-
-Edited by Tiberus
'Its like nothing ever happened yet…'
The thought seems true at first, Yukari final day in the hospital is this morning. What makes it worse for the young Yukari is that she barely remembers a thing that happened. All she does remember is that she talked to an Angel, and she found out whom she is.
'I'm still nothing…'
Another uncomfortable thought, to find out what you are it can really hamper your day, but the big question was, whom is the girl hanging off her arm. Yukari Ayanami stands in a hospital, watching Misato go over her discharge paper work. On her arm wearing a hospital guan, is the light strawberry haired girl. She sits in a wheelchair resting her head on Yukari's hip.
"Yukari-Chan!"
Everyone looks to the little girl at Yukari's side, her out burst was loud and full of childlike energy. Not caring what people think Yukari smiles and pats the girl on the head.
"That's right strange little girl, I'm Yukari-chan!"
The girl hugs her leg before she can walk over to Misato, but Yukari is a bit stronger and frees herself gently. She gets over to Misato and with a sigh.
"Come on, don't look down, you saved that girls life, and the way it looks she has nothing left."
Seeing that Misato is more informed then her, Yukari steps closer for details. "What do you mean Misato-chan?"
"Well…" With a strong glare, Misato catches the use of the childlike attachment to her name. "A total of fifty five people went missing, out of those there were two girl here age among them."
"Which one is she?"
Misato looks back to the orphan with some pity. "Public records cant find a photo, both aren't residence to Tokyo 3, and the rest of Japan still haven't recovered information wise as quickly as us. Right now she's Jane Doe, but evidence is slowly pointing to a girl named Inari. The poor thing is suffering form PTSS," (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) "So her memories are in shambles." Misato looks to see Yukari sadden by the tale. "Don't worry they already have lined up a foster family to take care of her."
"That's good…" Yukari looks at her friend with a smile and a wave. "I'm going to miss her. She was a sweet little Angel."
-
-
-
-
After One week of clean up the district that the pilot's school is in, is reopened. With that means the start of classes for the pilots that mean an early wake up. For Rei Ayanami, the past three days have been difficult since Asuka has been at NERV in testing. Her roommate's new upbeat activity at NERV reminds Rei when they were nearing the completion of the Dummy Plug, which failed on its first activation. In typical fashion, Rei leaves early for school, with only her cane as her guide. It is not a challenge for Rei as she knows the path well, as long as someone doesn't spin her around she will be fine.
"Yukari-chan!"
Hearing someone call out her sisters name Rei stops, in the beginning Rei was commonly mistaken for her energetic sister, but since her accident there is no way you cant tell them apart.
"Yukari-chan!"
'That doesn't stop this person from being a idiot.'
Only if she could see Rei would of released that she was about to be tackled. With as much force a little twelve year old can give, the girl Yukari saved takes down Rei with a death grip like hug. The girl wears the same style uniform as Rei, despite her age.
"My new family said I could go to your school!" The girl squeezes hard forcing Rei to gasp for air. "I'm starting the sixth grade today!"
Not knowing who the hell took her to the ground Rei pushes the girl away. "You are mistaken, I am not who you…"
"Inari, Inari Leiko!" The young girl finally lets go of Rei. "Isn't that cool!" Using her cane, Rei stands back up only to be spun by the girl in a cheerful dance. All Rei does to make her stop is open her eyes and she shows her, the red voids that are in their place. Leiko looks at Rei in shock. "Your not Yukari."
"Correct…" Re steps back to get distance from the girl. "You speak of my sister."
The eyes light up with joy in the girls gold eyes, she takes Rei hand once more. "Yukari has a twin sister!" Feeling no need to answer Rei just stands there. "Wow, what's your name?"
"Ayanami Rei…"
"Rei-chan!" After a short giggle, the girl presses herself against Rei. "Your heart it is the same as Yukari's, but it beats a different tone.
