Prior Acquaintances
Chapter 5: Foreign Places
Dark blue eyes gazed towards the heavens, staring without the slightest movement. One could have believed the owner of these eyes was dead, except for the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. However, the eyes' stargazing was blocked by one slight impediment.
"Unfamiliar ceiling…" mumbled the boy, once again taking in his new surroundings. Dark, as the light was off. Bare, as no posters or any decorations were to be found on the walls. Gradually, these surroundings faded as his consciousness drifted to the events of the past twenty-four hours.
{{"Sorry I'm late!"
"You're not comfortable with your father, are you?"
"It's been a while."
"Get in."
"Get in, or leave!"
"I can't! I can't do this!"
"I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away…"
"I'll do it!"
"Welcome home."}}
He had…fought. In a robot. A giant, biomechanical robot. Or so they had told him. He had fought against an equally large…thing, that they called an Angel. It had…dislocated his arm and crushed his wrist. And pierced his skull. Yet somehow, he had destroyed it, walking away from the battle, and even the self-destruction of the angel. Except for the mental scars and fatigue, he was left unscathed.
Yet, why was he here?
His father had told him to come, and he did. The same father who had abandoned him without a word all those years ago. He should have stayed at his grandparents' house. Then he wouldn't have been forced to face the rejection, once again…nor face the…things…that had, he now realized, irrevocably changed his life. He couldn't go back, after what he had seen and done.
Silently lost in his own thoughts, he didn't hear his SDAT change to track 26. He did, however, hear the track itself, as the sound of a violin made itself heard.
"….Partita Three for Violin Solo, Gavotte in Rondo…" he whispered, and sat up as the song triggered a memory. He had downloaded the song after he had lost the one he'd received from…her. He'd have to talk to her. He lay back on the bed, decided to set his computer up tomorrow.
That on his mind, he quickly drifted off to sleep.
"YEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! THAT'S the way to start the day!"
Shinji could only stare in mild horror as his new roommate and self- stylized guardian drank down a whole can of Yebisu, first thing in the morning.
"…You call that breakfast," he asked.
"I'll have you know this is how a traditional Japanese breakfast starts!"
"For you, maybe…" he mumbled, as she glared at him.
"So, are you all settled down now?"
"Yeah…just need to set up my computer. Could you help me with that? I don't know where the plugs are…"
"Mmm, sure. After you come back from school and the synch tests."
"…School? I still have school with all these synch tests?"
"Honestly, you think we'd cut down on your education?"
"It's more like you're turning me into a workhorse…"
"By the way, if you don't leave soon, you're going to be late."
"….I don't even know where the school is, Misato-san…"
"Oh," she said, blinking. "Well, I'll drive you there today. You can walk tomorrow."
IS IT TRUE? Y/N
Shinji looked blankly at the screen of his notebook. What was this about? He glanced around the room, his gaze falling on two girls, waving at him. He didn't know either of them, as he had only been in the school for the past three weeks. He turned back to the screen as a new message appeared.
ARE YOU THE PILOT? Y/N
Ah. Of course. Why else would they talk to him? Should he even answer?
He looked at the screen for a few more seconds…and let his hands move.
YES.
"WHAAAAAAAAAT?", came the resounding cry throughout the classroom, as all converged on him. He jumped, then cowered as the mass of humanity towered above him.
"What is it like?"
"What is it called?"
"What is it's special attack?"
"We're so proud of you!"
Yeah…right. They barely know me…
"Hey, new kid. Outside. Now."
Ow. That hurt.
"His sister got hurt in the accident, because of that big robot. That's his excuse, anyway," whispered the bespectacled light-brown haired boy, then turn to leave with his friend, who had just flattened Shinji.
"…It's not as if I wanted to pilot….", he muttered, wiping at the fresh mark on his face. This caused the jock to freeze, and turn around. He picked Shinji up by the collar, seething as the latter wouldn't look at him in the face, and punched him once more. He remained lying on the ground long after both left, gazing up at the sky, until an unruly mop of blue hair and a single red eye gazed down at him.
