Unit 14 finally defeating Ezrael shows a similar taste for gruesome gore. The image of punching through the Angel's head, activating the bone-blade, and then yanking it out through the back of the head was just too cool not to use when I came up with it (on the spot).

Why, exactly, Unit 14 takes Rei out now and not down in the cage (arguably more safe) is uncertain within the story, but I wanted to show it carrying her in its hands. And Cirus could have been concerned over plug-damage injuring Rei, leading to Unit 14 taking her out before descending. Just in case all of this isn't clear, Ritsuko's comment drives the point home.

Unit 14, really Cirus at this point, placing Rei on the platform, and then holding his massive hand up as if caressing her cheek, is one of my favorite images in all of Kenosis, and this small interaction is among my favorites of its kind as well. Rei coming close and resting her cheek against the back of the behemoth's finger is very touching, I feel. Her sorrowful sink down to the ground after Unit 14 shuts down is also a powerful emotional tug, at least for me. She's both happy and deeply saddened for Cirus, not knowing how to get him out (just yet).

Misato's presence, beyond the character interaction, is simply a good method of getting Rei to her revelation about Cirus' situation and how to fix it. Misato trusts the girl's intuition quite well at this point, she is simply honestly confused by Rei's wording at the start.

The lab sequence was a natural leap from the previous section, and making it appear as though even Rei's idea may have feeled came as easily. Just a little extra tension, and the doubt that maybe Rei's last 'please' really did do the trick. Of course, it does work, and Cirus is back in action. It was a small point at the time, but reading Kenosis now, I'm quite touched by Rei's running to find Cirus. It really shows how much she has changed, and how much she cares for him (and how much she missed him, of course.) Some of the narrative diction was tweaked for this edition of the story, because the paragraph where they are truly reunited was important... and sounded awful. It still needs some work, but isn't quite so grating on my eyes. Ayanami-sama hugging and crying into his shoulder is adorably sympathy-enducing, and, of course, Cirus is blissful at being able to hold her in his arms as well.

And I reveal in their initial interchange that, yes, Cirus heard everything she said quietly to him in the med-lab. He just couldn't move or respond. Rei caressing his cheek just about makes Cirus melt (if there was any doubt at this point), and I take the 'narration bat' to the audience, making sure the reader knows he's as relieved as she is. A minor point of interest is that since Cirus' eyes were revealed to the group, the odd tendency for them to get left on has stopped (whenever he's been out of comission from injuries). Just a sign that I was manipulating the plot to keep his eyes hidden until I wanted them revealed. The significance of the smile at Asuka is simply that getting Rei back makes Cirus very happy with everything. Finishing the scene with a light joke over Misato's cooking seemed appropo.

It seemed high time to have some quality Ayanami-sama/Cirus time in the story, so beyond the character-interaction elements of the dinner, it's really about showing them together. Cirus does his best to catch up with the others, congratulating Shinji on the Angel he killed (Unit 01, anyway...) Using Cirus' private revelation about how attached he is to Rei seemed a natural spring-board to their interaction. It's silly, but I think still cute, that Cirus finds everything about Rei adorable, even just eating. Honestly, his asking her about how she knew to put him back in Unit 14 is just realistic dialogue, no specific significance between them. It also opened up some adorable embarrassment from Ayanami-sama, Cirus finally admitting openly she is so when blushing. And yes, her 'thank you' is a bit more automatic than sincere, but her appreciation is real. Classic Rei moment there. So kawaii.

After Cirus walks Rei home is one of the key examples of their innocence. I'll just say once more that there are no inappropriate scenes in Kenosis, especially not between Rei and Cirus, and leave it at that. They've been without each other for so long that Rei longs for as much time with him as possible, if he's willing. Cirus, of course, is very much willing to stay with her. Any concerns the reader may have are alleviated later. Ayanami-sama hugging Cirus again seemed fitting for her missing him, and the imagery is too adorable for me to resist. It may be a bit labored this time, but I'd be hard pressed to edit it out (I'd try to make it more believable first.) I've written many stories since finishing the original drafts of Kenosis, and Rei and Cirus remain one of my favorite couples to write for. They're just so sweet.

