The Last Child Shadow
The Last Child 2
Shadow@ngel
superpinay@hotmail.com
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Here's the second part to my stupid li'l challenge fic. I hope you're enjoying it. ^_^. Read on! Disclaimer: yada ydaddaaaa legal junk la yadadada yada rights....respective blah blah blah....um ... yeah. you get the point.
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Chapter 1:
Part 2- Tightrope Walker

Beep…
Beep…
Beep…
Beep…
Beep…
Beep…

She stirred in the bed, tossing and turning. The steady rhythm slowly driving her insane…

She jerked up screaming. She didn't stop until a hand rested on her shoulder. Her breathing erratic and sweat covered her forehead, she whipped her head around, to look at her surroundings.

"Where am I?" she said, panic evident in her tone. Louder this time, "Where am I!?" All around her, there were machines and monitors.

"Ranko, it's okay. You're at NERV's hospital wing," said Misato. "We've got some questions to ask you."

"Where is she?" asked a male voice from outside in the hall. Another replied,

"The girl? This way sir." Ran-chan snapped to attention. "It's extraordinary! Well, as far as we know, she hasn't had any experience in piloting. Yet her reflexes and sync ratio are amazing." it continued on about how odd it was for her to use it so well. (I've gotta get out'a here!) she thought. She jumped off the bed, ripping out the I.V. from her wrist. She grabbed the wristband and tore it off, starting out the door at a full sprint.

"Ranko, wait!" Misato cried. "We're not going to hurt you!" (Yeah right! If they find out about Hinako and the others, we're toast!) she thought. She ran out the door, shoving past the two people in front of her. She sprinted out into the corridors and ran past the two patrol officers waiting outside the door.

Misato, hot on her trail, pointed at her and yelled,

"STOP HER!"

"Hey Akane!" Ran-chan whispered. She felt for the transistor behind her ear. It was still there but it must've short-circuited in the LCL. So did all her equipment, including the camera. Far into the technology era, and things still get affected by water or anything close to it. (Including me!) he thought.

Ran-chan disconnected the transistor and placed it in her palm. She shook

it and a some sparks flew out from it. She tried again.

"Akane!" It answered back, but there was a lot of static. It came out just clear enough for her to understand. But at least it worked.

Ranma! Y----- kay! Whe-------- been?

"I'm in NERV's hospital. I'm inside the industrial-," she stopped. Four more officers were waiting in her path.

"Outta my way!" Ran-chan cried. She jumped at them, her leg outstretched.

She hit one, and flipped the other. She tripped the third and hit the last one. As soon as the fourth hit the floor, she ran into an entryway to a lab.

"Akane! I need to get out of here! Which way do I go!"

Go back out. The lab is a dead end

"There are too many guards Akane! I'll never make it out!"

Just do it! I've seen you----------- so---- quit now!

"Okaaay, whatever you say, Akane!" she ran back out and slammed into a doctor. He hit the wall, and glared at her. "Now where!"

Go straight ahead and take a left at the next ---------- then take --------

"WHAT!?" Stop right there. Take a -----ft! "Left?" YES!

"But it's coded!" Ran-chan said. She tried ramming the door. "What's the code! And hurry! They're coming!"

967-f7shf92k… and the last few is…

"HURRY!"

329fh2! Ran-chan managed to press it in without messing up. It still didn't open the lock.

"What now!"

Press ENTER you dolt! Ran-chan practically broke the keypad as she pressed the last one. The lock shifted and the door swung open, but just as she began another stride, someone grabbed her elbow. She swung her arm around in defense and hit the person. Unfortunately, they managed to insert a syringe in her hip.

The nurse fell to the floor as her hand collided with her cheek bone.

Ran-chan grabbed the needle and took it out. She continued on.

Ranma- what -------appened?

"Just forget it! Am I almost out?" she asked.

Half way there, Ranma! Just hang ----- there!

"Where to, Akane!"

… "Akane?"

-------- di-------run to-----

"AKANE!!!!" she cried. There was nothing but static. It looked like she was going to have to chance it and find her way out. If she found the lobby, she would be home free, but she had no idea of where she was in the first place.

Just then, a wave of nausia hit her. The chemical was affecting her body already. She nearly lost balance, and leaned up against the wall. She slid down to her knees, but with determination, she managed to get up and start running again. Her vision began to blur and she lost her coordination.

She dropped the transistor.

-------- you there? Ranm---- ? --a!!! there was a long pause.

Back at the base, Akane panicked and stood up from her post. She frantically looked all around and at the screen. The device, now on the floor, showed her nothing but the feet of several people running after someone. She saw a girl drop to the floor ahead of the transistor, and she cried out when she realized who it was…

"RRRRRAAAAAANNNNNMAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

********

"WHAT!?" cried Hinako.

"Please tell me you are joking! Even if you are I'm still going to kill you!" she said. Akane nodded.

"Commander, its not a joke! He didn't make it out of the hospital. He must've been weakened by battling in the Eva," she said. Then she slapped her hand over her mouth. (oops…) she thought.

