I still don't own Eva. Can you give me a share in it?
The Ties that Bind
Chapter two- A Link is Found
What is this?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
What is this?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where am I?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where am I?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
`Ikari? These are his thoughts,' Faces, feelings. `These are his memories. What does this mean? What is this I see? Dr. Akagi? Commander Ikari, Major Katsuragi. The Second Child.'
Ritsuko steps into an elevator pushing Misato back as she does so, glaring at the raven-haired woman before turning to look down at Shinji Ikari.
Looking up at Commander Ikari, the giant face of Unit 01 between them. "Why did you send for me? FATHER? Why am I here?"
Turning, a stretcher, Ayanami. Injured, but still willing to pilot. Blood, she could smell it, she could feel his fear as he fought the third angel, the fourth, his rage and anger.
Hopelessness. Inside her mind, Rei Ayanami curled into a fetal position as she was assaulted by the painful memories of one Shinji Ikari. She felt her existence slipping. The barrier of her soul was gone a second joined it and they began to merge.
"No! How could I ever trust him again?" Standing on an escalator she saw herself, she turned and her hand flashed out to strike her cheek with a resounding smack that echoed throughout the empty level. She felt his pain as he watched her walk away.
`I hurt him? What is this I feel when he sees me? Is this love? Can he love me? What is love?'
"Why don't you try smiling?" Through his eyes she saw her smile, she felt his joy, and his fear.
`He cares for me? Why? Why? Why? What do I feel for him? What is this emotion that I have felt since our first meeting? Why can't I understand?'
~~~~~~~~~~~~
`Ayanami? These are her thoughts.' Faces and feelings. `These are her memories. What does this mean? What is this I see? Father? Dr. Akagi?'
The images meld, one after another, faster and faster until he can't contain them. Inside the mind of Shinji Ikari he screams as he is assaulted by Rei's memories.
A faceless assailant, strong hands about his throat. Blood, so much blood.
`Red, Red is a color I hate. Red as the blood. Blood, I hate the smell of blood. Strong and metallic like copper it fills my being and I can not rid myself of it.'
`Are these her thoughts? Is this how she sees the world? Why can I see these things?'
Pain wracks her being as she falls from the stretcher. A voice cries out and there is the clang of metal against metal. Opening her one good eye she sees the boy above her, cradling her protectively in his arms. His arms around her body feels wonderful, but the pain returns.
`What was that emotion when I touched her? What was that she felt?'
"I am sorry. I do not know what to say or do at times like this."
"Why don't you try smiling?"
`I was the first person to ask her to smile? Has her life really been that hollow? She's as lonely as... I am...'
~~~~~~~~~~~~
`He is as lonely as... I am...'
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The two barriers merge, and become one.
We are lonely. We are lonely... no more. Now we have each other. Now we are linked. Forever, and always.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the exact same second, three days after the failed cross synchronization test, Rei Ayanami, and Shinji Ikari, finally rejoined the living, and woke from their slumber.
Reis eyes snapped open and she suppressed a startled gasp as Shinji shot upright in the bed beside hers. The first thing she became aware of was that her lower lip throbbed with a mild pain, and her right wrist felt as if it were fractured, but upon looking down she saw that there was no cast.
Shinji wildly cast his gaze around the room for a moment in fear as he tried to remember where he was, and... who he was. Finally it all settled into place and glancing to his right he saw Rei awake in the bed next to his, just her presence immediately calmed him and he slowly sank back onto the mattress.
In the silent hospital room two voices echoed as one. "I really hate this ceiling."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maya hung up the phone beside her console and turned to face Ritsuko. "Dr. Akagi," she called, "The infirmary reports that Shinji and Rei have regained consciousness."
Ritsuko looked up from her monitor to peer at the brown haired tech. "Good. Tell them I'll be down in a few minutes to see them, and call Misato, she'll want to know that Shinji's awake."
"Yes ma'am," Maya said as she reached for the phone. Ritsuko turned back to her monitor and stared at the two brain wave patterns that were displayed on the glowing screen.