"We've received a call from headquarters. I'll see you there."
Again, he was left alone. Sitting up, his thoughts drifted towards the girl that had just appeared and disappeared so promptly. He could have sworn he'd seen her for a moment, in the middle of the road, before the "Angel" had appeared… He also remembered her on the stretcher, making his prior memory erroneous. How his father had used both himself and her, forcing him to pilot lest the injured girl would have to pilot again…and most likely not survive the process, or so Misato had told him. How she seemed to gaze out the window during the whole lessons, everyday, not paying attention to anything or anyone.
Shaking his head, he stood up, and started walking towards the Geofront.
Days later, he stood in front of his computer, now ready to start up. He hadn't talked to her in a few …weeks, now…since he'd gotten his father's letter. Since then, whether it was school, or synch test, or both as it usually was, he was either too exhausted or just plain never remembered to turn the machine on. He wanted to talk about so many things…but most of them he couldn't. He wouldn't talk about how he had ran away, ignoring his own mantra. Would he talk about the two other boys he could now call friends, one of the two who had hit him twice only days before? Probably not. Least of all would he talk about the robots…the EVAs. Not that he could if he wanted to, as he was now prohibited of revealing any information relevant to NERV. First and foremost, the EVAs.
Sighing, he turned on his computer.
----
*** Now talking in #Rosengärten
*** Topic is 'Where pigs may fly, someday. || Song of the moment: Johann Sebastian Bach – Suiten für Violoncello'
*** Set by RoterRitter on Mon Jan 08 17:33:15
*** ChanServ sets mode: +o Momoku
Momoku Hello, all…
Tchernobyl Hey, Momoku! Where you been lately?
Momoku Oh…I've been busy…couldn't get on.
Tchernobyl Ah. Happens…seems to be I'm the only one here. Wah! So lonely!
*** ArmyOtaku has joined #Rosengärten
ArmyOtaku hi
ArmyOtaku ne1 want to cyber?
Tchernobyl ……….
Tchernobyl Momoku? If you please?
ArmyOtaku wut?
Momoku ……
*** ArmyOtaku was kicked by Momoku (Momoku)
Tchernobyl I hate those types….
Momoku Lets just hope he doesn't come back…
Momoku Hey, where's RoterRitter?
Tchernobyl Her? I dunno, she should be here by now…why, want to talk to your girlfriend? ;)
Momoku ….she's not my girlfriend.
*** RoterRitter has joined #Rosengärten
*** ChanServ sets mode: +o RoterRitter
Tchernobyl Bullshit. She's been asking if you had been in the channel every time she came here, and left immediately if not. Sounds like what a girlfriend would do ;)
Tchernobyl ….. Damn, I'm good. Next thing I'll swallow my whole leg instead of my foot.
*** Tchernobyl has quit IRC (Quit: RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!)
RoterRitter ….I still don't know why I don't just ban him…
----
Shinji was about to open a new window to talk to her, but was interrupted by her own.
----
RoterRitter Where have you been??
Momoku I had to move…pack all my things up and ship them, it took a while…and I've been incredibly busy…
RoterRitter Oh. Still, you could've found something like an Internet Café or something and sent me an email!
Momoku I didn't think of that…
RoterRitter Obviously not…
RoterRitter Too busy to talk to me? :-P What were you doing anyway?
Momoku Oh, stuff… getting organized for the transfer to my new school, things like that… then a whole load of homework…I just haven't had time.
Momoku …
RoterRitter ?
RoterRitter Is something wrong?
Momoku I don't know…can I ask you something?
RoterRitter Sure, go ahead.
Momoku It might be a bit personal, though…
RoterRitter …you know how I hate personal questions..
Momoku Gomen, gomen, forget I asked…
RoterRitter Oh for chrissakes… all right, ask. And stop apologizing!