"HE DID WHAT!?!?!?" she cried. (Just maybe… I shouldn't have mentioned that). Akane winced at the tone of Hinako's voice. She only had that tone of voice when she was extremely mad, and she didn't have to know this to see just how angry she was.

"Hinako, what are we going to do?" asked Akane.

"I don't know. But how could he do this! How could he so stupid as to be dressing up in the suit and actually trying to… to….drive that thing!" Akane was about to correct her that the more suitable term was 'piloting', but she held her tongue. Hinanko was on the verge of breaking down as it was.

"How could he do this to me!"

"Commander? What about Ranma?" asked Akane. Hinako shook her head.

"I don't know Akane, give me some time to think," she walked out of the room, the tapping of her heels on the marble echoing throughout the room. Akane relaxed and put her hand on her forehead. How COULD Ranma do this to them? How stupid was he? (That Baka!) she thought as she pursed her lips.

Ryouga walked in just as Hinako accidentally bumped into him. Ryouga looked thoughtfully at Hinako before turning back to Akane and asking,

"What's wrong with HER?"

"Ranma," said Akane.

"What about Ranma? asked Ryouga.

"He didn't make it out," she replied.

"WHAT!? I thought he… but when I … he is still… he didn't make it?" Ryouga sweat dropped. (it's all my fault!) He thought. His stupid navigational problems got him lost right before they went in. And then, right when thing couldn't get worse, he found himself in the control room. It was not what he had wanted. Worse yet, he had tripped on something and hit the console. Who knew what buttons he had triggered. Plus he had also accidentally ripped some cord on the way in.

"Yeah. And I'm worried abou- that he'll spill about us," said Akane.

"Tomboy no need worry. Ranma not break that easy," Shampoo walked in, writing on a clipboard. They turned their heads. Shampoo pulled out the pen in her shirt's pocket, and looked up to them. The end of Akane's mouth twitched. Shampoo walked past the two and turned on the console.

"Shampoo, how do you know he won't just blurt it all out like all the other times his big mouth got us into trouble?" asked Ryouga. Shampoo ignored him and just jotted down more notes.

"How can you be so sure, Shampoo?" asked Akane.

"How long you know husband?" asked Shampoo.

"Well… uh… 11 years…," said Akane. "Not counting the years he was out on that STUPID training trip."

"Move over. It Shampoo's shift now," she simply replied. Akane growled as she got up out of the chair. She never did like Shampoo. She was always on her back about this and that. She never gave her any slack.

"But just what are we going to do about Ranma? We can't just leave him there!" said Akane.

"Yeah…," Shampoo stood up from her chair. She put down her glasses and her lab-jacket.

"Shampoo?"

"Hinako not like this, but…" Akane and Ryouga waited anxiously for her answer.

"Akane find 1 more worker. Then group go, two by two," Shampoo said. Akane nodded at Shampoo and ran out of the room. As a higher ranker, she was responsible. Without the approval of Hinako harbored bad results. Nothing went on behind Hinako's back. It wouldn't be long before she would find out, but by then they'd be in and out of the hospital before anything would be done about it. If she found out they'd be discharged of their status.

Shampoo smiled. IF…

********

"He's coming to…," said a female voice.

"Now. Young lady, this time you may not leave. We have some things to ask you," said a man's voice. Ran-chan opened her eyes. She was in a confined room with a single door. On the wall to her left, there was a mirror. No doubt there were faces behind watching her. Just above her head was a small microphone of some kind, recording everything she would say. And lastly, her arms were strapped down by some buckles preventing anything she was going to try.

Ahead of her, sat two people. Ran-chan presumed the girl was Misato, and that the man was head of NERV. But it was only a hunch. It was just the aura that hovered around him.

"Hello. My name is Gendou. I will be asking you about some things. I'm hoping that you'll answer honestly. It's the best that you can do. What …is …your…name?" he asked. Ranko lifted her head and stared at him with her aqua-colored eyes.

"I already told… her," Ranko stared at Misato. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"I don't care. What is you name?" asked Gendou.

"My name is Tuxedo Kamen," said Ranko, smiling coldly. Gendou's eye

twitched slightly. "Your name," Gendou said, the words strained slightly.

"Her name is Ranko Saotome…. Sir," said Misato. Gendou nodded, but never took her gaze away from Ran-chan. "How old are you?" He asked.

"82," she muttered.

"YOUR AGE, young lady," he said.

"She's looks fourteen, sir," Misato replied.

"I was not asking you," He turned back to Ranko, "How old are you."

"You should listen to the lady. She seems to know more about me than I do," said Ran-chan in a monotonous voice.

"Young Lady, Your AGE," he said loudly.

"Fourteen," she said.

"How did you get inside the Eva Cage?" he asked.

"Teleporter," she said.

"It appeared that she was with the tour group. She broke away and used this…" Misato lifted a device into the light and onto the table. It was the keypad and the connector. Ran-chan hesitated. She felt a bead of sweat forming on her forehead.

"…to get into the Control Room," Misato watched closely for a reaction from her. She didn't get one. Gendou stood up from his chair and began pacing the short distance from one side of the room to the other.

