Description: On her first day of college, we meet a young woman who is foreseen to have a huge impact on the world. Pretty short one shot. Gendo + Yui. (If this goes well I might write more: a winding tale about the fated couple whose lives would forever be changed by Geherin & Evangelion.)
Disclaimer:Gainex owns Eva, all the characters too; I'm giving them credit so they will not sue!
Special Thanks to: My editor, NeomatrixJR, whom created a monster when he introduced me to Evangelion.
The Classroom
September 1994: Kyoto, Japan
My first day as a college student. I sighed as I walked across campus. I was on my way to my first class: Advanced Physics Theories, room 213 Hakken Science Center. All the hard work, all those years of studying, and getting through the harsh entrance exam was finally paying off. Here I was: A student of Kyoto University! While my friends back home lived in the world of high school and college entrance exams, I had graduated high school early and done the impossible. I glanced down at my watch. It was 8:27.
"Crap! I'm going to be late!" I suddenly panicked. It was a ten-minute walk across campus and class was starting in three minutes. What a horrible impression I'd make if I was late on the first day! Frantically, I picked up the pace from a strolling walk to a sprint. Not paying much attention to the other students on campus, I caused an elderly professor to drop his cane and trip in a matter to avoid me.
"Crazy freshman," he muttered, "you better watch where you're going!"
"Sorry! I'm running late!" I shouted as I passed him by.
When I reached the main pass way, a bicyclist swerved and ended up in the fountain.
"I'm terribly sorry!" I cringed as I ran past her. My eyes stayed on her, feeling horrible for not having the time to help instead of the direction of my feet when I suddenly collided with a non-traditional student coming out of the library carrying a stack of books. We found ourselves both on the pavement, in a sea of texts ranging from molecular genetics to Machiavelli's The Prince.
"I'm so sorry." He said as he picked up his glasses, and pushed them back on his nose. I was shocked immediately by his apology. The accident had been my fault, not his.
"No, it was my fault." I explained, "I should have been paying more attention to where I was going." I scrambled to help him pick up his books.
"Oh," he said in a matter-of-fact tone, "and where were you headed?"
"Hakken."
"Well then you were heading in the wrong direction." He explained, pointing to my left. "Hakken is that way."
"Oh no!" I blushed as I attempted to balance on my unsteady feet and bolt in that direction. "It was nice meeting you! I'm sorry!" Little did I know, he was heading in that same direction.
Entering room 213 I glanced at my watch and I sighed in relief. I was only 3 minutes late and the professor was nowhere in sight. I headed to the front of the room, eyes focused on an open seat in the center, trying to ignore what others were saying about me.
"That's the one I was telling you about, the smarty pants." One woman whispered.
"I heard she's only a first-year." Another said.
"and she's already in a 300 level honors class? Amazing."
I was about to set down my books and take a seat when a man with dark messy hair took it. The same man I had ran into in front of the library. I sat down in the seat next to him.
He was much older than most of the students in the class, probably seven or eight years older than me. He opened his textbook to the correct page, and pushed his glasses (which seemed almost too big for his face) with his index finger back up on his nose. He rested his elbows on top of his desk, hiding his scruffy chin behind it, patiently waiting for class to start.
I continued to stare at him until the old professor came into the classroom. Everyone in the room stood up, and when I noticed I was the only one sitting, I quickly rose to my feet before anyone saw. I was flooded with more embarrassment and hoped no one noticed. It was my first day of college. I didn't know anything. I felt so out of place being surrounded by upperclassmen, especially since I was only 17. Yet I wanted to do something challenging. Kyoto University was one of the most selective schools in Japan, and I had gotten in on my first try. I had worked hard for it.
"Well, let's get started." The professor said. "By now most of you have purchased the required reading materials and if you've taken one of my classes before the syllabus should be no surprise."
Suddenly I realized that I hadn't made the trek to the campus bookstore yet. This day is just going great… I thought sarcastically to myself.
The older man next to me passed out the syllabus. I skimmed through the first through day's worth of readings. My eyes widened.
"Five textbooks and 7 chapters to read for each class?" I muttered, feeling sick to my stomach, "that doesn't even include the labs…"
"Is something wrong miss?" the assistant asked.
"Oh nothing," I smiled, "this is just my first class and this isn't quite what I was expecting."
"Don't worry. Professor Wantanabe's classes will make or break you. Though not too many students are as bright as you to take them their first year. Those who don't survive drop out of a science major shortly after."
Smug ass. I thought. Just who does he think he is?
There were five required textbooks for this class, all costing me a small fortune at the campus bookstore.
"I'm sure most of you have met Mr. Rokobungi. He is my assistant and will be the tutor for this semester. Feel free to contact him with any questions."
Throughout the class the students spaced off when they should have been paying attention, sending messages to each other on their notebook computers through the school network. It seemed as though the teacher's assistant and I were the only students paying attention. The professor's assistant sat hunched over with his elbows on the desk and his hands up to his mouth, yet never said a word. I was the only one in the entire class of thirty who had answered any of the questions.
"Miss Ikari, are you a senior?" the professor asked staring at his class roster after I had explained in general the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Paradox.
"No sir," I answered in confusion, "I'm only a freshman."
The professor put down his notes and turned towards the window. The open mini blinds casted a shadow on his wrinkled face.
"Impressive," he pondered, "we will be expecting great things from you Ikari."