Disclaimer: Why sue me? Its not like I have the cash to make it worthwhile anyways. If I owned Evangelion though, that would be a different story. But I don't so there.

"Dialogue"

[Thoughts]

[Subconscious speaking]

Unintended Consequences 01: When Chance Intervenes

1 hour earlier, Miyagi prefecture, Bokuto police department

In most organizations, arguing with your superior is just a step away from handing in your resignation. Arguing with your superior in front of his subordinates is just another way of begging to be fired. And yet, an argument was going on at full tilt involving a seated officer whose nametag read "Section Chief Nakamura Masato" and a visibly upset, gray haired man dressed in a suit with none of the bloodshed.

"Nakamura, this is a foolish idea. He is simply too rash for this promotion. He'll be an embarrassment to the entire force! In fact, he already is. This will only make him a bigger embarrassment!"

"Look Fujiwara, I know your concerns are valid but he's a dedicated officer at least. No disciplinary problems, no reports of corruption, no complaints for dereliction of duty, nothing! He's even volunteered for extra patrol duties. There's nothing we can actually use to justify denying his promotion. Even if he is rash, he's followed regulations."

This particular statement was received with a raised eyebrow by the gray haired detective as he threw up his hands. "That is exactly the problem! How many times has he brought someone in on the grounds of 'suspicious' activities when it's turned out to be nothing more than a case of paranoia? The regulations just don't cover that area well enough for ambitious hotheads like him! We're lucky that all we've had to do so far is file a few letters of apology for wrongful arrests. If he gets promoted like this, it will go to his head and heaven knows what he will do then."

Nakamura sighed, wishing, as he regularly did every time his superior's directives and detective Fujiwara clashed, that regulations didn't prohibit having alcohol in the premises. "We've been over this before, you know that the Chief Inspector himself has pointed out that we need to begin moving people up the ranks as soon as possible to make up for our current lack. Unless he commits a major mistake, we can do nothing." His face hardened. "You know this as well as I do Fujiwara. Personal opinions aside, this is a directive from high command and it will be carried out. This matter is closed to further discussion and I will not tolerate any attempts to continue it. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action. Do I make myself clear?"

2nd impact and its aftermath had not been kind to Japan's police force staff rolls. A great many officers had died in the event itself and during the chaos that had followed in its aftermath. Riots, violent crimes and even outright warfare had descended on the formerly peaceful Japan in the first 2 chaos-filled years as people fought among themselves for whatever meager supplies they could scavenge in their shattered cities. Containing the chaos alone had seen many promising officers making the ultimate sacrifice. Martial law was declared and the JSDF was called in. Bloodshed on both sides was immense as the death toll rose. More people died in the fighting that had erupted after 2nd impact than in the actual event itself. Only in the 3rd year after the catastrophe did the country see some semblance of normality being restored, but at great cost. As it was, many of the surviving actual senior staff were nearing retirement age and had to be supplemented with those called out of retirement. Even with the retirees called back, everyone with the experience to accomplish anything more than what a newly trained officer could handle was pulling double shifts.

Despite the heated conversation between the two people, the other people working in the room didn't so much as bat an eyelash. This particular topic was old news to them, and office gossip usually needed something fresh if it was to survive. The only noticeable reaction to this discussion was the stare that a newly inducted officer had directed at them until one of the older officers pulled him aside.

A little nervous about touching sensitive topics, he whispered to the officer. "Uhm Kazuki-san, does this happen all the time?"

Grinning in reply, the older man replied, "Don't worry about it, they may not look it, but those two are rather good friends. It's just that given their different roles, they can't agree on some things." Noticing the puzzled look on the trainee's face, he elaborated. "The higher ups want to promote the first batch of street cops. Their desperate to rebuild so as long as the officers don't go against regulations they don't really care about their performance-" he trailed off, noticing the wide eyed stare of the trainee had shifted focus to settle somewhere just behind his left shoulder.

"If you've finished entertaining the recruit Kazuki, do you mind going back to work?"

