The Way I Am
Chapter 1: The Conundrum of Confessions
"My mother died when I was four years old." Shinji said distantly, his eyes fixed on a fire he himself sparked to life in the distance.
"I'm aware of that, Ikari-kun." The girl with periwinkle hair said in that usual dull, monotonous voice. She sat beside him, her lithe body contorted to face him. Those crimson hued eyes studied the side of his face.
The rain was thick and it seemed as if there were simply a myriad of vertical parallel bars of gushing water. The clouds which spewed the downpour were puffy and back, and had swarmed the neo-city in a short period of time.
The pair sat amidst the rubble of what had once been a library. They were propped against a concrete wall, though they weren't sheltered against the pouring rain. Some of the books that littered the area around them had been salvaged from the Second Impact. Some were simply reprints, and of course there were new books. A tragedy such as the Second Impact could not halt the writer's creativity.
"My father wouldn't care for me. Not that I would have liked to have lived with him." But there was doubt in this statement. Had Shinji stayed with his father, he would now not reserve such anger for the man. His gaze averted from the fire, and to one of the books. He shifted in his plug suit, and began to fiddle with the pages of the small book with his right hand. The pages had been singed at some point, as well as the pea green cover "So he sent me off... And I lived with Mr. Ueda, my teacher."
"Did you use this... Mr. Ueda as a substitute for the absence of your father?" Rei questioned, carefully watching each individual droplet roll off his face...
"No, not at all. In fact..." He sat back against the wall, his head tilted up to let the water hit his face."As I grew older... I think I saw myself in him." It had taken him a moment to formulate the words, as the question had triggered an epiphany for the boy. "He never spoke of his family... In the ten years I lived with the man, I never once saw a photograph of any one of his relation. And, it wasn't because he was an old man and they had passed away... He was younger then my father."
Rei nodded as he spoke. She had to keep him talking, just until NERV arrived for him.. 'Ikari-kun..'
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A thick beam of light hit Shinji Ikari's face, causing the image of his dream to be distorted by an orange blaze. Someone's high beams were on behind the movie theater screen.
"Mmm.." He moaned and got up, swinging his legs over the side of his bed and sitting there for a moment. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and blinked, waiting for his eyes to regain sight.
"Shinji! Breakfast!" His guardian, Misato, called from where he deduced was the kitchen.
"...Misato...Made breakfast?" The question at the same time puzzled him, as well as filled him with a feeling of disgust... He didn't even want to picture her take on the scrambled egg. The case usually was that Shinji was the first one up, so he'd make breakfast for the other two. He recalled once making breakfast for himself, and was later reviled fiercely by a famished Misato.
He got up, stepping in place as his arms ascended towards the heavens, tightening as he let his rested muscles get a good stretch. He slipped his navy blue shirt off, as well as his white boxer shorts. "I'll wear something different today..." He settled on a light citrus colored polo shirt and a pair of khaki dress pants. He examined himself in the mirror. "I think I've grown..." The thought brought a small smile to his face, and it remained as he stepped into the hallway, figuring today may be a good day for him. 'Yes, I'll make it one.' He thought as he opened the door to the bathroom.
He slipped the bathroom slippers on, sliding the door shut. A small flush could be heard, and then running water from the sink. He slipped off the slippers which Asuka always seemed to neglect to use. He then walked into kitchen, upon his lips that small smile stood proudly. 'Be kind ... and try to eat as much as you can! But don't go crazy and eat more then you can handle.' He thought, preparing to experience the strange realm of 'Cooking With Misato'.
"Finally, I'm STARVING!" Misato Katsuragi sat cross-legged at the low table. Her hair was held back in a small bun, a few rogue violet strands poked out in every which way. A tight white T-shirt clung to her shapely chest, and a pair of jean shorts completed the rest of her outfit.
"Huh... I thought you were calling me to breakfast? ...And isn't that my shirt?" Shinji said with mixed confusion and relief... So his stomach wouldn't be attacked this morning after all.
"Shinji, do you even look at the chart I made? Asuka, you, and I picked who would cook fairly. Purely democratic!"With that she'd take a slug from a beer she had been nursing since she awoke. "And this shirt,"She continued. "Well, we're a family, aren't we? We share Shinji! Next time you need to borrow a miniskirt, my closet is your closet. And...Do you think you could get me another, Shinji?"
"Hai!" He had already started cooking, his white apron on as he heated a small amount of oil in a pan. He stepped away from the stove and to the fridge. He opened it up and pulled out a chilled, golden canister of Yebisu beer.. He set it down in front of her and returned to the fridge, pulling out a small carton of eggs. He stepped back to the stove and resumed.
