Disclaimer: Gainax productions owns all rights to Evangelion, and I own none of them. I am merely using their characters to write a (not for profit) story, and will gladly remove all traces of this file should they request it rather than face legal action. This story takes place sometime after episode 15, though where exactly does not really matter for this chapter. In subsequent chapters I may pin it down further, but for now the most important event in the context of this story has taken place - recently. Enjoy.
Children
Part 1
The great war of 2015
By Random1377
My name is Shinji Ikari. I want to start my story with an image of me on the run. Sounds pretty dramatic, right? Maybe it would be if I weren't on the run from my roommate and fellow Evangelion pilot Asuka Langley Souryu.
It had started out as an average day at school, except for the fact that it was really hot - so hot that everyone had stayed inside for lunch, including Rei Ayanami, who normally chose a quiet, secluded spot to eat her lunch in private.
I guess it would surprise no one to learn that Touji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida - my two friends, had started the Great War of 2015.
"Third CHIIIIIIILLLLLLLD..." Asuka's voice rang through the school hallway, "where ARRRRRRRREEEEEE you?"
-Does she honestly think I'm going to just tell her?- I thought, peeking around the locker I was hiding behind. I drew my small, dripping pistol up, catching sight of her down the hallway.
I knew I was in trouble - she had managed to get a hold of some preposterously huge weapon that had a shoulder strap and needed two hands to carry. -If she finds me,- I thought, -I'm going to get REALLY wet...-
Of course it was a water war - did you think that a bunch of children would be participating in real combat? Ok, so maybe considering that the Children were involved, this is a loaded question, but really... we WERE still just children.
I smiled as she whirled around and unloaded a stream of cold water on Kensuke - who had been trying to sneak up behind her with a full bucket of water, "Nice try, rookie!" she yelled, "Back to basic training for you!"
Asuka's sudden move gave me the chance to slip to a new hiding place. It also caused Kensuke to lose his balance and drop the bucket on himself, soaking him further than he already was.
He shook his fist, spitting out a mouthful of water as Asuka sprayed him again, "I'll get you, Souryu! And you're little dog, too!"
Asuka laughed, holding the trigger down, "Aida," she said mirthfully, "the only thing you'll get is wet if you mess with me."
Kensuke moved off down the hall, trying to avoid Asuka's parting shot, but failing miserably. I took the opportunity to duck into one of the classrooms.
I risked a glance out the window and was treated to the sight of Asuka's flaming red hair as she walked past (fortunately, she was facing the other way, or I would have gotten soaked for sure.) "Where are you, hero?" she said quietly, "You're the only dry one left, and I'm going to change that for you."
She turned and I ducked back quickly, holding my breath and curling into a ball against the door in case she looked through the window.
Before I ducked I lingered briefly on her profile... thinking (not for the first - or last time) of how pretty she was... and what I would sacrifice to have her give me the time of day.
I sighed as I heard her moving off down the hall.
"Ikari." A soft voice startled me, and I looked up suddenly.
-Great,- I thought, -guess dry time is over...- after a moment of agonizing silence I realized that I was not going to get wet. Rei was sitting at her desk quietly, regarding me with what I thought was curiosity (though it was hard to tell with her). I looked around, figuring out that I had ducked into our classroom, -What are the odds?- I thought idly. School was big, and I had run its length and breadth in avoiding Asuka and the others.
"Do you not wish to get wet?" Rei asked my quietly, "It was my understanding that this was the goal of the game."
I smiled, "Actually, the goal of the game is to stay dry as long as possible, and get as many other people wet as you can." My smile fell away as she just stared at me.
"I see," she said, "thank you for clarifying." She turned away and resumed looking out the window.
I watched her for a minute, feeling uncertainty creep through me. Rei was also a pretty girl, but there was something... different about her (I mean aside of her red eyes and blue hair). I tried to sort my feelings for the two girls out.
With Asuka, I felt a strong urge to kiss and hold her... and I had sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach that I might be falling for the redhead. The sinking feeling came from the certainty that she would never hold any feelings for me - she had made that clear with her disgust after our one attempt at a kiss. But I still dreamed about her...
