back to their parents, Ikari. You don't need her anymore."
Gendo (even more seriously): "Nonsense."
Kaji: "What do you mean?"
Gendo: "I would have taken SEELE out sooner or later. You just sped things up for me. I should be grateful to you for this."
Kaji: "Why do you still need her? Is it...personal?"
Gendo: "You couldn't begin to understand. It's no use to try to explain it to you. She'll just serve my purposes as part of Instrumentality."
Kaji: "Like the First Child, right?"
Gendo: "Exactly. But it's another story for her. The time is coming, and I advise you to not interfere with my plans, Kaji. You may regret it."
Kaji is about to leave the room. At the door, he turns and suddenly speaks.
Kaji: "How much time is left?"
Gendo (putting his glasses in place with his fingers): "Exactly 21 hours."
Misato's apartment, at the same time. A room. A bed. Two teens are tucked under the sheets, wearing pajamas, sleeping peacefully in each other's arms. One of the two awakens.
Shinji: "Hmmmm...." (to himself:) "My angel's still asleep...what time is it?"
He turns back and looks at the alarm clock. It reads 10:21 AM.
Shinji (to himself): "It's time to wake her up, but..."
He looks down at a still-sleeping Asuka.
Shinji (to himself): "She looks so cute. I wish I could stay with her now and go back to sleep...but we have to get up!"
Pause.
Shinji (softly): "Asuka-chan. Wake up..."
Asuka (slowly waking up): "Hmmmm...Shinji...mmmmm..."
She then suddenly throws her arms around him and hugs him tightly, surprising him.
Shinji: "Asuka-chan, I can't breathe!"
Asuka: "Oh, sorry, Shin-chan. I just need to give you a cuddle every morning in order to start a good day!"
Shinji: "Well, I think I need to see you in order to have a good day, too."
The two giggle.
Asuka (sighing): "Ahhhhhh. When I think back that, nine months ago, I was just teasing you...and now, I'm ready to give birth. We're gonna see Teri soon."
Shinji: "I'm sure she'll be at least as cute as you."
Asuka: "You've already said that, baka."
Shinji: "W-well...I just want to insist on that fact."
Asuka: "Oh, stop that, you idiot! You know the only thing I'm vulnerable to is compliments."
Shinji (chuckling): "Yes, I know that well..."
Pause.
Asuka: "So, should we get up?"
Shinji: "Yeah."
The two of them leave Shinji's room. The apartment is incredibly quiet. The calendar on the wall shows that it's the 22nd of May, 2016.
Shinji: "Misato-san's at HQ again."
Asuka: "Why is she trying to avoid us these days? She must be sooooo jealous of our love!"
Shinji: "And why do you think that every woman's gonna take me away from you?"
Asuka puts her arms around his neck.
Asuka (seductively): "Because I want you all for myself, baka Shinji."
He gently strokes her belly, and smiles with fatherly pride.
Shinji: "Asuka, I will never be unfaithful to you. Never. Because you're more important to me than my own life, I won't deceive you. I won't hurt you, because in the end I'd just hurt myself."
Asuka: "When you think that someone's more important than yourself, it may be love. And I think it's how I feel, too."
Shinji: "You must be sure of that."
Asuka: "Then, I'm now sure it's how I feel. I'm now sure that I love you, Shinji."
Shinji: "So do I..."
And the two are about to share another passionate kiss, when, suddenly, the doorbell rings.
Asuka (casting a death glare in the direction of the front door): "Damn! I don't know who it is, but they're gonna pay for ruining the mood!"
Shinji (nodding): "I'll go see who it is."
He opens the door of the Katsuragi apartment, revealing Toji and Hikari.
Toji: "Hi, Shinji!"
Shinji: "Hello..."
Toji (grinning): "Heh heh. We didn't...interrupt anything, did we?"
Shinji is blushing furiously.
Hikari: "Toji-chan! Stop that, you pervert!"
Asuka: "Hi, Hikari! How are you?"
Hikari: "Fine, and Teri?"
Asuka: "She's fine, too! Wanna see the stroller I bought for her yesterday?"
Hikari: "Oh, yes!"
Asuka (dragging Hikari to her room): "Come on! Check it out, it's so cute!"
Toji: "Well, well, well. Now you see what it costs to have a girlfriend."
Shinji (frowning): "Toji! Don't say things like that! I would give up everything for her. Money isn't important. And besides, I think she used Misato's credit card to buy that stroller."
Toji: "She's gonna kill you two."
Shinji: "It's strange to always see you with the class rep."
Toji (blushing a bit): "Oh, it's just that...okay, you win. I'm dating her, okay?"
Shinji (chuckling): "Yeah, I'm happy now."
Toji: "As for you, I still can't believe that you got the redheaded devil pregnant. And now, she's so different."
Shinji: "She's the real Asuka. The one without all the pretences we know."
Toji: "In that case, I really envy you, Shinji. You lucky dog!"
Shinji: "Well, she's the girlfriend I always dreamed of having. Kind, attentive, cute..."
Toji: "Yeah, I hear ya. It's the same thing with Hikari. I know how ya feel. By the way, where's Misato-san?"
Shinji: "I don't know. We haven't seen her in two weeks. Either she locks herself in her room, or she's at HQ doing things."
Toji: "She must be really busy. It must be important."
Shinji: "That's what frightens me the most..."
Dr. Akagi Ritsuko's Office at NERV HQ. Time: 15:42.
Misato is looking over Maya's shoulder as she enters commands into Ritsuko's laptop.
Misato: "You understand now, Maya?"
Maya: "Yes, Major...I understand all too well. And I'll try to help you as much as I can."
Misato: "Thank you. It's not really for me. It's for Shinji, Asuka and their daughter."
Maya (nodding, while typing on the keyboard): "Here we are, Major."
The screen shows:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
AKAGI RITSUKO Personal Files 2,3TB 03-07-2017 15:34
Properties of File:
Access: Denied.
READ ONLY Status: Password required.
READ & WRITE Status: Password required.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Maya: "We can't access it like this. We need a password."
Misato: "Try different words about her or things she likes. You probably know these kind of things about her better than I do."
Maya: "Okay, I'm trying."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PASSWORD: Caspar
Invalid password. 5 tries left before Data Erase system activation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Misato: "Damn, she put protection on her files! We can't make any more mistakes. Let's concentrate...try the other MAGI systems."
Maya: "Hai!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PASSWORD: Balthazar
Invalid password. 4 tries left before Data Erase system activation.
