Their Sacrifices: True Love
By: Langerhast
Chapter 5: The Hope of Recovery
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The Geofront was a hive of activity as dozens of salvaging teams scoured the rubble from the Fourteenth Angel battle, moving rocks and debris.
Ritsuko looked out on the situation, determined to oversee the operation. She winced as a giant piece of ravaged red armor that was being lifted by a crane slipped, and nearly fell on a group of workers milling about underneath of it.
Her sharp ears picked up the very first call of "Dr. Akagi!" As soon as the words had reached her, she darted off to where the message had come from, leaping over the rubble strewn about.
Soon, she reached the group of workers and technicians. "What have you found?" She panted, looking around frantically.
"Dr. Akagi," one of the men who was lifting a huge piece of rubble said. "We think you should come and look at this."
She made her way over to the man, and bent to look down at what had been hidden under the great piece of rubble. She could barely contain her excitement when she saw it.
Unit 02's entry plug lay wedged between a large rock and a vast plate of red armor, covered in the thin coat of purple blood from Unit 02. A long, sinuous crack ran down its broken length, and it was charred almost all over its once white surface. From out of the dark opening of the crack, a hand was thrust, gloved in crimson, like the mixture of blood and LCL that poured out from behind it.
A grin flashed across Ritsuko's face as she inspected it. "Send word to Commander Ikari, and bring me my cell phone."
++++++
After days of being depressed and withdrawn, Shinji was somewhere other than Misato's apartment. His guardian had forced him to go to school, after so much he had missed, and he didn't have the strength to protest.
Shinji Ikari sat slumped at his desk, without the will to move. His hollow, lifeless eyes were fixed on the screen of his laptop, and anyone who failed to notice his faint breathing would have thought him dead. The area around his eyes was still red and puffy, from countless days of endless crying.
He didn't even make an attempt to move when Hikari proceeded to the front of the class, and completed the daily routine. No matter what had happened, she felt that it was her duty to do it.
"S-sit… bow… no, it's… s-stand, b-bow, sit…" She choked the words out, her voice on the verge of cracking. With depressed eyes, she made her way back to her seat, and the teacher began the roll call.
Shinji tore his eyes from the computer screen, only to see poor Hikari flinch at every name that was mentioned. Finally, it came…
"Sohryu… Sohryu Asuka Langley?" The teacher said in a clear voice, looking around the room.
Suddenly, Hikari burst out crying. She leapt to her feet, knocking over the desk, and ran out the door, her tears streaming. Everyone else in the room sat silently with shocked expressions on their faces, and it seems as if a shadow had fallen over the room. Everyone, including the teacher, was desperately confused.
Shinji's head dropped to the desk, and the tears began to well up in his eyes. "My God, Hikari… it was my fault. I'm so sorry…"
++++++
Toji and Kensuke couldn't help but notice their friend, sitting hunched at the lunch table. That was all that their guilty minds could think of.
They had tried to start a cheery conversation with him once or twice, but he barely regarded them. Toji noticed that he wasn't even eating, and his once bright face was now grim and gaunt, like a prisoner's. The two Stooges constantly glanced from their food to Shinji, not daring to eat any of theirs, either.
Kensuke was surprised when Shinji finally stood, shuffling his way to the door. Toji stood up as if to stop him, but Kensuke put a hand on the jock's shoulder and slowly shook his head.
"Let him go," he said. "He obviously isn't happy here."
++++++
Shinji stumbled around the empty school hallways, turning his head from side to side to gaze into the darkened corners. He was searching for someone in particular, but he didn't know if he'd be able to find the person.
As he turned a corner, the soft sounds of sobbing met his ears. Knowing that he was getting close, he wiped the excess tears from his eyes and picked up his pace. He began to search a bit faster, looking in every room he passed.
Finally, he stopped. The crying was very near; beside him. He turned his head, and blinked when he saw that he was standing next to a custodial closet. With a shaking hand, he reached out to touch the door handle, and grasped it. Slowly, he turned it, and upon hearing the click he eased the door open.