Silence had filled the air after she popped open the beer. He broke it with the crack of an egg, and then the lively sizzle of the oil meeting the white and yolk. "Aren't you going to wake up Asuka, Misato?"
"Why should I? You kids only get one day off. Let her sleep. She's used to getting two." She said casually, sipping her beer as she folded a napkin into a triangle.
"Two days off? I thought everyone only got Sunday off."He looked at her quizzically, cooking utensils in hand as he flipped the egg onto it's other side.
"...Yes, Shinji, two days off. In countries other then Japan, the school system is very different." She said matter-of-factly to him, a smile hinting upon her pale lips.
"Ignorant, as well as stupid, huh Baka-Shinji?" The redhead said with her sharp tongue, smirking at the boy as she took a spot next to Misato. This morning, a yellow sun dress adorned her developing, yet still attractive figure. White flip-flops were placed under the table, away from view. It had taken her almost twenty minutes to find them in the boxes that occupied a corner of her cluttered room. She had not totally unpacked, yet it had been months since she had moved in. She canted her head to the side, the blue ribbon around her neck slipping at an angle to contour the sudden movement.
"I'm sorr--" He couldn't finish apologizing, as all semblance of normalcy dissipated. The day had forsaken Shinji, and he realized he'd be on the forefront of the preservation of humanity. The sirens were blaring, the emergency warning taking hold of every form of communication in the city. One such warning was visible to Shinji, as the TV was on in the living room, and they were already summoning people to the shelters.
He looked to the table, and Misato's beer was knocked over, the amber liquid running off the edge. Misato's door was open slightly, and he could hear rustling with her uniform in between screeching intervals of the siren. Asuka had apparently already made her way to the car, as the door to the apartment was ajar and she herself was missing. He dropped the apron, slid the eggs on the back burner, and dashed to the door. He slipped on his shoes and bolted after her.
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"If you could see the look in his eyes. It's like there was nothing else in the world. It was me, him, and my cello. I'd get lost in those eyes, and couldn't even feel myself anymore. His fingers would form every note which I played... It was hypnotic... I played my best when Mr. Ueda sat across from me." Shinji's eyes gazed blankly at the rubble setting around him. His eyes weren't looking at anything in particular, they were simply a backdrop for his thoughts, which he spoke lucidly to Rei. There was no filter between them.
"Did he teach you how to play the cello?" She asked, prodding deeper into his thoughts. Her hair clung to her cheeks, which depressed to her pointy chin. Her hair was parted in the middle, even if she were conscious of this she wouldn't have fixed it. Her light blue hair slightly obscured a gash that was incurred when she escaped from her entry plug. Blood oozed out in three small trails. The blood was swept in the rain, and washed off the snowy alabaster plains of her cheeks. However, it was nothing compared to the injury the Third Child had suffered.
"Yes. He told me that... 'When things just got to be too much... I'd sit down and play for hours." As he spoke his former teacher's words, in his mind he could see the man himself speak them. Except, his voice had replaced the equally soft tone of Mr. Ueda. "He passed it down to me... And it works... Sometimes."He paused for a moment, and turned his head to gaze at her."Sometimes, things get to me so much, I can't concentrate. But, I'm still grateful for his gift."
If Rei had another question, it was not contributed to the conversation, for Shinji briskly continued. "Sometimes he'd wake up me up in the middle of the night. He'd have the large black case that contained my cello. He'd have me play for hours, sometimes until the sun would rise... It got to the point when he no longer had to ask. I'd simply sit at the edge of my bed and play."
"That is strange, is it not?" She questioned him. These were the kinds of questions that made Shinji question what exactly Rei was.
"Yes, it is. I think hearing someone play just for him relaxed him. He needed to feel something real. Something that no one could take away from him."
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"You've been summoned because Tokyo 3 is at risk from an apparent Angel attack." The voice said coldly, appearing to come from every corner of the dark room. Shinji could not remember ever being in such a room... There was just something about it that made him feel uneasy.
To start off, there seemed to be no end to the room. The darkness spanned into an endless horizon, that was really there. He was puzzled how he and the other pilots could be illuminated without a direct sourced of light. The only thing visible to Shinji were the two other pilots that stood beside him. 'Rei... Asuka... Me.. First, second, third... As always...' Shinji thought, his eyes staring downward.. 'I can't even see the floor... How is that... possible?'
