Author's prerant: Yes you did read right. Starting at chapter 5 I will be writing two simultaneous stories, one following a Shinji/Asuka arc and one a Shinji/Rei. The first four chapters will remain the same aside from my correction of the spelling for Fuyutsuki (Thanks KevenEC). After much debating with my prereader Steve Vader he came up with this idea. I guess it was only a matter of time before those rabid Rei fans found out where I live so at least his way I can delay being flayed alive by them...hopefully. I'll try my best to make both plots interesting and whilst they will both follow the path I had originally planned I'll try to make enough difference between the two so that if one were so inclined they could read both without loosing interest from too much repetition.
I would have had this chapter uploaded a few days ago but first the site was down, then it wouldn't let me upload, then it decided to insert random symbols the whole way through my work when it finally let me upload... So anyway I'll be uploading as HTML now since it doesn't like .doc. Not that it bothers you I'm sure.
Of course this means that it'll take me longer to update since I have to write two chapters instead of one each time but I'm sure that you can all bear with me there and I'll wait until both are written so I can upload them simultaneously.
Mammoth thanks to Steve Vader for prereading and offering me all your input.
Thanks too to everyone who has reviewed, I do take your thoughts and comments seriously and without reviews then I don't know if I'm doing well, o.k. or abysmally. It seems that if you nag me enough then there can be room for change in this fic...so long as you provide me with a worthy ultimatum. Anyway, on with the story.
Chapter 4 – I'll be There For You
The small room was dark as night with no windows and a single large steel reinforced door which admitted none of the pale glow from outside. It was very sparsely furnished with a small cot being the only object in the claustrophobic confine and on that cot lay a single dishevelled figure. Judging by the stubble which had grown since being confined here it was apparent that the person was male. He was lying on his side curled in the foetal position with his arms protectively encircling his head and the only sign of life was the unsteady rising and falling of his chest. He remained in that state for a very long time before his eyelids finally fluttered open revealing bloodshot brown eyes which attempted vainly to adjust to the extreme absence of light in his current position.
Once his eyes adjusted as well as they were going to he could just make out his surroundings and concluded that he was in a prison cell. Attempting to sit up was a lesson in agony as it felt like every single muscle screamed its protest against any kind of activity. Groaning in pain he collapsed back down onto the cot and started panting heavily from the exertion. Damn...they really did a number on me he thought bitterly as he waited for the wave of nausea to pass. Within a few minutes he felt slightly better and began to gently explore his body. From what he could feel, both of his legs seemed to be broken along with a number of ribs and he had a hairline fracture on the left side of his scalp. The telltale stitches in his right torso just below the rib cage marked the spot where he had been shot. The bullet had miraculously missed his liver and all other important organs in the area and passed straight through causing very little damage.
How long have I been here? he wondered as he again tried to raise himself to a sitting position with agonising slowness. After a full minute he managed to complete the painful manoeuvre and again studied his surroundings from his new vantage point.
"Definitely a prison cell" he muttered to himself before sighing in defeat. He tried to recall exactly what the hell he was doing here and where here is but the constant pain being sent up his nervous system from a heavily abused body nullified any chance of having a coherent thought without some kind of outside influence. A short while later a dull echo could be heard from outside his door and upon listening closely he surmised that it was definitely coming closer. He didn't have to wait long before a card was inserted in the electronic lock and the door slid open on well oiled tracks. Though the light outside would be considered quite dim compared to the daylight above, it was just like looking into a cars high beam for the unfortunate prisoner. He quickly shut his eyes and turned his head in an effort to avoid the assault on his dark adjusted optical organs and resigned himself to another round of intense pain.
Two large figures entered the cramped cell and without a shred of compassion between them, grabbed one arm each and hoisted the unfortunate prisoner off the cot before dragging him out of the cell. He clamped his jaw shut so tightly that he thought it was going to shatter teeth; such was the agony he was in due to the rough treatment. Despite his best efforts he couldn't control the moan of pain that escaped his clenched jaw and every step his captors took was like smashing his ribs with a medieval mace. After much walking they finally came to another room and the two large figures unceremoniously dumped him in a chair before standing slightly behind it on either side. Again he managed to keep himself from screaming out in pain...but only just. A couple of minutes later the door opened and a solitary figured walked in. Recognition hit the man instantly and he narrowed his eyes in hatred as he finally realised where he was.
"Are you willing to talk yet?" the other figure asked with no trace of emotion as he sat down on the chair opposite the prisoner. The two eyed each other dispassionately, one glaring with open hatred in an attempt to kill just with a look, the other with contempt.
"I thought we had a deal" the other figure continued, completely unaffected by the intensity of the glare being sent his way, he was after all, quite used to hatred. "So why did you betray me?"
"I don't know what you're talking about" growled the prisoner hoarsely from a very sore throat. "I upheld my end of the bargain; I'm not responsible for what happened"
"So you continue to profess your innocence? How amusing. Hacking into the MAGI is not an easy task to accomplish and an even harder one to hide. We have evidence that you are the one who committed this act of espionage and I want to know why you did it and who you are working for." The coldness in the other person's voice was enough to send chills down the prisoner's spine as the interrogation took the same course as the last one.
"Look I told you, I had nothing to do with it. We had an agreement which was beneficial to both parties...why the hell would I want to jeopardise that?" he asked with anger seeping through his voice.
"That is the question" replied the cold voice. The two stared at each other for almost a full minute with neither one making any attempt to continue the conversation.
"Very well then. If you will not tell me then I will have to use more...forceful measures. You will tell me...one way or another" and with that the figure rose to his feet and strode over to the door.
"Damn it Ikari I'm telling you the truth!" he yelled at the retreating figure. Gendo paused at the door but made no effort to turn around.
"That is what remains to be seen." With his final words spoken the Commander of NERV left the room and his prisoner to his fate. The screams of the unfortunate prisoner echoed through the empty halls for hours afterwards as his mind was flayed in an attempt to discern if he was telling the truth or not.
* * * * *
Outside the sun was shining brightly as usual and the populace of Tokyo III continued to go about their business without thinking of the possibility of an angel attacking and terminating their existence. Being a Sunday there was no school and kids were out enjoying the one full day off that they received each school week. For once Shinji was one of those kids and he wandered around purposelessly until he stumbled across the park he always passed on the way to school. Noticing no one enjoying its serenity he smiled slightly to himself and made his way over to sit at the base of the largest tree. It was much cooler in the shade and he felt a sense of tranquillity as he watched nature trying to thrive despite the hostility of the city surrounding the area. His S-DAT finished its current track and started playing the next one and Shinji closed his eyes to enjoy the music in peace.
The track was one of his favourites; The Unforgiven by Metallica. Though he'd only bought the tape a week ago he'd already committed the translation to memory. This song held a special significance to Shinji and indeed it seemed that it was very well written about him. As the first verse kicked in he started picturing his first few moments in Tokyo III and how he was forced into piloting Unit 01 against his will.
