only *wish* they were mine. This is a Re-write of my first stab at an Evangelion Fic. Let me tell you that up to chapter 24, I
loved this anime, then as so many others it turned dark and painful, Though I didn't disagree with who Shinji ended up with,
I still didn't like how the others were treated. So, this and my other Eva stories to come will focus on giving those characters
a fair chance at a happy ending. So this is fair warning to a good amount of WAFF, romance, and character development!
So, I am writing this story to show what I thought would be an alternate ending to the series where Rei and Asuka lived!
Hopefully the creator of the series will make more movies and hopefully they will give us a more hopeful ending. Thanks to
Tex James and Ryan Xavier for pre-reading this revision!
2. Disclaimer and Foreword: Tenchi
Muyo! and its characters are copyrights and trademarks of AIC, Pioneer,
and
whoever else may own the rights to it,
so please don't sue me (it's not like I have any money anyway. However,
this story is
my original creation and is copyrighted
by me. Please don't copy it and claim it as your own.
Thanks to Tex James for pre-reading this revisied chapter!
Bonds of Love and Survival
Chapter # 8: New Visitors, New Problems!
It was 3 days till the six advancing
EVA's were to arrive at the Masaki Shrine. Washu had anticipated several
contingencies,
including several with Shinji, Asuka
and Rei. As she was planning to use the remaining EVA's in her lab, the
3 former Eva
pilots entered the boom closet, and
made their way into her lab. After the events of the previous day, all
three committed
themselves to defending their new friends
from the incoming EVA's.
As Washu turned to them an all knowing look (Through her surveillance and security system), She then spoke;
Washu smirked, "Well, well, what do we
have here, a group of volunteers ready to help defend us from those god
awful
EVA's?" All three pilots had surprised
and confused looks as they stared at the smiling scientist. "It's OK kids,
I can
understand your reluctance on having
to deal with the EVA's." Shinji nodded, "Well Professor Washu (who as still
in her
adult form) we decided, if you needed
us, well help you all we can!" Washu then tapped her chin, "Well, you'd
better hold
that thought until you come with me
and see something, OK?"
Washu then led the three pilots toward
a hallway on the far wall of her lab. This led out to a large black area,
which had no
light and seemed huge and cavernous.
Then with a flick of an unseen switch, the lights were turned on ... and
all three pilots
gasped in fright and surprise!
Their three EVA's known to have been
either utterly destroyed, or dissolved in the Third Impact were staring
at them like
laughing ghosts, as they sat in their
immense cradles submerged in LCL. Washu then observed their individual
reactions and
let them have several minutes as each
slowly, tentatively made their way towards their respective EVA's.
Shinji, after a few minutes asked, "How
Washu? How did you get them here, ... and why?" The girls then turned towards
The former goddess and waited with concern
at her answer. "We have to use them to help fight against the EVA's that
are
coming here now!"
Asuka had silent tears now falling down
her sullen face. "But, how are they even in one piece, mine was torn apart
in the last
battle and ... she fell down and sobbed.
Mama, Mama, Mama…" Shinji then looked at Rei, who was looking down on her
hands in almost a stunned reaction.
Then, what was obviously affecting the girls, that realization hit him!
He then ran up to
Washu, taking the tall woman by the
collar, anger in his face!
Shinji with venom in his tone said, "YOU
WANT US TO PILOT THOSE ...THINGS AGAIN!" he yelled, echoing within the
cavernous structure.
Washu slowly took Shinji's hands off
her collar, moved them down within hers, and kept them between her and
him. "I am
not going to lie to you, yes we need
you three to pilot, (she nodded her head towards the EVA's) them, ... but
this time you
won't be alone!"
After a menacing glare from Shinji, Washu
let him go and waited as he first gathered the now non-responsive Rei,
sitting
her down on a floating cushion. He then
went to the sobbing Asuka. What disturbed him the most about her was the
way she
cried, ... just like after the 15th
angel. He sighed, and then carefully, he knelt down, and carefully picked
her up. She didn't
resist, laying her head on his chest,
continuing to sob quietly. He kissed her forehead, trying to comfort her
as he made his
way back to where Rei and Washu were
now sitting. There, a table, with two more floating cushions and glasses
of water
were there to help the girls and Shinji
calm down.