Momoku Gomen
* RoterRitter glares
Momoku Er…anyway..
Momoku Have you ever…been forced to do something you really, really didn't want to do, but was forced into doing it? By making you feel guilty if you didn't do it?
RoterRitter Of course.
Momoku Really?
RoterRitter Yeah…when I wouldn't eat my vegetables or anything like that, for example…
Momoku …never mind.
RoterRitter What? What?
Momoku Just don't mind it…
RoterRitter Oh no you aren't getting off this easy, mister! Tell me!
Momoku …
Momoku Have you ever felt…used? That someone was playing with your feelings, then throwing them away, abandoning them?
----
Shinji raised an eyebrow as he waited for a response. Normally, it would be almost instantaneous…but by now, several minutes had passed.
----
Momoku You still there?
RoterRitter Yeah.
Momoku And?
RoterRitter …yeah. I have. And I absolutely hate it. And I really don't like knowing you're feeling like that. If you need to talk, come to me, you hear me? I'll listen.
Momoku Really?
RoterRitter Didn't I just say so? Look, I really don't want to see you like this, ok?
Momoku Thanks…
RoterRitter Seriously. I like you, and I don't want to see a friend like this…I already know how bad it is…
----
A friend…? She considered him a friend? His thoughts then went over what the other guy had mentioned.
{Tchernobyl Bullshit. She's been asking if you had been in the channel every time she came here, and left immediately if not. Sounds like what a girlfriend would do ;) }
Could she…or rather, would she…? No, he thought, with nonetheless a slight blush on his cheeks. If there was anything, he would wait until he actually met her. Not that that would be possible, given all the things happening around him now.
----
Momoku Thanks…same goes for you…if you want to talk, I'll listen. Not that I'd be much help…
RoterRitter Oh, stop that. And thanks. You're already helping me by talking to me. I'm lonely out here…oh, by the way, where did you move?
Momoku I'm in @)_)&$!*&-(*!&
RoterRitter ARGH! IT DID IT AGAIN!!
Momoku …..
----
Chapter 5: Foreign Places
Dark blue eyes gazed towards the heavens, staring without the slightest movement. One could have believed the owner of these eyes was dead, except for the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. However, the eyes' stargazing was blocked by one slight impediment.
"Unfamiliar ceiling…" mumbled the boy, once again taking in his new surroundings. Dark, as the light was off. Bare, as no posters or any decorations were to be found on the walls. Gradually, these surroundings faded as his consciousness drifted to the events of the past twenty-four hours.
{{"Sorry I'm late!"
"You're not comfortable with your father, are you?"
"It's been a while."
"Get in."
"Get in, or leave!"
"I can't! I can't do this!"
"I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away…"
"I'll do it!"
"Welcome home."}}
He had…fought. In a robot. A giant, biomechanical robot. Or so they had told him. He had fought against an equally large…thing, that they called an Angel. It had…dislocated his arm and crushed his wrist. And pierced his skull. Yet somehow, he had destroyed it, walking away from the battle, and even the self-destruction of the angel. Except for the mental scars and fatigue, he was left unscathed.
Yet, why was he here?
His father had told him to come, and he did. The same father who had abandoned him without a word all those years ago. He should have stayed at his grandparents' house. Then he wouldn't have been forced to face the rejection, once again…nor face the…things…that had, he now realized, irrevocably changed his life. He couldn't go back, after what he had seen and done.
Silently lost in his own thoughts, he didn't hear his SDAT change to track 26. He did, however, hear the track itself, as the sound of a violin made itself heard.
"….Partita Three for Violin Solo, Gavotte in Rondo…" he whispered, and sat up as the song triggered a memory. He had downloaded the song after he had lost the one he'd received from…her. He'd have to talk to her. He lay back on the bed, decided to set his computer up tomorrow.
That on his mind, he quickly drifted off to sleep.
"YEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! THAT'S the way to start the day!"
Shinji could only stare in mild horror as his new roommate and self- stylized guardian drank down a whole can of Yebisu, first thing in the morning.
