Talks, Children, and Dreams

Lilith

"So . . . you are my mother I take?" a young sounding, pleasantly female voice asks dryly. "So . . . what exactly happened, Mother?

"Why could I not remember anything before meeting 'my' Captain Katsuragi?" the young woman who now calls herself Nadia asks me sadly. "My husband explained most of it, but I wish to hear your words on the matter."

My little one, I didn't mean to remove ALL your memories up to the point where you met Katsuragi! I only meant to remove pain you had when your friend, the Fourth Child, died. That was where everyone's memories would have been after the Reset I wanted.

I saw you suffer so after that while my time as Rei and didn't want it to continue. But when the Chaos event took place, it got very mixed results.

What happened to "my" Asuka Langley Sohryu with her now being in mind and body a four year old child was one of many examples of how far it could go!!

"Uh . . . where should I . . .er. . . begin?" I stammer nervously, wings twitching as I shuffle about. Finding it rather hard to face the one I had given birth to here. In another time and place. The face on the screen that Tabris somehow managed to hook up with the Magi system as the signal is transmitted over and through God only knows what.

"I guess from the beginning," I chuckle slightly, mirthlessly.

So I do. I do and I shall spare you the whole two hour long chat I had, catching her not only up on MY side of things. We also discussed her side of things as well. The woman on the other side already knows through Tabris the basics, but there were issues that only could be resolved. Mother to . . .daughter.

You already know of things and now my daughter (!) knows it as well. But it still rattles me that Tabris showed me the cutest pictures of infants HE was holding in his arms (the oldest picture in his collection he had the cutest stunned look on his face).

. . .

It seems that my son-in-law here had still not totally gotten used to the idea of being able to sire children back then. Before his transformation into full human, he'd been . . . sterile (like me as I had been as Rei). Oh, he knew in his head that it was possible but up until he actually held his first child (a daughter) . . .

My God! I'm only 14 years . . .uh . . .15 years old in this body and already a GRANDMOTHER?!

Heh, soon to be a great grandmother by the ultrasound (or whatever Military doctor's use) pictures.

. . .

Snicker.

Does Mina know that she'll soon be a great great grandmother here?

No, let's get back to things.

Well, my daughter soon found herself whisked away to another world after speaking with what I can only call a true angel. Makes myself and Tabris pale in comparison to that warrior angel called Astra. Don't blame Tabris for being . . . sore with that other Major Katsuragi at all.

One does not mess with heavenly entities who lift you to salvation. Tabris knows now (through me) just how bad of situation he would have faced as a Neon Genesis Angel. Plucked up before even his first "recycling".

Well, nevermind.

My daughter found herself on another world, again slightly transformed from before. Astra did not undo the transformation my daughter had undergone in gender but did make sure that the female body she now wore appeared the way it did due to . . .pigmentation implants (as well as a whole slew of rather nice cyber implants, by Nadia's own words).

See, on this world that she found herself upon was of a decided "cyberpunk" milieu. She was sworn to secrecy by Astra to not reveal her true origins and identity (even to Tabris) and to add to it she would appear to have belong to some "poser" gang (street gangs who practice certain fan devotions by modifying their own appearances through plastic surgery and such to appear as those they've devoted themselves after). Strange, but I guess it worked.

She joined the Military. Went through the same Boot Camp (under the same sadistic drill instructor) that Tabris had gone. Dated several boys from here and there before finally being drawn together , heart to heart, with Tabris. They dated. They had . . sex. Married. Had children. Boys and girls (large family). Girls and boys who went off and had their own family and now . . .Nadia, my daughter, had gone into the Military and done her time. Got out but still married to Tabris. Works as a nurse in the local civilian hospital while Tabris still flies.

All looking great (cute babies grew into beautiful adults), but they don't look anything like their parents: Tabris and Nadia. Remember those pigmentation implant and other alterations to their appearance. Well, those alterations didn't go down to the genetic level and . . .never mind. You got the picture, right?

My goodness, they say that time flies and the years pass but THIS is bizarre. I'm going to be a great grandmother. A grandmother who's only now learning of her son's . . . damnit . . . daughter's life after finally coming after being whisked away only hours ago. Was hours for me but decades for her. She learned of me and the life she'd left behind through works of . . . fiction. DVDs. Manga.

Fanfiction.

Well, she got the clue she had been waiting decade for today. When the sign came, she knew that she could finally break the final secret between her and Tabris. Was interesting, I am sure, when she learned the truth about her husband, but that said it’s not important right now. Went through Hell and back trying to get through to see Tabris' Commanding Officer when she suddenly found herself youthened back as a young woman of teenage years (damn beauracy didn't believe her claims of a young woman claiming to be Tabris' wive, too young).

And now here we are again, almost face to face through this video conference. Would have been sooner if either I or she had our way.

But when a Celestrial shows up (in front of EVERYONE) to ask the Champion Question (i.e. ask if Nadia wished to follow in my footsteps), that had thrown a monkey wrench in things. First, there were the authorities had a LOT of questions for Nadia after that.

Why exactly? Well, I was told that this Military worlds (odd name, not too original but who am I to complain) had been attacked by aliens. Heck of a thing for their very First Contact, but that’s the sad truth of their reality. Made them a bit . . . cautious. The power emissions from the Celestrial (an Agent) rang all sorts of holy Hell with warning sensors for lightyears out. It all traced itself back to the meeting between the Agent and Nadia.

. . .

Agents have the ODDEST humor at times.

Ane anway, somehow they saw it. Perhaps being overly cautious (paranoid?), they at least wanted to speak with Nadia about it.

Which is fine and well, actually. Somehow word got back to those actually familiar with Rules, Agents, and other Celestrial entities (and actually believe in them) and word came down from on high (snicker) to lay off Nadia.

Those higher ups sorted things out quickly for the locals, but while the delay was short on Nadia’s end did you know because of actual differences of time passing it was hours here? Enough time to get that briefing in and then some. It’s nearly midnight now and Tabris had broken off contact with her when things had gone down on her end 3:00 PM.

Weird stuff, this inter-reality communication and such. Got yet another thing to get used to with my new family.

. . .

Oh, and what did Nadia answer to the Champion Question? A very GOOD one, actually. Glad she didn’t just jump into this because of ME because . . . she wanted a normal life with her family. Her husband. Not like she’s not done her service and all that. Like what she did back as Shinji. Like what she did as Nadia in the Military.

No, can’t blame her that but . . . it means that eventually I’m . . . going to outlive her. Her children. Grandchildren.

. . .

Yes, the decided downside of being a Champion, folks.

Before I sign off for the night, though.

"Rest well beloved . . . and thank you," I say softly to the woman on the other side of the screen, tears in eyes.

I’m not doing to well myself, actually. I missed so much of her life and I’m glad . . .that she’ll let me in still.

I had no choice (in the end) on being sucked into Unit 01 but it had been still a TERRIBLE thing to have lost her mother as he watched. What her father had done to her afterwards, abandoning her for years.

"Glad she doesn’t blame me, anyway," I whisper to myself after making sure that father‘s magical wards are in place. Then I slip off to bed. "She could have."

And after all this time, after so long without being unable to do such as being called "Rei", I have the most . . . wonderful dreams. And while dreaming I have to smile, because somehow I know that Reika shall be experiencing her very FIRST one.

Can hear her talking in her sleep, I believe. Funny how that works, even though I’m asleep. Kind of see it myself. We’re bound to each other, I and my sisters.

Dreams.

1. THAT should be an interesting experience for her...

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