Unification
By HenryV
Disclamer: as you'v probably guessed… I have seemed to failed to gresp the copyright to the NGE universe. So… I can't say I own such a brilliant set of characters, places, ideas, Angels or EVAs. Nice as that would be, I happen to have isuffitiant funds to support such a campaing. In fact, I don't own a thing. *sniff* so there. Bite me.
Chapter one; Awakening
A New Day was dawning. Shinji looked out of the window, as the sun crept out from behind the mountains, soaking the country in a soft, warm, red light. It was Wednesday, and school would start soon. The alarm when of at 6.30, just before he could think of what to do against the blinding light in his face. He sighed, and hit the snooze button. Stretching himself, he sat at the bed's edge, facing away from the wall. He let his eyes wander around his room. In the corner next to the window, his Cello stood leaned against the wall, the bow lying behind it unstrung. His clothes were sparse, and fitted into two shelves of his open wardrobe. On the night table stood a nondescript lamp, something he had acquired at a pawnshop after having lost the old one to the Fury. He rubbed the back of his head as the memory crept over him…..
Shinji looked around. Asuka stood at the door, her left hand on her hips, expectantly looking at him with a sour look on her face. "Idiot! Get a move on with supper, I'm starving!" "Why don't you learn to cook yourself? For someone who says she's the best, you sure can't feed yourself!" he retorted indignantly. *I've had a pretty bad day, why can't she bother Misato?.... yeah alright, I know the reason to that one. * Asuka looked shocked, but recovered extremely well. "WHAT did you say!?" "you should be able to at least heat something without burning! It's a kind of basic ability you know!" anger had forced these words out of him, and he already regretted them, even if he really meant every word he'd said. "Why you…." She began, then stepped into his room, with all the intent to kill him. Shinji realized that he'd gone too far again, and frantically looked for an escape route. Unfortunately, that meant to get past Asuka, which, not to put too fine a point, was rather unhelpful. The window? Maybe he could get to the lower floor…. Asuka was already upon him, an arm pulled back to give him a punch in the face. Argharghargh imdeadimdead!!!! He thought. Then his salvation appeared. "Asuka! Hey Asuka! I've got the dress back!" came the sweet voice of salvation (in Shinji's ears, that is) and Misato entered the doorway into the apartment. Asuka was distracted for just long enough, and Shinji shot between her legs, throwing her off balance. "AAAAAh! You pervert! I'm gonna Kill you!" Shinji struggled up, and, just as he reached the gate to heaven, was hit by his lamp, which fortunately had a soft cover. It bounced off his head and shattered on the floor. In the Bathroom, he locked the door and leaned against it. "That's right, Third Child! Lock yourself away! If you EVER cross my eyes again, you're dead. DEAD, you hear!?"
Of course, half an hour later, he had been ordered into kitchen duty, before Asuka died of hunger.
He rubbed the remainder of sleep out of his eyes, and went to the bathroom. A face looked at him in the Mirror. A face he knew, and a face he called his own. His brown eyes looked haunted, as if he was expecting something bad to happen any moment now. Hair stood out at all angles, which made him strain his fingers through them to flatten them out a bit. He reached to the toothbrush, and began to clean his teeth. Then he got dressed and began preparing breakfast.
As soon as he left the bathroom, Asuka opened the door of her room, and, with the obligatory angry look and "What are you staring at?", Made her way to the bathroom. Meanwhile Misato lurched into the kitchen, and, after greeting Shinji, grabbed a can of Beer and sat down to revive herself. Her scream of joy wasn't missed by Asuka, and she came in, looking at her strategic officer with a dissatisfied look on her face. "You know, someday you just might have to leave off the beer for a day or two!" Asuka grumbled into her toast. Shinji just ignored Misato's morning awakening ceremony and just accepted it as a way of life. Since Misato was unbearable before it, he didn't think to comment, although the notion of Misato getting through a day sober was a thought to consider. He set the table, and Misato and Asuka dug in with gusto.