Another thing was the voice. Shinji had never heard it before, and that struck him as odd. Usually it was someone he knew that gave the orders... Misato... Dr. Akagi, and so on. It also bothered him that he couldn't see the speaker. The voice was dull, and cold. There was no slip in the speaker's speech. Each syllable was spoken in the same rhythm as well as tone. It was undeniably a male's voice.
Lastly, what probably bothered him most, was his father. He sat a good twenty feet in front of him, slightly lower then the trio of pilots. A rectangular panel of pure white light served as a desk, casting shadows on his face. He sat with his elbows on the panel, hands folded with his chin propped slightly against it. A gloved digit stroked idly at his cheek. The eyes that pierced through his shaded glasses were intense as ever.
"The target is approaching the city from the West, and should make contact at '10.00' hours. You have an hour to prepare." The voice said, as plain as ever.
"Has a strategy been devised?" Rei asked softly. Rei's voice struck Shinji as a perfect match to the omniscient one giving the orders.
"No. You, the Evangelion Pilots, will make the first contact. Your training should prompt your decisions to be suitable on the battlefield."
"What!?" Cried Asuka, stepping out from the perfect line of pilots. "That's insane! It's like shooting in the dark!" Shinji had no idea what she was worked up over... there was nothing new about heading out... In fact, they usually had some crackpot strategy thought out by Misato anyway. No matter. 'Intercept. Engage. Kill.'
Shinji glanced to the left, as he had the strange feeling of being watched. '...What is that?' There was something there, he knew it. He gazed at it, until he noticed the hint of a small blue flame. He shifted his head to the left, and noticed more of the same. He turned around subtly, as not to draw attention, and still found more. 'Seven...' He had counted them all.
"That is all." The voice spoke, and then there was silence. Gendo Ikari gazed at the three pilots in unison, his eyes as cold as steel. He finally spoke, his voice as casual as ever.
"This is not only a take of the aspirations of NERV, but that of humanity." The white panel dissapeared, and once again silence. Pangs of uncertainty created havoc in his stomach. He had never been so nervous.
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"Launch Evangelions!" Shouted the captain with violet hair. Black heels clicked as she stepped back, arms crossing over her supple chest. 'Come on... Shinji.'
The three units screeched up the rails, sparks flying every which way. There ascent in perfect unison, as they were separated into three posts.
'Rei... Asuka... Me.'
Shinji was crouched and ready behind a high-rise, a large shotgun grasped in the purple unit's hand. Out of the corner his eye he could see Rei crouched and poised in a similar position. She, as well as Asuka, had the usual rifle.
Asuka was at the center of the triangle, further out then the rest. A confident smirk played upon her cherubic features. "You two won't be needed." She looked at the other pilots via the small monitors in her unit. "Leave it to the Great Sohryu."
The day itself, aside from the previous events, did in fact seem ordinary. The sky was a startling blue. It hurt Shinji's eyes to look at it for too long. The cicadas chirped incessantly as always, as if each was a small electric generator. Clouds hung lazily in the air, though a front seemed to be coming from the left. 'Those dark clouds in the West... That's where it is... I know it.'
It came sooner. The breeze that had been constant for the time they spent in waiting suddenly ceased. In front of the Unit 02 the figure appeared. There wasn't a warning, it simply fell from the sky, where it had glided as bird on the updrafts and thermals over the ocean, then land. It was beautiful. What appeared to be a black cloak clung over it's yellow armor. It had similar facial features to an Eva. There were two spheres of hued crimson, which scanned rapidly. Streaks of neon lime dripped from the spoken eyes, dripping down to the mouth of the creature. The teeth were of an onyx hue, that green liquid dripping out of it's mouth. A drop was caught in the wind. It was carried to the earth where it came in contact with a blue car. Immediately the roof was eaten away.
Acid.
Shinji was not aware of the creature's arrival until he heard the scream. "Asuka!?" He reared his head from behind the building, staring in horror at the scene.
The Angel had spewed a sea of acid onto the red Unit 02, as it was now writhing in pain. The outer shields of the mecha were being eaten away as it stumbled backwards, caught it's stance, and charged forward. "Bastard! Ich beende Sie!" Asuka cried, shooting rounds off her rifle rapidly.
The creature caught hold of the weapon, and flung it to the side. The next few moves were done in quick succession. Claws gripped the red mecha by the neck, and spat another spray of acid into it's face. It lifted the Evangelion off the ground, and swept at the umbilical cord with it's elbow. The electric source was then severed, where it retracted, smashing into abandoned that littered the vacant street. Another elbow was delivered to Asuka's midsection. She sat helpless, trying to make her Unit respond... But with the damage done, it was hopeless.
