Neon Genesis Evangelion
Pilot's Table
By D.A.
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Title: Dreams
Prompt: Set 1 / Prompt 23 (Wish)
Word Count: 1000+
Rating: k+
Summary: Hikari asks a seemly simple question, and everything starts anew.
Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or anything connected to it.
Notes: This one is so AU, I'm not even sure where to start. It's also the first one I'm perfectly happy with, unlike the last two. Probably won't do much editing to this one when I go back through.
Written while listening to Meteor Show by Owl City
A/N(2013-4-26): Not much changed, mainly just reposting it here.
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"-what would you wish for?"
"Huh?" Shinji said, and winced. Eloquent as ever, Shinji. On top of not listening.
"You heard me," Hikari gently elbowed him, smiling with amusement and something else in her eyes, "If you could have any wish, what would you wish for?"
"I-I'm not sure…What-what would you wish for Hikari?" he stammered, hoping to gain some time to think of an honest, and acceptable, response.
Hikari hummed, a single non-committal noise, and looked across the school courtyard. Shinji followed her gaze through the glowing noonday atmosphere to where Kensuke was busy with his ever present camcorder, taping everything Touji and Asuka were doing while everyone was eating lunch. It sometimes amazed him how much Kensuke used that thing. He honestly wouldn't be surprised if his friend became a photo-journalist or something similar.
"I guess…" Hikari mused, smiling with her gaze elsewhere, "I guess I'd wish for my friends to be happy."
Shinji returned her smile, thinking her answer was so like her. The responsible, caring friend. Shinji never wanted her to change, and knew their friends all thought the same in that regard. After a moment, she nudged him, arching an eyebrow. Shinji directed his gaze to his feet stretched out in front of him, as he searched for an answer.
"I-I guess… I'd want the same thing. I'd want them safe and happy, with anything that could hurt them far away and long gone…" he paused, his gaze flicked farther from Hikari's face as he continued in a quieter tone, "Even if it cost me everything I have, everything I am… I'd make sure my friends are safe and happy…"
He jumped as Hikari lightly laid her fingers on his arm, squeezing gently. Turning his gaze back to Hikari's face, he found her smiling a sad, knowing smile.
"I know you would. I'm glad we got this time," she nodded in the direction of Asuka and Touji, "That they got this time. I wish it was longer."
The world around them faded but for Touji and Asuka, who walked over to them through the now featureless orange reality.
"This is where it ends." Asuka said, hand in hand with Touji, both their knuckles white, "The dream's run its course, even if we don't want it to stop."
"We have to wake up sometime," Touji nodded to Shinji, "I'm glad we got to dream at all buddy."
Rei appearred suddenly, a beautiful young adult with waist-length lavender-blue hair and shining crimson eyes smiling at each of them, and they knew without being told it was Lilith they were seeing.
"I held it as long as my powers would allow. Now the dream fades, and the world comes back from the edge." the woman said as she turned to Shinji, "Reality will be remade by your choices here, dear Shinji."
"Whatever you choose, Shinji, I'll still be here." Hikari said from beside him, her voice firm.
"And so will we." Asuka affirmed, backed by a confident nod from Touji.
Shinji closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, recalling everything he'd done with his friends. Recalling the wish he had just told Hikari.
"Will they still be there?" he asked, and opened his eyes to find only Lilith standing there. Suddenly, a young woman with short brown hair and glistening green eyes faded into view, and he gasped. His mother. Running to her, he threw his arms around her as she hugged him back.
"Do you want them there, sweetie?" she asked quietly, smiling through the tears in her eyes.
"Of course I do!" he cried, happy to have his mother, even though he knew he'd soon lose her again when Third Impact faded, "But I want you there too!"
"I know sweetie, and I wish I could." she turned his face to her, still smiling, "But I paid that price so you could be happy. So you wouldn't have to give up everything to make sure your friends are happy and safe."
"But I won't be happy if you aren't there!"
"As long as you live, you can be happy. Weren't you happy with Hikari and the others, even here in a dream?" Yui stood up, her hands on his shoulders, "They'll be waiting for you, when you wake up."
"Are you sure you can't come?" he asked, wiping the tears from his eyes, and she smiled sadly.
"I'm sure, love. But I'll always be there in your heart." Yui began to fade and Lilith return, along with his friends, "Remember: As long as you keep living, anywhere can be heaven."
Shinji turned to Hikari and his friends. His family. Warmth filled him when he thought that, and he smiled for them. They returned the smile with their own, and Hikari walked over to him. She took his hand in her own, both of them blushing, and Shinji turned to Lilith.
"I've made my choice."
"From the shattered remains of the old, a shining new is raised." Lilith said, and Rei appeared beside her.
"From the choices of the Broken Chosen, new paths spread out to the future." Rei continued.
"Ready everyone?" Shinji asked, as the orange reality began to slowly fade away.
"Always, dude."
"Like you could stop me."
"I am, Shinji. I'm here."
Rei and Lilith shared a smile, before Lilith gestured Rei to join the group. Her eyes widened in surprise and Rei turned to Shinji and the others to find them smiling, his and Hikari's arms open to her. As she ran to them, tears in her eyes, the orange light faded completely when she reached them and she missed Lilith's last whispered words.
"And though light has not yet touched the new roads, the hope of the Broken Chosen leads them on to a shining new future. I love you, my daughter."
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A/N: This is part one of three in what I'm calling the "Fading Dream" Arc. While the three are somewhat redundant, I don't want to combine them into a single chapter either.