New blood joins this earth
And quickly he's subdued
Through constant pained disgrace
The young boy learns their rules
With time the child draws in
This whipping boy done wrong
Deprived of all his thoughts
The young man struggles on and on he's known
A vow unto his own
That never from this day
His will they'll take away
Images of his father continually cropped up as he listened to the song and indeed that was just about all he could see when the chorus began. His own weaknesses, his own failings, how he never lived up to what his father expected of him. Just what did he expect of him?
When I've felt
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never be
Never see
Won't see what might have been
When I've felt
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven
The second verse held a lot of meaning to the way Shinji would have been were it not for those who stayed by him, for those who told him that they cared. The verse was still painfully relevant however and were it not for those kind souls then he surely would have descended into the depths of despair that the verse mentions.
They dedicate their lives
To running all of his
He tries to please them all
This bitter man he is
Throughout his life the same
He's battled constantly
This fight he cannot win
A tired man they see no longer cares
The old man then prepares
To die regretfully
That old man here is me
The final chorus pretty much sums up Shinji's feelings for the man known as Gendo Ikari, his father. He doesn't get angry when he hears it in the song though; the fact that someone else wrote this, that someone else must know how he feels to a degree, its reassuring to Shinji. He's not alone.
When I've felt
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never be
Never see
Won't see what might have been
When I've felt
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven
You labelled me
I'll label you
So I dub thee unforgiven
The song finally finished and Shinji let out a sigh. It seems that Aoba was right; he really did need to broaden his musical horizons. Songs like this were such powerful things and they really struck something deep inside Shinji's being. The next track began to play and Shinji suddenly felt a presence at his side. Opening his eyes he was greeted by the form of a stunning young woman dressed in a running shirt and shorts who had obviously been out exercising due to the way she was panting lightly.
"Well Shinji, this is a surprise" she said cheerfully before removing the canteen which was attached to her waist and taking small sips of water from it. Blinking in surprise Shinji stopped the tape and took the ear buds out before rising to his feet. With no reply forthcoming the young woman simply smiled at his surprise.
"I'd have thought that you'd be out with your friends on a glorious day like this" she said whilst wiping her forehead with a small hand towel.
"Uh well I wasn't really planning on going anywhere..." he said as he studied the face of the woman before him.
"Oh? Just out for a bit of fresh air are you?"
"No. Misato kicked me out of the apartment..." he mumbled as he looked down at his feet.
"She what?" asked the woman, surprise clearly evident in her features. Shinji allowed a small smile to form as he raised his gaze to her face once again.
"She said I was making her feel like a grandmother, that I was fussing too much over her. She's still not fully recovered but she threatened to organise extra harmonics tests for me if I didn't leave the apartment and her for a couple of hours." The two shared a soft laugh and a shake of their heads at the antics of a certain Operations Director.
"Yep...that sounds like Misato alright" she said.
"So what about you Maya? Do you normally...get out much?" he asked awkwardly, not being comfortable or confident in the small talk department.
"Well, a girl's got to stay in shape somehow" she said with a wink and Shinji had to fight hard to avoid dropping his gaze to admire her shapely figure. "But I guess I'm in a similar situation to you. Dr Akagi pretty much kicked me out of the Geofront and ordered me to have the day off. Since I haven't had much free time of late and it is a beautiful day I thought why not take advantage of the situation?" Shinji could only nod at the logic of the statement.
"Say are you hungry?" Shinji thought about the question and simply nodded in response.
"Well I'm meeting up with Shigeru and Makato in about an hour for lunch, you want to join us?" Shinji frowned slightly as he thought about the question and he quickly looked away from Maya as the awkwardness of the situation started to overwhelm him. After all, here was Maya the woman who had shown plenty of affection for Shinji and she was asking him to join her for lunch. Sure the other two bunnies would be there but the fact is that Maya asked Shinji...
"Well...I wouldn't want to intrude..." he said softly and Maya frowned at his response. He really does lack confidence she thought as she saw the hesitation in his eyes and heard it in his voice.
"Well if I didn't want you there then I wouldn't have asked you Shinji and I know that the other two won't mind you joining us." Still he didn't look convinced. Maya sighed as she considered how to get him out of his shell.
"You don't have to be alone all the time Shinji. Remember what I told you when you were released from the prison block?" He nodded though he still wouldn't meet her gaze. Deciding to give it one last try she put her hand gently on his shoulder and winced as he flinched under the contact.
"I'm not forcing you or anything Shinji; I just thought it would be nice to have some company. Friends have a right to hang out with each other don't they?" she asked gently with a soft, understanding expression. Shinji looked back at her and was once again taken in by the kindness of her eyes.
"I...I suppose you're right. I'd...like to join you for lunch Maya." She couldn't help but smile at her triumph.
"Great" she said. "Well I've got to get home and change so how about I meet you back here in say...40 minutes?"
"Sure" he said. Saying their farewells they both went on their way, Maya jogging off to her home whilst Shinji walked back to the shade of the tree in order to think about what had just happened.
* * * * *
At around about the same time another young woman was out wandering the streets of Tokyo III. She walked at a sedate pace, clearly not in any rush and her head was bowed in thought. Since she had finished everything that was required of her for the day and she had nothing else to do, she decided that home was the best place for her to be. Home...perhaps that was the wrong word. Her place of residence. Yes, that was a much more fitting term for the room in which she dwelled when not required to perform her duties. A home indicated someplace where one belonged and felt comfortable; no such place existed for Rei Ayanami.
The busy streets of the bustling city in which she dwelled didn't affect her in the slightest as she slowly made her way back from the Geofront. She didn't notice the numerous odd or unsavoury looks directed her way from the passers-by, so deep in thought was she. Had she noticed the looks it wouldn't have bothered her in the slightest anyway because Rei was beyond such trivial matters like what people thought of her. The tests she had today were all completed successfully and efficiently and yet she didn't feel satisfied. Normally she wouldn't have felt anything after the tests but ever since the battle with the fifth angel she had been feeling...dissatisfied. Every time Rei looks into Commander Ikari's eyes all she sees is emptiness and this is starting to bother her.
The man cared for nothing. Not Rei, not Shinji, not anything except his scenario. The cold hearted way in which he was willing to sacrifice anything and go to any lengths to keep those important elements of his scenario under control were nothing short of inhumane. Rei had always had an ability to see into people, to see something of their inner light or aura if you'd prefer. For most people it was a light glow, the satisfaction of knowing who they were and what they were doing in this life. Others like Shinji had a tarnished glow which was painful to behold since he had suffered so many injustices in his short but painful life. But Gendo Ikari had no glow whatsoever. His light had long since been extinguished and only a deep and foreboding darkness resided within his shattered soul. What made things worse was that this darkness spread to others. Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki, Dr Akagi and even Shinji all had their inner light dimmed by contact with the nothingness which consumed the supreme Commander of NERV.