PASSWORD: Melchior
Invalid password. 3 tries left before Data Erase system activation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Maya: "This isn't working! We have to find something else!"
Misato: "Hmmm...would she let someone see them? Me, perhaps? Or you?"
Maya: "I don't know, Major."
Misato: "Try...my name."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PASSWORD: Misato Katsuragi
Invalid password. 2 tries left before Data Erase system activation.
PASSWORD: Katsuragi Misato
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Misato (interrupting Maya): "No, no! Forget it! We have only two tries left. Be careful."
Maya nods.
Misato: "Well...try 2005."
Maya: "2005?"
Misato: "The year Ritsuko and I met for the first time."
Maya: "Okay."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
PASSWORD: 2005
Invalid password. 1 try left before Data Erase system activation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Misato: "DAMN YOU, RITSUKO! Let's think some more about this..."
Three minutes pass.
Maya: "Maybe this..."
She begins to key something into the computer, but Misato quickly removes her hands from the laptop. She then types another password.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PASSWORD: Trust Me
.
.
.
.
.
Password accepted. Security system removed. Loading file...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Misato: "YEEEEEEHAAAAR!!!!! We did it!"
Maya (puzzled): "How did you guess that, Major?"
Misato: "Ritsuko's last words before they put her in jail."
Maya: "Good idea."
Misato: "Now, let's see that file..."
She takes a chair and sits beside Maya.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECOND CHILD PREGNANCY REPORT DIARY
MONTH 1.
I wonder if the red dots that appeared on the visual LCL Analysis of
Unit 02 during the Second Child's last harmonics tests have any link
to her new status.
The Second Child is pregnant and, according to auxiliary sources, the
Third Child seems to be the father.
The date of conception is probably between August 15-20. I am unable
to determine the exact date, since I did not perform any tests on
Asuka during that period.
We'll see what'll happen if an Angel attacks during her pregnancy.
MONTH 2.
Misato was right. Everything with Asuka is only psychological. I
can't believe it. You just have to tell her that everything's okay
and she makes one of her best scores. I'll have to ask Mother for a
new analysis of this test. I'm very skeptical. Also, any tests
regarding her pregnancy were very blurred during this month. I wasn't
even able to determine the baby's sex. It's not normal. I tried to
spin a yarn to reassure her, but I really feel that something is
wrong.
Gendo seems to be preparing something. I'd better investigate a bit
more about Asuka's situation. Something tells me there's a problem.
Asuka's also displaying many unusual symptoms, probably due to her
current status. I'll have to gather more material about pregnancy.
I'm not an expert in this and I'm not sure if these side effects are
due to her pregnancy or other factors.
MONTH 3.
The re-analysis of the previous harmonics test was irrelevant and
Asuka is now unable to fit into a plug suit. By Gendo's and
Fuyutsuki's request, I tried my best with the help of Mother to
determine the sex of the embryo. A girl. How ironic. I wonder if
she'll have the same behaviour patterns as her mother? Let's pray
not. I seriously hope Shinji's chromosomes will win the match.
What I dreaded happened yesterday. An Angel attacked Tokyo-3. At
first, Asuka had a fever (41°C) and tremors. But, strangely, when
I put her in bed at the HQ hospital room usually reserved for
wounded pilots, the fever disappeared. Another mystery. I hate
mysteries.
The most surprising thing is that she climbed into Unit 02 against
Misato's orders. But one surprise hid another, and I saw that her
synchro rate was almost at 100%. At first I thought this could
possibly become another 400% synchro incident, but it didn't go higher
than 100%. It was as if some external force was controlling her
synchro rate. I REALLY hate mysteries.
MONTH 4.
I think I've found out what one of the mysteries is. Traces of tetra-
9 hydrocannabinol (THC) were found in Unit 02's LCL after the Angel
attack. However, when I analyzed the LCL in Units 00 and 01, no THC
was found. As far as I could deduce, it wasn't really THC, but
something very similar. I am still unable to understand why an active
ingredient of cannabis or similar ingredient is present in Unit 02's
LCL. I suspect it's Gendo's doing. I hope it isn't.
I continued to investigate, and I discovered something horrible: DNA
modifiers have been blended into Unit 02's LCL. It doesn't appear to
have any visible effects on Asuka or her behaviour, but I fear to
think what they may be doing to her unborn child. One thing is
certain: If things like this continue to happen, I fear for Asuka's
life and that of her child. And I think that it may be the key to why
her synchro rate was so high.
I can't believe this! Gendo's like I always thought him to be--a
total bastard! God, I'm now 100% sure: If nothing is done now to
stop him, the consequences for Asuka could be fatal.
I have to do something. And Gendo doesn't want to listen to me. That
bastard.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Misato: "Ritsuko. She knew all about it, right from the beginning..."
Maya: "Do we keep reading?"
Misato: "Yes. Scroll down, please."
Maya: "Hai."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
MONTH 5.
A suicide attempt. Just what we all need now. From what I heard from
Misato, she swallowed an entire vial of sleeping pills. I still can't
believe she survived, since the dosages of the ingredients of the
pills she consumed are usually fatal, or at least result in extensive
damage. I'll have to study that. Maybe Gendo is behind all this. He
probably still needs to use her.
MONTH 6.
I gave Misato the medication for Asuka. I hope it'll save her and her
daughter. I did all I could manage to do. I even ordered some
procanol* from Germany in order to help Asuka develop an immunity to
Gendo's little trick. I just hope Asuka will take them now. It may
already be too late. But anything is better than just standing by and
letting him do what he wants.
Today I hinted to Misato what Gendo was doing to Asuka. Still, I
promised myself that I wouldn't tell her any details. I hope she will
trust me. She was so furious. Misato, if you want a good piece of
advice, you should start a boxing career. The slap you gave me was
like a punch, I swear.
Later, Asuka told me that she's been feeling nauseous very often these
days...it seems that my antidote is working well so far. Her system
is trying to reject Gendo's chemicals. I hate to have to make her
endure all this, but it's all for her and her child.
Misato, if you're reading this, please understand that I'm trying
everything I can to save Asuka. Unfortunately, I think it may already
be too late. These pills I gave you could probably save her, but I'm
not sure about her daughter. Maybe they'll result the exact opposite.
After what I've told you, I don't know if you'll trust me enough to
put Asuka's life in my hands.
I'm sure Gendo will learn about my 'treachery' and will try to shut me
up for good, but I'm prepared for it. Don't worry about me. I
prepared this file for you. Below, you will find all the information
you need about my research.