The creature let the unit fall backwards, where it landed promptly into a warehouse, crushing the building on contact.
The rain that Shinji had foresaw in the clouds started, as the clouds loomed menacingly above. The target stood motionless, letting the crystalline droplets of water wash over it's body.
Shinji then realized why the simple blows from the elbow had done so much damage. The wind had started to blow again with the rain, and the black cloak billowed. Attached to each elbow was a long, curved blade, red in color.
Shinji stood stunned, so Rei took the initiative. She shot her rifle, taking cover behind the building where she had crouched. The beast dodged each of the bullets, twirling around and setting sail to the cloak, as if performing some elaborate magic trick.
It then lunged forward, scaling the building in an easy bound. The first few floors were crushed under the weight. Rei fell onto her back, shooting crazily above at the attacker. It absorbed the shots as if the previous elusive actions were in vain.
10
The creature descended upon it's prey, planting each of it's feet on either side.
9
Claws dug into the shoulders of Unit 00.
8
It drew it's head down closer to the fallen mecha.
7
Jaws unhinged, opening it's mouth the full capacity.
6
Acid churned out from where normally saliva glands would be located.
5
The liquid slithered through it's mouth, being channeled by it's sooty tongue, which resembled a snake.
4
The liquid poured onto Unit 00 facade, destroying any obscurities.
3
It savored the pain it put it's victim through, watching the involuntary convulsions.
2
It swung it's elbow back, taking aim.
1
It brought down the curved blade, slamming it into the sinewy mechanisms of the area between Rei's shoulder and neck.
"REI!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Shinji snapped out of it But it was too late, power had left, and everything was dark... Except for the silver droplets of rain that fell between a void, separating him from Rei. He could make out the creature over Rei, ravaging it with quick elbow thrusts.
'Rei... Asuka... Me.'
A primordial screech bellowed from the Unit 01. Rounds from the shotgun exploded at an amazing rate. The consecutiveness of the shots would lead one to believe the firearm was an automatic. The Angel tried it's best to avoid the blows, but it was not quick enough, and the bullets pierced it's protective armor, causing it to howl in pain. The shotgun overheated and then jammed and was quickly discarded. The progressive knife was then unsheathed.
It raced forward at an alarming rate. Ruined building lay in wake of it's path, fires ablaze as well. It lunged into the air, catching the creature off guard. It slammed both it's feet into it's chest, slamming it to the ground beside the fallen Unit 01. The berserk purple Unit gave the Angel a thunderous thrust with the knife, pulled the knife back and yet another thrust was give of equal force. The amount of times it stabbed the beast bordered on redundancy, but one fatal shot hit the core, causing an explosion worth of an N2 Bomb.
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Rei was the first to escape from the tubular confines of entry plug. She stumbled onto the rubble, staggering slightly. LCL dripped off of her, and was washed away in the pouring rain.
She found the figure of Unit 01 hunched over her, the crater where the Angel had once been was not too far off either. She gazed up with some admiration, noting the size of the Evangelion from such a low focas point. She walked cautiously towards it, and then spotted a white blur slightly protruding from behind a concrete wall.
She gasped and let a slight yelp of pain as she pulled the hatch off the entry plug with her gloved hands. She grimaced, balling her hands in small fists. She poked her head into the plug, looking down at Shinji.
"Ikari-kun." She stared at him. He was curled up as if a fetus engorged in placenta inside a mother's womb. She shook him, and then grasped him by his underarms, pulling him out.
"Get up, Ikari-kun..." She spoke, gazing down at him. She had her head tilted to one side, worrying that his injuries may be serious.
The first sight Shinji would see was Rei, hovering over him like an angel. He blinked softly, water droplets burning his eyes. He sat up, and winced in, clutching his left shoulder.
"Are you all right?"
"I think so... Just... Just my shoulder..."
"You have probably dislocated it. You will survive."
With that she helped him up, and allowed him to bolster himself against her as they walked. They reached a small summit, small fires were extinguished by the rain.
"Tell me..." Rei looked at him, concerned for his well being, of course. "Tell me about you... Before we met." She had to keep him talking, lest he go into shock.
"... A... All right... Rei." She had never asked him such a question.. And he was still reeling from the battle. "But... Where do I start..?"
"Start from what you remember first."
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Author's Note
Ah, so here it is. My first fan fiction. What'd you think? Please, give me your reviews! BTW, I claim no ownership of the Evangelion characters. GAINAX owns all rights to the characters. Also, this chapter is dedicated to V!