This hadn't affected Rei in the past. She could always see the malignance spreading like cancer throughout those in close contact with the shell of a man but only now was she starting to understand the significance of the matter. Only after witnessing the callous way in which he dealt with his only son did she truly see how far gone he was. Of course were it not for the emotions that this boy had awoken inside of her then she probably wouldn't have cared. Emotions which she had only a minute understanding of...
She glanced up at the thought of Shinji and much to her surprise she saw the boy in a park across the street standing under the shade of a large tree and talking with a young woman. She instantly recognised the woman as Maya Ibuki and paused to watch the two. Shinji seemed rather awkward at first around the woman but seemed to settle after a short conversation. Maya for her part was her usual considerate self and was smiling constantly. By the end of the conversation Shinji seemed to be much more relaxed and returned to sitting under the tree after Maya left. Rei found herself staring at Shinji for many minutes. She had not spoken with the third child since the party over a week earlier and got the distinct impression that he was avoiding her. Frowning at the possibility she turned to walk away but instead found herself walking towards the young man. Without conscious thought she approached and stood before him.
Again sensing a presence near him Shinji opened his eyes and was once again surprised by the identity of his visitor. Repeating his actions during the last interruption he stood and removed the ear buds to give Rei his full attention.
"Hello Ikari" she whispered somewhat less confidently then before. This didn't go unnoticed by Shinji.
"Hi Ayanami. What are you doing out here?" he asked with genuine curiosity. Rei stared at Shinji for a long time and he quickly started feeling uncomfortable. There was something different about her gaze this time, something less pleasant, but he couldn't seem to identify what the difference was. Rei for her part continued to stare until she noticed how uncomfortable she was making him and turned her head to avert her gaze. This only made Shinji more uncomfortable however since he had never seen Rei acting this way.
"Is...is something wrong Ayanami?" he asked timidly. Rei didn't reply for long seconds as she wondered what she was doing here. She was going to just walk away but for some reason she found herself unable to do so. Sighing to herself she turned back to face the confused boy.
"Why have you been avoiding me Ikari?" she asked directly and noted the look of surprise on his face.
"I...I haven't Ayanami..." he started before seeing the look in her eye. He lowered his eyes and took a couple of breaths before drawing enough courage to meet her challenging gaze again.
"Well...things have been kinda awkward with the rumours that were spread around and all...I didn't want to give people the wrong impression...or anything else to gossip about."
"What do you mean by the wrong impression?"
"Well you've heard all the rumours...I didn't want everyone to think that we were...seeing each other or anything." Rei frowned thoughtfully at his answer.
"But we are not currently in a relationship and those rumours are false."
"Yeah but..." he struggled, trying to figure out a way to explain the complexities of junior high student's behaviour, but finding himself unable to do so. Rei waited for him to continue his answer but sensing none forthcoming decided to continue.
"Why would it matter if they thought such a thing anyway? Does the opinion of others mean so much to you that you would stop talking to a friend?" Shinji's eyes went wide at the question as the full weight of the situation was suddenly revealed to him. He could clearly see a trace of hurt in her often emotionless eyes and he mentally berated himself for being so stupid.
"I...I'm so sorry Rei...I didn't think of it that way..." his use of her first name caught Rei off guard and his eyes showed all the emotion that his words failed to portray. He was shifting his weight nervously whilst he waited for any kind of response from the first child. When she just continued to stare at him he felt his heart sink as he was sure that he was going to loose her as a friend because of sheer stupidity.
"I'm really sorry" he whispered again mournfully before hanging his head in shame. No sooner had he performed the action then he felt Rei's soft fingers under his chin and she gently drew his bowed head up to meet her eyes. Shinji couldn't see any trace of the earlier hurt and instead was shocked to see the corners of her lips upturned in the smallest of smiles.
"There is no need to apologise Ikari. You care about what everyone thinks of you. I only ask that you consider your friends above the others." Shinji sighed in relief and matched Rei's smallest of smiles with one of his own.
"I will Ayanami. Thankyou...for understanding." Her reply was to widen her smile slightly. As often happens between the two they found themselves lost in each others eyes as a sense of peace settled over the pair of them. Seeing that her fears were unfounded Rei lowered her hand which was still gently touching his chin and took a step back.
"I have to go now. I will see you tomorrow at school"
"Well...I'm kinda going out for lunch with Maya, Shigeru and Makato soon...would...would you like to join us?" he asked timidly. Rei thought about the offer for several seconds. Whilst she didn't have anything against the bridge bunnies she didn't know them or feel comfortable around them, unlike the way she felt around Shinji. It would be nice to be in his presence...but now was not the time for that.
"Perhaps another time" she said after much self deliberation. Shinji's hopeful expression fell but he managed not to be too disappointed. After all, this was Rei Ayanami...
"O.k. then. Well...I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school."
"Yes. Goodbye Ikari."
"Goodbye Ayanami." With their goodbyes said Rei left the park in a much better mood than when she entered. It was very apparent to her that her friendship with Ikari meant a lot and she had been...disappointed with their lack of interaction. Knowing now that his reasons for avoiding her weren't sinister was a load off her mind. Her small smile remained the entire trip back to the shabby apartment complex in which she resided. - Is this happiness? - she wondered silently to herself. Regardless, she decided that it was a feeling she could get used to.
Shinji watched Ayanami until she walked out of sight before collapsing against the tree. He cursed his own stupidity again as he was fully aware of how insensitive his actions towards Rei had been. He'd only met her a couple of months ago and yet there was something about her, something that drew him to her. He had no idea what it was but he was always more at peace when around her. Having her as a friend was very important to him as she didn't have any other friends. That'll have to change he thought to himself. There were plenty of good and understanding people out there and with a bit of coercion he might be able to get her to open up more to others. First he'd have to get her to open up more to him though... Whilst she was far more open with Shinji than anyone else, she was still very mysterious. So it was that Shinji spent the remainder of his time until Maya came by thinking of ways to get to know Rei Ayanami better.
* * * * *
The cool air being circulated around the small café by the overstressed air-conditioning unit was a welcome relief for Shinji and Maya as they entered the small enclosure. The temperature must have been at least 10° cooler inside then the hotter-than-hell inferno outside. Looking around the café they noticed that there were only a dozen tables scattered about the small room and much to their disappointment they were all currently occupied. Shinji looked around apprehensively as he and his companion were now the centre of attention, with everyone staring curiously at them. Finally someone stood up near the back and waved them over. Shinji breathed a sigh of relief as he and Maya made their way over to far corner and away from the curious gazes of the other patrons.
"Sorry I'm a little late you guys, but I ran into Shinji just before and since he wasn't doing anything I decided to invite him along" Maya said as she pulled out an empty chair for herself and quickly sat down, relishing the chance to get off her sore feet.
"It's no problem" Aoba reassured her before the trio turned their attention to Shinji who was still standing by the table. "Hey Shinji, how've you been?" he asked of the stationary boy.
"I'm...o.k." he said softly.
