Identity Revealed

For an un-measurable amount of time, the two girls kneeled where they were, staring at the shimmering wings, their mouths hanging open. What they were seeing couldn't POSSIBLY be real.

Could it?

Asuka was the first to move. Very slowly, she inched forward until she was half-in the capsule, reaching out to touch the things arching from Narikage's back. A moment later, she fell back with a hiss of pain, clutching her fingers.

"What happened?"

"They're sharper than razors. Look." Asuka held out her hand. The silver 'feathers' had sliced clean through her glove and into her skin. "I didn't even apply that much pressure. Getting him out of here is going to be difficult." She climbed in fully and managed to push him into a semi-sitting position. Rei stayed where she was, still trembling. "Rei, help me."

"I-I can't." The girl scooted away from the opening, her shaking becoming more pronounced. She couldn't figure out what was going on. Her body didn't feel like her own anymore.

"Come on. You like this guy more than I do." Asuka lunged forward and grabbed Rei's arm, dragging her into the pod before she could stammer another protest. "We'll have to drag him out by the arms; it's the only way to avoid getting cut to ribbons." Asuka seized one of Narikage's wrists and gave a tug. "GOD, he's HEAVY!" She looked over her shoulder at Rei. "Rei. Help." The blue-haired girl inched forward and gingerly took Narikage's other limp wrist. "You're going to have to get a better grip than that. He weighs a ton for such a scrawny sixteen-year-old." Rei, biting on her lip, wrapped her other hand around Narikage's wrist.

It took the two of them working together nearly ten minutes to get him out of the capsule. They carefully laid him on one of the few remaining smooth areas of the demolished road, wary of the sharp wings.

"What do you think this means?" Asuka asked in a quiet voice. Rei, without a word, reached out, touching Narikage's cheek, a strange look on her face. The boy turned his head slightly towards her gentle caress though his eyes remained shut. The silvery wings seemed to shudder and before their eyes, they dissolved, leaving only one feather behind.

"He's an angel," Rei whispered, sitting back on her heels. Asuka started.

"What?"

"He's an angel," she repeated, still staring at Narikage. "That's why he was crying blood...that's why he has the wings...that's what I saw in his eyes the day he fought Touji..."

"Wait a second. Slow down. How the hell do you know?"

"I...I don't know. I just...know." Rei's red eyes met Asuka's blue ones. Asuka, only able to stand the intense gaze for so long, quickly looked down at the boy laid between them.

"An angel...I guess that explains a lot." She looked at Rei. "We won't tell them about the wings." The other girl reached over, carefully picking up the left behind feather and staring down at it.

"No...we won't."

(Cut)

Misato paced outside the emergency room doors, muttering prayers to herself. By the time they had recovered Narikage, his pulse was thready and he was barely breathing. They had rushed him to emergency but there was still no word...and Misato was worried sick.

Rei and Asuka were sitting in chairs across from the pacing woman, both of them silent, staring down at the floor. Rei was still holding onto the feather.

"Misato." Three heads snapped around as Ritsuko came through the doors, her expression serious. The purple-haired woman ran to her friend, grabbing her arm.

"Well?! Is he okay?!"

"Misato, please. You're cutting off my circulation. And we still aren't quite sure. We've stabilized his heart and he's on a respirator to help him breathe. His brain waves, however, are still very erratic. That angel did something to him when it penetrated the unit."

"Can I go in and see him?"

"No. He's still in critical condition. I suggest you...all three of you...go home and get some rest."

"I'm not leaving him," Misato said in a firm voice. "I promised him he wouldn't have to wake up alone again."

"I'm not leaving either," Asuka said, standing, and surprising the two older women. She scowled, seeing their faces. "Don't read too much into it; he owes me a 'thank you' for saving his life and I'm not leaving here until I get it."

"I, too, am staying," Rei said quietly from her chair. "No one should have to be alone when they wake up."

"Look, he won't be waking up tonight. We'll be lucky if he wakes up tomorrow. Please, just go home and get some rest. If he shows the SLIGHTEST sign of consciousness, I'll call you immediately, I promise."

"So help me, Ritsuko, if you don't call..."

"I'll call, Misato. And if I don't, you can kill me." Ritsuko gave the three women a shove to get them moving down the hallway.

"You can't get rid of us that easily," Asuka protested.

"I could call security then." The German scowled, saying nothing more.

"Misato-san, could we stay at your place?" Rei asked, looking up at the older woman. "That way, when Narikage wakes up, we can come too." Misato blinked then smiled, a smile of relief. She was glad Rei had asked; she didn't want to be alone that night.

