New Beginning
Chapter 1
Adam and Eve
Shinji Ikari was awoken by the sound of waves crashing into land. He opened his eyes slowly, as if returning from a dream. But once he had fully awakened, he quickly realized this was nothing but a nightmare. An empty void filled with a mass of blood like water and a dark, dead sky.
Shinji slowly looked around him to see the ocean of blood continue on forever; hundreds of dead trees sprouting through the waters' surface here and there. What immediately caught his eye was the vacant stare of Rei's one eye staring at him accusingly from a head that was split in two.
Her eye screamed of betrayal.
Shinji remembered the events that had unfolded before him earlier. All the manipulation, the death, the sin, and at last his new world, created by him. His God like powers overwhelmed him when he possessed the Tree of Knowledge, and The Fruit of Life, he had a choice, to destroy the world, or to allow it to continue on. He chose both. His life before brought him nothing but pain. He wanted a world where he could create his own rules, his own desires, languages, Ethnics, or whatever. He only brought one thing back. Or one person, the young woman he had grown to love. The woman who had helped him to continue on: Asuka Langely Soyu.
Her injured body lay near Shinji, a body that struggled to live. She still wore her pilot suit, but was heavily bandaged on her right arm as well as her left eye; along with several other bandages that covered her body elsewhere. She looked quite pitiful.
Shinji hovered over her body, looking at her features. Her injuries and all the sadness in him welled up and was released. The one he loved was alive, and she lay right in front of him. While crying, Shinji took hold of Asuka by the waist. Embracing her body, smelling her scent, remembering her for who she was; it was the real Asuka.
Asuka awoke without even the slightest twitch. She stared off into space, then down at the figure embracing her. She recognized him immediately. She did nothing to stop him, she only looked at him.
After a while, she spoke, "How disgusting." Asuka said with bitter contempt.
Shinji looked up, confused by her words; he got off of her and backed away; then kneeled beside her. He waited for another insult.
When none came, he said, "I'm sorry."
Asuka she looked at him caringly, though she was angry, she spoke in a kind whisper, "Don't say sorry. There's nothing to forgive."
"Are you alright?" Shinji whispered.
"Yep, just been brought back to life, body feels like shit, I'm tired as hell, and some idiot wakes me up while crying." Asuka continued in her whisper of a voice.
"Sarcasm, good, you seem to be able to think properly. Now lie down and rest. I'm sorry to have woken you. I was just… just relieved." Shinji spoke with his usual nervous tone.
"Relieved?"
"Asuka, you're the person I brought back. You're the person who helped me continue with life. When you died, I lost everything."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Asuka, I love you." Shinji blurted out.
Asuka's eyes were unseen. She had fallen asleep. Shinji looked down in depression, until, he heard the words, "I love you too, Shinji."
Shinji didn't need to hear anymore. He left her there to sleep.
He walked down the shore of the blood sea, passing a tree with a cross nailed to it. Misato's necklace, he thought. He continued on, not knowing why he walked, or where he was headed. Maybe to find a sign of life somewhere, he thought. This world seemed so dead now, nothing at all what he thought it would be. Yet he was content with Asuka here.
Maybe life could continue for them here. Maybe Shinji could actually find happiness for the first time. He would no longer be required to pilot the Eva, or to fight and sacrifice those he cared for.
He hoped, anyways.
Shinji found there to be nothing but dead land and dead trees. Nothing but the waves moved, no animals existed. Yet it was as if someone were following him. He turned and saw nothing. He walked back toward the way he came from; he found the cross necklace hanging again.
Startled by a noise, Shinji jerked his head to glance behind him.
"Shinji Ikari. Should you really leave Asuka lying asleep unsupervised?"
Shinji jumped and turned back toward the cross. Nothing. He glanced further and saw a hooded figure standing behind a dead tree, peering at him in deadly manner.
"Who are you?"
"I am one of the last of the Lilith, here to help you. Go, now. Go back to Asuka. Her mind is still weak, if you allow her to awake while she is alone; I fear her mind will not be able to hold up against her sense of loneliness."
"Come with me," She exclaimed.
"I cannot." The hooded figure said simply.
"Why can't Asuka survive alone?" Shinji asked, confused.
"She has experienced death," it whispered, "Death will call for her again. He will take what is his. You must keep her safe till she is strong enough to withstand his call."
"This is my world! I won't allow her to die!" Shinji wailed.
"Your world? Are you really so naïve to think you even have an ounce of choice as to what happens in this world? You chose this path, sure enough; but life and death will act on their own. You can keep bringing her back to life all you want, but death will still haunt her." The figure sighed, "I suggest you leave now, or continue to risk her life even further."
Shinji took one last glance at the figure before it disappeared. He turned and ran back to Asuka.
Asuka still asleep, lying right where he had left her; Shinji knelt down by her, and fell backward, lying next to her, he took hold of her hand, and let the sense of her overwhelm him into a deep sleep.
For the first time, Shinji dreamed of peace; he was surrounded by a beautiful garden that embraced him and supplied him with all his worldly needs. Then there was Rei, standing beside him, holding his hand, leaning over toward him as her lips slowly caressed his…
Shinji awoke with a start to the view of Rei's head still staring at him.
Was this really what he wanted?
To Be Continued…