Whirling around, Kazuki noticed a rather peeved detective looking at him. "Detective Fujiwara! When did you, uhh, I mean, uhm-Oh would you look at the time, I've got so much paperwork to finish, busy, busy, busy." Kazuki retreated to his desk where he attacked the papers piled there with a fervor that suggested possible termite ancestry, accidentally knocking over a rather large stack in the process.

Looking at the flustered officer who was now trying to make sense of his man-made paper blizzard, Fujiwara sighed. Still seated behind his desk, Nakamura called out to him. "Fujiwara, I know you don't like this and neither do I but there's nothing that can be done about it. You're tired, I'm tired and I really don't want to think about it. Why don't you take the rest of the day off for today? You pulled an all-nighter yesterday didn't you?"

Fujiwara nodded, accepting the cease-fire. If there was one thing that this particular police station was capable of producing regularly, it was mountains of paperwork. He had spent the entire night just trying to finish the various reports that were needed for the last investigation and he couldn't think straight. It was one of the reasons why he had reacted so badly at the news. "Very well, but don't think I've given up on this matter Nakamura. I still think it's a big mistake." Noticing that the chief had already turned to his own tower of forms, he left the station, wanting nothing more than to go home and get some sleep.

XXXXX

Walking in the heavy rain through the suburbs, Fujiwara found himself wishing that his job paid a little better. [I just wish it paid!]. Not for the first time, Fujiwara was glad that government workers received subsidies on many necessities. He had an old sedan car at his flat, but lacked the fuel to go anywhere. Prices for a great many goods had skyrocketed since the catastrophe of 2000, gasoline among one of few commodities that had actually reached astronomical rates. Salaries on the other hand remained at pre-2nd impact rates. The car stayed at home.

Given the circumstances, he didn't mind walking all that much and the umbrella kept most of the rain off his head. He was nearing the bridge that led to his housing district when something under it caught his eye. [Is that someone there? What is he doing with that trash?] Moving closer, he saw that instead of a vagrant rooting among the refuse for something of value as he initially thought, it was a boy, some years to go before he reached his teens, trying to extract what appeared to be an abandoned bicycle from its prison of discarded furniture. [Well, at least he's helping by cleaning out some of the trash.] Putting the incident out of his mind, he continued down the road, rather than crossing the bridge, deciding a small bottle of sake would help make the day seem better as he headed towards his regular store.

Minutes later, he left the corner shop with a small bottle of sake nestled in his coat pocket and was about to begin the trek home when a pair of voices drifted through the rain.

"-not nice to lie" the voice sounded cold, eager. It also sounded familiar.

"Honest! It's the truth!" Whoever the other person was, he was young. A faint edge to the voice told Fujiwara that he was either angry.......or afraid. [What on earth is going on?]. Deciding to investigate, he followed the voices around the corner where he found their owners. One was a police officer. He had seen the other only minutes ago, his sad, soulful, blue eyes clearly upset.

It was the boy.

XXXXX

[Why won't he believe me?] Shinji was distraught. He had grown accustomed to being ignored. Adapted to the whispers detailing false accounts of his past. Being practically called a liar to his face was something the quiet boy had never learned to deal with yet. And experience is a harsh teacher. The open grin the officer had was unnerving to him. It seemed to promise unpleasant things to the boy. A voice spoke to his mind. It was whispered, yet it echoed within the confines of his mind like thunder.

[It is because you're too weak to protect yourself. You deserve this.]

It was like an old friend. Heard many times through the empty existence that filled the years following his abandonment. Despite his attempts to accept his fate, he couldn't help but flinch as the officer reached out to him, believing that he would be slapped or worse when fate intervened.

"What's going on here?"

The hand stopped. Turning around, the officer stiffened as he recognized the speaker. "Nothing is going on 'Detective' Fujiwara." The acidic words were short, clipped, the rank pronounced like a curse, as he acknowledged the speaker, his body blocking Shinji's view of the new arrival.

