Reply to Reviews:
Dl4852001: I don't think Shinji is needed for the Instrumentality Project at all. All that SEELE really needs to jump-start the Instrumentality Project is to merge Rei with Lillith and then control the outcome. In the movie, it was Rei's decision to use Shinji as the catalyst. In this story, SEELE will be using the Eva 5 series to merge with Lillith, so they wouldn't need Rei or Shinji at all, since the dummy plug system of the Eva 5 series is (literary) Rei. *It's a really interesting question, thanks for putting it into my attention.* Oh just to give you a hint. In this story, SEELE does not attack Nerv headquarters directly after the death of the last angel.
Star Mage: Original? Wow.. never thought of it as that before. Thanks! ^_^
RichardRahl: Asuka/Shinji huh? I guess I can try. But don't blame me if it turns out REALLY crap. Oh and remember, since Shinji and Asuka will be separated for a VERY long time. If there is any romance, it'll come in some of the later chapters, so please be patient.
E: I'll try to keep things as "interesting" as possible. Thanks!
What!: Um… Shinji/Maya? Wow.. I've never heard of that particular pairing before. But.. I've sort of got someone planned for Maya.. .;; So just keep on reading and then tell me what you think.
Thank you all for reviewing and please continue to encourage me!
Disclaimers: the cast of NGE is of course not mine. If it were, I'd make the ending a little different. It belongs to GAINAX and all the other big corporations that own it. One original character in this chapter is Takashi, he is MINE!!
NO romantic pairings between 14-year-old teenagers as of yet. It depends on what you guys really want. But I'll warn you now, I SUCK at Romance. ^_^ Okay, now on with the story. ^_^
Warning: Swearing. Uh… A lot of psychological crap on Ritsuko's part. I do try, really, I do..
+…..+ means thoughts *…….* Author's thoughts […] change of environment
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Title: Finding Strength to Live
Chapter 1: Missing?!
[Misato's Apartment]
ring… ring… ring…
The door to Shinji's room slid open abruptly revealing a very tired and annoyed Shinji.
Shinji grumbled to himself: "Who would be calling at this hour? It's half past Two in the morning, for God's sake!"
+It could be an emergency from Misato, I guess. But she's on night duty. What kind of emergency could she run into? And Asuka is still in the hospital so who would be calling now?+
ring… ring… ring…
Shinji increased his walking speed in the direction towards the phone. However, due to the fact that he did not turn on the lights beforehand, it is very dark and he kept on bumping into things in the room.
THUMP!!
"OW!! STUPID TABLE!" Shinji cursed under his breath as he rubbed his sore hips for hitting the corner of their wooden table. Then he winced as his knee came in contact with the couch. +GOD DAMN IT! WHO'S CALLING!!??+
ring… ring… ring…
Frustrated, Shinji shouted into the empty room, as if willing the phone to keep its pants on. "Alright! I'm coming! I'm coming!! Stupid phone!"
Finally, Shinji picked up the phone violently and practically yelled into it to whoever was on the other end. "Yeah WHAT!" Shinji shouted angrily.
On the other end of the line, someone coughed: "…".
Shinji immediately felt his anger leave his body as he recognised the voice of the person whom had coughed so inconspicuously. "Father???" He didn't know why his father was calling him at this time of the night and he didn't even know why he still kept referring to that man as 'father', but right now, his shock had overwhelmed all other emotion.
On the other end, Commander Ikari replied, cutting through Shinji's thoughts: "Listen to me, Shinji, this is very important."
+Why would father be calling me at this hour? And why would _he_ calling me by my name? He's never done that before!+
Not knowing of Shinji's current confusion, or knowing it but ignoring the fact, Commander Ikari continued with his instructions. "Don't turn on the light, go to your room, and start gathering some of your important belongings. Pack them up and come down to the ground floor of this building."
Shinji is still thoroughly confused by his father's actions and asked: "Father?! But why? What's going on?"
Ikari was adamant though: "Don't ask. This is for your own safety… And the Major is waiting as well."
Shinji was further put into shock: "Misato???" +What's going on?+
The commander cut through Shinji's thoughts again for a second time that night: "Just do as I say, Shinji. Once you are down, there will be a van waiting for you. Get in it and the driver will take you to some place safe."
Shinji wanted to rebuff and ask for a better explanation: "But Father! I don't understand! Why…" But it was to no use, since Commander Ikari had just hanged up the line.
Shinji stared at the phone in his hand strangely. He debated with himself whether he should do what his father had just told him to do. After a while, he finally came to a decision. For the safety of Misato, he will follow his father's orders just this once.
With that decision made, Shinji packed together a small backpack filled with his valuables, most of which are of sentimental value instead of capital value. However, he left behind his SDAT player, of which he had forgotten in his ongoing confusion.
Once finished with packing, he rushed outside the apartment and locked the doors, ran down the stairs instead of taking the elevator and arrived on the ground floor of the apartment building in slight exhaustion. Indeed, outside the front doors was a black van waiting for his arrival. Shinji took a deep breath, calming his nerves, and ran towards the suspicious van. However, he stopped himself just a few feet away from it, still wary as to what is currently happening.
Shinji took another deep breath and tried to ask the people in the van (for which he knew there were some) what is going on. He had a feeling that this would be his last chance to turn back if he really wanted to, and he was afraid of taking another step forward without really knowing what he is committing himself to.
"My father said that you were…"
However, before Shinji had the time to finish what he wanted to say, the side of the van opened and out jumped three large men. All of them in camouflaged in black, Shinji panicked. They grabbed him swiftly and pulled him into the van. Once all of them were inside, the door slide shut and the driver immediately started driving away. Shinji, in his panicked state, realised something. +Could this be a trap?!+
Trying desperately to calm down but hopelessly failing, Shinji tried to ask: "What! … Who are you?…"
Once again, Shinji was interrupted in his questions as those same three men grabbed at him. One held him by the arms from behind, another gagged him with a cloth that contained some kind of sleeping potion. In his panicked state, Shinji breathed in the gas and he immediately started to feel tired and knew that he was trapped for good.
+MISATO! HELP ME MISATO!! HELP ME!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!! Why… Father…?+
Shinji slowly fell asleep, unable to fight a loosing battle.
*************************
Shinji's left eye opened slightly as he fought for consciousness, but he is still terribly tired, being under the influence of the drug. His vision is blurred and the sounds that surrounds him seem to merge into one then fade, and then become strong again. He was very confused by the blurred images his tired eyes gathered.
+Weren't I in a van of some sort?+ His mind slowly detached itself from dreamland to impart with reality slightly. With some effort, Shinji tried for survey his new surrounding.
