THE RAILWAYS END-CHAPTER 2
In which Shinji learns of his position
Misato drinks
Asuka cries
And the story really begins?
The rock that they stood upon was harsh to Shinji's bare feet. The white garment that had been flapping so splendidly about his body when he had floated over the vortex was now causing trouble, as he desperately tried to maintain his dignity in front of this ghost-like figure.
"Is there a problem?" asked the pale young man, a star shining brilliantly in his right eye.
"Uh, yeah," said a blushing Shinji, trying to get his robe to cover his rear-end, "This…thing doesn't give a lot of cover,"
"I see," said the ghost-like fellow, who raised a hand. Shinji's robe then vanished, leaving in its stead his school uniform.
"Uh, thanks," muttered the astonished Third Child, "You said you wanted to talk to me?"
"Indeed," replied Dream of the Endless.
Rei could not get back to sleep.
She could not understand why; she had never had any difficulty before. But now it was like someone was barring her attempts at rest.
She could remember the dream in detail. The baby Shinji, the elderly Commander, Misato, the younger Sohryu…and Ikari, floating serenely over a swirling…thing.
And the mysterious figure who had interrupted the dream.
Rei decided, then and there, that something was wrong. Very wrong. She rose from her blankets and walked to her dresser, pulling out a drawer and retrieving some underpants.
It was a bizarre feeling, but she must see if it was correct.
She had to see if Shinji was in danger.
"I'm a Vortex?"
"Yes,"
"What is that?"
Dream held out a hand and a glass ball appeared. Within it appeared a face, surrounded by other faces.
"I do not know why, but in every era, a Vortex has appeared.
"The Vortex is a mortal who, briefly, becomes the center of the Dreaming. The Vortex is often unaware of it's affliction for some time, until it begins its usual patterns.
"That feeling you had before, Shinji Ikari? The feeling of joy and warmth? That is what accompanies the experience of the Vortex.
"The Vortex destroys the barriers between dreaming minds and draws them into one huge dream,"
The face in the center remained stationary, but the other faces began swirling around until they became unrecognizable.
"For some time, there is happiness as the Vortex draws in the dreams of every inhabitant on their world. Then the Vortex collapses; the dream goes with it, taking all the dreamers. There is nothing left, and it damages the Dreaming severely.
"It is one of my functions to prevent this from happening again…"
Shinji blinked, "Again?"
"Eons ago and half a universe away, a Vortex wiped out all life on a planet. Morpheus failed to stop it in time."
"Who's Morpheus?"
Dream smiled slightly, "My…predecessor, you might say…"
The answer only confused Shinji even more.
"So…what happens now?"
Dream's face twisted with remorse.
Asuka had long ago learned how to cry silently. And she did so, curled up with her back to the door. The dream she had experienced earlier terrified her.
Never before had she felt so…helpless. The dream had shifted so quickly, and ended when that…that guy had said so.
But it was Shinji that haunted her thoughts. He had looked so…happy floating up there.
But now? Now she was sure that he was in danger. Part of her insisted that she get up and head into the boy's room and see if he was alright.
But the prevailing side told her to stay where she was.
And she did.
I do not believe I did that very well, thought Daniel as he silently stared at Shinji, who had sat down at the rock's edge, staring down all the fifty feet to the ground. The King of Dreams silently approached the boy and laid a white hand on his shoulder.
"Shinji," Daniel began, quietly, "I know that…this comes as a great blow. But you must know that there is nothing personal in this. I have seen your life, and looked into your tumultuous dreams; it is not fair, and I am sorry."
Shinji was trying desperately to keep from crying in front of this…this god, as far as he could understand it. He was failing.
"Things come to a head, don't they?" he asked the being beside him.
"In some ways, they do,"
"First Mother dies…disappears, I guess I should say. Father leaves me alone, crying on the street…didn't even look back, like he'd turn into salt if he tried to look at me one last time,"
"It has happened,"
"Then I'm left with my teacher; brought to Father so I can pilot some freakish monstrosity; and now, I'm told by a god that I have to die so I don't kill everyone on Earth in their sleep."
"I am no god."
Shinji looked up at Daniel, whose left eye shined brilliantly.
"But…you said that you were the 'Lord of the Dreaming', I just thought that…"
"I am Dream of the Endless, Shinji Ikari; I am beyond your gods in age and power, but I am no god."
"Oh…"
"Shinji, if you wish you may remain here, in the Dreaming. My raven Matthew was once a mortal man."
"I don't know; would I ever get to see my friends again?"
"When they dream, and sometimes in the Waking World, you may…"
Shinji looked down. Then, awkwardly, he got up and said, "Thank you, sir, I think I'd like that."
And the King of Dreams smiled.
Misato was drinking. Her skimpy clothing was still wet with the sweat she had generated in her sleep.
The cool beer helped to calm her, but not much. The Chief of Operations for NERV had been frightened by her dream, and just couldn't work up the courage to check in on Shinji, even though she had the awful feeling that he was in trouble. She had lost so much in her life that she didn't believe for one moment that she could withstand the boy's death, if that was what this feeling was about.
The ringing of her doorbell interrupted her grim thoughts. She got up, walked down the hall, and opened the door to reveal Rei Ayanami in a crumpled uniform. The albino girl bowed slightly.
"Hello, Major Katsuragi, I…I've come to see Ikari."
Another time, another place, Misato would have teased Rei before letting her in and then teasing the girl and Shinji. But the Major simply let the First Child in.
Shutting the door behind her, Misato turned toward Rei.
"Rei, why did you come here?"
The girl looked at the Major with those wine-colored eyes, and said, quietly, "I…do not know. I…had a…disturbing dream,"
"About what?"
Shinji's bed was empty. His physical body was in the Dreaming…
Dream of the Endless slowly approached the Third Child. Shinji tried to stand bravely, but felt himself trembling as Daniel got closer.
"Will this hurt?"
Daniel raised a white hand and reached for Shinji's face.
"For a moment; but it will pass quickly,"
"He's alright, Rei, I'm sure of it," but Misato said this to comfort herself as much as trying to comfort Rei. The Major walked—almost jogging—toward the boy's room and reached for the latch…
The fingers touched Shinji's eyelids and drew them down. Pain seized the boy's body, going as quickly as it came.
He collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. He felt…different. Free…
Shinji looked up at Daniel, who was offering a hand to help him up. Shinji accepted the help and asked, "What happened?"
"You died."
Misato opened the door to see Shinji lying on his bed, SDAT still connected to his ears.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
"See, Rei? He's fine,"
But the First Child wasn't convinced. She approached the bed, which surprised the Major.
"Rei? He's okay; don't wake him up, he's the only one here still sleeping, just let him…"
She didn't finish. Rei had frozen and then leaped at the boy on the bed. She stared at the Third Child for a moment or two; then she—Are her hands shaking?, thought Misato—reached for Shinji's neck and pressed her fingers against the side of his throat. Rei withdrew her fingers as if Shinji had tried to bite her. She stepped back, her lips beginning to tremble.
"Rei? What…?" Misato stopped and looked at Shinji.
His chest wasn't moving.
"Shinji? SHINJI?"
The wail of loss echoed throughout the building…