Usually not to annoyed by most things, Rei is quiet flustered when she has a twelve year old placing her head on her chest. With a forceful push, Rei regains her distance from the girl. "I do not know you, or why you are here…"
"I'm Leiko…" The girl taps on her chin as she thinks for a bit. "I'm on my way to school, and your sister saved my life!"
"None of this involves me…" Rei goes to move but realizes she is disorientated.
Leiko watches as Rei tries to get her bearings. "Your blind…"
Still able to roll her eyes Rei does so as she thinks. 'This child is about as sharp as a jello.' The joke brings a smile form her face as she is reminded of Asuka.
"Do you need help?" Trying to ignore the girl Rei begins to walk off forward guiding herself wit her cane. "I thought the school was that way."
This has Rei stop as she closes her eyes, cursing the black void that claims her vision. "Show me in the direction of the school."
After a few seconds of nothing, Rei feels a hand take her and use it to redirect her body. "Its this way…" Reoriented Rei makes her way to the school, leaving Leiko behind. The girl isn't that easily wavered as she catches up with Rei. "You are so lucky…"
At first Rei isn't sure if she is talking to her, the blind Girl with only one person in her life. "Why would you say something like that?"
"Because, your Yukari's sister! She is such a caring friend, not only did she save me, but we roomed together in the hospital." The blind girl stands there waiting for a point to be made. "That mean you're the sister to the greatest, most kindest, heroic, and funniest person I know!"
-
-
-
-
Once more Rei tries her tactic of just ignoring Leiko to see if she will go away, but that seems to fail as the girl continues to talk to her all the way to the classroom door. Once in the safety of 2-A, Rei breathes a sigh of relief.
"Is something wrong, Miss Ayanami?"
The question startles poor Rei, being blind can do that. However, the voice is that of the Class Rep. "I am fine…"
Slowly Rei makes her way to her seat, she bumps into a desk and stops in frustration. Watching her from the front of the classroom Hikari has a worried look. "Miss Ayanami, if you want I can have your seat moved to the…"
"No!" Rei's built up frustration finally brakes free of her training. Her out burst scares Hikari as the class Rep steps back. When an awkward silence returns, Rei breathes a sigh. "Representative Horaki, I respectively decline."
"Okay… Sorry…"
Slowly the frustration of blindness begins to build up in Rei, she goes to study her brail but quickly stops knowing all that will do is make her even more frustrated. Therefore, she sits in her seat with only the sounds of the Class Rep cleaning and greeting fellow students when they happen to walk in. Soon Rei begins to feel a presence around her and by the fact the class rep didn't welcome her it narrowed the field down to one.
"Rei…"
Mana's voice seemed to waver in pitch. This is the first time she has confronted Rei since the last time, which consisted a gun being pointed at her. Because of her overall mood, Rei doesn't even respond.
"I need to talk to you…" After a second of no response Mana continues. "Its about Asuka…"
"I have nothing to say to you." This time Rei turns and looks away out of habit.
With the subject of more importance then Rei is making it out to be Mana grasps Rei's hand. "Its…"
"Don't touch me."
With a whisper that has goose bumps go up Mana's arm, she almost gives up on her attempt to talk to Rei. "You know I am staying with Kaji… and well I over looked some of his work." Mana looks to see Rei isn't even listening. "I saw a report… on Asuka… and… a new dummy plug…"
The response Mana receives was not expected. Rei reaches out and grabs Mana tossing her to the ground. "Stop lying!" Unable to control herself Rei lashes out on Mana. "Don't ever speak to me again! Never!"
"Rei!" Shinji's voice is followed by a slap across Rei's face. He pulls on Rei's arm but she refuses, determined Shinji gives on final pull before she willing walks away with him.
On the ground Mana rubs her head and looks up, to see Yukari perched on a desk. With a tilt of the head, Yukari strikes a look of curiosity. "What's up?"
"Your pink underwear…"
'Wow, that wasn't expected.' Yukari gets down off the desk somewhat flustered. "Other then my fashion habits."