One was marked Rei Ayanami, while the other was marked Shinji Ikari. The patterns showed two normal if slightly unbalanced brain waves but that was to be expected considering the children's occupation.
No that wasn't what was bothering Dr. Ritsuko Akagi. What had her puzzled was the fact that neither of the two waves looked ANYTHING like previous tests done on the two children, and they were both identical.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The door hissed open and two pairs of eyes turned to greet the person entering. Ritsuko came to a dead stop as she saw the slightly disconcerting identical gaze the two children directed at her.
Shaking the feeling off she slowly entered the room, watching as the two turned their heads to follow her movements, neither spoke, neither seemed to register much of anything really besides acknowledging her presence with their eyes.
"Miss. Akagi," Shinji began, "why are-"
"we in the same room?" Rei finished.
Ritsuko did a double take as the two children glanced at each other.
Rei spoke up. "Dr. Akagi, I believe-"
"that something is wrong here," Shinji concluded.
"What is happening Ikari?" Rei asked.
"I'm not sure Rei. But whatever it is, it is very strange."
"Do you have any ideas-"
"Dr. Akagi?"
Ritsuko rapidly looked back and forth from one to the other, her eyes wide open in shock,
"Oh boy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
With a squealing of tires Misato expertly parked her car in front of NERV before leaping out of the vehicle. Rapidly making her way towards the infirmary she was itching to see how Shinji was doing.
Finally after a few minutes dealing with various nurses she managed to get the room number and made her way down the white halls, her heels clicking loudly on the linoleum floors.
Just as she reached for the door it slid open and Ritsuko walked past her in a bit of daze, her eyes slightly glazed over mumbling to herself incoherently.
"Hey Ritsu, are you okay?" Misato asked the blond scientist. There was no response. Ritsuko pushed past the confused Major and continued down the halls, her clipboard falling from her hands to crash on the floor with a clatter.
Suddenly concerned Misato rushed into the room to see Shinji. "Shinji? What happened to Ritsuko?"
"I'm not-"
"entirely sure Major Katsuragi. Dr. Akagi seems-
"to be in shock. Maybe you should-"
"go after her Major." Misato looked back and forth between the two children much like Ritsuko had a moment before, a dumbfounded expression on her face.
Rei turned slightly to face Shinji. "Does that not look familiar to you?" she asked, indicating Misatos expression.
"Yes I think it does." The two turned back to the startled Major who quickly held up her hands in a stopping gesture.
"Don't say anything please," she begged as Rei opened her mouth to speak. "The two of you just stay right there. I'm gonna go get Ritsuko," she said as she turned and bolted out the door. As the door slid shut behind her Shinji turned to Rei.
"Why do they keep running from us?" he asked.
"I am unsure Ikari." They sighed quietly in unison before lying back on their beds to gaze up at the ceiling.
"So... you think we could get someone to paint that ceiling?" Reis only response was a soft smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nearly an hour passed before Ritsuko returned with Misato trailing behind her, Ritsuko was staring intently at some papers clipped to her ever-present clipboard.
"Before you say anything," Ritsuko said glancing up at them, "I have a few things to ask." Once she was sure she had the attention of both pilots she began to speak. "Tell me, one at a time, what do you remember of the Cross Synchronization test?"
Rei and Shinji exchanged glances, there was a moments pause, then both of them began to speak, in unison. "I remember the entire day before arriving for the test, and I remember the test up until the third stage link up... then everything gets a bit hazy."
Ritsuko groaned and passed one hand over her face. "What part of `one at a time' don't you two understand?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Where is the report on the First and Third Children?" Gendo Ikari asked.
"Right here sir," Ritsuko said as she slid the file across the commanders' massive black desk. "The children seem to have become mentally linked in some way. They start and finish each other's sentences as if they were born to it, but if asked they don't really seem to notice the fact. They DID seem to notice it the first time but they don't really seem to see it as anything unusual, almost as if they'd been doing it their entire lives."
"Possible complications to their ability to pilot?"
"None that I can see sir. As long as they are together however."
Gendo sat up just a bit straighter at this. "Explain."