Now comes one of the most important plot-dialogues in the entirety of Kenosis. As with the series, the real 'theology' of the story is revealed independently of the major plot events. This is the case here. Nothing is really going on, but Cirus finally responds to Rei's fears as expressed in the final episodes of the series. Cirus becomes the mouthpiece of my evisceration of the original Evangelion theology system. Effectively I'm taking Evangelion, and with the sci-fi elements of giant, genetically engineered Evas and space-monster 'Angels', have put in real-world religious terms. My 'latent' Catholicism absolutely takes center-stage here, and demonstrates a good deal of why I felt writing this fan-fic so necessary for me personally. Putting Ayanami-sama through all that hell for no real reason just wouldn't get past me without a fight. I think a near-three-hundred page fan-fic is a good fight, personally, but that's me and I'm obviously biased.

The emotional tension and sympathy enduced for Rei are the real heart and soul of this scene, and the reason it can survive in the story. Without her sorrow and sincerity, the scene falls apart. Further, her sorrow and sincerity allow my attack on the original theology of the story to take on a very visceral, real context for the reader. In effect, it uses an old, immature technique. "Who picks on a little girl!?" That's the method, but my argument goes deeper. The Soul, the spiritual realm, is G'd's domain. No mortal can touch it without His willing it, and so the idea of Gendo Ikari (*growls*) crafting one is laughably absurd (and outrageous when made 'true' inside the universe of Evangelion by the series). I tweak it. Because of the way Eva's work, and so on, humans have discovered a way to *move* Souls. And the official canon supports that all three Rei bodies had the same Soul (the memories coming back is the big hint in-series), the issue is where that Soul came from. I say G'd, the series says Lillith and/or Gendo Ikari. Nah-ah. No one cheapens Ayanami-sama's existence while I'm alive. Cirus' line "just because man cna create something doesn't me he can define it' is the key point inside my argument. The Atom Bomb is a big example. No human can really comprehend the damage the Atom bombs have reaped. Evangelions just make that point sky-rocket. Yes, Ikari crafted Rei's physical form for his own purposes. No way in hell does that let him control her purpose. Claiming so puts one in direct opposition to G'd, and thus, not in a very good position.

Now to the heart of the scene, the actual interaction between the two. Ayanami-sama, now attached to Cirus, truly fears her, apparently decided, fate. Cirus once again brings her hope by passionately defending her humanity to her fears. Where she is afraid, he gives her strength, where she is unsure, he is certain. Even if he's wrong, it gives her a chance to take the opposite view seriously for herself. Of course, this is too much to put on someone so soon and actually have it change, so the natural conclusion of this discussion is Cirus making himself a surregate reason for her survival outside Ikari's plan. If she gives his life meaning, can she justify vanishing to herself? It's important that Cirus says everything else first, otherwise it would seem he was just tricking Rei into staying with him, which is farthest from the truth. If Rei would live happily without Cirus, he would happily follow that path. He, however, knows she loves him, at this point more than she does, and lets the fact that she has become his focus keep her from believing she is Ikari's servant unto oblivion. "You deserve to exist, Rei. For your own sake," is the line that makes his sincerity the most clear. In his eyes, she is completely whole and unique, another human being. Not a construct to be used, not a tool. Their last two lines in this scene are particularly poignant. In essence, these two lines ("N-no one has ever.." and "And that's the biggest wrong...") are the reason I wrote Kenosis. For someone to really smile, after all, they have to feel human first.

The chapter ends, putting any fears of untowardness away, with Cirus and Rei sleeping in different rooms. He finally remembers that her arm was hurt and he never found out why. Naturally, it doesn't take him long to suspect Gendo, but he knows nothing for sure yet, and going behind Rei's back would only betray her for a scoundrel. Cirus would never let his own anger hurt Rei, even if it was in defense of her in the first place. That point seemed like a good place to end this chapter, and so I did. Read on!