I struggled a lot whilst writing this one.
Does this seem stagnant to you? Like I'm dragging it out for longer than it has to be? I promise you I'm not, this is all going according to plan, mostly. Life happens.
Whenever I get the time to write and look at this, I ask myself am I doing something wrong? Maybe I am.
Always I Appreciate you for even so much as looking at what I wrote, appreciate every review or comment, thank you.
"Suzuhara…Toji?" Shikinami asked
"Yeup, that's right." Mari responded.
"What the Hell?" Shikinami expressed.
"Look." Mari said "it puzzles me as much as it puzzles you. but right now, we need to figure this out before they-" she said pointing at Nerv's logo "get to him."
"Okay. So, does he know?" Shikinami asked Mari yet again
"Not yet. Ritsuko should call him in to tell him eventually but… that could be any day from now to tomorrow."
"So, I take it then we don't have much time?"
"Yeah, tomorrow may be your only shot." Mari said uneasily
"My? As in me alone?"
"Yes." Mari responded.
"Why is that?" Shikinami asked
"Because I have to meet with Ritsuko and Misato tomorrow, it's urgent business."
Shikinami rolled her eyes "Okay Fine, but what do I tell him?"
"I don't know." Mari shrugged "You need to convince him not to pilot it somehow."
"Well, that's gonna be difficult given his sisters current predicament." Shikinami retorted
"Well, it's either that or…" Mari didn't finish her sentence, she looked like she had just stumbled across a brilliant idea.
"Or what?" Shikinami impatiently asked.
"Shinji." She said out of the blue.
"What about Shinji." Shikinami asked yet again.
"What's this about me?" Shinji asked as he entered the room.
And upon the sight of him Mari gleamed "The Answer to our prayers." She said pointing towards him.
"No." Shikinami said "Yes." Mari countered "No." she said "Yes" Mari once again countered.
"What's going on?" Shinji himself unsure asked the both of them.
Shikinami and Mari's gaze shifted from Shinji towards each other and then back to Shinji.
"What is it?" Shinji asked yet again.
Shikinami sighed folding her head towards her hand. "Shinji sit down. We need to talk."
"About what?" he kept on asking
"What we actually need, is your help." Mari spoke
"With wha-"
"Shhh" Mari shushed him "Too many questions."
Shinji looked up at her and remained silent, after which Shikinami sighed one more time and began to explain:
"Soon there will be a fourth child selected to pilot the Evangelion Unit-03."
"A fourth child? Unit-03?" he doubted
"There is an evangelion Unit built and to be tested out by the Americans, this is unit-03." Mari answered
"And as it stands it has no designated pilot" Shikinami continued "Now this is where the fourth child comes in."
"He'll be chosen to pilot evangelion unit-03 at Nerv's Matsushiro base facility." Mari said
"That's right, but the test will go horribly wrong." Shikinami added
"Wrong how?" he asked
"The Eva falls under an Angels infection, causing an explosion at the facility and running rampant." Mari said
"And so, then you guys will have to fight it." Shikinami added once more
But all this information was being bombarded all at once so Shinji had to stop to them in order to understand.
"Wait, just slow down a minute." He said pausing to think. "Assuming this is true, How do you guys know all this?"
"Let's just say where we come from events similar to your world have already transpired." Mari answered him yet again.
"And we're doing our best to stop the catastrophe that occurred in our world from happening in yours." Shikinami added
"And so that's how you knew about the Angel's shadow?" he asks Shikinami
"I guess you could say so but that was more of a hunch." She replied
"In any case." Mari interrupted, "what I was saying before you entered the room was that, if worse comes to worst, you'll need to fight the Eva and rescue the pilot inside…physically."
"Which could leave physical and psychological damage unto him" Shikinami said.
"Who's the supposed pilot unit-03?" he asked.
And now Both Shikinami and Mari looked to each other once more, this time there was a bit of hesitation on their part but
"It's Toji Suzuhara." They said simultaneously.
"What? No, it can't be. I mean…it can't be." he said nervously.
"I'm sorry Shinji but the data doesn't lie." Mari said to him.
"no but…what about…" Shinji struggled to accept the idea and asked Mari and Asuka once more
"You said in your world these events transpired right? So how did you stop the Eva? How did you guys save Toji?"