"Well sir, as far as I can tell the two now seem dependent on one another. As my report states, the first night after the failed cross synch test they were resting in separate rooms, however in the middle of the night both began to struggle in their sleep thrashing around violently."
"We secured them to the beds and the next day while administering tests we noticed that when in the same room both pilots ceased struggling, but when we tried to separate them they stated again."
"There really is no scientific basis for their behavior but I believe that if they were to be separated they would become violent in their efforts to return to each other, even if they didn't know themselves WHY they were so bent on being together."
"Do not inform them of the link if they seem to be unaware of it. Tell them they can go, but, send someone to keep an eye on them."
"Yes sir,' Ritsuko said before turning and walking out of the large office. She stopped at the doors and turned back to face him. "Oh there was one other thing sir." Gendo nodded to her to continue and she did so after taking a deep breath. "They seem to feel each others physical sensations as well to a limited extent at least."
"What do you mean doctor?"
"Well a while after they woke up Rei asked me why her lower lip and right wrist would hurt. I checked her over but found nothing wrong with her. Shinji is another matter however. As the story goes he had a run in with the second child the day of the test and she punched him in the mouth splitting his lip, and during the test he DID break his right wrist on the control console."
"I believe it is a bleed over through the link, and she is feeling Shinji's pain."
"Very good doctor, you may leave now."
Ritsuko nodded her head and stepped out of the office. As the massive doors clanged shut Sub Commander Fuyutski leaned forward over Ikaris shoulder to look at the file on the desk.
"This isn't a part of your scenario, is it Ikari?" he asked.
"No. This could be an inconvenience to our plans. If Rei turns on me, Shinji will most likely follow, we must take steps to prevent that if at all possible."
"And if it's not possible?"
Gendo smirked. "Rei can be replaced professor."
End.
I know I know, I haven't forgotten about Asuka. But this story DOES center mainly around Shinji and Rei so don't count on too many appearances by the other characters. All my other stories as of yet have long drawn out chapters,
I am trying for something quick and sweet this time around just to see how it goes. How'm I doin'?
The Ties that Bind
Chapter two- A Link is Found
What is this?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
What is this?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where am I?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where am I?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
`Ikari? These are his thoughts,' Faces, feelings. `These are his memories. What does this mean? What is this I see? Dr. Akagi? Commander Ikari, Major Katsuragi. The Second Child.'
Ritsuko steps into an elevator pushing Misato back as she does so, glaring at the raven-haired woman before turning to look down at Shinji Ikari.
Looking up at Commander Ikari, the giant face of Unit 01 between them. "Why did you send for me? FATHER? Why am I here?"
Turning, a stretcher, Ayanami. Injured, but still willing to pilot. Blood, she could smell it, she could feel his fear as he fought the third angel, the fourth, his rage and anger.
Hopelessness. Inside her mind, Rei Ayanami curled into a fetal position as she was assaulted by the painful memories of one Shinji Ikari. She felt her existence slipping. The barrier of her soul was gone a second joined it and they began to merge.
"No! How could I ever trust him again?" Standing on an escalator she saw herself, she turned and her hand flashed out to strike her cheek with a resounding smack that echoed throughout the empty level. She felt his pain as he watched her walk away.
`I hurt him? What is this I feel when he sees me? Is this love? Can he love me? What is love?'
"Why don't you try smiling?" Through his eyes she saw her smile, she felt his joy, and his fear.
`He cares for me? Why? Why? Why? What do I feel for him? What is this emotion that I have felt since our first meeting? Why can't I understand?'
~~~~~~~~~~~~
`Ayanami? These are her thoughts.' Faces and feelings. `These are her memories. What does this mean? What is this I see? Father? Dr. Akagi?'
The images meld, one after another, faster and faster until he can't contain them. Inside the mind of Shinji Ikari he screams as he is assaulted by Rei's memories.
A faceless assailant, strong hands about his throat. Blood, so much blood.
`Red, Red is a color I hate. Red as the blood. Blood, I hate the smell of blood. Strong and metallic like copper it fills my being and I can not rid myself of it.'