Leaning over to one side to get a better view of the person, he saw a stocky man, gray hair framing his lined clean-shaven face. The drab suit and a brown overcoat he wore seemed to blend in with the urban surroundings, making him nondescript among the buildings, easily ignored as just another feature in the landscape. At the moment, he was staring at the officer with a disapproving frown. "If nothing is going on, why are you detaining the boy, Matsuo?" the hard edge to the voice radiated disapproval.

Turning his head back to Shinji, the now identified officer Matsuo gave the frightened boy another cold smile that spoke eloquently of painful promises. Returning his stare to Fujiwara, he sneered at the detective. "I'm taking him in on the grounds of bike theft. He admitted as much." The tone was mocking, as if daring the detective to contradict him.

For a brief moment, anger flashed across his face, but lacking the courage to actually speak up, Shinji remained silent, hoping that it would be over soon.

He did however; notice that the detective had raised an eyebrow at Matsuo's unspoken challenge. "Is that so? I'm certain if you won't mind if I asked him the details then would you officer Matsuo?" Without waiting for a reply, he sidestepped the silently fuming officer as he squatted, bringing his face level with Shinji's. Unlike the cold smile that Matsuo had directed at him, the smile that was on the detective's face was open, friendly. "Hello there boy, my name's Fujiwara Katsumoto. What's yours?"

"Shinji, Ikari Shinji." A small voice in the back of Shinji's head told him that perhaps things would work out fine. The memory of the promise in the officer's smile ruthlessly quashed the voice.

"Would you mind telling me how you came by this bicycle?" Hoping that at least this seemingly nicer person would believe him, Shinji recounted the events of how he came to possess it. When he had finished, the detective reached out with his free hand, ruffling Shinji's damp hair and shaking droplets of water into the air. "It's good to know that you're honest."

"What are you talking about Fujiwara!? He's obviously lying!" if Matsuo had bristled when the events were retold he practically exploded when Fujiwara declared his support of the boy's tale. The smile slipped off his face as he turned to face the officer.

"That is exactly the problem with you Matsuo!" he growled, his already thin patience snapping like matchwood, poking the officer's chest with his index finger, driving him back a step. "Your hotheaded nature" he poked him again, "is always getting the force into trouble!" He spat out the next words, "You never even 'tried' to verify his story did you?"

Instead of responding to his verbal assault, Matsuo simply looked coldly at the detective, his eyes hooded. "I don't see how this is your concern 'detective'." The smirk returned to his face "He has nothing to back up his story. And I am within my rights to take him in unless he can prove it." He finished confidently, secure in his belief that Fujiwara was merely being a nuisance. He failed to see the amused twinkle that flashed across the old man's eyes.

"He may not have anything to back up his story on his person, but he does have something to exonerate him." Matsuo did not miss the twinkle this time. "An eyewitness"

The younger man snorted. "And just where is this 'eyewitness' of yours hmmm? Hiding in your pocket perhaps?" He flicked his hand, dismissing the statement, quite sure that the old man was beyond a doubt, deranged. He was already thinking about filing a report detailing his mental instability when Fujiwara replied.

"You're looking at him" Fujiwara grinned, quite pleased with himself, at the flabbergasted expression that adorned Matsuo's face and decided to launch his next taunt. "If you wish, you can take us both in to the station. I'm sure it would make for an interesting case for you."

Rather than continue and lose whatever dignity he had left, Matsuo decided to retreat, getting in one last thrust. "If you can vouch for his story, there are no grounds for me to arrest him. However, I expect you will fill out the required paperwork, won't you 'detective' Fujiwara?" Sparing one last angry glance at the older man and Shinji, who up to now had remained silent, hoping to avoid causing more trouble for these two people, the officer abruptly turned around, and departed, his booted feet angrily impacting the ground with each step.

Fujiwara shrugged. An extra 3 reports to fill in wouldn't that make much of a difference to the back breaking load of paperwork that would greet him the next time he returned to his desk. Matsuo's parting shot had been little more than a face saving gesture in his opinion. Putting the rash officer out of his mind, he turned around to face Shinji. What Shinji said though, was a little unexpected to the middle aged man.