-Albedo
Chapter 1: The Conundrum of Confessions
"My mother died when I was four years old." Shinji said distantly, his eyes fixed on a fire he himself sparked to life in the distance.
"I'm aware of that, Ikari-kun." The girl with periwinkle hair said in that usual dull, monotonous voice. She sat beside him, her lithe body contorted to face him. Those crimson hued eyes studied the side of his face.
The rain was thick and it seemed as if there were simply a myriad of vertical parallel bars of gushing water. The clouds which spewed the downpour were puffy and back, and had swarmed the neo-city in a short period of time.
The pair sat amidst the rubble of what had once been a library. They were propped against a concrete wall, though they weren't sheltered against the pouring rain. Some of the books that littered the area around them had been salvaged from the Second Impact. Some were simply reprints, and of course there were new books. A tragedy such as the Second Impact could not halt the writer's creativity.
"My father wouldn't care for me. Not that I would have liked to have lived with him." But there was doubt in this statement. Had Shinji stayed with his father, he would now not reserve such anger for the man. His gaze averted from the fire, and to one of the books. He shifted in his plug suit, and began to fiddle with the pages of the small book with his right hand. The pages had been singed at some point, as well as the pea green cover "So he sent me off... And I lived with Mr. Ueda, my teacher."
"Did you use this... Mr. Ueda as a substitute for the absence of your father?" Rei questioned, carefully watching each individual droplet roll off his face...
"No, not at all. In fact..." He sat back against the wall, his head tilted up to let the water hit his face."As I grew older... I think I saw myself in him." It had taken him a moment to formulate the words, as the question had triggered an epiphany for the boy. "He never spoke of his family... In the ten years I lived with the man, I never once saw a photograph of any one of his relation. And, it wasn't because he was an old man and they had passed away... He was younger then my father."
Rei nodded as he spoke. She had to keep him talking, just until NERV arrived for him.. 'Ikari-kun..'
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A thick beam of light hit Shinji Ikari's face, causing the image of his dream to be distorted by an orange blaze. Someone's high beams were on behind the movie theater screen.
"Mmm.." He moaned and got up, swinging his legs over the side of his bed and sitting there for a moment. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and blinked, waiting for his eyes to regain sight.
"Shinji! Breakfast!" His guardian, Misato, called from where he deduced was the kitchen.
"...Misato...Made breakfast?" The question at the same time puzzled him, as well as filled him with a feeling of disgust... He didn't even want to picture her take on the scrambled egg. The case usually was that Shinji was the first one up, so he'd make breakfast for the other two. He recalled once making breakfast for himself, and was later reviled fiercely by a famished Misato.
He got up, stepping in place as his arms ascended towards the heavens, tightening as he let his rested muscles get a good stretch. He slipped his navy blue shirt off, as well as his white boxer shorts. "I'll wear something different today..." He settled on a light citrus colored polo shirt and a pair of khaki dress pants. He examined himself in the mirror. "I think I've grown..." The thought brought a small smile to his face, and it remained as he stepped into the hallway, figuring today may be a good day for him. 'Yes, I'll make it one.' He thought as he opened the door to the bathroom.
He slipped the bathroom slippers on, sliding the door shut. A small flush could be heard, and then running water from the sink. He slipped off the slippers which Asuka always seemed to neglect to use. He then walked into kitchen, upon his lips that small smile stood proudly. 'Be kind ... and try to eat as much as you can! But don't go crazy and eat more then you can handle.' He thought, preparing to experience the strange realm of 'Cooking With Misato'.
"Finally, I'm STARVING!" Misato Katsuragi sat cross-legged at the low table. Her hair was held back in a small bun, a few rogue violet strands poked out in every which way. A tight white T-shirt clung to her shapely chest, and a pair of jean shorts completed the rest of her outfit.
"Huh... I thought you were calling me to breakfast? ...And isn't that my shirt?" Shinji said with mixed confusion and relief... So his stomach wouldn't be attacked this morning after all.
"Shinji, do you even look at the chart I made? Asuka, you, and I picked who would cook fairly. Purely democratic!"With that she'd take a slug from a beer she had been nursing since she awoke. "And this shirt,"She continued. "Well, we're a family, aren't we? We share Shinji! Next time you need to borrow a miniskirt, my closet is your closet. And...Do you think you could get me another, Shinji?"
"Hai!" He had already started cooking, his white apron on as he heated a small amount of oil in a pan. He stepped away from the stove and to the fridge. He opened it up and pulled out a chilled, golden canister of Yebisu beer.. He set it down in front of her and returned to the fridge, pulling out a small carton of eggs. He stepped back to the stove and resumed.