Instead of the hard surface of van, Shinji now finds himself in a very comfortable backseat of a car with dark tinted windows. Outside the window, he could make out the shape of the rising sun.
+Is it morning already?+ His tired mind supplied.
Shinji realised that he sat on the left hand side of the car. Turning to face the right side, he could distinctly make out a shape of a person. Even though his vision is still blurred but Shinji to tell that this person was male. The man was silhouetted from the light of the rising sun, and Shinji couldn't see the face properly at all, though he could tell the man was wearing glasses. Suddenly, Shinji's mind supplied a shocking realisation. +Father?+
Shinji fell unconscious again.
***************************
The next time Shinji reawakened, he could feel that the drugs were still in his system and he thought to himself. +The drugs they used on me must have been strong.+
Once again, his vision is blurred and the sounds unclear. He seemed to be lying on a much more comfortable bed in some kind of bedroom. +Well, at least it's not a hospital room.+ Shinji thought sarcastically.
The room was very neat, the furniture, curtains and everything else having a specific place within it. The bright sunlight shone through the open window and onto Shinji, slightly burning his eyes. Shinji decided to shut his eyes and concentrate more on listening on the conversation that was currently happening outside this room.
There were two voices, one of a more mature and elderly man, the other younger but seemingly more knowledgeful. After listening for a few seconds, Shinji recognised the voice of the mature man, it belonged to his father, Gendo Ikari. It was easy to figure him out due to the cold and stern tone of voice he always harbours. However, Shinji did not recognise the other person's voice at all.
The conversation he heard goes like this:
Ikari: "Everything went according as planned. Nothing is amiss."
Voice: "Do you really think this is the right way to do? Stealing him away from the Major's guardianship. You never even asked him what he thinks, did you?"
Ikari: "That is none of my concerns."
Voice: "Huh! And you're his father!"
Ikari: "From now on, he is your responsibility… I expect results."
Voice: "Whatever! You just want other people to do what you cannot."
Ikari: "Call it whatever you want to…"
Shinji couldn't fight the drugs anymore as he fell into unconsciousness again. His last thoughts were +Who is that person? What is father doing? Misato. Misato!?+
*****************************
[Misato's Apartment]
"Shinji! I'm home!" Misato shouted into the room, expecting a reply but was only met by silence.
"Shinji!" inquired Misato, showing a bit of concern. After the previous assassination attempt on Shinji's life, Misato has begun to get very worried about him.
She went to his room and swung open his door only to find an empty bed. With that, Misato started searching the rest of the house in anxiety. The house was completely empty.
Misato whispered to herself: "What the…?"
Forcing herself to calm down and think logically, she rang for security about Shnji's whereabouts. However, to her surprise, the security personnel had no idea he was even gone from the apartment.
Misato slammed the phone down after swearing at their incompetence and started muttering to herself. "STUPID idiots! Security must be dragging its ASS!"
After ringing up several other sections of Nerv control, she then commanded a citywide search for the missing third child. All Nerv personnel are on the look out for him, they have been ordered to search every room, every square metre within the city until they've found him.
+Damn it Shinji! Where are you? Commander Ikari isn't here so I'm in charge and then _this_ happen right under my nose! Where could you be, Shinji? WHERE ARE YOU?!+ Misato thought to herself anxiously.
The search started from 7 o'clock in the morning up until 3 o'clock in the afternoon and still, no one had found Shinji Ikari.
******************************
[Nerv Headquarters]
Since commander Ikari is not here, it is the responsibility of the Second in Command, Commander Fuyutski to inquire about the disappearance of the third child.
"On 0230 hours this morning, thei third child went missing and the security personnel lost track of how he had disappeared. At o700 hours, a citywide search was set up to search for the third child. Now it is 1500 hours, what is the result from the search?" Commander Fuyutski asked in a stern tone.
Aoba took a step forward and nervously relayed the answer: "No trace of him have been found, sir."
Hyuga took this opportunity to input his own opinions: "Whoever is responsible, they are professionals, sir. To be able to plan it so well, knowing the exact time of our shift changes, and planned in advance so that none of the security or the cameras detected their actions, prove that they are highly skilled in what they do."
Fuyutski stood in silence for a while, seething at the undesirable answers. "So what is your plan, Major?"
Misato stood absolutely still, knowing that the pressure is on her to produce some results. "Continue the search, sir." It was all she could say.
Though outwardly calm, Major Misato Katsuragi is probably the one person with the most raging emotion hidden inside her.
+There is no way that they could avoid all detection, could they? Who ever they are, if they lay one finger on Shinji, I'm gonna make them PAY!!! Could this be the work of SEELE? The only person I know that is able to pull these kinds of disappearances is… already dead. Who could be responsible?+
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[Shinji's current whereabouts]
Shinji slowly opened his eyes and blinked them until they could focus properly. The effect of the drugs have finally worn off. He looked outside the window, the sun is going down.
Shinji blinked again and said softly to no one in particular: "Is it afternoon, already?" He didn't expect a reply and was startled when a voice called out to him.
"Oh! You're finally awake, huh?"
Shinji turned his in the direction of the voice and found himself looking at someone he had never met before. Standing in front on his door is a young man, probably in his early twenties. He had short, chestnut brown hair that glistened with gold reflection while directly under sunlight. The man's sky-blue eyes were directed at Shinji with complete attention. In fact, the young man looked a lot similar to Shinji, if only an older version of him.
The young man smiled a light but genuine smile at him. For reasons unknown, Shinji does no feel threatened by this stranger.
After a short staring contest, the stranger decided to break the silence first. He threw a non-descript file folder at Shinji and it landed right in his hands. Shinji looked at it curiously, showing the stranger his confusion with an arched eyebrow, waiting for some explanation. The man just smiled again, and put down the plate of sliced up fruits on the table next to Shinji's bed.
Tired of waiting for a response, Shinji begun the conversation: "What is this?" indicating the yellow folder.
The young man looked up at him and said simply: "It's you file. Open it and you'll understand."
Shinji looked at the man suspiciously before curiosity won and he opened the file gently. The first thing he saw was a large photo of himself in school uniform, the same picture that had been used to identify him as the third child when he came to Tokyo 3 for the first time. Shinji disregarded his photo and flipped to the next sheet. This time, his eyes widened a bit at the information present there that are highlighted so they stand out.
Shinji looked at the man again and said quietly: "It ways here that my name is… Akira… Akira Tendo..?" Not sure what to expect, Shinji looked at the man for any confirmation.
The stranger smiled, grabbed a near by chair, dragged it closer to the boy and sat on it straddling the back of it, arms folding around the back rest. "Yup! That is your new identity."