"Of course you girls can. Actually...there's something Narikage wanted me to tell you anyway." She sighed quietly and looked at the floor as they walked. When Narikage had made her promise...she didn't think she would actually have to keep it...

"So? What do you want me to tell them? Do you want me to tell them why you were really crying blood or do you want to do it?" Narikage puts his bowl down with a thoughtful look, clicking his chopsticks against the wood.

"I don't think they're ready to know yet. After all, they just found out who I really am."

"Then we'll just say nothing."

"I'll take care of it." He stirs his remaining ramen with a thoughtful look then looks up suddenly. "Misato, I want you to promise me something."

"Anything."

"If something should happen to me..." Narikage trails off, clearing his throat. "I want you to tell them both what I really am."

"What do you mean by 'something'?"

"Anything." His eyes are intense as he gazes at her. "Sooner or later, something is going to happen and I want them to find out before everyone else does. They have that right. Do you promise?"

"Well...of course I do, I guess. But I don't think anything will happen. Not for a while at least."

"I just want to be prepared. Arigato...Misato-san..."

"Misato-san? Are you alright?" Asuka touched the woman's arm, causing her to jump slightly.

"Huh? Oh. Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just...thinking, that's all."

(Cut)

"I got an extra pair of pajamas from my apartment for you," Asuka said, holding up the nightshirt with matching shorts. "They'll be more comfortable than your school dress anyway."

"Arigato." Rei took them silently then said: "I think we should tell Misato."

"What? Why?" Asuka was busy trying to get her jumper unbuttoned as she spoke.

"She cares about Narikage. A lot. He's been her only company since Shinji's death after all." She slid the door open a little, peeking out. Misato was sitting on the couch, playing with a beer can with a distant look on her face.

"Do you really think we should?" The German pulled her tank top over her head, an action that muffled her voice.

"Hai." Asuka sighed, thinking hard.

"Yeah, I guess we should."

"Are you girls almost finished?" Misato called from the living room.

"Hai!" Asuka looked over at Rei. "I'll see you out there." She slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her. Rei changed slowly, the events of the past few hours playing and replaying in her head. Her eyes strayed over to the silver feather which had been placed on the window ledge. Every time she looked at it, there was a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, a deep burning sadness that left her hot and cold at the same time. And she couldn't understand why.

"Rei? Are you alright in there?" Misato's voice brought her back to earth.

"H-hai! I'm coming!" She finished dressing then hurried out into the living room, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

"Now that both of us are here, we have to tell you something, Misato-san," Asuka said from her place on the floor.

"I've got something to tell the both of you first." She set aside her beer and took a deep breath. "Narikage...Narikage isn't exactly human. He's...well, he's an angel, to put it simply." The girls looked at each other then back to Misato.

"You already knew?" Asuka said.

"Huh?"

"We figured it out this afternoon," Rei replied quietly. "We were going to tell you."

"How did you guys figure it out?" Rei stood, disappearing into the bedroom for a moment. When she came back out, she was gingerly holding the feather in the palm of her hand. She held it out to Misato who slowly took it. "What on earth--?" She broke off with a small cry as the edges sliced into her skin, causing her to drop the feather. "What the hell?!"

"When we pulled Narikage out of the unit today, he had wings," Asuka told her in a quiet voice. "When they disappeared, this feather was all that was left behind." Misato retrieved it, holding it much more cautiously this time.

"Wings...wow..." She peered closely at the feather. "This is amazing. It's made out of silver, but it has all the same qualities as a regular feather. Well, except for the whole razor-sharp edges thing."

"How long have you known, Misato-san?"

"For a while. He was afraid to tell anyone because he didn't want to end up caged and studied over and over."

"How did he become an angel anyway? Was he just born like that?"

"No." They turned to look at Rei who was staring blankly at the carpet. "He was an experiment." She slowly looked at Misato. "Commander Ikari did it to him...didn't he?" The older woman blinked and gave a small nod.

"Yes...that's right. How did...?"

"I don't know." She looked down again. "I just know." Misato and Asuka silently exchanged glances.

(Cut)

"God DAMNIT. If that's anyone but you, Ritsuko, someone is going to die," Misato grumbled, fumbling for the phone screeching beside her bed. The two girls sleeping beside her stirred but didn't wake. "Moshi moshi?"

"Misato!"

"Ritsuko! Is he awake?"

"Yes, but, Misato, they took him."

"What?"

"They ran some tests on Narikage while I was on my coffee break and they found out. Misato, they know he's an angel. They've locked him up."