Disclaimer: 'The Day The Whole World Went Away' taken from Nine Inch Nails:
The Fragile. I'm not really sure about the legal with that album. But it's
not mine.
Galloping hooves. Shinji screamed as he sat up, sweat running down his face, his hair matted down by it. His scream died after a moment, and he looked about the room he was in. It was dim, barring a single candle. He had been lying on a sleeping mat. He looked down at his body. He was alive. He was alive, and completely unharmed. He still wore the tattered remains of his samurai's fuku. Evangelion OS5: The Beast OR The Day The Whole World Went Away
Clipclopclop clipclopclop.
He walked to the hallway, candlelit as well. He looked for someone, anyone. The place seemed deserted.
"Hello? Ms. Misato?" He padded down it a ways to a sliding panel. He reached for the small groove at the edge, but it flew open before he reached it.
Shinji Ikari stared at his father.
"Move." Gendo commanded.
Shinji did this, unable to think of anything to say, flattening himself against a wall. Gendo strode past and into one of the other rooms. Shinji sighed and sank to the floor. An immeasurable amount of time passed. Then, he heard footsteps. They stopped at the doorway.
"Shinji."
Misato's voice.
Flashback. "But what am I supposed to do?!" Clipclopclop clipclopclop. "Just kill it! The sword will guide you!" "I can't even protect myself! How am I supposed to destroy that... that thing?!"
He had held on tightly to Misato as they rode through the night.
"Shinji? Are you all right?" The boy was quiet. "Come on. It's time to go."
The panel opened behind Gendo. He sat in a simple wooden chair, looking down on Rei's lithe form. Fyutski stepped into the room.
"How is she?"
"She won't be able to fight for some time." "A pity."
"Yes."
"The doctors say she has a broken arm and several fractured ribs, in addition to loss of blood and some concussions. Long term damage..."
"Does not exist."
"What?" "Rei heals well."
Fyutski nodded and turned to leave.
"Oh, yes, and Fyutski?"
"Sir?"
"Don't ask such redundant questions."
"Redundant?"
"If you had talked to the doctors, you wouldn't have needed to ask me to gauge my reaction. Stop your little investigation of my feelings for Rei. It bothers me."
Fyutski felt blood his face flushing crimson.
"Yes sir." Once the panel had closed, Gendo leaned forward and removed his glasses. He sighed.
"Yui..."
Shinji shuffled down a street in Tokyo. The government had released that a fire had consumed a part of the city. As it was, things went on as usual. The existence of the Angels was still secret. He watched a street brawl.
"Bah. Fighting you with both hands would be too easy. Tell you what, I'll beat you with one finger. That ought to even the odds."
The Anthem. He had heard it as he fought Sachiél. It had filled his mind. He did not know it's name, but this noise, a pulse, a deafening, unnatural music, the same four tones, repeating, behind them a power, a strength, a fury like none he had ever known. Adrenaline had filled his veins when he heard it, he had gripped the sword tighter...
FLASHBACK!
"What are you waiting for? Fight him!"
Shinji stood facing Sachiél as Tokyo burned around them. It looked at him as though he was of no significance. Shinji drew the Sword of Evangelion and swallowed. His palms were sweaty. Sachiél did not move, waiting for Shinji to do something. Anything. The sword hilt's ruby eyes glowed for a moment. Shinji roared with all the strength he could muster and charged at the Angel. Sachiél calmly pointed at Shinji's feet. The boy felt them yanked out from beneath him. He slammed into the dirt, his face grinding against loose stones and pebbles. His right cheek began to bleed from a nasty scrape. Voices joined the unearthly song, distorted in an inhuman, terrifying way. After his head cleared, he looked up. Sachiél loomed over him. The Anthem stopped, a sudden and dead silence.
I'd listen to the words he'd say.
He reached a black hand down and grabbed Shinji by his neck. Shinji was too petrified to scream. Still gripping the katana, it's sheath still buckled at his waist, he felt himself lifted from the ground.
But in his voice I heard decay.