Shinji blinked at him.
The young man chuckled at Shinji's blank yet confused expression and decided to stop hanging the boy in mid air by giving him a full explanation. "Okay, let me explain. _You_ (point at Shinji with his right index finger) are in danger in Tokyo 3 because a secret organisation known as SEELE is after you. Your father (here, he scrunched up his nose a bit in distaste) wanted to protect you so he _moved_ you here and made it look as if you've been kidnapped. Now you will have to live here for a time with a new name and a new identity."
The stranger paused a bit for effect as well as to let Shinji swallow all that, then he continued with his explanation. "By the way, my name is Takashi, Takashi Tendo. And I'm going to be your brother."
Shinji blinked again and his jaw dropped open slightly.
Takashi was taken back by Shinji's shocked expression and couldn't hide his amused smirk. "Don't worry, you've got a whole week to memories all those information in your new file as well as to get use to me. After that, we'll have to get you enrolled in school."
Shinji squeaked: "school?"
"Yep! But for now, read over new identity file and if your hungry, eat some fruit. If you need anything else, I'll be right outside in the living room, okay kid? Just follow the television noise." With that said, Takashi nodded at Shinji and left him to his own demise for a while.
Once again alone, Shinji shivered a bit at how much his life had changed so much with this new twist. "Man! I've only been asleep a few hours, and my life has turned upside down. God! I wish Misato was here."
******************
[Nerv Headquarters]
The supreme commander of Nerv strode confidently into the room and immediately started giving out orders. "Call off the search, Major!"
Misato's head jerked at the commander's orders, wondering why. "But Commander…"
Ikari narrowed his eyes behind his dark glasses and said in an icy tone. "That is an order, Major."
Misato just barely strained herself from launching at the Commander. A wave of cold fury raged inside of her but she kept it in tight control and only said one word in reply. "Understood."
The commander gaze silently at Misato's rigid posture for a minute longer before he strode confidently out of the conference room, leaving the rumour mill to make up whatever they wish.
It surprised every one that Commander Ikari would suddenly return from his mysterious trip and then immediately disbanded the search for his own son. The act, in itself, led to many suspicions of his involvement in the third child's untimely disappearance. While the rest of the staff contented to themselves with secret discussions on the matter, afraid of being targeted by the Commander, Major Misato Katsuragi refused to be left behind in the dark, especially on matters concerning Shinji. Once the search has been completely disbanded, Misato stormed into the Commander's office and demanded to know where he had taken Shinji.
"Okay Commander, WHAT have you done with Shinji?" Misato glared hotly at both Commanders.
Fuyutski, put off by Misato's unprofessional behaviour, immediately interjected: "Major Katsuragi! Be careful of your tone of voice when speaking to your seniours!"
Ikari, on the other hand, doesn't seem phased at all. "Let her be, Fuyutski."
Misato continues to glare at them, failing to come her anger, frustration and anxiety. "Commander Ikari. As the LEGAL GUARDIAN of the third child, I have the RIGHT to know where is his location currently!"
Before she could continue her rant, Ikari interrupted her. "I am relieving you of your legal guardianship over the third child. He is now in the care of someone else, and is therefore no longer of your concern. You may be excused."
Misato stood still at this shocked announcement, but was soon overwhelmed by anger. "YOU CAN'T @#$%ING DOOO THAT!!! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU TAKEN SHINJI!! YOU @SSHOLE!!!"
Fuyutski, having seen enough. "MAJOR KATSURAGI!! THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!!!"
Fuyutski was hovering over pressing the button to call on security. That is, until the Commander Ikari waved Fuyutski to stop. He simply looked straight at the Major and spoke to her firmly. "He is in a safe place. There is nothing for you to worry about."
Misato is currently breathing heavily, her fist shook with the desire to punch Ikari in the face, but she spoke as calmly as she possibly could. "Where can be safer then here with me and Nerv to watch his back?"
Ikari replied immediately: "with his family, of course."
Fuyutski looked back at Ikari with confusion in his eyes. He knows very well that Shinji did not have any relative left other than his father. "Ikari??"
Ikari glanced sideway at Fuyutski, his eyes firm, indicating that he does not wish to speak anymore on this matter.
Misato also stumbled over that last revelation. "You mean… he is with his teacher? The one that took care of him before he came here?"
Misato looked up at the Commander in hope of some sign, but the commander just remained silent. Misato took that silence as a 'yes' and turned around to leave the office.
Just before Misato reached the doors, the commander called out to her. "Major, you can tell the guards to release Doctor Akagi from her cell and bring her up to see me."
Misato didn't reply or turn around to acknowledge that command, she just brushed right through the door leaving the two men alone in the silent room.
Fuyutski looked back at Ikari, hoping he would at least answer to him. "Ikari, is Shinji really with his teacher?"
The supreme commander of Nerv only had an evil smile on his face as answer.
**********************
+GOD DAMN BASTARD! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY SHINJI AND WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO WITH RITSUKO?!+
***********************
An hour later, Doctor Ritsuko Akagi stands alone outside of the office belonging to the supreme commander of Nerv, Gendo Ikari, her ex-lover. She awaits patiently, though a bit anxious for the door to open. Finally, the dark doors slide open to let the Doctor in.
In the dark room, brightened up only by artificial lights, both the roof and floor are plastered with the designs of the tree of life, the origins of mankind. And seated behind his large desk in the middle of the room is the Commander himself, still with his hands clasped together covering his mouth as always.
Ritsuko's nerves sang as she watched her ex-lover in silence. It took a great amount of courage and determination to finally calm herself enough to speak properly. "I heard you have a use for me." She said coldly.
Commander Ikari studied the woman standing in front of him. Though visibly nervous of this particular encounter, it is easy to see that this Ritsuko is very different from the woman he had bedded and used for many years. The woman standing in front of him now has hope and self-worth, two things both the Ritsuko that he knew and her mother did not have. Finally, he decided to talk. "I want you to help Rei synchronise with Evangelion unit one."
Ritsuko was confused at his admission, wondering what would have caused the commander to try again with Rei and Eva unit one. Ignoring her inner thoughts on Ikari, she concentrated on her job, the only thing keeping her alive. "Why? What about Shinji?"
The commander remained silent.
Ritsuko bit her tongue, realising too late that he would not appreciate such a question. She continued though: "What else would you have me do?"
"Reprogram the Magi for to handle any strategic battle systems, hackers inquiry, and enhance the computational weaponry within Nerv Central."
Ritsuko was just about to ask 'why' again, when the commander answered her silent question immediately. "SEELE will launch their attack on Nerv soon. They are too confident in their power."