Shinji was upset. Not at the officer. Most certainly not with the detective who had supported him. No, he was upset with himself. Father had left him because he was inconvenient. There was nothing to disprove that idea. His adoptive family had moved him out of the house because he was in the way. The students at school avoided him because they didn't care about him. And now this person had gotten into some sort of trouble because of him. He wasn't sure why, but he was certain he was the cause of the tension between both men. Unable to look the older man in the face, he stared at the pavement, "I'm sorry for causing you all this trouble detective-san." wishing that he wasn't such a burden on everyone. He only hoped that the older man would not lash out at him.

So when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and the question that followed, he was caught off guard.

"Why do you apologize? You've done nothing wrong"

Flushing a little, he tried to explain, unable to understand why Fujiwara didn't understand that it was his fault. "But, it's because of me you had to get into trouble with-"

He was cut off by a snort from Fujiwara, "Look Shinji, you didn't cause me any trouble. Matsuo likes to make an ass of himself and I didn't see any point in letting you get taken in over an issue as small as this. Especially since your innocent" Waving off the matter he continued, deciding to try to lighten the boy's anxiety by picking something lighter in nature. "Now, why don't you tell me where you live Shinji? I'll take you home. Your parents must be worried about you being all by yourself in this weather."

Almost at once, Shinji felt his head drop at the mention of his parents, and the sudden flare of pain the memory it caused. Voices that spoke of his worthlessness returned. But before they could manifest themselves fully, Fujiwara's voice cut through.

"What's wrong? I'm sorry if I asked something painful."

Shinji tried to hide the pain. Tried to ignore the empty gnawing at his heart. Tried to listen to the whispered words that told him that he was worthless and that he shouldn't burden the detective with how worthless he was.

"It's ok. You don't have to tell me."

He failed. The words were flatly delivered as he suppressed the pain. "Mother is dead. Father left me." Unable to say anymore, he turned away, embarrassed at his outburst. The hand tightened on his shoulder.

Fujiwara saw the tightening of the eyes, felt the tensing of the shoulders through his hand, heard the toneless words. [It must have been quite a traumatic experience.] He chose his next words carefully. "I'm sorry if I made you remember painful things Shinji. I promise to make it up to you. Come on; let's get you out of the rain first."

Finding shelter against the rain was proving to be problematic. It was almost closing time when Fujiwara had met Shinji and now, none of the nearby stores were open. Finding out where he lived, and how far it was from where they were, made taking him home in the increasingly worse weather a bad idea. Sheltering under the awning of one of the shops proved to be ineffectual as well since occasional gusts of wind would blow heavy sheets of cold water onto the both of them. Not really dressed for this kind of weather, Shinji was already shivering. [This is not good. If it keeps up the boy is going to get pneumonia. I've only got one choice left if I'm going to be responsible about this...] Bringing his face level with Shinji's, he made his decision.

"Shinji, we can't stay out here like this, the weather isn't good for you." He hesitated, not quite sure how the boy would react to the next bit. He didn't particularly like it himself, but it was necessary if the boy were to remain healthy. "I'll take you back to my place since its close where you can wait out the storm. Don't worry; I'll call you guardians to let them know you're alright. How does that sound?"

Through the increasingly numbing fog that he saw the world through, Shinji could barely make out his words. But it was enough, survival instincts overriding his own nervousness at being invited into someone's residence, he nodded. "H-hai Fujiwara-san."

END OF CHAPTER 01

XXXXX

A/N: You might be wondering where this is going but rest assured that funny business is not going to show up in this fic (at least while I'm still writing it.) I pictured Fujiwara here to be a rather gruff fellow. Hopefully I will show that in the next chapter. Please stick around, it will get more interesting. I promise!

On a side note, i can't figure out this blasted formatting when it comes to placing spaces. I hope you can forgive me for that.