"…You call that breakfast," he asked.
"I'll have you know this is how a traditional Japanese breakfast starts!"
"For you, maybe…" he mumbled, as she glared at him.
"So, are you all settled down now?"
"Yeah…just need to set up my computer. Could you help me with that? I don't know where the plugs are…"
"Mmm, sure. After you come back from school and the synch tests."
"…School? I still have school with all these synch tests?"
"Honestly, you think we'd cut down on your education?"
"It's more like you're turning me into a workhorse…"
"By the way, if you don't leave soon, you're going to be late."
"….I don't even know where the school is, Misato-san…"
"Oh," she said, blinking. "Well, I'll drive you there today. You can walk tomorrow."
IS IT TRUE? Y/N
Shinji looked blankly at the screen of his notebook. What was this about? He glanced around the room, his gaze falling on two girls, waving at him. He didn't know either of them, as he had only been in the school for the past three weeks. He turned back to the screen as a new message appeared.
ARE YOU THE PILOT? Y/N
Ah. Of course. Why else would they talk to him? Should he even answer?
He looked at the screen for a few more seconds…and let his hands move.
YES.
"WHAAAAAAAAAT?", came the resounding cry throughout the classroom, as all converged on him. He jumped, then cowered as the mass of humanity towered above him.
"What is it like?"
"What is it called?"
"What is it's special attack?"
"We're so proud of you!"
Yeah…right. They barely know me…
"Hey, new kid. Outside. Now."
Ow. That hurt.
"His sister got hurt in the accident, because of that big robot. That's his excuse, anyway," whispered the bespectacled light-brown haired boy, then turn to leave with his friend, who had just flattened Shinji.
"…It's not as if I wanted to pilot….", he muttered, wiping at the fresh mark on his face. This caused the jock to freeze, and turn around. He picked Shinji up by the collar, seething as the latter wouldn't look at him in the face, and punched him once more. He remained lying on the ground long after both left, gazing up at the sky, until an unruly mop of blue hair and a single red eye gazed down at him.
"We've received a call from headquarters. I'll see you there."
Again, he was left alone. Sitting up, his thoughts drifted towards the girl that had just appeared and disappeared so promptly. He could have sworn he'd seen her for a moment, in the middle of the road, before the "Angel" had appeared… He also remembered her on the stretcher, making his prior memory erroneous. How his father had used both himself and her, forcing him to pilot lest the injured girl would have to pilot again…and most likely not survive the process, or so Misato had told him. How she seemed to gaze out the window during the whole lessons, everyday, not paying attention to anything or anyone.
Shaking his head, he stood up, and started walking towards the Geofront.
Days later, he stood in front of his computer, now ready to start up. He hadn't talked to her in a few …weeks, now…since he'd gotten his father's letter. Since then, whether it was school, or synch test, or both as it usually was, he was either too exhausted or just plain never remembered to turn the machine on. He wanted to talk about so many things…but most of them he couldn't. He wouldn't talk about how he had ran away, ignoring his own mantra. Would he talk about the two other boys he could now call friends, one of the two who had hit him twice only days before? Probably not. Least of all would he talk about the robots…the EVAs. Not that he could if he wanted to, as he was now prohibited of revealing any information relevant to NERV. First and foremost, the EVAs.
Sighing, he turned on his computer.
----
*** Now talking in #Rosengärten
*** Topic is 'Where pigs may fly, someday. || Song of the moment: Johann Sebastian Bach – Suiten für Violoncello'
*** Set by RoterRitter on Mon Jan 08 17:33:15
*** ChanServ sets mode: +o Momoku
Momoku Hello, all…
Tchernobyl Hey, Momoku! Where you been lately?
Momoku Oh…I've been busy…couldn't get on.
Tchernobyl Ah. Happens…seems to be I'm the only one here. Wah! So lonely!
*** ArmyOtaku has joined #Rosengärten
ArmyOtaku hi
ArmyOtaku ne1 want to cyber?