"Nothing, it doesn't involve you…" Mana sits up and looks to see the class give her a dirty look. "Of course that never stops you."
'Cant refute that…' Yukari stands seeing it best to just leave her alone. She goes to exit the classroom to check up on Rei but is instead engulfed in a bear hug of doom from Leiko.
"Yukari-chan!"
Unable to breath, so unable to speak Yukari begins to claw at the door side like a cat. Just before she passes out Leiko lets her go allowing her to breath. "Hell… o…"
The out of breath Yukari turns to the underclassmen with a smile. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm in 3-C!" The energetic twelve-year-old jumps back on to Yukari this time rubbing up against her chest. "Its true you're the same!"
'Hold the phone!' Yukari face becomes a slight shade of red. "Um I glad you like them but…"
"Your hearts…"
As if a great weight is lifted off her shoulder, Yukari breathes a sigh of relief to calm down. "That's great."
"Your hearts are like my mother's"
"Good I thought you were talking about…"
The young girl is quick to interrupt. "And you have such full breast…"
"All righty then…" Yukari pushes Leiko to a safe distance. "And for a twelve your old your not bad yourself… So I take it your in the sixth grade."
The girl smiles and rest her head on Yukari's chest to listen to her heart. Yukari looks around to see the looks she is getting and pulls the girl to arm length. "Why is your heart rate up, and what's with the Horr…ra… o man!"
The gold eyes on Leiko's eyes seem to light up with fire as she begins to blush. "I love you…"
"Meow!" Before Yukari can retreat she is grasped in a hug of doom. She scratches, pounds, and yells but nothing releases her from her, huggy fate. 'For some reason I have a feeling I did caused this… I hate it when I do that…'
-
-
-
-
On the school roof top Shinji stands in front of Rei forgetting on why he dragged her away, the walk to get some where private used up what little confidence the boy had in him. Rei waits impatiently for Shinji to speak.
"Pilot Ikari…"
'Okay now or never you have to say something.' Shinji thought of confidence isn't to reassuring. "Rei…" Shinji mumbles to himself. 'And flat line…'
"Pilot Ikari why did you hit me?"
"Rei…" Shinji begins to pace to think of what to say. "I'm sorry about that but… umm… it's just that… you scared me…"
"I warrant no threat." Rei looks down knowing why. "I am blind you can easily defeat me…"
The tone in Rei's voice brings to mind Shinji's original point on bringing her here. "Rei… I don't mean in a physical since… You scared me… you made me worry about you…"
"There is nothing to worry about…"
'Damn she is hard to talk to.' Shinji stops pacing and stares to at Rei doing her best to remain emotionless, but doing a piss poor job at it. "Yes there is! I worry for you everyday!"
This is news, for Rei only thought Asuka cared for her. "Why…"
"Why!" Such a small word to use but such a hard word to describe. "Rei, remember our first mission together… Remember what you said…"
Many things were said that day; it was one of Rei's last days of peace in her mind. "I said a lot of things, Pilot Ikari."
"You said that you would be protecting me." Shinji allows Rei to remember her words; he to looks back on the day as one of his fondest memories. "I will never forget what you did… because you saved my life… you almost died for me." Slowly Shinji begins to cry as he tries his best not to run away from life. "I never want that to happen again and I would rather die then to see you hurt."
Speechless for a moment Rei feels lightheaded and unsure of herself, some how she feels vendible and out of control. This is the same feeling she first had around Asuka. "Shinji…"
Even Rei cannot help but stop as she listens to Shinji whimper. Following his sounds of tears, Rei grasps Shinji's arm. He cannot help but look up to her, she can only think of one thing to do. The girl shows Shinji something he has not seen in a long time from her, a smile. Nevertheless, even that doesn't last long as she two begins to cry to also resting her head on Shinji's shoulder.