"You see, Ranko. Every Eva pilot must train before they are successfully able to control the Eva as well as you have. However, you have received no training as far as we have known. Have you been trained to use the Eva?" he asked. Ran-chan just laughed. Gendou walked up to the desk and slammed his hands down on it.

"Were you trained?" he asked. Ran-chan looked him in the eye and mouthed the word "No".

"Then how were you able to control the EVA so easily?!"

"The truth is…," she whispered. She noticed them both lean forward slightly. She leaned forward as well, until her face was inches from theirs. Her smile grew into a chilling sneer.

"I don't know," she slowly eased back unto her chair and lowered her head, giving them her icy gaze. No more questions were answered.

********

"Did you remember yesterday's attack?" asked a student behind Shinji. He turned his head around and saw the two students engage in a conversation.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I heard that it was not one of NERV's pilots steering that thing!"

"You know what I heard? I heard it was a civilian!" A few gasps could be heard around the room. Shinji narrowed his eyes. Ranma was absent today. So was Ryouga and Ukyou.

(I wonder what the three of them could be doing?) thought Shinji. Shinji shook his head and tried focusing on class while they chatted behind him, but it was too distracting. Shinji looked to Touji, who sat beside him. He was giving him the same exact look. Shinji motioned to his computer. Touji nodded and began typing something on the keyboard. Shinji's laptop blinked once before a message appeared on it:

What's going on? Shinji hesitated.

I dunno he replied.

But have you noticed that Akane's been acting really strange lately?

Yeah I guess. Now that you mention it, she HAS been really quiet these days. You think something's wrong?

Yeah- I think so Shinji didn't know what to reply, but another message popped up.

Has Misato told you anything about the mystery pilot that used the new model, yesterday?

No, but I overheard Misato talking on the phone before school.

What'd she say? He just stared at the screen thinking of an answer.

Shinji- what'd she say? Shinji sighed.

She said Gendou was in a 'hype' because they pilot wasn't trained beforehand

No way the pilot could have done that without the training!

That's what I heard

That just cant be. Maybe you just heard wrong

Touji, I happened to be in the hall outside the kitchen when she said it

Okay fine. Let's say the pilot really didn't get any training. How the hell could he have piloted it so well? Shinji turned to him and shrugged.

And why didn't they use a joint operation with 02? Or 01?

I think she said that it was still being tested. It could've gone berserk and damaged the partner

But still. And how did the guy get past security anyhow?

It was a girl, Touji, a girl

A girl? Well then how did the GIRL get past security?

She didn't say

Well what now? Tuoji looked up from the screen and glanced at Shinji. The teacher cleared her throat and said,

"Class!" Shuffling could be heard behind the Shinji and Touji.

"This is not gossip time," he turned around. "And Mr. Ikari?"

"Yes?"

"The conversation with Touji is over." Shinji jerked up straight in his chair.

"Gomen nasai, Mitsuki-sensei!" He waited until she turned back to the blackboard before sending a message to Akane.

Akane? He glanced over at Akane. She jumped out of her chair abruptly. She had a shocked look on her face, but was mostly of surprise.

The teacher whipped around again. "Akane, what is it?"

"Uh, nothing…. Mitsuki-sensei," she said shakily. She fixed her skirt and sat down in her chair. She threw a look at Shinji.

What do you want? She replied on the computer. You scared the hell out of me.

Where's Ranma and Ryouga? And what about Ukyou? Is there something wrong with them?

Oh don't worry about it

But what's wrong then? Shinji looked puzzled. He hadn't typed that in. He heard some clicking sounds Touji's desk.

Who else is here beside me and Akane? Shinji asked.

This is Tuoji. I thought I might join in your conversation

Oh…

So Akane, what IS wrong? It was quite a while before Akane answered his question.

Ranma's having some problems at home It finally came up on his screen.

What problems? Touji managed to ask the question before him. There was yet another long pause.

Personal ones.

And what do you mean by PERSONAL, I might ask? Touji leaned back on his chair.

Akane? You still there? A private message from Tuoiji came on his computer.

/Private to Shinji/ From Touji / --She's lying

/Private to Touji/ From Shinji /--What makes you think that?

/Private to Shinji/ From Akane /-- Shinji? It's kind of personal. Can you tell him to back off? I knew you would understand. Thanks!

Private to Akane/ From Shinji /-- Is he having some kind of mental trauma? he asked.

Private to Shinji/ From Akane /-- You don't back off now, I swear you'll be sorry Shinji stared at his screen. (I swear you'll be.. sorry?)

/Private to Shinji/ From Touji /-- What's wrong. It looks like you jus' saw a ghost Shinji read this, and was about was about to reply, ' I think I got a death threat from Akane', but as he brought his finger toward ENTER, he hesitated. He deleted it and replied instead,

/Private to Touji/ From Shinji/-- Nothing. Everything's fine





As you can tell, I don't really think a whole lot about my stories. .. But review anyway. No matter how weird it wuz. REVIEW! Thanx.