And I sincerely hope that Asuka will give birth to a beautiful little
girl.
<END OF FILE 1 - PROCEED TO NEXT FILE? Y/N>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[* Author's note : I invented this drug name. I don't even know if that kind of chemical exists. :-) ]
Misato starts to cry.
Maya: "M...Major..."
Misato kicks the desk.
Misato (between sobs): "What a fool I've been! I didn't trust her! I just left the pills where they were...and I knew Asuka hated them, so I didn't insist that she keep taking them. It's all my fault if anything happens to her!"
She kicks the desk in front of her again a few times.
Maya (trying to calm her): "Major, we..."
Misato: "And we don't know when she'll give birth to Teri! If that happens, we won't be able to assure her a safe childbirth, assuming that she survives...I don't believe in miracles anymore."
Maya: "I...I know a little about childbirth. Maybe I could help?"
Misato (wiping her tears): "...I don't know..."
Kaji enters the office.
Kaji: "I knew I'd find you here, Misato. We have to talk."
Misato: "That's good, because I need to, too."
Maya: "Oh, I see. Another quarrel."
Misato: "Don't worry, Maya. We have more important things to discuss."
Maya: "I think I can guess. I'll be leaving, then. Or else, Makoto and Shigeru will start talking. I'm also going to analyze the other files, if you don't have any objections."
Misato: "None. You can proceed. Later, Maya."
Maya: "Later, Major Katsuragi."
Misato: "And...thank you."
Exit Maya.
Kaji: "So...?"
Misato: "We hacked Ritsuko's files. She knew all about this right from the start. The worst part is that...it's all my fault."
Kaji: "What?"
Misato: "Ritsuko said that we probably could have saved Asuka, if I had made her keep taking the pills she gave me. And I didn't..."
Kaji: "Uh oh..."
Misato: "Well...what about you?"
Kaji: "We have 16 hours left. It seems that Ikari has scheduled everything, from the date of delivery to the hour of her death."
Misato: "That's horrible...but how do you know that?"
Kaji: "I talked to him a few hours ago."
Misato (furious, and reaching for her gun): "He's BACK!? Okay, I'm going to kill him. NOW!"
Kaji grabs her arm and stops her.
Misato: "Kaji, let me go! I have to kill that bastard! Or are you with him?!"
Kaji: "Don't say such stupid things. Killing him won't resolve anything, believe me. And besides, the one who winds up dead could be you. Do you think he doesn't think about and plan for things like that?"
Misato (calming down): "Well, what are we going to do now, then?"
Kaji: "Good question. Ikari has the key to all this. He can kill Asuka, and he can let her live as well. We won't know until the hour comes. But there's somebody who can do something. I've found out some VERY interesting things about Unit-01."
Misato: "U-Unit 01?! What the...?"
Kaji (taking a disc from his pocket): "I have all the details for my plan on here. Everything will depend on Shinji. Come on, I'll explain it to you, but we're taking your car, because it'll take some time."
Misato's apartment. 22:29.
Shinji and Asuka are peacefully watching TV on the couch. Asuka is resting her head on his shoulder. He eventually notices that she's sleeping.
Shinji (softly whispering into Asuka's ear): "Asuka-chan..."
Asuka (awakening): "Hmmm...I must have fallen asleep. This show is boring."
Shinji: "You seem tired. Let's go to bed, okay?"
Asuka (closing her eyes, and drifting back to dreamland): "Hmmm...you can't imagine how exhausting carrying a child can be."
Shinji: "Well..."
He takes her carefully in his arms and carries her to his room. Well, their room, now. Shinji then removes some of Asuka's outer clothing, lays her on his bed, and slowly puts the sheets over her.
Shinji: "She's so cute...I can't believe it."
He then undresses himself, joins her under the cold sheets and holds her closely but gently so they can share the warmth of each other's bodies.
Shinji: "Sweet dreams, Asuka-chan."
Terminal Dogma. 02:03.
It's now Fuyutsuki's turn to face Gendo's desk.
Fuyutsuki: "You're really going to go through with this? I mean..."
Gendo: "I can't reverse the process, now that it's started."
Fuyutsuki: "You can't be serious when you talk about making her give birth inside..."
Gendo: "Are you telling me you don't want to see Yui again?"
Fuyutsuki: "Of course I do, but there must be a better way than this!"
Gendo: "I just changed my plan a bit, mostly because of the Third."
Fuyutsuki: "I thought that you said you would use Unit-02."
Gendo: "Yes, but I quickly turned the disadvantage of the Third's presence in my plans into an advantage. Therefore, I can bring Yui back sooner than expected."
Fuyutsuki: "..."
Gendo: "Since the G. Child has been conceived with the Third, Unit-01 will synchronize with her maybe even better than Unit-02 did. I'll just exchange the Second Child's and Yui's places. The Second will soon be useless, so I thought that she could perform one more duty before--"
Fuyutsuki (interrupting him): "I'm sure something will keep you from carrying this through."
Gendo: "Are you betraying me?"
Fuyutsuki: "You can hear my words that way, but I don't want to be involved in such things. I agree with you about Instrumentality, but you could have chosen another way to accomplish it."
Gendo: "It was the best way I could think of, mainly because SEELE wouldn't guess it could be done that way. But it seems that I underestimated them."
Fuyutsuki: "As usual, you're too confident."
Gendo: "Not this time. The gestation period would have normally been one year. But when I discovered that SEELE knew all about this, I shortened it. I wanted to keep the mother alive, but I can't risk a SEELE attack in three months. And I think that the Child will be more efficient than her mother is."
Fuyutsuki: "Why are you so cruel to them?"
Gendo: "There are no other possibilities. If I had known sooner that SEELE would have been arrested, I could have allowed the Child three more months to grow up, but it's too late now."
Fuyutsuki: "Aren't you worried about what they might do?"
Gendo: "The Third can be easily controlled. As for the Second, thanks to the G-Agent in her system, I have total control over her as well."
Fuyutsuki: "I'm leaving."
He gets up and starts to walk out. Just as he is about to leave...
Gendo: "Fuyutsuki-sensei."
Fuyutsuki is surprised to hear the word 'sensei' [professor] coming from Gendo's mouth. He stands still and listens.
Gendo: "Don't do anything you might regret. You want the same thing I do, right? Then don't get in the way of my plan."
Fuyutsuki: "Don't worry about that." (to himself:) "I think you're forgetting about someone. Someone who won't forgive you for this, Rokubungi Gendo..."
Rei's apartment. 06:43.
