The Final Assignment/Requiem of a Soul Trapped
By PitViper (9/19/2002)
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Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion. Gainax does, along with ADV and Manga, and whoever else may be distributing it in its various forms. The point – this isn't for profit, and I hope that everyone enjoys it. May it be that I have done justice to the characters I have borrowed for this short story.
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The Final Assignment - Requiem of a Soul Trapped
Rei blinked slowly at the paper in her hand.
The teacher, having taken a short break from his endless Second Impact lecture, eyed the class suspiciously as they studied the sheet given to them. "Does everyone understand the assignment?"
It didn't matter if anyone had answered in the negative, or in the affirmative. The instant after the teacher had set the question to voice; it was long lost in his preparation to return to his favorite pastime - lecturing on his experiences during Second Impact.
Rei paid the paper little thought. 'Tomorrow it will come.' She noted to herself. Tomorrow would be the day that would be her end; but, not her end. What did the assignment matter? She would not see its completion in this body – of that she was almost absolutely sure.
"I don't believe it, a poem!" A certain fiery redhead exclaimed from the center back of the classroom. "We have to write a stupid poem!" Rei pushed the noise from her thought as she focused on the world outside the window.
-
The hours of the day flew past quickly, as Rei watched every precious change in the world outside the window. Suddenly a touch came to her shoulder. Him.
"Ikari." She said coolly.
"Yes." Shinji said softly. "Y…you were so intent on the window, you didn't even notice that class had let out."
Rei tilted her head slightly, then looked briefly around the room, confirming Shinji's words. "I… see."
"Ayanami?" Shinji asked the peculiar blue-haired girl. Her only response was a minimal tilt of her head in his direction. "What were you planning to write about?"
Rei's posture changed ever so slightly. "Nothing."
"But… the assignment is due tomorrow!" Shinji exclaimed incredulously.
Rei's eyes turned toward the boy. She watched as he took several steps back.
In those red orbs, those crimson windows to the soul, there was… nothing. Emptiness. Bleakness. She was the Void. Tested next to the emptiness of those two red eyes, the deepest abyss could never compare in darkness or despair. "The assignment would be pointless."
"Why?" Shinji finally forced himself to ask with a quavering voice.
Rei's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, "Because…" She paused. Was she certain of her fate – so certain that she could say with absolute authority that she would cease to be Ayanami tomorrow and another incarnation would take over? 'No. The certainty is not absolute. But it does have a high probability.' She thought to herself. Still Shinji required an answer, "It is."
"T…That's not an answer." Shinji replied softly.
Rei looked away, no longer able to bear the look of despair upon his face. 'Did I cause that? I must have.' She looked at the ground, and decided a few more words were necessary, "It is the only answer I have to give."
A few moments past between them in silence, before finally Shinji broke: "I… I should be going."
"Farewell." Rei said, not having moved from her desk. After a moment's hesitation, she added, "Ikari-kun"
Shinji eyed the girl for a few moments then turned to leave. He made it a few steps before he turned back… "Aya…" he paused. Something in the girl's voice made him decide to say something slightly different, "Rei… Please, if you change your mind… I'd… I would like to read your poem tonight."
Rei silently contemplated the ground at her feet, as Shinji patiently awaited some indication that she heard his words. Finally, after a minute and a half, Rei spoke: "Very well. Ikari… Shinji."
Unseen was Shinji's departure; Rei was completely focused on her promise. She would write that poem. And deliver it to Shinji tonight to read. It did not matter that it be turned in for class. That served no purpose, after all.
-
"It is coming."
No sooner had the words been said than did the Angel Armisael attack. The doughnut shaped angel broke into a single string – a pile driving force of pure light that dove like a laser bolt towards Unit 00.
Rei fired furiously at it, but to no avail. She was being distorted by the angel… consumed. This was her end.
Then, before she expected, something happened. She felt a presence, stronger than any she had felt before – Armisael's included. As the energy erupted in her mind, so did the ground surrounding the launch elevator.
The asphalt rippled like a pool of water, before erupting upwards like ice shattered by a submarine breaking the surface. Energy readings spiked as the object that had caused the distortion reached the surface, flying of its own accord through the destruction it had just wrought.