"In our world it was Asuka who piloted the Evangelion Unit-03, and she suffered from serious damage and infection due to the incident." Mari responded
"so, we…" he stopped to look at the palm of his hand "No I…I failed. I couldn't save Asuka." He said with a pain. Will I be able to save him? can I save Toji? He thought, his breath becoming heavy.
"You didn't fight." Mari said taking hold of his shoulder "You refused to and your father he…" she paused for a minute remembering the incident.
"What did he do?" he asked hopefully.
Mari looked away and answered him:
"he used a dummy plug system and made you slaughter the angel, using your own hands"
"So that means-" but before he could finish
"Yeah." Shikinami said, "I almost died."
Shinji backed away, his breathing became heavier and heavier
"No, I-I wouldn't I-" he began to hyperventilate, "I could never, I wouldn't. does that mean Toji will-"
"You didn't have a choice." Mari said, but he kept on struggling for a breath, that choke on his neck had returned and all he could link it to was the collar. It was then that Asuka Langley Shikinami stood up from her bed and approached Shinji slowly.
"Hey, look at me." She said, but Shinji was still hyperventilating, "Shinji hold your breath." She spoke again "calm down and breathe."
Calmly, slowly, taking small and deep breathes he did as she said.
"It's okay." Shikinami said pulling him closer into a hug "You're not going to hurt him." She whispered, "You'll do fine."
Shinji took a while but he eventually welcomed her warm embrace, "I, I don't know if I can do this." He sobbed.
"I know." She said calmly "And I hate to ask this of you Shinji, but please-" She pulled him back just so she could she could face him directly. "Doing nothing is still choosing to do something. Don't be like him." Shinji didn't quite know who she was talking about but-
"Do something." Shikinami continued "Choose. Stand and choose to fight. fight and save Toji from the Angel."
"How am I even supposed to-", she interrupted him mid sentence, "we have time, we have tomorrow and we'll make the best of it."
"We'll make a plan." Mari said giving Shinji a smile "You Are Not Alone." Shikinami added to her sentiment
"I'll inform Misato and Ritsuko when I see them. don't worry puppy we can do this" she winked
"But we can't do it without you." Shikinami said giving him a smile.
Shinji wiped the tear from his cheek.
"Yeah" he said composing himself. "We can do it." His face began to brighten up and there came about a smile on his face. "There ya go kiddo." Shikinami let out a little laugh after that comment
"Aww look at you two lovebirds" Mari teased.
"Yeah Lovebirds." Soryu said opening the door.
"Scheisse." Shikinami grunted, "Ja Sheisse." Soryu mocked
Meanwhile the Nerv-02 facility in Nevada had just exploded. Misato, Ritsuko, Maya, Aoba and Makoto had just discussed the matters and meanings of the situation in a meeting. Misato and Ritsuko were now descending down the escalator.
"So, what will we do about Unit-03?" Misato asked,
"We've been asked to take custody of it." Ritsuko replied, "I guess the U.S government didn't want to risk losing the Massachusetts facility too."
"Weren't they the ones that insisted on the rights to build units-03 and 04 anyway, and now their forcing it on us? they're really pushing it"
"Well, you can't blame them can you, after a disaster like that anyone would get nervous, I guess we'll just have to handle it"
"And just how are you going to handle the test activation?" Misato contended "Will you use Rei's dummy plug?"
"We'll that decide later" she responded
I'm sure the commander will have some thoughts
"And Mari?" Misato asked once again.
Ritsuko sighed, "Well… she wants to meet in lab far outside of Tokyo-3"
"Is it really that bad that she can't afford to have prying eyes."
"I wish I could tell you but I really don't know. that girl confuses me."
Now Shikinami had just chased after Asuka (Soryu) following a short outburst from her. Shinji had been left with Mari.
"Asuka wait!" Shikinami desperately called out to her counterpart, but Soryu wasn't having any of it, she just kept stomping away to the exit.
"Asuka Langley Soryu I order you to stop dammit!" Shikinami yelled, and Soryu did indeed stop in her tracks, but neither Asuka were in a complacent mood.
"You, order me?" Soryu scoffed. "You? order me?" She turned her back to face her counterpart.
Soryu basically pissed and on the verge of exploding and Shikinami bearing that classic stoic look of hers.
