Chapter 2: Come with me, Rei.

"If we cannot learn from the events of our past then we are doomed to repeat them" – Anon

"You called me here, doctor." Rei politely stated as she stood facing Dr Akagi in a small underground chamber with cracked floors and walls.
A decommissioned lab that NERV had forgotten about in its out of control pursuit for power, the doctor explained it to be.

"I did Rei. And thank you for taking the time to be here." The doctor replied in equal politeness, her serene expression reflecting absolutely none of the irrational hatred she used to have towards the blue haired artificial human she now had nothing but sympathy and respect toward.

Despite their newfound mutual affection towards each other, it was still awkward for them to be alone in each other's presence and they simply continued to stare fixatedly at each other for a few eternity like moments, the conversation not coming easily for two antisocial introverts who had been sticklers to the rule "speak only when spoken to" issued by their shared employer, Gendo.

"Well. Um. Is there something you…wanted to show me?" Rei eventually managed to shyly suggest, successfully breaking the ice despite the strain in her weak and quiet voice.

"There is." The doctor agreed, trying to sound as friendly as possible while finding the right words to use to not make this situation any weirder than it needed to be.

"I think. Before we continue, I should tell you the truth about yourself as a person. Rei. I mean, you probably already know most of what I'm about to say anyway, but at least that way you won't be so confused when I show you what I'm going to show you next…"

"That would be good." Rei nodded. She already had an idea that she was not completely human but finally knowing exactly what that meant was important.

So she stayed silent and intently listened as Ritsuko gave an abbreviated but still lengthy exposition as to how Rei was in reality a twisted amalgamation of human and Angel genes.
And how this was far from the first body Rei's transferrable soul which could continue to live on even after the "death" of one of her bodies to be transferred to another one, the side effect being severe amnesia and usually a much more withdrawn and fearful personality from the trauma her soul suffered each time it's host body was destroyed.

She left out the part about how Rei was made specifically from Shinji's mother Yui's genes and how Gendo could not get over the loss of his wife.
Rei would find this out for herself in a few moments anyway.

"That explains so much." Rei gratefully admitted. "I'm very thankful you told me all this doctor."

"I'm glad." Dr Akagi stepped in front of the large metal machine which occupied a huge portion of the room. It was round and had a large gap in the middle easily enough to fit a lying down person inside.
"Long story short Rei, this machine will help you regain all your memories. But you have a choice not to use it. Believe me when I say that a lot of what you were put through in your past, wasn't exactly pleasant. But I want you to at least have this choice."

She expected Rei to take longer to answer. This was after all, a very serious choice for such a young and inexperienced girl to make.
But it was hardly a minute later when after taking another admiring look at the metallic behemoth and running her hand over its sleek surface, Rei looked back at the doctor with a soft smile which made nearly made the older woman cry with joy.

She had been a complete idiot to have any animosity towards this incredible girl with not a single mean bone within her.

"Thank you doctor. Thank you so much. I would like that very much." She was nodding so vigorously it was as if her head might snap off.

"Are you sure Rei. The past can be more painful than we ever imagine…" Ritsuko hesitantly warned as she slowly pressed the power button which booted up the device.

"Good memories. Bad memories. All my memories are important to me, doctor." Rei eloquently replied as without prompting, she slipped herself into the human shaped gap, lay herself down and made herself comfortable as a choir of electronic beeps and buzzes filled the room.
"I need my memories back so I can become the person I was meant to be. To reach the potential my master, tried to stop me from reaching for his own selfish ends. So that I can finally protect my Shinji instead of needing him to risk himself protecting me. Start the machine doctor. I'm ready. Ready as I'll ever be."

"Rei…" the doctor remarked in shock and awe to herself. How she had grown. How wrong everyone had been when they said that only humans had capacity for empathy and the power to learn.
Despite the salty water building up in her eyes for the second time that day, the doctor's hand was firm as it pressed the button that would confirm the initiation of the memory restoration process.