We can see Rei waking up and slowly sitting up in her bed. She rubs her eyes with her forearm and looks at the sunrise outside.
Rei: "Ikari-kun's...daughter..."
She then gets up and puts on her school uniform.
Rei: "I have to go."
And, with that, she leaves her room and heads towards Central Dogma.
Terminal Dogma. 06:45.
Gendo stands alone in Central Dogma, looking at his watch.
Gendo: "It's time."
He takes a small device out of his pocket, and presses a red button on it.
Gendo (smiling): "Now, come to me, Second Child."
Misato's apartment, at the same time.
Asuka's eyes open wide as she quickly sits up in her bed, next to Shinji. Making no sound, she leaves the apartment, without even thinking of dressing herself first. She walks in the direction of Central Dogma, barefoot, wearing only a long T-shirt and panties. Her eyes appear to be empty of all life, suggesting that she's either sleepwalking, or...possessed by something...or someone.
Misato's car. 06:52.
Misato: "Now I understand. We have to hurry up!"
Kaji: "Step on it, Katsuragi!"
Misato: "I'm putting it through the floor already, you idiot!"
And her car rushes as fast as it can possibly go towards her apartment.
Misato's apartment. 07:02.
Shinji is still asleep in his room. He wakes up when he hears Misato's cry from the hallway.
Misato: "Asuka! Shinji-kun!"
Shinji looks beside him and sees that Asuka isn't there.
Shinji: "Asuka? Where..."
Misato tears open the door to his room.
Misato: "Shinji-kun! You...you're alone here!? Where's Asuka!?"
Shinji: "I don't know! She...she was sleeping with me!"
The two then see that her clothes are still here.
Misato: "No..."
Shinji: "What!? Where is she, Misato-san!?"
Misato (grabbing Shinji by the arm): "Come on, there's no time to waste! Asuka's in danger!"
Shinji: "W-what!!!? Hey! That hurts! Let me at least put something on!"
Misato: "Grab your stuff off the floor and put it on in the car! I told you, there's no time to waste!"
Shinji: "Will you at least tell me what's going on!!!!?"
Misato (losing patience): "ASUKA'S GONNA GIVE BIRTH SOON!!!!!! Now hurry up, Shinji-kun!"
Shinji: "No...what the...?"
He stands there trembling.
Misato: "Hurry UP!"
Shinji: "I..."
Misato slaps him. Shinji doesn't even flinch.
Misato: "You're supposed to be a man now. ACT like a man! Come with me, NOW!"
He then grabs his clothes off the floor, and Misato half-drags him to the car, where Kaji is waiting for them.
Misato's car. 07:05.
Kaji is in the driver's seat. He sees Misato dragging Shinji out of the apartment complex. The young boy looks like he's in shock.
Kaji: "Uh-oh...let me guess. Asuka has already left."
Misato: "Like you said she would. I still can't believe it!"
Shinji jumps into the back seat and starts putting on his clothes.
Misato: "Come on! Start the car!"
Kaji: "Alright, ma'am."
And so he does. About one minute after they pull away from the apartment complex...
Shinji (calmly): "Will you two tell me what's going on here?"
Misato turns back and tries to organize all the things in her mind.
Misato (sighing): "What I'm gonna tell you won't please you. Not at all."
Shinji: "What...?"
Misato: "How do I explain this...? Teri...your father did something terrible to Teri."
Shinji (shakily): "F-father?"
Misato: "He...well...he kind of genetically 'modified' your daughter, to make, hmmm, well...I can't explain you in detail, but I'm afraid he may have hurt her. And Asuka may die as well in the process."
Shinji: "That...that can't be...why do you...how long did you know this?"
Misato: "Since February. Ritsuko told me a part of this, and we stole the other part from your father."
Shinji: "Why didn't you tell me!? Why didn't you tell us!? WHY, Misato-san!?"
Misato: "I...don't know how you two would have reacted. I did my best to try to save Asuka and Teri without making you panic, but...all I did was screw up and waste time. I'm sorry. I've never felt so powerless in my life."
Shinji: "Well, then, why did Asuka leave without waking me up, and without even getting dressed first!?"
Misato: "Listen, Shinji-kun. Do you remember what happened when you two...you know..."
Kaji (seeing that Misato is hesitating): "Come on, Katsuragi, say it. Shinji's a man now."
Misato (to Kaji): "But he's still my little Shinji-kun to me, you know..."
Shinji: "When we what, Misato-san!?"
Misato (turning back to Shinji): "Well...when you two had sex?"
Shinji (gulping): "W-what about it?"
Misato: "Asuka didn't do that ONLY because she was bored! Your father used some kind of sexual stimulant in the LCL in Eva Unit 02 on her one month before you had sex with her!"
Shinji: "Father...I can't believe it. No, I just can't!"
Misato: "But it's the truth!"
Shinji: "Sorry, but this is too much for me! Stop the car!"
Misato: "And where will you go alone!?"
Shinji: "Back to the apartment. I can't take this."
Misato: "And you'd let Asuka die or, assuming that a miracle happens, let her give birth to Teri without being by her side?"
Shinji: "..."
Misato: "Do you understand?"
Shinji: "But what can I do!? Isn't it too late? What's my father going to do with Asuka!?"
Misato (to Kaji): "Kaji...do I have to tell him?"
Kaji: "I think he has to know."
Misato: "Well. Shinji-kun. Do you know how the Evangelion units actually work?"
Shinji: "Well, they're robots."
Misato: "Not only that. I also discovered recently that...there are human souls in them."
Shinji: "In...them!?"
He starts to think about it. His head starts to hurt.
Misato: "Shinji-kun. Can you remember the last time you saw your mother?"
Shinji: "Mother...yes, I can. She was sitting in a machine and...father told me she was gone then. That's all I can remember."
Misato: "Your mother was...taken...by Eva Unit 01, when she tested it for the first time. During a 400% synchro rate incident, she disappeared inside."
Shinji: "..."
Misato: "Shinji-kun?"
Shinji: "This has to be a nightmare. Or a dream. Or whatever, I don't care, because this can't be real."
Misato: "Open your eyes, Shinji-kun! I'm serious here! This is real! This is the real world!"
Shinji: "Really? Is this really true?"
Misato: "Yes, it is!"
Shinji: "Then...that feeling...that warm feeling, when I'm in the Eva...it's...it was..."
Misato: "Your mother. It's your mother, Ikari Yui."
Shinji: "Well, I still don't understand what all this has to do with Asuka and Teri!"