As for the pale-skinned girl in front of me, well... I felt protective of her. When she was near I found myself instinctively edging in front of her to guard against any harm. I would be lying if I said she wasn't attractive... but the desire to defend her, mingled with the urge to be closer to Asuka, made it nearly impossible to think of her as more than a friend or sister.
"Why are you staring at me, Ikari?" she said, breaking me from my thoughts and bringing my eyes up to lock with hers.
"I... I'm sorry," I whispered, blushing deeply. Interacting with people was never one of my better skills... and my strong (though confused) feelings for the girl definitely didn't help. I realized that she was still staring at me, and I stammered out an excuse, "I was... just wondering why you don't play, Ayanami..."
The thought of Rei sneaking down the hallway with a watergun in her hands made me want to smile... but her blank stare took the urge away quickly, "I do not see the purpose," she said calmly, "if you want to be cooler... stay by an air-conditioning unit... if you wish to be wet, bathe."
I looked away from her, "Ayanami..." I said softly, feeling somehow defeated by her cold logic, "do you ever do anything... just for fun?"
She met my eyes levelly, "No." Came her flat reply.
Suddenly I felt incredibly sorry for her. It was bad enough that we had to fight the angels and risk our lives... but then to be denied the chance to be a child. It just seemed... wrong to me. I walked over to her desk, setting my gun down, and dropped into a crouch next to her.
Meeting her eyes with some difficulty I said, "Rei, would you like to... do something with me some time, just for fun?" I realized that it sounded like I was coming on to her, and quickly backtracked, "I don't mean like, anything dirty... I just mean... I..." I trailed off, turning a deeper shade of red than before.
She looked at me, and this time I could definitely see a trace of curiosity, "Why? What purpose would it serve?"
I almost gave up right there... but I thought of her smiling after we had destroyed the fifth angel, and I desperately wanted to see that smile again. "I just thought that maybe... maybe you would enjoy yourself."
"I do not need to enjoy myself," she said coolly, "it holds no purpose other than to distract, and I do not need distraction."
My mind worked furiously, "Rei," I said slowly, trying to mount a convincing argument, "it's ok to have fun sometimes... no one expects you to just fight angels and sit quietly in a corner." I tried to smile, "You can have a little time to enjoy yourself."
I found my conviction failing against the chill, unsmiling face of the First Child, "Why would I want to?" she asked, "It has no purpose for EVA... so I do not see a need for it."
"Give me a minute and I can answer that for you, Wondergirl," a voice behind me spoke up. Cursing, I tried to reach my gun... but before I could get to it a solid stream of cold water hammered me, getting me instantly drenched.
As I sputtered, Asuka smiled brightly and said, "Now then," she let the gun dangle by its strap and went to the blackboard, "Here's a simple equation for you to follow," on the board she wrote 'all work + no play = dull Wondergirl', "makes sense?" she dropped the chalk, "You have fun because it makes you feel good," she said, surprising me by not slamming Rei more than she already had... I should have known to wait for the other shoe to fall.
She tilted her head to the side, "That's why you're such a boring, uninteresting person, I think... because you're too unfeeling to know what a good time was even if you were having one."
I blinked at the harshness of her words, "Now that that's been cleared up," Asuka said coolly, "I'm going to find Hikari and get out of here... this war is over." She let the gun slide from her shoulder and drop to the floor. In an odd moment of clarity, I noticed a bit of water gurgle from the barrel, and thought of how cold Asuka was... like the water that soaked me to the skin and pooled in front of the oversized toy gun.
I wondered if she ever felt warm.
"Ikari?" Rei whispered. I looked over to find her holding her shirt out away from her body, "I am... damp."
**
Even though the war had broken out spontaneously, I had an extra towel in my locker (though it was the first all-out war, it certainly wasn't the first skirmish), so I had given it to Rei and walked home in the hot afternoon, letting myself dry along the way.