Ritsuko's eyes widened at his suggestion. Her surprise is not due to the fact that SEELE would invade Nerv, that was a definite; it actually surprised her that the Commander would care at all about his subordinate working in Nerv to ask her to strengthen their defences. But Ikari, once again, interrupted her thoughts.
"And Doctor, I want you to upgrade all the weaponries of the Evas as well as attain certain conventional weapons to be at our disposal, preferably those that can withstand the N2 bombs. I want Nerv to be prepared for any emergency. Do you understand me?"
"Yes si," was Ritsuko's meek reply.
"You are dismissed, Doctor."
Ritsuko nodded to the Commander, turned and return to the door that she had walked through before hand. Just before her hand touched the handle, Ikari's voice rang back one last time. "And Doctor, do not fail me again." There was a warning in that sentence, Ritsuko gulped and left the office in a slight hurry.
Once outside of the Commander's office, Ritsuko breathed a sigh of relief. In so many years of working for Nerv, this was the first time that she had actually felt scared to be in the Commander's presence. Yes, she had been used by him, fell in love with him for a very long time, and then started to despise him as well. +Love is such a contradictory thing. The opposite of hate is not love, it's indifference.(1)+ Ritsuko thought.
For a long time during her stay in the empty cell where she was kept, Ritsuko felt used and abused. She hated Ikari, and she hated herself. She hated the fact that she was in love with him, and to him, she was only a tool. She wallowed in self-pity and depression, relived her past memories of her mother and compared them to herself. She almost went so far as to commit suicide if only to escape the helpless feeling that was eating her alive. But it was also in that abyss of hell, that she finally found her atonement. If it was so easy for her to fall in love with Ikari, then it should be just as easy for her to fall out of love. Considering she doesn't truly love the Commander, mainly because she doesn't understand him at all, then she should be able to find the strength to let him go.
It took a while, but she reviewed all her intimate moments with him and she realised, she had also just been using him. She was lonely and wanted desperately to find a way out of becoming her mother's shadow that she went so far as to become just like her mother. She knew of her mother's relationship with the Commander and the fact that her mother had failed to win his love. For some strange reason or another, she had believed she could succeed where her mother had failed. To surpass her mother's genius, Ritsuko not only pursued to become a better scientist, she also tried to prove to herself that she was better than her mother by finishing what her mother could not, to earn the love of a man whom have no heart to give.
After finally realising that, it was a slow process for her to recover her self worth. She made a vow to herself that she would NOT end up like her mother. If her mother chose to keep the man she loved by dying and staying with him, then Ritsuko would choose to die with more dignity than rely on another man. Ritsuko knew her chances of survival were thin, paper-thin in fact. She was no longer a doll, but she still had her uses. If she would be able to slide her way out of the commander's clutches than she's a free woman. That was her hope, that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that there is a way for her to escape the same path her mother had followed.
Back to the presence, Ritsuko also realised that this meant she had to be extra careful about when in the commander's presence. She knew that Ikari knew she no longer had any emotional attachments connected to him, so he might find another way to control her. She is still a useful pawn in this war game played by Gendo Ikari against SEELE. With the angels gone, Nerv's real enemy had finally surfaced, man himself, SEELE.
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[Maya's apartment]
"Are you sure I can move in with you, Maya? I don't want to intrude or anything…" Ritsuko had been very nervous when Maya suggested she move in with her when they all found out that Ritsuko's residents had been demolished for reconstruction.
"Oh no, it's no problem at all, Ritsuko-sempai. I'm just glad you're finally out. It's such a relief to see that you're well." Maya smiled at Ritsuko as she helped carry some of Ritsuko's belongings into her apartment.
After an hour of cleaning up and reorganising the furniture to fit all of Ritsuko's belongings (mainly computers and other technological items) in the room, they both decided to take a bit of rest. That was when Ritsuko remembered the question that the Commander had never answered. "By the way, Maya. What happened to Shinji? I don't quite understand why he wanted Rei to synchronise with Evangelion unit one when he has Shinji."
"You mean you don't KNOW?!" Maya exclaimed and Ritsuko could only shook her head in answer.
Maya stayed silent for a while, gathering her thoughts on how to explain the situation to her senior. Once all her thoughts have been gathered into a logical order, she started her explanation.
"Well, you know about how Asuka and Rei were taken into the hospital right?" At this point, Maya looked at Ritsuko for confirmation, which came in a nod. Ritsuko was called in to have a look at both the girl's physical status and to evaluate when they could pilot the Evas again. When at the hospital, Ritsuko had inquired the doctors there what had happened and they had told her the truth.
"Well, after that incident with the assassin in the hospital, security was stepped up. On the very next night, the Major had night duty, so Shinji was left at home alone. It was during that night… that Shinji disappeared. When the Major arrived back in the morning and found him missing, she immediately called for a citywide search. The search stretched for a whole day, they even went up to the mountains to search but no sign of Shinji was found. When commander Ikari returned from his trip to who knows where, he just called off the search entirely."
Ritsuko frowned as she thinks about it. "That means that the commander has taken Shinji away… without even consulting or informing Misato?" She looked dubiously at Maya, whom only nodded in return.
"That's what the rumours say anyway. You should have seen the Major's face when commander Ikari called off the search. She looked like a volcano waiting to erupt!" exclaimed Maya.
Ritsuko nodded, she could imagine how Misato would react to that. "When it comes to Shinji, Misato is like an over-protective mother hen. So, what else happened after that?" She asked.
Maya shifted uneasily. "Well, the Major stormed into the Commander's office demanding to know where Shinji is kept, and he only told her that Shinji is with his teacher. You know? The one he lived with before he moved here."
Ritsuko nodded again in understanding. "Yeah, then what?"
Maya shifted closer to Ritsuko as if afraid that someone might be listening in. She whispered: "The Major rang the teacher's residents up but the person there said that Shinji never returned and they haven't heard a word from him since he moved here."
Ritsuko blinked. "So the commander still have him hidden some where…"
Maya nodded and the two of them remained silent for the rest of the time.
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(1) Umm.. I know I've heard that quote somewhere before but I don't remember where. So just warning you guys that this quote isn't mine.
Alright, so what do you all think? Read and review, tell me anything you want.
Oh yeah, I also have a request to make. I don't really like the title of this story so if there is anyone out there that has thought up a better name for this story, please either email it to me or review. PLEASE! THANKS A BUNCH!!
A warning to all of you though, I'm currently working on 2 stories at the same time, so I might slow down with the upcoming updates and stuff. Please continue with the review and I'll definitely try to keep up with the demand. Thank you all!