Eight wings of pure energy lifted the mass that was Unit 01 high above the earth, and beyond Armisael's attack radius, although by the way the Unit's AT Field was deployed, the fury of the pilot and mecha would ensure that not even the most miniscule speck of the angel survived long enough to even touch that purple armor.
No, it flew above to a position of relative safety to analyze its options. It could not use brute force to destroy the angel while it was attached to Ayanami's mecha. Therefore another tactic had to be taken. Its pilot was only all too willing to perform it.
Some who later analyzed the data would say that Shinji was simply adapting to a demonstrated example. After all, it was an angel that demonstrated that an AT Field could be used to enter an Eva Pilot's mind… So why could not the reverse be true – that an AT Field could be twisted to allow an Eva Pilot's mind to enter the Angel.
Those who knew Asuka Langley Sohryu far better knew that it was simple revenge by Shinji to repay what the Fifteenth had done to the poor girl.
So with a howl that shattered tempered and armored glass across the city, Unit 01 began to glow with unholy brightness. Had God been near the Earth that day, he would have believed that the Light-bringer himself had returned to grace from the Fall. The glow intensified until Unit 01 was a sun hovering meters above the earth, then a beam of pure AT energy lanced out at Unit 00 and the Angel.
The last thing that Rei felt before her mind was flooded with light was warmth… the protective folds of another's AT Field enshrouded her… she only heard the words as soft whispers upon a calm wind…
What am I?
Am I a sparrow,
Can I fly high above the clouds?
No, my life is sorrow.
Rei felt Armisael struggle slightly against the light of this particular lillum's mind, 'Shinji-kun's mind.'
Who am I?
Am I the dove?
Is peace and comfort,
That which I must love?
Rei, enclosed by this warm AT Field, felt Shinji's love; but knew that the angel felt something far different. 'My poem?' Rei thought to herself in her mind's eye.
No, I am not a dove.
I look in a mirror,
And see no love.
But I feel terror.
'Sadness… ever so tinged with anger? Shinji was angry with those words.' She felt Armisael slash back with his AT Field.
I am afraid,
That is what I am.
I do not wish to disappear,
And I shall do what I can.
Rei thought, 'It is true. I am afraid. I do not wish to lose this discovery I have made.'
I am Rei,
That identity I searched for… for so long.
Why must it end;
Now that I know how to belong?
The sadness at the words flowed into Rei, as she almost felt his spirit cry out "No!" in absolute defiance.
So come fire,
I know you are near,
Raise my Ire,
And be quenched by my tears.
'Do not say goodbye like that!' A memory of Shinji in tears came unbidden from the recesses of her mind, 'It's just too sad…'
Commander Ikari,
Shinji's father,
No longer am I
A doll to use as fodder.
'Anger' Rei thought. 'I had not thought him capable of such fury…' Rei gasped suddenly, as she felt Shinji take that ball of fury and direct it outwards. She knew Armisael would not last much longer under this onslaught.
Shinji Ikari,
You are my true link,
My connection that I have,
To my humanity, I think.
Joy! It was a tangible thing for Ayanami in that moment. Shinji's warmth grew to unbelievable heights. For a moment in time, Rei knew heaven, as Shinji unleashed hell upon Armisael.
So come storm,
Tear me asunder,
For it is Shinji I protect,
From your impotent thunder.
And the storm did come,
And tried with all its might.
But Rei was safe,
Enclosed by Shinji's light.
Lash me with rain,
Pelt me with sleet,
But never shall you
My spirit defeat.
And each of those words seemed to strengthen Shinji's resolve even more. Armisael knew his destiny… and was prepared to face it.
I shall rise,
Again and again until the end,
To defend my love,
And my only friend.
Again Shinji assaulted, yet Armisael still held on to her and her unit with the barest of strength.
So come Armisael,
Come to me Angel so fleet,
I am nothing.
But I shall never retreat.
And Armisael did come, detaching the last of itself from Rei and her mecha. Almost immediately the pain that she was becoming accustomed to disappeared, and she knew she would heal. However this was the last mistake Armisael would ever make.
And I shall rise,
Again and again even after your end,
To defend my love,
Shinji, my only friend.
"I love you too, Rei…" Shinji said over the intercom, as Armisael flew away from Rei's mecha. Rei, her vision now clear, watched as the remnant of the once powerful Angel of Might flew towards Shinji, its body of energy shredded, and its core exposed.
