Disclaimer: Same as before.
Chap. 2
"Rei. Rei, are you there?"
The First Child opened the door, "Major."
"Have you seen Shinji?"
"Yes. Fifteen minutes ago."
"How was he? Was he alright?"
"If you are referring to his physical condition, then I'd have to say he was fine. But..."
"What is it, Rei?"
"He was acting a little strange. He told me that I was a great friend to him and he...hugged me."
This didn't surprise Misato too much, "I see." It was then that she noticed a small necklace around Rei's neck. I never knew she had a necklace.
"Yes. But may I ask a question, Major?"
"Go ahead."
"Why did Ikari-kun have a gun?"
Gendo's office...
A month ago, Shinji would have never thought he would be doing what he was doing now. Sure, ever since he was brought into the world of Eva, he thought many times of hurting his father or threatening him for what he had done. But he always thought that he was too weak or too spineless to actually try something.
Time sure had a way of changing people.
"You had better put that down, Pilot. You are expendable."
Shinji moved forward a bit, not backing down at all. "Am I?"
Gendo was unfazed. After all, he anticipated that Shinji would try something like this sooner or later. Still…the way he said those words and this new persona of his was something to be cautious of.
"Do you think if you kill me, you will learn anything?"
"I think that if you want whatever it is you are doing to succeed, you'll need to be alive." He raised the gun even higher and Gendo stood up.
"Don't be childish. You won't do it and you know it." As he was speaking, his hand began to drift to the side and toward a drawer. The door behind them began to bang and voices were heard on the other side.
"Any minute now, they will come in and drag you out to a prison where you won't see the light of day for a long while."
Gondo grasped the hidden gun he had in his drawer. But as soon as he lifted it, a bullet rang out and knocked the gun out of his hand and sending it skittering on the ground.
Shinji narrowed his eyes, "I put a lock on the door. It'll take fifteen minutes for them to get through." Then without changing his glance, Shinji waved the gun toward the lock panel and shot it. It exploded and sparkled. Shinji re-pointed the gun at Gendo. Gendo was surprised. His aim is accurate.
"Now it will take half an hour."
Gendo was still surprised, a fact not gone unnoticed by his son. He planned this in advance? He wasn't sure to be proud of Shinji or extremely furious. He decided to be neither.
"I'm an Eva pilot. Handling a gun is no different." He raised the gun again and cocked the trigger. "Position target in center, pull the switch."
Shinji fired again, barely grazing the Commander's head. But it did hit his shades, causing them to fly off his face. Gendo looked with a mixture of anger and surprise.
"Now you'll hide nothing."
Gendo saw that this wasn't the same Shinji Ikari as before. Not the shy, timid boy he'd only have to look at and watch him scurry away. This was the other Shinji Ikari, the one that appears each time he's in battle. The brave, powerful and very dangerous warrior.
Gendo's rage was barely concealed now, "I'm your commanding officer. I'm ordering you to put down the gun, now."
Now it was Shinji's turn to be angry and unlike the commander, he didn't try to conceal it. "Being my commanding officer doesn't mean &^$% right now. If anything, it gives me several reasons to shoot you where you stand. The only reason I haven't yet is because you are also my father and that also is a reason to personally put a bullet in your head. But against my better judgment, I'm giving you the benefit of a doubt."
Gendo stared at his son. He hadn't anticipated this. He never expected him to be like this. Before, he could simply stare at Shinji and that would be it. And even when he had his slight defiance's, he always knew a way to control him. But now, now he was cold and calculating. The traces of fear in his eyes were replaced with a cold determination. It was almost as though he was looking at a reflection of himself. And a new realization dawned on him. It seems I misjudged you, Shinji. You're not the pawn I thought you would be.
Gendo sat back down, "What do you want?"
When he asked that question, he remembered what Kaji had told him. Even if I were to die, I would be happy knowing the truth.
Shinji echoed, "The truth."
Misato headed to the hospital and entered Asuka's room. Damn, not here. Rei was also with her and looked around the room. She then noticed the card Shinji left for Asuka.
"Major." She handed the card to Misato. Misato opened it and read it.
Dear Asuka,
By the time you read this, I'll probably be gone. I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect you and help you when you needed it. But now, I'm going to get some answers. No more of the shy little twerp you always hated. I just wanted you to know that I never held it against you whenever you got angry at me. If anything, I probably deserved it. Thank you for being a good friend, even if you didn't show it too much.
Goodbye,
Baka Shinji
P.S. I'm sorry.
Misato read it over again. What did he mean by getting some answers? Her cell phone then rang and she answered it. After a few minutes, she dropped the phone in utter shock.
I don't believe it. He's lost his mind.
Gendo's office...
"Third Child, I'm warning you."
"Don't be childish." Shinji spat out, eerily sounding like the Commander, "What can you do to me that you haven't done already?"
Gendo narrowed his eyes again and then calmed down. Might as well play along for now.
"There are many truths. Many I doubt you can handle."
"I've handled a lot. Surprise me"
"Yui."