Misato: "At first, your father wanted to make Asuka give birth to Teri inside Unit 02..."
Shinji: "Why Unit 02? Don't tell me..."
Misato: "Yes. Asuka's mother is trapped inside it. Well, not her soul so much as her mind."
Shinji: "This is definitely too weird for me."
Misato: "But, there's one mistake in his so-called perfect plan."
Shinji: "And the mistake is...?"
Misato: "You. You're the mistake."
Shinji (surprised): "What?"
Misato: "Your father thought that Asuka would have sex with any man she might have met at that moment, only because she NEEDED to do it, because of the stimulants. And you were there..."
Shinji: "Asuka...would have done that with anyone?"
Kaji: "You know, when you're a bit like Misato, nothing can keep you from..."
Misato (furiously blushing, to Kaji): "Cut that out, you idiot!"
Shinji: "Then, luckily, I was there."
Misato: "Yes, she chose you, Shinji-kun."
Shinji (smiling, to himself): "Asuka..."
Misato: "Do you understand the situation now?"
Shinji: "Not all of it. Why Unit-01?"
Misato: "Because your mother's inside it. Your father thinks that she'll synchronize better with Teri, since she's now your mother's granddaughter. Do you get it?"
Shinji: "I think I do. But don't ever do that again!"
Misato (puzzled): "Do what?"
Shinji: "Tell me so many disturbing things like that at once! My head's spinning!"
Misato (smiling a bit): "Ahh...so, you understand your role now?"
Shinji (nodding, now determined): "I understand, Misato-san. I'll do my best."
Misato: "Your two most precious treasures are in your hands now."
Kaji: "We're almost there."
Shinji (to himself): "Teri was right..."
EVA-01 Cage. 07:06.
Gendo is on the bay bridge, where the Unit-01 entry plug sits waiting.
Gendo: "You're finally here."
In front of him is Asuka, eyes still empty.
Gendo: "Climb into the entry plug."
Asuka: "Hai."
She begins to climb into it, occasionally letting out loud groans, feeling the first contractions. After she gets in and the hatch closes, it inserts itself in the Eva and locks into place. Gendo is smiling. The moment he was waiting for is finally coming. He would see Yui again. Sooner than he expected, but he would finally see her again.
Rei: "I won't let you do anything."
Gendo turns around, in shock. He wasn't expecting Rei to come here.
Gendo: "Rei? What are you doing here? You're not part of this plan."
Rei: "I don't care. I won't let anyone hurt Ikari-kun's child."
Gendo: "What? What do you mean?"
He slowly approaches her, trying to reason with her.
Gendo: "Rei..."
Rei: "I am not a doll."
And with that, an unknown force throws Gendo against the opposite wall of the containment cage.
Gendo: "Rei...the..."
Rei: "Yes. This is the A.T. Field. The barrier of my soul. And you will not cross it. You will not hurt Ikari-kun's family."
Gendo: "Are you...betraying me?"
Rei: "..."
Gendo: "Rei--"
Gendo is shocked into silence by a bullet striking the wall near him.
Misato: "Commander! Stop what you're doing right now!"
Misato is aiming at him with her gun. She stands in the opposite corner of the room, near Rei. Shinji is behind her.
Inside Eva Unit-01, at the same time.
Asuka is curled up in a ball inside the entry plug. It's dark all around her.
Asuka: "Where am I?"
She looks down and runs her hand over her stomach. It's no longer rounded.
Asuka: "I'm not pregnant anymore? I...gave birth? Finally?"
Pause.
Asuka: "Then...Teri? Teri-chan! Where are you?"
Teri appears in front of her, looking like a normal five-year-old little girl.
Asuka: "Teri-chan!"
Teri: "Okasan!"
Teri jumps into Asuka's arms.
Teri: "Okasan! I was so scared!"
Asuka (rubbing Teri's back): "Why? What was so scary?"
Teri: "I...I saw something awful. I saw you...you were dead..."
Asuka: "Dead? Don't say such things, Teri-chan...I'm alive. I'm here." (to herself:) "At least, I think I am."
Teri sobs and buries her face in Asuka's left shoulder.
Asuka: "Shhh...it's okay. Mama's here...you're safe now."
Teri: "Sniff...you're warm, Okasan...it feels good."
Asuka: "You too, Teri-chan..."
Voice: "You'll definitely be a good mother."
Asuka (surprised): "What? Who's there?"
Teri: "It's grandma!"
Asuka (even more surprised): "G...grandma!?"
Yui appears in front of them.
Asuka (startled): "R-Rei!?"
EVA-01 Cage.
Misato: "Rei...move back."
Rei: "Hai, Major."
Gendo: "W-what?! You...would rather obey Misato than me, Rei?"
Rei: "Yes. Because Major Katsuragi is more human than you are."
Gendo: "..."
Misato: "Shinji-kun!"
Shinji: "Yeah, I know what I have to do!"
Misato aims her gun at Gendo while Shinji moves towards the entry plug port of Unit 01. He tries to eject the plug.
Shinji: "Misato-san! The plug is locked inside!"
Misato takes her cell phone in her free hand and pushes one of the 'memory' buttons.
Maya: "Hai. Ibuki Maya."
Misato: "Maya, the entry plug is locked inside the Eva. Can you do something?"
Maya: "I'll take a look."
Seconds later.
Maya: "Can't be..."
Misato: "What?"
Maya: "There is one more person inside the entry plug! One is Asuka. The other...seems to have the same genetic pattern!"
Misato: "Teri?"
Maya: "I don't know. I can't see the two of them very clearly on the monitor. And they're both reaching a 100% synchro rate!"
Misato: "With Unit-01!?"
Maya: "Affirmative, Major. Even though Asuka never did any testing in Unit-01, it seems that she has a higher synchro rate than Shinji!"
Gendo is slightly smiling.
Misato: "Well, try to eject the entry plug, will you?"
Maya: "The signal is refused, but I'll try my best...what...Sempai!!"
Misato can hear someone else on the phone.
Ritsuko: "Let me handle this, Maya."
Misato (happily): "Ritsuko! You're here too!"
Ritsuko: "Well, thanks to you-know-who."
Misato then hears a third voice coming from the other end of the phone.
Kaji (mock-seductively): "Oh, it's my pleasure, Rit-chan."
Ritsuko (a bit irritated): "Kaji-kun..."
Misato: "Enough of that, you two! Get over here ASAP!"
She shuts off the cell phone and looks angrily at the Commander, who is still sitting on the floor against a wall.
