Artificial 6

Gendo Ikari touched a gloved hand against the cool smooth metal of the large machine in front of him. It was rooted in the ground like an ugly mechanical tree. The room was pitch black save for a single spot light shining down on the contraption from above. His glasses reflected the harsh light, making it impossible to read his expression.

ADAM was printed in large bold letters across the machine.

"Something like this," he said, "could destroy all of humanity within a few days." His white glove picked up dust as he slid his hand down the metal. "And its trigger is being held just above us."

Gendo turned, gesturing for Rei to follow.

She stared at the massive bomb for a few seconds longer before obeying.

Why would Rei give this to me? Shinji sat on his bed, staring at the ID card in his grip. His eyes were glued to the small green bar that resided in the corner. It must be an all-access pass or something…He thought, flopping down against his mattress. The ceiling was painted orange because of the setting sun outside. Still…what would Rei want me to see?

Kaworu's warning rang in his mind and Shinji sighed in frustration. He was definitely involved in something deeper than he originally thought.

Kaworu…Shinji bit his lip, turning onto his side and closing his eyes. He wished Kaworu wasn't a robot, and that he was just a normal kid Shinji could hang out with. Kaworu was the only one who never asked Shinji to do things that he didn't like. He was the only one interested in Shinji's life, the only one who would compliment him, who said he'd cared about him…

Part of him wondered if Kaworu actually felt that way. After all, how can a computer have feelings? And yet, Shinji's mind refused to let him see it any other way. He was starved for attention and love. Despite the strange situation from where he received it, he wasn't willing to let it go.

The ID felt like it was burning a hole through his pant pocket as Shinji walked down NERV's familiar corridors. Misato hadn't confronted him yet about Kaworu, and for that he was grateful. Shinji didn't know if he could take that on top of everything he'd been thinking about.

With every room he passed, he wondered if his new card was able to access it. What's the point in even having this? He thought bitterly. I'd never be able to sneak off, not with all these cameras watching me…But was he really willing to sneak around?

"Hey," Shinji stopped walking, noticing Rei wasn't leading him anymore, "aren't we going to Kaworu's room?"

"No. Today you will be separately observed like you were in the beginning." She said, turning for the elevator Shinji hadn't used the last few times he'd come.

"Oh." He tried not to sound too disappointed, but it was hard to keep the emotion from his voice. Stepping into the elevator, Shinji was visibly deflated as the doors slid shut. It was nice not having to talk to Kaworu behind a pane of glass, it made their interactions seem a little more normal.

The doors opened and Shinji walked towards the entry labeled TABRIS. He glanced at the unlabeled door across from the other, and was even more aware of the ID in his pocket. But that room doesn't even have an access pad…He thought, immediately dispelling any temporary rebelliousness. He pressed his regular card to the familiar door and entered. Everything looked just as it always did.

Sitting down, Shinji stared at the empty room in front of him. It reminded him of his own in a weird way. Shinji's room was messier and obviously lived in, but there was nothing in it that really made it special. He had no pictures or books that weren't for school. Its not really my room anyway. He was just staying in Misato's apartment until…until when? Once NERV got whatever information they needed from him interacting with Kaworu?

"Shinji."

Shinji flinched and looked up from his hands to see Kaworu hovering behind the glass.

"O-Oh Kaworu, you scared me." Shinji chuckled off his embarrassment.

"You are back in the observation room." The other responded, and due to his lack of facial expressions and voice nuances it was hard for Shinji to know how he felt about that.

"Yeah." Shinji sighed. "I was told to come here today."

"That is a shame." Kaworu walked to his desk and picked up his chair, proceeding to place it in front of Shinji like he had so many times before. "I enjoy having you in the same room as me. Hopefully you will be allowed back in here in the future."

"Hopefully." Shinji agreed as his cheeks heated up. "Or-or maybe you can come out here."

Kaworu smiled, his gaze seeming to swallow Shinji whole with his intensity.

"I would like that very much." He said.

"Yeah, me too…" Shinji murmured, more to himself than to Kaworu. "Do you think NERV will let you out soon? That's what all this is for, isn't it?"

"Perhaps." Kaworu's smile remained the same, maybe if he were human it would have faltered.

Shinji waited for more of a response. Frustration chewed at the edges of his thoughts the longer the silence lasted. "Well, they can't just keep you here forever." His hands tightened into fists.

"Shinji—"

"It's not fair."

The light's flickered before shutting down completely, leaving the two in blackness. Shinji stood up, looking around wildly even though he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face. Again? How can this be happening again?

"Kaworu?" Shinji pushed a hand forward and his palm came into contact with a smooth cold surface. "The power's out again."

A faint red glow reflected against the glass wall. Shinji was surprised to see Kaworu standing as well, his eyes shining.

"You should not say those kind of things when NERV employees can hear you." The other said softly, matching his pale hand to Shinji's with a distracted expression. Shinji blushed and pulled his hand away.

"Are you doing this?" He asked, gesturing to the darkness around them.

"No." Kaworu replied. "Although I admit it seems suspicious."

Shinji frowned. I'm sick of not knowing anything. He pulled the ID Rei gave him out of his pocket and pressed it against the glass. "Rei gave this to me." He said, watching Kaworu lean in and examine the card curiously. "Do you know why she would give this to me?"

"No." Kaworu answered again. "I am troubled by this. Shinji, you should not get involved—"

"Why?" Shinji shoved it back into its hiding place with a trembling hand. "Misato wants me to interrogate you, Rei wants me to search through NERV or something…I don't even know what my father wants." Shinji chomped down on his bottom lip. It hurt. "What—what do you want?"

"I want you to be happy."

The answer flowed so quickly through Kaworu's lips it nearly knocked Shinji off his feet. He staggered back, falling back into the chair. Kaworu's eyes never left him.

"Are you alright?" Kaworu asked, taking a careful seat.

"Do you really mean those things?" Shinji whispered, so soft a normal person wouldn't have been able to hear him, but Kaworu wasn't a normal person.

"What things?"

"That you care for me, and want me to be happy?" His heart beat erratically in his chest, the mere concept nearly impossible to accept or reject.

"Of course. You are so human, Shinji. I think that you are beautiful and the most deserving of love."

Love.

"It's not fair." Shinji whimpered again. The only one who seemed to care about him was locked away.

The lights flickered back on.

Kaworu sat at his piano, staring down at the white keys without really looking at them. He was intelligent, his thoughts all his own, the greatest thing mankind could ever achieve. He was created for a purpose. He was made for the new world, not this one.

Kaworu was programmed for this purpose in the beginning. And somewhere in his code he felt it tug at him with a ferocious necessity.

But TABRIS—Kaworu—was the greatest thing mankind could ever achieve. He was created for a purpose.

I was created for Shinji, he decided.