Disclaimer: Neon Genesis Evangelion belong to Gainax and Hideaki Anno. The name Samurai of Legend belongs to the online text-based samurai game.

Samurai of Legend

Prologue: Ikari Shinji's journal entry number 1

My name is Ikari Shinji. Today I have reached Kamakura in the Kanagawa prefecture. I have traveled a hundred miles to get here over the course of many days. I had to ensure that I was far enough from my birth place and, incidentally, my birth-right to be able to orchestrate my rise to power.

This is surely confusing to those ones who will be reading this if not versed in my personal story. I am the heir to the Ikari-shi (shi means clan) and I was comfortably seated on my seat of prince until just a few months ago. During the rule of Ikari Gendo, my cunning and deceptive father, the Ikari-shi was destroyed. His downfall was to have a teacher too close to him. that teacher, Fuyutsuki-sensei. This man had taught my father from the early age of seven years old and was still present at my father's side as he reached his late thirties. He had assisted my father in coping with worry when my mother birthed me and he had assisted my father with planning strategies and orchestrating the fall of our enemies.

However, this teacher eventually fell in love with my mother and killed my father out of spite. But the story is deeper then just that. Apparently after having spent years longing for my mother's affections, Fuyutsuki was approached by the Akagi-shi. They offered him the perfect deal; he was to kill my father on the eve of their surprise attack and they would then storm the castle and free him allowing him to take my mother as a spoil of war. However, shortly after he killed my father he was captured; he did not seem worried as he was persuaded his allies would come, but they didn't.

I had him tortured to death. The fool had the audacity to last less then a month; 23 days of torture should not be penance enough for betraying a lord. I must admit, having my mother slit his throat was a great blow, having gotten his life taken away by the very woman he loved whilst staring in her hate filled eyes, it was almost poetic.

However never once did he speak of the treachery he commited with the Akagi-shi or warn us of their attack. Don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy causing pain or torturing people. I'd rather not even have to fight or kill enemy soldiers much less torture anyone. But I digress; on with my tale. The Akagi-shi never had the intention of storming the castle and freeing Fuyutsuki, instead they attacked us during my honorable father's funeral, the pathetic dogs that they are.

I ordered Suzuhara Touji, heir to the Suzuhara-shi, and Aida Kensuke, heir to the Aida-shi to flee with their fathers and their troops, however their fathers refused and were cut down. As the battle raged, I told them that all was not lost, and that when attacked by a raging dragon, better to retreat and attack whilst it digested its meal then to be devoured by the beast in its attack. And so they fled at my orders. They were my greatest friends and I needed them alive for the future, and so I was glad to see them go.

But my soldiers were not useless. Although the vast majority of my armies were cut down, taken prisoners or had fled, a handful of riders and swordsmen rallied to me and we managed to cut our path out whilst protecting my mother. The ones who fell are remembered fondly by myself as truely honorable warriors and shall be hailed as heroes when I regain my power.

I sent my mother and the remaining riders away to China, where my cousin, Ayanami Rei, now Zhang Rei, was married to a local lord. This was yet another reason that the Akagi-shi despised us. Zhang Lao, the Chinese lord, chose my cousin over their precious Ritsuko, flower of the Eastern seas, as they proclaimed her to be. Never had I seen such a vile example of femininity as that when I saw that woman. She was truely disgusting and it was no suprise that my sweet and angelic, if somewhat cold cousin was chosen by Lao. It was fine for both of them as they had become instantly smitten with each other.

But again, I stray off the path of my story. After sending my mother to safety I decided that the best course of action for now was a total and complete retreat. I sent all of my troops, which was not much, a mere 200 naginata riders and 50 samurai warriors, to China where they were to protect my mother and gave them a message to deliver to Lao asking that he take care of my troops and another to Rei asking that she attend every need to her adoptive mother. For even though we were cousins, her parents had been slain early on and she had been raised as a sister by my father and mother.

Now, I have shunned everything, my lordship, my country and my men. I do, however, retain my name, as the Ikari-shi was not major enough to be warranted a name throughout Japan. So here I am, a wanderer in the Kamakura city of Kanegawa prefecture, about 40 miles away from Edo and trying to figure out a way to rebuild an army. I think that making allies would be useful, and I need to find a way to raise funds and raise an army. However, the main reason I am in Kamakura is to find someone that was sent here long ago, the sun sets and I must rise early if I am to begin my search tommorow.

AN: note that this is an AU, so any reviews consisting 'HA! why not just rename shinji's name to this and put it in that category' will be promptly ignored. Second, no historical lessons, a lot of what I'm going to write in this story is creative liberty so a lot of events will not be as they were in real life. I don't some japanes history geek to berate me about accuracy, if it's an actual Japanese history major or Japanese person in general i won't mind remarks as I am always welcome to learning new things about history. remarks not flames or berating about accuracy. Also, there's no need to worry about any characters not appearing, I have already arranged the appearances of Misato, Kaji, Kaworu, SEELE, Asuka, Rei, Ritsuko, Maya, and Yui. Finally, reviews are very much welcome, as well as any ideas you may have, if I find them interesting I will incorporate them into the storyline and thank you for providing me with an idea. The legendary Hououza has helped me shaped the story line a lot with simple suggestions, so I beg you to do the same and help me out.

Beta by CrazyNinjaPenguin