Evangelion Fan Fiction

The Once and Future Angel of Humanity

By Kraven Ergeist

Chapter Three

Rei awoke in a dark hotel room, lying tucked into a surprisingly comfortable bed. She turned her head to see where she was, and saw Shinji, sitting crossed legged on the second bed, his fists pressed against the comforter. Nothing about the scene could make her believe that he had used the bed over the course of the night.

The shades were drawn, even though light leaked through. She glanced at the clock. It was past nine in the morning.

Rei inspected herself; she was still wearing her hospital gown, which had gotten dirty and torn from its over usage.

"There's some clothes and some shoes in the shopping bag at your feet," Shinji said, without looking up. "I hope they're to your satisfaction."

Rei froze up. Had he read her mind? No, it had to be coincidence. Still, he had timed his remark too perfectly.

"I've paid for two nights," Shinji said, lifting his head. "I don't think we should stay any longer. My fath…the commander will have sent his forces beyond the cities limits by then."

Shinji did not say that they probably had already detected his AT field outside of Nagoya. He hadn't wanted to worry her. He was convinced that he could keep hidden for long enough.

"There's a working shower in this room," he went on. "I've already used it. You can use it if you want." He turned to look at her, and she saw that he had been crying. "You don't have anything to worry about."

Rei nodded and got up, retrieved the shopping bag, and made her way to the bathroom. She began wondering about his behavior. He worried her. She could tell he was taking a lot of weight on his shoulders. More than he should have. She wished there was something she could do to comfort him. He was devoting himself to her, she could tell. She should be carrying her own weight, not him.

Rei showered and dried off. She opened the shopping bag and removed the clothes inside. Everything was there, even underwear. She glanced at the price tag, and noted how expensive the total had come to. Come to that, she noticed the level of class of the hotel they were in. Where did all this money come from?

She emerged, all dressed and ready. Shinji glanced at her and got to his feet. "Ready to go?"

Rei blinked. "Go?"

Shinji nodded. "Yeah. Breakfast. You must be starving."

Rei hesitated before a quiet gurgle sounded from her stomach.

Shinji smiled, closing his eyes. "Come on. I'll take you to a restaurant."

They left, passing from their own quiet little world into a much more busy one. Though Tokyo-3 was all but deserted, in Nagoya, everything was business as usual. It had been months since the last Angel attack, and people were getting used to the peace.

Shinji took Rei to a small café. They ate outdoors. Shinji bought her more food then she could have eaten in a month.

"I appreciate this, but really…I'm not that hungry," Rei protested.

Shinji smiled. "Well, eat what you can. It would be a shame to waste it."

Her order arrived, and she began eating. She glanced up at Shinji. With the exception of a complimentary glass of water, which he hadn't touched, there was nothing at his setting.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" she pressed.

Shinji shook his head. "I've already eaten. You just enjoy your meal."

Rei eyed him warily. She had not known this boy for very long, but she was beginning to be able to sense things about him. Such as when he was lying.

After breakfast, they promenaded about town, eying the sights. They paid a visit to a jeweler, and Shinji bought Rei a necklace that cost over ten thousand yen (a few hundred dollars). Rei had protested at first, but Shinji had been adamant about treating her. Rei couldn't stop a blush from her face as Shinji put the necklace on. She eyed the necklace in the mirror in wonder, touching the stone that rested gently on her collar.

Shinji smiled. "You look beautiful, Rei."

Rei breathed in lightly. "Thank you."

They left after that. They went into a park and sat down by a lake afloat with cranes. They sat there for the better part of an hour.

"You know…when I was younger, I dreamed of doing this," Shinji said.

Rei looked at him strangely. "Do what? Go to Nagoya Park?"

Shinji laughed. "No, no…well, yeah, but more importantly…to go to the park with someone important to me. To eat at a café with someone important to me. To buy a necklace, whose beauty is marred by the beauty of the wearer, for someone important to me."

Rei averted her eyes, blushing. "You…you flatter me."

Shinji shook his head. "I suppose…when your with a person so important to you…everything about them seems beautiful." Shinji reached over and took her hand. "You're all I have Rei. Everyone I knew, my friends, my family…all of them I left behind. I…I had to choose someone to take with me in order to escape the madness that my father had created. I chose you, Rei. At the time, I thought that it was out of pity; after all, you were nearly killed in that accident."

Shinji frowned. He had been calling it an accident. He hadn't said what it really had been. What had truly done. For him.