Hikari sat huddled in a dark corner of the closet, with her knees pulled up to her breast and her arms wrapped tightly around her head. She shook lightly with the sobbing that came forth, tangled hair covering her face.
Shinji stepped in quietly, and bending over, touched the girl's shoulder. Hikari gasped, and her head shot up, glancing around frantically. A small smile touched her lips when she looked up and saw only Shinji, but it quickly faded. She dropped her head once more, all the light gone from her eyes.
"W-why are y-you here, S-Shinji?" she choked through her tears.
"I just wanted to see if you were… alright."
Hikari tensed slightly. "I… I'm fine."
Shinji, with a look of deep concern on his face, dropped down to sit next to her. "I'm so sorry, Hikari…"
The girl turned to look at him, a shocked expression on her face. "Why? It wasn't your fault…"
Shinji shook his head sadly. "Yes, it was. She… sacrificed herself to save me…"
Hikari's eyes went wide with shock. "To save you? I didn't think Asuka would…"
"But she did," Shinji cut in. "And now she's gone, and there's nothing I can do about it."
++++++
"Ahem."
Rei looked up quietly from the book she was reading at the sound of the voice. Kensuke and Toji stood beside her, looking down with concerned faces.
"What do you want?" She inquired in her soft, monotone voice.
Toji was too nervous to speak. He found that he was always nervous around Rei. "It's about Shinji," Kensuke explained quickly.
"What is wrong with pilot Ikari?" Suddenly, Rei's face had taken on a determined look.
"We… think that he's obsessing over what happened to… Asuka." Toji flinched; he still had trouble believing that it had actually happened.
"Yes. Pilot Sohryu was Killed In Action." The lack of emotion in the blue-haired girl's voice was disturbing.
"Well, we were wondering if… you could help him. Help us to help him, that is…" Kensuke's brow was furrowed.
"I am not sure I understand."
It was time for Toji to speak. "Well, we thought that you might know… um… psychology or something? He's really depressed, and we need to help him snap out of it…"
"There is medication for that sort of thing, is there not?"
Kensuke frowned. "That wouldn't work. He needs… a human touch. We can tell that in the end, Asuka really meant something to him.
Rei nodded. "I see. I will help Pilot Ikari in any way that I can."
Kensuke grinned. "Arigato, Rei-san."
Rei seemingly ignored him. "How may I help him, now?" she inquired.
"Well," Toji began. "We don't know where he is." Rei cocked an eyebrow. "He went off looking for someone, just a little while ago."
Rei nodded. "Then it is best that we look for him, am I correct?" Toji and Kensuke nodded in unison. With that, Rei stood and followed the trio out of the room. Toji and Kensuke were bent on finding their friend at all costs, and Rei was determined to do everything she could to help him.
++++++
Hikari and Shinji were hugging each other tightly, sobbing heavily. They had each finally found a friend to let out all of their emotions with, a friend with comforting arms, and neither had any intention of letting go.
Hikari dug her fingers into Shinji's back, her face buried in his shoulder. "T-thank you, S-S-Shinji…" she sobbed, her heart racing. Shinji just held her tight, face buried in her hair, and too busy crying to say anything. He didn't need to say anything; his emotions conveyed all that he needed to say.
At that moment, neither the dignified class representative nor the constantly hesitant Eva pilot had any shame… but they had each other, and that was all that mattered to them.
++++++
Slowly, an ice blue eye opened in the void of white, stirring the placid nothingness. It stared straight into the blankness, not blinking.
"Where am I?" the voice asked. It was the voice of a tired, confused teenage girl.
Then, another voice answered. "You, my dear Asuka Langley Sohryu, are in Purgatory."
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I sincerely apologize for posting another short chapter. I assure you that I will try to lengthen them as much as possible in the future, but in reality the creative process determines that, not me. Please review!