Misato: "Now, Commander, tell me what excuses you have..."
Shinji, standing beside her, is looking at his Eva. He puts an hand on the head armor, and strokes it slowly. He then closes his eyes.
Shinji (to himself): "Okasan...please...help me...save Asuka...save Teri..."
Rei is still looking at the scene in front of her eyes, showing no emotion, as usual, although, if anyone were to look long enough, a hint of anger can be seen on her face.
Back inside the Eva.
Yui: "I think that my granddaughter said it herself. I'm your mother-in-law, Ms. Sohryu."
Asuka: "W-what? From what I've read in Shinji's files, you should be dead!"
Yui: "I am. Do you know where we are now?"
Asuka: "I was sleeping with Shinji when...I woke up here."
Yui: "We are inside Evangelion Unit-01. Where I disappeared nine years ago."
Asuka and Teri are listening carefully.
Yui: "My husband wants to make you his toys, but I won't let him. Never. I believe in my son more than him."
Asuka: "The Commander? He...I don't understand what you're talking about."
Yui: "Don't worry about anything, I'll protect you. But you must promise me one thing first."
Asuka: "Well, I don't think I have a choice."
Yui: "Promise me that you'll be kind to my Shinji. That you'll always be with him when he needs you."
Asuka: "That's an easy promise to keep."
Yui: "I'm glad you're willing to stay with him."
Asuka: "Well, I love your son, Mrs. Ikari. Even if he were the most stupid and perverted boy on earth, I think I'd still love him, because...because...well, because he's my Ikari Shinji, of course!"
Yui: "That's good to hear."
Teri: "I think we have to go now, Okasan. I can sense that Otousan's calling us."
Yui: "Yes, I can hear him, too. Be careful. I've helped you, but I want you to help Shinji in return."
Asuka: "Don't worry. I'll be with him, always. I swear."
Yui: "Now, go. I wish you three good luck in your new life together."
A white void wraps Asuka and Teri as they disappear.
Maya, Ritsuko and Kaji are in an elevator to the cages. Maya is on the floor, keying commands on a notebook computer.
Maya: "Synchronization aborted by Unit 01! How...the entry plug is ready for ejection!"
Ritsuko: "Already?"
Maya: "Yes, and I haven't even done anything!"
Kaji: "..."
Eva-01's cage. Unit-01's entry plug finally ejects.
Shinji: "I did it!" (to himself:) "Thank you, okasan."
Misato is still keeping an eye on Gendo, with the help of her handgun.
Misato: "Hurry up, Shinji-kun!"
Shinji: "Hai!"
He begins to force the entry plug's hatchway open.
Shinji: "Nnnnnngggg....."
The hatch finally opens...
Shinji (with a sigh of relief): "Asuka..."
...to reveal Asuka, with Teri in her arms. Asuka seems to be sleeping, since she isn't really moving. And Teri is crying...like a normal newborn baby. The most unusual thing was that there was no trace of the childbirth inside the plug. No umbilical cord, no placenta, nothing at all. It was as if...Unit-01 helped Asuka give birth to Teri. Misato, hearing Teri, goes limp and slowly drops to the floor. Tears of joy start running down her face.
Misato (trembling): "Shinji, are they...?"
Shinji (in the same state): "Yes, Misato-san. I think both of them are going to be all right!"
Misato: "Thank god!"
However, taking advantage of Misato's sudden vulnerability, Gendo quickly jumps up and runs towards her. With a skilful hand blow, thanks to years of street fighting, Gendo knocks Misato's gun out of her hand. It falls far below them, splashing into the cooling liquid around the Eva.
Misato: "W-what...?"
Gendo: "I may have lost this, but I won't lose everything!"
Misato: "If you think that you'll escape that eas--"
Misato is cut off by Gendo lunging at her and pinning her against the railing of the bridge. Misato holds on to the rail tightly to keep from joining her gun below, but one of her feet slips off.
Misato: "Shinji-kun!"
However, Shinji is unable to help Misato from where he is.
Gendo (glaring into Misato's eyes): "You see? You're no match for me!"
He quickly runs to the elevator, but before reaching it, he awkwardly and inexplicably falls on the floor, face first. Gendo looks up, stunned, and finds Rei standing over him with her left foot tilted slightly backwards. In other words, Rei had simply tripped him up.
Gendo (head against the ground): "Rei..."
Rei: "You should look in front of you when you're running like that."
Shinji isn't sure how to react; whether to laugh at his father, or to be happy that Asuka and Teri are safe. The door to the elevator opens and Ritsuko, Maya and Kaji step out. Kaji looks down on the floor and sees Gendo, face down, with a dazed look on his face.
Kaji (kneeling down): "Well, Katsuragi did a nice job. She even got him ready for us..."
He then handcuffs him. Misato finally succeeds in climbing back onto the bridge.
Ritsuko: "Asuka! How is she!?"
Shinji is still standing in front of the entry plug. Everyone (except Gendo, of course) rushes to see how Asuka is. Shinji has taken his daughter in his arms, and Asuka is slowly waking up...
Asuka: "I'm..."
Ritsuko: "There's no time to waste. We have to take you to the medical section!"
With that, Kaji takes Asuka in his arms, and carries her to the elevator. As for Rei, she watched the whole scene from where she was, often glancing at Teri and Shinji. The hint of a smile can be seen on her face. While Maya was inspecting the entry plug, Shinji, visibly happy being a new father, had taken off his shirt and wrapped Teri in it. He was smiling at her with pure joy in his eyes; an expression that Misato had never seen on Shinji's face before. She looks long and hard at the new father and daughter and almost starts to cry again, when suddenly...
Ritsuko: "Hey, Misato, could you help us a little?"
Misato (snapping out of her reverie): "Oh, well..."
She takes her cell phone out again and hits another 'memory' button.
Misato: "Major Katsuragi speaking. We need a stretcher here. Dr. Akagi is here with us. We're on Level 7 at Elevator B9."
Voice on phone: "Okay, we're on our way."
She shuts off the phone.
A waiting room in Central Dogma's hospital quarters. Shinji, Rei, Misato and Kaji sit there, all looking very nervous (except for Rei, of course). Especially Shinji.
Misato: "What's taking them so long...?!"
Kaji: "Hey, they must have plenty of things to check about her, you know..."
Shinji just nods. Suddenly, the door opens. It's Ritsuko, and she has a solemn look on her face. This immediately frightens three of the people there. Rei appears as emotionless as usual, but inside she is still a bit worried.