Dl4852001: I don't think Shinji is needed for the Instrumentality Project at all. All that SEELE really needs to jump-start the Instrumentality Project is to merge Rei with Lillith and then control the outcome. In the movie, it was Rei's decision to use Shinji as the catalyst. In this story, SEELE will be using the Eva 5 series to merge with Lillith, so they wouldn't need Rei or Shinji at all, since the dummy plug system of the Eva 5 series is (literary) Rei. *It's a really interesting question, thanks for putting it into my attention.* Oh just to give you a hint. In this story, SEELE does not attack Nerv headquarters directly after the death of the last angel.
Star Mage: Original? Wow.. never thought of it as that before. Thanks! ^_^
RichardRahl: Asuka/Shinji huh? I guess I can try. But don't blame me if it turns out REALLY crap. Oh and remember, since Shinji and Asuka will be separated for a VERY long time. If there is any romance, it'll come in some of the later chapters, so please be patient.
E: I'll try to keep things as "interesting" as possible. Thanks!
What!: Um… Shinji/Maya? Wow.. I've never heard of that particular pairing before. But.. I've sort of got someone planned for Maya.. .;; So just keep on reading and then tell me what you think.
Thank you all for reviewing and please continue to encourage me!
Disclaimers: the cast of NGE is of course not mine. If it were, I'd make the ending a little different. It belongs to GAINAX and all the other big corporations that own it. One original character in this chapter is Takashi, he is MINE!!
NO romantic pairings between 14-year-old teenagers as of yet. It depends on what you guys really want. But I'll warn you now, I SUCK at Romance. ^_^ Okay, now on with the story. ^_^
Warning: Swearing. Uh… A lot of psychological crap on Ritsuko's part. I do try, really, I do..
+…..+ means thoughts *…….* Author's thoughts […] change of environment
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Title: Finding Strength to Live
Chapter 1: Missing?!
[Misato's Apartment]
ring… ring… ring…
The door to Shinji's room slid open abruptly revealing a very tired and annoyed Shinji.
Shinji grumbled to himself: "Who would be calling at this hour? It's half past Two in the morning, for God's sake!"
+It could be an emergency from Misato, I guess. But she's on night duty. What kind of emergency could she run into? And Asuka is still in the hospital so who would be calling now?+
ring… ring… ring…
Shinji increased his walking speed in the direction towards the phone. However, due to the fact that he did not turn on the lights beforehand, it is very dark and he kept on bumping into things in the room.
THUMP!!
"OW!! STUPID TABLE!" Shinji cursed under his breath as he rubbed his sore hips for hitting the corner of their wooden table. Then he winced as his knee came in contact with the couch. +GOD DAMN IT! WHO'S CALLING!!??+
ring… ring… ring…
Frustrated, Shinji shouted into the empty room, as if willing the phone to keep its pants on. "Alright! I'm coming! I'm coming!! Stupid phone!"
Finally, Shinji picked up the phone violently and practically yelled into it to whoever was on the other end. "Yeah WHAT!" Shinji shouted angrily.
On the other end of the line, someone coughed: "…".
Shinji immediately felt his anger leave his body as he recognised the voice of the person whom had coughed so inconspicuously. "Father???" He didn't know why his father was calling him at this time of the night and he didn't even know why he still kept referring to that man as 'father', but right now, his shock had overwhelmed all other emotion.
On the other end, Commander Ikari replied, cutting through Shinji's thoughts: "Listen to me, Shinji, this is very important."
+Why would father be calling me at this hour? And why would _he_ calling me by my name? He's never done that before!+
Not knowing of Shinji's current confusion, or knowing it but ignoring the fact, Commander Ikari continued with his instructions. "Don't turn on the light, go to your room, and start gathering some of your important belongings. Pack them up and come down to the ground floor of this building."
Shinji is still thoroughly confused by his father's actions and asked: "Father?! But why? What's going on?"
Ikari was adamant though: "Don't ask. This is for your own safety… And the Major is waiting as well."
Shinji was further put into shock: "Misato???" +What's going on?+
The commander cut through Shinji's thoughts again for a second time that night: "Just do as I say, Shinji. Once you are down, there will be a van waiting for you. Get in it and the driver will take you to some place safe."
Shinji wanted to rebuff and ask for a better explanation: "But Father! I don't understand! Why…" But it was to no use, since Commander Ikari had just hanged up the line.
Shinji stared at the phone in his hand strangely. He debated with himself whether he should do what his father had just told him to do. After a while, he finally came to a decision. For the safety of Misato, he will follow his father's orders just this once.
With that decision made, Shinji packed together a small backpack filled with his valuables, most of which are of sentimental value instead of capital value. However, he left behind his SDAT player, of which he had forgotten in his ongoing confusion.
Once finished with packing, he rushed outside the apartment and locked the doors, ran down the stairs instead of taking the elevator and arrived on the ground floor of the apartment building in slight exhaustion. Indeed, outside the front doors was a black van waiting for his arrival. Shinji took a deep breath, calming his nerves, and ran towards the suspicious van. However, he stopped himself just a few feet away from it, still wary as to what is currently happening.
Shinji took another deep breath and tried to ask the people in the van (for which he knew there were some) what is going on. He had a feeling that this would be his last chance to turn back if he really wanted to, and he was afraid of taking another step forward without really knowing what he is committing himself to.
"My father said that you were…"
However, before Shinji had the time to finish what he wanted to say, the side of the van opened and out jumped three large men. All of them in camouflaged in black, Shinji panicked. They grabbed him swiftly and pulled him into the van. Once all of them were inside, the door slide shut and the driver immediately started driving away. Shinji, in his panicked state, realised something. +Could this be a trap?!+
Trying desperately to calm down but hopelessly failing, Shinji tried to ask: "What! … Who are you?…"
Once again, Shinji was interrupted in his questions as those same three men grabbed at him. One held him by the arms from behind, another gagged him with a cloth that contained some kind of sleeping potion. In his panicked state, Shinji breathed in the gas and he immediately started to feel tired and knew that he was trapped for good.
+MISATO! HELP ME MISATO!! HELP ME!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!! Why… Father…?+
Shinji slowly fell asleep, unable to fight a loosing battle.
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Shinji's left eye opened slightly as he fought for consciousness, but he is still terribly tired, being under the influence of the drug. His vision is blurred and the sounds that surrounds him seem to merge into one then fade, and then become strong again. He was very confused by the blurred images his tired eyes gathered.
+Weren't I in a van of some sort?+ His mind slowly detached itself from dreamland to impart with reality slightly. With some effort, Shinji tried for survey his new surrounding.