-What is Asuka's problem?- I wondered as I walked, -It's not like she's known Rei all that long... I wonder why she hates her so much...- I sighed, -I wonder why I keep thinking about her,- my thoughts turned to a path much tread in the last few weeks, -she hardly talks to me outside of NERV... and when she does it's just to insult me...-
But still, she fascinated me. Her beauty captivated me and her strength made me envious... even though it seemed that I represented the lowest form of life to her.
-No,- I corrected myself, -SECOND lowest.- I thought about her parting shot at Rei... the one about her having no feelings. I knew she was wrong because I'd seen Rei smile - even though I'd asked her to do it, it was genuine. Also, when we watched the tape of the fight with the tenth angel I had seen something that Asuka - and apparently no one else - had on Unit 00's feed: Rei had snarled. Just a slight pulling downward at the corners of her mouth and a tiny narrowing of her eyes... but it was there. I had re-watched the tape twice to make sure I wasn't imagining it.
-Oh,- I thought, -she's got feelings alright... but she hides them so deep...- briefly, I wondered if Asuka had kindness in her. Though I had seen no trace of it, I thought that perhaps she was more like Rei when it came to feelings than she cared to admit.
My thoughts were interrupted by the cold splash of a breaking water balloon on the nape of my neck, taking my breath away.
"HA!" A deep voice laughed behind me, "Payback's a bitch, ain't it?"
I turned to find Touji and Kensuke standing directly behind me, "Damnit Touji," I said, with no real anger, "I was almost dry!"
"THAT'S why you needed it so bad, my man!" Touji grinned, pointing at me for emphasis, "When you BACKSTABBED me on the second floor, I was almost dry too."
"I think 'shot me in the back' is more appropriate," Kensuke threw in, "or maybe... ambushed?"
Touji looked at him, "Bushwhacked?" he said, arching an eyebrow.
"Bum-rushed?" Kensuke retorted.
In unison they said, "Betrayed..." and began nodding sagely and stroking their chins.
I rolled my eyes, "Sorry..." I mumbled with a frown, feeling the urge to apologize... even though it was just a game.
Touji laughed and patted me on the shoulder, "Relax, man... it was a good shot."
I looked at him doubtfully, "If you say so..."
He laughed again, "Hey!" he said suddenly as we resumed walking, "That reminds me - Asuka challenged us to a paintball game next week... you in?"
"Paintball?" I blinked, "ASUKA challenged you?" I thought there was something wrong with this concept, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
"Yeah," Kensuke said, "I believe her exact words were, 'You guys are a bunch of WIMPS! Waterguns... whatever! If you were REALLY men you'd face me in a paintball game! ...dorks.'" He looked at Touji, "That sound about right?"
Touji nodded, "Close, but you didn't have enough sarcasm in your 'dorks'."
I shook my head, "Yeah... I guess I'm in... but don't you think that maybe she has something planned? I mean, she wouldn't lay down a challenge unless she was sure she'd win..." the more I thought about this, the more it sounded right.
"No way!" Touji and Kensuke said at the same time. Kensuke went on, "I play every weekend... and I've studied the layout of the play fields." He pointed at his chest, "Plus I'm a master tactician!"
Touji and I looked at him, then at each other... and burst out laughing. "I don't see what's so funny..." he grumbled, adjusting his glasses.
Touji smiled, "Yeah... we know you don't..." This made me laugh harder as we continued our walk through the hot afternoon.
It hit me later as I lay in bed listening to some old music on my SDAT that I didn't laugh very often. Like I said before, when you're talking about Children, with a capitol C, certain exceptions are made... and I guess that was one of them. It occurred to me that same night (and not for the first time) that I hated my life - except when I got to spend time with my friends... and act like the child that I was. Child with a lower case C...
Continued...
Author's notes: what I wanted to capture with this fiction is the fact that the Children who pilot EVA are just that - children. They play, they have fun, they act normal... but they've been forced into a situation they don't understand and can barely comprehend. I'm trying to create a little piece of childhood... and fill it with normal things - but at the same time, explore how these children must feel with all of the pressure put on them. I plan to keep it PG-13, and for anyone that thinks fourteen year olds would not use the kind of language or have the kind of thoughts that I've depicted, then you have probably forgotten what it is like to be fourteen... or else you are in SERIOUS denial. ;)
Thanks to Ryoma, JobFaust, Lord DeathScythe, and Ryoji986 for pre-reading.