Ritsuko: "Come in. She's waiting to see all of you."
Ritsuko leads them into a hospital room where Asuka lays in a bed, with Teri in her arms. They're surrounded by medical machines, which Maya is carefully monitoring.
Asuka (with a weak voice): "Shinji..."
Shinji steps forward and kneels next to Asuka, in order to be face to face with her. She turns her head to the left in order to face him, too.
Shinji: "..."
Asuka (still weak): "Shinji...I'm afraid I don't have much longer..."
Shinji (shocked): "No...I can't believe it. Not now..."
Asuka: "I'm afraid so. The doctors said I won't make it...because of a virus in my system. You were right when you told me that your father was a bastard. Now I believe you."
The anger rises in Shinji's mind.
Asuka: "Will you...promise me something, Shinji?"
Shinji: "Anything you wish, Asuka. Anything."
Asuka: "...Take good care of...Teri for me. Misato, Kaji...Rei, you, too...please be a family for her...and try to be a good replacement for her mother." (coughing:) "It's over, Shinji..."
Shinji (tears coming): "Stay with me, Asuka! Fight it! Stay alive! Please, don't leave me...!"
Asuka: "Pfff, don't cry, baka. Hold my hand..."
Shinji does as he is told and takes Asuka's left hand in his, squeezing it gently.
Asuka: "You make me feel a lot better, Shinji."
Misato is starting to cry again. She's been doing a lot of that in the past two weeks.
Asuka (weaker and weaker): "Thank you, Shinji. It was nice...to have you around..."
And, with that, she closes her eyes, finally resting in peace.
A long pause follows. A dead, deafening silence overtakes the room.
Shinji (crying like he never has before): "Asuka!! Asuka!!!! ASUKA!!!!!"
Somehow, Teri is still sleeping in her mother's arms, not bothered by Shinji's emotional outburst.
Shinji: "Wake up! Don't leave me! Don't..."
He falls on his knees and pitches his face down in the bed's mattress.
Shinji: "...don't leave me..."
Misato is now starting to wail. Kaji wraps his arms tightly around her and tries to comfort her.
Shinji and Misato suddenly stop sobbing when they hear...
...a giggle...
...then two more...
...and finally, a burst of laughing...
...coming from a young mother.
Asuka: "Hahahahahahhahahahhahahahaha!!!"
Shinji: "A-Asuka!?"
Misato: "What the f...?"
Asuka: "Oh, you were so touching, you two! It was EX-CEL-LENT! Really excellent!"
She giggles once more.
Shinji (trying desperately to understand): "You...you...?"
Asuka: "Of course I'm not dead, you idiot! How could Sohryu Asuka Langley die so easily!?"
Shinji doesn't know what to do. Misato would have fallen to the floor in a faint if Kaji hadn't caught her.
Misato: "Ritsuko, Maya...? You were in on this!?"
Ritsuko (letting a chuckle escape): "Yeah, we just helped Asuka play her game."
Asuka: "You deserved it, baka Shinji! For leaving Teri and I alone like that for an entire month! Well, at least, I now know that you all care for me. Thanks, all of you."
Misato (livid with anger): "Don't ever do that again!!!"
Asuka: "Haha...oh, before I forget, Shinji. Next time, please ask you-know-who if I can use Unit-01 for delivery again. I was so afraid of how much it was going to hurt, but I didn't feel a thing."
Shinji (startled, to himself): "Next time!!?"
Ritsuko: "Then, my antidote worked perfectly!"
Misato: "For once...hey, wait a sec! Your pills...I...I didn't keep Asuka on them..."
Ritsuko (horrified): "You WHAT?!"
Misato: "I'm sorry, Ritsuko...I didn't trust you like I should have and I didn't insist that she keep taking them..."
Ritsuko: "So...how did she survive, then?!"
Asuka and Shinji smile at each other, as if they knew. Misato makes a gesture to all the adults in the room, and to Rei. They all nod knowingly to Misato, and leave the room quietly. Shinji looks back at Misato, who winks at him. He smiles in return. When the door finally closes, Shinji turns his attention back towards the object of his desire.
Shinji: "Asuka..."
Asuka: "What is it?"
Shinji gets down on one knee, looks Asuka right in the eyes and then takes a small box out of one of his pockets. He then opens it in front of her face. Inside it is a ring. Not the ring he had given her a few months ago (mainly because said ring is still on her right hand), but another one, even more beautiful than the first, with a vivid blue sapphire set in it.
Shinji: "Asuka, this is the blue of your eyes..."
Asuka (stunned): "Is this a...?"
Shinji: "I'll be 16 soon. I'll then be the legal age to...wh-what I'm asking you now is...will you marry me, Asuka?"
Pause...
Asuka (lovingly): "Oh...baka Shinji...!"
Shinji: "I want to make up for the time I left you two alone. For the rest of my life."
Asuka (looking down at Teri, who is still sleeping): "Shinji, can you see her?"
Shinji looks at Teri, too.
Asuka (smiling warmly): "Shinji, this is your daughter. This is our little girl. This is Ikari Teri."
Shinji is now smiling warmly, too.
Asuka (softly): "And...I'm sure that she'll be as proud as me to be part of the Ikari family, 'anata'."
THE END!
Author's notes:
For those who don't know, 'anata' is what a woman calls her husband in Japan. It's an honorific term, the closest equivalent in English being 'darling.'
Well, there's the chapter ending Asuka-chan's pregnancy. I hope you all enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! As I said earlier, this is my first public fanfic, meaning that it's the first one I've posted in a public forum.
For the first time in my life I have been congratulated for my work (well, not counting schoolwork) by others, and it really makes you more confident about yourself! I know I sound a bit like Shinji here, but...well, I was so happy to receive my first reader mail (Thanks to you, Kami-Rakna-Sama-Sempai!)
Knowing that people were reading my story helped me to continue, just for those who mailed me, because I knew that if I had stopped the story, those people with who I had communicated would have been very sad, and I can't stand people being sad! Because of that, I want to thank everyone--yeah, even those who disliked my story (was there anybody like that? :-) )--for reading so far (what are you doing here if you hated it? Masochist!).
Oh, and I want to apologize for two mistakes in the whole story.