"Well are you going to stand there all day or are you actually going to sit down?" Hyuga asked with a trace of amusement.
"Oh...ah...sure" Shinji muttered before taking the remaining seat. Maya managed to suppress a giggle but couldn't contain a small smile at his confused antics.
"Relax Shinji; we're just a group of friends out having lunch together. We're not expecting anything of you" she said whilst taking note of his reaction.
"I know, it's just...I don't like being around so many people."
"Ah it's no so bad... There are much bigger cafés around than this one and besides, at least we're out of the damn heat" Hyuga remarked as he leant back into his seat.
"I'll agree with you there. So how's life been treating you Shinji?" asked Shigeru before taking a sip of his beer.
"Umm...o.k. I guess"
"Care to elaborate?"
"Well...I've been mostly looking after Misato and just going to school"
"How is she anyway?" asked Hyuga with a concerned expression. He'd been one of the first to check on Misato after the battle but she was still unconscious, even when a medical team finally arrived to take her away. They'd all heard from Ritsuko that she would be fine but everyone knew internal injuries were more often than not worse than they appeared...
"She's up and about but I've been trying to get her to remain as inactive as possible. She's still in some pain and is fed up with me trying to take care of her..." His expression darkened slightly and his voice lowered as he continued. "It's my fault she's injured but she won't let me worry about her." The three adults each exchanged cautious glances whilst Shinji's head was bowed as they were fully aware of how sensitive this topic was.
"It's not your fault Shinji" Maya began gently.
"Yeah, were it not for your quick thinking then Misato wouldn't have made it at all" continued Hyuga.
"No one knew that the Jet Alone had been reprogrammed, so all things considered there wasn't anything else you could have done" finished Aoba. Shinji clenched his fists at his side and finally raised his head to look at his companions. All three were taken aback by his dark expression.
"That's not the point. The point is I wasn't good enough. Misato put her life in my hands and I failed to adequately protect her. Now she is injured because I couldn't defeat my enemy."
"But Shinji, you were at a serious disadvantage. Not only did you not know that the Jet Alone was going to attack you, but you only had one arm with which to fight with. The fact that you protected Misato at all is a testament to your skill and your will to save her." Hyuga studied Shinji's face intently but was dismayed to find the same dark expression.
"He's right Shinji. All the odds were stacked against you and yet you came through in the end. Not only did you save Misato's life but you also saved the lives of everyone in the area" Shigeru added thoughtfully.
"I know that but...why did she have to get hurt? Why wasn't I good enough or smart enough to save her from that suffering?" he pleaded with them, his anger replaced with regret.
"I heard and saw everything that went on during the battle Shinji. I know that Misato ordered you to drop her so that you could defend yourself...but you didn't. You fought back valiantly even though your were outclassed, and it was you who figured out a way to save Misato and get the Jet Alone into the lake to contain the blast. You did more than anyone else could have done, and were anyone else in your shoes then there's no way that they could have saved Misato and dispatched the enemy" Hyuga said with an honest expression. Shigeru and Maya both nodded their heads in agreement with the statement and Shinji found himself lost for words. He looked from face to face and was met with the same genuine expression. Maybe they're right... he thought to himself whilst he reflected on the technicians words.
"But still...she didn't have to get hurt. No matter which way you look at it, it's still my fault for not doing more to protect her. Every time I get into Unit 01 I hurt people..." he whispered whilst lowering his head in shame.
"Shinji..." whispered Maya with a profoundly sad expression on her face before she leaned over and gently embraced him. Without conscious thought Shinji returned the embrace and rested his chin on her shoulder, relishing the contact. Maya gently ran her hand over his back in a circular pattern in order to calm him and in a short time she could feel the tension leave his body. Shinji thought back to the day he was released from the prison and how Misato had held him in a similar fashion to calm his fears. Was this the power of human contact? Was this what he had been missing all these years? The pair remained that way for quite a while before Shinji gently pulled back, and when he looked at Maya he was rewarded with one of her small but beautiful smiles.
"You can't dwell on the past Shinji; it'll only cause you more pain. You have to live in the present and be thankful for what you have. Be thankful for the fact that you saved Misato's life and that in a week or so it'll be as if she were never even injured." The two locked gazes and for long seconds and they just stared intently at each other. Shigeru and Makato both watched the spectacle with a combination of surprise and confusion. Both were fully aware of how kind and caring Maya was but neither were used to her expressing that care in this way. Truth be told they were both a little jealous of Shinji...
"I'll try" he said finally. Maya nodded her head and smiled.
"That's all we can ever do Shinji" she said. The four sat in silence for some time afterwards, no one really knowing what to say after such a deep and painful conversation. Aoba finally broke the silence by asking if anyone wanted to order anything and within minutes they had all ordered and were digging in to a light lunch.
"I don't mean to dig up a painful topic or anything but I heard that Section 2 recently brought in the hacker who changed the programming on the Jet Alone" Hyuga informed. His statement was met by a trio of surprised expressions. "I hear that they've been interrogating him for the past couple of days"
"That was quick" Shigeru muttered. "Wonder what they're going to do with him once they've proven his guilt?" he wondered out loud.
"Knowing Section 2 and the Commander it sure won't be pretty..."Makato mused whilst looking at his meal with less interest then before.
"I still can't believe that someone managed to hack into the MAGI like that. After all, it is the most advanced super computer on the planet and with the genius of Doctor Akagi maintaining it such a thing should have been next to impossible..." said Maya with a thoughtful frown. "And not only that, but this whole fiasco has cost us valuable time."
"You mean with the upgrade of Unit 00?" asked Aoba. Maya shivered as she pictured the giant prototype EVA.
"Yeah. Dr Akagi had to spend the last few days updating the MAGI and without her leadership the work on Unit 00 has suffered."
"Are you o.k?" asked Hyuga after she had finished. Maya glanced up at him for an instant before returning her gaze to her lunch. Both Shinji and Shigeru were watching her intently.
"I'm fine, it's just...there's something about Unit 00..." she trailed off before pushing her meal aside. The mere thought of the unpredictable building sized killing machine was enough to destroy her appetite.
"Wh-what about Unit 00?" Shinji queried nervously. Maya took a moment to consider her answer before turning to Shinji and offering him a half-hearted attempt at a reassuring smile.
"It's nothing...ever since the battle with the 5th angel I just...It just seems different" she struggled with the effort of putting her thoughts and feelings into words. The three males just looked at her quizzically. Sighing to herself she continued.
"Well you know...Rei had those problems and now we're completely overhauling it to make it even more formidable. Doctor Akagi won't say anything about what happened but I've seen her scowling at Unit 00 when she thought no one was looking. I just think we're being too careless...what if we have further problems?"
"I know what you mean. We don't know a thing about the EVAs and yet they're the only force stopping the annihilation of the human race" Aoba mused with a grim expression.
"What do you think Shinji?" asked Makato. "You're the only one here who knows what it feels like to pilot one."