Instead of the hard surface of van, Shinji now finds himself in a very comfortable backseat of a car with dark tinted windows. Outside the window, he could make out the shape of the rising sun.
+Is it morning already?+ His tired mind supplied.
Shinji realised that he sat on the left hand side of the car. Turning to face the right side, he could distinctly make out a shape of a person. Even though his vision is still blurred but Shinji to tell that this person was male. The man was silhouetted from the light of the rising sun, and Shinji couldn't see the face properly at all, though he could tell the man was wearing glasses. Suddenly, Shinji's mind supplied a shocking realisation. +Father?+
Shinji fell unconscious again.
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The next time Shinji reawakened, he could feel that the drugs were still in his system and he thought to himself. +The drugs they used on me must have been strong.+
Once again, his vision is blurred and the sounds unclear. He seemed to be lying on a much more comfortable bed in some kind of bedroom. +Well, at least it's not a hospital room.+ Shinji thought sarcastically.
The room was very neat, the furniture, curtains and everything else having a specific place within it. The bright sunlight shone through the open window and onto Shinji, slightly burning his eyes. Shinji decided to shut his eyes and concentrate more on listening on the conversation that was currently happening outside this room.
There were two voices, one of a more mature and elderly man, the other younger but seemingly more knowledgeful. After listening for a few seconds, Shinji recognised the voice of the mature man, it belonged to his father, Gendo Ikari. It was easy to figure him out due to the cold and stern tone of voice he always harbours. However, Shinji did not recognise the other person's voice at all.
The conversation he heard goes like this:
Ikari: "Everything went according as planned. Nothing is amiss."
Voice: "Do you really think this is the right way to do? Stealing him away from the Major's guardianship. You never even asked him what he thinks, did you?"
Ikari: "That is none of my concerns."
Voice: "Huh! And you're his father!"
Ikari: "From now on, he is your responsibility… I expect results."
Voice: "Whatever! You just want other people to do what you cannot."
Ikari: "Call it whatever you want to…"
Shinji couldn't fight the drugs anymore as he fell into unconsciousness again. His last thoughts were +Who is that person? What is father doing? Misato. Misato!?+
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[Misato's Apartment]
"Shinji! I'm home!" Misato shouted into the room, expecting a reply but was only met by silence.
"Shinji!" inquired Misato, showing a bit of concern. After the previous assassination attempt on Shinji's life, Misato has begun to get very worried about him.
She went to his room and swung open his door only to find an empty bed. With that, Misato started searching the rest of the house in anxiety. The house was completely empty.
Misato whispered to herself: "What the…?"
Forcing herself to calm down and think logically, she rang for security about Shnji's whereabouts. However, to her surprise, the security personnel had no idea he was even gone from the apartment.
Misato slammed the phone down after swearing at their incompetence and started muttering to herself. "STUPID idiots! Security must be dragging its ASS!"
After ringing up several other sections of Nerv control, she then commanded a citywide search for the missing third child. All Nerv personnel are on the look out for him, they have been ordered to search every room, every square metre within the city until they've found him.
+Damn it Shinji! Where are you? Commander Ikari isn't here so I'm in charge and then _this_ happen right under my nose! Where could you be, Shinji? WHERE ARE YOU?!+ Misato thought to herself anxiously.
The search started from 7 o'clock in the morning up until 3 o'clock in the afternoon and still, no one had found Shinji Ikari.
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[Nerv Headquarters]
Since commander Ikari is not here, it is the responsibility of the Second in Command, Commander Fuyutski to inquire about the disappearance of the third child.
"On 0230 hours this morning, thei third child went missing and the security personnel lost track of how he had disappeared. At o700 hours, a citywide search was set up to search for the third child. Now it is 1500 hours, what is the result from the search?" Commander Fuyutski asked in a stern tone.
Aoba took a step forward and nervously relayed the answer: "No trace of him have been found, sir."
Hyuga took this opportunity to input his own opinions: "Whoever is responsible, they are professionals, sir. To be able to plan it so well, knowing the exact time of our shift changes, and planned in advance so that none of the security or the cameras detected their actions, prove that they are highly skilled in what they do."
Fuyutski stood in silence for a while, seething at the undesirable answers. "So what is your plan, Major?"
Misato stood absolutely still, knowing that the pressure is on her to produce some results. "Continue the search, sir." It was all she could say.
Though outwardly calm, Major Misato Katsuragi is probably the one person with the most raging emotion hidden inside her.
+There is no way that they could avoid all detection, could they? Who ever they are, if they lay one finger on Shinji, I'm gonna make them PAY!!! Could this be the work of SEELE? The only person I know that is able to pull these kinds of disappearances is… already dead. Who could be responsible?+
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[Shinji's current whereabouts]
Shinji slowly opened his eyes and blinked them until they could focus properly. The effect of the drugs have finally worn off. He looked outside the window, the sun is going down.
Shinji blinked again and said softly to no one in particular: "Is it afternoon, already?" He didn't expect a reply and was startled when a voice called out to him.
"Oh! You're finally awake, huh?"
Shinji turned his in the direction of the voice and found himself looking at someone he had never met before. Standing in front on his door is a young man, probably in his early twenties. He had short, chestnut brown hair that glistened with gold reflection while directly under sunlight. The man's sky-blue eyes were directed at Shinji with complete attention. In fact, the young man looked a lot similar to Shinji, if only an older version of him.
The young man smiled a light but genuine smile at him. For reasons unknown, Shinji does no feel threatened by this stranger.
After a short staring contest, the stranger decided to break the silence first. He threw a non-descript file folder at Shinji and it landed right in his hands. Shinji looked at it curiously, showing the stranger his confusion with an arched eyebrow, waiting for some explanation. The man just smiled again, and put down the plate of sliced up fruits on the table next to Shinji's bed.
Tired of waiting for a response, Shinji begun the conversation: "What is this?" indicating the yellow folder.
The young man looked up at him and said simply: "It's you file. Open it and you'll understand."
Shinji looked at the man suspiciously before curiosity won and he opened the file gently. The first thing he saw was a large photo of himself in school uniform, the same picture that had been used to identify him as the third child when he came to Tokyo 3 for the first time. Shinji disregarded his photo and flipped to the next sheet. This time, his eyes widened a bit at the information present there that are highlighted so they stand out.
Shinji looked at the man again and said quietly: "It ways here that my name is… Akira… Akira Tendo..?" Not sure what to expect, Shinji looked at the man for any confirmation.
The stranger smiled, grabbed a near by chair, dragged it closer to the boy and sat on it straddling the back of it, arms folding around the back rest. "Yup! That is your new identity."
