STAGE 02 - [text]

[lastnerv]

hi its shinji again

you might remember me from that network post a couple months ago where i

well i wasnt in the best state but thats not what im here to talk about (im also not here to talk about this agonizing bus ride im stuck on without my headphones seriously why is american public transit the worst in every reality anyway uh)

[Unseen here is the five minute pause where Shinji had to consider if he really wanted to talk about this in public, but Hell, there's someone from his world here already. It's not like he can control what people find out anymore.]

there are probably a lot of people here from worlds where theres more sapient species on earth than just humans, right? i know for a fact theres worlds were elves and dragons and stuff are real at least

how does that work? is it possible for two species to co-exist in peace like that? even if one of them seems monstrous?

in my world there was another species too (well kind of another species but not really long story) and in the end there could only be one of us left. we just couldnt share the earth. maybe because there was only supposed to be one to begin with

i guess what im asking is

could it have been different?

Comments

[braceforimpact]

[He didn't have to ask you for that. He wanted to.

You still don't understand that, do you?

But it's all right. He doesn't need you to understand. He wouldn't ask that of you.

What he doesn't understand, though, is--]

So you already know.

...if you already know the answer, then why ask at all?

[lastnerv]

Because. Because it doesn't have to be the only answer.

There's so many different worlds and so many different experiences people have had, that...I don't know. I want to hear that I'm wrong.

[braceforimpact]

[Yes. It does.

But now he sees where Shinji is going with this. He's unhappy with the answer he's reached, and so he wants to change it. By getting different answers. Even though they won't change the past.

Incredible. Kaworu closes his eyes, smiling.]

Their answers won't do you any good, though.

[lastnerv]

I know. There's no changing what I've done.

[He meant to say "what's happened", but instead the guilt leaks through.]

It's reassuring to think that there's someone out there who hasn't lived that kind of life, though.

[braceforimpact]

[That.... doesn't make sense to Kaworu at all.

To some extent, what he hears is "I wish I hadn't known you." Which stings. A lot.]

Lived what kind of life?

[What is he talking about now?]

[lastnerv]

One where the answer to there being two different species on one planet isn't "kill the other one or have the end of the world happen".

Not that it mattered much in the end.

[braceforimpact]

.......

I'd disagree.

[lastnerv]

Of course you would. With which part?

[braceforimpact]

'The end of the world' and 'not that it mattered much in the end'...?

You can't decide that your actions were meaningless just because you didn't get the outcome you thought you wanted.

[Or whatever. He doesn't know what Shinji was trying to achieve.

Never to lose anyone, maybe?

As if that were even possible.]