A rock that had lodged itself in his bloody cheek dropped to the ground. Sachiél held the boy at arm's length with his right hand. His left placed itself against his chest. His heart. It was going to kill him!
The plastic face forced to portray,
Desperately, Shinji brought the sword back and struck. White light flared against his chest. Sachiél's mask filled his for a moment.
All the insides left cold and gray.
He was hurled across the street, into a burning building. He was dimly aware of a cry from Misato. He crashed through the doorframe, the wood softened by it's enflamed state. He hit the floor, embers landing on his face, his shoulder's burned where they had come into contact with the doorframe. The building creaked, a portion of it's structure compromised.
There is a place that still remains.
He groaned and opened his eyes. A burning plank fall towards him and hit his legs, pinning them beyond hope, even if he had had the strength to move them. The heat assaulted him from all sides, suffocating him. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. He calmly began to die.
It eats the fear it eats the pain.
The world swam before Shinji's eyes.
The sweetest price he'll have to pay.
He coughed feebly and closed his eyes, the Sword of Evangelion still clutched in one hand.
The day the whole world went away.
Dimly, Shinji heard the faintest traces of the anthem, mere echoes of it's force. Outside Sachiél turned away. A support gave out on the house. "No, Shinji!" Misato screamed.
The burning roof crashed on the unseen boy. Sachiél began to move towards Misato.
The sword of Evangelion's ruby eyes began to glow.
The unearthly song returned, in full force, this time a chorus of thousands singing behind it, giving it it's strength, their voices distorted in the same unearthly way as before. Shinji's eyes opened.
Na na, na, na na, na na na...
The burning wreckage exploded, a vortex forming at it's center. Standing at it's center was Shinji. Misato's eyes widened. He was hunched over, the burns across his body horrendous, his left arm hanging limply at his side, the shoulder torn from it's socket, only held by a few ligaments and some cauterized skin. His chest was dominated by a large hole over his heart. His eyes were wide, and glowed with the light of the pure will that coursed through his body. His mouth hung open, panting wildly, like one in a trance. Then, the wounds began to disappear. He stood up straighter, he held the sword firmer, and he raised the sword in a combat style worthy of a true samurai.
For his part, Sachiél turned to face the newly risen opponent. Misato thought she sensed puzzlement at his reappearance. Shinji roared. It was no child's cry, as it had been before. Shinji roared with the force and power of a demon. He charged at Sachiél. The Angel raised his hand, stopping the demon, (Misato was sure, now, that Shinji was more demon than human by now) in his tracks. She could see the glowing aura of the telekinetic barrier, stopping Shinji's advance. He raised the Sword, and brought it down. The field was hacked in two. He charged at Sachiél again, the Sword held behind his hip in the manner that dictated a low-high slash. Sachiél floated to one side, Shinji's slice only catching a part of his robe. The Angel extended one hand, and the same light began to form there as the one that had sent Shinji hurtling some ninety feet. Shinji planted his feet and faced Sachiél just as he fired his lance. Shinji parried the beam intuitively, reflecting it towards the sky, where it continued onward out of Misato's view. Shinji cut in a left-right swing. Sachiél stepped backwards, but now received a slash across his chest. The Angel stumbled as the Sword met his flesh, nearly falling as he went further back, then dropping to one knee, a hand clutching the wound. Misato thought she saw steam rise from beneath his cloak. Shinji charged again, letting loose another roar, and brought the sword back to cut Sachiél from head to groin. He looked up at the charging Demon, breathing heavily behind his mask, sweat forming on his brow. Shinji brought the sword down.
Sachiél's anthem crescendoed, growing louder with each passing moment.
