-Spiritual Kinship- 2nd half

Prologue

"Ahh....how tiresome."

Shinji muttered, closing his eys before laying down. Right now, he was resting in the other world with the sand underneath his back. Then, from above him he heard the sand shift as if someone was walking. When he opened his eyes he saw a girl with pale blue hair and tired blue eyes.

"....Are you tired? Only after that much?" The woman said while giggling. It was like music to his ears.

"Mio...I'm tired because it hurts to exist in that world. Although it really can't beat what you've done."

Shinji made a sigh as Mio poked his forehead.

"......I'm not proud of what I do you know. Well, maybe a little. All this is for you."

".......You're lying to yourself. You're doing this for you because you won't let me die."

"…………"

When Shinji said that, Mio went quiet. At that time, Shinji sat up and reached out for Mio's hands as he continued.

"......If you're doing this for me, then can you stop? For me?" Shinji continued as tears flowed down his cheeks. ".....If you don't think I'm the real Shinji, then please just kill me."

"I can't do thatー"

"ーSo then! Even if I'm not the Shinji you think I am... that's fine. I just want you to accept me as I am now. I don't want you to treat as stand-in for somebody else. I'm not competing with my younger self..... I'm not going to compete with a ghost from the past."

"I understand.....Shinji."

When Mio said that, from her eyes, tears began oozing out as Shinji pulled her in for a hug. Mio buried her face into his chest and began sobbing loudly, which were muffled.

"......Enough is enough, Mio.......you've done everything you can....no more turning humans into Spirits"

"Un....I promise I won't do it again, Shinji."

After Mio said that, Shinji smiled warmly at her.

"........Then, that's good."

Shinji and Mio fell into a comforting silence, as they rested in each others arms. After who knows how long, Mio stood up while looking around. They were in a beach with artificial lighting and water was rushing in, in the distance to fill up the place. Shinji probably recreatdd this from his memories.

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah..... it's just like our first date."

Shinji smiled when he heard that. [Our].

"Yeah. This was also the place where we decided on their names...although, we ended up settling....."

"..........Shidou and Syouji. When their names come together, it creates your name partially.......maybe that's also why they they can never be your replacement."

"........Of course not. I am me. Shidou is Shidou. Syouji is Syouji. Still, I think your first idea as a name was dumb. What was it....Shintarou?"

".......I do not want to hear this from you....you planned on naming Syouji, Shunjou, remember?"

".....Well, I guess we were both being dumb, huh. It can't be helped."

When Syouji said that with a smile, Mio nodded before standing up from his side. She then began walking away slowly. Seeing that, Shinji understood.

"......So you're leaving?"

".......I must. Or else Kotori or <Ratatoskr> might suspect something."

"I understand......come back safely."

".....Un. I'll be back."

After Mio said that with her beautiful blue hair flowing behind her, she then made a slash in <Space> as a portal opened up as she stepped in and disappeared, leaving Shinji to his own thoughts.

"Well.....I guess I'll go back to guiding Syouji slowly.......I can't hold his hand through everything, though....."

Yes. That was what he has been doing this whole time. However, he could tell him about Mio for now. A time might come where Shinji can explain to both Shidou and Syouji, but....

"......I already can't wait.....I guess I should rest up for now. I'm not as young as I used to be."

The reason why he was tired was simple. Earlier, Shinji went out and disassembled the Satellite weapons which were meant to kill his children with the help of his "wife"Mio.

He also went out and saved the <Ratatoskr> air ship crew members after the twins went into a rampage. They had accidentally destroyed it after manifesting a pillar of condensed Reiryoku.

After that, Shinji went and helped Mana from Ellen, who had kidnapped her before. However, it would seem that She did not remember Shinji. But probably that was for the best for now.

"I guess.....I'll just take a nap for now."

Shinji said that before attempting to close his eyes. When he did that, memories of his own death, and the memories of Mana being taken away flashed in his mind, causing his eyes to flutter open.

"Maybe not......"

End of Chapter

Err, I don't know about this prologue.

I just thought about getting the people who have not read the first half up to speed, while still simultaneuosly progressing the plot a little. Here, I made Mio accept the mature Shinji as himself, instead of comparing him to his younger self who died.

She accepted him....or did she? DUNDUNDUNNNNNN. Lol honestly, I don't know. We'll see.

Anyway, that said, I hope you have fun!