Neon Genesis Evangelion
Pilot's Table
By D.A.
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Title: Chance
Prompt: Set 1 / Prompt 17 (Think)
Word Count: 1032
Rating: T
Summary: A thought, a wish, a second chance.
Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or anything connected to it.
Notes: alternate PoV for the events of "Dreams".
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I think… I think I'd like to try again. To make thing better than they ended up being.
Because…
I screwed up.
Completely and totally f_ed up. I f_ed up my relationships every other time I turned around. I f_ed up my Piloting record, my Eva, and pretty much ever single life I ever came in contact with.
I want it back! Give me another chance! I won't let it end like this! Not with a whimper, not with me dead at the end point of all my bad decisions!
I'll CHANGE!
Just… let me try… I just want another chance. Is that too much to ask? One more F_ING TRY!
…please…
…
Oh great… the f_ing tunnel of light back to reality. So f_ing clichéd it isn't even FUNNY!
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IT HURTS! Oh SHEISSE, it HURTS! Stop it PLEASE! THEY'RE EATING ME! Not again! NOT AGAIN!
"TOUJI!"
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"Oooohh" Damn bed… and the same f_ing ceiling…
"Asuka?" I hurt all over… give me a minute…
"Wh…what…" I need a drink…
"Glad you're awake again…" Touji?
"Water…" Now, before I decide to hit you…
My arm hurts…
"Here ya go…" Ah, sweet water, and a full glass of it too.
"What happened?" cause I don't remember past the… yeah, let's no go there for a while
"We killed the Eva series, and got ya out of Unit Two. Kaworu took you to Nerv Medical while I cleaned up the friggin harpies…" And you're still pissed at them? Wow…
"Butchered'em good for me?" lots of little pieces too. I NEVER want to see one again. EVER.
"Real good… the ground crews still haven't found all the pieces." Well, they must be working real slo-
"How long have I been out?" because Nerv is real good about cleaning up our splashy fights.
"Nearly a week… Akagi wasn't sure you'd wake up again." Thanks for worrying…
"Am I gonna be alright…?" please let me be ok… I don't care about my Eva, just let me ok…
"Yeah. Akagi just wasn't sure you'd wake up after the… the 'neural feed-back' from what, uh, what happened to the Eva…" oh… but I'm ok.
"Touji…" I wanna go home…
"Yeah?"
"I wanna go home."
"Ok." wipe that grin off your face, buster.
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It was a few weeks later that Asuka noticed something was off… and that it was focused on Shinji and the Class Rep.
They were all outside the school for lunch, Shinji and Hikari off under the Favorite Tree, and Kensuke hovering nearby trying to catch her and Touji doing something romantic or violent. Kensuke didn't seem to care, really, beyond the fact that he had gotten bored recording Shinji and Hikari.
She glanced in the other couple's direction, and was surprised at being able to hear them perfectly, and at having two or three sets of memories suddenly snap into crystal clear focus.
"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…" Shinji paused, then 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…"
Asuka smiled. That was Shinji. That was also Touji, though he put up more of a gruff front. Both would do everything they could and more to save the ones they cared about.
"I know you would. I'm glad we got this time," Hikari said, and 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 the four of them, and Asuka and Touji walked over to them through the now featureless orange reality, heads awhirl with suddenly clear memories.
"This is where it ends." Asuka said, hand in hand with Touji, as the realization dawned that she knew what had been happening, "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 appeared suddenly, a beautiful young adult with waist-length lavender-blue hair and shining crimson eyes smiling at each of them, and Asuka knew, without being told, that it was Lilith.
"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.
"And so will we." Asuka affirmed, backed by a confident nod from Touji. She had already been trusting him, she realized, without even knowing it.
Shinji closed his eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. When he reopened his eye, there were unshed tears in them, and Asuka could have sworn she heard the faint echo of a woman's voice.
"Remember: As long as you keep living, anywhere can be heaven."
Shinji turned to them and smiled, and they returned the smile with their own. Hikari walked over to him and took his hand in her own, both of them blushing. Shinji turned to Lilith with Asuka and Touji standing firm behind him and Hikari at his side.
"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." Touji called out.
"Like you could stop me." Asuka said after Touji, gripping his hand more firmly in hers.
"I am, Shinji. I'm here." Hikari whispered.
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, Asuka thought one last thing as the orange light faded.
Is this our Second chance, our chance for a new start?
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A/N: This just sorta fell from my fingers. Please Review.