Silence had filled the air after she popped open the beer. He broke it with the crack of an egg, and then the lively sizzle of the oil meeting the white and yolk. "Aren't you going to wake up Asuka, Misato?"
"Why should I? You kids only get one day off. Let her sleep. She's used to getting two." She said casually, sipping her beer as she folded a napkin into a triangle.
"Two days off? I thought everyone only got Sunday off."He looked at her quizzically, cooking utensils in hand as he flipped the egg onto it's other side.
"...Yes, Shinji, two days off. In countries other then Japan, the school system is very different." She said matter-of-factly to him, a smile hinting upon her pale lips.
"Ignorant, as well as stupid, huh Baka-Shinji?" The redhead said with her sharp tongue, smirking at the boy as she took a spot next to Misato. This morning, a yellow sun dress adorned her developing, yet still attractive figure. White flip-flops were placed under the table, away from view. It had taken her almost twenty minutes to find them in the boxes that occupied a corner of her cluttered room. She had not totally unpacked, yet it had been months since she had moved in. She canted her head to the side, the blue ribbon around her neck slipping at an angle to contour the sudden movement.
"I'm sorr--" He couldn't finish apologizing, as all semblance of normalcy dissipated. The day had forsaken Shinji, and he realized he'd be on the forefront of the preservation of humanity. The sirens were blaring, the emergency warning taking hold of every form of communication in the city. One such warning was visible to Shinji, as the TV was on in the living room, and they were already summoning people to the shelters.
He looked to the table, and Misato's beer was knocked over, the amber liquid running off the edge. Misato's door was open slightly, and he could hear rustling with her uniform in between screeching intervals of the siren. Asuka had apparently already made her way to the car, as the door to the apartment was ajar and she herself was missing. He dropped the apron, slid the eggs on the back burner, and dashed to the door. He slipped on his shoes and bolted after her.
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"If you could see the look in his eyes. It's like there was nothing else in the world. It was me, him, and my cello. I'd get lost in those eyes, and couldn't even feel myself anymore. His fingers would form every note which I played... It was hypnotic... I played my best when Mr. Ueda sat across from me." Shinji's eyes gazed blankly at the rubble setting around him. His eyes weren't looking at anything in particular, they were simply a backdrop for his thoughts, which he spoke lucidly to Rei. There was no filter between them.
"Did he teach you how to play the cello?" She asked, prodding deeper into his thoughts. Her hair clung to her cheeks, which depressed to her pointy chin. Her hair was parted in the middle, even if she were conscious of this she wouldn't have fixed it. Her light blue hair slightly obscured a gash that was incurred when she escaped from her entry plug. Blood oozed out in three small trails. The blood was swept in the rain, and washed off the snowy alabaster plains of her cheeks. However, it was nothing compared to the injury the Third Child had suffered.
"Yes. He told me that... 'When things just got to be too much... I'd sit down and play for hours." As he spoke his former teacher's words, in his mind he could see the man himself speak them. Except, his voice had replaced the equally soft tone of Mr. Ueda. "He passed it down to me... And it works... Sometimes."He paused for a moment, and turned his head to gaze at her."Sometimes, things get to me so much, I can't concentrate. But, I'm still grateful for his gift."
If Rei had another question, it was not contributed to the conversation, for Shinji briskly continued. "Sometimes he'd wake up me up in the middle of the night. He'd have the large black case that contained my cello. He'd have me play for hours, sometimes until the sun would rise... It got to the point when he no longer had to ask. I'd simply sit at the edge of my bed and play."
"That is strange, is it not?" She questioned him. These were the kinds of questions that made Shinji question what exactly Rei was.
"Yes, it is. I think hearing someone play just for him relaxed him. He needed to feel something real. Something that no one could take away from him."
---------
"You've been summoned because Tokyo 3 is at risk from an apparent Angel attack." The voice said coldly, appearing to come from every corner of the dark room. Shinji could not remember ever being in such a room... There was just something about it that made him feel uneasy.
To start off, there seemed to be no end to the room. The darkness spanned into an endless horizon, that was really there. He was puzzled how he and the other pilots could be illuminated without a direct sourced of light. The only thing visible to Shinji were the two other pilots that stood beside him. 'Rei... Asuka... Me.. First, second, third... As always...' Shinji thought, his eyes staring downward.. 'I can't even see the floor... How is that... possible?'