And inside the machine, a helmet attached itself tightly to Rei's head covering her eyes and she began to cry out as wave after wave of excitation slid over her body as the machine did it's work, sending waves of electromagnetic currents down Rei's body, reawakening the parts of her psyche that countless traumatic near death experiences had robbed her.

Image after image flashed past Rei in her semi-conscious semi dream state, first slowly then quickly and then so quickly that she scarcely had time to register each one before they transitioned into another, meshing together like a kaleidoscopic riot of colours.

She saw Shinji multiple times. Sometimes laughing. Sometimes frowning.
And once, crying helplessly as he winced in pain at the massive blow Asuka had given to his right eye and Misato stood there nonchalantly, making a bad joke about how this was how strong women expressed themselves completely blind to Shinji's obvious suffering.

She heard sections of Gendo's rants as he ranted on and on about how it was his son's fault his wife died and how the world needed to die so that he could have what he declared was rightfully his.
How the world was his playground and it's people merely his playthings.
How when he caused the next impact and got his wife Yui back, he would have Shinji killed and rise up to take over what remained of the world as its overbearing overlord.

No one would be free from his tyrannical reign. Freedom would be a banned word. Everyone would be taxed all that they were worth and anyone who stood in his way, would be tortured to death as slowly and painfully as possible for his amusement.

Then Rei's memories transferred to the other members of NERV. How they all saw their star pilot Shinji as little more than their punching bag for their own sick amusements.
As their scapegoat who they could put all their blame on when they had no one else but themselves to blame for their hand in bringing the world's destruction closer.
The only one who didn't completely bully Shinji into the ground, was officer Maya and in doing so she became the bullies second target

Those sick jerks.

Then there was nothing but flashing lights as the machine finished its work and the bombardment of thoughts became momentarily too rapid for her to properly process coherently.

And then a whir as the device detached itself from Rei and the blonde scientist rushed to her side and carefully lowered the blue haired girl to the ground.

"Rei. Are you alright? Speak to me."

Ritsuko quickly began to panic when Rei didn't immediately respond.

There was no way things could have gone wrong. She had checked and double checked everything until she was a hundred and one percent certain everything was completely safe. She had been more of a perfectionist during this project than any of the one's she worked on for NERV.
But there Rei lay, still and silent with her eyes closed.

This couldn't be happening. This just couldn't. Ritsuko Akagi's change of heart had come too late.
The one time she tried to do something good and it turned bad.
She should have just jumped off the building earlier and spared Rei a false hope and promise she couldn't deliver upon.

She slapped herself as she gently caressed Rei's face like a mother who had lost her only child.

"Wake up. Rei. Please wake up. Oh god please." She pleaded desperately, a few of her tears dripping onto Rei's pale cheeks.

"I'm sorry." She began to pleadingly shout again and again after slapping herself in the face once more causing herself a hurtful red mark.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

The amount of times she apologised that day, made Shinji in his darkest hour look strong and confident in comparison.
She gently rocked the young bluenette in her arms, muttering the word "sorry" repeatedly until it lost its meaning and she was reduced to incoherent mumbling as she mumbled out her regret and shame like a lobotomised madman who had forgotten how to speak.

It took a few more moments as the rain outside finally began to let up and the thunderstorm to begin to subside before Rei's red eyes slid open by a fraction so tiny that it would take a sharp eyed observer to even begin to notice it.

She was peacefully smiling as she gave the now furiously grieving Ritsuko a tap on her arm.
She waited for the usually emotionless doctor to slowly pull herself together and then without giving her a chance to even voice her relief, wrapped the blonde woman in a tight and intimate hug saying more with these simple gestures than a library of books.

And when Rei walked back to her apartment that night, she did so with a definitive spring in her step which made it look more like she was jumping than walking.
She walked with her head held high and her shoulders completely straight and not slouched as they had been before.
Every motion she made was one of finesse and elegance like she was on top of the world.