"Well all I know is that it feels...comfortable. When I'm linked with Unit 01 I feel warm and...safe, like something is watching over me." He thought about telling them of the voice he heard on several occasions but reconsidered due to the fact that it sounded crazy. Glancing up he noticed all three of the adults considering him with thoughtful expressions.
"Well that's interesting" Hyuga thought out loud. "I wonder if Rei would say the same thing?" Shinji frowned thoughtfully at the question. Just what did Rei think about piloting? She had told Shinji before the battle that she piloted because EVA was her bond to humanity...but did she feel the same things that Shinji felt? Perhaps he should talk to her about it again...
"Well at least we'll be getting Unit 02 and the second child in a couple of days. I must say that I'll sleep better once they are here to offer their additional support" commented Shigeru after a drawn out silence. Hyuga and Maya nodded absently but Shinji only maintained his frown.
"You must be looking forward to having someone else to fight with you Shinji. It'll take a lot of pressure off you and increase our chances of winning each battle" Maya commented whilst looking at Shinji. He just sighed and stared at the table.
"So there will be another kid just like me. Another kid thrust into the position of saving the world. Another kid who has to suffer so that we as a race might continue to exist." His defeatist tone was painful for Maya to hear and his sudden lack of expression worried her even further. Glancing at Shigeru and Makato she could tell that they were just as worried as she was.
"Well from what I've heard she's been training for a long time and actually enjoys piloting her EVA" Shigeru offered hopefully but Shinji seemed not to hear him. A tense silence prevailed as no one really wanted to say anything else that may upset the fragile boy. Figuring that the silence was just as bad as anything, Maya decided that something should be said...
"Hey, this was supposed to be a relaxed day off. So why is it that so far we've talked about nothing but work?" she asked, looking at each of the three other faces in turn.
"You've got a point there..." Hyuga said with a slight nod of his head. Aoba also nodded his assent but Shinji was unmoved, too lost in thoughts of the dark possibilities the future may hold. Searching for a distraction, Hyuga called over a waitress and ordered a round of drinks for everyone. After they arrived Shigeru started up some non-work related small talk and eventually everyone lightened up and started to relax. They spent an hour just enjoying each others company and talking about everything and nothing before Shinji decided he needed to get back to check on Misato.
"Thanks for lunch. It was nice to spend some time with you guys" he said politely.
"Yeah, I guess it was just lucky that I ran into you when I did" Maya commented with a smile.
"Maybe we should do this more often?" suggested Hyuga after Shinji rose to his feet.
"Yeah why not? It's nice being able to just hang out with good company" agreed Aoba.
"What do you say Shinji?" Maya asked as she too rose to her feet.
"Uh, yeah I suppose so. It's not like I do anything else anyway..."
"Great, then it's decided. I guess it'd be best to organise things at work so that we know what time we are all free" suggested Hyuga. Everyone nodded an affirmative.
"Well thanks again you guys, I guess I'll see you tomorrow" Shinji said as he looked at each of adults.
"Oh before you go I have something for you" Shigeru said as he started rummaging through his pockets in search of the gift. Finally locating it he extracted a small plastic box and slid it over the table to Shinji. Shinji picked it up and realised it was a tape for his S-DAT.
"Iron Maiden's Greatest Hits" he read on the cover. (AN: This one's for you Optimus Magnus :P)
"Yeah, you said you liked the other music I gave you so here's something else for you to try. I'm pretty sure that you'll like it."
"Thanks" Shinji said with a smile.
"No problems Shinji" he replied.
"I'll take my leave now as well" informed Maya. "Do you want a lift home Shinji?"
"Uh...if it's not a problem..."
"It's no problem; it's on the way after all."
"O.k. then"
"Right, I'll see you guys tomorrow" she said as she gestured for Shinji to head to the door.
"Yeah, see you then" the two men replied in unison. They watched as Shinji and Maya headed to the exit and Shinji opened the door for Maya before following her through afterwards. Shigeru just shook his head.
"Lucky bastard" he said with a sly smile. Hyuga nodded in agreement.
"I'll say."
* * * * *
"So he was telling the truth after all" stated Fuyutsuki regretfully as he looked upon the corpse of the former prisoner which was laid out on a stretcher before him. Two guards flanked the motionless body and at Gendo's nod covered the lifeless vessel with a sheet before dragging the stretcher out of the door to dispose of the evidence.
"Yes, it seems so" replied the younger man with the slightest of frowns. Fuyutsuki failed to hide his disgust as the body was removed and it took a tremendous amount of will to restrain himself from screaming at Ikari for being so inhumane.
"There were other avenues of interrogation we could have taken. This was supposed to be a last resort" he growled at his superior. Whilst his tone didn't go unnoticed by Gendo, the Supreme Commander made no reaction whatsoever.
"It would have come to this anyway. This way we didn't have to wait to get the results" he retorted coldly. Fuyutsuki closed his eyes as he struggled to keep his temper under control. Opening them again he found Ikari to be in the exact same position.
"But still, it was unnecessary."
"The ends justify the means professor; you of all people should know that. This is not the issue we need to discuss however. The problem at hand is that we have been taken for a ride" he said as he turned to look at his one time teacher. Fuyutsuki gazed evenly into the cold depths of Ikari's eyes and saw not even the slightest hint of compassion. Knowing that arguing further would be pointless he sighed and nodded his head.
"It seems that our adversary is quite cunning. They somehow managed to alter the MAGI's log whilst avoiding all the trace programs in order to take what they wanted. But not only that, they also managed in incriminate another in the process. Quite impressive of them" mused the professor as he pushed the image of the prisoner out of his mind.
"Indeed. Doctor Akagi assures me that something like this will not happen in the future but unfortunately the damage has already been done."
"Do we know what information they managed to pilfer yet?"
"No. Aside from the obvious data on the first battle Doctor Akagi has been unable to confirm whether or not they managed to access any other files" Gendo mused with another slight frown creasing his grim features.
"I assume you have taken measures to rectify this situation?"
"Without knowing who our assailant is it will be hard to strike back at them. I have section 2 working overtime however, and they assure me that they will have something by the end of the week."
"And what is to be done with them once the intruder has been found?" The corners of Gendo's lips turned up in a sadistic smirk.
"Why professor, do you really need to ask that question?" Fuyutsuki suppressed a shudder at the suggested maliciousness of his former student and instead shook his head and departed. If this is what he does to allies...I don't want to know what he'll do to enemies...
* * * * *
Two children were sitting next to each other under the shade of a large tree which was planted in a small but peaceful park. Both were being supervised by a pair of adults whom were seated on a bench some distance away and although their facial expressions couldn't be made out at this distance, a warm and loving aura was projected towards the two children as they happily played together. They were both currently staring intently at the ground in between them where one of the girl's hairclips had fallen. The clip seemed to blend in with the leaves and other assorted detritus on the ground and they spent many minutes searching for the elusive item. Just as the young girl started to get angry, her comrade, a young boy, found the previously hidden object and plucked it from the ground before holding it before her with a big grin on his face. His grin instantly fell however when a piece of dirt was freed from the clip and due to the speed with which he raised the clip, flew straight into the poor girl's eye.