`Are these her thoughts? Is this how she sees the world? Why can I see these things?'
Pain wracks her being as she falls from the stretcher. A voice cries out and there is the clang of metal against metal. Opening her one good eye she sees the boy above her, cradling her protectively in his arms. His arms around her body feels wonderful, but the pain returns.
`What was that emotion when I touched her? What was that she felt?'
"I am sorry. I do not know what to say or do at times like this."
"Why don't you try smiling?"
`I was the first person to ask her to smile? Has her life really been that hollow? She's as lonely as... I am...'
~~~~~~~~~~~~
`He is as lonely as... I am...'
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The two barriers merge, and become one.
We are lonely. We are lonely... no more. Now we have each other. Now we are linked. Forever, and always.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the exact same second, three days after the failed cross synchronization test, Rei Ayanami, and Shinji Ikari, finally rejoined the living, and woke from their slumber.
Reis eyes snapped open and she suppressed a startled gasp as Shinji shot upright in the bed beside hers. The first thing she became aware of was that her lower lip throbbed with a mild pain, and her right wrist felt as if it were fractured, but upon looking down she saw that there was no cast.
Shinji wildly cast his gaze around the room for a moment in fear as he tried to remember where he was, and... who he was. Finally it all settled into place and glancing to his right he saw Rei awake in the bed next to his, just her presence immediately calmed him and he slowly sank back onto the mattress.
In the silent hospital room two voices echoed as one. "I really hate this ceiling."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maya hung up the phone beside her console and turned to face Ritsuko. "Dr. Akagi," she called, "The infirmary reports that Shinji and Rei have regained consciousness."
Ritsuko looked up from her monitor to peer at the brown haired tech. "Good. Tell them I'll be down in a few minutes to see them, and call Misato, she'll want to know that Shinji's awake."
"Yes ma'am," Maya said as she reached for the phone. Ritsuko turned back to her monitor and stared at the two brain wave patterns that were displayed on the glowing screen.
One was marked Rei Ayanami, while the other was marked Shinji Ikari. The patterns showed two normal if slightly unbalanced brain waves but that was to be expected considering the children's occupation.
No that wasn't what was bothering Dr. Ritsuko Akagi. What had her puzzled was the fact that neither of the two waves looked ANYTHING like previous tests done on the two children, and they were both identical.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The door hissed open and two pairs of eyes turned to greet the person entering. Ritsuko came to a dead stop as she saw the slightly disconcerting identical gaze the two children directed at her.
Shaking the feeling off she slowly entered the room, watching as the two turned their heads to follow her movements, neither spoke, neither seemed to register much of anything really besides acknowledging her presence with their eyes.
"Miss. Akagi," Shinji began, "why are-"
"we in the same room?" Rei finished.
Ritsuko did a double take as the two children glanced at each other.
Rei spoke up. "Dr. Akagi, I believe-"
"that something is wrong here," Shinji concluded.
"What is happening Ikari?" Rei asked.
"I'm not sure Rei. But whatever it is, it is very strange."
"Do you have any ideas-"
"Dr. Akagi?"
Ritsuko rapidly looked back and forth from one to the other, her eyes wide open in shock,
"Oh boy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
With a squealing of tires Misato expertly parked her car in front of NERV before leaping out of the vehicle. Rapidly making her way towards the infirmary she was itching to see how Shinji was doing.
Finally after a few minutes dealing with various nurses she managed to get the room number and made her way down the white halls, her heels clicking loudly on the linoleum floors.
Just as she reached for the door it slid open and Ritsuko walked past her in a bit of daze, her eyes slightly glazed over mumbling to herself incoherently.
"Hey Ritsu, are you okay?" Misato asked the blond scientist. There was no response. Ritsuko pushed past the confused Major and continued down the halls, her clipboard falling from her hands to crash on the floor with a clatter.
Suddenly concerned Misato rushed into the room to see Shinji. "Shinji? What happened to Ritsuko?"