"Now I remember." she gaily cheered to herself as she made it to her apartment door, swung it open in one smooth and confident gesture, stepped in and closed it behind her.
She had to get an early night for what she felt tomorrow was sure to bring.

…

Shinji nearly tripped himself several times the next day after school was over, as he rushed to get to Rei's apartment as soon as he could. His father would be coming home from his luxury trip to Hong Kong just two days from now and it was now or never.

He had ordered the cab he booked with what remained of his lifetime savings to increase speed countless times as he nearly hyperventilated during the ride.
"I can't go any faster kid. So shut up" The gruff moustached man had barked only for Shinji to completely ignore him and shout at him to increase speed even more.

"Not fast enough! NOT FAST ENOUGH!" he declared even after the driver was going at a speed of fifty miles per hour on a road where thirty was the maximum allowed speed, coercing the car to be driven at a speed which made it look like a blur to every onlooker.
It caused several other cars to beep in great frustration and several cries of alarm as the remaining vehicles on the road nearly hit each other as they swerved to avoid the speeding bullet that was Shinji's ride to the love of his life.

The second after he ordered the cab to stop at a curb next to Rei's residence as he bolted out, he rushed in front of the door and hammered the intercom button for Rei so hard he nearly broke it.

"It's me Shinji. Let me in. It's urgent." He puffed through his exhaustion as his tired legs nearly buckled.

The door was instantly opened without a second's hesitation. All the better since Shinji was already banging on it hard even as he requested Rei to get it open.

Rei had barely had time to think before Shinji had booked it up the stairs to her floor and begun slamming at the door so forcefully he bruised his own fists.
He didn't intend to be so violent but the adrenaline rush brought on by the urgency of his mission had made him very jumpy and restless.

He arrived to find Rei in a blue nightgown which perfectly complimented her short blue bob hair.
It was clear that she had been in the shower and nearly scrambled over herself in her rush to get the door open for him while making herself presentable for him when he got up.

"Rei. I'm sorry for butting in on you at such short notice." Shinji started the conversation by saying, able to keep his words slow and sincere for that one sentence as his eyes fixed upon Rei's surreal beauty she didn't even know she possessed while his conscience shouted at him to stop being such a creep and look away.

So it surprised him even more when Rei's reply was given in a amused tone which made it clear he was beyond welcome in her house.

"It's no problem Shinji. I'm always happy to see you." And she was smiling.

And when Rei was smiling, nothing could be wrong in the cruel world.

Shinji paused for a few more moments as he shouted back at his conscience that Rei was not angry with him before he began to speak again, in a voice so fast he nearly stumbled over himself several times and had to take a breath after he was finished speaking.

"We need to get out of here, Rei. It's not safe."

"Shinji this is no time to panic…" Rei tried to say knowing full well that it would have the opposite of its intended effect on the clearly very angsty pre-teen boy who unintentionally raised his voice to nearly a shout as he continued. Even though she wasn't the abusive and inconsiderate Asuka, she did enjoy seeing Shinji flustered as a guilty pleasure. Since when he was it was incredibly cute and it meant that either the world was ending, or the gates of heaven were opening.

She had a good feeling that this time after all the two of them had been through, it was the latter.

"This is the perfect time to panic. We can't stay here. My dad's coming back and when he does, he's going to try and initiate the third impact with us, and when he does that, we're all screwed.
You have to believe me Rei. You just have to. I want you to be happy but if you stay here, my dad will kill you. He doesn't really care about you at all, Rei. We need to get far, far away from here before my dad comes home."

Rei waited a few more moments for the now uncontrollably blushing Shinji close to a nosebleed to explain in a semi-coherent rush that as a personal reason for wanting her to come with him, Asuka had been beating him into the ground his entire lifetime while Rei had been the only girl to treat him respectfully with any sort of decency.
She already knew thanks to Ritsuko that Gendo was pure sleaze that couldn't be trusted, but there was still one more question she needed the answer to before she agreed to Shinji's ingenious plan that she only wished she could have come up with first with how brilliant it was.