Unlike most children her age she didn't cry at the unfortunate occurrence but rather growled in annoyance as she rubbed her eye in an effort to alleviate the irritation. The young boy's expression fell to a combination of worry and fear as he witnessed her struggles and he tentatively reached forward to brush some of the dirt off her nose. The girl made no move to stop him and she finally managed to get the dirt out of her eye after turning her eyelid inside out...or as close as she could get. The young boy turned away at the display and when he finally looked back he was greeted by a fistful of dirt impacting against his chest. He looked stunned before he noticed the devilish gleam in his playmate's eyes and he quickly returned the barrage with one of his own.
The two then quickly jumped to their feet with fistfuls of dirt and began running around whilst hurling the accumulated earth at each other. The two adults both stopped their conversation and shook their heads before laughing to themselves at the antics of the children. The two children however were oblivious to the adults and continued on with their game. For several minutes they continued to bombard each other until the young boy miscalculated his throw and hit the girl in the face. He froze with a look of absolute terror on his face as she began coughing and spluttering in order to remove the small amount of dirt which had entered her mouth. Once she had removed the unwelcome detritus she looked up at her friend with a look of anger on her otherwise cute features.
She paused only to gauge the terror in the young boy's expression before taking off at a sprint towards him. Without hesitation he too started sprinting though his idea was quite the opposite of hers...he simply wanted to get as far away as possible! It was quite obvious who was the better athlete though as she quickly closed the distance between them, and it was only his erratic dodging that allowed him to escape her grasp.
"Come back Shinji!" the aggravated young girl yelled as he once again managed to avoid her grasp. He couldn't maintain such manoeuvring for long however, and she finally managed to crash tackle him from behind and after rolling him over she pinned him to the ground with her own weight. He looked up at her in terror as her angry expression changed into a sadistic grin and she leaned in very close to him so that he could hear her whisper one word...
"Payback"
Shinji opened his eyes and sat up suddenly as he was jerked out of his sleep by the incessant blaring of his alarm clock. He looked around his room in confusion before his disorientation abated and he realised where he was. That same dream...why do I keep having that same dream? He leaned over and disabled the annoying alarm but made no effort to get up, he merely sat stock still and replayed the clear memory of his dream over in his mind. He'd had the dream on several occasions since that synch test inside Unit 01 but he was still no closer to understanding it. The voice told him that the past wasn't entirely painful...yet how could this be his past? Who was this young girl whom he apparently knew and what happened to her? If she was a friend then wouldn't his father have sent him to live with her since he already knew her instead of with some teacher whom he had never met before? Or was he just losing the plot? After all, he was starting to hear voices when in his EVA and that is surely an obvious sign of schizophrenia. After five minutes of reflection he still didn't have any further understanding of the repetitive dream and so he slowly struggled out of bed and began his morning ritual, though he couldn't push the dream out of his mind.
After he had prepared all his school gear he made breakfast for himself and Pen^2 which they both ate in silence. Without Misato and her...interesting breakfast habits, the meal passed in silence aside from the quiet sounds of eating. After finishing his meal he went back into the kitchen and fixed up more toast and some of his favourite green tea for his guardian. Misato in a typical display of her stubbornness (or hard-headedness if you asked Ritsuko...) had flatly refused to stay in the hospital even when her injuries were more severe and so Shinji had taken it upon himself to look after her. She had gratefully accepted his assistance and had even enjoyed being fussed over by her young charge...until he had started blaming himself for her current state. She couldn't bare to see him beat himself up over the incident and so she had refused any further assistance and struggled to do everything by herself. This of course had only made Shinji even more concerned but she wouldn't relent until he admitted that it wasn't his fault.
"Misato?" he called out after knocking lightly on her door. The only reply was silence. After repeating the action twice he was finally rewarded with a groan so he slid the door open and stood at the threshold. The room was as messy as ever with the usual collection of beer cans, underwear and the odd takeout container scattered all over her domain and he quickly realised that the sheet-covered lump next to the far wall of the room could only be Misato as she struggled into consciousness.
"Um...I made you breakfast Misato" Shinji said quietly as he tried to plot out a safe route through the minefield which the older woman called a room. Misato began to stir and groaned in pain as her ribs made sure that she remembered her current injury. After about 30 seconds she finally stuck her head out from under the covers and looked at Shinji with a bleary eyed expression which seemed to ask why the hell was he waking her up at this time of the morning...
"I thought I'd save you the trouble later on" he informed in answer to her unasked question as he slowly picked his way through the room and crouched at the side of her bed. It was quite obvious from her expression that she was none too happy about being woken up but the promise of food was enough to overpower any unfriendly words or actions she may have had. Shinji set the tray down and helped Misato into a sitting position with her back leaning against the wall.
"I can do this myself you know" she growled in a sleep-heavy voice but there was no hostility in it.
"I know Misato, but it'll be easier if I help you" he replied after they executed the slightly painful manoeuvre and he retrieved the tray to set it on her lap. Misato looked at the meal for an instant before she closed her eyes and inhaled its tasty aroma. Mmmmmm...the smell of fresh toast and... Her eyes snapped open a second later before narrowing in annoyance at the cup of tea placed at the side of the tray. She mentally slapped herself for walking right into the cunning ambush that Shinji set. After all, he regularly suggested she try something other than beer for breakfast... She growled at the non-alcoholic substance and muttered something about this generation having no respect for tradition. Shinji didn't quite catch the exact words she used but he was sure that he could venture an accurate guess as to what she said...
"How are you feeling today Misato?" he asked with genuine concern.
"Fine" she muttered with a mouthful of toast distorting the single word into near obscurity. Shinji silently watched her consume the food and even the tea with slow deliberation so that she didn't make any unnecessary movements which would cause her pain. She knew that he was watching her, and he knew that she knew, but he couldn't keep the frown from appearing on his face.
"Do I have to say it again?" she asked without looking at him. Shinji sighed and lowered his head before responding.
"No. After my talk at lunch yesterday I've come to realise that whilst it's still my fault that you are injured, there was nothing else I could really have done to protect you. I can't change the past but that's not gong to stop me from looking after you now in the present." Misato's hand paused halfway in the process of delivering another sip of tea into her mouth at his realisation. She thought carefully upon what she had just heard and slowly lowered the cup back down to the tray before turning to look at him.
"So you're girlfriend finally managed to talk some sense into you huh?" she asked with a half smile. Shinji blushed at the suggestion and cursed himself mentally for not seeing it coming.
"She's not my girlfriend..." he whispered in embarrassment whilst looking away from the sarcastic Captain. She couldn't help but chuckle at his predictable reaction, but the weight of his previous statement quickly brought her back to their current situation.