Shinji blinked at him.
The young man chuckled at Shinji's blank yet confused expression and decided to stop hanging the boy in mid air by giving him a full explanation. "Okay, let me explain. _You_ (point at Shinji with his right index finger) are in danger in Tokyo 3 because a secret organisation known as SEELE is after you. Your father (here, he scrunched up his nose a bit in distaste) wanted to protect you so he _moved_ you here and made it look as if you've been kidnapped. Now you will have to live here for a time with a new name and a new identity."
The stranger paused a bit for effect as well as to let Shinji swallow all that, then he continued with his explanation. "By the way, my name is Takashi, Takashi Tendo. And I'm going to be your brother."
Shinji blinked again and his jaw dropped open slightly.
Takashi was taken back by Shinji's shocked expression and couldn't hide his amused smirk. "Don't worry, you've got a whole week to memories all those information in your new file as well as to get use to me. After that, we'll have to get you enrolled in school."
Shinji squeaked: "school?"
"Yep! But for now, read over new identity file and if your hungry, eat some fruit. If you need anything else, I'll be right outside in the living room, okay kid? Just follow the television noise." With that said, Takashi nodded at Shinji and left him to his own demise for a while.
Once again alone, Shinji shivered a bit at how much his life had changed so much with this new twist. "Man! I've only been asleep a few hours, and my life has turned upside down. God! I wish Misato was here."
******************
[Nerv Headquarters]
The supreme commander of Nerv strode confidently into the room and immediately started giving out orders. "Call off the search, Major!"
Misato's head jerked at the commander's orders, wondering why. "But Commander…"
Ikari narrowed his eyes behind his dark glasses and said in an icy tone. "That is an order, Major."
Misato just barely strained herself from launching at the Commander. A wave of cold fury raged inside of her but she kept it in tight control and only said one word in reply. "Understood."
The commander gaze silently at Misato's rigid posture for a minute longer before he strode confidently out of the conference room, leaving the rumour mill to make up whatever they wish.
It surprised every one that Commander Ikari would suddenly return from his mysterious trip and then immediately disbanded the search for his own son. The act, in itself, led to many suspicions of his involvement in the third child's untimely disappearance. While the rest of the staff contented to themselves with secret discussions on the matter, afraid of being targeted by the Commander, Major Misato Katsuragi refused to be left behind in the dark, especially on matters concerning Shinji. Once the search has been completely disbanded, Misato stormed into the Commander's office and demanded to know where he had taken Shinji.
"Okay Commander, WHAT have you done with Shinji?" Misato glared hotly at both Commanders.
Fuyutski, put off by Misato's unprofessional behaviour, immediately interjected: "Major Katsuragi! Be careful of your tone of voice when speaking to your seniours!"
Ikari, on the other hand, doesn't seem phased at all. "Let her be, Fuyutski."
Misato continues to glare at them, failing to come her anger, frustration and anxiety. "Commander Ikari. As the LEGAL GUARDIAN of the third child, I have the RIGHT to know where is his location currently!"
Before she could continue her rant, Ikari interrupted her. "I am relieving you of your legal guardianship over the third child. He is now in the care of someone else, and is therefore no longer of your concern. You may be excused."
Misato stood still at this shocked announcement, but was soon overwhelmed by anger. "YOU CAN'T @#$%ING DOOO THAT!!! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU TAKEN SHINJI!! YOU @SSHOLE!!!"
Fuyutski, having seen enough. "MAJOR KATSURAGI!! THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!!!"
Fuyutski was hovering over pressing the button to call on security. That is, until the Commander Ikari waved Fuyutski to stop. He simply looked straight at the Major and spoke to her firmly. "He is in a safe place. There is nothing for you to worry about."
Misato is currently breathing heavily, her fist shook with the desire to punch Ikari in the face, but she spoke as calmly as she possibly could. "Where can be safer then here with me and Nerv to watch his back?"
Ikari replied immediately: "with his family, of course."
Fuyutski looked back at Ikari with confusion in his eyes. He knows very well that Shinji did not have any relative left other than his father. "Ikari??"
Ikari glanced sideway at Fuyutski, his eyes firm, indicating that he does not wish to speak anymore on this matter.
Misato also stumbled over that last revelation. "You mean… he is with his teacher? The one that took care of him before he came here?"
Misato looked up at the Commander in hope of some sign, but the commander just remained silent. Misato took that silence as a 'yes' and turned around to leave the office.
Just before Misato reached the doors, the commander called out to her. "Major, you can tell the guards to release Doctor Akagi from her cell and bring her up to see me."
Misato didn't reply or turn around to acknowledge that command, she just brushed right through the door leaving the two men alone in the silent room.
Fuyutski looked back at Ikari, hoping he would at least answer to him. "Ikari, is Shinji really with his teacher?"
The supreme commander of Nerv only had an evil smile on his face as answer.
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+GOD DAMN BASTARD! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY SHINJI AND WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO WITH RITSUKO?!+
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An hour later, Doctor Ritsuko Akagi stands alone outside of the office belonging to the supreme commander of Nerv, Gendo Ikari, her ex-lover. She awaits patiently, though a bit anxious for the door to open. Finally, the dark doors slide open to let the Doctor in.
In the dark room, brightened up only by artificial lights, both the roof and floor are plastered with the designs of the tree of life, the origins of mankind. And seated behind his large desk in the middle of the room is the Commander himself, still with his hands clasped together covering his mouth as always.
Ritsuko's nerves sang as she watched her ex-lover in silence. It took a great amount of courage and determination to finally calm herself enough to speak properly. "I heard you have a use for me." She said coldly.
Commander Ikari studied the woman standing in front of him. Though visibly nervous of this particular encounter, it is easy to see that this Ritsuko is very different from the woman he had bedded and used for many years. The woman standing in front of him now has hope and self-worth, two things both the Ritsuko that he knew and her mother did not have. Finally, he decided to talk. "I want you to help Rei synchronise with Evangelion unit one."
Ritsuko was confused at his admission, wondering what would have caused the commander to try again with Rei and Eva unit one. Ignoring her inner thoughts on Ikari, she concentrated on her job, the only thing keeping her alive. "Why? What about Shinji?"
The commander remained silent.
Ritsuko bit her tongue, realising too late that he would not appreciate such a question. She continued though: "What else would you have me do?"
"Reprogram the Magi for to handle any strategic battle systems, hackers inquiry, and enhance the computational weaponry within Nerv Central."
Ritsuko was just about to ask 'why' again, when the commander answered her silent question immediately. "SEELE will launch their attack on Nerv soon. They are too confident in their power."