It met the Angel's mask and stopped for a moment, the plate becoming a final shield for it's wearer. Shinji raised the sword again and brought it down, again failing to break Sachiél's last defense. Shinji raised his sword once more, and looked at his defeated enemy. Sachiél, the Third Angel, knelt before him, illuminated by the fires of his own destruction, his black robes torn in several places, his foul ebony blood running free, his mask, an emotionless face of death and devastation, marred by two long scars across it's face. Then, Shinji lowered the Sword once more. Sachiél's mask shattered. The blade tore through the Angel with the force of all Hell behind it, ploughing through the Angel's flesh and bone. It cleaved the Angel, slicing a deep cut through it's head, it's chest, and stopping at the level of his waist as the strike's momentum died with it's target. Shinji removed the sword from the Angel's body and turned away. Sachiél fell forward and collapsed. Shinji flicked the sword, the Angel's blood flying off in a heavy mist, and moved to sheathe it. The ruby eyes shone as bright as the fiery city around him. Then, the Angel stirred. Shinji stopped and turned to face the potential threat, the Sword raised.
The demonic song rose to deafening levels.
Sachiél struggled and raised his upper body with his hands. He planted one foot. The shards of his mask lay scattered across the ground. The light, again, prevented either Shinji or Misato from seeing his face, whatever may be left of it. He raised himself fully, standing uneasily on both legs, his hands pressing against the twin wounds across his body. Ironically, together they made the sign of a cross. Sachiél broke into a stumbling run towards Shinji. Shinji, or whatever had possessed him, tensed, and poised to strike once more. He brought the sword back again, this time meaning to halve the Angel completely, when...
The song ended as suddenly as it began, going from a pulse that filled your very mind to deadly silence.
A crucifix rose into the sky. Misato shielded her eyes and dove from the horse. It panicked, galloping away into the night. Bits of flaming debris whistled past her as the force of the explosion leveled the burning area. The gigantic blast dissipated, and Misato raised her head to see how it had ended. It was strangely dark, the wind from the blast having extinguished all fire. She saw a single figure. In one hand, his fingers loosely held a sword.
"Shinji!" She ran towards him. She was almost within arm's reach before he replied. "Ms. Misato?" He wavered on his feet, then fainted into her arms, the sword falling from his grip and clattering against the ground, it's eyes dark.
"The power of Evangelion." Fyutski said.
"Yes. Immense, to say the least." Replied Gendo.
'And who would think,' Fyutski thought inwardly, 'That the one to wield the sword would be the son of it's creator.'
To Be Continued
Galloping hooves. Shinji screamed as he sat up, sweat running down his face, his hair matted down by it. His scream died after a moment, and he looked about the room he was in. It was dim, barring a single candle. He had been lying on a sleeping mat. He looked down at his body. He was alive. He was alive, and completely unharmed. He still wore the tattered remains of his samurai's fuku. Evangelion OS5: The Beast OR The Day The Whole World Went Away
Clipclopclop clipclopclop.
He walked to the hallway, candlelit as well. He looked for someone, anyone. The place seemed deserted.
"Hello? Ms. Misato?" He padded down it a ways to a sliding panel. He reached for the small groove at the edge, but it flew open before he reached it.
Shinji Ikari stared at his father.
"Move." Gendo commanded.
Shinji did this, unable to think of anything to say, flattening himself against a wall. Gendo strode past and into one of the other rooms. Shinji sighed and sank to the floor. An immeasurable amount of time passed. Then, he heard footsteps. They stopped at the doorway.
"Shinji."
Misato's voice.
Flashback. "But what am I supposed to do?!" Clipclopclop clipclopclop. "Just kill it! The sword will guide you!" "I can't even protect myself! How am I supposed to destroy that... that thing?!"
He had held on tightly to Misato as they rode through the night.
"Shinji? Are you all right?" The boy was quiet. "Come on. It's time to go."
The panel opened behind Gendo. He sat in a simple wooden chair, looking down on Rei's lithe form. Fyutski stepped into the room.
"How is she?"
"She won't be able to fight for some time." "A pity."
"Yes."
"The doctors say she has a broken arm and several fractured ribs, in addition to loss of blood and some concussions. Long term damage..."
"Does not exist."
"What?" "Rei heals well."
Fyutski nodded and turned to leave.
"Oh, yes, and Fyutski?"
"Sir?"
"Don't ask such redundant questions."
"Redundant?"