As she and Shinji sat with the girls,
Washu produced a giant holo-monitor, which then started playing the crucial
points of
the various battles that Tenchi, Ryoko
and Ayeka were in through the last 30 years. This was an edited version,
so it lasted
just 10 minutes, or it would have never
ended.
Washu then got the three pilot's attention.
"You will not be going in alone, each Eva will have one of us fighting
with you,
so we'll have a coordinated attack."
Shinji then helped calm Asuka with a
hand on hers and her drinking the water. Then, He did the same for the
in shocked Rei,
who slowly came back from her semi-catatonic
state. The after all three children had calmed down enough for coherent
conversation, Washu continued to explain;
"As you may have figured out, I was the one who acquired the EVA's when
they
suddenly appeared in the remains of
NERV's headquarters." "We saw them being taken." Asuka then looked back
at her
Eva, Unit-02, wondering what was now
there, in it's core. "It does explain how The NERV EVA's disappeared",
Rei then
did as her friend, wondered about her
Eva and the soul that was once and now could be there now. Shinji then
stood and
walked about half way between where
the women were seated behind him, and Eva Unit-01. "Mother." Shinji whispered.
But in such a cavernous space, his statement
amplified enough for the three behind him.
"They are there! All three have returned with the EVA's!" Washu then waited for any reaction from the pilots.
"How?" From Asuka
"Why?" said a bewildered Shinji
"I do not understand?" Said a stoic, but concerned Rei.
"A mother will always try to protect
her child," she sighed. "I know that all too well." She looked at the Biomechanoids,
and
continued; "They probably came back
because they felt that they failed you, letting the angels, and then the
MP EVA's hurt
you. I can understand that all too well."
The pilots looked at the Red headed scientist. "When you fail like I did
Ryoko so
long ago, and an opportunity arises
for you to redeem yourself as a mother, a protector, then you take it."
Washu now had
tears in her eyes remembering her failure
to protect Ryoko from Kagato.
They all realized then and there why
the souls of Kyoto Zeppelin Soryu, Yui Ikari, and Naoko Akagi came back
to their
places before Third Impact. "But, Professor
Washu, How does Dr. Akagi's soul inhabiting Unit-00' core have to do with
me?" Rei asked.
"Because my dear Rei, your DNA now matches
hers. That means you are genetically her daughter." Washu said as she wiped
her eyes.
"Dr. Akagi wasn't noted by her daughter
Ritsuko Akagi to be a caring mother, Professor." Rei said impassively not
reacting
to the revelation of her new genetic
structure.
"Ritsuko's mom is Rei's mom?" Shinji
confusingly said. Yes, but we won't know weather you'll be able to sync
with the
EVA's until you..."
"... Pilot them." Asuka finished the statement.
"Look, I won't lie to you, the MP-EVA's
are the same ones that came and battled in Tokyo-3. But they have been
enhanced."
explained Washu.
"What do you mean, enhanced?" asked Shinji.
"Well, to put it bluntly they have as
much power as Ayeka, and Ryoko combined. She then brought a flat monitor
to life and
showed a graphic of the power levels
first the EVA's before third Impact, next to it the MP-EVA's now, and finally,
a
graphic of Ryoko and Ayeka's estimated
power.
"Tenchi might be able to handle two of
them, but even with me helping, Having 10 MP-EVA's..." Wait, ... ten?!?!?
Asuka
then went quiet.
"Oh didn't I tell you, there are three
more I found to be in the Old Russian NERV facilities. Plus a Green on
purple EVA
that looks allot like Unit-01 just inside
the city of Nagoya." Washu stopped to see if all three were listening,
they were.
"They also seem to be able to fly, so
they will be here within two days. Give them another two days to finish
their upgrades,
then I estimate that when they land
their arrival will signal the battle to begin two days later."
Shinji then asked, "So if we do this,
we have to train in EVA's that may not sync with us, Fight Ten MP-EVA's,
and hope to
stay alive with those now enhanced MP-EVA's."
"Well, did you think I'd send you out
there without any enhancements as well? Well, didja?" Washu said with great
pride,
and of course, her dolls made an appearance.
"You are the Greatest Washu" Doll #1 said.
"The Greatest in all the Universe!" concluded
Doll#2 Asuka, and even more Rei did not seem pleased by the 'dolls'
appearance.