Another thing was the voice. Shinji had never heard it before, and that struck him as odd. Usually it was someone he knew that gave the orders... Misato... Dr. Akagi, and so on. It also bothered him that he couldn't see the speaker. The voice was dull, and cold. There was no slip in the speaker's speech. Each syllable was spoken in the same rhythm as well as tone. It was undeniably a male's voice.
Lastly, what probably bothered him most, was his father. He sat a good twenty feet in front of him, slightly lower then the trio of pilots. A rectangular panel of pure white light served as a desk, casting shadows on his face. He sat with his elbows on the panel, hands folded with his chin propped slightly against it. A gloved digit stroked idly at his cheek. The eyes that pierced through his shaded glasses were intense as ever.
"The target is approaching the city from the West, and should make contact at '10.00' hours. You have an hour to prepare." The voice said, as plain as ever.
"Has a strategy been devised?" Rei asked softly. Rei's voice struck Shinji as a perfect match to the omniscient one giving the orders.
"No. You, the Evangelion Pilots, will make the first contact. Your training should prompt your decisions to be suitable on the battlefield."
"What!?" Cried Asuka, stepping out from the perfect line of pilots. "That's insane! It's like shooting in the dark!" Shinji had no idea what she was worked up over... there was nothing new about heading out... In fact, they usually had some crackpot strategy thought out by Misato anyway. No matter. 'Intercept. Engage. Kill.'
Shinji glanced to the left, as he had the strange feeling of being watched. '...What is that?' There was something there, he knew it. He gazed at it, until he noticed the hint of a small blue flame. He shifted his head to the left, and noticed more of the same. He turned around subtly, as not to draw attention, and still found more. 'Seven...' He had counted them all.
"That is all." The voice spoke, and then there was silence. Gendo Ikari gazed at the three pilots in unison, his eyes as cold as steel. He finally spoke, his voice as casual as ever.
"This is not only a take of the aspirations of NERV, but that of humanity." The white panel dissapeared, and once again silence. Pangs of uncertainty created havoc in his stomach. He had never been so nervous.
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"Launch Evangelions!" Shouted the captain with violet hair. Black heels clicked as she stepped back, arms crossing over her supple chest. 'Come on... Shinji.'
The three units screeched up the rails, sparks flying every which way. There ascent in perfect unison, as they were separated into three posts.
'Rei... Asuka... Me.'
Shinji was crouched and ready behind a high-rise, a large shotgun grasped in the purple unit's hand. Out of the corner his eye he could see Rei crouched and poised in a similar position. She, as well as Asuka, had the usual rifle.
Asuka was at the center of the triangle, further out then the rest. A confident smirk played upon her cherubic features. "You two won't be needed." She looked at the other pilots via the small monitors in her unit. "Leave it to the Great Sohryu."
The day itself, aside from the previous events, did in fact seem ordinary. The sky was a startling blue. It hurt Shinji's eyes to look at it for too long. The cicadas chirped incessantly as always, as if each was a small electric generator. Clouds hung lazily in the air, though a front seemed to be coming from the left. 'Those dark clouds in the West... That's where it is... I know it.'
It came sooner. The breeze that had been constant for the time they spent in waiting suddenly ceased. In front of the Unit 02 the figure appeared. There wasn't a warning, it simply fell from the sky, where it had glided as bird on the updrafts and thermals over the ocean, then land. It was beautiful. What appeared to be a black cloak clung over it's yellow armor. It had similar facial features to an Eva. There were two spheres of hued crimson, which scanned rapidly. Streaks of neon lime dripped from the spoken eyes, dripping down to the mouth of the creature. The teeth were of an onyx hue, that green liquid dripping out of it's mouth. A drop was caught in the wind. It was carried to the earth where it came in contact with a blue car. Immediately the roof was eaten away.
Acid.
Shinji was not aware of the creature's arrival until he heard the scream. "Asuka!?" He reared his head from behind the building, staring in horror at the scene.
The Angel had spewed a sea of acid onto the red Unit 02, as it was now writhing in pain. The outer shields of the mecha were being eaten away as it stumbled backwards, caught it's stance, and charged forward. "Bastard! Ich beende Sie!" Asuka cried, shooting rounds off her rifle rapidly.
The creature caught hold of the weapon, and flung it to the side. The next few moves were done in quick succession. Claws gripped the red mecha by the neck, and spat another spray of acid into it's face. It lifted the Evangelion off the ground, and swept at the umbilical cord with it's elbow. The electric source was then severed, where it retracted, smashing into abandoned that littered the vacant street. Another elbow was delivered to Asuka's midsection. She sat helpless, trying to make her Unit respond... But with the damage done, it was hopeless.