Feedback is welcome at random1377@yahoo.com
Children
Part 1
The great war of 2015
By Random1377
My name is Shinji Ikari. I want to start my story with an image of me on the run. Sounds pretty dramatic, right? Maybe it would be if I weren't on the run from my roommate and fellow Evangelion pilot Asuka Langley Souryu.
It had started out as an average day at school, except for the fact that it was really hot - so hot that everyone had stayed inside for lunch, including Rei Ayanami, who normally chose a quiet, secluded spot to eat her lunch in private.
I guess it would surprise no one to learn that Touji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida - my two friends, had started the Great War of 2015.
"Third CHIIIIIIILLLLLLLD..." Asuka's voice rang through the school hallway, "where ARRRRRRRREEEEEE you?"
-Does she honestly think I'm going to just tell her?- I thought, peeking around the locker I was hiding behind. I drew my small, dripping pistol up, catching sight of her down the hallway.
I knew I was in trouble - she had managed to get a hold of some preposterously huge weapon that had a shoulder strap and needed two hands to carry. -If she finds me,- I thought, -I'm going to get REALLY wet...-
Of course it was a water war - did you think that a bunch of children would be participating in real combat? Ok, so maybe considering that the Children were involved, this is a loaded question, but really... we WERE still just children.
I smiled as she whirled around and unloaded a stream of cold water on Kensuke - who had been trying to sneak up behind her with a full bucket of water, "Nice try, rookie!" she yelled, "Back to basic training for you!"
Asuka's sudden move gave me the chance to slip to a new hiding place. It also caused Kensuke to lose his balance and drop the bucket on himself, soaking him further than he already was.
He shook his fist, spitting out a mouthful of water as Asuka sprayed him again, "I'll get you, Souryu! And you're little dog, too!"
Asuka laughed, holding the trigger down, "Aida," she said mirthfully, "the only thing you'll get is wet if you mess with me."
Kensuke moved off down the hall, trying to avoid Asuka's parting shot, but failing miserably. I took the opportunity to duck into one of the classrooms.
I risked a glance out the window and was treated to the sight of Asuka's flaming red hair as she walked past (fortunately, she was facing the other way, or I would have gotten soaked for sure.) "Where are you, hero?" she said quietly, "You're the only dry one left, and I'm going to change that for you."
She turned and I ducked back quickly, holding my breath and curling into a ball against the door in case she looked through the window.
Before I ducked I lingered briefly on her profile... thinking (not for the first - or last time) of how pretty she was... and what I would sacrifice to have her give me the time of day.
I sighed as I heard her moving off down the hall.
"Ikari." A soft voice startled me, and I looked up suddenly.
-Great,- I thought, -guess dry time is over...- after a moment of agonizing silence I realized that I was not going to get wet. Rei was sitting at her desk quietly, regarding me with what I thought was curiosity (though it was hard to tell with her). I looked around, figuring out that I had ducked into our classroom, -What are the odds?- I thought idly. School was big, and I had run its length and breadth in avoiding Asuka and the others.
"Do you not wish to get wet?" Rei asked my quietly, "It was my understanding that this was the goal of the game."
I smiled, "Actually, the goal of the game is to stay dry as long as possible, and get as many other people wet as you can." My smile fell away as she just stared at me.
"I see," she said, "thank you for clarifying." She turned away and resumed looking out the window.
I watched her for a minute, feeling uncertainty creep through me. Rei was also a pretty girl, but there was something... different about her (I mean aside of her red eyes and blue hair). I tried to sort my feelings for the two girls out.
With Asuka, I felt a strong urge to kiss and hold her... and I had sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach that I might be falling for the redhead. The sinking feeling came from the certainty that she would never hold any feelings for me - she had made that clear with her disgust after our one attempt at a kiss. But I still dreamed about her...
As for the pale-skinned girl in front of me, well... I felt protective of her. When she was near I found myself instinctively edging in front of her to guard against any harm. I would be lying if I said she wasn't attractive... but the desire to defend her, mingled with the urge to be closer to Asuka, made it nearly impossible to think of her as more than a friend or sister.