"Yeah, I order you." Shikinami said without hesitation. and then there was a silence, followed by the sounds of Soryu clenched fists and gnashing teeth.
"Just who the hell do you think you are!?" Soryu challenged "You are nothing! You hear me! Nothing! You're just a goddamn clone, some freak monstrosity created from ME! You are my shadow not the other way around, I'm Asuka not you! Me!" Soryu stopped her rant breathing heavily, but Shikinami remained silent, still keeping her stoic stare.
"Stop looking down on me dammit." Soryu cursed in an undertone. "You-" she hesitated.
"You disgust me." Soryu said turning her back on Shikinami, leaving down casted.
but Shikinami took a hold of her arm. "Let go." Soryu said.
"No" Shikinami replied.
"I said let go." Soryu demanded "No." Shikinami replied with once again.
She raised her hand in an attempted to land a strike unto her counterpart. But Shikinami stopped her.
"Let go." Soryu kept struggling, but instead Shikinami pulled her in closer.
"I understand." Shikinami said to Soryu, but she was more speaking to her younger self.
"How could you possibly understand?" Soryu argued trying to get out.
"Because I…I was there once, I was YOU once yes, a reflection." Shikinami said with remorse. Soryu looked to Shikinami and saw a familiar sadness within but with Shikinami it was different.
"But I had to grow up." Shikinami continued "I didn't have a choice, and yet." She let Soryu go and looked to her hands, "I'm still-" before she could finish, she felt that sharp sensation once more.
"Stop fighting me Asuka." Shikinami said to Soryu, "Stop fighting yourself." She extended her hand towards Soryu once more "Please."
Soryu was very reluctant to, but nonetheless Shikinami kept holding out her hand, "Please." Shikinami says again. Soryu struggled to even look her way and wanted to leave but "Please." Shikinami pleads.
Dammit.
Unclenching her fists, Soryu conceded and took her counterpart's hand. Upon taking it Shikinami fully pulls her in and holds her tight, taking Soryu by surprise. Soryu then began to feel a few wet droplets to the back of her shoulder. Is she…?
Soryu delayed but she slowly and eventually accepted her counterpart's warm embrace.
"I'm…I'm sorry." Soryu said.
"That's okay." Shikinami whispered.
They stood there for a while until Shikinami let go and pulled her back, composing herself. "Come on, let's go back." She said with a smile.
Shikinami entered her hospital room, with Soryu following behind. Mari and Shinji were unusually excited.
"What's got you two so happy?" Shikinami asked Mari.
"I'll let puppy here tell you." Mari said; Soryu twitched.
"Well." Shinji said, "You know the exact time and place, when and where we are going to be attacked."
"Yeah." Shikinami replied
"So, once I get Rei up to speed then-"
"Wait a minute Rei?" Shikinami puzzled looked to Mari, who shrugged in response to her.
"What's wrong with Rei?" Shinji asked
"She works for the commander Idiot. She might as well be a right-hand man." Shikinami said,
"I know Rei spends a lot of time with my father, but she would never betray us, at the very least she'd never betray-"
"You." Shikinami finished. "Yeah." Shinji said in response.
"And What do you make of this?" Shikinami asked Mari, "and no backing out on this one."
"Fine." Mari said, "I say let the kid do what his gut tells him to."
"Really? That's it?"
"It's not our world princess." Mari replied, "let them fight this one on their own, we've already interfered enough."
"And third impact?" Shikinami challenged
"Does the third impact occur in your world?" Soryu worried asked her counterpart. But Shikinami didn't answer and Mari continued.
"Don't worry about third impact just yet, focus on that plan of yours." She said, "and if you trust Ayanami then go ahead and tell her. The princess will help where she can."
"Since when do y-" But Mari interrupted her
"Hey you wanted my input and I'm giving it to you."
"God dammit." Shikinami said
"Alright, I'll go see Rei." Shinji said heading out, "I'll go to." Soryu said following Shinji.
"Bye-bye." Mari waved
"Just us?" Shikinami said.
Mari laughed a little before pulling an small bag from out of her pocket. "Yeup just us."
"What is that?" Shikinami asked.
"A Sight for a sore eye." Mari said throwing the small bag towards her.
She opened it and she saw.
"No." she groaned
"Unless you wanna keep having those migraines?" Mari said sarcastically.