Shinji then suddenly got up and knelt
down in front of the girls (As she looked at his two loves he asked them)
"Girls I have
decided for me to go and fight along
side the Masaki's." Both Asuka and Rei looked perplexed. "I am going simply
because I
want to stop this threat once and for
all, so we can have that life we always wanted. I don't want you two to
fight, so stay,
help Washu and I will help them take
these EVA's out!"
Both girls looked at Shinji, then each
other. They got up, ... and slapped him! He looks up where he was met with
two sets of
angry faces!
Asuka then spoke first: "Who do you think
you are telling us not to back you up and fight for our friends and our
futures, I
am Asuka Langley Soryu, and I will be
by your side till death do us part, got it Baka Shinji!" (He shook his
head yes, then a
hand grabbed it, turning his chin, and
he turned to a rare sight, an angry Rei!)
Rei quietly, but firmly stated, "I will
be there for you, and for Asuka-chan, I will always be there for you both!"
(After a
few seconds, a wry smile crept across
her face to punctuate her point. Shinji turned to Asuka who had the same
smile.) Then
he remembered what Tenchi had said earlier,
"When your wives have made up their minds and they are in agreement, give
way and do what they say, because you'll
have no chance to win! Got it!" Shinji answered by simply getting up, put
his arms
around the girls, and kissed both of
his fiancées!
Washu smiled at the sight before her.
"Well, since you all agree, then the assignments are as follows; Shinji,
your with
Ayeka, Rei, you'll team up with Tenchi,
Asuka, you'll team with Ryoko!"
Shinji let out a breath; "We need to sync with the EVA's Washu, as well as run some simulations with our new partners!"
Washu looked annoyed. "Don't you think
I already thought of that!" But, then let out a laugh! "Don't worry I've
brought in
some experts to help!"
Then all three pilots grabbed onto the table in front of them as what they thought of as ghosts appeared!
In front of them were some old faces
none of them thought they would see again! Of the seven people in front
of them,
Shinji and Asuka ran and jumped on Misato
first, then the rest gathered around them and Rei in a series of hugs,
hand shakes
kisses and pats on the back! Rei was
struggling with this new and unwanted input of physical contact, but she
looked at Asuka
and Shinji's smiling faces, and relented
on what she would have normally done to those who violated her personal
space.
Then she realized "I do not have angelic
powers, well I will just have to suffer through it." As they started to
separate, Rei
could recognize Touji, Kensuke, and
Hikari. Shinji and Asuka's friends, then she recognized some of the bridge
crew,
Makoto, Maya, and Shegru, whom she was
more familiar with!
Washu then explained that all of them
seemed to have appeared the day they took off from Tokyo-3. Misato, Makoto,
Shegru, and Maya appeared on the bridge,
while Kensuke, Hikari, and Touji appeared in their classroom.
Touji started by saying, "We even saw you little bike caravan when you guys left"
"Yeah, we rode by the old area, we didn't see you guys." Asuka smirked back.
Hikari said hesitantly, "You had already passed us when we tried to wave at you. But we were too late!"
Shinji was confused. "So, how did you get here, and meet Professor Washu?"
Misato smiled as she had an arm around
Asuka and Shinji, "As you know we four opened our eyes on what was left
of the
command center. So before I thought
to go back to my apartment to try to find you, she appeared below us in
the EVA
holding chamber."
Maya continued, "And when she started typing on a floating see through laptop, the EVA's and all their parts disappeared."
Shedder Shegru added, "So, we high tailed
it down there to find out who and what she was and why she was there, and
where the EVA's were going! Though the
Major wanted to capture her, she didn't have her gun with her!"
Misato the continued, "We confronted
her, then I felt things changing as I saw Washu as a huge person then saw
my webbed
feet, the feeling of being a water sprite
changed my mind quickly!"
Asuka was laughing "So I take it, that's when you offered to help Washu?"
Makoto nodded in the affirmative. "After
she explained everything that happened to you and the coming EVA's, we
felt it
was our responsibility to help, water
sprites or not!" He looked straight at Misato.
Misato, with a big sweat drop tried to
change the subject! "Plus, I get to see you guys again!" (She hugged all
three pilots
again!)
Shinji smirked, "Plus, she must have promised you beer to!"
Misato, with a BIG smile on her face, "OOOOOHHHH, YEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH, you bet!"
Shinji shakes his head! "Figures!"