"Why are you staring at me, Ikari?" she said, breaking me from my thoughts and bringing my eyes up to lock with hers.
"I... I'm sorry," I whispered, blushing deeply. Interacting with people was never one of my better skills... and my strong (though confused) feelings for the girl definitely didn't help. I realized that she was still staring at me, and I stammered out an excuse, "I was... just wondering why you don't play, Ayanami..."
The thought of Rei sneaking down the hallway with a watergun in her hands made me want to smile... but her blank stare took the urge away quickly, "I do not see the purpose," she said calmly, "if you want to be cooler... stay by an air-conditioning unit... if you wish to be wet, bathe."
I looked away from her, "Ayanami..." I said softly, feeling somehow defeated by her cold logic, "do you ever do anything... just for fun?"
She met my eyes levelly, "No." Came her flat reply.
Suddenly I felt incredibly sorry for her. It was bad enough that we had to fight the angels and risk our lives... but then to be denied the chance to be a child. It just seemed... wrong to me. I walked over to her desk, setting my gun down, and dropped into a crouch next to her.
Meeting her eyes with some difficulty I said, "Rei, would you like to... do something with me some time, just for fun?" I realized that it sounded like I was coming on to her, and quickly backtracked, "I don't mean like, anything dirty... I just mean... I..." I trailed off, turning a deeper shade of red than before.
She looked at me, and this time I could definitely see a trace of curiosity, "Why? What purpose would it serve?"
I almost gave up right there... but I thought of her smiling after we had destroyed the fifth angel, and I desperately wanted to see that smile again. "I just thought that maybe... maybe you would enjoy yourself."
"I do not need to enjoy myself," she said coolly, "it holds no purpose other than to distract, and I do not need distraction."
My mind worked furiously, "Rei," I said slowly, trying to mount a convincing argument, "it's ok to have fun sometimes... no one expects you to just fight angels and sit quietly in a corner." I tried to smile, "You can have a little time to enjoy yourself."
I found my conviction failing against the chill, unsmiling face of the First Child, "Why would I want to?" she asked, "It has no purpose for EVA... so I do not see a need for it."
"Give me a minute and I can answer that for you, Wondergirl," a voice behind me spoke up. Cursing, I tried to reach my gun... but before I could get to it a solid stream of cold water hammered me, getting me instantly drenched.
As I sputtered, Asuka smiled brightly and said, "Now then," she let the gun dangle by its strap and went to the blackboard, "Here's a simple equation for you to follow," on the board she wrote 'all work + no play = dull Wondergirl', "makes sense?" she dropped the chalk, "You have fun because it makes you feel good," she said, surprising me by not slamming Rei more than she already had... I should have known to wait for the other shoe to fall.
She tilted her head to the side, "That's why you're such a boring, uninteresting person, I think... because you're too unfeeling to know what a good time was even if you were having one."
I blinked at the harshness of her words, "Now that that's been cleared up," Asuka said coolly, "I'm going to find Hikari and get out of here... this war is over." She let the gun slide from her shoulder and drop to the floor. In an odd moment of clarity, I noticed a bit of water gurgle from the barrel, and thought of how cold Asuka was... like the water that soaked me to the skin and pooled in front of the oversized toy gun.
I wondered if she ever felt warm.
"Ikari?" Rei whispered. I looked over to find her holding her shirt out away from her body, "I am... damp."
**
Even though the war had broken out spontaneously, I had an extra towel in my locker (though it was the first all-out war, it certainly wasn't the first skirmish), so I had given it to Rei and walked home in the hot afternoon, letting myself dry along the way.
-What is Asuka's problem?- I wondered as I walked, -It's not like she's known Rei all that long... I wonder why she hates her so much...- I sighed, -I wonder why I keep thinking about her,- my thoughts turned to a path much tread in the last few weeks, -she hardly talks to me outside of NERV... and when she does it's just to insult me...-
But still, she fascinated me. Her beauty captivated me and her strength made me envious... even though it seemed that I represented the lowest form of life to her.