"I'm so proud of you" she said seriously which quickly grabbed the boys attention. Shinji turned his gaze back to her and was surprised by the serious expression which she donned after so recently teasing him.
"What do you mean?" he asked in confusion at the sudden change of attitude.
"You've finally stopped beating yourself up over matters which were beyond your control. Sure, I was injured during the battle but that was my fault for putting myself in harms way. You not only saved my life then, but you are going out of your way to take care of me right now." Shinji didn't know what to say so he said nothing; he just stared at his guardian and accepted the praise which she bestowed upon him. It had taken him a long time, but after his talk with the bridge bunnies he could finally accept what had happened and deal with the consequences.
"I wonder what Maya must have done to convince you?" she wondered out loud. Her expression quickly darkened into a frown as she considered one possibility. "She didn't promise you anything inappropriate did she? You are underage and besides, you shouldn't be rushing your relationship that fast..." Shinji's eyes widened like saucers and he was consumed by an intense blush as he realised just what Misato was implying.
"N-no!...it's...we're...not...we wouldn't...I mean...she's not my girlfriend...and I...we wouldn't do THAT..." he stammered uncontrollably at the accusation. Misato erupted into a fit of laughter but just as quickly winced at the pain which flared through her ribs at the action. For the next minute or so she altered between laughing and wincing and tears were streaking down her cheeks at the actions. Shinji for his part kept his gaze averted and tried to control the bodily reaction which occurred when one was embarrassed. Not only that, but being a fourteen year old boy he was also trying not to picture the act which Misato was implying... After a fair amount of time Misato finally managed to get herself under control and she placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder.
"I'm sorry" she said whilst trying not to burst into laughter again. "I just couldn't help it..." Shinji merely nodded meekly but refused to meet her gaze, such was the embarrassment he felt.
"Aww come on...it was just a joke" she said with a gentle squeeze of his shoulder. When he still wouldn't look at her she softly pulled back on his shoulder forcing him to turn in her direction. She could still see a trace of red in his cheeks and only just restrained herself from being consumed by another laughing/wincing fit. Shinji could see the amusement in her eyes as plain as day and in an effort to distract himself he looked at his watch and realised that he was going to be late for school.
"I've got to get going" he said after meeting his guardian's gaze. "Don't want to be late again"
"Yeah you're right" she said as she glanced over at her clock and saw that he was indeed going to be late. Shinji stood up and started retreating from the room but Misato's voice stopped him once he reached the entrance.
"Shinji, I meant what I said. I really am proud that you can stop blaming yourself for this. My little Shinji's really growing up." She said the last part with a playful smile and he couldn't help but smile back.
"Thankyou Misato, I guess I just needed to hear it from several sources before I could acknowledge it for myself" he replied reflectively.
"I'm just glad that you have. Have a good day at school and thanks for the breakfast."
"Will do and no problem."
* * * * *
By the time Shinji arrived at the school he was only a couple of minutes late and thankfully the class hadn't officially started when he opened the door and entered his classroom. The teacher however noticed his tardiness and was none too impressed considering the frequency of his late appearances.
"Mr Ikari, would you kindly tell me why you are late to my class yet again?" he asked with no small amount of irritation evident in his tone.
"I'm sorry sensei, my guardian is currently unwell and I had to make sure that she was alright before I left" he replied honestly and he couldn't help but notice the numerous whispers that started between his fellow classmates at his excuse.
"Mmm...that excuse is getting old. Don't let it happen again. Now take your seat" he growled gruffly as he prepared himself to start the first lesson of the day.
"Yes sir, sorry sir" Shinji said with a polite bow and made his way to his desk. On his way to his usual seat he was surprised to notice that Ayanami was watching him and he gave her a small smile and a nod of the head. He was even more surprised when she returned the gesture before resuming her usual position, apparently oblivious to everything except that which was beyond the window. The lesson dragged on slowly and Shinji, as he usually did during class, started reflecting on recent and not so recent events which had occurred in his life. He didn't have long to consider these matters however, before a barrage of messages appeared on his computer from the guys in the classroom demanding to know what was wrong with his guardian. Shinji answered as evasively as possible but it took many minutes before the most determined of his inquisitors realised that he wasn't going to say anymore and gave up.
The fact that this event had been replayed almost every school day since the Jet Alone incident was not lost on Shinji. He ignored the rest of the messages which continued through the whole lesson and once the bell for lunch rang he turned the computer off and gathered his lunch. He made no effort to get up though and his two good friends made their way over to him. As they approached, Shinji noticed Ayanami leave the room after most of the others and head off to her usual secluded spot. Shinji thought about what she had said when they were in the park and decided that now would be as good a time as ever to get to know her better.
"Hey Shinji, late as usual?" asked Kensuke as he and his larger friend approached.
"Yeah" he replied absently as he continued to look out the door.
"So how is Misato?" asked Touji seriously.
"She's getting better but she won't be 100% for at least another week."
"Are you alright?" asked Kensuke, concerned with his friend's lack of attention. Shinji blinked and looked at the two who were impatiently awaiting an answer.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Um...I have to go talk to someone, you guys mind if I skip lunch today?" Both boys blinked in incomprehension at the question. They looked at Shinji, then at each other, then back at Shinji with the same blank look on their faces.
"Say what?" asked Touji in obvious confusion. Since when did Shinji skip out on their normal lunch gathering to talk to someone else?
"I have to talk to someone" he repeated and stood up before his two friends.
"Uh, yeah...sure. We'll uh...catch you later" Kensuke said finally and the three left the room, two going to the roof and the other outside.
It didn't take Shinji long to locate Rei since she, like most of the kids, went to the same place everyday for lunch. As he approached he noticed her sitting under the shade of a large tree reading through a textbook, though he couldn't tell which subject it was for at this distance. Sensing his presence, Rei looked up from her book and watched him close the remaining metres between them.
"Uh...hi Ayanami. I was wondering if maybe I could...uh...that is if you didn't mind...if I spent lunch with you?" he asked shyly. Why do I feel so awkward all of a sudden? he wondered to himself whilst he nervously awaited her response.
"That would be acceptable" she affirmed in her breathy whisper. Shinji smiled in relief and sat down next to his fellow pilot and an awkward silence settled over the two of them. Since it was Shinji who initiated this meeting, Rei figured that it would be him who started a conversation and Shinji would've agreed, but he suddenly found himself unable to think clearly. They might have found the silence comical if one of them wasn't so nervous and the other unable to comprehend humour...
"Um...so...how are you Ayanami?" Shinji asked, finally breaking the stalemate.
"I am in good health. How are you Ikari?" she asked much to Shinji's surprise. Never before had Rei actually inquired as to how someone was feeling...
"I'm fine" he managed after a couple of seconds in shock.