"Shinji?"

"Yes, Rei?" He was secretly pinching himself to get rid of the massive blush on his crimson face.

"Do you think I'm pretty?"

"What?" Shinji shook himself as he pinched himself behind his back even harder to try and convince himself that Rei did not just ask what she did.
He had known subconsciously that one day he would have to answer this, and he had been keeping his answer unchanged since the day he decided it hidden from everyone including himself.
He feared this question more than he feared Asuka's beatings. More than he feared Misato and his father's disapproval.
Even more than he dreaded the prospect of another world destroying impact.

He would sooner die than answer this question since he knew the second he gave his opinion, he would never be able to live with himself again. Everyone he knew would see him not simply as a punching bag and a coward, but as a sinful spawn of Satan who deserved eternal anguish in hell.
If failing to measure up to Asuka's impossible expectations earned him a kick to the skull, then stating one word of his stance on Rei's attractiveness level would get his skull a billion kicks while she wore razor sharp spiked cleats on her feet.

If disappointing his dad got him a gunshot to the head, then answering this question would get him a firing squad who would shoot at him as many times as possible without killing him before leaving him to slowly bleed out in agony.

He just couldn't answer this question. He just couldn't. Even with everyone else's opinion of him removed from this question, how could he face up to himself if he told Rei that…

"I need to know Shinji. Please. Just be honest." Rei calmly repeated, cutting his train of thought off.

He trembled wildly as he nearly wet himself.
The room felt it was spinning and he felt like his head was on fire.
But he also knew that while it was acceptable to run away from his now sworn enemies who had treated him like crap, only a monster ran from their friends.

And even if he was a coward, an idiot, a brat. Shinji Ikari was not a cold blooded monster.

"Rei…" he began to reply, his heart thudding so hard he swore it could burst from his chest at any moment now. "I don't think you're pretty…"

Rei's world was crashing and tumbling as she began to clutch at her chest and her eyes went wide with disbelief. "My entire life. Wasted." She told herself. "All for nothing."

"I think you're smoking hot." Shinji continued in the tiny millisecond as Rei was preparing to kick him out of her room and order him to never show his face here again in a fit of self-loathing rage.
"I think that when I see you, it gives me a reason to want to live. It keeps me going even through my hardships. Through all the crap Asuka, Misato, my dad and everyone puts me through.
I could go on and on Rei, but words can't begin to describe just how amazing and cool I think you really are to me. And it's not just because you're smoking hot. You're kind as well. You treat me so well that I can never find a way to repay you. You show me kindness that I know I couldn't live without. Your sweet, sweet heart is my motivation for living. And it's why I want you to come with me."

Rei's eyes were even wider now and her jaw had dropped so far she felt her jawbone might fracture.
But the pain in her chest was gone. All gone.
The vacant space in her heart was a space that Shinji now held.

"You're not a hero Shinji. You're a god." The inner Rei proudly exclaimed.

"I don't want a person as kind and considerate as you being treated so terribly by everyone you try to be nice to." Shinji explained, his ardour slowly cooling but not completely gone. "I want you to be in a place where you can have friends who actually respect you. A place where people won't take away your dignity. A place where you and I can be our own person."

He was getting short of breath from his ovation, but he went on nonetheless.

"And most of all, a place where you can be with me. Because deep down, I always knew you liked me too. But I can't be with you here and you can't be with me here. But we can be together if we go somewhere else where Asuka and my dad can't find us ever again. Doesn't that sound good Rei?"

"It sounds…wonderful" Rei admitted, her inner self over the moon as it bounced around in her very euphoric brain squeaking "Senpai noticed me. Senpai noticed me."

"But Shinji. If we leave, they'll just track us down. And when they do, they'll drag us back here kicking and screaming and then your dad, he'll probably kill you."

She wringed her arms in frustration. "It's hopeless" she exclaimed, nearly causing herself to cry.

"No Rei. It isn't. It absolutely isn't." Shinji retorted, complete confidence in his every word.