-No,- I corrected myself, -SECOND lowest.- I thought about her parting shot at Rei... the one about her having no feelings. I knew she was wrong because I'd seen Rei smile - even though I'd asked her to do it, it was genuine. Also, when we watched the tape of the fight with the tenth angel I had seen something that Asuka - and apparently no one else - had on Unit 00's feed: Rei had snarled. Just a slight pulling downward at the corners of her mouth and a tiny narrowing of her eyes... but it was there. I had re-watched the tape twice to make sure I wasn't imagining it.
-Oh,- I thought, -she's got feelings alright... but she hides them so deep...- briefly, I wondered if Asuka had kindness in her. Though I had seen no trace of it, I thought that perhaps she was more like Rei when it came to feelings than she cared to admit.
My thoughts were interrupted by the cold splash of a breaking water balloon on the nape of my neck, taking my breath away.
"HA!" A deep voice laughed behind me, "Payback's a bitch, ain't it?"
I turned to find Touji and Kensuke standing directly behind me, "Damnit Touji," I said, with no real anger, "I was almost dry!"
"THAT'S why you needed it so bad, my man!" Touji grinned, pointing at me for emphasis, "When you BACKSTABBED me on the second floor, I was almost dry too."
"I think 'shot me in the back' is more appropriate," Kensuke threw in, "or maybe... ambushed?"
Touji looked at him, "Bushwhacked?" he said, arching an eyebrow.
"Bum-rushed?" Kensuke retorted.
In unison they said, "Betrayed..." and began nodding sagely and stroking their chins.
I rolled my eyes, "Sorry..." I mumbled with a frown, feeling the urge to apologize... even though it was just a game.
Touji laughed and patted me on the shoulder, "Relax, man... it was a good shot."
I looked at him doubtfully, "If you say so..."
He laughed again, "Hey!" he said suddenly as we resumed walking, "That reminds me - Asuka challenged us to a paintball game next week... you in?"
"Paintball?" I blinked, "ASUKA challenged you?" I thought there was something wrong with this concept, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
"Yeah," Kensuke said, "I believe her exact words were, 'You guys are a bunch of WIMPS! Waterguns... whatever! If you were REALLY men you'd face me in a paintball game! ...dorks.'" He looked at Touji, "That sound about right?"
Touji nodded, "Close, but you didn't have enough sarcasm in your 'dorks'."
I shook my head, "Yeah... I guess I'm in... but don't you think that maybe she has something planned? I mean, she wouldn't lay down a challenge unless she was sure she'd win..." the more I thought about this, the more it sounded right.
"No way!" Touji and Kensuke said at the same time. Kensuke went on, "I play every weekend... and I've studied the layout of the play fields." He pointed at his chest, "Plus I'm a master tactician!"
Touji and I looked at him, then at each other... and burst out laughing. "I don't see what's so funny..." he grumbled, adjusting his glasses.
Touji smiled, "Yeah... we know you don't..." This made me laugh harder as we continued our walk through the hot afternoon.
It hit me later as I lay in bed listening to some old music on my SDAT that I didn't laugh very often. Like I said before, when you're talking about Children, with a capitol C, certain exceptions are made... and I guess that was one of them. It occurred to me that same night (and not for the first time) that I hated my life - except when I got to spend time with my friends... and act like the child that I was. Child with a lower case C...
Continued...
Author's notes: what I wanted to capture with this fiction is the fact that the Children who pilot EVA are just that - children. They play, they have fun, they act normal... but they've been forced into a situation they don't understand and can barely comprehend. I'm trying to create a little piece of childhood... and fill it with normal things - but at the same time, explore how these children must feel with all of the pressure put on them. I plan to keep it PG-13, and for anyone that thinks fourteen year olds would not use the kind of language or have the kind of thoughts that I've depicted, then you have probably forgotten what it is like to be fourteen... or else you are in SERIOUS denial. ;)
Thanks to Ryoma, JobFaust, Lord DeathScythe, and Ryoji986 for pre-reading.
Feedback is welcome at random1377@yahoo.com