Rei looked puzzled at her fiancé', then asked, "So, how did how did Shinji-kun's and Asuka-chan's friends get here?"
Touji answered, "Well we figured that
if we came back, then you guys (Pointing to the former NERV bridge crew)
had to
have something to do with it."
Kensuke added, "So, we made our way to the Misato's apartment to confirm it was you guys we saw!"
"We then went to NERV Headquarters to see if there was someone there!"
Hikari finished. Kensuke asked, "Let me tell him, OK?"
Touji said, "OK!"
"I figured that if you guys left, you would have left any notes, they'd be in the refrigerator behind the beer."
Misato looked surprised "What a great place to hide a note!"
Asuka smiled Like a Cheshire cat, "Not if they knew you Misato!" (Everybody laughed except Misato who had a scowl on!)
Rei then asked, "Is that where you encountered Professor Washu?"
Hikari answered. "Yes, and we ended up here helping Professor Washu Set-up the EVA's!"
Touji then asked, "Hey, shin man A while
back why did Rei us chan when calling you and devil girl?" ** This took
another
20 minutes for Shinji and the girls
to explain their current state of their relationship! **
"YOU WHAT?????" Yelled a surprised and very angry Misato!
"You Da Man shin man, bagging both the
Ice Princess and Satan's daughter, oh I'm so proud of you!" (Within seconds
4
hands slap Touji's face to clearly drive
the point that he made a big mistake. by the way the slaps came from Rei,
Asuka,
Hikari, and finally Misato in that order!)
Shinji stiffened at his friend's comments.
"Would you stop thinking with you loins instead of the head on your shoulders,
when you open that big mouth of yours
Touji!"
Kensuke's seemed not to be listening
to Shinji's obvious warning, and not really learning from Touji's earlier
experience! "I
must be in the presence of a holy man
of love, way to go Shinji!" What then followed was about five straight
minutes of
pummeling for Touji and Kensuke by the
Shinji's fiancées, Hikari and Misato!
"I think they finally got the message!" She said after leaving two whimpering and balling boys on the floor.
Shinji made his way to the now bruised
and crying pair of boys. "Serves you right, and don't make degrading comments
about my fiancées, or any girl
for that matter again!" he pointed his finger at the now subdued boys.
Misato now was glaring at the three teen
pilots. "I want to see the three of you, NOW in the Briefing room!" They
followed
an irate Major to the Briefing room.
Washu had made an exact copy of the NERV EVA facilities so we knew the
way!
Misato sat there for about 20 minutes
grilling us on why marrying, let alone marrying both girls was a bad idea!
She had
three arguments against our marriage.
One, We were too young so it was illegal. Two, We didn't know what love
truly was.
And three, she was still our guardian,
so she would have to approve of this, which she wasn't!
When she finished the girls and I looked
at each other. I finally rose and began to answer the three main arguments
that
Misato had!
"Misato-chan, first, you well know what
we have lived through these past 2 years! You know us because we have matured
much faster than a normal teen would
have, and because of our knowledge that we could be killed the next day,
we knew
what became important to us was that
we spend what ever time we had with those we loved. I think that alone
qualifies as an
adult decision. " He then hesitated
as he tied to read Misato's facial expression to see if he was making head
way. Not getting
any real response, he continued, "Did
you know that I was the one who made the decision to come back, thereby
allowing
others that same decision. Misato-chan,
If I had not decided the way I had, we'd all be in that stretch of LCL
surrounding the
continents oceans, and in orbit around
the earth, joined with the rest of humanity in a liquid communal existence."
Rei, and
then Washu then backed up my point by
relating in detail the events of the Third Impact "Because of that I may
be young,
but I know what a adult decision is."
He then looked at his guardian's face
and started to see some indication of his point getting across! "You may
ask, what do I
know about love? Well, (He smiled!)
I know what love is not! It certainly wasn't what I had with my father
and with NERV
in general. But, I know what love is
because of what I have with my friends, ... and with you.
Although you were responsible by NERV's
terms, you cared for me and I thank you all for that. But, what I have
with
Rei-chan and Asuka-chan is more than
that. I wake with them at my sides every morning since we came back, I
cannot live
with them away from me! It may be an
obsession, but I know I simply cannot live without them." He sighed and
then took a
hand of each of his loves.