-
-
-
-
Standing in the room of Gaf Ritsuko Akagi stands before her greatest creation. Her smile could be compared to Doctor Jeckel or even others they play with the power of God. Standing next to her is Gendo Ikari, he to smiles but with a more sinister grin. His recent parting with his wife has made him bitter. Seeing the creation before him, this mad science run amok gives him great pleasure. Also to take witness to what will be revealed is Asuka. She is not the Asuka that one comes to think, she stands in a hospital clothing, head down and shoulders limp, her hair is loss and not held back, her eyes are hazy and bloodshot. The very lack of emotion makes her look dead.
"I am a genius…" Ritsuko boasts with a grin ear-to-ear on her face. "You said I couldn't do it."
"I'm most impressed." Sharing Ritsuko's joy, Gendo walks over to the center tube touching its surface. "The combinations of every thing we have ever down is rapped up in the work of art."
"Evangelion research, Cloning, stem cells, mind links system, brain transference.
Turning to face the others Gendo walks over and places his hand on Asuka's shoulder. "An we owe it all to a girl I thought was worthless, isn't that right."
The girl raises her head slowly, and with out a care. "Yes, sir…" Her tone is dry and lifeless.
All of them turn as bubbles begin to fill the center tube of LCL. "Yui cant see the truth, she was swayed by the touch of an Angel…" The tube begins to look like its boiling as the entire tube is filled. "She has taken my Rei, and if she has Yukari…" The bubbles subside and slowly all can see what floats with in. Naked and lifeless Asuka is with in the LCL, yet it is not Asuka, as she stands beside Gendo. The twin that floats with in the LCL opens its eyes and looks over everyone and smiles.
-
-
-
-
'The pieces are falling into place…'
"Why is life made to be so hard?"
'Life is not hard, it is the choices one must make that complicates like.'
Standing on the proverbial, 'Train of Thought' Shinji Ikari sits with his younger self on the other side staring him down.
'Thoughts, feeling, sight what do these give you."
Shinji's answer is simple. "Existence."
'Correct, and that's it, but what is Existence, is it life.'
"Of course."
"No, Existing is nothing more then ones projection of himself of the world…"
Disagreeing Shinji shakes his head in protest. "And with out being in this world one does not exist, meaning he has no life."
'Your own mother then does not exist.'
"No!" Unsure of himself Shinji looks away. "She's in Eva…"
'Yet Eva is not who she is, her life is independent of her Existence.'
"What does it matter as long as I have faith!"
'Ah, faith, one must have this to exist, one of the things that makes man special, faith."
"Faith?" Shinji looks at his chibi self.
'You believe in God, or Gods or you believe in nothing all of it is faith, from the Shinto to the atheist all have faith.'
"Of course I believe in God, its fact isn't it…" Shinji uses his hands to form a out line of the third angel. "I mean Angels are attacking…"
'You think those Red Herrings mean something.'
"What…"
'You are missing the point on why they attack, you all look at this as a battle.'
"It is… they are out to kill us!"
'They are messengers Shinji…'
-
-
-
-
"Shinji!"
Grasping Shinji tightly is Yukari as he lies in his arms. The sun beats down onto his eyes, forcing the boy to look away.
"Yukari…"
"I am!" Yukari helps Shinji to his feet he looks to see nearly half his class on the roof.
"What happened?"
Yukari looks to Rei who stands eyes on the verge of tears. "Well after you talked to Rei you said you were going to stay up he for a second, but when class started you never showed."
Everyone nods in approval with her story; Shinji rubs his head trying to think if he just fell asleep. However, nothing comes to mind.
"I'm sorry!"
Everyone turns to Rei as she grips her cane tightly, she wants to run, but all that will get her is a trip to a painful fall. She can feel that everyone is staring at her; the ice is broken as Touji gives out a cat call. "Rei has a thing for Shinji!"
He is promptly smashed in the head by Hikari's fist, but it is to late as everyone begins to smirk and comment of what was spoken. Both Shinji and Rei are unable to move as the comments fly.
"Maybe…" Everyone looks to Rei who is red in the face. "Maybe that is true."
Next Problem… One more time Yukari and Seele!