First. Hmmm...what mistake did I want to talk about? Ah, yes! Dave Watson told me about the term "tetra-9 hydrocannabinol". I now know it's the stuff in marijuana that gets people high. Let me make myself clear: I DO NOT ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO SMOKE IT BECAUSE MY STORY WAS COOL, okay!? :-) This was a terrible mistake. I saw that in a French X-Files fanfic ("The X-Philo") and was totally unaware that this ingredient was an active part of this...well...this stuff. But, as Ritsuko wrote in her report above, it WAS NOT real THC, but something similar. So, don't flame me for this. I know that I'd deserve it, but I'm apologizing in public for it right now, okay? Is that enough for you, flamers?!
Second. Okay, there were A LOT of grammar and spelling mistakes in the whole story. Mega Thanks to Dave Watson for the great retooling [Hey, it kept me out of trouble.--Watson], and to EBJ for his help, too!
Well, that's all I wanted to say.
The Author's quick history (for those who are NOT interested, just page down a bit and don't flame me for this, OK? :-) ) :
You're curious about my precious works? Well, I wrote, with my friend Mygard, a series of humorous chapters about Sailor Moon and a big story called The True Scenario (65Kb long) which we never finished. The first real story we finished together was a cross-over between Sailor Moon and Resident Evil (Bio Hazard) on PSX. It was so damn funny! :-) (Imagine Michiru Kaioh as Jill Valentine from the S.A.I.L.S.!)
Then, I discovered Evangelion. Big jump, huh? Well, I started writing a new series called NGE: Special Edition, even though I'd only watched the first six episode of the actual TV series! It was 10 chapters long, each around 15-20Kb in size. It related the arrival of Axel, Yann, Mygard and Stef at NERV, as investigators from the Japanese government, who were then soon trained as Evangelion pilots for Eva-03 to 06 (Hey, I hadn't seen the entire Eva series yet!!!). I also wrote a sequel to this called High School Priests, which is also still unfinished.
Finally, I wrote a sequel to my previous cross-over: Resident EVA 2. Starring Misato Katsuragi as Claire Redfield, Stef M. as Leon F. Kennedy, Sohryu Asuka Langley as Sherry (!), Rei as Ada Wong, Axel as the Chief of Police, Mygard as Sherry's father and Teiris (his girlfriend!) as Sherry's mother (sorry, can't remember all the names)... well, I hope you get the picture!
Special thanks to all of my pre-readers:
Al-l-Bus (A New World For Shinji and Asuka, Imagine Normality?, Love After Impact)
Alain Gravel aka Kami-Rakna-Sama-Sempai!!! (The One I Love Is..., Lost Love)
Borderline Case (Reflections In Red)
Dave Watson (for the great retoolings he did of this story! He's also written an Eva songfic based on the NoMeansNo song Victory, which he's in the process of retooling (and you thought he just singled me out!).)
DJ Lesser
EBJ (Thank you, too, for your corrections!)
Eva_Pilot00
Greg Thomas (Keep up the good work with 'Everything Anime'!)
Kaoru Nagisa (EvaLeSs)
Jon Byram (Holy Knights)
Readiosys Fisher (Unfamiliar Fearings)
Sammy Sy
Shinji The 10 O'clock Assassin (too many fanfics to list here!)
Sudhoda'ya
Sushi Boy
And thanks to all my readers! Well, those who sent me a little E-mail!
Battleoid2
Boris Delaunay (Thanks for the FTP Account on Wanadoo! Even though it's slow, it's helpful.)
Brian Carlson
Tanuki
David Templar
Fuu Hououji
Godsend777 (The Death Of One, Is Nothing Sacred?, Strangely Fanfic)
GreyJedi
Jayson Deare
KoalaKiller
OrcSys
Laura Turk
Twinsen
Prometheus
Ryoga Habiki
Stephanie Beasley
And all those who chose to remain anonymous (why? Am I so difficult to talk with? :-) )
Finally, as I said, a forum is open in ASUKA's Notebook. If you have any questions, or any remarks about the story, you can post them there. Just go to http://asuka.notebook.eu.org/ and you'll see a "Forum" link there.
Oh, one last thing: I encourage any fanfic author who wishes to write side-stories or sequels to The Child Of Love to go right ahead. I don't think I can write more about this story myself, but if any of you have any new ideas, you're welcome! Just send me your work before you post it, okay? (And why not a lemon side story called "The Conception of The Child Of Love"? :-) )
"And to all the Children [readers] in the world, congratulations!"--Hideaki Anno, Gainax.
EPILOGUE:
THE THIRTY-NINTH MONTH
The Angels seem to have stopped attacking for a while, since the three Eva pilots only fought their last Angel 10 months ago. However, they were still on active duty. Also, Commander Katsuragi Misato herself is rumoured to have said that the Fourth Children had been discovered recently.
According to the doctors (especially Ritsuko, who ran tests on a regular basis), it seems that Ikari Teri is a perfectly normal and healthy little girl. No signs of any of the procedures ordered by Gendo Ikari were noticed--at least, for the time being.
Shinji and Asuka are standing in front of a church. Shinji is wearing a black tuxedo with a red bow tie, while Asuka is resplendent in a beautiful wedding dress, with two red ribbons holding her hair in place instead of the clips she usually wears.
[Author's note: Sorry, I'm not an expert on fashion... :-) ]
Misato is holding two-year-old Teri's little hand in hers and smiling. She never thought she'd see this day, and now that it's here, she feels proud, for some odd reason.
As for Rei, since she helped save Teri's and Asuka's life, the bride decided that she had the right, after all, to be her bridesmaid (very kind of Asuka, isn't it? :-) ). Hikari was also a bridesmaid, of course. Every so often, she would look over at Toji, who was sitting in the front row on the groom's side, and smile at him, which made him blush and look down.
Kaji (shouting): "Hey! Shinji-kun! Kiss the bride!"
Kensuke (who has been videotaping the whole wedding): "Yeah! Let's see some action!"
Everyone is here, from NERV staff to the newly-married couple's friends, of which there are surprisingly many. Shinji and Asuka look in each other's eyes and then kiss tenderly. Asuka wraps her arms around his neck, while Shinji clasps his hands on her waist. The crowd cheers.
After the kiss, Asuka brings her mouth up to his ear.
Asuka (whispering): "Shinji, I have to tell you something important."
Shinji: "What is it, Asuka-chan?"
Asuka (whispering): "I think I'm pregnant again..."
THE END?
This epilogue was inspired by an idea from Kami-Rakna-Sama-Sempai!!!! Will Teri have a little sister or brother? What will they name him/her? Will I wind up writing another epilogue? Maybe...maybe not... :-) )
Thanks to you all!
Guillaume Lebigot (b.k.a Axel Terizaki)
Go to the NINETY-NINTH MONTH.