By: Langerhast
Chapter 5: The Hope of Recovery
++++++
The Geofront was a hive of activity as dozens of salvaging teams scoured the rubble from the Fourteenth Angel battle, moving rocks and debris.
Ritsuko looked out on the situation, determined to oversee the operation. She winced as a giant piece of ravaged red armor that was being lifted by a crane slipped, and nearly fell on a group of workers milling about underneath of it.
Her sharp ears picked up the very first call of "Dr. Akagi!" As soon as the words had reached her, she darted off to where the message had come from, leaping over the rubble strewn about.
Soon, she reached the group of workers and technicians. "What have you found?" She panted, looking around frantically.
"Dr. Akagi," one of the men who was lifting a huge piece of rubble said. "We think you should come and look at this."
She made her way over to the man, and bent to look down at what had been hidden under the great piece of rubble. She could barely contain her excitement when she saw it.
Unit 02's entry plug lay wedged between a large rock and a vast plate of red armor, covered in the thin coat of purple blood from Unit 02. A long, sinuous crack ran down its broken length, and it was charred almost all over its once white surface. From out of the dark opening of the crack, a hand was thrust, gloved in crimson, like the mixture of blood and LCL that poured out from behind it.
A grin flashed across Ritsuko's face as she inspected it. "Send word to Commander Ikari, and bring me my cell phone."
++++++
After days of being depressed and withdrawn, Shinji was somewhere other than Misato's apartment. His guardian had forced him to go to school, after so much he had missed, and he didn't have the strength to protest.
Shinji Ikari sat slumped at his desk, without the will to move. His hollow, lifeless eyes were fixed on the screen of his laptop, and anyone who failed to notice his faint breathing would have thought him dead. The area around his eyes was still red and puffy, from countless days of endless crying.
He didn't even make an attempt to move when Hikari proceeded to the front of the class, and completed the daily routine. No matter what had happened, she felt that it was her duty to do it.
"S-sit… bow… no, it's… s-stand, b-bow, sit…" She choked the words out, her voice on the verge of cracking. With depressed eyes, she made her way back to her seat, and the teacher began the roll call.
Shinji tore his eyes from the computer screen, only to see poor Hikari flinch at every name that was mentioned. Finally, it came…
"Sohryu… Sohryu Asuka Langley?" The teacher said in a clear voice, looking around the room.
Suddenly, Hikari burst out crying. She leapt to her feet, knocking over the desk, and ran out the door, her tears streaming. Everyone else in the room sat silently with shocked expressions on their faces, and it seems as if a shadow had fallen over the room. Everyone, including the teacher, was desperately confused.
Shinji's head dropped to the desk, and the tears began to well up in his eyes. "My God, Hikari… it was my fault. I'm so sorry…"
++++++
Toji and Kensuke couldn't help but notice their friend, sitting hunched at the lunch table. That was all that their guilty minds could think of.
They had tried to start a cheery conversation with him once or twice, but he barely regarded them. Toji noticed that he wasn't even eating, and his once bright face was now grim and gaunt, like a prisoner's. The two Stooges constantly glanced from their food to Shinji, not daring to eat any of theirs, either.
Kensuke was surprised when Shinji finally stood, shuffling his way to the door. Toji stood up as if to stop him, but Kensuke put a hand on the jock's shoulder and slowly shook his head.
"Let him go," he said. "He obviously isn't happy here."
++++++
Shinji stumbled around the empty school hallways, turning his head from side to side to gaze into the darkened corners. He was searching for someone in particular, but he didn't know if he'd be able to find the person.
As he turned a corner, the soft sounds of sobbing met his ears. Knowing that he was getting close, he wiped the excess tears from his eyes and picked up his pace. He began to search a bit faster, looking in every room he passed.
Finally, he stopped. The crying was very near; beside him. He turned his head, and blinked when he saw that he was standing next to a custodial closet. With a shaking hand, he reached out to touch the door handle, and grasped it. Slowly, he turned it, and upon hearing the click he eased the door open.