"If you had talked to the doctors, you wouldn't have needed to ask me to gauge my reaction. Stop your little investigation of my feelings for Rei. It bothers me."
Fyutski felt blood his face flushing crimson.
"Yes sir." Once the panel had closed, Gendo leaned forward and removed his glasses. He sighed.
"Yui..."
Shinji shuffled down a street in Tokyo. The government had released that a fire had consumed a part of the city. As it was, things went on as usual. The existence of the Angels was still secret. He watched a street brawl.
"Bah. Fighting you with both hands would be too easy. Tell you what, I'll beat you with one finger. That ought to even the odds."
The Anthem. He had heard it as he fought Sachiél. It had filled his mind. He did not know it's name, but this noise, a pulse, a deafening, unnatural music, the same four tones, repeating, behind them a power, a strength, a fury like none he had ever known. Adrenaline had filled his veins when he heard it, he had gripped the sword tighter...
FLASHBACK!
"What are you waiting for? Fight him!"
Shinji stood facing Sachiél as Tokyo burned around them. It looked at him as though he was of no significance. Shinji drew the Sword of Evangelion and swallowed. His palms were sweaty. Sachiél did not move, waiting for Shinji to do something. Anything. The sword hilt's ruby eyes glowed for a moment. Shinji roared with all the strength he could muster and charged at the Angel. Sachiél calmly pointed at Shinji's feet. The boy felt them yanked out from beneath him. He slammed into the dirt, his face grinding against loose stones and pebbles. His right cheek began to bleed from a nasty scrape. Voices joined the unearthly song, distorted in an inhuman, terrifying way. After his head cleared, he looked up. Sachiél loomed over him. The Anthem stopped, a sudden and dead silence.
I'd listen to the words he'd say.
He reached a black hand down and grabbed Shinji by his neck. Shinji was too petrified to scream. Still gripping the katana, it's sheath still buckled at his waist, he felt himself lifted from the ground.
But in his voice I heard decay.
A rock that had lodged itself in his bloody cheek dropped to the ground. Sachiél held the boy at arm's length with his right hand. His left placed itself against his chest. His heart. It was going to kill him!
The plastic face forced to portray,
Desperately, Shinji brought the sword back and struck. White light flared against his chest. Sachiél's mask filled his for a moment.
All the insides left cold and gray.
He was hurled across the street, into a burning building. He was dimly aware of a cry from Misato. He crashed through the doorframe, the wood softened by it's enflamed state. He hit the floor, embers landing on his face, his shoulder's burned where they had come into contact with the doorframe. The building creaked, a portion of it's structure compromised.
There is a place that still remains.
He groaned and opened his eyes. A burning plank fall towards him and hit his legs, pinning them beyond hope, even if he had had the strength to move them. The heat assaulted him from all sides, suffocating him. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. He calmly began to die.
It eats the fear it eats the pain.
The world swam before Shinji's eyes.
The sweetest price he'll have to pay.
He coughed feebly and closed his eyes, the Sword of Evangelion still clutched in one hand.
The day the whole world went away.
Dimly, Shinji heard the faintest traces of the anthem, mere echoes of it's force. Outside Sachiél turned away. A support gave out on the house. "No, Shinji!" Misato screamed.
The burning roof crashed on the unseen boy. Sachiél began to move towards Misato.
The sword of Evangelion's ruby eyes began to glow.
The unearthly song returned, in full force, this time a chorus of thousands singing behind it, giving it it's strength, their voices distorted in the same unearthly way as before. Shinji's eyes opened.
Na na, na, na na, na na na...
The burning wreckage exploded, a vortex forming at it's center. Standing at it's center was Shinji. Misato's eyes widened. He was hunched over, the burns across his body horrendous, his left arm hanging limply at his side, the shoulder torn from it's socket, only held by a few ligaments and some cauterized skin. His chest was dominated by a large hole over his heart. His eyes were wide, and glowed with the light of the pure will that coursed through his body. His mouth hung open, panting wildly, like one in a trance. Then, the wounds began to disappear. He stood up straighter, he held the sword firmer, and he raised the sword in a combat style worthy of a true samurai.