"But now…" Shinji sighed. "Now, I think…it's because you meant something to me. Something that I couldn't find in anyone else. Something that no one else has been willing to offer."

Rei's mouth hung slightly ajar. "What are you saying, Shinji?"

Shinji bit his lip, before sighing, and leaning back. "Oh, I think I'll let you figure it out on your own. If you do…then I'll know I was right in believing in you."

Rei began thinking about what it was that Shinji wanted her to see. She thought about it as they sat there, watching the tranquil pond, letting it pacify them.

It was not meant to last.

"We have to go," Shinji said, suddenly, standing and offering his hand.

"Why?" Rei said, startled, taking his hand hesitantly.

"We've been found," he said, urgently. "We must leave the city at once."

"But…" Rei stuttered. "I thought you said we were staying for two days."

Shinji taking her by the hand. "That's not something we're going to be able to do at this point. Right now, we have to get away from them."

Shinji had already started running, pulling Rei along, when Rei spoke up. "Are these people really so bad, Shinji? Is there really cause for such concern?"

Shinji looked back at her aghast. "Would you like to stay behind and find out?"

Rei caught her breath and shook her head. "No."

Shinji sighed, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry I said that, Rei. I'd never leave you like that. I was being serious back there. When I said you're all I had, I meant you were all I had. If I lost you…I just don't know what I'd do."

Rei closed her eyes. "I won't leave you Shinji. I promise."

Shinji looked back at her. "You promise?"

Rei nodded. "I promise."

Shinji smiled. "Thank you Rei. You don't know how much that means to me."

Shinji suddenly started and turned down a sharp alley, practically dragging Rei with him.

"They've caught onto us," he said, between gasps. "We have to be fast."

"Where are you seeing them, Shinji?" Rei demanded. "I don't see anything."

Shinji clenched his eyes. He was letting himself on. But he had no choice if he was to protect her. "Just trust me."

Rei did not respond, and Shinji took them farther.

They were everywhere! Shinji could sense them just behind the buildings they were running past, and their movements were so sporadic, and yet organized to the point where they left no ground uncovered. He was having difficulty finding places for them to hide form their pursuers.

He found a suitable hiding spot behind a dumpster. It was filthy, but it would suit their purposes. He crouched behind it, holding Rei behind him with his right arm, his eyes focused on the alleyway perpendicular to theirs where the section 2 officers would come from.

They came and went, and Shinji and Rei were up again.

"Quick," he hissed, taking her hand. "This way!"

They headed in the opposite direction, to ground where their pursuers had already covered. The officers were so numerous and so thorough that any normal human would have found it impossible to escape.

But Shinji was no ordinary human.

He led Rei back, with the intention of evading them completely. But they doubled around, and soon, Shinji and Rei found themselves trapped, in a dead end. No way to escape in time. They were coming. He hid Rei as best as he could, but it was too late. They had spotted them.

"You two!" came a shout. "Hold it right there!"

Shinji took a stand in front of Rei. "Leave us alone!" he shouted.

There was no response. Only the crackle of the officer's walkie-talkie, as he spoke into it. "First and third children located."

Shinji looked all around. No way to escape. Not without…

He cringed. He had no choice.

"Rei…" he whispered. "I'm about to show you something that might scare you. I'm sorry I couldn't show you before, but I wanted to wait for you to make a full recovery."

Rei cast a look at him that reflecting her dread. "What are you talking about?"

Shinji answered with a smile. Then, he turned back to the officers. "You make sure you tell my father what you're about to see!"

Shinji whipped off his shirt, and in an explosion of white feathers, a pair of angel wings, large enough to lift a human being, emerged from his back.

The officers stepped back in a start. So did Rei.

"Rei…" Shinji pleaded when he saw her fear. "Don't be afraid. It's still me. It's always been me. I wanted to use this as a last resort, but now it's the only way that I can save you. Now come here."

Rei stepped closer, fear in her eyes. "What are you going to do?"

Shinji cringed. "Please…don't look at me like that. I'm trying to help you! These people want to take you away! I have to get you away from this place. The only way to do that…is to fly out."

Rei gulped.

"Rei…you can trust me," Shinji begged. The officers behind him began attacking, and Shinji raised his AT field to stop them. He turned back to Rei. "We have to get out of here."

Rei trembled as he looked back at her.

"Rei…" Shinji sobbed. "Please…"

Rei hesitated for just a second longer, before running to him. Without a second's wait, Shinji scooped her up in his arms, and shot out of there faster than a rocket.

They were halfway across the world by the time they set down.