"What do you mean, Shinji?"

"So they won't let Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami out of the country? But, what if Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami weren't the ones leaving the country?"

"But…"

"What if two completely different people with nothing to do with NERV, or EVA's or piloting were the one's leaving instead. Two complete strangers with different fingerprints, different passports and completely different appearances. What if we just change our identities? By the time my dad gets back, we'll be far from here anyway and by then we'll have blended into the crowd. He'll never find us ,and neither will Asuka."

"That's fantastic" Rei cheered, holding onto Shinji's shoulders proudly. "I can't believe I didn't think of that."

"And that's another reason why I need you Rei. My dad pays you a lot of money while he pays me almost nothing. We need your money to be able to buy a plane ticket to get out of this country and to start a new life once we've escaped. Doctor Akagi can change our identities for us. I've already texted her to let her know that this is what we're doing, and she says she'll meet us in her secret lab, which she told me you already know about. We should go there now. Asuka will be getting back from her field trip any moment now and the party Major Misato said she was attending today is probably nearly over. This is our only chance."

"Then what are we waiting for. Let's get to it"
And Shinji politely closed his eyes, covered them and faced towards the wall as Rei quickly threw off her nightgown and threw on some casual clothes and put on her shoes.

"Okay I'm ready" She had to say as well as tapping Shinji's arm to get Shinji to uncover his eyes and open them. His time with Asuka had made these precautions a reflex action of his.

Rei took a credit card that she kept in a drawer along with a wad of cash for a cab as the two of them went hand in hand out of the apartment to hail another cab.

And as a cab soon arrived and Shinji helped Rei inside before getting in himself (ladies first) the two of them began to sing a song which provided the perfect opening to the new future ripe with opportunities that they were now entering.

Shinji: I close my eyes and I can see.
A world that's waiting up for me.
That I call my own.

Rei: Through the dark, through the door.
Through where no one's been before.
But it feels like home

Shinji: They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
They can say, they can say I've lost my mind
See I don't care, I don't care, so call me crazy

We can live in a world that we design

Cause every night I lie in bed The brightest colours fill my head. A million dreams are keeping me awake. I think of what the world could be. A vision of the one I see. A million dreams is all it's gonna take. A million dreams for the world we're gonna make

Rei: However big, however small. Let me be part of it all.
Share your dreams, with me.

Shinji: We may be right. We may be wrong.
But I want to bring you along.
To the word we close our eyes to see.
We close our eyes to see.

Both: Cause every night I lie in bed. The brightest colours fill my head. A million dreams are keeping me awake. I think of what the world could. A vision of the one I see A million dreams is all it's gonna take

A brief but heartfelt pause.

A million dreams for the world we're gonna make

The driver, a depressed and grouchy but very malnourished man with sunken eyes simply drove on unaffected by the upbeat and jovial improvised song that the two abuse victims in his car had made up on the spot.

Had he been a critic instead, the duo would have won the Oscar music award hands down.

"Kids these days" he simply grumbled, unaware that he was carrying the two passengers to a beautiful place of nirvana worth thousands of times the small fee he had charged them both for the ride which would in fact keep him fed for a month.

NERV was very greedy with its taxes and SEELE was not much better.
Curse chief Gendo Ikari.
Who unbeknownst to the driver, wouldn't stay chief for long.

And so Shinji's fantastic runaway plan comes further into fruition.
Seriously though, the world was only destroyed because Shinji and Rei stayed.
If they had left, Gendo couldn't start third impact and SEELE couldn't either.

And this should be a lesson to people in real life. If your situation is very bad or people around you are treating you unfairly, just leave.

Instead the show teaches that if you behave nicely like Shinji you'll get abused, but if you punch others and insult them like Asuka you get praised and parties thrown in your honour.
And if you underpay your employees and try to destroy the world like Gendo, you can live in a big mansion with lot's of luxuries.

Thanks for reading guys.
Please review if you want to support me and I'll try to see you again next time.