"About this being legal, Professor Washu
has shown me data that more human females, about 2 to 1, are returning
than
males. Maybe it's fate or another hand
at work, but I think that because of this I think what I am doing with
Rei-chan and
Asuka-chan will be legal simply to be
able to re-establish the human race on this planet. Plus, Misato-can, what
laws prevail
now, there isn't enough people to justify
what we do now, and even by the time it does, I think that the facts I
have stated
will prove my point. The people we're
staying here with, they're mostly from a planet called Jurai! They have
an advanced
technological and cultural civilization
that allows this form of marriage. Plus, Tenchi has contacted the Jurian
Empire,
they're sending supplies and technical
advisors to help us rebuild this planet. Plus they are part of Jurai's
Royal family, and
have agreed to help us once we help
them with the production EVA's!"
Misato, cutting in, "That's all well
and good, but you haven't gotten to my last point, my guardianship of you
three! And I
say three since Ritsuko, nor Gendo Ikari
is here, so I am Rei's guardian for now."
Shinji replied, "I'm getting to that!
Misato-chan, do you agree that since the Third Impact, there is no real
government
structure other than what's in this
valley and this family?"
After some pondering, she answered "Ok, I'll agree to that!"
Shinji, with renewed confidence said,
"So, since Tenchi, his family own and live in this valley. Since they are
from Jurai,
and have themselves a multi-wife marriage,
that means that they observe Jurai Law here, so I would state that until
there is a
local, National or world government
to re-establish new or existing laws, that Jurai law stands here and now.
That means
that I can wed Rei-chan and Asuka-chan
under Jurian law. Since that law has to be eventually recognized by the
new and
future Japanese, and world government
on earth, I can still have a legal marriage here!"
Misato had noticed Tenchi come into the
conference room, then asked him: Misato asked, "Mr. Masaki, Er.... Your
highness, does what Shinji say really
hold water?"
Tenchi smiled, then replied, "Well, legally
this valley belongs to my family, and since there is not established government
now Yes he is right, but, legal guardianship
is standard on Jurai as it is in most civilization in the universe. So,
Misato is still
your guardian."
Misato gathered her arms around her waist.
"So, I can prevent them from marrying, right" Shinji and the girls have
very
disappointed and sad looks on their
faces.
Tenchi replied "Yes, and No!"
Misato looked puzzled. "What do you mean, Uh.... You highness?"
Tenchi answered with a smile on his face.
"Please here just call me Tenchi, OK. And to answer you, Yes you can prevent
their wedding, but until they're 16
years old, then they can legally marry under Jurian law!"
Misato, glared at their three teens as
they were jumping up and down on the inside, while smiling a triumphant
smile, The
Major couldn't stay mad at them for
long. After she went up to them, she stated for all to hear that they would
stay with her
until, their 16th birthday, then they
could get married. They all finally hugged one another and headed to the
Masaki home
for some food.
It was lunchtime in the more crowded
than normal Masaki household, with the addition of the NERV bridge crew,
and The
pilot's friends. Which means one of
Sasami great dishes was being prepared, and rest before resuming the preparations
for
the impending Eva attack! After promising
to Misato that they won't become intimate with each other till the wedding,
she
agreed to allow them to continue to
sleep together in the same bed. Though Misato enlisted Washu to help monitor
them just
in case, she reasoned because she was
their guardian, and that was one of her jobs!
After going back to working on their
Eva preparation and having a very crowded dinner, all the people in the
house headed
to bed for the night with a clearer
understanding of each other, and to think about what is being asked of
them in the coming
battle. All prayed for each other's
safety, and a positive outcome, but as with anytime there's an eve of battle,
apprehension
and dread set in. Most did not sleep
well that night. Loved ones held each other tightly in the various bedrooms.
So,
throughout the night, everyone shared
their feelings to each other and with each other, they found a sense of
confidence
building that things will turn out for
the better. All became bound together by the mutual goal of winning the
battle. The
idea of getting through the battle became
more reachable as all rested for tomorrow came with a lightning swiftness.
******************************************************************************************************
Chapter 9: Reflections, will go
into the feelings of several of the house holds apprehension and dread
done that night
before the battle! We will also see
the practices before the final battle as Masaki and Eva work together to
find a victory in
the coming battle! Also, why were the
pilot's friends brought in, ... unless they were somehow ...needed!