Ritsuko's eyes widened at his suggestion. Her surprise is not due to the fact that SEELE would invade Nerv, that was a definite; it actually surprised her that the Commander would care at all about his subordinate working in Nerv to ask her to strengthen their defences. But Ikari, once again, interrupted her thoughts.
"And Doctor, I want you to upgrade all the weaponries of the Evas as well as attain certain conventional weapons to be at our disposal, preferably those that can withstand the N2 bombs. I want Nerv to be prepared for any emergency. Do you understand me?"
"Yes si," was Ritsuko's meek reply.
"You are dismissed, Doctor."
Ritsuko nodded to the Commander, turned and return to the door that she had walked through before hand. Just before her hand touched the handle, Ikari's voice rang back one last time. "And Doctor, do not fail me again." There was a warning in that sentence, Ritsuko gulped and left the office in a slight hurry.
Once outside of the Commander's office, Ritsuko breathed a sigh of relief. In so many years of working for Nerv, this was the first time that she had actually felt scared to be in the Commander's presence. Yes, she had been used by him, fell in love with him for a very long time, and then started to despise him as well. +Love is such a contradictory thing. The opposite of hate is not love, it's indifference.(1)+ Ritsuko thought.
For a long time during her stay in the empty cell where she was kept, Ritsuko felt used and abused. She hated Ikari, and she hated herself. She hated the fact that she was in love with him, and to him, she was only a tool. She wallowed in self-pity and depression, relived her past memories of her mother and compared them to herself. She almost went so far as to commit suicide if only to escape the helpless feeling that was eating her alive. But it was also in that abyss of hell, that she finally found her atonement. If it was so easy for her to fall in love with Ikari, then it should be just as easy for her to fall out of love. Considering she doesn't truly love the Commander, mainly because she doesn't understand him at all, then she should be able to find the strength to let him go.
It took a while, but she reviewed all her intimate moments with him and she realised, she had also just been using him. She was lonely and wanted desperately to find a way out of becoming her mother's shadow that she went so far as to become just like her mother. She knew of her mother's relationship with the Commander and the fact that her mother had failed to win his love. For some strange reason or another, she had believed she could succeed where her mother had failed. To surpass her mother's genius, Ritsuko not only pursued to become a better scientist, she also tried to prove to herself that she was better than her mother by finishing what her mother could not, to earn the love of a man whom have no heart to give.
After finally realising that, it was a slow process for her to recover her self worth. She made a vow to herself that she would NOT end up like her mother. If her mother chose to keep the man she loved by dying and staying with him, then Ritsuko would choose to die with more dignity than rely on another man. Ritsuko knew her chances of survival were thin, paper-thin in fact. She was no longer a doll, but she still had her uses. If she would be able to slide her way out of the commander's clutches than she's a free woman. That was her hope, that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that there is a way for her to escape the same path her mother had followed.
Back to the presence, Ritsuko also realised that this meant she had to be extra careful about when in the commander's presence. She knew that Ikari knew she no longer had any emotional attachments connected to him, so he might find another way to control her. She is still a useful pawn in this war game played by Gendo Ikari against SEELE. With the angels gone, Nerv's real enemy had finally surfaced, man himself, SEELE.
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[Maya's apartment]
"Are you sure I can move in with you, Maya? I don't want to intrude or anything…" Ritsuko had been very nervous when Maya suggested she move in with her when they all found out that Ritsuko's residents had been demolished for reconstruction.
"Oh no, it's no problem at all, Ritsuko-sempai. I'm just glad you're finally out. It's such a relief to see that you're well." Maya smiled at Ritsuko as she helped carry some of Ritsuko's belongings into her apartment.
After an hour of cleaning up and reorganising the furniture to fit all of Ritsuko's belongings (mainly computers and other technological items) in the room, they both decided to take a bit of rest. That was when Ritsuko remembered the question that the Commander had never answered. "By the way, Maya. What happened to Shinji? I don't quite understand why he wanted Rei to synchronise with Evangelion unit one when he has Shinji."
"You mean you don't KNOW?!" Maya exclaimed and Ritsuko could only shook her head in answer.
Maya stayed silent for a while, gathering her thoughts on how to explain the situation to her senior. Once all her thoughts have been gathered into a logical order, she started her explanation.
"Well, you know about how Asuka and Rei were taken into the hospital right?" At this point, Maya looked at Ritsuko for confirmation, which came in a nod. Ritsuko was called in to have a look at both the girl's physical status and to evaluate when they could pilot the Evas again. When at the hospital, Ritsuko had inquired the doctors there what had happened and they had told her the truth.
"Well, after that incident with the assassin in the hospital, security was stepped up. On the very next night, the Major had night duty, so Shinji was left at home alone. It was during that night… that Shinji disappeared. When the Major arrived back in the morning and found him missing, she immediately called for a citywide search. The search stretched for a whole day, they even went up to the mountains to search but no sign of Shinji was found. When commander Ikari returned from his trip to who knows where, he just called off the search entirely."
Ritsuko frowned as she thinks about it. "That means that the commander has taken Shinji away… without even consulting or informing Misato?" She looked dubiously at Maya, whom only nodded in return.
"That's what the rumours say anyway. You should have seen the Major's face when commander Ikari called off the search. She looked like a volcano waiting to erupt!" exclaimed Maya.
Ritsuko nodded, she could imagine how Misato would react to that. "When it comes to Shinji, Misato is like an over-protective mother hen. So, what else happened after that?" She asked.
Maya shifted uneasily. "Well, the Major stormed into the Commander's office demanding to know where Shinji is kept, and he only told her that Shinji is with his teacher. You know? The one he lived with before he moved here."
Ritsuko nodded again in understanding. "Yeah, then what?"
Maya shifted closer to Ritsuko as if afraid that someone might be listening in. She whispered: "The Major rang the teacher's residents up but the person there said that Shinji never returned and they haven't heard a word from him since he moved here."
Ritsuko blinked. "So the commander still have him hidden some where…"
Maya nodded and the two of them remained silent for the rest of the time.
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(1) Umm.. I know I've heard that quote somewhere before but I don't remember where. So just warning you guys that this quote isn't mine.
Alright, so what do you all think? Read and review, tell me anything you want.
Oh yeah, I also have a request to make. I don't really like the title of this story so if there is anyone out there that has thought up a better name for this story, please either email it to me or review. PLEASE! THANKS A BUNCH!!
A warning to all of you though, I'm currently working on 2 stories at the same time, so I might slow down with the upcoming updates and stuff. Please continue with the review and I'll definitely try to keep up with the demand. Thank you all!