The Purple demon stayed its ground, allowing the angel to approach at its own terrific pace. The moment passed as Rei whispered, "Shinji…"
-
At a height of twelve hundred meters, Armisael met Unit01, and detonated in a cross blast that reached deep into space, a burning pyre that swirled up fifty thousand kilometers. None of the flames touched the ground below, and the air surrounding the blast was only temporarily heated. Yet no sight of Unit 01 could be made through the swirling flame.
-
Rei sat in her plug, as communications echoed in her ears…
"Shinji!!!! Shinji!!!!" Misato screamed at the top of her lungs. Her baleful yells… moans… a clear indication of what she thought of the situation.
'She believes Ikari-kun… Shinji-kun dead?' Rei blinked several times, and was touched deep within by the Major's grief-stricken wails. She blinked, and a droplet of saltwater left her eye, and slowly dissipated before her in the LCL… Soon another followed the first, and another… as she watched the unnatural pyre flame high into space. She sucked in a deep breath, and shuddered as she exhaled. Then she found that she had to take another breath, just like the last… and release it again… this time with a soft tone in her voice… "Shinji…" She softly cried. Another breath, louder, this time, "Shinji…" The next breath came, and her tongue was incapable of forming the words… Instead a low moan escaped.
Over the gasping of the Major, she heard the shocked voices of some of the bridge crew. "No… it can't be." One voice said. Another exclaimed, "She's crying! I've never seen her cry." Another, this time female: "Rei?" This was Maya… and the voice was kind and understanding. Rei wanted to thank the Lieutenant for her one, single, kind word… but the sobs would not permit it. She felt her stomach clench… as she tried to gasp the LCL into her lungs.
"Don't cry, Rei…" A voice came from nowhere. Rei recognized it immediately. 'Shinji?'
A static filled window popped up, labeled 'Unit 01.'
Rei's eyes became large saucers, barely contained by her eyelids. "Shinji?"
The major noticed the voice as well, suddenly stopping her moaning.
The static cleared, revealing an exhausted Shinji Ikari. "Don't cry Rei… you're too pretty to cry…"
"Shinji-kun…" Rei breathed.
Soon the wall of fire dissipated, revealing the purple behemoth known as Unit 01… The mecha's armor was unscathed, and it's AT wings were still intact.
"Shinji-kun!" The major exclaimed over the intercom. But the boy ignored her.
"Rei… Thank you for showing me the poem…"
Rei looked at him, and stretched out her fingers towards the communication window slightly…
"Thank you…" He said softly, as Unit 01 floated gently to the ground below. "For loving me… and calling me friend."
"Thank you… Shinji-kun."
Would he love me back?
Who could say?
But I would try for him,
Even if I die today.
-Requiem of a Soul Trapped
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Author's Notes:
I hope you enjoyed this short one shot. Not much to say. Please, though, feel free to review and tell me your thoughts.
Thanks,
PitViper
By the way, here is the poem alone, so that you can read it without the interruption of the story:
What am I?
Am I a sparrow,
Can I fly high above the clouds?
No, my life is sorrow.
Who am I?
Am I the dove?
Is peace and comfort,
That which I must love?
No, I am not a dove.
I look in a mirror,
And see no love.
But I feel terror.
I am afraid,
That is what I am.
I do not wish to disappear,
And I shall do what I can.
I am Rei,
That identity I searched for… for so long.
Why must it end;
Now that I know how to belong?
So come fire,
I know you are near,
Raise my Ire,
And be quenched by my tears.
Commander Ikari,
Shinji's father,
No longer am I
A doll to use as fodder.
Shinji Ikari,
You are my true link,
My connection that I have,
To my humanity, I think.
So come storm,
Tear me asunder,
For it is Shinji I protect,
From your impotent thunder.
Lash me with rain,
Pelt me with sleet,
But never shall you
My spirit defeat.
I shall rise,
Again and again until the end,
To defend my love,
And my only friend.
So come Armisael,
Come to me Angel so fleet,
I am nothing.
But I shall never retreat.
And I shall rise,
Again and again even after your end,
To defend my love,
Shinji, my only friend.
Would he love me back?
Who could say?
But I would try for him,
Even if I die today.
-Requiem of a Soul Trapped