"So, the test will be on Friday. Unit 03 will arrive on time, I hope?" Commander Ikari sat, as usual, in his oh so typical pose; hands crossed, nose near them. "Yes. The Test should be held at utmost secrecy, lest any problems assimilate themselves, it is to be made sure that no information will pass beyond those ears which are necessary" SEELE 02' voice boomed through the voice-only connection image. "You, however, are required elsewhere." Gendo didn't flinch. "You will supervise the transportation of the lance of Longinus to Mount Bask, where you shall conduct the experiments assigned to you. Having completed these, you are to report to us immediately. Any questions?" Ikari smiled, and answered, in his arrogant way; "No. everything will go according to the plan" even as he spoke, he regretted the lie. Things were going bad, he knew. To put such a burden on him was beyond his understanding. But he knew so much more than they wished him to. Ha, even they would recoil at his plans, so best to keep the act up. The holograms disengaged, and only one figure stood beside him, as the lights reinstated life to the void. "Do you think they know about Rei?" Fuyutskuy asked anxiously. "Of course. I did not expect her secret to be held for this long. And our own plan is not hindered by them. In fact, we're well ahead of SEELE's. The old men do not realize how bad their intelligence is. Ha! They, in their arrogance, have overseen the most important fact. This could mean our salvation after all." Gendo let his smile play over his mouth for a few seconds, then returned to his normal self. "you will instruct major Katsuragi, I trust?"Fuyutskuy asked. "No" "No? But surely, someone has…" "You will guide in my stead. She will be supervising the test as planned, but somehow I think you will be best where the trouble is less imminent. Consider it… a test for her. She will prove herself, I think, with the help of EVA. "Gendo stood, his words rebounding off the steel walls. Fu looked surprised, then resigned. "Very well. It will be so. But might I ask…. Why the second Child?"
Asuka was nearly running to keep away from him. "You know, I really hate to be this way, but how come you reject any friendship that is offered?" Shinji gasped, out of breath, as he caught up with her at a Crossroad. "Huh? Are you dumb? Hikari is my friend! What the hell do you mean?!" Asuka had turned to face him; her eyes making the Tar under his feet want to melt. Shinji didn't catch that, as he was busy catching his breath. "Well….. You seem affronted at everything people do or say… it's as if you hated everyone!" "Well, Third Child, they are all stupid idiots! Why the heck should I run around with them! They think they are cool and whatever, but they don't realize they are booooring. Not unlike you, in fact!" with that, she turned, and hurried over the street before shinji. He stood there, watching her go. "Can't you let anyone in?" he said, quietly, then hurried after her.
Asuka trooped into the classroom, and all eyes turned, as always. She stopped at her desk, savoring the feeling of adoration, and then sat down. A smile played on her lips, as she spotted Ayanami sitting bored at her desk, staring out of the window. Asuka watched as Rei's eyes flicked ever so slightly to the school's entrance, followed someone, and returned to their former place, the mountains. Ha! Gotcha! Asuka counted the seconds. 24….25…26… Shinji came stumbling in, out of breath. He just about made it to the desk as it rang, and Hikari did her Stand/Bow/Sit thing. The teacher ticked off names and then began his inevitable drooling the class had lovingly dubbed "Sleep time". She lazily tapped around on her laptop. Teacher's voice rushed over the uninspired class's ears, making it a restful hour for all but one. *what the hell does she see in him?* was the thought in Asuka's mind.
After school, Misato had offered to collect them. As always, her Renault came screaming around the corner. Several fractured hips could only be saved by the frantic evasive maneuvers of all in the way. The car came to a screeching stop right in front of Asuka, who instantly went into apocalyptic rage. The fact that its driver locked the doors for as long as it took to let Hikari calm her down saved the day from bloody murder. Inside, Shinji held on for dear life as Misato... Well…. Driving couldn't describe the thing she was doing. Evading accidents by pure miracles would be putting it pretty accurately. How in heaven's name did she get her license?! It was pretty uniquely the only thought that was shared by both passengers and agreed upon. Red lights where here for something, right?
On arrival, after having forced themselves to unleash whatever they had been holding on to with dear life up to now, they arrived home. "you know, sometimes I wonder what she thinks she' doing… driving or fleeing…" Shinji whispered to an equally shocked Asuka. They realized that they were holding each other tightly, as if they depended on each other. Oh god, Shinji thought. He released her, but had some trouble prying Asuka's arms from his body. "You know, you look so sweet when you aren't killing him!" Misato had chosen the wrong moment to look behind her as she opened the door. Shinji's frantic shushing movements and gestures of … well… violence had no effect whatsoever. Asuka seemed to come out of a trance. Slowly, her eyes narrowed, her lips stopped quivering with fear and realization dawned. "You know, you should really see those books I bought you…" that was as far as Shinji got to say to Misato as Asuka's fist of wrath chased him halfway around a city block.
