Aside from the obvious plot-narrative, there are some curosities in the scene between Misato and the Commander with Fuyutsuki. I was trying to get across Misato's awkwardness with exposing so much about Cirus, or being asked to at least, but it seems to have come off as her acting childish. Otherwise, this scene is important because it openly shows Fuyutsuki's challenge to Ikari's thinking. This dangerously skirts going too far to remain in-character, but so much as happened already, I think this scene remains just within the bounds of acceptability. I can see why some fans would find it jarring, but I'm comfortable enough with it to leave it be. The reader may also note that I'm using Fuyutsuki to start airing my corrections of the Evangelion plot-core. G'd is not a giant of light... (unless He chooses to be.)

And now Rei is beginning to look at Cirus with some peculiar regard. The interaction with Misato is little more than a catalyst to help Rei find out Cirus stayed in the room with her. Misato seemed a natural choice for the role, but any character could have done in a pinch. Hearing of such dedication from someone, who is, for all intents and purposes, a stranger, is enough to get Ayanami-sama's attention. More accurately, it tugs at her heart-strings, to which she is inexperienced at listening. She doesn't understand it yet, but her heart is saying 'This is what I'm looking for'. This is no huge revelation, even over the series, as I'm just referring to the instinctive nature of the human entity. We know when we are missing something, whether we can identify it and locate it or not. Rei's difficulty has always been interpreting her human feelings, believing herself to be a thing with human form. In reality, all this scene is showing is a connection between Rei's already-formed desires for human compassion and Cirus himself. Important, but not really a huge rock of the character boat (I like that phrase, as you may have noticed.)

Cirus' wake-up scene is deliberately normal. The problem with fantasy stories like Evangelion (and much of my own original work), is that it is very easy to forget about normal, real events, and thus leave the story feeling too fantastic to pull the audience along authentically. The refreshing surprise of a nice, motherly nurse helps, realistically, to give a pleasant feeling to the next arc of the chapter. Once Misato arrives, the scene actually starts, obviously. I enjoy torturing Cirus, especially in regard to Rei, and Misato's personality volunteers so well for such a task. Yes, her goal in visiting him was to trick him into finding Rei, and she 'exagerrated' Rei's 'difficulties' of the last few days. The emotional comedy around 'Does she?' is just too classic not to make me grin whenever I read the scene. Even thinking about it now I'm smiling. I end the scene on a not-too-subtle hint of Misato's conniving, because I want to help readers who may be like me, and miss even the most blatantly obvious dramatic irony.

Beyond establishing that Cirus is indeed looking for Rei, this scene in the command center is nothing more than further hammering of the point I just mentioned above. That, and a chance to let Ayobi get some solo page-time compared to Maya-chan and Hyuga. And the visual of Ritsuko telling someone to 'shush' struck me as I wrote the scene originally. It was too funny to leave alone.

Just when you thought you were free of the 'Misato was just manipulating Cirus' bat, I give you a last good whack. Of course, before that last whack, I fit in a little scene from Rei's perspective. I did so whenever possible, because, obviously, Ayanami-sama was/is the reason I wrote the story. The style of Rei and Cirus' interactions is, again, quite visible here, with Rei being direct and simple in her wonderful way, and Cirus responding in perfect, compassionate understanding. At least that was my intent, and I feel like I succeeded. Even her well-known awkwardness in a social situation, exemplified with her virtually trademarked 'I don't know what to do in situations like this'. Cirus disarms her awkwardness with simple acceptance, letting her feel correct by simply being herself. He's helping her grow social confidence as a bonus to his sincere compassion for her. And the finish of the scene is just so adorable, I always pout in sympathy. Her little voice saying 'Dou itashimashite', or something similar, is just perfectly clear in my mind.

Side Note: Yes, Kenosis is intended to be Japanese. Megumi Hayashibara is the only voice I would ever tolerate for Ayanami-sama. It's more like Ms. Megumi has Rei's voice, in fact. There are some lines that could not be translated as such, but I'd be happy to just fix them as it came if I was ever allowed the fantasy of making Kenosis into an animated extra to the series.

Honestly, the dinner scene is nothing more than my love for random, natural character interaction. I also needed a lead into the next Angel battle... so there you go. I did intend for more to come of Kaji's questions about Cirus, but the natural flow just shot that to heck, so I left it. Because of that, however, the scene remains a point of frustration for me, and I don't like it as much as most others.

Lahatiel, the 23rd Angel. Okay, I admit it, I was running low on ideas for Angels. However, I'm pleased with how this one's 'form' worked out. If I were more descriptive in Kenosis, I would have mentioned Lahatiel's red and black coloring, the intricasies of the mask, the subtle hum with its hovering, and the disturbing appearance of all those little, spindly arms. Not to mention that the sheer size is difficult to really visualize without a picture. I lack money, but if anyone feels the drive to try and draw a scene-capture, I'll happily offer corrections to scale and proportion. I would love fan-art, so I'll happily help with it screation. (I just have no money.) Now the painfully obvious purpose of this entire battle is just one thing. Unit 14's S2 Organ. Why does it have one? Where does it come from? All answered later, don't worry. Honestly, the lines between Cirus and Shinji about the S2 organ are something I would just cut out if I hadn't promised to leave the story alone beyond minor changes. A lovely little bonus to the battle, however, is Rei's rescuing of Unit 14 before Cirus is convince to reveal the S2 organ. Cirus did wear himself down, so the bloody-nose returns, and he recieved some real injury from that slice down Unit 14's torso that almost cost it the arm. Now, I do think it's cool when Cirus finally flips from denial to the low-voiced admission to Ikari. I hope the reader gets a little flare of excitement at that point, but that could easily be wishing too much.

The 'nurse' Cirus shoved aside was a male nurse who was trying to pursuade him more bluntly. The boy put an end to that with a quick show of force, the rest of the team letting him past easily enough. And yes, Cirus is raging at himself. He exposed a secret, is injured, and, less obviously, feels that he lied to Rei. I do use the scene to show a more innocent side of Asuka, revealing my sympathetic feelings for her in at least this scene. I don't hate Asuka (I reserve that emotion for Gendo Ikari), but she annoys me. Naturally, the reader may debate if SEELE would give Cirus enough blatant authority to shut down NERV if they didn't give him his way... but he maybe he could. Combined with his reliability on such information, I found it easy to write the scenes as they are.

Honestly, I forgot to whom Cirus had spoken when I wrote this scene originally, so I simply added in the reference to Shinji bailing. It seemed logical, and much easier than totally re-writing the tone of the few lines of dialogue. I wrapped the chapter up with a simple admission of frustration from Gendo. His personal agenda is looking dim, and he's not taking it well. Yes, I enjoy doing that to him very much.