She reluctantly put the eyepatch on, the Angel-Sealing Hex Glyphs illuminated for a while as she fixed the material upon her left eye.
"Feels different." Shikinami said
"That means it's working." Mari replied
"Where did you even get this?" she asked
"Had Ritsuko make it for you, it came at a risk though."
"What's the catch?"
"Nerv, they probably know about your true nature and they're probably working on to mine."
"So, what are we gonna do?"
"what we've always been doing." Mari responded "We're gonna lay low and help out where we can, they're not gonna come for us yet, though I don't know why." She sighed, "I guess I'll figure that out tomorrow."
"But should they try and come for us." Mari threw an old flip phone at Shikinami, which she caught.
"What does it do?" she asked
"Pings me your location and also something else." Mari said
"Like what?"
"wouldn't wanna ruin the surprise."
"stay safe out there." Shikinami said
"Eye aye captain." Mari said exiting the room.
Shinji and Asuka (Soryu) had run to Rei Ayanami's apartment block, knocking on the door in this late afternoon. Rei Ayanami opened the door.
"Pilot Ikari, Pilot Soryu." Rei spoke.
"Rei, we need your help." Shinji said
"what is it that you require?"
"First things first wonder girl" Asuka said "Can we trust you?" She asked
"What is it you wish to tell me?" Rei asked again.
"Rei can we trust you?" Shinji asked her sincerely. "We need to know."
"I-" she didn't know what to say
Rei remained silent for a while
"Promise me." He took a hold of Rei hand, "That no matter what we tell you. you won't report to anyone."
"What about the commander?" Rei asked
"Especially the commander."
Rei was hesitant, she was hard to read given her silent nature, in due time she nodded and agreed.
"I…I will not tell-" She stopped
"Rei?" Shinji asked
"Even Commander Ikari." She finished
Shinji gave her a smile and she tried her best to respond in kind.
"Alright wonder girl, listen up." Asuka said.
Shikinami had arrived at Misato's apartment earlier then everyone else, the room was empty and still a bit messy, so she decided to tidy up and clean. after which she spent the rest of the day watching TV.
Later in the day Shinji and Asuka (Soryu) had returned. As they were passing by Shikinami asked them:
"So, can we trust her?"
"Yeah, Rei won't rat us out." Shinji vouched, "I know it."
"Well I still don't trust her, gonna need a backup plan for her." She said
"Like what?" Shinji asked getting in the kitchen preparing to cook for them.
"I don't know…yet, but I'll get here eventually."
"What's with the Eyepatch?" Soryu asked sitting on the couch next to Shikinami's "What are you a pirate"
"Ha-ha very funny. I happen to need this." Shikinami responded
"What for?"
"To keep away the infection, y'know the Angel's infection, the one you're about to fight."
"The sarcasm was unnecessary, plus it looks good on me." Soryu teased.
"Wait until you have to wear it 24/7 365. It's not much fun"
"Oh well."
Shinji cooked dinner and they all went to bed afterwards.
Nightfall Shinji had been trying to sleep but He couldn't get the image from the train out of his head, "That collar." He said feeling his neck, "what was it?"
Once again, Shinji heard the sound of his bedroom door opening and closing. A few footsteps approached him and now somebody lay next to him.
She extended her hand and touched his shoulder. Shinji uncertain lay still. She didn't let go and he almost felt her grip tighten a little. He turns his head backwards and isn't met with any resistance.
"Asuka, can I-" he readies himself "Can I turn around?" he whispered nervously into the dark, but was met with silence, although eventually.
"Do whatever you want?" she whispered back.
And so, preparing himself he turned around to face Asuka, though he couldn't make out much from the dark he could feel her presence, he could feel her breath, they were so close to one another the tips of their lips almost met.
"Do you trust me?" Shinji whispered to her, "whatever" she whispered back. But she sounded off, her voice was unsettled and shaky. Shinji put his arm over her shoulder as well and Asuka pulled closer towards him resting her head on his chest, Shinji could feel the water droplets fall unto his shirt. Her breathing became heavier and he held her tight. In her lamentation she uttered a few words to him but he could not hear. he just kept her close to him as they lay at night and fall Asleep.
END.
They are legit called Angel-sealing hex glyphs' I couldn't make it up even if I wanted to.