Tchernobyl ……….
Tchernobyl Momoku? If you please?
ArmyOtaku wut?
Momoku ……
*** ArmyOtaku was kicked by Momoku (Momoku)
Tchernobyl I hate those types….
Momoku Lets just hope he doesn't come back…
Momoku Hey, where's RoterRitter?
Tchernobyl Her? I dunno, she should be here by now…why, want to talk to your girlfriend? ;)
Momoku ….she's not my girlfriend.
*** RoterRitter has joined #Rosengärten
*** ChanServ sets mode: +o RoterRitter
Tchernobyl Bullshit. She's been asking if you had been in the channel every time she came here, and left immediately if not. Sounds like what a girlfriend would do ;)
Tchernobyl ….. Damn, I'm good. Next thing I'll swallow my whole leg instead of my foot.
*** Tchernobyl has quit IRC (Quit: RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!)
RoterRitter ….I still don't know why I don't just ban him…
----
Shinji was about to open a new window to talk to her, but was interrupted by her own.
----
RoterRitter Where have you been??
Momoku I had to move…pack all my things up and ship them, it took a while…and I've been incredibly busy…
RoterRitter Oh. Still, you could've found something like an Internet Café or something and sent me an email!
Momoku I didn't think of that…
RoterRitter Obviously not…
RoterRitter Too busy to talk to me? :-P What were you doing anyway?
Momoku Oh, stuff… getting organized for the transfer to my new school, things like that… then a whole load of homework…I just haven't had time.
Momoku …
RoterRitter ?
RoterRitter Is something wrong?
Momoku I don't know…can I ask you something?
RoterRitter Sure, go ahead.
Momoku It might be a bit personal, though…
RoterRitter …you know how I hate personal questions..
Momoku Gomen, gomen, forget I asked…
RoterRitter Oh for chrissakes… all right, ask. And stop apologizing!
Momoku Gomen
* RoterRitter glares
Momoku Er…anyway..
Momoku Have you ever…been forced to do something you really, really didn't want to do, but was forced into doing it? By making you feel guilty if you didn't do it?
RoterRitter Of course.
Momoku Really?
RoterRitter Yeah…when I wouldn't eat my vegetables or anything like that, for example…
Momoku …never mind.
RoterRitter What? What?
Momoku Just don't mind it…
RoterRitter Oh no you aren't getting off this easy, mister! Tell me!
Momoku …
Momoku Have you ever felt…used? That someone was playing with your feelings, then throwing them away, abandoning them?
----
Shinji raised an eyebrow as he waited for a response. Normally, it would be almost instantaneous…but by now, several minutes had passed.
----
Momoku You still there?
RoterRitter Yeah.
Momoku And?
RoterRitter …yeah. I have. And I absolutely hate it. And I really don't like knowing you're feeling like that. If you need to talk, come to me, you hear me? I'll listen.
Momoku Really?
RoterRitter Didn't I just say so? Look, I really don't want to see you like this, ok?
Momoku Thanks…
RoterRitter Seriously. I like you, and I don't want to see a friend like this…I already know how bad it is…
----
A friend…? She considered him a friend? His thoughts then went over what the other guy had mentioned.
{Tchernobyl Bullshit. She's been asking if you had been in the channel every time she came here, and left immediately if not. Sounds like what a girlfriend would do ;) }
Could she…or rather, would she…? No, he thought, with nonetheless a slight blush on his cheeks. If there was anything, he would wait until he actually met her. Not that that would be possible, given all the things happening around him now.
----
Momoku Thanks…same goes for you…if you want to talk, I'll listen. Not that I'd be much help…
RoterRitter Oh, stop that. And thanks. You're already helping me by talking to me. I'm lonely out here…oh, by the way, where did you move?
Momoku I'm in @)_)&$!*&-(*!&
RoterRitter ARGH! IT DID IT AGAIN!!
Momoku …..
----