The creature let the unit fall backwards, where it landed promptly into a warehouse, crushing the building on contact.
The rain that Shinji had foresaw in the clouds started, as the clouds loomed menacingly above. The target stood motionless, letting the crystalline droplets of water wash over it's body.
Shinji then realized why the simple blows from the elbow had done so much damage. The wind had started to blow again with the rain, and the black cloak billowed. Attached to each elbow was a long, curved blade, red in color.
Shinji stood stunned, so Rei took the initiative. She shot her rifle, taking cover behind the building where she had crouched. The beast dodged each of the bullets, twirling around and setting sail to the cloak, as if performing some elaborate magic trick.
It then lunged forward, scaling the building in an easy bound. The first few floors were crushed under the weight. Rei fell onto her back, shooting crazily above at the attacker. It absorbed the shots as if the previous elusive actions were in vain.
10
The creature descended upon it's prey, planting each of it's feet on either side.
9
Claws dug into the shoulders of Unit 00.
8
It drew it's head down closer to the fallen mecha.
7
Jaws unhinged, opening it's mouth the full capacity.
6
Acid churned out from where normally saliva glands would be located.
5
The liquid slithered through it's mouth, being channeled by it's sooty tongue, which resembled a snake.
4
The liquid poured onto Unit 00 facade, destroying any obscurities.
3
It savored the pain it put it's victim through, watching the involuntary convulsions.
2
It swung it's elbow back, taking aim.
1
It brought down the curved blade, slamming it into the sinewy mechanisms of the area between Rei's shoulder and neck.
"REI!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Shinji snapped out of it But it was too late, power had left, and everything was dark... Except for the silver droplets of rain that fell between a void, separating him from Rei. He could make out the creature over Rei, ravaging it with quick elbow thrusts.
'Rei... Asuka... Me.'
A primordial screech bellowed from the Unit 01. Rounds from the shotgun exploded at an amazing rate. The consecutiveness of the shots would lead one to believe the firearm was an automatic. The Angel tried it's best to avoid the blows, but it was not quick enough, and the bullets pierced it's protective armor, causing it to howl in pain. The shotgun overheated and then jammed and was quickly discarded. The progressive knife was then unsheathed.
It raced forward at an alarming rate. Ruined building lay in wake of it's path, fires ablaze as well. It lunged into the air, catching the creature off guard. It slammed both it's feet into it's chest, slamming it to the ground beside the fallen Unit 01. The berserk purple Unit gave the Angel a thunderous thrust with the knife, pulled the knife back and yet another thrust was give of equal force. The amount of times it stabbed the beast bordered on redundancy, but one fatal shot hit the core, causing an explosion worth of an N2 Bomb.
---------
Rei was the first to escape from the tubular confines of entry plug. She stumbled onto the rubble, staggering slightly. LCL dripped off of her, and was washed away in the pouring rain.
She found the figure of Unit 01 hunched over her, the crater where the Angel had once been was not too far off either. She gazed up with some admiration, noting the size of the Evangelion from such a low focas point. She walked cautiously towards it, and then spotted a white blur slightly protruding from behind a concrete wall.
She gasped and let a slight yelp of pain as she pulled the hatch off the entry plug with her gloved hands. She grimaced, balling her hands in small fists. She poked her head into the plug, looking down at Shinji.
"Ikari-kun." She stared at him. He was curled up as if a fetus engorged in placenta inside a mother's womb. She shook him, and then grasped him by his underarms, pulling him out.
"Get up, Ikari-kun..." She spoke, gazing down at him. She had her head tilted to one side, worrying that his injuries may be serious.
The first sight Shinji would see was Rei, hovering over him like an angel. He blinked softly, water droplets burning his eyes. He sat up, and winced in, clutching his left shoulder.
"Are you all right?"
"I think so... Just... Just my shoulder..."
"You have probably dislocated it. You will survive."
With that she helped him up, and allowed him to bolster himself against her as they walked. They reached a small summit, small fires were extinguished by the rain.
"Tell me..." Rei looked at him, concerned for his well being, of course. "Tell me about you... Before we met." She had to keep him talking, lest he go into shock.
"... A... All right... Rei." She had never asked him such a question.. And he was still reeling from the battle. "But... Where do I start..?"
"Start from what you remember first."
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Author's Note
Ah, so here it is. My first fan fiction. What'd you think? Please, give me your reviews! BTW, I claim no ownership of the Evangelion characters. GAINAX owns all rights to the characters. Also, this chapter is dedicated to V!
-Albedo