"I'm not-"
"entirely sure Major Katsuragi. Dr. Akagi seems-
"to be in shock. Maybe you should-"
"go after her Major." Misato looked back and forth between the two children much like Ritsuko had a moment before, a dumbfounded expression on her face.
Rei turned slightly to face Shinji. "Does that not look familiar to you?" she asked, indicating Misatos expression.
"Yes I think it does." The two turned back to the startled Major who quickly held up her hands in a stopping gesture.
"Don't say anything please," she begged as Rei opened her mouth to speak. "The two of you just stay right there. I'm gonna go get Ritsuko," she said as she turned and bolted out the door. As the door slid shut behind her Shinji turned to Rei.
"Why do they keep running from us?" he asked.
"I am unsure Ikari." They sighed quietly in unison before lying back on their beds to gaze up at the ceiling.
"So... you think we could get someone to paint that ceiling?" Reis only response was a soft smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nearly an hour passed before Ritsuko returned with Misato trailing behind her, Ritsuko was staring intently at some papers clipped to her ever-present clipboard.
"Before you say anything," Ritsuko said glancing up at them, "I have a few things to ask." Once she was sure she had the attention of both pilots she began to speak. "Tell me, one at a time, what do you remember of the Cross Synchronization test?"
Rei and Shinji exchanged glances, there was a moments pause, then both of them began to speak, in unison. "I remember the entire day before arriving for the test, and I remember the test up until the third stage link up... then everything gets a bit hazy."
Ritsuko groaned and passed one hand over her face. "What part of `one at a time' don't you two understand?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Where is the report on the First and Third Children?" Gendo Ikari asked.
"Right here sir," Ritsuko said as she slid the file across the commanders' massive black desk. "The children seem to have become mentally linked in some way. They start and finish each other's sentences as if they were born to it, but if asked they don't really seem to notice the fact. They DID seem to notice it the first time but they don't really seem to see it as anything unusual, almost as if they'd been doing it their entire lives."
"Possible complications to their ability to pilot?"
"None that I can see sir. As long as they are together however."
Gendo sat up just a bit straighter at this. "Explain."
"Well sir, as far as I can tell the two now seem dependent on one another. As my report states, the first night after the failed cross synch test they were resting in separate rooms, however in the middle of the night both began to struggle in their sleep thrashing around violently."
"We secured them to the beds and the next day while administering tests we noticed that when in the same room both pilots ceased struggling, but when we tried to separate them they stated again."
"There really is no scientific basis for their behavior but I believe that if they were to be separated they would become violent in their efforts to return to each other, even if they didn't know themselves WHY they were so bent on being together."
"Do not inform them of the link if they seem to be unaware of it. Tell them they can go, but, send someone to keep an eye on them."
"Yes sir,' Ritsuko said before turning and walking out of the large office. She stopped at the doors and turned back to face him. "Oh there was one other thing sir." Gendo nodded to her to continue and she did so after taking a deep breath. "They seem to feel each others physical sensations as well to a limited extent at least."
"What do you mean doctor?"
"Well a while after they woke up Rei asked me why her lower lip and right wrist would hurt. I checked her over but found nothing wrong with her. Shinji is another matter however. As the story goes he had a run in with the second child the day of the test and she punched him in the mouth splitting his lip, and during the test he DID break his right wrist on the control console."
"I believe it is a bleed over through the link, and she is feeling Shinji's pain."
"Very good doctor, you may leave now."
Ritsuko nodded her head and stepped out of the office. As the massive doors clanged shut Sub Commander Fuyutski leaned forward over Ikaris shoulder to look at the file on the desk.
"This isn't a part of your scenario, is it Ikari?" he asked.
"No. This could be an inconvenience to our plans. If Rei turns on me, Shinji will most likely follow, we must take steps to prevent that if at all possible."
"And if it's not possible?"
Gendo smirked. "Rei can be replaced professor."
End.
I know I know, I haven't forgotten about Asuka. But this story DOES center mainly around Shinji and Rei so don't count on too many appearances by the other characters. All my other stories as of yet have long drawn out chapters,
I am trying for something quick and sweet this time around just to see how it goes. How'm I doin'?