For his part, Sachiél turned to face the newly risen opponent. Misato thought she sensed puzzlement at his reappearance. Shinji roared. It was no child's cry, as it had been before. Shinji roared with the force and power of a demon. He charged at Sachiél. The Angel raised his hand, stopping the demon, (Misato was sure, now, that Shinji was more demon than human by now) in his tracks. She could see the glowing aura of the telekinetic barrier, stopping Shinji's advance. He raised the Sword, and brought it down. The field was hacked in two. He charged at Sachiél again, the Sword held behind his hip in the manner that dictated a low-high slash. Sachiél floated to one side, Shinji's slice only catching a part of his robe. The Angel extended one hand, and the same light began to form there as the one that had sent Shinji hurtling some ninety feet. Shinji planted his feet and faced Sachiél just as he fired his lance. Shinji parried the beam intuitively, reflecting it towards the sky, where it continued onward out of Misato's view. Shinji cut in a left-right swing. Sachiél stepped backwards, but now received a slash across his chest. The Angel stumbled as the Sword met his flesh, nearly falling as he went further back, then dropping to one knee, a hand clutching the wound. Misato thought she saw steam rise from beneath his cloak. Shinji charged again, letting loose another roar, and brought the sword back to cut Sachiél from head to groin. He looked up at the charging Demon, breathing heavily behind his mask, sweat forming on his brow. Shinji brought the sword down.
Sachiél's anthem crescendoed, growing louder with each passing moment.
It met the Angel's mask and stopped for a moment, the plate becoming a final shield for it's wearer. Shinji raised the sword again and brought it down, again failing to break Sachiél's last defense. Shinji raised his sword once more, and looked at his defeated enemy. Sachiél, the Third Angel, knelt before him, illuminated by the fires of his own destruction, his black robes torn in several places, his foul ebony blood running free, his mask, an emotionless face of death and devastation, marred by two long scars across it's face. Then, Shinji lowered the Sword once more. Sachiél's mask shattered. The blade tore through the Angel with the force of all Hell behind it, ploughing through the Angel's flesh and bone. It cleaved the Angel, slicing a deep cut through it's head, it's chest, and stopping at the level of his waist as the strike's momentum died with it's target. Shinji removed the sword from the Angel's body and turned away. Sachiél fell forward and collapsed. Shinji flicked the sword, the Angel's blood flying off in a heavy mist, and moved to sheathe it. The ruby eyes shone as bright as the fiery city around him. Then, the Angel stirred. Shinji stopped and turned to face the potential threat, the Sword raised.
The demonic song rose to deafening levels.
Sachiél struggled and raised his upper body with his hands. He planted one foot. The shards of his mask lay scattered across the ground. The light, again, prevented either Shinji or Misato from seeing his face, whatever may be left of it. He raised himself fully, standing uneasily on both legs, his hands pressing against the twin wounds across his body. Ironically, together they made the sign of a cross. Sachiél broke into a stumbling run towards Shinji. Shinji, or whatever had possessed him, tensed, and poised to strike once more. He brought the sword back again, this time meaning to halve the Angel completely, when...
The song ended as suddenly as it began, going from a pulse that filled your very mind to deadly silence.
A crucifix rose into the sky. Misato shielded her eyes and dove from the horse. It panicked, galloping away into the night. Bits of flaming debris whistled past her as the force of the explosion leveled the burning area. The gigantic blast dissipated, and Misato raised her head to see how it had ended. It was strangely dark, the wind from the blast having extinguished all fire. She saw a single figure. In one hand, his fingers loosely held a sword.
"Shinji!" She ran towards him. She was almost within arm's reach before he replied. "Ms. Misato?" He wavered on his feet, then fainted into her arms, the sword falling from his grip and clattering against the ground, it's eyes dark.
"The power of Evangelion." Fyutski said.
"Yes. Immense, to say the least." Replied Gendo.
'And who would think,' Fyutski thought inwardly, 'That the one to wield the sword would be the son of it's creator.'
To Be Continued