"That's good for you" she said and Shinji instantly recognised the same words which had haunted him after his first painful engagement with the 5th angel. He looked intently at her trying to gauge the reason for why the words sounded so...familiar when she said them. If Rei noticed his interest she gave no indication and merely returned his stare. Yet again he found himself on the verge of understanding...but recognition strayed just out of his grasp and continued to torment him. Shinji grudgingly decided to drop it for now rather than get himself flustered. Realising that Rei was still staring at him he put his mind to thinking about something to talk about. Idiot...you should have thought of something to talk about before you came over...he thought while he slugged himself mentally for this lapse in reasoning. Inspiration hit him quickly however when he remembered his resolution to find out more about his fellow pilot.
"Ayanami...I was wondering why you...why you're always by yourself."
"It has never before been important to associate with people aside from at NERV" she replied without hesitation. Neither her voice nor her expression gave Shinji any hints as to how exactly she felt about that.
"But haven't you ever wanted to talk to someone or just enjoy another's company?" he asked quietly. Rei regarded him quizzically for a few moments as she considered her answer. How could she talk to other people considering who she is and how many dark secrets she had to keep concealed from everyone? As for company...she hadn't experienced any definitive emotions before a certain boy came into her life so she had never before had the desire to be near others, but how to explain these things to Shinji? Rei could see the pain of his soul, the pain from previous experiences which had damaged the kind hearted boy and she would never do anything that would hurt him more. So therefore she decided that she couldn't tell him about her past, for he is in too fragile a state and thus she couldn't tell him the truth of her reasons. She was quiet for so long that Shinji thought he had offended her and started to apologise before she interrupted him.
"I am not...comfortable around people" she finally said. Shinji nodded slowly as he was quite familiar with that state of being.
"Would you...want to be around people more?" he asked slowly. Again his question was met by a lengthy silence as the quiet girl considered his words.
"It is not something I have given much thought to" she whispered honestly and Shinji again nodded slowly.
"Well...you don't have to be alone all the time Ayanami. If there's one thing I've learned these last couple of weeks it's that it helps to have people who care about you. People who will be there when you need them." The irony of using the same words that Maya had used the day before was not lost on Shinji but they held true for Rei just as much if not more than with himself.
"What are you implying Ikari?"
"Well...if you ever want to talk or anything...I'll be here for you." She looked at him for a long time as the weight of his offer settled into the girl's conscience. Eventually she allowed a small smile to grace her features and she could feel an unfamiliar warmth in her chest at having someone offer to be there for her.
"Thankyou Ikari" she whispered almost inaudibly as she felt her throat tightening with emotion. Shinji just smiled warmly in reply, he had no idea that this was the first time ever that Rei Ayanami had thanked someone.
"Ayanami? Since we're friends and EVA pilots and all I was wondering if...well...I would like it if you just called me Shinji." Rei's eyes widened fractionally at the request. She wasn't on a first name basis with anyone...but if there was someone whom she could be, then it would definitely be Shinji.
"As you wish...Shinji." The name sounded foreign to her and yet at the same time appealing as the syllables rolled off her tongue. Shinji, yes she could get used to calling her best friend by his first name. Shinji's smile was enough reason for her to advance their friendship this small step.
"It would only be fitting for you to address me as Rei then" she said and this time it was his turn to widen his eyes in surprise. The smile quickly returned to his face and he nodded to her.
"I'd like that...Rei."
* * * * *
Meanwhile, halfway across the world a similar conversation to the one between the Commander and sub-Commander of NERV was being held. Seven figures sat at a large round table which was situated in an equally large, well lit room. Each of the figures was dressed in an ornately designed robe which stretched all the way to the feet of the wearer. The robes were blood red in colour with a long hood concealing the faces of all present. Epic paintings of ancient battles surrounded the group but none of those in attendance so much as graced them with a glance. A solitary servant proceeded to fill the elaborate chalices of each robed figure with obscenely expensive wine and once his task was done he silently withdrew from the room, sealing the portal behind him. With the servants departure the meeting commenced.
"So, it seems that our little ploy has worked after all" spoke one of the hooded figures. Several of the others nodded their agreement.
"Perhaps, though it would be foolish of us to assume that they will not take any action to ascertain the true identity of the intruder" chimed in one of the others.
"Indeed, to underestimate NERV would be folly. Their intelligence division is highly motivated and ruthlessly efficient" informed another. The statement was met with more nods.
"But still, our agent is extremely skilled at what he does and he is also well aware of the consequences should he fail or be discovered."
"That may be so but NERV has ways of extracting information from its victims. Should our agent be captured then we will be compromised" growled one of the previously silent figures.
"We should not be concerned with such trivial matters. We have a contingency in place should things turn out for the worst. What we should be concerned about is what we have learned."
"Or rather what we haven't"
"Indeed. It seems that NERV are not the ones pulling all the strings as we suspected. Our agent managed to find references to a group called SEELE. He wasn't able to retrieve many details about the group but it is apparent from what little he did get that NERV is subservient to them."
"I doubt that Ikari is subservient to anyone...it's not in his character."
"That remains to be seen. What we do know is that NERV requires an obscene amount of funds to keep going and it is obvious that not all of this is obtained through the UN. If this SEELE group are responsible for NERV then they undoubtedly shovel the much needed funds to them. If we can discover the nature of this group and remove them then it will make our strike against NERV much simpler."
"Bah, I still say that the best way to take NERV down is to eliminate the children. After all, without pilots those Evangelions are useless" the gruff statement was met by a tense silence before one of the other figures jumped to his feet.
"We have had this discussion before! We are not child killers! We have already voted against such a heinous act and you will not continue to go down that path!" hissed the outraged figure. The two stared at each other dispassionately before another attendant slammed his fist down on the table. The resounding clang of flesh on wood echoed though the small room and got everyone's attention, as was desired.
"Enough! We will not have petty bickering at these meetings. The decision was made not to involve the children and we will all abide by that decision. The matter at hand is how to most effectively use the information we have on NERV and to gather more data on this other organisation SEELE."
"Yes but the task will be that much more difficult now. NERV have no doubt taken measures to prevent a similar intrusion and we will be hard pressed to find another opportunity."
"Then we will create an opportunity. Time is on our side. The infidels will not be allowed to continue their heretical ways." The rest of the gathering nodded their heads in approval with the exception of one, as he was busy pondering the earlier argument. He knew that he was right, but the others were just too blind to see. Still to go against his comrades would only end in his expulsion from the council and possible execution. He remained silent during the rest of the meeting as they discussed the information which was stolen and how to best use it against their enemy.
Author's notes: Well there's chapter 4 done. Took me a while to complete this one as I lost inspiration for a couple of days and then when I finally finished it the site was down so I couldn't upload...that's my luck for ya. Don't really have much to say about this one. More character building, more Gendo maliciousness and a new enemy. I actually only had the idea for the 'mystery group' after I wrote the Jet Alone battle...shows how much I make up as I go along eh?
Anyway the next update may take a couple of weeks or so since I will be starting to write my simultaneous plots. I will really try to make them both interesting and believable and if I manage to do this then you can sing your praises to Steve Vader for his genius or if I fail then you can curse me unto death for not being up to the challenge.