Behind the house, due to unexpected luck, Shinji was able to shake her off, or so he thought. Just as he rounded the last corner, he ran into her, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. *Oh oh...* he thought. "Shinji…" "Yes?" "If you ever talk about this…" "Yeah I know. You'll kill me. Look, I'm sorry… ""Oh shut up. You Japs should really get some backbone implanted or something". Her blue eyes flashed brightly with a smile that nearly knocked him out. "Anyway, let's get home. I'm hungry!"
later that evening Misato mumbled around her Can of beer; "so, have you decided about the Test?" Asuka looked at Misato. "Yes" "And?" "… I'll do it. Since I'm the only one capable I feel obligated to do it." "Good. Tomorrow you both will be undergoing test, so I hope for your sake you're up to the task. " *Huh? What does she mean up to the task? Hell, I'm the best! Who the heck does she think she's talking to!?* angrily mumbling something Shinji could only factually understand since the only German he knew was Guten morgen, Apfelstrudel, Dummkopf and Baumkuchen, Asuka left the kitchen in a huff. "She's really touchy, isn't she?" Misato mumbled around her can. "Yeah… I really wish she was happier…" he said absentmindedly. "Oh, what have we here? Shinji cares about a girl! How sweet!" she laughed. As she expected, Shinji reacted as she hoped. Meaning by going red and stammering; "No! It's not like that! I… I just wonder… why she tries to isolate herself from everyone…" he finished weakly, looking thoughtfully after the girl. "You know… her Mother killed herself?" Misato asked, after a long silence. "Yes. There might be the reason, but I don't think it's that. Somehow I know the reason, but I don't understand it. There's so much I don't understand…" he sighed. "Misato grinned, and grasped both his hands. "That is only natural. To understand, to really understand 100 percent of anything is something we cannot hope to achieve. I suppose we just have to make do with what understanding we get. "She let his hands go. "Sometimes we fear closeness for fear of pain. "She looked out of the window, over the bright city lights. "But sometimes…" she sighed, looking down at her con of yebisu. "… sometimes that pleasure is worth the pain"
Asuka lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her hands were crossed behind her head, her hair spread over the cushion. *Gah! Why does he have to ruin everything? I can't have someone like him screwing my life up!* a face flashed in front of her mind's eye. Brown eyes. Dark hair. A bored look on his face, his eyes turned to a space two feet under his face and about fifteen miles away. *Raaaahhh getthehelloutofmyhead!* she clasped her hands over her eyes and shook herself. Then she tied to distract herself by concentrating her hate on Wonder girl. *that smug little twerp! How can she be so cold and emotionless? Like a doll…* a doll. A doll hanging, turning slowly with the breeze. A Doll hanging from the ceiling by a rope…. She shuddered. I hate dolls. I hate that particular doll. No wonder I was selected for the test. I'm the only one with enough initiative! Hah! No one is above Asuka Soryu Langley!
Next day was like every other day. Shinji tried vainly to evade Asuka's wrath with catastrophic results, Misato indulged in her resurrecting morning pint and Pen Pen eyed Shinji as he prepared breakfast and lunch and pen pen's meal. Having fed him, he sat down for a nice piece of toast and marmalade. No such chance. Asuka sat down heavily and knocked the table coincidently knocking his plate all the way to the floor. "Oops" she feigned innocently. "Should've put the plate nearer to the middle of the table, not its absolute edge!" "It was a foot in…" "Oh shut up, stupid!" she said. Picking up her plate and stomping off pretty much choked the argument before he could reply.
Asuka nearly ran to school today. She didn't know exactly why, but it had something to do with Rei. She arrived to the classroom. This time, she sat to Hikari, who sat two seats behind Wonder girl. Hikari was saying something when she noticed a movement in the corner of her eyes. Shinji was walking thoughtfully into the school's premises. Rei's eyes latched onto the moving figure and followed him through the crowds gathering outside. She even moved slightly as he disappeared behind a column so she could see him for a split second longer as he disappeared into the doors. Then she continued by staring detachedly at a point two hundred parsecs off to the south. Asuka was shocked. Her eyes widened and soon thinned to slits. *it can't be… surely not…. Not Him!* but, as a minute passed, her suspicion was confirmed as Rei's eyes flittered to Shinji and back as soon as he entered. *she's really got her eyes on HIM!? What the hell… she can't possibly have him! The thought of them… No! I cannot allow it! Not my idiot ….. What!? Did I just think that?* all this passed through her like an icy blade. Her eyes had widened and her breath had come in short, panicky breaths. Hikari was saying something to her… "Hey, Asuka? You all right? Hello!" "Uh, what?" "I was asking what you thought of the pendant?" smiling, she held it up for her inspection. "yeah, very nice. How long until class starts?" "um, ten minutes…why?" " I'll be a minute…." She said, getting up and making her way for the restrooms.