Hikari sat huddled in a dark corner of the closet, with her knees pulled up to her breast and her arms wrapped tightly around her head. She shook lightly with the sobbing that came forth, tangled hair covering her face.
Shinji stepped in quietly, and bending over, touched the girl's shoulder. Hikari gasped, and her head shot up, glancing around frantically. A small smile touched her lips when she looked up and saw only Shinji, but it quickly faded. She dropped her head once more, all the light gone from her eyes.
"W-why are y-you here, S-Shinji?" she choked through her tears.
"I just wanted to see if you were… alright."
Hikari tensed slightly. "I… I'm fine."
Shinji, with a look of deep concern on his face, dropped down to sit next to her. "I'm so sorry, Hikari…"
The girl turned to look at him, a shocked expression on her face. "Why? It wasn't your fault…"
Shinji shook his head sadly. "Yes, it was. She… sacrificed herself to save me…"
Hikari's eyes went wide with shock. "To save you? I didn't think Asuka would…"
"But she did," Shinji cut in. "And now she's gone, and there's nothing I can do about it."
++++++
"Ahem."
Rei looked up quietly from the book she was reading at the sound of the voice. Kensuke and Toji stood beside her, looking down with concerned faces.
"What do you want?" She inquired in her soft, monotone voice.
Toji was too nervous to speak. He found that he was always nervous around Rei. "It's about Shinji," Kensuke explained quickly.
"What is wrong with pilot Ikari?" Suddenly, Rei's face had taken on a determined look.
"We… think that he's obsessing over what happened to… Asuka." Toji flinched; he still had trouble believing that it had actually happened.
"Yes. Pilot Sohryu was Killed In Action." The lack of emotion in the blue-haired girl's voice was disturbing.
"Well, we were wondering if… you could help him. Help us to help him, that is…" Kensuke's brow was furrowed.
"I am not sure I understand."
It was time for Toji to speak. "Well, we thought that you might know… um… psychology or something? He's really depressed, and we need to help him snap out of it…"
"There is medication for that sort of thing, is there not?"
Kensuke frowned. "That wouldn't work. He needs… a human touch. We can tell that in the end, Asuka really meant something to him.
Rei nodded. "I see. I will help Pilot Ikari in any way that I can."
Kensuke grinned. "Arigato, Rei-san."
Rei seemingly ignored him. "How may I help him, now?" she inquired.
"Well," Toji began. "We don't know where he is." Rei cocked an eyebrow. "He went off looking for someone, just a little while ago."
Rei nodded. "Then it is best that we look for him, am I correct?" Toji and Kensuke nodded in unison. With that, Rei stood and followed the trio out of the room. Toji and Kensuke were bent on finding their friend at all costs, and Rei was determined to do everything she could to help him.
++++++
Hikari and Shinji were hugging each other tightly, sobbing heavily. They had each finally found a friend to let out all of their emotions with, a friend with comforting arms, and neither had any intention of letting go.
Hikari dug her fingers into Shinji's back, her face buried in his shoulder. "T-thank you, S-S-Shinji…" she sobbed, her heart racing. Shinji just held her tight, face buried in her hair, and too busy crying to say anything. He didn't need to say anything; his emotions conveyed all that he needed to say.
At that moment, neither the dignified class representative nor the constantly hesitant Eva pilot had any shame… but they had each other, and that was all that mattered to them.
++++++
Slowly, an ice blue eye opened in the void of white, stirring the placid nothingness. It stared straight into the blankness, not blinking.
"Where am I?" the voice asked. It was the voice of a tired, confused teenage girl.
Then, another voice answered. "You, my dear Asuka Langley Sohryu, are in Purgatory."
++++++
I sincerely apologize for posting another short chapter. I assure you that I will try to lengthen them as much as possible in the future, but in reality the creative process determines that, not me. Please review!